Today I went to the Bureau of Immigration here in Davao City to follow up on my son’s I-Card (Permanent residency card). I took the taxi from our house to the BOI. As soon as the taxi pulled in the gate I heard someone was yelling. When I looked up I saw a foreigner near the front door of the BOI complaining. Here before you can go inside you have to sign their logbook telling whats the purpose of your visit. When the guard handed me the logbook I asked her what is the problem with this guy yelling at them? She then told me that the guy was mad that he is not allowed to go inside the BOI because he is not wearing long pants. I just said that “Ah, Okay.” While I was writing, another lady who was there to pick up something for her husband told the guy that was yelling that it’s the policy and we just have to follow. My goodness, he was really screaming then to that lady. I really thought at first he will hit the lady. I was just 2 feet away from the guy. I was really scared for him, because he could end up in jail or something. One of the personnel of the BOI already told the guard to call the police. I am really shocked that his wife or girlfriend did not inform him of the policy when entering the government offices here.
Really a lot of establishments here in the Philippines will not let somebody in if they are not wearing the proper dress code. Some restaurants would not also allow people here thats wearing shirt without sleeves (we call it sleeveless), also can’t go inside if wearing flip flops. For them its just disrespectful. For me It doesn’t bother me if people will wear shorts anywhere if thats what makes them comfortable. The only thing here is that they have rules, so we have to follow. It doesn’t mean that we have to agree with it.
So to all of you guys that are coming here to visit, I know first thing in our minds just bring shorts because its in the tropics. Not, you have to bring long pants. To be safe just long pants in case you go to those places that long pants are required or if you dine somewhere fancy.
Honestly, now I pretty much accept the lifestyle here. I could be like that guy before, getting mad easy. Now if we are aggravated or getting frustrated we just have our saying ready then with a smile. “WELCOME TO THE PHILIPPINES” or “WALANG GANYAN SA STATES” ( It’s not like that in the States). I guess we just have our moments sometimes, but we also have to try to control it. I know its not easy though.
One time when I was in Cebu I had to get my visa extended and stupid me forgot to bring long pants. Lucky enough I have a friend that works there who escorted me inside beause the guard wouldn't let me in. Here in Davao I have felt that they are more lax on the issue because there has been many a time I have seen foreigners inside with shorts. Maybe this guy was having a bad day but all he does is reinforce the image of the "Ugly Foreigner".
Insanity must run in that guy's family. 🙄 The Philippines is a wonderful place, but foreigners need to be extra careful.
Funny! I went with a Filipina friend last week to pick up her professional teaching license and she could not go in because she was wearing chinillas! I was wearing slip on sandals, so although my feet were a lot bigger, we swapped shoes and I waited outside. I had forgotten about the dress code for government offices and so had she! I saw several people (all Filipinos) turned away while I waited.
But the guy who was yelling and making a big scene… really bad form. Everyone in that office will make a mental note of his name and face for future reference., and n one will want to deal with him. But if he is nice the next time he comes in, they will forget the first time.
Hi Feyma
It is ashamed that some foreigner act that way I am an American working in kuwait and they have strict rules, but I want to work here
so I abide by there rules, when I am in Thailand I never point my foot at the monk it is disrespectful. The point I am trying to make is I dont
have to agree with the rules, I do have to respect them and abide by
them. One thing about the philipines that I love is the customs are like the U.S use to be a long time ago like ladys first .
Hi Feyma and to all of you. Such stories are not new for me. As you know, Rose and I are connected to the Immigration Office here in Davao. Also yesterday, when we made our annual report, we experienced again yelling foreigners, dressed like just coming from the beach or even smelling alcohol. It's ashamed. We were happy being able to leave after two hours. Louis, you know why it seems the BID handles it laxer in Davao City? Because of such people. And Feyma, you are right, the dress code works fine in other Philippine authory offices… – We as guests (even with a permanent visa stay) have to follow the rules and regulations in this country.
Hi feyma.All the best for 2008.To carry on like the village idiot helps no one in fact quite the opposite.I have experienced this situation on afew occasions.If one has respect for your fellow man and his culture you can expect the asimiliar response.This time ispelt your name correctly threris hope for me yet.
Hi Feyma, My first time writing in your column. I have a Canadian friend in northern Luzon and he wears shorts and sandals all the time at home, when shopping, or when visiting, but he has one pair of long pants set aside for official visits.
It's good that you brough this up as many readers may not know about this custom – I sure didn't!
Feyma,
I have remebered an article of Bob's a while ago on this very subject. So when ever we go out, even to the mall, I wear jeans or long slacks. I do not mind the long pants and this way, if we have to stop anywhere, my legs are covered.
Dress codes have always been a sticky issue with me. Where and how do we draw the line? I think that as employees that we should dress for the majority of our clientele and for the expectations of the profession. Should we require the same of our customers who come to us decently dressed, yet do not fit our requirements. It's a different situation when it comes to active religious shrines where there is a good chance that we may disrespect the congregation with our attire. Ad yet, within our own churches, we have people who have excluded themselves from participation bacuse of the feeling that they "do not have anything appropriate to wear".
I do agree agree with Feyma and other writers that we need to respect the customs of the native country if we are to keep good relations. I was surprised during my first visit to the Virgin Islands how local drivers were honking their horns and shouting to tourists to cover up.
Feyma, that's an interesting observation. I remember back when I was working in Makati, my officemates and I would have fun and experiment with how guards in different buildings would react to us based on how we dressed upon entering the building.
So on one day, we would dress in entirely casual clothes, maong pants, t-shirt, rubber shoes, much like how college students would dress up. Then when upon entering the building, the guard would usually stop us, ask for some identification and inquire as to our purpose for visiting.
Then on the following day, we would dress in full office attire, long sleeve polo, tie, black pants. Upon approaching the building, the guard would let us right in and even salute us! (I always enjoyed saluting them back)
The interesting thing we observed is that usually foreigners (at least in Makati and Ortigas) would have more leeway with guards. Even when dressed in shorts and sandals, the guard would usually let them right in. I'm not sure if it's Philippine hospitality or colonial mentality at work there.
Early last year when I visited the Philippines, I observed that more of the Makati and Ortigas office workers would come to work in more casual wear. There was less of a dress code and guards are not as uptight with regards to what you wear. Which I think is a step in the right direction.
Hi, I was refused entry at the immgration office in Manila once when I was trying to extend my visa. I was wearing shorts and trainers but the guard walked up to me and hit a sign on the wall with his stick so that I would read the 'no shorts/sandals' notice. I thought he was quite rude doing this instead of giving a polite explanation or something like that. Anyway, we went back outside and a guy explained that if we wait, a street vendor would be along shortly with his 'Trouser rental stall'. I didn't want to wait through as I had a really bad stomach as usual so my wife bought me a cheap pair of trousers from a nearby shop.
When we were eventually allowed in I filled in the forms, paid the fees and was told to wait for 2 hours. After the 2 hours I was told the forms had been lost and I would have to start over again, I was getting a bit fed up by this time and feeling bad, but I never made a fool of myself like the guy you saw.Then, my wife told me to wait outside. A few minutes later she came out with a big smile, my passport stamped and eveything complete.
Phil
Happy New year Feyma, and to all.
Yes, funny to read about this issue in your column … I've been reading about it for so many years now and yet my fellow foreignrs never seem to change.
I am appaled at the dress of some Americans I have seen at government offices in the US … but any snese of offical dress codes have pretty much disappeared in the US.
But this is _not_ the US, or any other country. We therefore have to follow or leave .. no idea why that is so difficult for some folks.
Losing one's temper, showing anger and such is a guranteed way to be remembered, that's for sure. I suffer from falling in that trap myself, but thankfully the Filipinio people who have to put up with me pretend to have short memories and if I remeber my manners the next time I always get treated well.
Hi Louis – I've been going to the immigration here in Davao for quiet awhile now. Never once I saw someone inside wearing shorts. Lucky for you, you had friend inside at the immigration office in Cebu. I doubt it if they would let you in. They are really strict on that stuff.
Hi Tom – That's for sure.
Hi AmericanLola – I'm sure the people at the immigration remembers him now and for his future visit. He was really making a fool of himself there.
Hi James – Yeah, I'm with you too. You being living in Saudi you follow and abide the law there. Even though we don't agree with the rules but like us we came here to live so we have to abide and obey the rules of the Philippines. It's not easy to follow sometimes though but we have to since we choose to settle here.
Hi Klaus – We might just missed each other there by just minutes. I'm pretty sure that was the same guy was yelling before you left that I saw. The way you described his attire that was the way I would have to say what he was wearing. He must be yelling there for quiet sometime then?
Anyway he acted very stupid there. If he is living here for good, I don't think he can handle being here longer. He will have a heart attack pretty soon.
Hi Frank Fealey – All the best for you and family in 2008 too. Ha ha ha, you did got my name right this time. Don't worry about it.
With that guy, really I hope that he will get his act together soon and have a positive attitude of being here in the Philippines. He will be in the hospital or in jail soon.
Hi John in Austria – Thanks for your comment. Your friend is really smart in bringing just one long pants.
Honestly I never thought of bringing this subject up before it never occurred to me how the importance of it until I saw that guy. I was so scared for him that he could end up in jail. I hope he learn his lesson there.
Hi Bruce – Good for you. Yeah Bob has mention before that he is wearing long pants now when ever he goes out in case he will bump into someone and wants to go places with him.
Hi Bebot – I think its our culture here to really dress up properly. Not too showy. I know some friends that gets offended if seeing someone inside the restaurant thats wearing shorts. He said its disrespectful. For me its not but to others it is. I think we just have different take than others.
No matter what that guy at the immigration that was causing some problems should have followed the rules and he should not be yelling there.
Wow they are strict in the Virgin Islands.
Hi Rob – I was laughing while reading your story. I agree with you that the guards here would let the foreigners in easily than the filipinos. It happens to Bob and foreigner friend together with his half brother. The half brother happened to be a half filipino he was born and grow up in the States he can't speak bisaya and he looks so mestizo. When ever Bob, the foreigner friend and the half brother would go to the mall the guard would let Bob and the foreigner friend go right away without body search but the Pinoy friend he has to stop and be search. Gosh that Pinoy friend was so pissed. He really came here to study for college but end up leaving, he cant handle living here. He always gets mad. He was supposed to stay here for a few years but end up leaving in just 3 m0nths.
Hi Phil – It's new to me that they have a rental trousers near the immigration. I think if have a good attitude sometimes you will have things get done quicker. I know that their are times that its also annoying here but never to the point to be like the way the guy was acting. He was just being stupid.
Hi Dave Starr – Happy New Year to you too. For me I really hope that those people at the immigration that he was yelling at will give him second chance. Hopefully too that he learn his lesson from it. If he didn't he should just go back to where his from. He would really be in big trouble here later with the law or his health. I mean we get mad here sometime, but not to the point like that. He can't change the way they live their life here.
Thanks for this post Feyma! I am coming to the philippines at the end of the week I will remember to throw in some long pants with the 5 lbs of corn seed that I'm bringing over for my tatay!!It is some real sweet stuff. The corn that tatay had grown on the mountain and shared with me tasted more like cattle corn here in the USA. Thanks again Feyma. PS- The guy ought to be glad he's around all you pretty Filipina's rather than getting mad about some darned dress codes!
Hi John – I'm glad that you are bringing extra pants with you. You'll never know you might be going to the immigration office. 😉
We do have sweet corn here in the Davao. It's not the same as in the States but its close enough. We have some farmers that grow that kind of stuff here. Good luck to you on planting the corn seeds. I hope it works out good.
Ha ha ha I'm not going to disagree with you on that. I guess that guy just didn't care anything about the women here he was just mad.
😀 wow after reading u blog i think i may have gotten away with murder ha ha i needed a extention to stay in manila so my sister-in-law ,my wife an i went to the Bureau of Immigration .. i was wearing shorts and sandials so was wife and my siste-in-law was too …we went in and i got my extention for 38 days..took 45 minutes to do the whole thing went fast ….nobody said no to me for wearing shorts and sandials……
Hi Phil – You guys are lucky to have enter the premises. The guard must not paying much attention. That's really the policy all over the Philippines and the Manila office was the one issued that rules.
Good for you though at least no big fuss from the guard.
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Please don't. Agricultural Quarantines exist for a darn good reason. Amateur smugglers like you can do untold billions of damages to the local agriculture. Agriculture is my livelihood. If I know that you did it, I will swear out a complaint for your arrest. I'm not joking.
I agree in respecting the rules and regulations of places we visit. Just think about this… How would you like someone to come to your home and disrespect your own household? Im sure it would not be acceptable, either.
Hi Feyma- this is my first entry. I'm so excited to come across your blog. I was going through the real estate websites looking for an affordable house to lease with option to buy after, maybe, a year. You have no idea how much I needed these information on your blog. My husband and I are reaching the age of retirement and we're hoping to find a decent and serene place without spending an arm and a leg.
Maraming salamat!!
Hi MarcelinaWW – I can't agree you more on that.
I'm glad that you like our web magazine. That's one thing we want to give you guys some good tips on life to expect here when time for you guys to retire here. Right now lots of houses for sale, You just have to choose if you like in a gated subdivision or just somewhere a bit country? Just curious what part of the country are you from? Right now I reside in Davao. I gave you some sample base of what I saw here in Davao. I also understand of what you mean of not spending too much.
Thanks for dropping by!
I am from the UK and I must say that I have had no problems at all with my Visa renewal at the Cebu immigration office.
Everyone has been most pleasant and helpful.
All I can say is that if you dont understand the rules, then ask someone to explain them to you.
There is always someone willing to do that.
Hi Paul – Same here in Davao a lot of the workers are helpful. I am not sure whats going on with that guy. He really had a bad day. I hope that he really learned his lessons. He could end up in jail if he doesn't change his attitude.
Thank you very much for stopping by!