Lost (Loose) Change

Where have all the loose change gone?

They are not with the bank tellers or supermarket cashiers. They’re probably with the jeepney and tricycle drivers and (cellphone) load sellers.

I used to get annoyed whenever cashiers would ask me if I have coins. For example, if my total bill is Php574. 75, they’d ask me if I have 4.75. Yes, the “butal” or the odd part of the total amount, just so they could give me the rest of my change easily. The worst time was when I was in the bank and the money I was depositing had butal. The teller asked me if I have barya. What the - ? I almost yelled, “We’re in the bank, are we not? The money is with you!” What kind of question was that?

It’s as if it’s our obligation to give them exact change each time. I suppose if all supermarkets expect us to provide them with loose change which they should have in the first place, then they shouldn’t price their items with odd amounts. You buy an item worth Php199.75 and you give the cashier 200 pesos, they won’t give you your 25 cents anymore. Asa ka pa? They’d even ask, “Ok lang po, kulang ako ng 25?” But don’t you dare do that to them. Pag sa kanila, dapat either eksakto or sobra ang bayad mo. But you can’t get away with a kulang of 25 centavos from them. Oh no, the cashier won’t let you, kasi siya ang mag-a-abono nun. But, if she gets 25 centavos per customer and there are 100 customers during her shift, that’s 25 pesos for her.

But look at Manong Driver’s cash box. They’re full of one-peso coins and 25-centavo coins.

There was a time when I rode the jeepney going to SM San Lazaro from UST, I gave the driver a 20-peso bill (I didn’t know the exact fare). It was 8 pesos. I was expecting him to ask me if I have barya, but no, his box was ready. The tricycle driver this morning also had so many 1-peso coins and I was like, “Aha – andiyan pala ang mga barya sa inyo!”

Even my helper who runs a load business has a jar full of coins.

It reminds me of the “Monetizing Jose Rizal” article from the National Historical Commission. Replying to the query why our National Hero is on the one peso coin and not on the 1000 peso or 500 peso bills, the article written by Mona Lisa H. Quizon said, “Rizal was placed on the one-peso coin not because he is less worthy than the other heroes and presidents of but because one peso is the basic unit of our currency. Everybody can have one peso.” And we will know who Jose Rizal is.

It also reminded me of an old joke (although not funny to me) that loose change (and old crumpled bills) often find their way to the church box.

Just recently, authorities reminded people to stop hoarding coins.

According to the news http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideNews.htm?f=2011/august/22/news3.isx&d=2011/august/22, Bangko Sentral Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo says most coins are stored in piggy banks and gaming and vending machines and are not being circulated, hence forcing the central bank to keep minting new ones. The news said the BSP always loses when minting coins with a face value lower than five pesos because the average cost of minting them is two pesos per coin. 

Naku, patay tayo diyan. Ako nga - wala na ngang buo, wala pa ring barya. Ano ba yan.