Fare

If I had chosen to work in a school in Makati, I would be spending around P 200++ a day on fare and food. I realized that a day's food and fare allowance in Makati would be able to pay for a whole year's education of one student in this school I'm teaching in, and yet some of my students wouldn't easily be able to shell out that much come enrollment. I teach in this mission-driven school inside a posh subdivision in the southern Manila area. Some students of mine are children of househelps, or househelps themselves. Some are working students while others are children of regular Filipino families who desire a good yet inexpensive secondary education.

Since the school is in this posh village, commuters can only take the recognized jeeps made for village transport. On my way to work one day, I happened to take the jeep with my student. Our small talk began.

"Bakit ka absent kahapon?"

"Nagkaproblema, sir, sa bahay ng amo ko," he respectfully replied.

"Ahh...ok." I did not want the talk to continue as I sensed it was not supposed to be discussed with me.

"Ninakawan po kasi yung bahay. Inimbistagahan ako ng mga security." He continued, "Wala naman ako palagi sa bahay. Kasama ko amo ko palagi."

I listened to his story although my eyes were fixed on the road ,and without me noticing, he was handing P 14.00 to the driver. "Dalawa po 'yan."

There was something wrong there. I hurriedly looked for my purse and gave him the same amount. He refused. I didn't push it since I felt he had sincere intentions on paying for the both us. But I planned to pay for the both of us, too. It's in one of my jeepney fare treat rules (see 1.2. below). I felt bad and thought of the extra seven pesos he had to spend on me.

This got me thinking as to what dictates paying for someone else's fare? I have my own guidelines as to when one can shoulder someone else's fare.

1. Relationships
1.1. A boyfriend to a girlfriend
1.2. A teacher to a student
1.3. A parent to minor children
1.4. An older and wealthier family member to a less-fortunate relative
1.5. A boss to a subordinate
1.6. A husband to his wife
1.7. A working adult child to his/her parents or grandparents
1.8. A richer friend to his/her poorer friends
1.9. An ordinary person to a bloodsucking free loader
1.10. An eager friend to a long-lost friend
1.11. A pretentious person to people who believe that the person is moneyed
1.12. A former student to his/her retired teacher
1.13. A boy to a girl whom he is courting
1.14. A genuinely good person to others

2. Conditions
2.1. It's one's first pay check or payday.
2.2. One has extra cash.
2.3. It's a favor being returned.
2.4. It's culture.
2.5. There's only one person to pay for.

The list can vary from person to person. Treating one for fare is still subject to certain conditions.

I explicitly did not include to write worker to a co-worker, although this is a practice of many, because it is not to happen while I'm in my present department. A senior member of the department during the early days of my commuting to school said, "Sir, kanya-kanya tayo dito ah." Huh? Like I would ask anything from her. I have seven pesos in my wallet noh! That was one of the very few exchanges I had with her. I plan to keep it that way.  She is so not like my student whose gesture will be rewarded in heaven, but while here on earth , he will be rewarded as I think of him when I work on the conduct grades. God bless him!