Text overcharging

The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), the government agency tasked to regulate the telecommunications industry in the Philippines has set the price ceiling of one text message sent in the Philippines at 0.80 Php since late last year (2011). All telecommunications companies, specifically Smart Communications, Globe Telecoms, and Sun Cellular, are ordered to follow this price ceiling. But to this day, this order has been ignored. As a consequence the NTC is now ordering that a refund be given to the consumers.

I will not go into the boring details of how the NTC came up with the price of 0.80 Php per text, which I think is still too expensive by the way, let me just say that the NTC is the government regulatory body. How dare these telecom companies ignore an order by the government. These companies are above and beyond the control of government?

Globe came up with a statement in the media that basically argued that the telecoms industry is a "free market therefore they are free to set whatever price they want". Okay Globe, you have a point. It is indeed a free market. And you have the right to set the price as high as you want. But oh wait, you are using the airspace in the Philippines? That belongs to the state -- the people if you will. Applying the same free market principle on you, we, the, the people, have decided to raise your rent of that airspace by 1,000 percent. Take it or leave it. You will not be missed.

As for the NTC, if you can not regulate these companies, then you have ceased being relevant. How dare you take your salaries when you can not do your job? You have only one job. If you can not do it, then please abolish yourselves and stop taking salaries.

 Enough of this drama and just give me my refund!

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UPDATE:

Saw this on this news again yesterday, 8 May 2014. I noticed that this was posted originally on 20 November 2012. So the Telcos somehow managed to ignore the NTC for more than a year without consequence! Wow. Either crack the whip or abolish yourselves NTC -- you useless piece of drain on taxpayer's money. Stop taking your salary if you can not do your job. As of  the news yesterday, the spokespersons of these Telcos are still saying they are going "study" the memo once they receive it.

Quickly Super Taro Drink by Brando

May 5 peso coin sa loob ng Quickly Super Taro Drink!!! Me and my son bought said drink in its booth inside greenhills arcade near celphone area. Half way of my son's drink he noticed a 5 peso coin inside the sealed glass. Confronted the crew nobody admits any fault. Talked to the owner personally nothing happened. made online complaint with DTI nothing happend...oh saan ka pa? Only in the Philippines! 

Tubiiiiiig!

Maynilad is going to turn off the water supply in my housing unit late this afternoon. My wife texted me this information just this morning. And I feel helpless as I am currently on the road doing field work and not due to return till Thursday or Friday. Tell me Maynilad, how fair is it that I am fully paid, heck, OVER paid having shouldered the penalties of "system's loss" for the last two or three months, and still I get this harassment. My seven-month pregnant wife is home alone, and you are turning off her water! I am FULLY PAID damn it! Fuck you Maynilad. FUCK YOU!

BPI Express Assistant (BEA)

One of the recent most noticeable changes to the way BPI handles their customers is this. A touch-screen console which serves as a great replacement to the old Deposit/Withdrawal Slip, etc.
I like this new system not only because it makes it faster and more convenient but also because it's not hard to use. Fonts and buttons on the console are large enough to be read by anyone and the layout, the overall programming of options, the step by step approach to get your idea across thru the terminal, has obviously been thought about thoroughly. It then dispenses a cue number for you and all you have left to do is wait.
It would hardly take seconds or maybe a few minutes at max for one to figure out how it works. Truly a user friendly experience.

But like all else, it has this itchy downside that would need to be scratched. Sadly, there are consoles which haven't been calibrated or have been calibrated the wrong way. Having been familiar with some other touch-screen devices, I just tried to adjust my fingers to adopt to the miscalibration. However, most of the other people had too much of a hard time using it.

If in case the people of BPI are reading this, I hope they realize that the people they are paying to assist people with the new BEA system should be able to do real-time calibration. What's the use of having two consoles in one branch if one ain't calibrated? XD

Ultimately, I appreciate the effort. It's a good step. . .Y'know. . . As long as we ignore the miscalibrations. :3