Dumaluan Beach Resort 2

Bohol's WORST RESORT

This narration does not intend to take away what is beautiful about Bohol nor does it discredit the earnestness of select Boholanos. We also believe that everyone should be made aware of how DUMALUAN RESORT 2 and its owners treated their guests when things went wrong and how during this time, there was absolutely no attempt at customer relations.

We booked our stay at Dumaluan Beach Resort 2 from April 24-27, 2012 at Panglao Island, Bohol, run by Reichyl Dumaluan Vallente and her husband Chancel. On the morning before our afternoon flight back to Manila, our son and nephew rented the resort’s jet ski. On land they were fitted with life vests and given instructions on the entry and exit points, they were told not to ski between boats, to stay away from swimmers, give way to other boats and to stay outside of the white buoys. They were to keep within eyesight of Dumaluan for easier sighting in case of emergency. We learned later that our 15 year old son and 17 year old nephew, both minors, were made to sign a waiver before proceeding to the water. In the water, the person in charge strapped the Velcro around our son’s wrist which was attached to the jet ski’s key so that in case they fall off, the key would come off the ignition and stop the jet ski from running, and they would still have the key.

Our boys were allowed to ride together by the resort, they didn’t have any restriction against 2 persons riding without an authorized jet ski operator on board. So they left and my husband stayed on the shore to wait for them. He stood up when there was silence and he could no longer hear the drone of the jet ski’s engine. From afar he could see that the jet ski was now upside down and the boys were in the water. The most fortunate thing was that there was a small boat passing by and seeing them, quickly threw life jackets to them because apparently, our nephew’s life vest burst open and he started to go under water. The jet ski people, lifeguards and all, were all on shore, and sent out a jet ski to get them.

When our boys were brought to shore, they fearfully narrated that a strong wave hit them as they made a turn and caused them to topple over and for the jet ski to capsize. The key which was supposed to be strapped to our son’s wrist was no longer there. We were simply thankful that they were safe and for the timely presence of that small boat in their area. At this point, no one from the resort asked if the boys were okay or if they needed medical help. Nothing. They were busy checking on their jet ski.

Now upon checking out and settling our accommodations, my husband was told to see the owner because our check out was on hold. Chancel, the husband- owner turned out to be one of the jet ski people and he was demanding that we pay for the repair of the jet ski and the replacement of the key because it was an electronic kind. It became a husband and wife tandem at that point and these so-called resort owners dumped all the blame on the boys for what happened. Their basis:

1. The key shouldn’t have gotten lost because it was strapped to our son’s wrist.
OUR QUESTION WAS, WHO STRAPPED THE VELCRO TO OUR SON’S WRIST? WAS IT TIGHT ENOUGH? DID HE MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS SECURELY IN PLACE? WHO WAS IN A BETTER POSITION TO KNOW IF THE VELCRO WOULD HOLD? OUR SON KNEW BETTER THAN TO MEDDLE WITH THE PERSON AS HE LET HIM STRAP THE VELCRO KNOWING THAT HE WAS TRAINED TO DO THAT. WHO THEN HAS THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY TO CHECK AND DETERMINE THAT THE KEY WAS SECURE? AND WHAT OF OUR NEPHEW’S LIFE VEST THAT BURST OPEN AND CAUSED HIM TO ALMOST DROWN IF NOT FOR OUR SON REACHING FOR HIM AND THE BOATMAN BEING THERE TO HELP THEM? WHO FITTED HIM WITH THIS DEFECTIVE LIFE VEST?

2. In the history of the resort, it was only now that their jet ski capsized, putting the blame squarely on the boys.
BEING IN THE JET SKI BUSINESS MEANS THEY SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE RISKS INVOLVED AND THAT ACCIDENTS CAN HAPPEN. IN FACT THEY SHOULD HAVE THE PROPER INSURANCE FOR THIS. THE QUESTION IS, DO THEY? WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT IT HAPPENED IS IRRELEVANT AS THEY SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR ANYTHING, AND CERTAINLY BEING THE FIRST TIME DOES NOT PROVIDE THE CONCLUSION THAT IT WAS THE FAULT OF OUR BOYS.

3. The boys made a “power turn” which they shouldn’t have, thus causing them to topple over.
CHANCEL, THE OWNER HUSBAND INSISTED THAT THE BOYS MADE A POWER TURN. WHAT, IN THE FIRST PLACE CONSTITUTES A POWER TURN? DID HE EVEN WITNESS THEM DO THIS BECAUSE AS FAR AS WE KNOW, THEY WERE A SECOND TOO LATE IN COMING TO OUR BOYS' RESCUE. WERE THE BOYS BRIEFED ABOUT THIS? WERE THEY GIVEN LESSONS ON PROPER JET SKIING? NO, THEY WERE SIMPLY LET LOOSE AFTER THE INITIAL INSTRUCTIONS. WE DIDN’T INSIST THAT THEY RIDE TOGETHER, THEY JUST LET THEM. IF THEY WERE STRICT ABOUT IT, THEY COULD HAVE TOLD US THAT THERE HAD TO BE AN INSTRUCTOR RIDING AT ALL TIMES AND WE WOULD HAVE COMPLIED RIGHT AWAY. AGAIN, WHO WAS IN A BETTER POSITION TO LAY DOWN THE RULES, AND EXPLAIN BEFOREHAND SUCH A TERM AS ‘POWER TURN”? WHO HAS THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY TO DO THIS?

These owners, Reichyl and Chancel Vallente of Dumaluan Resort 2, heaped all the blame on the boys without once acknowledging that their own actions and lack thereof were actually the starting point that propelled this terrible accident to unfold, our boys’ inexperience simply completed the scenario. It could have happened to anyone. They were in fact the traumatized victims of the resort owners’ negligence. And yet all that the owners could let loose from their mouths was that we should shoulder the cost of their jet ski’s repair. Did they do this amicably? NO. Did they conduct themselves in a manner becoming of resort owners? NO. Did they put a premium on the welfare of their guests? NO! We fell into a heated argument which was so surreal knowing that these were the resort owners we were dealing with, where in the world can you witness such gross behaviour from the owners themselves?

They called in a policeman whom they were very chummy with to blotter the event, but who simply mediated for the owners. We would have been willing to share a small amount as a token of our participation in the accident, if they had owned up to their responsibility but they NEVER DID AND NEVER SHOWED CONCERN FOR OUR BOYS. But because we had a plane to catch, we were forced to leave with them 5K as a holding fee.

This is not the end of it yet, but surely the world has the right to learn about this terrible incident before they prey on another victim.

If this doesn’t deter you, then maybe our room service experience will give you another look at how these owners operate their resort:

- no housekeeping (daily changing of towels and linens), only after repeated requests and only on the THIRD DAY did they finally give in to our request to sweep, clean and change linens

- there was no drinking water available in the room and even in the restaurant, you had to buy your own even during mealtimes at the restaurant

- no servicing the broken ceiling light in the room. They didn't bother at all to replace it even after repeatedly informing and requesting them to change the busted bulb. We were in the dark at night.

- no provision for cup and saucer in the room, they made us pay a deposit before we were provided a simple thermos of hot water and cups, no saucers or teaspoons included

- unsanitary room, after the initial air freshener dissipated, our room was permeated with a foul nauseating smell coming from their septic tank. We had to ask to be transferred as they acknowledged that the smell did emanate from their septic tank.