Comments on: The ploy to keep the Speaker loyal

By: cvj

cvj — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 11:15:24 +0000

Proud to be Tsinoy, i’m not against a moratorium on strikes, but i’m against the decision being arrived at un-democratically. Same principle applies to those policies that you find too ‘liberal’. Try to pursue your advocacy via discussion and numbers rather than relying on force. You’d be surprised what you can get other people to do if you ask nicely.

By: Proud to be Tsinoy

Proud to be Tsinoy — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 04:29:43 +0000

CVJ, RAmrod

I agree with your statement that the younger Tsinoy generation are now more or less more open in communicating with the workers/Labor. CVJ still does not get my point. I am not saying we should be less democratic. I am saying that we should just have a moratorium on strikes and too liberal labor policies until the economy becomes stable enough to withstand any external shocks.

I guess it’s really hard for CVJ to understand it unless he has been on the other side of the fence (as an employer).

By: Juan Miguel Alonzo

Juan Miguel Alonzo — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 03:54:13 +0000

bencard,
ever heard of sarcasm and irony? anyway i’m so sorry wise and infallible one if i have hurt your feelings. come now child coo coo coo.

By: Bencard

Bencard — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 02:48:58 +0000

juan miguel, dimwit? you have just proven it yourself. however, speak for yourself. don’t include others in your description, unless you are their designated mouthpiece and have authority to label them the same.

By: Juan Miguel Alonzo

Juan Miguel Alonzo — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 02:31:12 +0000

I have resigned myself that this fu%^ing administration will survive until 2010 or even beyond. They are so adept in hiding their crimes and short circuiting the legal processes that this administration should be called appropriately as a criminal organization. My blood boils everytime Gloria’s political henchmen try to explain with a straight face the controversies surrounding her criminal organization. The gall of these minions trying to peddle their ludicrous explanations, perhaps assuming that we are all dimwits. Well again perhaps we all are, because we have allowed Gloria to dupe us since 2001. F*%k, how I wish, I’m wrong.

By: Manila Bay Watch

Manila Bay Watch — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 16:04:39 +0000

My only experience with customs trying to fleece ‘me’, i.e., pay more duties, etc. was some 4 or 5 years ago when a friend and I sent a few dozen Compacq 2nd hand computers that we had promised to an NGO in which my brother was a member.

Customs wouldn’t release the parcels saying the computers, printers, etc. were brand new and therefore should be levied taxes. My brother had received copies of the documents by mail beforehand (also wired some money in anticipation of duties) proving that my friend and I had purchased the items in an auction house — the docs were properly translated in English and authenticated by Paris city hall translation bureau — and as such were second hand (although almost brand new, some flat screens too, coz they were only a few months old before they were seized by the courts and auctionned off when the company that had used them went bankrupt.)

The customs broker in Manila or someone like that boldly told my brother that if his organization paid grease money the items would be released and be charged only appropriate tax, i.e., less money.

The grease money being asked was extortion in my view and so told my brother not to pay, that I’d rather he destroyed the computers right there and then than pay bribe money. Fortunately, one of the members of the NGO was a lawyer friend working for a known law firm in Makati was able to talk to some petty ‘chief’ at customs and prevailed upon customs to tax the items accordingly or correctly.

The items were released after my brother’s NGO group paid the appropriate customs duties or stamp duties of some kind.

By: cvj

cvj — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 09:59:27 +0000

I was of course referring to your first paragraph and not the illicit Pinoy-Tsinoy smuggling collaboration in the next one.

By: cvj

cvj — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 09:56:43 +0000

Ramrod, that first hand info from you is good to hear. Hopefully the younger generation of Pinoys and Tsinoys would do better than their elders when it comes to working together for a better Philippines.

By: ramrod

ramrod — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 09:15:31 +0000

Some companies have managed labor unrest through an open line of communication with the top management and the people. I don’t think all Tsinoys have that mentality anymore, a lot have MBAs and even US or European education. There’s some sort of evolution from the pure Chienese family owned business into professionally managed companies, at least for the ones who aspire to be globally competitive and part of the supply contract with customers abroad like Perseco (McDonalds), etc. is corporate responsibility, these send auditors every year to check if their suppliers adhere to ISO, HACCP, GMP, etc. ot include employee welfare. So in effect, exposure to multinationals has helped mold these companies into responsible employers.

As for customs, before it was linked to Estrada (Jinggoy), but during that time they focused more on getting money from smugglers, etc., now its linked to the first gentleman and this Aduana royalty (Vicky Toh), they have expanded operations as to extort even from legitimate businessmen.

By: cvj

cvj — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 08:55:17 +0000

Ramrod, i do get the impression that corruption at Customs is equally damaging to the business environment as labor unrest and yet, when asked, the first thing the Tsinoy would want to take away is the rights of the laborer because the latter has too much democracy. Could it be because those who protect Customs are more powerful than the ordinary worker so they choose to pick on the latter?