General Info

[Chocha Monger]

June? He will be lucky to get there by November.

Most definitely, the game has changed. The days when mongers boarded a flight, landed in Flipsville, and whipped their cocks out for service are over. It is anyone's guess if the good old days of BBFSCIP on arrival will ever return. Even when flights resume they will be pricey and there may be tighter entry restrictions and quarantine requirements. The Wuhan virus has not fully ravaged the Philippines yet. When the mass burials begin, mongers should expect increasingly draconian measures to fight the outbreak. Mongers creaming in their hands in anticipation of returning to LBFM Paradise should curb their enthusiasm and accept that it is not going to be more fun in the Philippines for quite some time.

[Mr Enternational]

I would recommend not considering travel here until at least June.

June? He will be lucky to get there by November.

[GoodEnough]

Correct me if I'm wrong but the OP won't get in this month as a tourist even if he wants to: no VOAs are being issued to foreign arrivals and most airlines have cancelled inbound flights anyway.

I was scheduled to be there now but I'm expecting delays of several months before its wise and possible.

Enjoy. G.

That's correct, no flights and no visas, but in theory I believe that's supposed to be lifted the end of April. I think most people here are betting on an almost complete lockdown that will last at least through May. There's no reason to be here now as hotels are closed, even Air B&B places aren't accepting anyone, the streets are deserted and all bars (together with most other businesses) are closed. I went off of our property today for the first time in about 10 days to buy some meds, and it was like driving around a ghost town. The condo in which my friend is staying in Davao will not allow anyone in to visit him.

I have a friend who has a condo on Burgos St and he tells me that it too is deserted and nothing is open.

GE.

[Goferring]

I would recommend not considering travel here until at least June.

Correct me if I'm wrong but the OP won't get in this month as a tourist even if he wants to: no VOAs are being issued to foreign arrivals and most airlines have cancelled inbound flights anyway.

I was scheduled to be there now but I'm expecting delays of several months before its wise and possible.

Enjoy. G.

[GoodEnough]

Noooooo.

I was supposed to go last month. Was hoping to take a trip this month.

I would recommend not considering travel here until at least June. The local quarantines keep getting extended and the death rate keeps creeping up, and the government seems serious about keeping the lockdowns in place until the death rate falls dramatically. Testing here is still sparse and public health resources are not abundant, and the government is exercising great caution in lifting restrictions which are getting even tighter in many areas, including Davao where I live.

GE.

[TheTech08]

I am surprised nobody has posted an update.

Philippines has announced an extension of the Extended Community Quarantine (ECQ) until at least April 30.

No flights in or out before that date.

Noooooo.

I was supposed to go last month. Was hoping to take a trip this month.

[Goferring]

Two words Business Class.

Or two other words First Class.

For those who have never sat in the front of the aircraft, it is a completely different world.

Front of the plane is nice but I was thinking seriously about a detour here:

7 dollar pussy.

MC has listed numerous options for fiscal responsibility. 😁.

Enjoy. G.

[Steve Nash]

Be careful what you wish for as you assume the country will have millions of test kits and be ramped in terms of health care. Are you thinking of the Philippines? LOL.

You will need to self isolate regardless or if you start coughing you could end up in hospital and maybe asked to pay for it.

Silly things like coughing near officials where I am now = jail so think carefully.

But of course you also assume life is back to normal in the Philippines when various news sites are saying Asia is the next major hotspot and the country has yet to start proper testing!

I was talking about my international flight back to Canada on July, not my domestic flight to Cebu or Manila.

In Canada health care is free, and I heard they have hundreds of labs in the country, plus they will start implementing the rapid test at the airports soon, if they haven't already.

But like AussieGaigin said I might had caught the virus (for example in the airplane) and not be detectable yet. So I would have to do the 14 days self-quarantine at home no matter what, got to becareful and make sure, I don't want to infect a family member who will probably pass it to the eldest in the family and that's not good news.

[Wicked Roger]

I have a plan to avoid the 14 days quarantine when I arrive, I will start coughing so I can get the rapid test done on me, hopefully it works.

By July, I'm guessing rapid test will be the norm at the airport and if you have negative it means you don't have it so not need to do the quarantine. Hopefully this is true by July.

I had many plans for this summer in Canada, 2 weddings that one of them was postponed already, the other one still deciding if they will cancel. I had a season pass from wonderland which I guess I will get my money back, a group camping that so far they told me is still on no matter what, but will see. And the regular summer festivals / events I attend and also birthday parties. I love summer in Canada, but I guess this summer won't be the same as other years.

Be careful what you wish for as you assume the country will have millions of test kits and be ramped in terms of health care. Are you thinking of the Philippines? LOL.

You will need to self isolate regardless or if you start coughing you could end up in hospital and maybe asked to pay for it.

Silly things like coughing near officials where I am now = jail so think carefully.

But of course you also assume life is back to normal in the Philippines when various news sites are saying Asia is the next major hotspot and the country has yet to start proper testing!

[Kabul Guy]

.....

Luckily, I'm a frequent flier with all these airlines so I'm ok with the credits. The only downside is that each one is only redeamable as a single ticket with no cash for any unused portion. As one of the tickets was a mutistop and relatively expensive, I'm actually looking for ways to burn up the credit beyond a regular out and back ticket when things settle down.
.....

Two words Business Class.

Or two other words First Class.

For those who have never sat in the front of the aircraft, it is a completely different world.

[AussieGaigin]

I have a plan to avoid the 14 days quarantine when I arrive, I will start coughing so I can get the rapid test done on me, hopefully it works.

By July, I'm guessing rapid test will be the norm at the airport and if you have negative it means you don't have it so not need to do the quarantine. Hopefully this is true by July.

.

My understanding is that, although you may not be infected or have any symptons, you could still be carrying the virus (which is not detectable). It can take up to 14 days to actually affect you and be detectable, hence the need for the 14 day quarantine, especially if you have come from a high risk area. Here in Australia, people coming from low risk areas are required to self-quarantine for the same 14 days.

[Goferring]

And now, this. Airlines will struggle to refund monies; they will more likely offer future vouchers or delayed refunds.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/refun...190011931.html

Of the 3 flights I cancelled, two gave a credit voucher to be used within 24 months and the other has a refund in process and I'm expecting money to hit my bank in 1 to 2 months.

Luckily, I'm a frequent flier with all these airlines so I'm ok with the credits. The only downside is that each one is only redeamable as a single ticket with no cash for any unused portion. As one of the tickets was a mutistop and relatively expensive, I'm actually looking for ways to burn up the credit beyond a regular out and back ticket when things settle down.

All my Agoda hotels were refunded in full within 24 hours.

All up, I don't think I've got too much to complain about.

Enjoy. G.

[Steve Nash]

I am pretty much resigned to not going to Canada this summer. If any restrictions are still in place this summer it will be more hassle than it is worth. All I want to go back for is to visit family see a couple special friends then come back here.

Right now there is 14 day mandatory quarantine which will be longer than I want to stay there plus wil cost me more than I live on and monger here for a month. (I don't have a house there and would be in a hotel.).

On return I would expect another 14 days here so a one week at home would become a 5 week effort, most spent in quarantine.

I have a plan to avoid the 14 days quarantine when I arrive, I will start coughing so I can get the rapid test done on me, hopefully it works.

By July, I'm guessing rapid test will be the norm at the airport and if you have negative it means you don't have it so not need to do the quarantine. Hopefully this is true by July.

I had many plans for this summer in Canada, 2 weddings that one of them was postponed already, the other one still deciding if they will cancel. I had a season pass from wonderland which I guess I will get my money back, a group camping that so far they told me is still on no matter what, but will see. And the regular summer festivals / events I attend and also birthday parties. I love summer in Canada, but I guess this summer won't be the same as other years.

[WestCoast1]

I am pretty much resigned to not going to Canada this summer.

And now, this. Airlines will struggle to refund monies; they will more likely offer future vouchers or delayed refunds.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/refun...190011931.html

[Kabul Guy]

I got the same email yesterday, but I got it too late, because two days earlier I change my cancelled flights for July and I pay nothing. I was surprise, I guess since they were both the same flight numbers as my canceled flights it is free.

Even if I got that email earlier, I would choose staying until July and pay nothing, rather than spending 108,000 php!!

I am pretty much resigned to not going to Canada this summer. If any restrictions are still in place this summer it will be more hassle than it is worth. All I want to go back for is to visit family see a couple special friends then come back here.

Right now there is 14 day mandatory quarantine which will be longer than I want to stay there plus wil cost me more than I live on and monger here for a month. (I don't have a house there and would be in a hotel.).

On return I would expect another 14 days here so a one week at home would become a 5 week effort, most spent in quarantine.