A typhoon, called Seniang, was coming. I didn't want to get stuck in this island because I have a wedding to attend on the 3rd of January, so I left Dumaguete As soon as I could.
"The ferry is fully booked, sir. But there is enough space for vehicles. You may pay the bill of lading of your vehicle now. Just come very early tomorrow, around 5 a.m.."
I paid P2,624.
Before 5 a.m. I already got a stamp from the Coast Guard and paid the Philippine Ports Authority ticket at P126.00. As soon as I have embarked the car, I presented my papers to one of the 3 staffs at the entrance.
"Sir, write your name here and wait for a while." the staff said.
I lacked sleep. So, I was half asleep when my name was called.
"That would be P320 sir." said the staff issuing the tickets whose name I later learned was Calixtro.
"What is this for? Don't I have a free pass?"
"Sorry, sir, I am not authorized to give free passes."
"This is the first time I'm asked to pay for an accommodation."
He referred me to the manager who was standing nearby.
"Sir, I told you we are fully booked at the office yesterday. I told you to come here to get the ticket." the manager, whose name, I later learned was Mario explained to me.
"But I didn't know you will make me pay..." I didn't bother to argue anymore. I was too tired. But I was wondering if the Philippine Ports Authority and the Department of Trade and Industry are aware of this? The boat was full. I was asked to pay for accommodation which I didn't have.
A staff at the second deck suggested that I go to the roof deck. Dark clouds were hanging from the sky but there was no sign of rain. The cloud, however, protected us from sunburn -- I thought it was Divine intervention.
At 7 o'clock the boat left the port. The sea was calm and the breeze was gentle. I fell asleep with my head on the table.
I was awaken by a smell of crude oil. The wind has changed direction and the smoke was belching towards us. I went down to find a place, at least, to sit. All I could find was a little bench which I shared with a sleeping girl -- half of her body was hanging from the bench. It was in front of the toilet. Good that the toilet didn't smell.
Four hours later, as expected. The boat reach its destination, Dipolog's Pulauan Port. I went down to where the car was parked but it took some half an hour before the ship could dock. I had a chance to talk to another passenger who was also complaining about having to pay tickets for four with no cots. He thought he's entitled to one free as well. He works with the government's disaster rescue operations so he has been to places everywhere in the country on a ferry with his car. |
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"FYI, I'm in Dipolog."
"What are you doing there? I'm stuck at the airport, going to Manila."
"I was in Dumaguete. I was afraid I could get stuck there coz a typhoon is coming.. I checked the google map, I can go to Pagadian via Ipil."
"You can go straight to Pagadian and save hours."
"I'm not in a hurry hahaha. Do you know a cheap hotel in Ipil?"
"Let me take care of it."
More texts... following my drive to Ipil. I took pictures along the way. By 1pm, I arrived at the Sibugay Hotel.
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"Hey, this doesn't look like a P500/night room. I can't afford it."
"Don't worry. Relax! It's for free." he replied.
"There's a typhoon coming, can I stay one more night here?"
"Don't worry, it won't pass by that place. I thought you're going to Pagadian. I can arrange you another hotel there hehe."
"You're spoiling me. hahahaha Ok, can you make it two nights? I don't want to travel in heavy rain."
The following day, a few minutes after I left the hotel, I got a message: "Camila Hotel, Room XXX, Charles Abing, 2 nytes."
(Note: I didn't copy exactly all our text messages. I just wrote the gist of our conversation.)
And it was even a bigger surprise. There was a pool, too, with a bar. Driving in the streets of Pagadian was so stressful --- the worst I've been to --- that I didn't move the car from the parking space for two days hahaha. It was worse than Manila because the vehicles were a mixture of cars, trucks, pedicabs and motorbikes, and the streets were like that of San Francisco, USA, a city of slopes.
All my stress were gone due to this accommodation.
By the way, I was scolded by my host for monitoring the typhoon because, according to him, it was ruining my vacation. He has a point.