SHE STOOD quietly, unsure — just a slip of paper in her hand, eyes moving from face to face. The hallway was loud, busy, uncaring. No one stopped.
A lola from Antique, new to Iloilo, unsure of what to do, hoping to help her daughter in pain at the ICU (Intensive Care Unit). She did not know where to ask for blood or who could guide her. But still she waited, hoping someone might see her and say, “Nanay, ano tani ang mabulig namon sa imo?”
A friend told me once about a scan she had. Nothing serious — until she was met with a cold voice, no eye contact, no kindness. It hurt more than any diagnosis. She may not have looked like someone powerful. But she is kind. And she is human. That should have been more than enough to any doctor with many letters after her name.
These are not rare stories. They unfold daily in hospital lobbies, town clinics, city halls, and government counters. They happen to those who look unsure, speak softly, or dress simply. To the ones without influence or title. And too often, they are met with impatience, if not outright dismissal.
Much has improved — I have seen it firsthand at the Professional Regulation Commission, National Bureau of Investigation, Iloilo City Police Office, Government Service Insurance System, PhilHealth, Hall of Justice, Iloilo City Hall, even at our own university. Things are faster, clearer, more humane. But service loses meaning when we forget that each person is more than a transaction. It is not a favor to be kind. It is the bare minimum of a system that works.
The danger lies in forgetting that every person we serve is more than a form, more than a queue number. Some size you up by your clothes or how you speak. That mata-pobre mindset — judging someone’s worth from outside appearances — has no place in either public or private service. Real customer care is about seeing the person, not the packaging.
Warmth is not just a nicety — it is essential. In many cases, it is the only thing people remember. Zendesk’s 2023 report said 70% of customer experience leaders now prioritize human service over speed. Coursera’s 2024 guide puts empathy and listening as top service skills. These are not trends. They are truths — especially for those who arrive feeling unsure, scared, or lost.
We Filipinos pride ourselves on being hospitable. But why does that warmth vanish when we sit behind a desk?
Behind glass, we forget that some people have traveled far, missed meals, or borrowed fare just to make that appointment.
One thing I learned from my mentor, Fr. Manny Uy, SJ, and always pass on to students: kindness does not take much, but its impact lasts. The people we welcome never forget how we made them feel.
Government data backs this. The Civil Service Commission’s 8888 hotline reported that most complaints were about slow, uncaring service — not bribery, not scams, just plain disrespect or neglect. That says a lot. People are not asking for special treatment. They just want to be treated like they matter. (To be continued)/PN
