T.M.I. is not a problem in the Philippines

I had a problem with a store entrance guard before. My bf at the other (mens) side opened his backpack for the usual check and went through while I at the female side was told "Ma'am, deposit". I didn't understand what they meant. I stepped aside to let other customers through. I looked at the "DEPOSIT" area and wondered why I should leave my backpack when it's almost empty. My understanding of that counter was to leave heavy stuff you bought from other stores so you can enjoy shopping with them. I tried to recall if I brought some sharp objects. None, so I panicked. Did they find something illegal? What's waiting for me if I go there? It gets hotter and hotter especially looking at lots of people outside doing nothing but stare at you like crazy. So this time, I asked the male guard since he was nearest to me. I said, excuse me, your partner seems busy, can you explain to me why you can't let me in? He said, Ma'am you don't have an iPad, (glancing at my bf) he has. Still not answering my question. Now annoyed, I said, what's with the iPad? I have iPhone! Ma'am iPhone is too small, you can hold it or put it in your pocket. I said, but I'm not comfortable with that. He said, (also annoyed) Ma'am, talk to customers service about your problem. Note: The whole exchange was in Bisaya. I think I had been patient with him. In the end, I said, I'm a friend of (manager's nickname), maybe I should talk with her instead. The guard's facial expression changed and he let me in. I don't have a problem with rules. If they are too lazy I mean busy to explain to the customer about their rules, then they need to put it in writing, on the entrance wall perhaps or a spot where you know,...the guards could point with their lips.
Another incident was at Sibulan port. My daughter was there when we bought the ferry tickets so we didn't have a problem getting seats at Ceres for Cebu City. We sat on the bus happy we would be leaving soon when some people started complaining that their seats were taken. Not everybody knows about getting a seat number at Sibulan port. A simple placard on that small desk beside the ticket counter saying, "get your Ceres seats here before boarding the ferry" would be great help for tourists. Instead, they expect the desk guy to shout about why he sits there from time to time.
Also, I haven't seen a mall or big stores with floor guide maps. Even at airports!

 

Information is the biggest secret in the Philippines

 

Its more fun in the Philippines (whats T.M.I.)

 

Robinsons Mall in Dumaguete has a floor guide map near the rear entrance (closest to the automobile parking).

Many malls here have floor guide maps installed in less obvious places. Mall of Asia seems to be the best though with electronic floor guides located at various convenient locations.

 

Urban Dictionary: TMI
Not the fifth LOL

 

Good to hear that! We sometimes make Rob as a walking track for our daily exercise but we didn't see it.

 

There are days of course when it should be NNEI ( Not nearly enough Information but.....................

 

They require you to check bags like backpacks for the risk of theft (and you may look honest or be a long nose but they have to appear to treat everyone the same). They won't be held liable for electronics and such left so if you have those in your bag they wave you through. However to keep people from bringing in a bag with a small phone for shoplifting purposes they don't look at phones as qualifiers when its something bigger then a purse for a bag. May sound silly but its really to try and protect themselves from shoplifters especially due to the fact the police won't do a d*mn thing or care. To prosecute a shoplifter for stealing something worth 200p it would cost them 20kp easily enough. Unlike other developed countries their isn't public prosecutors who handle such things generally and its always done privately. Further no judge is going to fill the prisons with shoplifters and the shoplifters don't have the money to pay for the item let alone pay the legal fee's and even if ordered their is no way to collect.

As far as the Ceres Bus if you don't get your seat at the Ceres terminal then you generally have no seat. You don't get seats at the port generally because all the seats are taken from the terminal on almost every trip. If you take a seat at the port then your likely stealing someone else's seat who was their at the Ceres terminal. Your bet to see just incase would be making sure you get on the bus before they turn into the port so you can see if any are actually available. Out of the last 20 or so bus's I have taken to Cebu from Dumaguete I can't recall ever seeing a vacant seat by the time we reached the port and usually all taken at the terminal. However I tend to only take the very early bus's. Remember, your buying seats for the ferry.... not the bus unless your at the Ceres bus terminal.

 

As I've said, I don't have a problem with rules. All I needed was "We don't allow big bags and backpacks inside". We weren't even aware of the "deposit" counter.
On Ceres seats: At Sibulan port, there's a small desk manned by a Ceres employee beside the ferry ticket sale counter who shouts from time to time (when he's not texting) "Get your seat numbers here", let's you sign at their register and gives you a slip of paper with your seat number on it. When all seats are taken, he tells you to wait for the second bus. When I was there last February, the available seats of the first bus were at the back which make me sick so I didn't reserve a seat and waited for the second bus. It's a first come, first serve so I run for the front seats.

 

Mate, it is called Local Knowledge, get used to it and learn for next time.