Thursday, September 21, 2006

Filipino Time, the Best Timing in the World, Almost

I have had the hardest time waking up this week. Yet, I managed to be on time to my meetings. Monday morning, it took me about an hour till i finally decided to shower. Tuesday morning, I had to take a manager marketing to show him the ropes. 8 am sharp. On time. Wednesday, another marketing event with another manager. 8 am. On time. This afternoon, 2 pm marketing with city manager. On time. Well, I lied. That last one, 5 minutes late. It wasn't for the traffic on the freeway, I would have been on time. Damn it. It screwed my timeliness streak.

I get to make it up tomorrow. I have another 8 am marketing event with the fourth manager. He's Filipino. Should I go on Filipino time, and make him wait for me? I'm sure he'll understand if I am there 10 t0 20 minutes later. Maybe even 30 mins to an hour. I just have to let him know that I was stuck in traffic and there was an accident and I had to run errands right before and I was going to call but I got another phone call and I was on my way anyway and he knows I should have been late because just like him I am Filipino.

Yes, I've come to expect this from Pinoys. Late, late, late. Excuses, excuses, excuses. I must admit, I have been guilty of this several times in the past; but I have been much better. I continue to work on it. Is this a cultural phenomenon? I think so. Every Filipino party that I go to, there are always late Filipinos. The caucasian guests arrive on time, and all the Pinoys, trust me, alsmot all Pinoys I know, are late. It's quite annoying. But hey, Pinoys will be Pinoys. And they love to make that grand entrance, so they say.

I think, if you think about it, Filipinos are so bad with timing because they could care less if they are on time or not. They think, the party will be there regardless. And the party will be there regardless of whether I am there on time or not. And the party will not start me without me. I don't care about the host that much. Because if I had a party myself, I'm sure they'll come late too. I'm sure they will take their time and will arrive whenever they want. So why not make it just a vicious cycle, right?

I say stop the madness. My time is important. In the Philippines, people were shocked that I was very annoyed when I waited too long. Friends, relatives, and business associates there would ask me to meet at 8 am. I am at the meeting place by 7:55am. They arrive to meet me at 8:26 pm. Yes, call that anal. But that's 26 minutes past. I could have done other things in that 26 minutes. I placed enough importance on the meeting that I show up on time. I demand the same. To show up minutes, and yes, even hours late, is complete disrespect to me.

What makes it even worse is that people don't call and let you know they are running late. At least have the decency and courtesy to call, or text, that you are running late. When I'm running late, I always make it a point to let the other party know. See, I'm late sometimes, I admit. But I recognize it as a fault, and I'm working to make it better. Oh yeah, and when I'm running late, I call way in advance to let others know. Courtesy. Respect.

So to all the early and on time Pinoys out there, more power to you. And to the better-late-than-never and the i'm-making-a-grand-entrance and the I-don't-really-care-I'm-disrespecting-you Filipinos out there, let's work on this one. Let's not make it a vicious cycle.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

classic pinoy... that's never my style though, but if you do this to me.... you'll get a white eye just waiting for me.

AIEPRO said...

What's a "white eye?" Never heard of this idiom before.

Anonymous said...

I hate this Filipino Time. Guess what, it is not only us who have this bad habbit. People here are doing the same.

AIEPRO said...

I know, I'm tired of hearing excuses why we, as Pinoys, are always late. Do you think this may be passed on from generation to generation. Or that everyone is just so late, that people won't think it matters if they are late too?

Anonymous said...

It's an Asian thing I guess. Even my Malaysian blog buddies complain of Malaysians being late for everything, and it's not just the Malays but ethnic Chinese as well...

If there's one thing I can be proud of about myself is that barring unforseen events or circumstances, I am never late for a meeting. I hate being late and I get really pissed when inconsiderate people show up late without even notifying me.

Anonymous said...

this is one trait of Pinoys I hate. Though we are aware of being late, we don't put on efforts impelmenting it. Sadyang nakagisnan na.


Thank you for your comments on my article.

Analyse said...

i hear you. i hate being late and i hate waiting. it's non respect to the other party's time.

i once set a meeting with my friends in pinas, and they arrived 30 min to 60 min late. and i was there waiting, with the jetlag (i just arrived from france the day before), and almost annoyed. they should have told me, i should have slept more before meeting them. 'filipino time' was their excuse, oh my!

Anonymous said...

I hate being late and people who are late. It's the same as stealing someone else's time.

Just go and see "Changing Lanes" starring Samuel Jackson and Ben Afleck. You'll see how a few minutes lost or wasted could cost you so much.

Unsugarcoated Reviews said...

with tardiness being my worst habit, I can safely say that I am a true-blue Pinoy...

schumey said...

One way to make sure they'll be on time, set the meeting 20 minutes earlier. And if they are stil late, leave after 5 minutes. That way they'll know how important being on time is with you.

AIEPRO said...

My friends and relatives in the PI know that timeliness is already very important with me. I do not allow them to make excuses. It starts with the people I know.