I worked in Indonesia as the Project Management Team Leader for the Kamojang IV Geothermal Power Plant Project for 23 months from 2006 to 2008 where I was entitled to return trips to Manila for a week of vacation after every two (2) months of duty. The flights were always through the Singapore Changi International Airport. My employer would always ensure that I am booked for flights from Jakarta to Singapore in such a way that my flight from Singapore to Manila would enable me to be at the Singapore Changi International Airport very early for my booked Singapore to Manila flight. Hence, I used to roam around the said airport before my flights from Singapore to Manila and became familiar with the huge area of one of the largest airports in the world, which enabled me to answer questions from passengers of different nationalities asking for directions to specific terminals, check-in areas, duty-free shops, airport offices, etc.
After Project completion, on the last hour of my stay in the Project, before my final flight back to Manila my employer gifted me a cover-all and a pair of safety shoes both new and branded. But my check-in luggage was already packed and ready for loading into the company service vehicle and I already have two hand-carried bags with me. There is no place where I can put the cover-all and the safety shoes. I was thankful that the company driver suggested that I wear the cover-all and the safety shoes as both were new anyway, which the person wearing such will be proud of. I gave the old shoes I was wearing to the driver as a way of expressing my gratitude to him.
I was with fellow Filipino passenger acquaintances roaming around the airport while waiting for our flight to be called-upon for check-in. I observed that the volume of passengers was enormous on that day, and the number of passengers who asked me questions for directions was also more than usual based on my personal experience. I was so proud of myself that I was able to assist fellow passengers in the smallest way that I did.
But I was so surprised with the comment made by the last group (about 5 to 6 of them) of querying passengers whom I last attended to before I finally checked in for my flight! Their spokesperson told me, “Thank you very much for the assistance, Sir, you are one of the few service personnel of this huge airport who are so cooperative and assistive in helping passengers like us! We appreciate very much your dedication to your job! In return, we will convey to the Airport Management your exemplary services extended to us” as he pointed to my surname tag visibly written on my new cover-all. As I was about to say a word for clarification, a group of airport services personnel (about 4 to 5 of them) passed by pushing their carts wearing uniforms similar or almost the same as the outfit (the cover-all and safety shoes) I was wearing.
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