Would You Steal If You Knew You Wouldn't Get Caught?

I can't remember who uttered this, but he said that "Pinoys are honest by nature".


Take the regular jeepney passenger, for example. It's so easy for him to get on board, sit there, keep silent and get off once he reaches his destination without handing over any amount to the hapless driver. Because what will the driver do if somebody hops off without paying? He can't chase the guy down.


One can also lie about his destination. What if he just pays the minimum fare, but go the distance? A jeepney driver has too much going on in his head for him to remember every single passenger's entry and drop-off point. It's really easy for anyone to get away with petty "crimes" like this. But overall, jeepney drivers don't go home complaining about lost revenue.


So in that common scenario, it seems that Pinoys are still suited for a trust-based system. Sure, some bad mangoes get away with some loose change, but that shouldn't tarnish the image of the honest majority.