Certified Filipina Freelancer: Raziella

Let me share with you my not-so-sweet experience last June 19.

It was a very ordinary day. We’ll that’s what I thought…I was not aware (well nobody does) that it’ll be our last day of work in our beloved MBS Tek aka US Auto Parts Network, Legazpi Office.

I remember, that day - I was rushing to the office as usual. It was around 8:45 in the morning. And I was a bit surprised to know that the managers were there and we were not informed about their arrival. I just thought to myself “it must be a surprise visit.” I was indeed surprised because “the Dancing King” Country Manager and VP for Marketing was there…along with the CFO - Michael Mclane(It was my first and last sighting of this giant btw) and Butanding herself. I was even ranting that I was not wearing a “smart/casual/semi-formal/ whatever attire” because the legendary HR Officers did not inform us.

After 10 minutes of logging in and preparing for work (or at least pretending to), I noticed the “very famous” Operations Manager Sir Joel calling my team members one by one. And it seemed to me that they are being called by Marc, the VP for Marketing (Phils.) in order to talk to them. I said to myself, there’s something totally weird about what’s going on. So I asked Sir Joel about the fuss, and he said Marc’s going to talk to all of us.

So okay, it’s clear to me. Marc’s always like that. He talks to us – including the TLs(Team Leaders) to check on things. But wait, he’s going to talk to regular employees too. That’s really unusual! And that’s when Sir Joel came back to me and said, “Raziel..Marc will talk to you first” in a very sweet voice.

Moments later, after the talk, I was running down the stairs with tears in my eyes. I was hoping nobody else would see me, because I don’t know what their reactions would be if they see me crying. But few of my colleagues who are enjoying their 15-mins break by that time saw me and knew right then that there is something wrong. I run to Tiya Fely’s (the famous MBS Tek canteen who accommodates our long list of utang) and cried buckets of tears.

Right there at the store, I was not crying because I will no longer have a job since it’s not applicable for me. I was offered to relocate to Manila. That means I can stay and work for MBS Tek, only this time-in Manila. I cried because I know a lot of my colleagues slash friends (especially in my department) are working their ass off because they badly need their jobs. Not that I do not need the job, but my heart goes to the heads of their own families, for the breadwinners, for the single-moms and for the newly grads who’re starting to explore the corporate world.

The moment I stopped crying, I went back to the office and looked for Dex or Phoebe to check on them. I wasn’t expecting the scene. Everybody’s crying, including Dex himself. It was my first time to see him break down in tears like that. And my closest friends are also there, crying their eyes out. My heart was bleeding after I spoke to Marc, but after seeing them cry, my heart almost died.

What happened is, after Marc talked to me, they’ve been also called and almost everyone’s already been informed. You see, it’s not merely the job–that we are loosing our jobs in an instant– it was because of the sadness that we felt for our friends–the closest friends, whom you have worked with, spent the past 4 and a half years of my life with. Working, chatting, working, enjoying, working, having fun, working—aside from work, they’ve became my closest friends.

Out of almost 100 MBS Tek employees, only 15 were given the offer to relocate. Those 15 employees included me, Dex and Phoebe. Right after the managers finished talking to all of us, we were given an hour (yes, 1 hour) to provide a life-changing decision. There were 2 options for the employees that are not given the offer: One, you accept the separation pay and sign all the papers. And if you don’t accept the check for some reason, it will be considered null and void after an hour (and that indicates that you are not accepting the separation pay). But you can’t do anything about your being jobless anymore even if you don’t accept your last pay. For those who are given the chance to relocate, it’s either you accept the check or transfer to Manila. Of course there’s a little increase in the salary and a relocation allowance too. And what’s best from all of these? The life-changing decisions should be made in 1 fucking hour. Yeah, that means we should make a decision while we are emotionally down, shocked and depressed.

It was tragic. We call it the MBS Tek “Purge”. This friends, is the so-called RETRENCHMENT. Because MBS Tek is avoiding future losses, and because of corporate streamlining and redundancy — we all should be dissolved.

This experience top as the most shocking experience in my life, next to Typhoon Reming.

What’s my decision? I accepted the wrongly computed separation pay. I decided not to work in Manila because I’m a mom. I have 3 kids. Need I say more?