13 January
2013
Can’t an
air conditioner salesman own a BMW car? This was my rhetorical question to a
Cebu based friend one afternoon, a few days ago. We were then discussing about
corruption in general and suspiciously scrutinizing reports and observations
pertaining to some of our common acquaintances when this friend commented about
one of them very recently owning a BMW and started sporting a Rolex watch.
My Cebuano
friend seemed stunned by my question, but has managed to stammer a response
that in summation insinuates that owning a BMW in this particular case could be
made possible only through corruption.
This
exchange got me thinking long after we parted, as to whether it is fair to make
such a judgment just on the basis of a person’s work position (or in effect his
paying capacity). For there could be other reasons that can bring about such
development, like one being gifted by a rich father, or maybe even becoming an
instant millionaire after winning the lotto grand prize.
Resisting
to be overwhelmed by the stance of this respected friend, I tried hard, in
pursuit of objectivity, to craft a possible explanation or justification for
the said luxury car.
Looking
back at my 40 years of experience as a manufacturing professional, I have
during my early years personally experienced being provided ordinary service
vehicles as a junior executive. However, I was, later on, provided with more
expensive “2 liter displacement” company cars during the 20 years that I was a
senior executive of a medium sized manufacturing firm based in Makati City. I
have also observed that it is not uncommon for vice presidents and especially presidents/CEOs
of large or blue chip companies to be provided with company cars of luxurious
European brands such as Mercedes Benz or BMW.
Focusing
back on this acquaintance who was the subject of the scrutiny, I submit that he
is not an ordinary salesman, but actually a sales manager, who I presume would
be entitled to a service vehicle. I have, as a matter of fact, seen him using
an ordinary (or non-luxurious) car about two years ago. And to be driving a BMW
just two years afterwards seems to be a tremendous upgrade which could raise
eyebrows and tickle malicious minds – unless there is a blatantly clear basis
for such an upgrade. But to say the least, the guy is still a sales manager.
I’m
reminded of my former boss who was our company president when I was still
actively employed in that manufacturing firm. He, at one time, confided to some
of us members of his senior staff how he discreetly monitors the behavior of
his “critical personnel” like those from credit & collection, purchasing,
sales, etc. According to him, he makes it a point to observe how they dress,
especially their shoes, and looks out for a large disparity between their
earning capacity and how luxuriously they dress, as well as lifestyle. His
observations along this line greatly influence his moves and I believe that his
technique helped in a great way his succeeding in weeding out those that are
undesirable, and in instilling a culture of honesty in the company.
Now using
my former boss’ method as a template, I don’t think that this sales manager’s income
potential jibes with the cost of a BMW that, based on my inquiry, could range
from P1.7 to P2.5 million for a four door car, Series 3 model. As to his other
circumstances…I doubt if the guy has a rich father who could have gifted him
with the luxurious car, because if this is so, he could have afforded and
brandied it at a much earlier time. And unless he can prove that he recently
won a lotto grand prize that would enable him to afford such a car, I think I
will now readily agree with my Cebuano friend that this sales manager is a
crook.
And suppose
the guy is by any chance also a government functionary, then he is one person who
should be reported by those who have knowledge of his misdeeds to the proper
authorities (like the Ombudsman or NBI) so that his activities, in line with
the President’s “tuwid na daan” effort, can be investigated and hopefully will
result to his being charged and purged.
The
President’s “tuwid na daan”, I would say, has successfully started to overcome
the inertia of the “culture of corruption” that has weighed down on our country
(as well as on us as a people) during the last 40 years. And this determined effort
against corruption spearheaded by President Noy, despite just making probably a
dent on this “monstrous culture” over the last two and a half years, succeeded
in generating significant improvements in our economy (that hopefully would
soon trickle down to the masses), and more importantly, impressed and caused us
to get the interest and gain the support of, the international community. The
little that has been gained along this line during the past two and a half
years, I expect, would continue to grow given our President’s unrelenting
effort, but I believe can develop into an exponential gain if more and more of
us concerned citizens would take an active role in this fight against
corruption. Let us stop being part of the silent majority and start taking
active moves, no matter how small or insignificant we feel they are, in working
against crooked practices in government as well as in other areas. Let us start
making ourselves be heard, by participating in crafting our country’s destiny,
so that most, if not all of us, particularly our children and grandchildren,
would be assured of a better quality of life in their lifetime.
Comments/reactions
will be appreciated and can be sent through this writer’s email (sl3.mekaniko@gmail.com)
or through this writer’s blog (http://mekaniko-sl3.blogspot.com).
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