my friend's bad experience with a fitness first ABSCBN Personal Trainer -
https://www.facebook.com/notes/jake-tansanco/warning-to-currentfuture-fitness-first-abs-cbn-members/10150268207016574For current/future ABS-CBN members, here's something for you:
For the record, I have nothing against FF in general but I have a BIG PROBLEM with one of their veteran personal trainers. His name is JOVEN GOZUM. At first, I thought highly of him because he has been in the branch for eight years and he is considered as one of the best and respected personal trainers there.
The only problem? He has been talking crap behind my back for 4 months because he's so insecure whenever I talk to his girlfriend, who is the receptionist, in the gym. And from what I know, that is not allowed. I've been letting it go until I've had enough of it. I even stopped communicating with that girl and yet, he still won't stop.
Thanks to my sources, which I've befriended along the way, here's what he has "said" to me:
1. INDIRECT THREAT
- During our first meeting outside FF, we were conversing until...
Me: You said you're here since 2003, may I ask how young are you?
Joven: Pare, hindi ako matanda ah. Nambubugbog ako. Marami akong kakilala.
At the back of my mind, I'm like... Okay, maybe he got offended by my question since I don't know him. I let it pass.
2. BACK-STABBING
- A former employee has told me that he has been talking crap behind my back. He would call me "T@NGA". I believe this is a bad word in Filipino language and how dare he say that about me.
3. DISCRIMINATION
- The same former employee told me that he calls me the bald-headed "white boy" since I'm Chinese. I didn't get offended by this since "white boys" are referred to Americans. I guess he can't distinguish an American and a Chinese. But still, it's an obvious racist remark.
4. SPREADING FALSE FACTS
- This really bothered me as I think it came from my comment regarding my BodyFirst PT, Rommel. During my first meeting with Joven, I told him that Rommel might have felt bad when I didn't continue my PT sessions with him after the BodyFirst (3 sessions) and that whenever I greet him, he would ignore me. And from what I have heard from the same former employee, Joven has been spreading rumors that "sinisiraan ko si Rommel" and other PTs. Obviously, Joven's circle of friends are the veteran PTs so I doubt they'll believe my side of the story. Again, since these are supposedly "rumors", I let it pass once again.
5. BACK-STABBING FELLOW STAFF AND MANAGEMENT
- Two separate employees talked to me and said I'm not the only one he back stabs and that they have heard Joven talk crap about fellow employees. In my mind, I just thought this is an internal problem within FF and, again, I let it go.
6. THREATENING A MEMBER
- This one just ticked me off and it just happened a week before the time i'll be posting this. A PT, a member, and I were all talking together and we were just discussing random stuff. After that, I went back home. What shocked me was that the member messaged me and told me Joven asked the PT if I was badmouthing him in our conversation. The PT said "no" and defended me. After that, the PT told me that Joven specifically said that he wanted to pass a message to me saying "susuntukin ko siya sa gym". I tried to confirm this from the PT if it's true and the PT said, it is.
Since I've had enough of this nonsense, the next time I went to FF, I talked to the Management. Since the employees, who tipped me, requested that I should not include their names because they don't want to be included in the issue, the Head PT dismissed my concern as pure "chismis". I then talked to a Manager and suggested a 3-way confrontation with Joven. As usual, to save his job, he denied everything. And from the way he spoke, it's as if nothing really happened and that I'm the one who's badmouthing him. In the end, the Head Manager came and dismissed this as just a misunderstanding between the two of us and that his girlfriend be transferred to another gym because that is against company policy.
Even though I badly wanted to get out of FF because of safety concerns, they wouldn't let me since they still require me to pay the termination fees. I still have 4 months left to finish my contract and now, not only I have to workout in the gym, but I also have to be aware of my surroundings since I'll definitely be Joven's target.
My advise to the current/future members of this branch, be wary of Joven's attitude. From what I've observed, he seems to be the egoistic/narcissistic type of person and he is using his seniority to intimidate and bully people. Not me, NOT ANYMORE.
This is my side of the story and going to the gym has never been stressful.