It is Wrong to Blame the Modern Technology for Errors Committed by Man

IT IS WRONG TO BLAME THE MODERN TECHNOLOGY

FOR ERRORS COMMITTED BY MAN

By Apolinario Villalobos

 

I had a very bad experience with a bank after it printed ALL information about my savings and time deposit, complete with account numbers and sent the UNSIGNED SYSTEM-GENERATED LETTER to my home address by a COURIER OF A NEVER-HEARD MESSENGERIAL SERVICE COMPANY. THE IDIOT COURIER INSERTED THE ENVELOP WITH THE NAME OF THE BANK PRINTED OUTSIDE, INTO A SPACE OF THE GATE. HAD I NOT PICKED IT UP IMMEDIATELY WHEN I CAME HOME, A CRIMINAL COULD HAVE TAKEN IT AND TAKEN NOTE OF THE INFO AND HACKED MY BANK ACCOUNT! WORST, I FOUND OUT THAT THE COURIER MADE IT APPEAR THAT I SIGNED HIS COPY OF DELIVERY RECEIPT!

 

It was only after I irritably explained to the bank officials their mistake of bringing out of their system the information about my confidential transactions with them that they realized the breach of bank secrecy that they committed. I told them that I could easily file a case in the court against them. And, to think that it is a prestigious bank that can afford expensive ads on print and broadcast media about their offerings. It left me wondering how a prestigious bank could hire INCOMPETENT IDIOTS to handle their information system with sloppiness. WORST, THE RESPONSIBLE GUYS, ALTHOUGH, APOLOGETIC, BLAMED THE “ SYSTEM-GENERATED LETTER”….THOSE PRINTED GOOD FOR NOTHING LETTERS THAT ARE NOT SIGNED AND SENT TO CLIENTS!

 

Relative to this, I felt I made a big mistake when I dealt with another bank about its insurance offering. Due to non-completion of details on certain forms, A SYSTEM-GENERATED TEXT WAS SENT TO ME. I had to go back to the bank to accomplish what were asked. A little later I received another text about their posting of my payment to the assigned policy number. I had to go back to the bank again to arrange about the delivery which the insurance representative has supposedly submitted to their concerned office. BUT, THE FOLLOWING DAY, I WAS SURPRISED TO RECEIVE SIMILAR TEXT THAT ADVICED ME ABOUT THE NON-COMPLETION OF DOCUMENTS (AGAIN!)! HOW CAN ONE BE NOT IRRITATED BY SUCH KIND OF IDIOTIC COMMUNICATION, AFTER HAVING BEEN ASSURED THAT EVERYTHING IS IN ORDER?

 

WHAT IS IRRITATING IS THE FAILURE OF THE GUYS OF THE INSURANCE COMPANY TO APOLOGIZE IF THEY COMMITTED AN ERROR BY SENDING AN UNNECESSARY SYSTEM-GENERATED TEXT THAT MADE ME TENSE AND RUINED MY DAY. THE GUY WHO HUMBLY APOLOGIZED HAS GOT NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CLOSED TRANSACTION AS HE IS CONNECTED WITH THE BANK WITH WHICH THE INSURANCE COMPANY IS AFFILIATED. I MADE IT CLEAR THAT THE GUY FROM THE INSURANCE COMPANY RESPONSIBLE FOR SENDING THE SECOND TEXT SHOULD SEND ANOTHER AS AN “ADVICE TO DISREGARD” THE ERRONEOUSLY SENT ONE AND APOLOGIZE, TO CLOSE THE CASE. THAT IS THE PROPER PROTOCOL THAT CUSTOMER-ORIENTED COMPANIES SHOULD OBSERVE IF THEY COMMITTED A MISTAKE. IT IS WRONG FOR THESE COMPANIES TO LEAVE THE CLIENTS WITH INSECURITIES FOR MISTAKES THAT THEY (COMPANIES) COMMITTED.

 

My point here is, the modern technology should never be blamed because the MACHINES OR COMPUTERS OR WHATEVERGODDAMNTHING BEING USED TO GENERATE LETTERS OR TEXTS ARE CONTROLLED BY A “BREATHING PERSON OR GROUP, VERY WELL ALIVE, AND SUPPOSED TO HAVE BRAINS”!…OTHERWISE, HE/SHE/THEY COULD JUST BE PLAIN AND SIMPLE INCOMPETENT IDIOT/S WHO IS/ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO HADLE SENSITIVE TRANSACTIONS SOME OF WHICH INVOLVE MILLIONS AND NOT JUST HUNDREDS OR THOUSANDS OF PESOS!

 

THE DANGER HERE IS, EVEN IF A POLICY NUMBER IS ASSIGNED OR ISSUED, THE INSURANCE COMPANY WILL DEFINITELY MAKE IT HARD FOR THE CLIENT TO GET BACK THE MONEY THAT HE INVESTED DUE TO “non-completion of information in documents, etc”….THESE ARE THE FINE LINES IN INSURANCE CONTRACTS! ALSO, BY THE TIME MY POLICY GETS MATURED, I WOULD BE DEALING WITH ANOTHER SET OF PEOPLE WHO MAY ALSO BE IDIOTS, HENCE, NOT GIVE A DAMN IF THE DOCUMENTS THAT THE COMPANY ACCEPTED  FOR PROCESSING JUST TO HAVE A POLICY NUMBER ASSIGNED TO CLOSE THE DEAL WERE INCOMPLETE!

 

 

I WILL NAME NAMES IN MY NEXT BLOG IF THE GODDAMN INSURANCE OUTFIT WILL NOT MAKE AMENDS IN WRITING, COMPLETE WITH SIGNATURE, TO CONFIRM THAT THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH MY DOCUMENTS.

 

The Philippine National Bank of Bacoor City (Aguinaldo Highway Branch)

The Philippine National Bank of Bacoor City

(Aguinaldo Highway Branch)

By Apolinario Villalobos

 

My opening of an account with the Philippine National Bank (PNB) as a repository of my pension was actually a revival of my trust to this bank which happens to be the “sister company” of Philippine Airlines, my former employer. I had my first experience of the bank’s service when I decided to use checks for personal transactions many years back, particularly, during the 1980s. My feeling of security was anchored on the bank’s being a government institution since 100 years ago. I closed my checking account when I left Philippine Airlines as I had no more use for it. Though I had some regrets, I treasured the opportunity of having experienced the traditional Filipino service which is deeply impressed with hospitality.

 

The second time I had the chance to experience the well-known traditional service of the bank was when I filed for my pension with the Social Security System (SSS) which during the time was literally, a neighbor of the bank, as it was just a few steps away, along Aguinaldo highway. As I was in a hurry to go back to the SSS, Ms. Sheryll Ann Erive compassionately attended to me immediately. My transactions with the bank did not end with the issuance of my ATM card which was given to me together with complete instruction, including the rules that cover the ACOP. I could not help noticing the smile that never left the lips of the personnel, even the contracted staff – the security guards, as they open the door for the clients with a warm greeting.

 

The Branch Manager, himself, Mr. Roy Tan is always smiling and ever patient. Just this morning when I dropped by to make some verification on my ATM withdrawal record, he put down the phone momentarily to listen to me. But upon noticing that Ms. Sarah Artiaga was already free, I asked that I be entertained by her. With much patience, Ms. Artiaga immediately displayed my e-record to help me recall one withdrawal which I failed to enter into my cell phone’s archive. My query was a blessing in disguise as I came to learn about their internal security verification system which will be needed for my future blogs.

 

My pension is comparatively small but my experience that morning made me feel that the amount of deposit made by their clients is immaterial for them, as what matters is the client, himself. In other words the number of digits does not make any difference as foremost in their mind is the satisfaction of all their clients. Such service is given substance by their latest message to their clients which says, “you first”.

 

According to Mr. Tan, they are not affected by the cut-throat competition posed by other banks as they continuously exert their total effort to satisfy their clients based on their “traditional service” which as mentioned earlier, is truly deeply impressed with Filipino hospitality. The principle is simple….satisfy the client and he will be back. And, what else can put a client at ease than an assuring smile. Nevertheless, Mr. Tan mentioned that the bank has plans to enhance its service for the convenience of their ever-growing number of clients. To date, the bank has a “bank on wheels” which I came across at the PNB/PAL headquarters along Roxas Boulevard.

 

Here are some historical notes about the bank: it was established on July 16, 1916 at the old Masonic Temple in Escolta, based on Public Act 2016 authored by Miguel Cuaderno, replacing the government’s Agricultural Bank;  its first president was an American, H. Parker Willis; it served as a de facto Central Bank of the Philippines in 1949; its first local branch was established in Iloilo in 1917; its first international branch was opened in New York; it was the first to offer the ATM service to clients; the Memorandum of Agreement with Lucio Tan Group of Companies was signed in May 2002, two years after the said group became the bank’s first single stock holder; the bank also prides in the awards received from SSS twice (Balikat ng Bayan), as well as, Reader’s Digest and AC Nielsen (Gold Superbrand).

May Kabuluhan pa ang ang Bangko sa Panahon Ngayon….para sa mga ordinaryong Pilipino?

May Kabuluhan pa ba ang Bangko sa Panahon Ngayon
…para sa mga ordinaryong Pilipino?
Ni Apolinario Villalobos

Nagtatanong lang naman ako, dahil sa kakarampot na kinikita ng mga ordinaryong Pilipino ano pa ang matitira upang maitabi sa bangko? Maaaring ang pakinabang sa bangko ay ang paghawak at paglabas ng mga suweldo ng mga manggagawa. Subali’t ang problema, hindi na rin ligtas ang ginagamit na ATM cards dahil sa mga nagsusulputang iba’t ibang klaseng paraan upang ito ay magamit ng mga tiwaling tao. At ang masakit, naghuhugas- kamay ang bangko kapag nangyayari ito upang makaiwas sa pagbalik o pag-refund ng nawalang pondo ng kliyente. Itinuturo ng bangko ang kontrata sa kanila na pinirmahan ng kliyente, na sa kasamaang palad ay naka-print sa maliliit na titik kaya halos hindi na mabasa!

Dapat ang bangko ay dinideposituhan ng pera ng mga taong gustong maglaan ng maski maliit na halaga pagdating ng panahon ng pangangailangan. Subali’t ang kikitaing interes naman ay kulang pang pambayad sa buwis na pinapataw sa nakadepositong halaga.

Ang gusto lang yata ng mga bangko ay kumita sa pamamagitan ng pagpapautang ng perang nakadeposito sa kanila. Sa ganitong paraan ay kikita sila ng malaki, subali’t ang mga depositor na may-ari ng pera ay nakanganga, dahil kapag binawi na nila ang perang nakatabi, ay halos ganoon pa rin ang halaga.

May Bangko Sentral ang bansa, subali’t inutil naman sa pagbuo ng mga ideya o programa kung paanong matulungan ang mga ordinaryong mamamayan tungkol sa pinag-uusapang bagay. May pamahalaan naman ang bansa, subali’t lalong inutil din pagdating sa ganitong bagay. Ang gustong mangyari yata ng pamahalaan ay maging negosyante ang lahat na Pilipino kaya ang mga pera nila ay dapat gamitin sa pangangalakal. Anong negosyo?…negosyong naka-display sa bilao….o nakalatag sa bangketa? At, paano na ang mga Pilipinong walang gana o kaalam-alam sa pagnegosyo , kaya ayaw magbitaw ng pera sa pangambang ito ay malulusaw lang?

Kaipokrituhan ang kampanya ng pamahalaan at mga bangko na turuang mag-impok sa bangko ang mga kabataan. Bakit hindi amining ito ay panloloko lamang. Paano ngang gaganahan ang mga batang mag-impok sa bangko ganoong wala naman itong halos kikitain? Ang gusto lang ng pamahalaan sa pakikipagkutsaba sa mga bangko ay madagdagan ang pinapaikot na perang nakalagak sa kanila upang may maipautang na papatawan naman ng mataas na interes. Ganoon lang ka-simple.

Kung may ma-bankrupt na bangko, sorry na lang sa mga nagdeposito ng mahigit Php500,000, dahil maggugudbay na sa kanila ang halagang mahigit dito na siya lamang babayaran ng insurance. Paano na ang mga retirees na ang inaasahan ay interes sa naimpok na perang umaabot minsan ng mahigit Php500,000? Siyempre, ang sagot ay hati-hatiin ang halaga sa iba’t ibang bangko upang masunod ang maximum na deposit, subali’t ang malungkot ay wala pang limandaang piso ang kikitain ng bawa’t deposito sa isang buwan!

Ngayon, anong tulong ang nabibigay ng pamahalaan, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, at mga bangko sa mga ordinaryong mamamayan?…may kabuluhan pa ba sila? Ang sagot ay tumataginting na WALA!!!