Report Corrupt Tourism Company & Police in Oslob

[manofthecoldland]

29 minutes ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

I should have worded my reply different. I meant if he took you one way then might be hard to get another fare to return. 

FXs, which go by other names in other provinces, are the point-to-point long distance tranports that cost more than buses, and aren't as slow or uncomfortable as the more local jeepney runs. The large vans can be special trip,  one-way chartered, but they will charge you a round trip cost, like if its late at night and you missed the last bus. The cost is high then. It happened to us once,  and the operator wanted so much, that it was cheaper for us to buy dinner, pay for lodging and breakfast, take an early morning bus, and still save quite a bit.

   Usually the vans operate out of terminals or shared loading points. They only charge one-way, do flag stops, and wait at the arr. dest. for a new load of passengers going back the other way from whence they had just come.

[Notright]

On 11/19/2017 at 3:14 PM, Mike J said:

Your significant other was trying to keep you out of trouble.

The tourist police was trying to get you out of trouble AND was able to convince the owner to give you at least a partial refund.

The police tried to find an equitable solution between you and the owner to defuse the situation and keep you out of jail.

Now you seeking advice on how to turn a disagreement over 50 peso into some kind of major incident with the courts.  A battle you would certainly lose.

Life here for expats with a low tolerance threshold just does not work out in the long (sometime even short) term.

Are you sure you want to live here in the Philippines? 

How was my significant other trying to keep me out of trouble? Where did you read that?  The equitable solution is to make the thief return ALL of my money since he's the owner cancelled the tour. Why should he get to keep anything if he's the one that cancelled?

I can't believe so many people upvoted this answer. Oh well...

Edited January 6, 2018 by Notright

[Mike J]

34 minutes ago, Notright said:

How was my significant other trying to keep me out of trouble? Where did you read that?

In your original post you write; "He calls the police my companion offers to pay the 50 pesos to settle but the owner declines. He said that he didn't like my attitude."  It is quite obvious from your own statement that your companion was trying to deescalate the situation and keep you out of trouble.

Given that this incident still seems to be stuck in your craw, I expect you will need to believe that I have misinterpreted your own words as written.  As far as "upvotes" go it appears to me that most everyone who replied has advised you just let this go . . . my guess is that you probably won't listen to advice that does not agree with your interpretation of what happened.  Oh well . . .

[Old55]

Notright, no one in this forum is "against" you. We understand that you feel that you were ripped off and treated unfairly. Sadly I doubt you are hearing what other experienced Expats are sharing with you, they are truly attempting to help you.

Honestly I think you would be much more happy in a large progressive west coast city like Seattle SF or LA not in Philippines. I'm not saying this in a sarcastic or demeaning way, Philippines is not for everyone.

[sonjack2847]

5 hours ago, Notright said:

How was my significant other trying to keep me out of trouble? Where did you read that?  The equitable solution is to make the thief return ALL of my money since he's the owner cancelled the tour. Why should he get to keep anything if he's the one that cancelled?

I can't believe so many people upvoted this answer. Oh well...

What I get from your posts is that you are the one causing the problem.

1 you cancelled.

2 you demand a refund.

3 you get the police involved.

What do you expect coming here demanding what you see as your right.

[Notright]

1 hour ago, sonjack2847 said:

What I get from your posts is that you are the one causing the problem.

1 you cancelled.

2 you demand a refund.

3 you get the police involved.

What do you expect coming here demanding what you see as your right.

This is what happened:

I had a very disturbing incident with a whale shark compsny I booked a whale shark tour with this company it was for 8000 php and I was assured that it was to include transportation and any and all expenses. The driver picked  my companion and myself up at my hotel and asked me for 500 php for gas. I felt this was unprofessional but I gave him the money anyway. I asked to cancel the tour but they said it wasn’t possible since everything was already booked. This is common in the Philippines and so I accepted that.

When I arrived I began to pay for the rest of the tour and they added 50 pesos for a ‘transfer fee’ of photos. This irritated me since when I booked the tour the owner’s wife assured me that there would be no additional fees. The owner began to argue and curse at me. He called the tourism police I agreed to pay the 50Php just to resolve it but the owner declined since he said he didn’t like my attitude.  The tourism police made him refund 3k which means he got to keep 4000 pesos stating that I had to pay for the transportation from Cebu to Oslob.

We all know it doesn’t cost 4000 pesos to go from Cebu to Oslob one way. I went to the main police station to file a complaint. The owner also went and said he was going to file a complaint to have me deported in order to intimidate me. I said I wanted my 4k back or at least he could keep the true amount of transport from Cebu to Oslob or I would file a complaint with the department of tourism

When I arrived I began to pay for the rest of the tour and they added 50 pesos for a ‘transfer fee’ of photos. This irritated me since when I booked the tour the owner’s wife assured me that there would be no additional fees. The owner began to argue and curse at me. He called the tourism police I agreed to pay the 50Php just to resolve it but the owner declined since he said he didn’t like my attitude.  The tourism police made him refund 3k which means he got to keep 4000 pesos stating that I had to pay for the transportation from Cebu to Oslob.

We all know it doesn’t cost 4000 pesos to go from Cebu to Oslob one way. I went to the main police station to file a complaint. The owner also went and said he was going to file a complaint to have me deported in order to intimidate me. I said I wanted my 4k back or at least he could keep the true amount of transport from Cebu to Oslob or I would file a complaint with the department of tourism

1. The owner added an extra fee after saying they wouldn't

2. The owner starting cursing and cancelled

3. The owner called the cops

4. He gives a partial refund he keeps 4k saying that was the transportation from cebu to oslob one way. Which is bullshit since the tour was only 8k. That would mean the entire cost the tour would be to-and-from transportation. No businessman would make that deal. 

Edited January 6, 2018 by Notright

[stevewool]

Best bet is to use this as a experience, tell your friends not to use this company and leave it at that, we all have lost something or paid that little bit more i am sure somewhere in the world, i know i have.

[Notright]

I appreciate the advise. I know you guys are trying to help. I just see it as if I don't stand against injustice that means endorsing it. I don't ever expect to see that money back. Frankly its not about the money. It was never really about the money. Its about doing what is right and principle for me. I'd rather be 'taken out' as one replier said than just be some punk who lets people treat me any kind of way they want to. 

[Mike J]

2 hours ago, Notright said:

Frankly its not about the money. It was never really about the money. Its about doing what is right and principle for me. I'd rather be 'taken out' as one replier said than just be some punk who lets people treat me any kind of way they want to.

It is clear that this episode has really gotten to you.  The reality of living here is that "shit happens" and you need to be able to let it not affect you, or at the very least, to not react in a way that could lead to making enemies.  As Old55 said in his post, the Philippines is not for everyone.  It is estimated that 50% of expats return to their home country within five years because they simply cannot adjust to how things happen here.   There will be more incidents and interactions with friends you trusted, strangers, government officials, or business people where you feel like you are being taken advantage of.  It is not "just you", it is not just "expats",  it happens to EVERYONE who lives here.  You need to be able to adjust to that reality or you will be locked into a very frustrating existence.   Walking away from those types of experiences, being able to let it go, and being able recognize and avoid those situations in the future does not make anyone a "punk".  It reflects the maturity and patience to deal the reality of living here.  Just my opinion of course, you may feel differently and you certainly have that right.

[scott h]

3 hours ago, Notright said:

if I don't stand against injustice

Notright, it appears from your picture, you are young and strong, like a sturdy oak tree. At times, as you say it is time to take a stand. What your getting from a lot of members here are opinions from guys who used to be Mighty oak trees but have turned into marsh reeds. We found that oak trees get blown over by a strong wind, and that marsh reeds lay over in the wind but survive the storm.

Whelp.............the Philippines is just one big storm sometimes. Ya got to be flexible