Ph Postal System
#1
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Ph Postal System
Recently I sent a letter to the UK and another to a friend in Switzerland ( where I hide my billions ), the one to the UK took nearly 5 weeks and the one to Switzerland took just over 6 weeks.
While rummaging through some old family documents I came across a letter sent by my great grandfather in 1874 from Rangoon, confirming arrival amongst other things, the recipient, his brother, noted in the corner of the letter the date of arrival. The letter took 4 weeks and 2 days.
Seemingly our postal system here now takes up to 45% longer than it did nearly 150 years ago.
While rummaging through some old family documents I came across a letter sent by my great grandfather in 1874 from Rangoon, confirming arrival amongst other things, the recipient, his brother, noted in the corner of the letter the date of arrival. The letter took 4 weeks and 2 days.
Seemingly our postal system here now takes up to 45% longer than it did nearly 150 years ago.
#2
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Re: Ph Postal System
And in the UKs main cities 150yrs ago there were often 4 or 5 deliveries a day....
I can remember back in the early 1950s we lived in a smallish market town in Berkshire and we had 3 deliveries a day -about 7.00am , 11.00am and 3.00pm. the 3.00pm tended to be letters posted early that day in the locality. Just two deliveries on Saturday though. My parents friends lived in one of the local villages and they only got the early morning and afternoon deliveries.They did stop the afternoon delivery by the late 50s but second delivery was common until I think the late 1960s.
to be fair, we sent our UK Christmas cards on 28 November and most of them seem to have arrived.Our friend in UK , ( Yes, we only have the one! ) posted our card on 14th November and we got it on the 29th.
I can remember back in the early 1950s we lived in a smallish market town in Berkshire and we had 3 deliveries a day -about 7.00am , 11.00am and 3.00pm. the 3.00pm tended to be letters posted early that day in the locality. Just two deliveries on Saturday though. My parents friends lived in one of the local villages and they only got the early morning and afternoon deliveries.They did stop the afternoon delivery by the late 50s but second delivery was common until I think the late 1960s.
to be fair, we sent our UK Christmas cards on 28 November and most of them seem to have arrived.Our friend in UK , ( Yes, we only have the one! ) posted our card on 14th November and we got it on the 29th.
#3
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Re: Ph Postal System
The problem where I am is that the mail can sit in the village post office for over a week until they have enough letters to make it worth driving to the nearest town and there it can be again over a week before it arrives in Manila. Mail arriving here does seem to arrive quicker than letters sent from here. Also they do not accept International Pre-paid envelopes either.
#4
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Re: Ph Postal System
I don't generally send or receive letters but I receive various packages generally from e-bay. Up until a few months ago the local postmaster used to pitch up outside my house with a package complete with a friendly smile. I thought this was jolly good service at the time. I invariably paid import tax/customs duty or whatever it was amounting to 112 peso. I later found out that no such tax/duty was applicable on goods valued below 10k and being the helpful bloke I am, advised him accordingly. With a friendly smile of course. I think you can guess the rest. I no longer get a smiley postmaster at the gate and have to enquire at the post office. He has 13 assistants (according to the rota on the wall) and my mail has to be collected. And then finding a package in his office means him rummaging through several drawers and cabinets. Sometimes packages are never found for a couple of weeks even after enquiring about them. I know that because one of his staff bonks them with a date stamp when they are received. Guess I should have kept paying the 112 peso tax in the first place.
#5
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Re: Ph Postal System
If it wasn't for the fact that one of the sub division guards goes to Consolacion PO daily and collects mail, which they then deliver, we would never know if any mail had arrived for us! apparently we have ONE postie for Consolacion and he delivers to businesses as he does not have time for anything else....
I was awaiting a parcel from UK and asked at PO if they could text me when it arrived. Wrote down name and address etc. Weeks later, still no parcel so went back to check. It had been sitting in the PO for 3 weeks because it was addressed to me as Mr xxxxx and not my christian name/Surname as on the piece of paper. The fact it was the same address did not register with them! The sender was the same as that on the piece of paper................
I was awaiting a parcel from UK and asked at PO if they could text me when it arrived. Wrote down name and address etc. Weeks later, still no parcel so went back to check. It had been sitting in the PO for 3 weeks because it was addressed to me as Mr xxxxx and not my christian name/Surname as on the piece of paper. The fact it was the same address did not register with them! The sender was the same as that on the piece of paper................
#6
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Re: Ph Postal System
Today, a postal worker appeared at my gate with a smiley face. She is the one designated for my brgy to deliver mail. I thought that she deserves a Xmas tip so I had 200 peso in my pocket to give to her. She handed over a long awaited package and then produced an invoice for 112 peso tax. I reminded her that I have already informed the post master that tax is not due on items below 10k peso. She was not happy and only one of us left the gate with a smiley face. The 200 peso remained in my pocket.
Merry Xmas!
Merry Xmas!
#7
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Re: Ph Postal System
Today, a postal worker appeared at my gate with a smiley face. She is the one designated for my brgy to deliver mail. I thought that she deserves a Xmas tip so I had 200 peso in my pocket to give to her. She handed over a long awaited package and then produced an invoice for 112 peso tax. I reminded her that I have already informed the post master that tax is not due on items below 10k peso. She was not happy and only one of us left the gate with a smiley face. The 200 peso remained in my pocket.
Merry Xmas!
Merry Xmas!
#8
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Re: Ph Postal System
Saw the postal lady this morning at the market and although I gave her a good morning with a smiley face she ignored me. Oh well.....looks like my packages might suffer some more delays. I do wonder sometimes if its just best to play their game.
Life is hunky dory.....must update soon.
Regards
Life is hunky dory.....must update soon.
Regards
#9
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Re: Ph Postal System
Saw the postal lady this morning at the market and although I gave her a good morning with a smiley face she ignored me. Oh well.....looks like my packages might suffer some more delays. I do wonder sometimes if its just best to play their game.
Life is hunky dory.....must update soon.
Regards
Life is hunky dory.....must update soon.
Regards
#10
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Re: Ph Postal System
The Royal Mail does not think much of the system here. A friend posted me some documents and a few business cards ( credit card size ). He paid for tracking, which went well until it arrived NAIA then no more tracking, that was the end of October. He went back to the post office and complained that the tracking only went as far as Manila Airport. He was told that the tracking is the responsibility of the host country, but he did admit that it never happens in the Philippines but was not too sure if they just can't be bothered or lack the technology. Letter still not arrived.
#11
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Re: Ph Postal System
The Royal Mail does not think much of the system here. A friend posted me some documents and a few business cards ( credit card size ). He paid for tracking, which went well until it arrived NAIA then no more tracking, that was the end of October. He went back to the post office and complained that the tracking only went as far as Manila Airport. He was told that the tracking is the responsibility of the host country, but he did admit that it never happens in the Philippines but was not too sure if they just can't be bothered or lack the technology. Letter still not arrived.
#12
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Re: Ph Postal System
Received new credit card just before Xmas, sent via DHL. Had been opened as had the bank envelope inside. presumably the Xray showed the chip on the card? nothing missing and still only took 3 days to get here.
#13
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Re: Ph Postal System
Can't believe that DHL, or any other courier company, would actually open anything. I would certainly get onto DHL headquarters as I have had 100s ( possibly 1000s ) of documents, cards, contracts etc sent all over the World ( not from here ) and never had anything opened. Maybe it is just a Filipino thing.
#14
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Re: Ph Postal System
DHL will not accept items for posting from here unless it is opened for their inspection. i used LBC instead.
#15
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Re: Ph Postal System
Greetings and Salutations.
I mentioned earlier that a postal worker appeared at the gate on 18th Dec with a smiley face and a package which she thought attracted tax for 112 peso. She did not get the tax, nor my Xmas tip but with a flea firmly lodged in her ear. She looked a bit disappointed.
Today because I was expecting an overdue package, I visited the post office and wished everyone a very happy New Year.....as you do. Smiley faces and handshakes ensued.
I received my package (no tax due) which was bonked with a date stamp of 17th Dec as having been received by the Post Office with people with smiley faces. I also received an important document bonked as received on 7th Dec. When I queried the bonking, the post master with now a huge smiley face said it was a mistake and changed the date to 27th Dec.
I have been here now nearly 3 yrs and still find the lies and deceit most disappointing. As my lovely lady keeps telling me, you just do not know what is hidden behind smiley faces. Sad really.
Regards all
I mentioned earlier that a postal worker appeared at the gate on 18th Dec with a smiley face and a package which she thought attracted tax for 112 peso. She did not get the tax, nor my Xmas tip but with a flea firmly lodged in her ear. She looked a bit disappointed.
Today because I was expecting an overdue package, I visited the post office and wished everyone a very happy New Year.....as you do. Smiley faces and handshakes ensued.
I received my package (no tax due) which was bonked with a date stamp of 17th Dec as having been received by the Post Office with people with smiley faces. I also received an important document bonked as received on 7th Dec. When I queried the bonking, the post master with now a huge smiley face said it was a mistake and changed the date to 27th Dec.
I have been here now nearly 3 yrs and still find the lies and deceit most disappointing. As my lovely lady keeps telling me, you just do not know what is hidden behind smiley faces. Sad really.
Regards all