Letter to a Coffee Queen

To: Ms. X
Philippine Coffee Board


Dear Ms X,

I write to express my extreme disappointment with the “don’t call us, we’ll call you” policy practiced by your staff for the organization that you represent.

This practice shows either misguided haughtiness, laziness or a lack of proper education in business ethics where respect and courtesy are given importance. It is also not worthy of an organization that appropriated the name of the Philippines to project representation of a national interest only to be selectively accessible to those who pass the grade of your social economic discrimination.

While I had respectfully written you a letter over a month ago requesting for a meeting, I received no definite feedback from your staff on whether a meeting is possible or not. Cognizant of your busy schedule on account of your work, I had limited my follow up to once a week until I gave up trying to get an answer.

When I happened to see you at the Kape Isla last 28 July 2009, I thought it would be a good opportunity to follow up on my request but I found it incredible that though I was a mere few feet away from you, your staff could still prevent me from having a few seconds of your precious time and haughtily drive me away with a lofty “don’t call us, we’ll call you” mantra.

I could have gone over the heads of your overprotective staff as you had acknowledged my presence with a brief smile. But I had lost interest in my original purpose and only wanted to tell your staff that what they are doing is ugly and wrong. Will they be doing the same if I were white and looking filthy rich or will they grovel and fall over themselves to bring me to you? If it is the latter, what does this make of you?

I bother to write this letter because I held you in high esteem. We may have different stations in life but in the end we are all in the same boat. We may commit ourselves to great missions in life, but in the end, it is the little details of civilized living like courtesy, respect and equal treatment of others that make our society a better place.

Peace.