WHEN we posted on our Facebook page the story on Bureau of Immigration (BI) officials allegedly ignoring clients for a birthday blowout for a co-employee during office hours, the comment section was flooded with stories from netizens sharing their experiences with bad government service.
The horror stories of the Filipinos on bad government service were not limited to the Bureau of Immigration only but other government agencies like the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the local government unit as well.
User HJ Nins said, "Way back many years ago, I rushed to sanggunian to get a sedula, it was 4:45pm. As I was standing at the counter, the woman was not speaking to me and just combed her hair, put perfume, etc. and when it was about 5 minutes to 5, she told me she’s closed. I complained at her that I was there at 4:45pm and that if she doesnt do her job I will complain her directly to the mayor. Then nag bigay sya ng sedula pero sobrang padabog [sic] (She issued a sedula but it was done rudely)."
User EarLee Maning Baylo also said in BIR-Davao she noted how BIR employees love to gossip during work hours.
"Kapila na kog nagutuman cgeg hulat... mag adto kag sau sa buntag halimbawa 8am... jusme mahuman ka mga 1pm na [sic] (I would go hungry waiting for them. Even though you come as early as 8 a.m., your transaction will be completed by 1 p.m.)," she added.
"Majority of government employees do not know what public service is all about. Most of them see themselves as superior over the public whom they serve," user Emile Tabiar commented.
We are not discounting the fact that there are still government employees out there who are doing what is right and giving a quality public service the Filipinos and their clients deserve.
However, it is sad to note that the good some have done are always being overshadowed by the incompetence and rudeness of other government employees.
For the general public, we should not allow such government employees to stay. They are hampering the efforts of the government to improve itself and its service. So what should we do? We should proactively report and file complaints against erring government employees.
It is clearly stated in the law that we can file complaints against them at their office, at the Civil Service Commission, or at the Office of the Ombudsman. However, this also has to undergo due process and investigation on their part.
We also call on concerned government agencies to reprimand your employees and act on the complaints of the Filipinos, whom you are serving, quickly and efficiently.
Shame on the government employees who are working within the government but cannot provide the quality service the Filipinos deserve. Don't give us excuses for your lackluster service because there is never an excuse when it comes to quality customer service. It is in the law that the needs of the people you serve are put at the forefront.
If the government does not immediately improve its frontline services, how can we the Filipinos say that we are getting good services from the government? How can we say change is here if government services are still bad?
It is sad that we are paying taxes for bad service. The Filipinos deserve better.