No wonder everybody tells me that it takes so long to get a Filipina a visa to come to America: The inept retards at the Philippines post office couldn't get lit dynamite dipped in ebola virus and wrapped with a big plutonium ribbon out of their possession in under 2 weeks let alone a simple piece of mail.
I ask Epril to send her visa application material by registered mail. In a normal country, that would get you a guarantee that your stuff would arrive... or at least that it would not get misplaced.
But when you are dealing with the busted-ass Filipino postal system, that is way to fucking optimistic.
"Registered mail? We can't track that. It went to CDO. Then it probably went to Manila." "Phone number to call? No... we don't know any phone numbers you could call."
UPDATE:
How appropriate that at almost the same time that Epril was being told by the post office that they couldn't/wouldn't/didn't know how to trace a piece of registered mail... yesterday afternoon... The Philippines' Labor Secretary, Rosalina Baldoz, was announcing that The Philippines has now fallen to the bottom of all Asian countries in terms of labor productivity. "We're now competing with Bangladesh," she says.
Tell me about it.
The government seems to be at a loss as to why this might be. Let me give you a hint: When you lose the top 25% brightest, most qualified, most skilled, most educated of your workforce to employment overseas, you have to replace them with what is left over... and in a country where only 52% of students go to high school... and only 31% of students who graduate high school go to college... what is left over is going to be far from the best the country has to offer.
Jil,
ReplyDeleteAverage delivery time within CDO limits for registered post let alone anywhere else is the same as normal post. ie 3 weeks!!
Yeah... Epril mailed it 4 weeks ago.
ReplyDeleteAnd it isn't so much the fact that the Registered Mail has not yet arrived... but that the post office there has no idea how to locate it... or at least showing no interest and making no effort in doing so.
Always use LBC. I received my letters after a few days with DHL in Europe.
ReplyDeleteYou bad mouth the pinoy and the floridians for and think you are so special?The fat guy in the picture you.so what you are making fun at?Stay out of the philippines,the pinoy he never liked you.You too dumb to figure it out!
ReplyDeleteHeheh: Typical reaction. "We don't suck... we don't need to improve... you're just a big fat dummy and we don't like you. That's the only problem. So nyah nyah poopy head."
ReplyDeleteI don't think I'm special: I actually think I'm fantastically normal. I'm just not one to hesitate pointing out the blatant stupidity, substandard systems, failed processes, and blind ignorance of The Philippines when I see it. I never have either.
I'd mail you a Thank-You Card for your comments... but... well, you know.
By the way, now that I think about it: Anon's comment is precisely what is wrong with the Filipino people and The Philippines as a country, and the postal system specifically.
ReplyDeleteWhenever there is a problem, a failure, or a shortcoming, the Filipino way is to either ignore it, or blame the person who is doing the complaining.
The people at the post office don't want to look for the lost package because (a) they are either lazy or untrained, (b) they don't want to admit that there is a problem either to a customer or to a superior, and (c) they certainly don't want to get whoever lost the package (it is probably somebody higher up the ladder than they are) in trouble.
They also made sure not to give Epril any phone number to call in order to keep the problem alive.
See? It's the same thing as the comment above: "The problem is not with us; the problem is with you." It's the Filipino way... at both the post office and in the comment sections of blogs.
hmmm, same in Thailand. They don't take complaints, can't possibly be their falt, so it must be yours. Ten year kids racing on motorbikes and hit you, again your fault. I just love Asia.
ReplyDeleteYou know Russ, I had a friend who once postulated the theory that rice-based cultures are more co-dependent on each other for survival, because rice cultivation is better suited to community effort, while in wheat-based societies individuals could live more independently from each other.
ReplyDeleteThat is why Asian cultures are so conformist and unwilling to criticize or be criticized: Their sense of needing to be a part of a harmonious whole is part of their genetic makeup. They don't have the mind to be individuals... or to stand up and be seen as individuals... and most certainly not to cast individual blame or take individual responsibility. Everything is by the community, for the community, and through the community.
That's the way it was with rice harvests centuries ago... and the way it is with mail service today.
It is not the complaint you have with the postal system or with your experiences in the philippines. It is the way you present it. I felt ashamed to be an american, to listen to you complain like that. You see, the way you expressed yourself when you were in the the Philippines was almost humble. Now it seems you are easy to insult the very ppl you used to cherish. While there are problems that exist in the Philippines, we have similar problems here in our beloved, United States. While it may not seem so on the surface, they are similar. I to have challenges with the way things are done in the Philippines. While this is your blog, and you can vent anyway you want. Just remember, by your birth and and your upbringing, You have a luxory that most ppl in this world don't have, TO Complain about disatisfaction. I had admiration for you when you lived in Mindanao, I now have contempt. I feel you have learned nothing about your travels. Temper your attitude towards the world, or you will lose everything. Just remember, You have the luxory to think the way you do, that most ppl on this planet don't have.
ReplyDeleteAnd before anybody can ask why I married a Filipina if the country is so messed up, it is this:
ReplyDeleteI was with Pui for a year before we split up. We split up because Pui couldn't stand being held accountable for her mistakes, she didn't like being confronted with error or being told better/preferred ways of doing things. Relationship fail.
Then I met Epril. We had an entire year together in which Epril learned to accept criticism, learn from her mistakes, and be open minded to new ideas and ways to improve the things around her. Relationship success.
And just because I know what the next arguments will be from angry Filipinos:
(1) Yes, even if I don't like it, I will come back. I just won't mail any packages, visit any doctors, have my car fixed, have a house built, feed any hungry children, or vote for any politicians. You guys don't want to deal with your problems, I just won't deal with them either.
(2) No, I'm not a Filipino, and criticism of Filipinos is not limited only to other Filipinos. If stuff in your country is busted and if you don't care enough to fix it, that's fine... but don't expect the rest of the world to think of The Philippines as anything more than a source of great pineapples and maids if you all can't even learn to deliver the mail.
Robert,
ReplyDeleteI would be interested to have you find a place on this blog where I was humble in dealing with the shortcomings of The Phillippines.
The simple fact is that I have always called out the stupidity and the systemic failures of everything... from the family units to the school system to the political corruption.
Here is the most recent one I can think of... just off the top of my head: http://junglejil.blogspot.com/2010/10/another-note-on-noise.html
Here is another: http://junglejil.blogspot.com/2010/09/random-thought.html
And another: http://junglejil.blogspot.com/2010/03/dumb-boys-here.html
And another: http://junglejil.blogspot.com/2010/10/daily-reports-noise.html
And another: http://junglejil.blogspot.com/2010/06/daily-report-carnivore-house-party.html
And another: http://junglejil.blogspot.com/2010/04/tidbit-of-customary-filipino-process.html
And another: http://junglejil.blogspot.com/2009/12/i-wish-for-two-week-coma.html
And of course, before that comes 4 years of blogging in Thailand where I was just as forward.
FFFFFFeeeeeDDDDDDDEEEEEXXXXX
ReplyDeleteWhen it has to get there.
Try spending a couple dollars!!!
You lived in thailand and the Philippines for 8 yrs. and didn't know that the postal systems don't work?Why or how you do not know that is,WOW.To register a car takes all day,plus corruption fee.A "mechanic"who keeps a vehicle overnight is certainly going to drive it home after he disconnects the speedometer.If the customer is too dumb to know this then the "mechanic" will say that the part needs to be ordered from man(ure)ila and keep using the vehicle,u kno?
ReplyDeletethe most easily insulted people in this world are the poorest ones,you lived among them.whether you are blind to the fact that flips hated you for many reasons(jealousy,being american,white to name a few)doesn't matter but for the fact that you may not have realized it.Knowing these things can give one a leg up in most situations.I will return to where I came from when I am good and ready(not when the next thai or pinoy suggest it) and when I get there I will punch the fuck out of the first thai/filipino I meet,no doubt.Until then putting up w/the assininity of the culture is what needs to be done for my sake,not theirs.
As for the angry flip up at the top of the comments here,what did you expect?
insulting you for insulting other people as if you are perfect appears to be what was meant.
What was missed by all appears to be that fact as well as that people working in the phils. are making $7/day and just don't give shit about your package or your complaints and the fact is that flips are nicer than most people(which is not saying much!)and if you were doing the complainining in africa you might see a machete coming at your head very fast.Would you care about a package if you were making $7/day?only one way to get a package delivered in the phils:fed-ex(air21).if I were you I'd stop looking for the package and mail another one,fed-ex will get it there in four days and that is the best you can expect.also,do not go to a place that isn't shipping it directly to the airport(going to the airport in lumbia is best)so go to the one in burgos/chavez st. or you will add a few days on to the process.
with all the ex-pat buddies you appear to have,no one told you any of this?
Anons 12:53 / 1:45:
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info. The simple fact was that I did not need the package immediately... I needed it 2 weeks ago... 2 weeks after it was mailed. (I needed to wait for payday to pay for the $420 visa application fee.) So I figured that registered mail would be okay... and that cost $12... 500 pisos. So it wasn't like I was saving a whole lot of money either.
The blame sits squarely upon you. Why did you not fill out the paperwork prior to your departure from the Philippines? You had the lame plan to use a Filipino lawyer do the papers, but luckily your readers talked you out of that pending disaster.
ReplyDeleteIf you cared enough to get your wife here, you would have found the time to download the needed forms, and then sit down with your wife and fill them out.
Then you could have carried them with you on your way back to the USA. You would not now be waiting for something that probably will never show up. You are now only that farther from getting your wife here. More wasted time.
It is ONLY your fault. No one else to blame.
You come across as a smart individual, but simple things seem to confuse you. Like the other comment, how could you ever think that the Philippine postal system could be trusted to get your important papers from there to the USA?
Sympathy for you? NO
Sympathy for your wife? YES
People who should know better,all the way around.From the guy who doesnt know the post system sucks.the guy who will never admit it and is too easily insulted.The guy who says flips are genetically made to be conformist(what?),it is societal necessity.And so on...cultural intolerance,ignorance and more,yippee!
ReplyDeleteIt is 2 bad for all concerned as the easily insulted will never see the merits of constructive crticisms just as the criticizer(who may never realize the people do not care about him and his opinions) will never be anything but an annoying earache to the easily insulted and thusly,and rightfully,disgusted by the easily insulted's ignorance,for which there will never or always(depending on the side ur on)be an excuse.
There is a hatred that exists just below the surface towards gringo's in thai/flipville and can been seen in plain sight(it will be obvious enough when I meet a thai/flip in my country one day,for certain,yes indeedy-dee:sure and swift!) if you are ever unfortunate enough to require hospitalization in either country.If you dont have a choice and need medical attention,BIG TROUBLE!!!every ex-pat should know it too!!!
Dear Confused Anon 7:52:
ReplyDeleteIf you will note here, the original plan was for me to be going back to The Philippines in 120 days after coming here. You'll see here that the decision to bring my wife to America was made after I came to Florida. Therefore it would have been impossible to fill out the paperwork before leaving.
For someone who claims to know me by reading my blog, you sure are an ignorant twit.
I do not know the education level of your partner and do not want to.this is only going to get much worse for you(and her!)if you do not get some assitance from an ex-pat or someone in the fils(not a filipino!)who has already done what you are trying to do(or an american in the states who has done it will be just as good except w/what needs to be done in the fils.)and if your partner can execute what needs to be done.I am a once -in-awhile type reader of this blog and I can see big problems looming on the immediate horizon if you do not get up to speed with what needs to be done.it isn't complicated,more like tedious,but,alot of it is going to be up to your partner to effect and the only if the info you have is correct.need some assistance?it is available,u need only ask...
ReplyDeleteAnon 11:10:
ReplyDeleteNot to worry... I've got the assistance I need.
why you dont ask your mother in law to help your wife to assest her i know she knows about this you must to try asking her so that epril can easily approach to anybody that can help about the documents you want for....
ReplyDeleteAnon 5:06:
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, my mother-in-law and Epril are not talking to each other. Second, at this particular point in time, Epril only needs to send to me a certain list of documents -- a list I provided her and explained to her fully, which really does not need further clarification. But otherwise thanks for the thought.
Therefore it would have been impossible to fill out the paperwork before leaving.
ReplyDeleteImpossible?
Just because you decided to bring her later, doesn't make filling out paperwork impossible.
You had thoughts about bringing your wife to the USA, before you left the Philippines.
Believe what you want, so you can blame everything on someone else.
Go ahead Anon, point out the place in this blog where I had thoughts about bringing my wife to the USA before I left the Philippines.
ReplyDeleteBelieve what you want, so you can blame everything on someone else... but you're still a twit.
OK Jil what is this?
ReplyDeleteSunday, October 31, 2010
Daily Report: Borrowed Time
QUOTE: "I'm going to start on the process of getting Epril a spousal visa. I ocare of them, but figured it would be better instead to get them done now."
You don't remember that?
What a TWIT.
Fair enough: I forgot about that and I'm flat busted. But: I will say that the plan involved Epril getting together with an attorney after I left to do the paperwork (which commenters later convinced me was uncessary).
ReplyDeleteAnd: You're still wrong to think that I somehow didn't "care enough about getting my wife here" because I never started the paperwork before leaving. It's rude and insulting for you to suggest it, and I'm still offended by what it insinuates.