The winds of change: Respect the centavo

A consumer gives her two cents (or should we say, centavos) worth on a common practice that she feels needs to be changed.

Dear Consumerline,

About a year ago, I wrote you about an experience I had with a fast-food restaurant, where they did not give me the centavo portion of my change.

Well, now, everyone seems to be doing it.  Is there no law against this practice?  Perhaps the slogan “Respect the centavo” should be revived. Fast -food chains now don’t bother to give centavos in change. And since other people don’t seem to care, I’m too embarrassed to complain. I even had the experience of once asking, and the cashier replied, “A, kailangan pa ba iyon?”

Can’t the DTI (or the appropriate government agency) do something about this?  

Edna Ledesma

I’ve had the same tiresome experience, Edna, especially when I shop or buy my groceries at the mall. Cashiers in some department stores would fork out a candy in lieu of a five-centavo change. I remember a feisty colleague flatly refusing to accept the candy change and demanding her coin change. Most shoppers would just let it go  or let the store get away with it. But of course, you don’t want to look cheap or waste your precious time arguing with the cashier till you’re blue in the face. After all, it’s just a measly five centavos, right? Wrong! Can you imagine how many tons of five centavos that would be if you count all the shoppers who were not given their change? Do the math.

Eons ago, the Central Bank launched a campaign billed as “Respect the centavo.” I remember it was an honorable thing to stash away the loose change saved from our daily school allowance and then use the coins to buy something substantial. For me, it was those colorful tubes of plastic balloon, which were worth every cent scrimping for or missing recess for. Buy sometimes, the coins would get too heavy they would bore holes in the pockets of my school uniform.

That coins are inconvenient to keep in your pockets or purses is probably the reason why people don’t carry them around. We’d rather keep them locked up in piggy banks, vases, cabinet drawers, socks, shoeboxes, car pockets, wherever.

Well, perhaps it’s time to break those piggy banks and set those coins free. Let the coins re-circulate! This way, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas does not have to spend money producing new money  in this case, coins. You can exchange those coins for paper bills in any bank. Who knows, you may have enough coins to buy yourself an expensive dinner for two!

Let the winds of change blow.

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Water ‘tipid’ tips

With summer upon us and the threat of water shortage hovering over us, we can all use some down-to-earth water tipid tips: EcoWaste Coalition says:

• Check and repair faucet and pipes for leaks.

• Replace worn-out sapatilya (washers) without delay.

• Use timba (pail) and tabo (dip) when taking a bath, and use just enough water; take shorter showers.

• Keep a bucket in the bathroom and laundry area for the grey water that can be used to flush the toilet, clean the laundry area and car port or dampen a dusty road.

• Place a brick, a jug with stones or a bottle filled with water inside the toilet tank to cut on water used in every flush.

• Avoid flushing the toilet unnecessarily, and put discarded tissues in the bin rather than in the toilet bowl.

• Don’t let the water run while you brush your teeth, shave, or wash your face and hands. Just wet your toothbrush and fill a glass for mouth rinsing.

• Collect water dripping from air conditioners and use it in washing mops, watering the plants or flushing the toilet.

• Organize your laundry schedule and wait until you have a full load before you use the washing machine.

• Use laundry water for cleaning used bottles, cans and other recyclables, blinds, rugs, doormats, and car wheels,

• Do not hose down your driveway or footpath. Use the walis tingting (broomstick) to sweep the place clean.

• Wash fruits and vegetables in a palanggana (pan) instead of running water from the tap; reuse the water for watering the plants.

• Do not throw rice wash (hugas-bigas) down the drain; use it for washing dishes or watering plants.

• Thaw frozen meat in the refrigerator overnight, not in running water.

• Use fewer cooking and dining utensils and dishes to cut down on the water needed for dishwashing.

• Do not let the water run when washing the dishes, and collect the grey water for other purposes.

• Never waste water served during meals; drink it up!

• Harvest rainwater through the alulod (gutter) and use the water collected for your essential needs.

• Water the plants after 5 p.m. when the temperature is cooler to minimize evaporation and water them only when necessary.

• Spread a layer of mulch around plants and trees to retain water and reduce evaporation.

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We’d love to hear from you. E-mail us at ching_alano@yahoo.com.