A COPY OF THE LETTER I SENT TO A-1 REGARDING THE INCIDENT:

Dear Sir,

This letter comes to inform you that one of your employees, Ysrael Mateo, who works under your licensing department and serves as your representative in the Land Transportation Office (LTO), has exhibited unacceptable behavior, intolerable attitude, and an ill-mannered conduct while I, a loyal customer of your esteemed institution, was seeking his assistance in the LTO last May 12, 2010 to process my son’s student’s permit.

In the said date, my son and I went to the LTO at the appointed time. Overwhelmed by the swarms of fixers, drivers, and men who crowded the entrance gate, there was no representative from A-1 who met us in the area. My son and I proceeded to look for Ysrael Mateo inside the LTO compound until we reached the area where students’ permits are processed. Sadly, however, he was again nowhere to be found. While we were looking for your representative, I kept on texting him and asked about his whereabouts but much to my dismay, he did not respond at all. Exasperated, I called him several times. Each time he answered my calls, he simply said that he was “on his way”. Thus, it took us more or less an hour just to wait for him in the processing area.

When the wasted time and heat were no longer tolerable, I called him one last time to ask why he was not yet proceeding to the processing area. This time, he tersely responded to me, seemingly irritated, that he was in the canteen all along. So much time and effort had been wasted only to find out that I and my son were not waiting for anybody to come and help us. We then proceeded to the canteen and there, we finally saw Ysrael Mateo.

Finally seeing your representative was much relief as I and my son simply wanted the student’s permit to be processed as fast as possible. When I calmly asked Ysrael why he has not been telling us all along that he was simply waiting in the canteen, however, he answered obviously irritated saying, “Paano po ang dami-dami ko ginagawa! Kanina pa nga ako punta nang punta sa kung saan saan! Pagod na pagod na ako! Hindi ko na nga masagot yung cell ko eh!”

I immediately countered his unacceptable statement by saying that I was not asking anything extra from him. I simply wanted him to tell me and my son where he had been staying all along so that we can come to him. In fact, as your representative, it is his duty to look for his customers and courteously guide them along the licensing process.

Again, Ysrael responded with derogatory statements and he did not even recognize his mistake. It even came to the point that I was already prompting him to stop and just get the processing done but he just kept on talking and shouting back at me. I already kept quiet but he was still angrily and forcefully bombarding me with insulting remarks. Eventually, he stopped and left me and my son in the canteen without even telling us where he was going.

As the president of the premier driving school of this country, it is your responsibility to safeguard the welfare of your customers and make sure that your employees are qualified and ready to interact with your clientele. Ysrael Mateo is obviously incapable of being your representative as he can be very offensive towards your customers. He may potentially damage your esteemed institution’s reputation. As a journalist, I have met and encountered many types of persons but this is the first time that someone hurled invectives and insulting remarks toward me. I was not asking for any extra service, but merely wanted what was due us as a paying customer. A-1’s reputation as the premiere driving school was the reason why we chose it over others; sadly I think I was wrong. Ysrael Mateo, a representative of your company is in no way capable to serve your clientele, especially not with a brash and highly impolite attitude.

As the premier driving school of the Philippines, A-1 ought to maintain excellent service which all your employees should provide. I do hope that immediate action will be taken towards Ysrael Mateo. I will appreciate any feedback and action your office will take towards the matter.

Sincerely Yours,


Christina Hermoso Zaldarriaga