General Info

[Sandy1984]

Hello guys. Whats the latest on the tourist visa entry to philippines? Can tourists visit without quarantine?

[Soapy Smith]

Really can't trust world political organizations. Like the UN human rights. This is from WSJ. Google is your friend.

Google is whose friend? Should we assume this is sarcasm? Google and Apple recently shut down the social media app of the Russian opposition as Putin's re-election opened. Simply put, Google and Apple want to be able to continue to do business in Russia.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...fore-elections

Personally, I trust UN agencies more than other sources. The UN's Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, like other UN agencies, have more than 3,000 consulting NGOs at their disposal. This is because member nations often cannot be trusted to inform the broader UN body about things going on within their borders or conflicts with neighboring countries. NGOs are by nature, much more independent. I realize NGO is a dirty word in this forum, but there's really only a handful of them that are trying to catch human sex trafficking. There are plenty of things not to like about NGOs, but their consultative status with the UN is probably not one of them.

[Bushes]

The heads that rolled in China that I remember are 1) the doctor who cautioned his graduating medical school alumni class' forum to be careful out there as something is not right. And 2) the China doctor who released the Covid19 genetic sequence; though multiple labs in China had their own independent results. And 3) the China techies who tried to preserve the social media history of the early stages of the outbreak in China.

Some number crunches recently reported that calculation and their models estimates that actual covid cases are 16 times or such higher.

PCR and lateral flow tests are expensive. The former requires labs which the WHO has positioned around Africa. But the reagents are still expensive. When you start moving around and pay for your own tests, you will see.

Africa has a very low Covid infection rate. I am waiting for the other shoe to drop to explain why.

Really can't trust world political organizations. Like the UN human rights. This is from WSJ. Google is your friend.

World Bank Cancels Flagship 'Doing Business' Report After Investigation.

Probe faults leaders including Kristalina Georgieva, now IMF managing director, who disagrees with findings.

The WHO has strict requirements for its members to be accurate bean counters. China ran afoul a number of years ago and there was a terrible brouhaha. Heads rolled. The WHO can't do it's job unless there is accountability. No cooking the books. I would trust the numbers.

[The Rose]

I suspect that some countries on the Green List have supplied some of the green stuff to a number of officials to be honest. It's the only way they could be on it.

The WHO has strict requirements for its members to be accurate bean counters. China ran afoul a number of years ago and there was a terrible brouhaha. Heads rolled. The WHO can't do it's job unless there is accountability. No cooking the books. I would trust the numbers.

[WestCoast1]

I'm writing a personal letter to Brother Kim to expedite my North Korean passport application. And congratulations to the illustrious brother leader for his success against this pandemic.

Hahaha. Next time I have coffee with Kim, I will ask him to put a rush on that.

Pics:

1) Reason #181 why I love Phils. Couple of young honies just hanging around on their phones. They didn't seem to be waiting for a ride or anything. Just. . . Lounging outdoors.

2 & 3) Graphs from the CDC data showing Covid inoculation rate in the US. A peak around April of 4 million per day. Cratered off now to a fairly smooth 1 million per day. About 220 million dosed of 333 million people (66%; I think that is 1 dose or more, not necessarily fully dosed). By Christmas, that should be about 60 million more vaccines in arms, or about 280 million with 1 dose or more, closing 80% (herd immunity). Well, if it continues that way.

https://usafacts.org/visualizations/...racker-states/

From the article:

"At least 219,624,445 people or 67% of the population have received at least one dose. Overall, 189,924,447 people or 58% of the population have been fully vaccinated."

4) A reminder. When booking hotel / apartment / condo's in Philippines, you can use the number of persons allowed per room on websites such as Agoda, Booking, or Airbb. However, regardless of what it says on those sites (see pic, Queen bed hotel room good for up to 4 persons -- maybe), you should message the hotel first thru the website (or just call them) to confirm that before reserving (especially during Covid, so many rooms / condo's offered as NO REFUND), and then again a day or two prior to arrival. Rules change without notice. By that I mean: 1) Without notice from the government, and / or 2) Without notice from the hotel or condo owner.

Don't forget to tip your cabbie.

[Mahku]

I'm writing a personal letter to Brother Kim to expedite my North Korean passport application. And congratulations to the illustrious brother leader for his success against this pandemic.

[WestCoast1]

More vax stats, from the US CDC. See graphic. From a large sample, your chances of dying from Covid are this much greater for unvaccinated vs vaccinated in these age categories:

Age -- Increased risk for unvaccinated.

80+ ---- 5 x.

65-79 -- 15 x.

50-64 -- 22 x.

30-49 -- 30 x.

18-29 -- 54 x.

12-17 -- 5 x.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/age-still...090059106.html

From the article:

Data: CDC; Note: Data represents 30% of Americans across 16 jurisdictions: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York City, Seattle/King County, Wash., Utah and Wisconsin; Chart: Danielle Alberti/Axios

[Soapy Smith]

I'm not starting a vaccine debate. Just looking at the absurdity of it all.

Did they ever find the corpses of those four British Airways pilots that died of covid?

[Wicked Roger]

Some of the countries on the green list defy credulity. Makes you wonder if inclusion in the list is based on the countries' own reported case numbers. So, if a country's testing and reporting are non-existent, they get a pass onto the green list. The only other explanation for some of the African countries (where vaccination rates are very low) might be that covid seems to hit colder climate countries more severely.

And who from those countries can either afford to fly to the Philippines, stay in hotels etc? Mostly are poor countries or like in the Falklands far to far away to even warrant a worry about LOL.

But as many of these places remain high risk Covid (and low vax rates) and are not allowed to enter parts of Europe etc then we could easily see a spike in cases in the Philippines if crowds of Algerians, Samoans, etc flood the country looking for a fun time LOL.

[SpirouleGroom]

Some of the countries on the green list defy credulity. Makes you wonder if inclusion in the list is based on the countries' own reported case numbers. So, if a country's testing and reporting are non-existent, they get a pass onto the green list. The only other explanation for some of the African countries (where vaccination rates are very low) might be that covid seems to hit colder climate countries more severely.

God. You are still attempting to find any logic in those political 'decisions' ?

Let's explore the wonderful new world order of back to normal shall we?

Japan: Pfizered can get in. If they go through a quarantine of 10 days instead of 14 days + PCR test twice. Guess they don't really trust the Pfizer inoculation.

Colombia: no vaccine required and no PCR test. Guess they don't give a shit anymore.

Argentina and Uruguay: only fully vaccined can get in in November. Guess the virus can't go through the border from Colombia.

Europe: the big chunk of full logic. J&J and Zeneca almost non existent. Sputnik still banned. North European countries just walked away from Moderna. But the European drug agency (where they take orders directly from Pfizer headquarters) stated that the third dose of Pfizer is recommended. But Moderna is an ARN messager like Pfizer.

Africa continent? Saved by the weather. I don't know. I remember numerous apocalyptic scenarios from the medias 6 month ago. Oh, they have been on hcq for decades, this horrific mainstream cheap medicine that can kill you. Guess there is no correlation. ABC news was wondering how Japan have managed to end the epidemic in a matter of weeks since September while the government green lighted again ivermectin in Sept. After having banned it under labs pressure.

Bottom line, nothing makes any sense. Considering the Philippines was a chaotic state before Covid let's assume that it's a very far fetch expectation that things would come back to normal in the next decade.

I'm not starting a vaccine debate. Just looking at the absurdity of it all.

[Stykler]

Some of the countries on the green list defy credulity. Makes you wonder if inclusion in the list is based on the countries' own reported case numbers. So, if a country's testing and reporting are non-existent, they get a pass onto the green list. The only other explanation for some of the African countries (where vaccination rates are very low) might be that covid seems to hit colder climate countries more severely.

I suspect that some countries on the Green List have supplied some of the green stuff to a number of officials to be honest. It's the only way they could be on it.

[Soapy Smith]

Included in the Green List are Algeria, American Samoa, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cayman Islands, Chad, China (Mainland), Comoros, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Eritrea, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Gibraltar, Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region of China), Kiribati, Madagascar, Mali, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Montserrat, Nauru, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Niue, North Korea, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Poland, Saba (Special Municipality of the Kingdom of the Netherlands), Saint Helena, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Samoa, Sierra Leone, Sint Eustatius, Solomon Islands, Sudan, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tokelau, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu and Yemen.

https://philippineslifestyle.com/bi-...allowed-in-ph/

Some of the countries on the green list defy credulity. Makes you wonder if inclusion in the list is based on the countries' own reported case numbers. So, if a country's testing and reporting are non-existent, they get a pass onto the green list. The only other explanation for some of the African countries (where vaccination rates are very low) might be that covid seems to hit colder climate countries more severely.

[Mdemde]

Great news, right?

It's another step in the right direction.

The lockdown restrictions and ban on entry for foreign tourists can't last forever. As we all know it's been more than a year and a half since the first lockdown was imposed last year, and many millions of Filipinos are still out of work, seeking deeper and deeper into poverty.

As to when all lockdown restrictions will be lifted and the face-shield and mask mandates will be scrapped, and as to when the ban on entry for foreign tourists will be lifted, we can only speculate.

[WestCoast1]

Despite these travel restrictions, we remain hopeful that international travel will be safely revived soon, said Morente. Last week, Malacaang announced fully vaccinated travelers arriving in the Philippines are no longer required to undergo mandatory quarantine in a facility. However, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said travelers must present a negative result from a COVID-19 RT-PCR test 72 hours before their departure from their country of origin. They are also required to undergo home quarantine for 14 days.

Great news, right?

Most of the tourist oriented countries are looking at USA and European countries about relaxing their own Covid rules and restrictions. USA is allowing foreigners starting November with negative test for only vaccinated travelers.

Speaking of: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/cdc-m...b06573572f799a. From the article:

The CDCs updated guidance came shortly after the White House said travel restrictions into the U.S. will be lifted Nov. 8, capping a nearly 21-month stretch that barred unrestricted visitation from China, Canada, Mexico and Europe, as well as many other places. The measures, first enacted in March 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic began to hammer the country, eviscerated the tourism industry and kept many families apart for nearly two years.

I am looking for the days where fully vaccinated requirements should only be the benchmark for travel and no testing.

We are all looking for those days, but that would indicate pandemic over. I will PM you.

[Mdemde]

Does anyone have the latest information regarding entry into the Philippines?

I'm fully jabbed from the UK.

This news story was published online this morning, link below;.

BI clarifies entry of alien tourists not yet allowed in PH

By Margret Fermin -October 18, 2021

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) clarified that foreign tourists are not yet allowed to enter the Philippines despite coming from green list countries.

In a statement, BI Commissioner Jaime Morente reiterated that only Filipinos, balikbayan, and those with valid and existing long term visas from green and yellow list countries are allowed to enter.

He said the reiteration came as the Bureau received numerous queries from foreign tourists who wish to fly to the Philippines already.

Morente added that Filipinos coming from red list countries may return via repatriation flights and bayanihan flights organized by government or non-government agencies.

On Friday, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) released an updated list of Red, Green and Yellow List counries.

Said lists are effective starting October 16, 2021 up to October 31, 2021.

Romania has been classified under Red List, while 49 countries have been placed under the green list.

Included in the Green List are Algeria, American Samoa, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cayman Islands, Chad, China (Mainland), Comoros, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Eritrea, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Gibraltar, Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region of China), Kiribati, Madagascar, Mali, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Montserrat, Nauru, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Niue, North Korea, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Poland, Saba (Special Municipality of the Kingdom of the Netherlands), Saint Helena, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Samoa, Sierra Leone, Sint Eustatius, Solomon Islands, Sudan, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tokelau, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu and Yemen.

The IATF-MEID said that all other countries not mentioned are classified under the Yellow List.

The testing and quarantine protocols of those arriving under these lists, according to the IATF-MEID, shall be implemented and monitored by the Bureau of Quarantine.

Despite these travel restrictions, we remain hopeful that international travel will be safely revived soon, said Morente.

Last week, Malacaang announced fully vaccinated travelers arriving in the Philippines are no longer required to undergo mandatory quarantine in a facility.

However, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said travelers must present a negative result from a COVID-19 RT-PCR test 72 hours before their departure from their country of origin.

They are also required to undergo home quarantine for 14 days.

https://philippineslifestyle.com/bi-...allowed-in-ph/