2 All Efforts Down The Drain

February 25, 2023, 6:30 AM - Intramuros, Manila, Philippines

The alarm clock beeped loudly, interrupting Daniel's peaceful sleep. He groaned as he stretched his arms, trying to shake off the sleepiness. He got up and went straight to the shower, letting the cold water wake him up.

As he got dressed, he realized he was running out of clothes to wear to work. He needed to do the laundry soon but couldn't afford to have it done professionally. It was just one of the many problems he was facing lately.

After finishing preparing, he immediately stepped out of his house and walked towards the main road, bracing himself for the long commute ahead. As he looked around, he noticed that the road was already crowded with people and vehicles, all struggling to make their way through the heavy traffic.

He checked his watch and realized that he was already running late. He knew he had to hurry, but the thought of the long and exhausting commute made him feel even more stressed and anxious.

The lack of good public transportation in the Philippines added to his stress. Buses and jeepneys were packed with people, and there were no seats available. Even if there were, they would be uncomfortable and the travel would take twice the time as usual.

The train system was also unreliable and frequently encountered technical issues that caused delays or breakdowns. In the end, he had no other choice but to brave the long commute by foot.

He started walking, but the sun was already high in the sky, making the heat unbearable. He wiped the sweat from his forehead as he continued walking. Cars and motorcycles whizzed by him, adding to the noise and pollution of the already congested streets. It was only 30 minutes later that he found a habal rider to take him to Intramuros, Manila.

The stress and anxiety of the commute made him feel like he was trapped, with no way out. He had to deal with this every day, and it was taking a toll on his mental health.

As he finally arrived at his workplace, he was already tired, stressed, and anxious. The commute had taken a toll on him.

He walked briskly through the corridors of the Metro Times TV building, taking a quick detour to grab a cup of coffee from the pantry. He greeted the security guards stationed at the entrance and flashed his ID card, then headed straight to the studio where the shoot for the day was taking place.

As he walked towards the studio, he could hear the faint sound of laughter and chatter coming from inside. He pushed open the door and stepped inside, taking in the sight of the set that had been meticulously constructed overnight.

The actors were getting their hair and makeup done, and the production crew was busy setting up the lights and cameras. He made his way over to the director's chair and sat down, watching as the chaos of the set gradually began to settle into a cohesive whole.

Despite the stress of the shoot, he loved his job. He enjoyed the challenge of coming up with creative concepts that would grab people's attention and leave a lasting impression. He felt proud of the work that he had done for Metro Times TV, and the thought of losing his job was the furthest thing from his mind.

But fate had other plans for him that day.

Just as he was about to give the go-ahead for the first scene, his phone rang. He answered it, hoping it was a quick call that wouldn't delay the shoot, but it was his operations manager on the other end.

"Daniel, can you come to my office? We need to talk," his manager said, her voice grim and serious.

Daniel felt a sudden knot form in his stomach, and his heart began to race. The tone he heard was all too familiar. He excused himself from the shoot and made his way to the manager's office, his mind racing with a thousand possibilities.

As he walked into the office, he noticed that the HR representative was also there. His heart sank even further. He knew what was coming next.

"Daniel, I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but we're going to have to let you go," his operations manager said, looking uncomfortable.

"Ms. Jessie, why? I- I'm doing a fairly good job for the TV and even helping out with other positions outside my job description without asking for more, b- but this?" Daniel asked, feeling hurt and confused.

Ms. Jessie sighed, looking at Daniel with sympathy. "I understand how you feel, Daniel, but the company is going through some financial difficulties right now. We had to make some tough decisions, and unfortunately, we had to let go of some employees, including you. Another reason the bosses decided to let you go is that the sales of the other department you are helping with are not doing well, thus the manager from the other department gave you a lower rating."

"T-this is unfair. That's not even in my contract." Daniel said softly as he felt a wave of despair wash over him.

The company's decision was indeed unfair, but they made it look like Daniel had a bad performance through a department he was helping out with to make it look like that the company had the basis to let him go.

Daniel felt drained as he realized the implications of losing his job. He had bills to pay, rent to cover, and a girlfriend to support. How was he going to survive without a steady income?

Ms. Jessie continued, "We appreciate your hard work and dedication to the company, so we'll provide you with a recommendation letter to help you find another job. I'm sorry, Daniel. I really am. It's out of my hands."

Daniel nodded silently, feeling defeated. He knew that getting another job in his field would be difficult, given the current state of the economy and the fierce competition in the industry.

Ms. Rose Anne, the HR representative, handed a folder to Daniel as she spoke up next. "Daniel, I need you to sign this termination of contract letter. It will take effect on March 15th," she said, cutting straight to the point.

He felt a surge of anger well up within him, but he tried to keep it under control as he responded, "I'm sorry, but I still think all of this is unfair. I cannot sign that, instead, I will be submitting my resignation letter."

With that, he promptly made his exit.

As Daniel left the office, one couldn't help but feel a sense of pride for him standing up for himself. It was known that signing the termination letter would make it more difficult for him to find another job in the future, as it would be seen as a negative mark on his employment history.