KEY Thread Porterage fee in Dumaguete port

If they have an ID card issued by the Mayors office [or maybe Barangay (not really sure who)] they are there legally to assist you with parking car/motorbike and also with your bags at grocery store like Lee Plaza Hypermart and the fee is 2 piso for motorbike and 5 piso for car. I have had the legit ones show their ID to me in the past as I asked what they were doing (in a friendly inquisitive way). I also give extra if they help the misses with her bags.

There are also many, many copycats trying to make a quick piso. For example at the 7-11 across the street from Lee Plaza Hypermart there are usually a few street kids there trying to scam people out of change for doing nothing more than being a PITA. I usually ignore them.

 

Those guys supposedly helping you back out are dangerous. The guard at Cangs will actually stop traffic to let you out. There is a big difference.

 

I agree. In their defense they are just trying to make an honest living.

 

I have no clue where you got all that out of what I said.

 

Sorry, I went off on a rant.

Not your fault and I apologize. I have modified my previous answer to reflect that. Just been one of those days and not anything to do with you or anything you said...

I am logging off and going to bed. Again I apologize.

DaveD

 

Quite all right, happens to all of us. I would in fact tip the guys, then I basically ignored them, other than to not back over them. Many times they cost me an opportunity to get out into traffic because they were standing behind me.

It's hard to describe the situation I saw one day where the attendant motioned for the parked car they were guiding to back out while waving to a car on the street to stop which ignored him. To do the job properly, you have to stop the traffic on the street first, then get out there and stand in front of them so they don't change their mind then motion for the car you are guiding to back out. The only thing that prevented a collision was decent brakes and better than average reflexes. At that point it occurred to me that the parking attendant has no skin in the game, he is probably judgment proof if he gives bad directions although he is probably at fault for damage to two vehicles. I have also seen the guys with the ID squatting taking a break while I was backing out. Maybe he had already made enough money for the day and they have a strong union? Maybe he just didn't give a crap? I don't know. It's just one of those mysteries I will never know the answer to. saved me 5 peso though. I think you hit on a great idea though with them just being monitors against petty theft and scratched vehicles. If they would pick up a little trash at the same time I think it could be a partnership between the city works department and business to make it a regular job. I'd pay a little more in the store if I knew that nothing I bought at my last stop would get lifted from my jeep. I only lost about 500 php of stuff pilfered over time, still it's the principle of the thing.

 

This seems very reminiscent of some construction workers back in the States. I only paid them at quitting time on Friday. That gave them time to buy beer, get drunk, have a hangover, and decide they need to show up Monday so they could do it again. "Mr Steve, can you pay me after work today so I can pay blah blah blah?" No, it is Monday and if I pay you for today you will buy beer and not show up until Wednesday or Thursday. "Ha ha ha, Mr Steve you are funny" and he goes back to work. They would love being paid hourly as they would work for a case of beer and not come back until needed another one.

 

No change here then EH? A little off topic maybe but My Gardner is always Very early before my wife goes to work on a Wednesday just so he can get his advance

 

Well we have gone from porters to parking 'attendants' to Jack's gardener so I suppose this forum is not as strict about staying on topic as some forums are so let me say a word in praise of the parking attendant I leave my motorcycle with when I go the the boulevard in the evening.

He knows my motorcycle. If I show up early and park it there before he arrives for work he still knows it. When I come back for it he sees me coming and has it pulled out and ready for me when I arrive. I doubt he would let anyone else take it or mess with it and that is sure worth 5 pesos to me as I have had a motorcycle stolen from under the eyes of the armed guard at Casablanca because he does not give a sh*t about who parks what where or who drives it away.