Tuesday, May 3, 2011
YOU only need two taxi rides in Singapore to agree with a corruption poll tagging the Philippines as one of the most corrupt countries in Asia, if not the world.
I paid a visit to the Asian city-state recently and I was thrilled.
It was probably because I just wanted to escape the summer heat or to take a break from beating deadlines. We all need a breather anyway, right?
Heck, it's Singapore!
Remember when Senator Bongbong Marcos claimed that the Philippines would have been Singapore if his father wasn't overthrown by the Edsa Revolution?
Well, I'm sorry, Senator. Even the taxi drivers in Singapore think that's a foolish statement.
On the way to our hotel in Orchard Road, a cab driver who said he lived in Manila during the Marcos era immediately asked us if we were there for summer vacation.
"Yes, it's our first time here," I replied, hoping that that would end the conversation since I was already feeling dizzy.
But I was wrong.
"Are you going to visit Universal Studios?" he asked again.
Since I didn't want to rely on dozens of maps I picked up at the airport terminal, I asked how we we're supposed to get to Universal Studios through public transportation.
"You see that," he said, pointing outside the window. "That train going underground, you can ride it and it will take you to different parts of the city."
"You don't have that in the Philippines, huh?" I just nodded, once more hoping that the cab driver would - how would I say this politely? - shut up.
Again, I was wrong.
The cab driver blathered on, like a congressman holding a mic.
This time, the driver asked: "Why can't you have trains passing underground?"
Before I could answer, he said: "You know why? Because your politicians are corrupt. All the people's money, they (sic) go to the pockets of the politicians. Not like in here. Even Imelda Marcos used your money just to buy shoes!"
After recalling what Imelda looked like, he said with a grin, "but she's really beautiful and elegant."
Mr. Cab Driver Number One not only complained about how President-dictator Ferdinand Marcos used the country's wealth for his personal gain, but also the little things that remain unresolved in Metro Manila - like, for instance, traffic.
"The traffic is horrible there and taxi drivers are rude!" he said.
The cab then turned into Orchard Road.
"When you have time, you go and visit the Philippine Embassy here. It's just near your hotel. You'll see Filipinos lining up there just to get poor service," he said. I just cringed.
Day Two in Singapore - Merlion Park - check; Skyline and Luge - check!
Last item in the itinerary for our second day was the Singapore Flyer, a giant Ferris Wheel with hundreds aboard at the same time. This 28-capsule Giant Observation Wheel is 165 meters tall. The 30-minute ride lets you see some of Singapore's tourist attractions.
After the ride, we lined up to hire a taxi that will take us back to our hotel.
A taxi line! That's familiar, I thought.
Appreciating something we're not familiar with is all about comparing it with what we're accustomed to.
Walking through the streets of Singapore, a Filipino would definitely notice that there are hardly smoke belchers - a headache for most environmentalists or even just commuters in Manila.
In fact, when you type "smoke belchers" in Google, almost all of the links that would show up are articles on the smoke belching problem in the metro. It's also safe to keep your taxi door unlocked when in Singapore, by the way.
Before the cab driver made a turn to a street near our hotel, he showed us where their Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong, lived. "It's heavily guarded," he told us.
We paid him SG$12 for our SG$11.20 fare.
While he was trying to grab his wallet for our change, he told us "You tell your receptionist, your taxi driver is honest."
And I thought, why would I?
But he continued to explain.
"You know, Filipino drivers are not honest, mga manloloko." Mr. Cab Driver Number Two apparently lived in Makati but refused to tell us exactly where so, we hesitated to believe him.
Our Jackie Chan-looking cab driver hands out our change not without another comment. "You know your taxi drivers are like your politicians, they want to keep the money for themselves."
Lesson of the trip: Ride Singapore's train if you don't want reality - or at least the Philippine version of it - to slap you in the face.