The Other Side
Last summer I was fortunate enough to attend an exchange student program in the Netherlands. The expected output was several articles that are relevant to both Dutch and Filipino audiences. But besides the output, we also learned so much not just about a different culture but about ourselves as well.
While in Europe, one of the more difficult things we had to adapt to was their culture of being on time. “Filipino time” as we call it, is often used as an excuse to be late for a meeting or an event, or anything that involves time. We seem to be living in this idea that the world is capable of waiting for us. The Dutch, and other cultures if I may assume, have no concept of being late. They were trained to be efficient with time while arriving on the time agreed upon.
On one occasion, there was a problem with the train system that forced people to reroute. While we were waiting for the train to arrive, we could feel the stress and anxiety the daily commuters were experiencing, as they knew that they would be late for work.
Initially we were quite lax about everything – meeting 5 or 10 minutes later than the prescribed time and walking slowly towards the busses and trains. It was only when we started chasing after busses and running across platforms did we realize how important being on time was. While I understand that this is basic courtesy to other people, I don’t understand why something so basic is often overlooked.
The RH Bill for example has been in congress since 1998 and 13 years on, it is still under debate. While we understand that it may not be as simple as it may appear, 13 years seems very long to settle the differences of the various parties involved. On another note, Hubert Webb for instance spent 15 years and 4 months in prison. He was finally released after the prosecution failed to prove that he and the other suspects were guilty beyond unreasonable doubt.
The time it takes for the government and its other sectors to process some things needs to be addressed – from the numerous cases lined up in the different courthouses to the application of essential documents. However it is worth noting that in the past few years, we have seen tremendous improvements on the side of the government for better service. It doesn’t take that long to apply for a driver’s license or a passport anymore. But, while there have been so many improvements, a lot of work still has to be done.
Respect for the time of others is something very important yet is something often overlooked in the Philippines, despite it being something very basic. One person does not deserve to wait for a long time, just as much how we ourselves do not deserve to stand and wait for a friend to arrive. Respect for time is a shared value that should be followed by everyone.
The recent improvements within the government gives us hope that systems can be changed, and ultimately, even an attitude and a culture could be reversed. A change in culture starts from the people and if no one is willing to be on time or to respect the time of others, then there is no way to reverse this culture.
