ATM problem update and some lessons learned
I visited Equitable-PCI’s branch at our building for assistance with my ATM account and the lady I talked to on the help desk advised me to call their hotline. I wasn’t so excited over the advice and I knew that asking call center agents for help with one’s bank account wouldn’t be such a satisfying exercise. But due to lack of options, I called the bank’s hotline, was put on queue for about five minutes and talked to an agent called “Nino” (eh?). I told him what happened–that even though the Banco de Oro machine did not dispense money, it debited the amount I indicated from my account and that I found out about it only when I attempted to withdraw money from Equitable’s ATM outside SM Manila. After asking for my middle name, birth date and a summary of the incident, “Nino” informed me that he had submitted my case to the bank for investigation (with stress on in-ves-ti-gay-shun!) and that either I would receive a call from them or I could make a follow-on call after seven to fifteen banking days.
I thought that my budget for this salary period (I live from salary to salary) would not be so bad, but I was obviously wrong. Oftentimes, just when I thought that things would turn out fine, my life or something about it went into a nosedive. And last weekend’s incident happened to be just one of the many classic examples in the life of Kaye, that she began to wonder if her life was nothing but a series of jinxes and misfortunes and bad experiences and stupidities and…and…
Anyway…
Ironically, I received a call from Banco de Oro just about five minutes after I made the call to the Equitable hotline. I was happily assuming that BDO called so soon about my problems, but then my assumptions were wrong. Instead, it was a certain lady updating me about the credit card application which I submitted nine months ago and believed to have been rejected. She asked me for any government-issued ID that could accompany my application. I couldn’t give her any, given that the only govt-issued ID document in my possession was my passport which expired ages ago. Expired passports wouldn’t do. Dang it–why didn’t I renew the thing? I asked if Philhealth would be okay–no good either. My SSS ID card was still with the building’s security guards because I had to surrender it to them in exchange for a gate pass that would allow me to enter Pacific Star and prevent the barong-clad guards from running after me even when I had already boarded the elevators. (Still, I wonder if BDO had realized that this God-forsaken country had entered the internet age and that records of people’s SSS contributions could be checked online–then again, I could be wrong because I am not sure if SSS would make data available to 3rd parties.)
Then she asked for proof of billing that was in my name. Huh? The only proof of billing in my name was my dorm receipt, but I moved out last year. I offered that if she liked I could give her a copy of our current Meralco bill but that wasn’t in my name as well. “Sorry ma’am, that won’t do.”
Ahhh…ain’t life sweet?
Still, knowing that they hadn’t fed my application form into the paper shredder, I asked if they’d accept any other proof of my existence and earning capacity. She asked for a copy of last month’s payslip and a photocopy of my company ID. Positively! Oui! Si! I rushed immediately to Accounting for a copy of last month’s payslip and boy was I glad that they still had it. And for the first time in my tenure here, I was amazed by the existence of the photocopier because it saved me from a trip to the ground floor to “xerox” documents. I faxed her the requirements and crossed my fingers that the application would be approved. God knows how much I need a credit card and that I am THIS close to selling half of whatever is left of my soul to survive.
On top of the banking problem, I realized that like any sane person, I should keep a close accounting of my expenses and sweat out the details–check how much is debited from ATM in every withdrawal, get ID from guards A.S.A.P., open a new bank account, renew passports, keep receipts and do personal accounting. Basically, things that responsible grown-ups deal with no matter how boring. Oasis can serenade me and brewed coffee will keep me awake until I finish a boring task anyway.
So even when I could still put off the task of getting my ID until another day, I immediately called the building’s admin about my card and shamelessly told them that it had been in their keep for more than one year. The nice person on the other end of the line told me that he would try to look for it in their archives (ahh…boring task but v. good guy is v. responsible adult) and that he’d call me up before the day ended. Short of cheering him on, I answered “Sure!”
After 30 minutes, v. responsible guard called me up about the ID and informed me that he had a different ID of mine in possession–my La Salle masters card and not the SSS card. I knew that the SSS card was ten million times more important than La Salle’s since I had been on leave for years already, but hey, it was still mine so I agreed to visit the building’s admin offices on the 6th floor, explain my presence there to the tired cashier and paid the P25 fee for losing the gate pass when I moved out and took the elevators to the basement (”basement has lots of dark corners for doing dark deeds!”) and retrieve the DLSU card from v. responsible adult guard.
Now all I have to do is wait. Wait for the seven-day interval before making follow-on call. Wait for money to miraculously appear in my account. And more so, pray that heavens will smile upon me for being such a responsible adult and do magic tricks to get my credit card application approved.
Life.
“Activities and diversions may seem important as you start your day, but as time moves on you will begin to see that what you’re devoting all your time and energy to isn’t really worth it. As soon as you get this sense, follow your instincts and move into another direction. Your actions should be future-oriented — and try to involve as many people as you can. Planning could dominate your afternoon and evening, but it will be a smarter use of your time. “
