Last December 2006 I was in Manila helping my uncle with his paperwork in the Canadian Embassy.  After everything seemed to be in proper order with the embassy it was time to get back home and spend time with my parents on Christmas Eve.  The airport looked great... it seems competitive enough in a global scale.  Employee courtesy was good and customer service was even better... far improved compared to decades ago.

As always, travellers would take the Philippine Airlines for their trips to and fro the big city.  This of course despite the record delays of the airline which seemed to have been commonly tolerated by its customers.  PAL was alright so I thought... the employees seem to be courteous and polite... until I got myself in a situation dreaded by all victims like me.

It was Christmastime and everyone wanted to be home at Christmas Eve.  But some sinister PAL employees - corrupt like garbage as they truly are - were up to something.  they intended to make money at the expense of their customers.  As chance passengers lined up for a chance to get a flight home.  This PAL employee at the chance passenger area would intentionally delay the awarding of chance flights to weary and worn out customers.  He would transact business over his cell phone - giving reservations for a chance flight for a price.  When in fact there was a long line up of disgrunted customers waiting.  He would tear down boarding passes and announce "NO CHANCE"  when he actually made a few people slip into the departing flight with their luggages.  Even worst... the guards who were supposed to be tasked to give assistance enjoyed mocking the weary customers...  They were simply unashamed of what they do.. obviously, this has been their habit... much more... this has been their education.

Eventually, we were able to get a flight home... that after buying another ticket and doing away with the ticket we already had.  It is rather sad to think that a prestigious Flag Carrier such as the Philippine Airlines is made to stink like garbage by corrupt employees like Mr. De Los Santos.

Many customers won't forget that Christmas... executives, regular workers, students, OFWs, senior citizens, foreign tourists... they will all carry the bitterness of having an unfortunate encounter with Mr. De Los Santos... the stinking PAL employee at the chance passenger area.

Name Dropping! Perhaps PAL would protest!  Damn! Did the PAL Management even hear our complaints?  If there is one thing that PAL employee is... it's being a World Class Stinking Asshole.