Corruption in our midst

I finally got DSL connection today after what seemed like decades of not being able to get the service despite so many applications and follow-up efforts. The solution apparently involved doing away with the old line and having a new one that was compatible with DSL. The explanations before were either our line was not compatible to DSL or that there were no available capacity for DSL in our area. This afternoon, the technician explained that the service provider increased capacity in our area, recognizing the demand that was unmet.

I am not really writing about our new DSL connection nor the journey towards having the service in the first place. I am actually writing about a pet peeve, and one that is so pervasive in our society that I just had to write about it while it was still a fresh experience. The technician, you see, unabashedly offered to double the speed of my DSL service. This offer came up when I was asking whether the speed of the service I was getting was according to my request - up to 1Mbps. His reply was somewhat indirect, resorting to telling me about the range I would typically get with this subscription and also saying that during peak periods, I might not get the top speeds as listed by his employer. It was kind of funny considering I was quite knowledgeable in these things being previously the head of our office's computer division and having similar services at my parents' home in Cainta, my in-laws in Novaliches and our home in Singapore.

Then he dropped the offer, casually mentioning that he had not yet finalized the installation and that there was time to make some changes. He claimed that he had a friend in their company who can double the speed of my connection and that he can make it happen without the additional fee for my current plan. Only, he hinted about a one-time payment. He didn't mention the exact amount and I already cut his sales talk by calmly saying that the speed with the plan I was getting was sufficient for my purposes. I just laughed it off when he repeated the offer and countered by offering him a glass of softdrink to change the topic.

My initial reaction was disgust but I managed to hide any reaction and proceeded with the business at hand until the technician finally left, unsuccessful with his attempt to cash in. I can only wonder how many offers he had made that day and how many took the offer to be able to get high speed internet service at a price lower than what they had to pay. Certainly the service provider loses a lot from these kinds of activities by their employees. And though I also believe that the service can be cheaper, I couldn't put myself in a position where I would have to contend with my principles and my conscience.

I'm sure there will be other temptations like this, maybe when I pursue again cable TV service some time in the future. But I am sure that I will have the same response and that I will maintain my integrity and my principles intact. I will continue to sustain this effort against the very basic things I abhor and those are the very things pervasive in our society that continue to erode whatever good we attempt to establish.

Corruption is clearly in our midst. It is everywhere and can be found at different levels and different aspects. We encounter it everyday and experience its impact on our lives. I believe we should make a stand in whatever way we could. For it could very well be our last stand and we should treat it that way.