Something very bad has happened to me and my friends. I didn’t want to admit it at first, because I was kind of hoping it would all be resolved by now, but since it still hasn’t I feel that everyone should find out about it because by knowing what happened to me and my friends at our vacation, you can avoid this incident from happening to you.

As some of you may know, I recently went to Cebu city and the Bantayan Islands for a vacation with 8 other friends. We were all excited about it, and were planning the trips months beforehand. Since we were on a relatively tight budget, we searched the web until we found a cheap beachfront resort called BUDYONG RESORT, and about a month before our trip, we had already been in contact with the resort to ask about rates, discounts for off-peak seasons and such. On our last conversation before departing for Cebu, which was about a week before, our contact person, Immaculate, informed me that there was a 50% deposit that we should be making to the account of the owner, so we could reserve the room and ensure that they will not give the room to someone else. This we did willingly on the 29th of May, 2009, when my friend Thea deposited three thousand and three hundred pesos (3,300.00) to Ms. Norma Zaspa’s account at Allied Bank online via HSBC.

Photo by Richmon Pancho

Upon arriving at Budyong on Friday, June 5, Immaculate and Dodo, the manager/asst. manager of the place approached us, held out the passbook to the account and said that they had not received the deposit we made. Feeling baffled, we decided to check with HSBC, who immediately confirmed our transfer and said that the problem could lie on the Allied Bank side of the transaction, since that part of the transaction was already out of their control. Since it was past office hours when we were faced with this problem, no one at Allied was answering our calls anymore. It was later agreed upon that we would pay the full amount (PhP5,600.00) first, and they would remit our money to us as soon as the deposit reflects on their accounts. We left the island believing we would get our money back because we believed these were nice, decent people we were dealing with.

We left the island on the 7th of June. It has now been a month since we deposited that money, and yet they still claim that the amount we deposited has not reflected on their passbook. Upon arrival, Thea quickly confirmed with the main branch of allied bank that indeed, the money has been transferred and confirmed by the allied bank branch in Bantayan, so where is our money? Apparently it has gone the way of the wind. I asked Thea if there was a way to cancel the transaction or return the money back but apparently, since it has already been deposited, there is no way we can get that cash back without them returning our money. We are left scratching our heads in amazement because we never thought for a second that this would happen to us.

Now, I ask myself how this can be, in a day and age where you can instantly remit money to relatives ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD in about a day, maybe less. How does money get lost, really? I generally don’t like to think the worst of people, and yet I can’t help but believe that we have been played for fools. Repeated calls to Immaculate, and subsequently to Dodo, because Immaculate has since resigned have proved futile; no one can trace the whereabouts of our money. Every time I call their cellphone, I need to try for about 30 times before they deign to pick up the phone, only to inform me that a) Dodo is now out; b) Dodo was just there but left and yes, of course he will get back to you today and my favorite excuse c.) Sorry, we still don’t have your money, but of course we will update you as soon as we have news. Of course, I hear nothing from him until I call, 30 times in a row again, to the same frustrating results. This is, by the way, the same guy who was totally just always there at the resort grounds THE WHOLE THREE DAYS WE WERE THERE. And suddenly he’s always out. He assures me he is not swindling us out of our money. He mentions the hassle that this incident has brought to him and his people because he now has to go to the bank every time I call to check on the deposit. We went out of our way to even help them have a liaison to the main branch of the bank here, but hey, since they already have the full amount (plus more, I bet), I guess our problems are not their problems anymore. He says the resort would not stoop to swindling us out of a measly 3,300. Well to them it might be a small amount, but for us, it was a big amount. On our last conversation, which was yesterday, he promised to send me scans of their passbook to prove that they are telling me the truth, but up until now, he has not emailed me and calls to him have not been answered as well (I now have his personal phone number as well, for all the good it has done me).

I am really disappointed, because barring this incident and some other incident involving a tricycle driver; that vacation was one of the highlights of my year, and Bantayan is a really nice place to vacation in because it’s so peaceful and beautiful. I don’t want to discourage anyone from going to the island, I actually recommend it as an alternative to tourist traps (in fact, I am planning to go back there with my family later this year), but I am asking everyone to stay away from this particular resort, not just for me and my friends, but for your own peace of mind as well. This has been such a stressful experience for us, and I honestly don’t want anyone else to go through the same ordeal that we did. Who knows how many other people have had this experience? And what if you or other people you know were the next ones to get swindled?