It hurts my ear everyone someone says “Sorry, I’m late, traffic”.
Traffic in Manila is like Snow in Alaska! It’s here everyday since forever! So it’s not an excuse at all.
Actually, unless you have been abducted by aliens or had to save a child from a burning building, there are very few valid reasons to be late. It’s just so socially acceptable here in the Philippines.
Have you ever notice how people, whether for business or leisure, always set schedules like this “Let’s meet between 1 to 1:30” (And they usually arrive at 2). Very few people I know ever set exact times. Why is that so hard? How did our national sense of time get this messed up?
I live in Quezon city & any destination within it I set 30 minutes to get there (even if it’s 10). If I have to go to Makati I assume it will take AT LEAST an hour, 2 hours if it’s a Friday. I always double my estimated time. I always set exact meeting times & I make an effort to be punctual & not take comfort on the shitty fact that most people I am to meet will be late.
When I am running late, I would know that at least an hour or 30 minutes before & inform my appointment accordingly because maybe they could do other things. I don’t go “sorry I’ll be 30 minutes late” 5 minutes before the appointment. I respect people’s time & I hope you, dear reader, would do too : )
We want so much in our country to change & feel hopeless because it’s in the hands of the government, but this is something WE can ALL do something about.
