Let me share with you an experience I had years back when I was still working as a call center agent. I had the privilege of sharing this online but the site closed down before I could even retrieve anything.

About five years ago, I worked as an inbound call center agent in a BPO located in Taguig City. I had already submitted my resignation and only had roughly a week to finish my contract. I was down to my last two hours before my shift ended so I was quite tired and my voice cracked once in a while. I received a call from a client who lives in Canada. As usual, I said my opening spiel and asked what the problem was. He said he has a small concern about his account and wants certain changes. One thing about Filipinos, no matter how long they have stayed in a foreign country and embraced the native tongue, there’s still that distinct PINOY tone you will recognize when you talk to them over the phone. So I pulled up his account and I saw that his last name is MONTEMAYOR. I was quite happy knowing I was talking to a ‘kababayan’ and feeling a bit rebellious against company rules that we should never start conversations in Filipino, I politely asked if he’s from the Philippines. I was taken aback when he replied a strong NO. He said his last name is not pronounced as MON-TE-MA-YOR, but rather, it was MONT-ME-YER. Feeling quite annoyed that this man was so consumed with being a Canadian citizen that he didn’t want to be tagged as a Filipino, I apologized and went ahead in helping him make the changes in his account. Just as we were finishing the whole conversation, I heard women’s voices in the background. They were so loud that I could hear them trying to say something to the client I was talking to. To my amusement, the women were talking in FILIPINO! The man was obviously trying to hush the exceptionally loud ladies but his efforts were worthless. I already heard the language they were speaking and at the back of my mind, I was proudly telling myself “SCORE for Apple. Huli na kita, Manong.”

One thing about me though, I do not like humiliating people when I prove myself right in any situation…but I WILL find a way to make you admit what you’ve been trying to hide. So I pretended not to hear anything and finished my business. Like a robot programmed to say the same words over and over again, I reluctantly said my closing spiel and asked him if there was anything else I can do for him. When he said no, I took the chance of saying the words “Alright then, MARAMING SALAMAT PO.” You can’t imagine how much I wanted to give a sarcastic laugh when he mindlessly said “WALANG ANUMAN.”

-- Mr. MONTMEYER is actually Ginoong MONTEMAYOR.

Tomorrow is Philippine Independence Day. As we try to wave our little flags with the 3 stars and the Sun, I hope we also try to rekindle that PRIDE of being PINOY. No matter where you are in the world, never be ashamed of who you are and where you came from. The Philippines is a beautiful country and being PINOY is something you should always be proud of.