Culture of tardiness

Clearly pandering to voters from the labor sector, several lawmakers have urged employers to consider increasing from about five minutes to 30 minutes the grace period for employees coming to work late because of the heavy traffic in Metro Manila. 

But an official of the Employers’ Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) warned in an early morning radio talk show that increasing the grace period for latecomers would only promote a “culture of tardiness” among Filipinos.   As it is, many Filipinos are already imbued with the bad habit of habitual tardiness known as Filipino time or coming to an appointment up to one hour late, he said. 

The ECOP official also balked at any measure by Congress amending the Labor Code to mandate a four-day workweek, saying it would affect industries with differing workday requirements.

From where we sit, our lawmakers are mistaking the real problem that is the chaotic traffic in our streets and major thoroughfares. The problem has absolutely nothing to do with workdays or the short grace period given to employees who come in late.

Malacañang, at least, seems to have realized this when it ordered the Highway Patrol Group (HPG) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to take over from the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) the lead role in decongesting traffic along EDSA. –End-

Image by: justaplatform