Guimaras Information Center SCAM

Upon disembarking from the boat, I saw the Tourist Information Office that I wanted to visit. But I was surprised at some goon-looking men harshly directing passengers to enter said office, yet majority of them did not give a damn! The men were shouting something like "this is the way out", "you must first register inside". The tone was bordering on police-like to dictatorial as if shouting at criminals. Kulba!

As I walked to that information office - which was my plan anyway, I still wondered why the men were hollering as if people who did not walk to the entrance of the information office were violators of any law! And why were majority of passengers ignoring them? I was actually alarmed why I seemed to be 1 of just 3 who entered this office. Was I being scammed? First time I saw something like this ha? Kulba!

Anyway, at this "information center", first thing I asked was about those shouting men. The desk clerk hesitated a bit, then told me that those men were "just directing people to follow proper procedure".

Hmn, duda ako. Yes, I doubted the veracity of that reply, but didn't ask any further, as he/she seemed reluctant to say anything more on that topic. Yet I could still hear the men shouting alarmingly weird.

At this desk, I learned that, not only do I register here as a tourist (whatever that means anyway), but it is also here, where people must get a tour package, even for just a transport service to anywhere on the island, and even for hotel/resort accommodations. This time, something was starting to get clear.

I somehow already understood why arriving people ignored this government office and their shouting officers. I could already sense, this was (almost pa lang) a scam. I still told my self "maybe their LGU is trying to monopolize earnings" - it happens when LGUs forget they are there to serve, not run a store!

The air in this office was different. The staff moved and spoke more like 'tindera sa palengke' than the usual helpful tourism officers! Every time these two opened their mouths, it was to sell, not to inform.

I may not be able to articulate what I mean, but I travel every week. When I say 'something was weird' about this information office, believe you me, there is something weird. Something very wrong, even!

They don't have uniforms, they don't look like government staff, their office looks like a pipitsugin na livelihood business or UV Express booth than tourism information office. No, not a government place!

Anyway..,

Since I was already there and I needed service, I got a "whole-day island-tour package on a jeep"....

I asked if I can do this tour on a tricycle instead (as I've read online) since I was alone anyway. He said jeep is better since tricycles are very slow and cannot climb their steep hills. OMG, I believed that too!

I asked for a tour guide. This same desk fag (agi bayot bading) said "no need" as the driver will act as tour guide - which I later noticed, driver just knew very well, THE WAY to whatever or whichever point on the island. But when I would ask as to how, why, when, he would either just shrug without a reply, or even say an outright "I don't know". This was the scam. Tangina I was scammed in my own country!

Ah, you will know more about this as I tell my story/ies of the tour. But at this point, I already knew I was being had in Guimaras. Not really a blatant fraudulent scam, but I was trapped into availing of a mediocre service (and probably exorbitant too). So, fraudulent na rin - and in a government building!

For some reason, I didn't back out. Maybe I also wanted to experience how to be fooled in Guimaras?! Or natakot ako sa mga sanggano? Maybe too! Who knows they could be staff of a politician who owns that "business" - with a private army or backed by the police or the military di ba? Eh visitor lang ako.

Here is one of the "hoodlum-looking" men who were earlier shouting "this way, this way"...

This time he (white t-shirt, kalbo, in shades) was giving instructions regarding my itinerary to the man they chose to be my driver (in blue shirt). But how did "Kojak" know my itinerary eh hindi siya but the bading desk clerk ang kausap ko at kumuha ng bayad ko? So they are staff of that Information Center!

Well okay, I realized, he got that map from the desk clerk who marked the areas while discussing with me. Yes, the thing he is pointing at, to the driver. It is a brochure-like map the agi ticked as we talked.

One more thing. Notice the red vehicle beside the driver? That was to be my "limousine". If I will be so technical about it, that is not a "jeep". It's a "multicab". Where I come from, where they are assembled near my neighborhood, any "multicab" is totally different from a "jeep". Multicabs are slow, very light, unstable, and not good for climbing hills. I know, a tricycle is better at climbing hills than a multicab!

The faggot of a desk clerk kept saying 'on a jeep' so I thought it was the usual "Sarao" thing. If he said "multicab" just once during my "registration", I would've already said "give me an SUV instead". I know multicabs, they're made near my house in Cebu. Their junk engines are no better than most tricycles.

I was angry.

Half of my brain was screaming "tangina niloloko ako ng mga gagong ito", but maybe because it was still early morning, my head was still cooler than usual, I just silently said "God Bless My Trip", and I went on with my "tour of questionable circumstances"! But I was ready to wring the neck of my driver!

A few feet away from where we took off, I saw this kind of marker or something. Testing my driver cum tour guide, I asked him 'ano yan'? and he replied 'aw ina? mapa sang Guimaras, sir'. I silently laughed!

I didn't know why I wanted to laugh - though I suppressed it. This frail and fragile man was to be with me the whole day (as guide), so I told myself: I better find something good in him, lest I reach a point of really breaking his bones as vengeance on the INFORMATION CENTER SCAM that just victimized me!

I did find a thing, it was easy. This driver was just trying to earn a living. BUT the whole government of Guimaras defrauded me into believing that a pipitsugin "tour company" is the information center that conned me into availing of a lousy service. I was not given choices. Nasa kalsada lang pala - ang dami!

So, fellow travelers. AVOID the Jordan Guimaras INFORMATION CENTER. Just go straight out.

Update:
Someone called to tell me, it's actually a "municipal tourism office". OMG, it's a tindahan ng SCAM!

There's a NEXT in this, my dangerous tour of Guimaras! And that's next!

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