To all Bank Tellers Who Think They Own the Place

When I left Philippines, I don't have much of a financial footprint. My very first bank account was with a rural bank in our province, that's about it. When I became a financial nerd, you all know the story, I have been going in and out of the bank, been exposed to different bank strategies and all. Now that I'm back in the Philippines, been visiting banks several times for the past weeks to open dollar account and deposit dollars to that said account, I noticed how Philippine banks work. There few things that irks me and me being idealistic, it gives me that "ugh, they should never do that" with matching roll eyes.

• Palakasan lang yan: When I open my dollar account, after I filled up those tons of application form, I proceeded to the deposit counter to deposit the account. I told the woman who entertained me, "What's with the line?" She said to go directly to the deposit counter and that I need not to worry about it coz priority daw ako (she knows that I am about to deposit 10,000 dollars cash.) I did what she said and felt bad after, I mean there are people who went early just to be able to get things done and here I am, getting prioritized just because I am depositing a huge amount of money. After I knew about their "number strategy" ( you get a number from the guard and then wait for that number to flash on that screen) I vowed that I wouldn't be like that ever again, that I'd be in line just like the rest no matter what.

• Snobby bank teller: I went to that said bank 3 times to deposit dollars, I never encountered problems with serial numbers up until recently. The bank was about to close when it was my turn, the woman behind the counter wants me to write the serial numbers, I told her I never did that in my other 2 deposits and she gave me that "you are inferior and you don't know the rules" look, which I'll never forget, and said "Next time Maam, before you approach the counter make sure you write the serial number." I just stand their silently, shook my head in disbelief. I mean, really? The costumer should write the serial number? What if I am a fraudster who happen to just write any serial number I can think of? I said talaga after I sat back on my chair, with the intent that she'll hear it, "It's not my freakin' job to write the serial numbers." I was thinking that maybe, she really wants to go home that's why she treated me like crap. Oh well.

Only in the Philippines where bank tellers think they know everything. Just a friendly reminder to all the bank tellers out there, bank costumers and depositors keep your bank running so don't treat us crap, your salary came from us bank costumers though not directly. You have a job because of us and if you don't like your job and you treat us depositors shit, go ahead and quit. Your bank system isn't really the best out there, you know?

I wonder, if we have loads of money in the bank, would they treat us differently?



Only in the Philippines indeed.