Fermina Express and Metro Manila Time Zones

every minute that walks by
is a                             distance I
bear with so much torment,
and if pain be so cliche' a
word to speak of my burden,
I shall cease to speak about
this hardship and be silent

                   a portrayal of my
silence when seve            red
from you.

Title: Trial
Date: c. 1997

Ok, finally had the chance to sit down before my computer without having to worry that tomorrow would be another working day and that I have to be on the bus by 6.30 am to avoid the mad rush and the traffic gridlock. Ironically, 10 am is officially the start of our working day but because i live in QC, I simply can't afford to wait until 8 am to get a bus. I don't want to be late! I rather be early and take a nap in the sleeping quarters than feel the time pressure. The funny thing is, sometime I get to board a bus that let's me experience a paradigm shift. Okay, let me explaine. You all know about buses here in the city, they take their sweet time before acknowledging the green/go light. I'm sure you get the idea. So, one morning, determined not to again experience the punishment of the mad rush, I followed my usual routine. I made sure I will get a bus by 6.30 am as usually I get to Makati at around 8.20. The time from then to 10 am, I usually spend smoking or reading training materials. 

Anyway, I saw a bus that I knew was somehow fast in transporting commuters in EDSA. Ok, it's Fermina Express. Or more popularly known as FermEx. Anyway, I got on the bus (forgot to get the bus number) and paid for my fare then quickly took a nap! Whoa! When I woke up, we were in Buendia at 7.38. By 7.45, I was in the office! 

That, by any means, is fast. Colleagues had a grand time listening to that story as it was really unusual. My line to them was,

 Galit sa pasahero ang driver. Ayaw magsakay sa EDSA at humarurot na lang ng takbo! 

But wait till they hear about my story last night. So, when we were waiting for our respective buses, I saw another FermEx bus and told my colleagues, "There's my bus!" and quickly said goodbye! Ayala was still crowded at 7.15 pm so, it was a slow start. It was standing room only so I had to wait until Guadalupe-Tulay to get a seat. When I did get a seat, I quickly went to sleep. Lo and behold! When I woke up, at 8.11, I was in Litex. I got home at 8.33.

I usually get home at 9.15 pm (leaving Makati at 7.15 pm). This time around,

Galit pa rin sa pasahero! Ngayon naman ayaw magbaba at umaarangkada na lang ng takbo!

There were several instances when the "kundoktor" had to shout at the driver that he should be stopping as they were to unload passengers. And one instance when he did stop, and had to be reminded that the door had to be opened.  

I had an idea, by the way, that I shared to my colleagues. Since most of us in the pioneer team of a start up call center lives outside of Makati (our soon to rise site will be in Cubao - can't wait for October!), I told them that I have an idea that I am working on to prevent tardiness in Makati offices. 

Since most employees in Makati corporations are residents of neighboring cities, to prevent tardiness, the different cities that EDSA crosses should have different time zones. Allow me to cite an example:  myself.

In my case, I have to leave Fairview no later than 6.30. I have to travel through EDSA by bus and that'll be a good 1 hour and 30 minutes. If I'm lucky to board a FermEx, that'll be 1 hour and 15 minutes. But don't forget that I'm doing so knowing that 10 am is my log in. You see the sacrifice there? In order not to be late, I have to be very early. Since it's terrible in EDSA at around 8. 

So to solve this, make Makati's time zone later by 2 hours. Pasig may be 1 hour and 30 minutes later than QC and so on for Mandaluyong etc. So, this would let me leave Fairview by 10 am and still reach Makati by 10 am!

Great idea? He he.