CUSTOMER SERVICE AT BPI: PROBABLY ONE OF THE SLOWEST (IF NOT THE SLOWEST)

I wonder why it takes longer to bank at BPI than any of the major banking institutions in the Philippines. Is it because there are usually only one or two of the 3 or 4 teller booths operating? Is it because BPI staff conduct their business more slowly and therefore less efficiently? I also bank at various branches of BDO, Metrobank, China Bank, PS Bank, and RCBC – and I’ve realized that BPI branches are generally unpleasant and too time-consuming to go to.

Compared to BDO, customer service at BPI sucks. BDO branches have more tellers, and if 4 or 5 aren’t enough, even their

HANDLE-LESS BIG PAPER BAGS: THEY SHOULD TRY CARRYING A BAG-FULL AROUND

Whoever got the “bright” idea for those medium and big handle-less paper bags that Jollibee and KFC use for their goods probably haven’t tried carrying a bag-full around the mall or riding crowded PUVs. The SM Store, The French Baker and other establishments who started with the same concept quickly realized their mistake and came out with paper bags with handles (BIG HURRAH to The SM Store and The French Baker!).

Either the “geniuses” at Jollibee and KFC haven’t realized this or they had but just didn’t care.

PNP SAF DOING A GREAT JOB AT NBP

The PNP Special Action Force (SAF) is doing a great job at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP). I watched over DZMM TeleRadyo that visitors of inmates at the NBP are complaining that they are being asked to strip for searches, being asked to surrender cash and valuables, etc. before they can see the inmates. But these are Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for secured facilities like prisons – are they saying that the old jail guards weren’t doing these procedures before? If they’re not used to these SOP then it can only mean that the old jail guards weren’t doing their job.

Since we all know that PNP SAF posting at NBP is temporary, let’s hope that the Department of Corrections (DOC) personnel

ADDENDUM: LRT-MRT GRAND CENTRAL STATION TUSSLE BETWEEN MALL GIANTS OVER – DOTC BREAKS IMPASSE

UNTV Online reported on Aug. 19, 2016 that the legal stalemate between mall giants SM Group and Ayala Group has been resolved. Sec. Arthur Tugade of DOTC helped broker the compromise deal between the two mall owners affected by the planned construction of the common station. However, the deal hasn’t been signed by all parties involved so this isn’t final yet.

After over seven years of legal tug-of-war between the two malls, this is good news nevertheless. LRT and MRT riders may soon be spared from the additional hassle of physically making a PUJ /PUB transfer from one line to the other – a convenience

THE PROPOSED LRT-MRT GRAND CENTRAL STATION: COMMUTERS’ DREAM TURNED INTO A NIGHTMARE

What was once a grand plan to construct what could have been considered Manila’s first true “Grand Central Station (GCS)” near SM City North EDSA Mall has stalled and thousands of LRT-MRT riders who were the intended beneficiaries of the plan are now hopefully waiting for the promised change that we yearn for from the new gov’t of Pres. Rodrigo Duterte.

It’s interesting to note that the “re-positioning” stance (that totally scrapped the originally-approved integration plan) of the

“ROAD RAGE” AT SM CITY-ANNEX NORTH EDSA CARPARK

Irate car owners at the SM City North EDSA-Annex carpark tonight, Tue., Aug. 16, 2016, can only blow their horns incessantly in pure disgust over a 65-min. waiting time at the exit ramps. I was one of the victims of this sheer folly. And the worst thing is – staff at the only exit booth didn’t even bother to offer an explanation or an apology when asked “What the heck happened?”. It was like adding insult to injury.

I’m unsure exactly when SM City North EDSA-Annex carpark started to implement the new carpark system wherein a parking

BEWARE OF EXTREME AIRE: A SAMSUNG-ACCREDITED REPAIR SHOP

I had a sad experience with Extreme Aire, an accredited service provider of Samsung Electronics (Phils.) located along MacArthur Highway, Potrero, Malabon City. I hadn’t really gotten around to filing a formal complaint with Samsung Electronics (Phils.) but I intend to. I’m unsure if they are even officially accredited by brands like Koppel, GE, Daewoo and Fedders that appear on their store sign.

When my refrigerator broke down over a year ago, I had the misfortune of getting their name from the website of Samsung Electronics (Phils.) so I contacted them and they sent two technicians to look at my unit. Unfortunately, these technicians

UV EXPRESS STILL MOST CONVENIENT AND QUICKEST

I recently watched MMDA Officer-In-Charge Atty. Emerson Carlos over DZMM TeleRadyo talk about some of the priority solutions for the worsening traffic congestion problem in Metro Manila, specially EDSA. His No. 1 proposal is basically to make buses plying the routes more efficient or “quicker” in order to encourage a shift in attitude of sole occupants of motor vehicles to become public transport users – a bus with 50 riders spares the road of potentially 50 vehicles with solo occupants. This is true, but it is only one of the necessary measures or a “band aid” solution to the long-term problem of maintaining an efficient mass transport system.

LRT and MRT systems should still be the priority concern of the new administration, fixing the existing infrastructure first before going through with the expansions (to neighboring provinces) – more people still rely on these operational units and are

DAGSIN AT CINEMALAYA FESTIVAL: A BREATH OF FRESH AIR FOR FILIPINO MOVIEGOERS

I chanced upon a Filipino independent (indie) film titled “DAGSIN” today and I must confess that I nearly broke down into tears at the end. And yes, I’d recommend it to hopeless romantics like myself. It’ll be well worth your while and your 150 pesos (only!).

I can only speak from the point of view of someone who’ve only seen mostly foreign films my entire life because this was how we were raised – no “bakya” TV shows or movies. “DAGSIN” is world-class quality, in my humble observation. I’m captivated

PONDO NG PINOY: GREAT IDEA TURNED HORRIBLY WRONG

As a parent of a child who attended St. James Academy, a 90-year old Catholic school in Malabon City, I experienced the yearly fund-raising effort of the Catholic Church called "Pondo ng Pinoy". I think that the "Pondo ng Pinoy" concept is laudable and it should be promoted perpetually. However, as a parent whose child is annually "mandated" to collect and fill-up a sizable container of 25-centavo coins and NOTHING ELSE - it has become an unnecessary burden.

Yes, we're not allowed to include 1-peso or 5-peso coins in the bottle, even if it means more in total value. And during the time

LONG OVERDUE FIXES FOR LRT, MRT: HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS ARE SUFFERING DAILY

I hope that Pres. Rodrigo Duterte’s administration can finally put in place a lasting solution to the LRT-MRT problem in his first year in office. I think that a “first aid” fix, like more trains, faster travel time and cooler air-conditioning system, for the first 100 days isn’t too much to ask. The tens of thousands of daily riders, who’ve suffered long enough over a span of past incompetent administrations, will certainly appreciate and remember that.

It is deplorable that our primary mass transport system, underdeveloped as it is, was heavily neglected and now the riding public

RADIAL ROAD 10: A LONG-NEGLECTED OPTION TO HELP DECONGEST EDSA

Did you know that Radial Road 10 (R10) is the shortest (and quickest) way to the southwest portions of Manila, Makati, Pasay, Parñaque, Las Piñas or the entire Cavite province if you’re coming from Malabon City, Navotas City, Caloocan City, Quezon City (portion), Valenzuela City or Bulacan?

Unlike EDSA that arches (semi-circle) thru Caloocan, Quezon City, Mandaluyong, Makati & Pasay – R10 is like almost a straight path along the pier. Of course, past urban planners apparently recognized this and that is why they made provisions to