To one of the most outstanding barangays in Manila, with love.

One of the requirements for my new job is a photocopy of two valid IDs. I already have my passport at hand that’s why I just need to get another valid ID. Since getting a barangay clearance is pro bono and just takes about a few hours, I opted to apply for that.

I went to the barangay hall yesterday, met the barangay secretary, and got my clearance signed by the chairman. I can say that the process was really fast. I didn’t even wait for 5 minutes to have it signed.  I headed straight to the HR office of the company that afternoon. However, they told me that they couldn’t accept the clearance since the stated purpose was “for whatever legal purposes it may serve”. They wanted it to be more specific like “for bank requirements” or  “for local employment”. They asked me to go back to the barangay hall to have the purpose changed.

And so I came back to the hall and met with one of the kagawads who turned out to be one of our neighbors. He was very accommodating. He got my barangay clearance and even offered to deliver it to our house as soon as it was edited. I thought I was going to get the clearance soon until I haven’t heard from him since last night.

So after my 10pm-6am shift and 2-hour rest,  I went directly to the barangay hall to see if my clearance was already done. For some reason that I do not know, there was no one present in the barangay hall. I asked  the people around for the whereabouts of the secretary and one of the tricycle drivers answered, “Ah… Pumunta lang sa SM” That was fine with me since I know that these people have their own personal lives to attend to. I went home and returned again around 1pm but still, there was no sign of any barangay official.

I returned around 3:30pm that same day and saw the barangay secretary. I approached him and explained why the company didn’t accept the clearance. After much explaining, we tried to make a resolution and here’s how the conversation went:

R: Sir, baka pwede po i-edit yung sa last part na “for whatever legal purposes”

S: Ay…yan lang kasi binibigay namin dito eh…

R: Baka pwede po palitan kasi hindi po tinatangap nung kumpanya kung hindi “for bank requirements”

S: Anong gusto mo palitan natin yan para lang sayo? (They have pre-printed clearances in the hall.  Ironically, the barangay clearance I got from the province seems to be better since it has blanks where they can type individualized purposes)

R:  Hindi naman po sa ganun. Siguro po pwede i-dagdag na lang dun sa huli na naka parenthesis yung “for bank requirements” pagkatapos nung “for whatever legal purposes” para mas specific

S: Eh ayaw nga ni Chairman eh! Sinong masusunod ikaw… o si Chairman? (his voice escalating)

I was really upset that time. This incident might show any of these three things: the barangay is doing a trabahong tamad by giving out these generic clearances,  the secretary didn’t really want to put up with much hassle, the chairman doesn’t understand the need of his people, and/or I was asking a lot from these officials . Being a nuisance is last thing I would want to be although I do think that these officials should’ve been more accommodating. Besides, typing “for local employment” in a barangay clearance doesn’t require more effort than Anabelle Rama mouthing public insults over another person.

As a public servant, I believe that they should respond to the needs of the community. To succumb to the paternalistic idea that the leader’s  words are unquestionable may reflect the authoritarian style of leadership that officials implement and passiveness of the people who are not willing to question and reason out.

If I don’t get the clearance by today, I guess I have to shell out 300 pesos and get that postal ID instead.