A reader, who asks not to be identified, wants the Alro Transport Bus Company to train its conductors on how to treat passengers and not to disrespect senior citizens and persons with disability (PWD).
Laws and local ordinances require public utility vehicles to reserve seats closest to the doors for elderly and PWD passengers. Apparently, the conductor of the bus with plate number TYU320 has not heard of them or, as Filipinos love to say, was absent in class when the rules were taught.
The reader says he rode an Alro bus from its FTI Taguig terminal early one morning. Although it was only 7 a.m. and the bus had just left its terminal, it was already standing-room-only inside the vehicle.
He says the conductor kept yelling—not asking—for him to move back and give way to boarding passengers. The reader notes that, while he did not mind moving to the back, he has to be able to lean on a seat to keep his balance. But the conductor wanted him to move way back where there was no seat to lean on.
“Also, I was thinking that in case of emergency, while younger persons can exit the bus through the windows easily, I, being old, and no ‘action star’ material, have to scramble to the narrow door from the end of the bus where the conductor was trying to shove me,” says the reader.
What really upset him was, when he pointed out to the conductor that he was a senior citizen, the bus conductor snapped back, “Pare-pareho lang naman kayong pasahero (You are all passengers).” Obviously, the reasons why laws give certain privileges to senior citizens, PWDs, pregnant women and children are lost on this conductor.
The conductor allegedly even told the reader that he could always get off the bus if he did not want to move to the back.
A young man put an end to the conductor’s tirade by offering his seat to the senior citizen.
It seems that bus companies and government regulatory agencies have to teach bus conductors and drivers not just to obey traffic rules but also how to behave toward passengers, particularly if there are laws and regulations to be followed.
Indifferent companies
I do not take the bus but I sense that the frontliners are not as concerned about customer satisfaction as before.
I have a recurring problem with my DSL connection at home and hardly get more than 10 minutes of Internet access a day, if at all. Every two months or so, I complain to the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT). A technician comes, fiddles with the wires but, after two days or so, the problem recurs.
This time around, though I sent my complaint almost two weeks ago, no PLDT technician has come around or called. I finally decided to try to find a solution to my problem. I transferred my DSL to another phone jack and access has improved significantly. I still do not get 24 hours of uninterrupted Internet access, but at least I am able to use it when I really need to go online.
Then I found out recently, when I paid my cable bill, that the monthly charge had increased by P50. I do not remember getting any message by post or on my previous month’s bill that Destiny Cable is going to raise its fees, so I did not bother to read my latest bill, thinking the charge was going to be the same as last month’s.
I was completely taken by surprise when I was asked by the 7/11 cashier for an additional P50 when I paid my bill.
Don’t companies bother to inform customers anymore about such things as increases in charges? They seem to think that, if presented with a fait accompli, customers will just pay without complaining.
Send letters to The Consumer, Lifestyle Section, Philippine Daily Inquirer, 1098 Chino Roces Ave. cor. Mascardo and Yague Sts., 1204 Makati City; fax 8974793/94; or e-mail lbolido
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