Finding A Ride: Tacloban To Palapag
Let's go! But...
What Where When How?
After asking around, I learned that it is only D'Turbanada Transport that has regular scheduled direct Tacloban~Palapag trips. So I went to find their terminal in the city.
Easy to find because they are on google maps, and they have an FB Business Page! They even have a people profile also on FB that looks like the most regularly updated.
Click click click and... I wasn't satisfied, so, I went to their Tacloban Terminal, 2 days before planned departure. Why? Because I needed to know the differences between a big-bus, a mini-bus and van. Why? Ay, for longer trips, my long legs need to know!
At the terminal, I was told it takes the van 6~7 hours from Tacloban to Palapag, but due to the waiting at San Juanico bridge, it at times becomes 8 even 9 hours. Hiyay!
I knew that was a bit exaggerated. I noted that anyway, to manage my expectations.
Then I saw these... all taped at various parts of the tellers' glass-walled counters!
Just those, and my plans changed a bit! First, my wish to ride their 'big-bus' fizzled. I told my self, not this time, maybe on my return. Why? 9AM is too late. Gagabihin ako!
I would have asked where is the seat plan of their big-bus, but I wasn't riding in it, so I didn't bother. Later on my way out, I saw one such bus and I went to see the inside.
It's a good one. The seats have more space for my "Melanie Marquez" [thank god for my long legged]! It's the same as the big buses that run Manila to Abra. It has a 'CR'!
Well, sorry ako, can't ride that bus this time. Besides, an employee (driver?) that the teller kept asking, informed us "magta-transfer pa sa San Juanico, so lalong matagal".
Their mini-bus was out of the question. I will not ride in it for 7 hours. Masikip. I can only fit on an aisle seat - eh paano ang picture-picture along the way? So, no can do!
Only option this time was the good old vans. Departure at 7AM, therefore I would be arriving in Palapag somewhere between 2 and 3PM. Still daylight (hopefully). GO ra!
The "catch": double the fare. Why? Well, I reserved Seats 1 and 2 on their 7AM (first trip), a van. Why? Eh yung Tacloban-Catbalogan or Tacloban-Oras nga I always need Seats 1 and 2, how much more this Tacloban-Palapag that's twice the distance? Da!
Thus, instead of just P600 one-way, my fare was P1200. Da, who said taller is better?
Oh the teller won't accept payment! She told me "pag-sakay mo nalang". I asked why. She said most passengers don't show up on time, it's more complicated doing refunds.
I said I was surely taking this ride, it was important to me. She said "no problem, pag dating mo nalang dito sa Huwebes, sir". I said "I'm not coming back to this terminal as I will be joining the ride along the highway". She still said "okay lang sir, sa driver nalang"!
That was a little worrisome to me - even alarming! Why? That gave her the option to forget about me and put other people in my seat, since no contract was concluded yet.
Alangan namang mag-huramentado ako, diba? All I could do was look her in the eye and sincerely told her I'm riding that van no matter what. She got my phone number.
Her taking my details was a glimmer of hope hehe. That meant, she'd reserve Seats 1 and 2 for me, call me up once the van departs, for me to wait by the roadside. Yey!
And I silently said ayaw hingalimti iday kay mahataas na liwat it ak high-blood hahaha!
Notable Note:
Wouldn't it be great if all these booking processes with inter-city / inter-province land trips could be automated? I hope transport operators realize that essential elements or needed components are all already right under their noses, as in ginagamit na nila!
And as for passengers, no need for anything new. Andyan na lahat, dutdut lang!
Sige sige, while roaming around (Northern Samar), habang nagmu-munimuni alone, I'll tell you about that automation thing - even students can potentially set those up!
Meanwhile, let's go back to my trip to the Pacific Towns of Northern Samar!
In my next article. Ha?!
Coming soonest. Pramis!
What Where When How?
After asking around, I learned that it is only D'Turbanada Transport that has regular scheduled direct Tacloban~Palapag trips. So I went to find their terminal in the city.
Easy to find because they are on google maps, and they have an FB Business Page! They even have a people profile also on FB that looks like the most regularly updated.
Click click click and... I wasn't satisfied, so, I went to their Tacloban Terminal, 2 days before planned departure. Why? Because I needed to know the differences between a big-bus, a mini-bus and van. Why? Ay, for longer trips, my long legs need to know!
At the terminal, I was told it takes the van 6~7 hours from Tacloban to Palapag, but due to the waiting at San Juanico bridge, it at times becomes 8 even 9 hours. Hiyay!
I knew that was a bit exaggerated. I noted that anyway, to manage my expectations.
Then I saw these... all taped at various parts of the tellers' glass-walled counters!
I would have asked where is the seat plan of their big-bus, but I wasn't riding in it, so I didn't bother. Later on my way out, I saw one such bus and I went to see the inside.
It's a good one. The seats have more space for my "Melanie Marquez" [thank god for my long legged]! It's the same as the big buses that run Manila to Abra. It has a 'CR'!
Well, sorry ako, can't ride that bus this time. Besides, an employee (driver?) that the teller kept asking, informed us "magta-transfer pa sa San Juanico, so lalong matagal".
Their mini-bus was out of the question. I will not ride in it for 7 hours. Masikip. I can only fit on an aisle seat - eh paano ang picture-picture along the way? So, no can do!
Only option this time was the good old vans. Departure at 7AM, therefore I would be arriving in Palapag somewhere between 2 and 3PM. Still daylight (hopefully). GO ra!
The "catch": double the fare. Why? Well, I reserved Seats 1 and 2 on their 7AM (first trip), a van. Why? Eh yung Tacloban-Catbalogan or Tacloban-Oras nga I always need Seats 1 and 2, how much more this Tacloban-Palapag that's twice the distance? Da!
Thus, instead of just P600 one-way, my fare was P1200. Da, who said taller is better?
Oh the teller won't accept payment! She told me "pag-sakay mo nalang". I asked why. She said most passengers don't show up on time, it's more complicated doing refunds.
I said I was surely taking this ride, it was important to me. She said "no problem, pag dating mo nalang dito sa Huwebes, sir". I said "I'm not coming back to this terminal as I will be joining the ride along the highway". She still said "okay lang sir, sa driver nalang"!
That was a little worrisome to me - even alarming! Why? That gave her the option to forget about me and put other people in my seat, since no contract was concluded yet.
Alangan namang mag-huramentado ako, diba? All I could do was look her in the eye and sincerely told her I'm riding that van no matter what. She got my phone number.
Her taking my details was a glimmer of hope hehe. That meant, she'd reserve Seats 1 and 2 for me, call me up once the van departs, for me to wait by the roadside. Yey!
And I silently said ayaw hingalimti iday kay mahataas na liwat it ak high-blood hahaha!
Notable Note:
Wouldn't it be great if all these booking processes with inter-city / inter-province land trips could be automated? I hope transport operators realize that essential elements or needed components are all already right under their noses, as in ginagamit na nila!
And as for passengers, no need for anything new. Andyan na lahat, dutdut lang!
Sige sige, while roaming around (Northern Samar), habang nagmu-munimuni alone, I'll tell you about that automation thing - even students can potentially set those up!
Meanwhile, let's go back to my trip to the Pacific Towns of Northern Samar!
In my next article. Ha?!
Coming soonest. Pramis!
Comments
Post a Comment