Manila

[Goferring]

I'm speaking with Agoda now, but it seems they will try to contact the hotel and work with them on a refund. Should I still try to cancel the booking on the app now? Yours might have been a special case if you booked before a certain period, or your hotel is generous with the cancellations.

Go to the App's cancellation page and read it carefully BEFORE doing the final acceptance. As I said, mine had an instruction that all cancellations would be honoured and I received a full refund, even of supposedly non refundable, cut price bookings. If yours says the same thing then I'd have high confidence you will be the same. If you receive a message that your booking is non refundable then don't finalize the cancellation but talk / email Agoda's Customer reps. Remember that wait times could be quite long as they will be inundated with similar requests.

Good luck. G.

[ThomKatt]

I wouldn't expect you to have any problems when you deal direct with Agoda. When I wanted to cancel all my non refundable bookings with several hotels, I too contacted them direct. I received a universal 'speak to Agoda'. When I cancelled the bookings on the App there was a message saying that all cancellations will be honoured and I received a 100% refund inc taxes and fees.

Just go direct to Agoda (if you originally booked through them).

Cheers. G.

I'm speaking with Agoda now, but it seems they will try to contact the hotel and work with them on a refund. Should I still try to cancel the booking on the app now? Yours might have been a special case if you booked before a certain period, or your hotel is generous with the cancellations.

[GDreams]

I wouldn't look at Wuhan, the Chinese have lied through their teeth and still are. They disappear doctors who try to tell the world the truth. This is going to go on a lot longer than June or July. If you believe Wuhan is virus free I have some lightly used N95 masks to sell you....

With asymptomatic people spreading the disease, there is no waiting until the last known person is no longer infectious, because there will always be unknown infectious people. There will be some level of travel restrictions in place until they have a vaccine.

The virus is out there. All that can really be done is get prepared with the equipment, medicine and plan to deal with it, allow healthy people to return to their lives and support the at risk for a prolonged period. It is the same family as the common cold, if it were easy to develop a vaccine why do we still get colds?

[AggieDad1]

I wouldn't look at Wuhan, the Chinese have lied through their teeth and still are. They disappear doctors who try to tell the world the truth. This is going to go on a lot longer than June or July. If you believe Wuhan is virus free I have some lightly used N95 masks to sell you....

With asymptomatic people spreading the disease, there is no waiting until the last known person is no longer infectious, because there will always be unknown infectious people. There will be some level of travel restrictions in place until they have a vaccine.

Exactly. Even people who have had it and have recovered should be careful. No vaccine will give you immunity for the rest of your life and the same with recovering from a virus. You will have some immunity for a time, maybe. But no one can tell you how long before the immunity wears off.

[Charm City Dave]

Absent a cure using readily available existing drugs in some combination (a real long shot BTW) we should look to Wuhan to see how long a strict lock down takes to control the virus.

They were locked down 11 weeks. A leaky lock-down will take longer to eradicate the disease.

My wild ass guess is that some form of lock down travel restriction will extend until June or July. I have resigned myself to not making it home to Canada this year for my annual visit.

I wouldn't look at Wuhan, the Chinese have lied through their teeth and still are. They disappear doctors who try to tell the world the truth. This is going to go on a lot longer than June or July. If you believe Wuhan is virus free I have some lightly used N95 masks to sell you....

With asymptomatic people spreading the disease, there is no waiting until the last known person is no longer infectious, because there will always be unknown infectious people. There will be some level of travel restrictions in place until they have a vaccine.

[Kabul Guy]

I am no expert on contagion, but it seems to me a country, any country, will have to keep their quarantine / lockdown in effect until at least 14 days after the last known occurrence or risk a 2nd flare up or until a cure can be widely distributed. The Z pac is looking ever more promising in this respect. Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) + Azithromycin.

Absent a cure using readily available existing drugs in some combination (a real long shot BTW) we should look to Wuhan to see how long a strict lock down takes to control the virus.

They were locked down 11 weeks. A leaky lock-down will take longer to eradicate the disease.

My wild ass guess is that some form of lock down travel restriction will extend until June or July. I have resigned myself to not making it home to Canada this year for my annual visit.

[Goferring]

I booked at the Oxford Makati Palace, I've emailed and even facebook messaged them, but no answer. I'll probably have to contact Agoda or my credit card to get the cancellation.

I wouldn't expect you to have any problems when you deal direct with Agoda. When I wanted to cancel all my non refundable bookings with several hotels, I too contacted them direct. I received a universal 'speak to Agoda'. When I cancelled the bookings on the App there was a message saying that all cancellations will be honoured and I received a 100% refund inc taxes and fees.

Just go direct to Agoda (if you originally booked through them).

Cheers. G.

[Wicked Roger]

I am already preparing for the extension. I don't think there is a chance in hell its lifted before April 30.

Seems some law makers think the same.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/125208...in-luzon-story

[Streetlooker]

I hope they do but actually I'm afraid Du30 will extend this enhanced quarantine at least for another 2 weeks till end of April.

I am already preparing for the extension. I don't think there is a chance in hell its lifted before April 30.

[Member #4698]

I am no expert on contagion, but it seems to me a country, any country, will have to keep their quarantine / lockdown in effect until at least 14 days after the last known occurrence or risk a 2nd flare up or until a cure can be widely distributed. The Z pac is looking ever more promising in this respect. Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) + Azithromycin.

[Ekspat]

If flights do start up again on April 15 or 16

I hope they do but actually I'm afraid Du30 will extend this enhanced quarantine at least for another 2 weeks till end of April.

[Red Kilt]

If you decide to go to PH quickly, make sure you book agoda rooms you can cancel.

Check also that visas on arrival (aka tourist visas) are being issued. At present no visas are being issued on arrival.

If flights do start up again on April 15 or 16 you can expect that preference will be given to those who have either a Philippines passport or a permanent visa (like a 39 a / spouse visa).

It hasn't been established yet when visas on arrival will be re-commenced. You'd be wise not to book hotels until the visa aspect is clarified.

[VictorHugo99]

Hi TK,

An optimistic precision is late June, or early Sept to be safe. Since China needed 3 months to come out of it (not fully).

Based in the non-cooperation in other continents by citizens and their country due to ignorance or sheer stupidity, Sept would probably be closer to the reality.

If you decide to go to PH quickly, make sure you book agoda rooms you can cancel.

Be safe,

Vic.

Sh! T! Thanks guys for all of the info. Sounds terrible. I booked at the Oxford Makati Palace, I've emailed and even facebook messaged them, but no answer. I'll probably have to contact Agoda or my credit card to get the cancellation. This sucks. I originally planned on going to Thailand and Philippines because I know there won't be any Chinese / Koreans / Japanese driving up the prices and it would benefit me, but looks like I won't be traveling the rest of this year until all of this blows over. Hopefully with the economies recovering afterwards, it will be back to the pre-2000 prices / fun right fellas?

[ThomKatt]

Sh! T! Thanks guys for all of the info. Sounds terrible. I booked at the Oxford Makati Palace, I've emailed and even facebook messaged them, but no answer. I'll probably have to contact Agoda or my credit card to get the cancellation. This sucks. I originally planned on going to Thailand and Philippines because I know there won't be any Chinese / Koreans / Japanese driving up the prices and it would benefit me, but looks like I won't be traveling the rest of this year until all of this blows over. Hopefully with the economies recovering afterwards, it will be back to the pre-2000 prices / fun right fellas?

[Frog85]

What's the situation in manila like recently? I have a hotel and flights book for end of April that I bought 3 months ago. Can't get in touch with the hotel to cancel or see how the situation is. Who's on the ground?

I am. I am in Shangri-la Fort. No restaurants, lounge or room service but Raging Bull is open for take outs. I booked the escort you guys were arguing about but because the hotel won't let new guests in (a guy stands by the elevators and checks everyone coming up) I had to book an AirBnB so I can spend time with her and booking an AirBnB was a pain in the ass too. Had to beg the owner to make it happen as most buildings got a strict policy at the moment. If you are not a guest before the lockdown, you really cannot get in. The AirBnb owner made it look like I was their relative and then I still had to prove to the building administration that I am working in BGC.

Restaurants are slowly starting to open and is available to order through lalafood and GrabExpress. Transport is still unavailable so you need to arrange for a car.

The only escorts I have been able to book are those with their own cars. Erin has a car and a driver so she's the only one I was able to see and another non-pro lady. It's a miserable time to be in Philippines.