Five years, copious amounts of money, many trip into Mega Manila, and I receive my big yellow ACR card with my picture on it back in 2001. I’m a self satisfied man, the stars are in the heavens were aligned and all in the world is well. Hell no, the next year they change to the "I" card and I start again! All the paperworks are lost in Manila, so no card shows up in Olongapo. I go to Manila for two days and “I” found the paperwork’s they must by now think I work there and that they were never informed, or was I ever paid for that matter. Three months later my “I Card” falls from the Manila sky, and it’s good for only one year. After … [Read more...]
I’m Still Not Him, circa 2001
November 10, 2009 By 18 Comments
This is to prove that even I had trouble getting my ACR card. Last week I told you about how I had to prove I was me to the U.S. Government, the time before that in 2001, I had to prove to the Philippine Government that I’m not him. This time I go to Manila because I had to finish up the paperwork’s on my application, for a permanent ACR, this was a few years ago. I received my temporary ACR, which was good for one year, on probation. I assumed that since I received all these official papers from the Department of Immigration that I had jumped all over all the hurdles, slipped between all the cracks, and was on the road to easy times. Wrong … [Read more...]
Minors Cannot Be Locked Up!
August 11, 2009 By 15 Comments
Am I kidding? No! I'm not kidding at all. Now, my read of the law doesn't say that but I've read over and over news paper articles related to crimes in Cebu Province that is how the law is being applied. If the child is under 15 it is absolutely true. If the child is between the ages of 18 and 15 then it appears they can be prosecuted but other provisions of the law seem to make it impossible. Keep reading, you'll learn of a 17 year old rapist and murder set free! Get Out of Jail Free In The Philippines Not long after moving to the Philippines, I read in the paper that minors cannot be locked up. Most people I asked about this didn't … [Read more...]
Welcome home to the Philippines
June 20, 2009 By 25 Comments
I have just completed my visa run to Thailand with Migs and I thought it would be interesting to report back what surprised Migs about the differences of the Philippines and Thailand. The first thing we noticed that when we arrived at the majestic new Bangkok airport it seemed more like a palace than an a airport. We managed to glide our way to the immigration services and out to collect our baggage all within a few minutes. Now, sorry to say the same is not available at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila. Although clean and tidy it looks so bare, it has no Internet spots or even Internet cafes. The immigration is much slower … [Read more...]
Good news for expats
June 10, 2009 By 98 Comments
Remember a couple of weeks ago when I wrote about a friend who was trying to open a bank account here in the Philippines? My friend was having problems opening an account because he is living here on a Balikbayan Visa. Although the law does not require it, many Philippine Banks require that a foreigner must present an ACR Card as a prerequisite to opening a bank account here. Generally, people who live here on any kind of residence visa are the ones who have ACR cards, actually called "ACR I-cards." I have an ACR I-card as a 13(g) Permanent Resident Visa holder. Holders of SRRV (Special Retirees Resident Visa) Visas also get ACR I-cards, … [Read more...]
I will Deport You
June 6, 2009 By 51 Comments
Expats living in the Philippines, as tourists must get their visa extended every 59 days. I usually try to stay clear of Bureau (BI) just to make sure no one upsets me. Today's visit to BI was a perfect example. Well, I would have never done what this expat did. What he did was next to insanity. A Visit to Immigration On a side note, when I went to Bangkok a couple of weeks ago I walked up to the immigration window on my way out of the country. The woman was behind a glass that had only a small opening to slide your papers through. I don't remember even that but there must have been something or I couldn't have given her my passport. … [Read more...]
Philippine Tourism Improvements on a Budget — Part 3
April 28, 2009 By 28 Comments
Let me start this installment with a couple updates. I was in Manila for a few days on business and I noticed a program promoted by the DOT that runs two shuttle vans on hourly routes between major hotels and tourist attractions in Manila. It’s run by a company called Busina and uses the somewhat catchy slogan, “Sakay na” (Ride now!). There's a good write-up on it here. This is an excellent step in the right direction, and as I have been advocating, it’s a private enterprise venture that pays its own way. Good work. Another piece of current news is that Manila’s main airport, NAIA has finally gotten around to putting a free, … [Read more...]
Guess who I met in immigration?
April 26, 2009 By 8 Comments
It always surprises me who you will meet when you walk around my city of Davao. I have met so many people from many nationalities, who all share the common link of being adventurous and maybe a little more interesting then their own country stereotypes... I think I include myself in that category. Whilst waiting patiently in the Immigration office at Davao, I got talking to an American gentleman who when talking to the officials had a very pleasing and respectful manner, that's why he caught my attention. When we started talking he told me what he has been doing for work and it blew my mind as this man was part of MY CHILDHOOD. Let me explain. For … [Read more...]
Deported!
April 13, 2009 By 28 Comments
I think the fear of being deported comes into the mind of any expat that has done any reading of local papers or the Internet. One of my first introductions to this was a Korean getting deported and blacklisted for hitting an immigration officer. Always Show Immigration Officer Respect To touch an immigration officer in any thing but a friendly way is just stupid! Getting angry with an immigration office is also stupid. It is 100% foolish to be anything but polite, even if you must disagree with one. … [Read more...]
Travel tax from Cebu Pacific
March 30, 2009 By 46 Comments
I just want to let you the readers know of a problem I am having with booking a flight, and at the time of this article I have still not sorted it out or got a full explanation. I have a tourist visa and every two months I pay an immigration fee and have my passport duly stamped and last year the rules changed so that I could be here not twelve months but up to 16 months without causing any problems, and as far as my dealings with immigration here in Davao I have no problems at all. So my 16 months is up in June so I have booked a flight to Bangkok for one week and paid Cebu Pacific and went home pleased with the booking I had made. However, … [Read more...]
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