General Info

[Mdemde]

They eased the lockdown restrictions here at the beginning of the month, the malls started to open up, taxis appeared once again on the streets, my condo building (near Ayala Mall) allowed visitors again (they had to fill out an online 'health declaration' form before they were allowed in) but then suddenly on June 16 the authorities reimposed full lockdown again (back to ECQ) and all the malls had to shut and all taxis were taken off the roads and my condo building will not allow visitors.

All households (250,000 households, 1 million residents) in Cebu City had to apply for a quarantine pass back in March, to be shown before being allowed into a supermarket or to be shown if stopped out on the street by the police. These passes were suddenly cancelled last Tuesday and people were told to remain indoors until new passes were issued. They will be colour coded and will restrict when you can go outdoors, to just 3 days a week depending on the last digit on the pass. And no one will be allowed outdoors on a Sunday, starting fro tomorrow! Private cars are not allowed on the roads on Sundays, and are restricted to just 3 days a week during the week, depending on the last digit on their number plate. And everyone under the age of 21 or over 60 (I am in my mid 60's) is still not allowed to go outdoors, even when the restrictions were eased up at the beginning of the month this age group were still not allowed to go outdoors.

I did go out this afternoon, I have been out most days since the start of lockdown, either to go out to get food, or for a walk for exercise.

I have not been issued with my new pass so technically I was breaking the law this afternoon and could have been fined, I went to Rustans to buy some food, there were very few people out and about and very few cars.

So, all the bars and pubs and clubs are still closed, all the cinemas are still closed, there are some restaurants open but only for take-out, and there is an overnight curfew from 8 pm. The local supermarkets are closed at 6 pm.

Last Monday I got in my first taxi in about 2 1/2 months and took a ride down to SM City, there was a lot of traffic out on the roads and loads of pedestrians, not all the shops and restaurants were open in SM City, most restaurants that were open were for take-out only but I found one restaurant that was allowing dine-in, and for the first time in about 3 months I had a meal in a restaurant! And I also found a coffee shop at SM City (Bo's) that allowed dine-in, and also gave them my custom. But then, as I mentioned, the very next day all the Malls had to shut down again and we are now back to where we were at the end of March.

As for pussy, I have a few regulars here but all are under the age of 21 and are unable to come out to meet me. About a month ago I found one girl online (on Pinalove) and have met her a few times and used a small budget hotel nearby, she claims to be 23 but I think she is late 20's, really out of my preferred age-range but I'll have to make do for now, anyway, it's good sexercise! As there are no jeeps or taxis running, she has a 1 and 1/2 hour walk to come and meet me, I have about a 20 minute walk, the hotel is 1 k and I give her 1. 5 k.

[Red Kilt]

https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/progr...&sf235447817=1

[Wolvenvacht]

All I can say is they are having a much better time stuck in LOS then I am having in Florida even though the situation here in Florida has been Corona lite compared to lockdowns elsewhere.

The latest figures indicate that the Florida "lockdown lite" measures may have been entirely misguided. Almost 9000 new cases in one day (25th of June).

Take care and stay safe.

[Goferring]

Originally back in December 2019 and January 2020 I was concerned, but still very optimistic about the virus not being that big a deal....

What a shit year 2020 has turned out to be!

I was the same but now we have a perfect storm of unable to enter the PI, on the ground conditions making a visit unwise regardless of formal permissions and, mongers not being able to leave their home countries due to exit restrictions.

The first has been covered widely on this board but the other two may be the ones that take the longest to be corrected.

I was one of those that Roger speaks of, holding off and preparing for a Q2 visit but even that now seems wildly optimistic.

Yes some other counties do seem to be paradises to be "trapped" in. Alas, there are also reports of these countries' Emergency Dept beds filling, preventing foreigners admission for COVID treament and of course the difficulty of repatriation should treatment be required.

Sorry to sound melodramatic, but I too was one that wildly underestimated the impact and timeline of the effects of the virus.

Cheers. G.

[Member #4698]

Originally back in December 2019 and January 2020 I was concerned, but still very optimistic about the virus not being that big a deal. I thought warm tropical weather plus the world wide lockdowns would get things under control fast and that travel would be restored by June or July 2020 at the latest. Guess What? I was wrong big time! Turns out Corona ain't going away like previous recent outbreaks. It looks like it is here to stay. As a result international travel will remain off limits for most of us unless you are willing to submit to a quarantine upon arrival and various other restrictions or unless you are already in country. I have a couple of friends in Thailand. All I can say is they are having a much better time stuck in LOS then I am having in Florida even though the situation here in Florida has been Corona lite compared to lockdowns elsewhere.

Anyway, my point is international travel will not be up and running again until there is a widely distributed vaccine. Sorry, but that is the long and short of it. No country is going to open up their borders before the vaccine happens especially the PI. Now when a vaccine is found, and after it passes rigorous human testing and gets the gold seal of approval from the appropriate health organizations, and most importantly WHEN said vaccine becomes widely available is still anyone's guess. At this point availability of a vaccine by the end of 2020 seems way too optimistic to me. I sincerely hope I am wrong. Hopefully by March or April 2021 a vaccine will become widely available, but I wouldn't bet the farm on that date either.

That said, there are a number of very interesting and encouraging vaccine developments in labs all over the world. Scientific progress is being made. For example a recent 2 stage vaccine from Oxford looks very promising. It is just now beginning rigorous human trials. So I am confident an effective vaccine or vaccines will eventually be found. But testing and distribution will take time. That leaves us with no choice, but to stay safe and wait it out.

What a shit year 2020 has turned out to be!

[Wicked Roger]

People in CEBU trying to get back to the provinces are bribing cargo planes and cargo ships to get back to the provinces to get around the quarantine. What? This has to be a joke right? Wtf.

They also saying the data the government uses is totally different from the local data from the barangays implying that they have no idea what the real numbers.

They are also sending military to the southern regions to gearing up for this to get worst.

"DILG probes LSIs sneaking into provinces via cargo vehicles".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNeF0f9yG1A

"Corrective measures needed in Cebu City's CoVID-19 response".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sP3UZKx2OWI

"PCG fleet resumes to deliver police to Cebu and LSI in Mindanao.

Erwin Aguilon".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9dMDNZ8X-o

Why are you so surprised. Never been to the Philippines it seems? Welcome to the Philippines where as one cuties once told 'even if poor but have cash you can bribe someone'.

I suggest you put off your visit to end 2021 as I can't see much progress to satisfy your faint heart.

I know many a monger now resigned to 1/2 Q 2021 before they even dip there toe in the waters there let alone their todger in a pussy LOL.

[Member #4794]

People in CEBU trying to get back to the provinces are bribing cargo planes and cargo ships to get back to the provinces to get around the quarantine. What? This has to be a joke right? Wtf.

They also saying the data the government uses is totally different from the local data from the barangays implying that they have no idea what the real numbers.

They are also sending military to the southern regions to gearing up for this to get worst.

"DILG probes LSIs sneaking into provinces via cargo vehicles".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNeF0f9yG1A

"Corrective measures needed in Cebu City's CoVID-19 response".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sP3UZKx2OWI

"PCG fleet resumes to deliver police to Cebu and LSI in Mindanao.

Erwin Aguilon".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9dMDNZ8X-o

[Member #4794]

So you are another person who believes Facebook and that what people post is true and correct? One day you will stop believing in Santa MM.

Wait Santa is not real? Or did you mean Satan?

You are right that facebook is "fake"book most of the time but I have seen a few live streams where they are socializing within the bounds of the barangay. They seem to think if they socialize within their own barangay that its fine.

And I have seen a fair share of posts and memes shaming people for obeying the lock down these come from bargirls mostly, whether this speaks to how honest a picture that paints is certainly up for debate. But the world being locked down not much to go on being that the US government state department still has a Level 4 travel alert on all international travel, I think that would have to be downgraded first at least for any US citizen to be let out of their jail cell. I would not put it past dutarte to turn away Americans for the time being.

I think there are two different kinds of open as it pertains to this board.

#1 - One is the business being open and the locals being able to run and re-open business. Local foreigners also being able to frequent such business without hassle.

#2 - Local business / hotels / bars open & receiving tourists that arrived recently & are able to procure sex.

[PilotPaul]

BAGUIO PLANS TO RESTART ITS TOURISM BY September 2020.

https://www.tripzilla.ph/baguio-new-normal-travel/18262

It's good for Baguio. Hope they tell the virus.

[Goferring]

, my Facebook wall is full of bargirls holding private party's in their barangay in the province. Which is why I thought the Philippines was set to open back up soon

I guess it might be the circles in which I live, work and shop. I have not encountered any "bargirls" wanting to party since mid-March (to the best of my knowledge).

Remember the old saying you can take the girl out of the bar but not the bar out of the girl? Your (MM) Facebook pics are a text book example of this with girls back home splashing cash around, desperate to be the center of attention and be seen as the big girls in town.

I'd agree with RK. Most in the provinces are diving for cover. One girl yesterday reported being abused for simply being out walking down to buy groceries. People returning from cebu etc are openly treated by others as potential sources of contamination. This fear in not totally without reason.

For the record, I too am not in country but am working from chat reports. Without being melodramatic, all are indicating that my earlier expected return date may have been optimistic.

Enjoy. G.

[Wicked Roger]

my Facebook wall is full of bargirls holding private party's in their barangay in the province. Which is why I thought the Philippines was set to open back up soon now of course I have reassessed that and things are not even close to being handled. B.

So you are another person who believes Facebook and that what people post is true and correct? One day you will stop believing in Santa MM.

Some places are doing better than others in the country just as it is elsewhere in the world. Cebu (especially Talisay) is very bad and ahs be called pout the President recently for being probably the worse place for COVID19 and a degrees of irresponsibility that could well match the USA. But if you look closely at FB profiles for ladies there you see photos of them partying. But I know many / most are old photos. They like to give the impression all is well and boast to friends IMHO (which is stupid IMHO also).

Another cutie I know living in LA posted a FB photo of a large BBQ party. She was called out by some for the lack of social distancing. After being trolled about it she admitted it was an old photo!

As for the country opening up you balls must be about to explode? Given your desperation to get back there. Many have the same desire and some allow the brain not the balls to do thinking LOL.

[Golfinho]

It does look like the DOT is slated to open the country back up in September, but the way they are handling things even that could be too soon. It is hard to tell what is true

There's 'opening the country'. And then, there's opening the country to people from the most infected country on the planet. Even when Philippines gets a handle on their situation, that's not going to mean they will let you in, does it?

[Member #4794]

Are you actually in the Philippines?
...
I guess it might be the circles in which I live, work and shop. I have not encountered any "bargirls" wanting to party since mid-March (to the best of my knowledge).

Sadly I am not I'm am trying to get back in which is why I'm am so closely watching this however, my Facebook wall is full of bargirls holding private party's in their barangay in the province. Which is why I thought the Philippines was set to open back up soon now of course I have reassessed that and things are not even close to being handled. Bar girls are holding mostly birthday parties which would mostly be benign and just harmless fun if it were not for the covid. I think they think they are helping their dirt poor province friends cope with covid by cheering them up but they are doing it by gathering people together. These girls don't wear masks and 100% are not social distancing. I'm glad to hear that they are obeying the guidelines in your circles that is a "good" thing imo. The faster they get a handle on this the better then chances are that they open this back to to foreigners. The mainstream news paints an entirely different bleak picture of the Philippine and its fight against covid. It does look like the DOT is slated to open the country back up in September, but the way they are handling things even that could be too soon. It is hard to tell what is true to be honest. From all of the guys wanting to get back in I thank you for keeping us in the loop.

BAGUIO PLANS TO RESTART ITS TOURISM BY September 2020.

https://www.tripzilla.ph/baguio-new-normal-travel/18262

[Red Kilt]

The bar girls I know are joking about COVID, beg and guilt people into gathering, proof is in the pictures they post of the parties they have been holding.

Are you actually in the Philippines?

In my part of Manila most filipinos / Koreans / others are shit-scared of catching Covid and definitely would not attend any form of social event.

In my wife's northern province they are also very scared even though there are very few cases and zero deaths.

I guess it might be the circles in which I live, work and shop. I have not encountered any "bargirls" wanting to party since mid-March (to the best of my knowledge).

[Member #4794]

Other than no stores being open and the temp checks and hand sanitizer at the mall, you would never know anything was happening.

Due to the spike in cases and hospitals being overrun I'm sure this will change there soon enough. The people in the provinces are drinking together like nothing happening like you are describing and undoing the measures they put in place.

Planes are being diverted to CEBU so no way to avoid going to CEBU if you are flying in. Due to demands from frontlines I think we will see the Philippines doing this lockdown in earnest instead of 1-2 days of lockdown and soft opening back up. All of the bar girls that I know are holding birthday parties an encouraging their friends ion their respective provinces to drink and gather. Bar girls are damaged and need socialization, normal people are trying to stick to this lockdown to flatten the curve which has NEVER been flattened in the Philippines. The bar girls I know are joking about COVID, beg and guilt people into gathering, proof is in the pictures they post of the parties they have been holding. Not to mention confirmed infected OFWs being shipped out to their respective provinces. Smh what a mess. If you are already in the Philippines I think you are "lucky" for people trying to get into phils that are not already there seems like that is quite a ways out.

Cebu City nurses planning to quit as hospitals see spike in COVID-19 cases.

https://coconuts.co/manila/news/cebu...ovid-19-cases/

CEBU arrival for flights from the US, UK, Japan & Singapore.

https://www.facebook.com/notes/phili...2382196922395/