General Info

For those regarding tickets etc.

At Dubai airport they did not ask me but. Arriving in Manila there is a new system with non pinoys going to different counters (it seems slightly more efficient for NAIA. But not when compared with Singapore, HK etc). Although the pinoy counters had long queues so some joined the non pinoy queues (and some were asked to go back to the right queue!)

The counter staff who were dealing with my passport (and everyone elses) are new (possible trainees as there was always a more senior persons behind them watching)

They asked many for a hard copy the return ticket. So if they don't get you one way (at departure) they will the other. The newbie immigration staff apeared to be asking more questions of each traveller, and it took longer to get through passport control (ie the time per person was longer than normal IMHO and guesstimate).

So GL et al seems you will need to show something even if not a real ticket

[QUOTE=Punter 127; 1338742]I agree with Red Kilt that things are changing, but I'm sure you can still buy your way around just about anything here.[/QUOTE]I would NEVER try to buy my way around an immigration official, no matter how sure Punter might be that you can buy your way through other areas.

A Chinese guy was deported recently because he tried to bribe an immigration official (news report)

There was another recent news article about the Commissioner setting up CCTVs on every entry / exit point to ensure all transactions were properly carried out. The crack-down has occurred because of the illegal departure of the two brothers from Palawan wanted on murder charges who were, apparently, spirited past immigration through a side door by corrupt immigration officers who were paid serious money to do it (millions of pesos). The officials have since lost their jobs.

A measly 500 or 1000 php will get you big trouble if you happen to pick the wrong official.

[QUOTE=Red Kilt; 1339001]I would NEVER try to buy my way around an immigration official, no matter how sure Punter might be that you can buy your way through other areas.

A measly 500 or 1000 php will get you big trouble if you happen to pick the wrong official.[/QUOTE]When I first started to go to the Phils eight years ago, an expat told me that I should have 500 ready in case a customs guy wanted to check my suitcase. Well, I have never declared anything and they have never checked my bag. If they had, they would not have found anything illicit anyway, maybe just an embarrassment of toys, underwear (female) , lube, etc. But no way in hell was I ever going to try to grease my way through customs.

[QUOTE=Red Kilt; 1339001]I would NEVER try to buy my way around an immigration official, no matter how sure Punter might be that you can buy your way through other areas.

A Chinese guy was deported recently because he tried to bribe an immigration official (news report)

There was another recent news article about the Commissioner setting up CCTVs on every entry / exit point to ensure all transactions were properly carried out. The crack-down has occurred because of the illegal departure of the two brothers from Palawan wanted on murder charges who were, apparently, spirited past immigration through a side door by corrupt immigration officers who were paid serious money to do it (millions of pesos). The officials have since lost their jobs.

A measly 500 or 1000 php will get you big trouble if you happen to pick the wrong official.[/QUOTE]Don't put words in my mouth, I didn't say anything about bribing anybody. If you're ask for an onward ticket and you don't have one you will most likely be given the opportunity 'buy your way around' the problem by purchasing an onward ticket. You make it sound like they're looking for a reason to keep you out of the country, I don't think that's their goal.

BTW it happened to me in Bangkok on my first trip the Philippines, I simply had to buy an onward ticket before I could board the plane, no big deal.

[QUOTE=Punter 127;1339016]Don't put words in my mouth, I didn't say anything about bribing anybody.[/QUOTE]OK fair enough call, but maybe you should be more explicit with your choice of words.

I would suggest that your comment "you can still buy your way around just about anything here" means offering grease money in a majority of interpretations, and especially in the context of the approach used by most ISG contributors.

[QUOTE=Red Kilt; 1339027]OK fair enough call, but maybe you should be more explicit with your choice of words.

I would suggest that your comment "you can still buy your way around just about anything here" means offering grease money in a majority of interpretations, and especially in the context of the approach used by most ISG contributors.[/QUOTE]Agreed I could have been more explicit, but by the same token you could have ask for a clarification rather then jumping to conclusions.

I stand by my comment "you can still buy your way around just about anything here" It appears to me that most things in this country revolve around money, and a small amount of money fixes more problems here than anyplace I've ever been. I had a friend who was late getting his visa extension, no problem just pay a 1000p penalty and all is well. The list of examples like that goes on and on.

Do you know of anybody who was denied entry solely because they didn't have an onward ticket, without first getting an opportunity to buy a ticket?

I didn't go back and look but I seem to remember reports of people that didn't have onward tickets being required to pay for a first extension at a higher than normal price before being allowed entry, and they did not have to buy a ticket. Just pay the money.

I enjoy disagreeing with RK, but in this case I have to bite the bullet. Punter, your original post hints at bribing an immigration agent. No, no, no. Your post below suggests something very different and I respect that you took the time to make a clarification. You have to remember that newcomers here may take adivice literally. RK, bless his naughty soul, was right to call you out on this.

Buying your way out of trouble or inconvenience is NOT a good choice, IMHO. Avoid trouble in the first place.

[QUOTE=Punter 127; 1339040]Agreed I could have been more explicit, but by the same token you could have ask for a clarification rather then jumping to conclusions.

I stand by my comment "you can still buy your way around just about anything here" It appears to me that most things in this country revolve around money, and a small amount of money fixes more problems here than anyplace I've ever been. I had a friend who was late getting his visa extension, no problem just pay a 1000p penalty and all is well. The list of examples like that goes on and on.

Do you know of anybody who was denied entry solely because they didn't have an onward ticket, without first getting an opportunity to buy a ticket?

I didn't go back and look but I seem to remember reports of people that didn't have onward tickets being required to pay for a first extension at a higher than normal price before being allowed entry, and they did not have to buy a ticket. Just pay the money.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=El Greco;1338812]Well if she knew her job better she should have looked for the word "CONFIRMED" or the TICKET NUMBER.[/QUOTE]Next you will tell that they should attend a course in ticketing :LOL.

They are only trained to look for departure dates.

It works. So fret not.

I know this has been asked before but could not find it using the search.

My smilies got turned off, and I can't figure out how to turn them back on.

Will appreciate any help.

Slim

Gentlemen,

I am considering buying a lot, or block of land for a gf.

Has anyone here actually bought land in the Phils, and can advise as to the process or procedure to follow?

Thanks in anticipation,

G

[QUOTE=Wicked Roger; 1338846]For those regarding tickets etc.

At Dubai airport they did not ask me but. Arriving in Manila there is a new system with non pinoys going to different counters (it seems slightly more efficient for NAIA. But not when compared with Singapore, HK etc). Although the pinoy counters had long queues so some joined the non pinoy queues (and some were asked to go back to the right queue!)

The counter staff who were dealing with my passport (and everyone elses) are new (possible trainees as there was always a more senior persons behind them watching)

They asked many for a hard copy the return ticket. So if they don't get you one way (at departure) they will the other. The newbie immigration staff apeared to be asking more questions of each traveller, and it took longer to get through passport control (ie the time per person was longer than normal IMHO and guesstimate).

So GL et al seems you will need to show something even if not a real ticket[/QUOTE]That's a serious pain. I know it's not a huge amount to buy a onward ticket but I would rather not waste $70 completely unnecessarily. Has anyone been through Clark recently and can confirm or deny similar treatment at Clark?

I agree with the posters who caution against trying to bribe ones way out of trouble in this type of situation or any other involving immigration.

The Phils has periodic anti corruption purges when such incidents get reported and then you can find yourself in serious trouble. A guy I knew from my last trip was expelled from the country with uncertainty as to return for trying to bribe someone rather than pay a visa extension fine.

Previously I have just about got away with just claiming a flight number. I have only actually had problems on the phils side when I tried to enter phils at Laoag where they only deal with flights from China. I then had an hours iinterrogation trying to convince the official that my BKK. London flight could be rerouted. After about an hour the guy just gave up and infact gave me a lift into town. I suspect that the downside risk is that one ends up having to buy the onward ticket that one was trying to avoid buying, perhaps at inflated price if there is no web access. For those thinking of "amending" an old e ticket you will probably need a program to edit PDF's to make a good job of it. The free Acrobat of Foxit PDF readers won't work. Foxit PDF Editor works well and you can eitherbuy it or download a pirated version from Pirate bay.

[QUOTE=Gangles; 1339575]Gentlemen,

I am considering buying a lot, or block of land for a gf.

Has anyone here actually bought land in the Phils, and can advise as to the process or procedure to follow?

Thanks in anticipation,

G[/QUOTE]I have bought 2 lots, and 3 areas of rice fields.

Of these 5 transactions, around another 15 that we considered buying were discovered to have incorrect or illegal or forged titles. Quite often people sell land to someone else by a simple hand shake and they hand over the cash and the title without wishing to pay the legal fees etc to get the title properly transferred to the new owner. We found many of those instances, and one I recall had changed hands 3 times without any paperwork having taken place. My lawyer wouldn't touch them.

[B]Step 1[/B]. Get yourself a very good property lawyer who will do the required searches. Once you are sure you have [I]bona fide[/I] Titles, the rest is easy.

I thought this post from Stroker Ace was useful regarding buying property in Phil.

[url]http://www.internationalsexguide.info/forum/showthread.php?1012-Other-Areas&p=1253449&viewfull=1#post1253449[/url]

[QUOTE=Red Kilt; 1339702]I have bought 2 lots, and 3 areas of rice fields.

Of these 5 transactions, around another 15 that we considered buying were discovered to have incorrect or illegal or forged titles. Quite often people sell land to someone else by a simple hand shake and they hand over the cash and the title without wishing to pay the legal fees etc to get the title properly transferred to the new owner. We found many of those instances, and one I recall had changed hands 3 times without any paperwork having taken place. My lawyer wouldn't touch them.

[B]Step 1[/B]. Get yourself a very good property lawyer who will do the required searches. Once you are sure you have [I]bona fide[/I] Titles, the rest is easy.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Gangles; 1339575]Gentlemen,

I am considering buying a lot, or block of land for a gf.

Has anyone here actually bought land in the Phils, and can advise as to the process or procedure to follow?

Thanks in anticipation,

G[/QUOTE]G,

To quench my curiousity, I must ask. Do you know anything about buying land-property in the Philippines?

[QUOTE=Stroker Ace88; 1339745]G,

To quench my curiousity, I must ask. Do you know anything about buying land-property in the Philippines?[/QUOTE]I didn't know much about it until I did it Stroker?

What's the big deal? G asked for advice. I gave it to him so hopefully he can set off on the same path that I took and it has proven very successful (and profitable) for me.