Wow. Early this morning I got a surprise call on my cell phone. When I answered its somebody that I don’t know. She must be one of the people that I gave my business card to. I asked her what she wants? She said that if I could ask Manny Pacman Pacquiao to recommend her daughter for a job in the Bureau of Customs. My goodness, I can’t recommend somebody I don’t know in the first place. Also I don’t know Manny in personally. We have many common friends but I won’t ask them to help me go to Manny. Thats just not right.
I would not ask somebody that I don’t know to recommend me for a job. Just because he is famous he can give you the job already? I don’t think so. It’s just shocking to me that people think that Manny can recommend everybody. I am sure Pacman also wants to know the people he recommend for the job. I should have told that person to let her daughter work at Pacman’s businesses in GenSan. Maybe when Manny knows the daughter well, he can already recommend her. If she does really well in his company though. The good thing about Manny is he really tried his best to help the people of GenSan. He tried to help some of the typhoon victims also in Luzon. I think he tried really to be a good man.
Honestly I would never ask somebody a favor just because he is famous. I think you guys already know that Manny just got here in the Philippines a few days ago from the States after winning the fight against the Golden Boy Oscar De La Hoya. Before the fight he stayed in the US for quiet sometime to do the training. He really went there and back here to see his family. I think 2 months before the fight his wife went to the States to be with him. The decided that she will have the baby there. He just came back here to get his other kids before the wife gives birth. Of course he will attend a lot of victory parties in GenSan and Manila before heading back to the States. During his fight last week I saw that the streets here in Davao was almost empty, its like a ghost almost. People were really hooked to the TV. It was really good seeing him beat Oscar though. Before I was not a boxing fan, but now with Manny fighting I found myself watching the TV and cheering for him. Oh well he fights good always though. He was really the Hero of a lot of the youngsters here in the Philippines. It’s really good that the kids look up to him. The good thing I never heard him used some illegal substance. I hope he will continue being the successful boxer and a good real model to the young one. And good luck to him.
To the person that called to me. Sorry I can’t help you on this matter. I hope you understand. Just find other ways to let your daughter find a job. I hope you don’t wait for Manny on that. Good luck to you and your daughter.
Mabuhay!
"She said that if I could ask Manny Pacman Pacquiao to recommend her daughter for a job in the Bureau of Customs."
I was LOL when I read this sentence. It's ridiculous (and embarassing) how some people still use the padrino system to get their way.
Well, I was of course cheering for Manny during the fight. Like you, I'm also not a boxing fan, until Manny came into the limelight. 🙂 I caught the Pacman fever too! 🙂
Hi Feyma – Manny has captured many fans both there and here. It's a common bond for me and some of my filipino nephews, too.
Regarding the phone – it's amazing the way some people think. I guess they must be desperate.
Hi Feyma;
I find the job market here pretty bizzare. In Australia it's illegal to discriminate by age or sex; here it's ordinary. People needing college degrees to apply for janitorial positions on 200P a day! It's no wonder people try anything to get a job!
One thing I have found in this country is that people have never heard of the 'invisible job' market. This is where an employer has a position available but has not advertised it; they may have had a bad experience with hiring before, or they may be waiting for the right person to walk in and ask for a job.
My advice to job seekers is forget advertised positions; find the industry you are passionate about, find out who is doing well in that industry then make yourself available. If this means pushing a broom for nothing but lunch, so be it; at least you have a 'leg in the door' so when the employer needs to hire they will look at who is around, reliable and passionate about the industry.
I know this advice is not practical for some people; but so few people here think of it, I believe there is opportunity here.
I have found jobs for family here by asking the business people I meet regularly at our local bar. None of these jobs were advertised.
The big thing in the unseen job market is confidence. One needs to be comfortable approaching businesses and asking for opportunities. This is not easy if you have no knowlege of the business; but if it's something you really are inspired by, the boss will sense it and try to get you in.
It's simply about putting yourself in the position of the employer: would you rather hire through an agency or give a job to someone who shows up everyday with a smile and does what they can to help?
Just a thought !
Hi Chris, that's a novel idea. I might try that here. Walk in to any esteablishment I like to work. Jobs too are hard to come by here now.
http://www.simonstapleton.com/wordpress/2008/10/2…
There are lots of sites like this one.
Google 'hidden' or 'invisible' jobs
Hi Feyma
I am amazed at the job market in the RP. I have seen people lined up over 2 blocks at the employment agency. You may want to consider it a bit of flattery that some one would think that all famous people in Mindanao would know each other. 😉
The Pacman fight was a very good fight. We had some friends over and rented the fight. It was amazing to see some of our quiet Filipina friends yelling, screaming, and boxing while the fight was on. I must admit that I admire Pacman. He has always been modest and does not under estimate his opponents.
Hi Beth – It is really embarrassing to ask help from somebody that I don't know. I almost say something that I know she doesn't want to hear it. I really have to bite my lips on that. To be honest she's just a user.
Thank you so much for stopping by.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS…
HI Randy C – Thats a good way to be close to your nephews. Same with my nephews here too, they really like Manny a lot.
Your right they are desperate. The sad part they are using other people.
Thank you for your nice comment.
MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR to You and Rechie.
I need to be desperately lost at the airport before i will call or talk to someone …but never for a job ..it takes all kinds to make the world turn Fayme … laugh it off and have fun . 🙂 🙂 🙂 …Phil n Jess
It's the sort of thibng that really amazes me, Feyma. One of those things totally foreign to a westerner. I have a relative by marriage. A person in thie 40's well educated, had a decent government job. One day my wife got a call and also her dad .. becuase daddy used to work for the central bank. (not the avency that this relative worked for) Subject?
The realtive had got caught literally stealing from the agency … actual cash money for the second time, and was under notice of termination. The message:
"Please, talk to someone for me."
And what, I wonder, would we say? Give a thrid chance to betray trust and rob from the people of the Philippines? You got to be kidding me … as if we did have influence in these sort of matters, we'd use it to help a thief?
And the shame. Let me tell you, if I ever got fired from a job for stealing I'd be so ashamed I would be able to show my face on the street, let alone call distant family members and ask them to make paki usap.
I still have a lot, a great deal to learn, that's for sure.
"
I'm new here and have read previous posts about "Utang na Loob" and somehow, this is a part of that Filipino attitude of "utang na loob". Somehow, many less fortunate (and some fortunate) Filipinos look to this kind of attitude to land a job. This is a perfect example. That person who called you thought that you may have some sort of connection with Manny and that there maybe some sort of "utang na loob" between you and him and that this is one favor that Manny can grant you so she mustered up enough courage to make the call, because of "utang na loob" that she will have for you if she lands the job.
This is what a lot of Filipinos do everyday. The owner of one big company in Manila has "utang na loob" to a kumpadre and that friend has a son looking for a job so because of utang na loob, regardless of the friend's son's work experience, he will be hired as "payment" to the utang na loob… then this cycle keeps going on and on and on.
One can't help but feel sorry for their brothers and sisters who are less-fortunate and are living in poverty but I think it's really time that many Filipinos (including myself who is 1/2 Filipino and 1/2 Puerto Rican) start learning how to get rid of this "utang na loob" attitude that really just makes the poor even poorer because their chances of landing a decent job rests in the hands of their "connection" and not their talents or experiences. And finally, like what I've seen on TV, I hope that Manny Pacquiao is surrounded by REAL people that care about him because from the looks of it, I think many in his group are in it for the cashflow (including the VP of the Philippines who maybe looking to get a piece of that pie for his election bid) and because Manny is seen by many as a GIVER, people take advantage of that and just believe that he is the PROVIDER for them… very sad indeed.
hi feyma,
nice article, well i despised people who uses "padrino" to get a job, these people really irritates me, just because they know someone who can help them to get a job without any expertise, they would think they can have the job.
If this is one of the "Filipino Culture" then i despise it a lot!.
Hi Chris – Hey even to pump gas here you need to be a college degree and with pleasing personality. That was the advertise on the pump one day we were getting gas. We're shocked. The States is just like Australia, can't ask the age to find a job there.
Good advice there for a job seeker.
Thank you so much for the comment.
Happy holidays!
Hi roy – Thank you for stopping by!
Happy Holidays!
Hi Chris – Again thanks for the good tip.
Hi Larry – Here you also see lots of people line up in the mall to get a job. Sometimes it took them the whole day to line up.
Yeah Pacman really had a good fight with Oscar. That's what I heard from my friends that also a friend of his that he is really a nice man.
Thank you for stopping by!
Happy Holidays to you and your family!
Hi Phil R. – Thats a good advice.
Happy Holidays!
Hi Dave – As what me and Bob always says "WELCOME TO THE PHILIPPINES". I think it just the norm to just asked for help. Hey, I'm with you I would never help anybody that gets fired from their job of stealing. Yes what a shame. But to some its not. Its crazy world though.
Oh well, I hope you and Mita have a good holiday season.
Thank you for sharing your story. Gives lesson to others.
Take care!
Hi Sandra – Good advice and insight to all our readers here. You got it.
We have same hope for Manny. I really do hope that he handles everything well. Good luck to him on that.
Thank you so much for your comments.
Happy Holidays!
Hi danz – Sorry to tell you that this is one of the culture here. I won't blame you for not liking it. I'm with you on that. I think a lot people agree on you on that actually!
Thank you so much for stopping by!
Happy Holidays!
Hi Feyma! Happy Holidays to you and your family too and to all the readers of LiP!
That story from Dave is really something! The nerve of that guy to ask for help for something as shameful as stealing from the job. That's even worse than somebody who's just desperate to get a job, although I still find it shameful for that lady who called you to do such thing when you don't even know each other personally.
Oh well! Again, Merry Christmas to all!
Hi Beth – As the saying goes here, "ONLY IN THE PHILIPPINES". Its really something.
Have a good holiday season.
This is the first time I browse on this site, recommended by my son who is in LA.
I haven't read all the blogs, I will soon though, but I am beginning to be interested in this website.
I feel that the padrino system still runs in the veins of some Pilipinos, particularly in getting a job in the government.
In that phone call (surprise), the caller really has the guts, not only calling Feyma, who doesn't know the caller, and of all…to be recommended in theBUREAU OF CUSTOMS…I smell a rat!