Built to government specs. . .
[QUOTE=Dezzy Haynes; 1166193]I don't know man. I called the mofos on Skype, popped it on speaker and just did housework and sh*t till they picked up. I was calm and cool on the phone, but I didn't get much out of them. My CC company eventually took care of everything.
An Aussie guy I work with has a Mastercard and had no trouble with CP. I've read that non-PI issued visa cards don't work well. I definitely agree though, the CS is sh*ite. [/QUOTE]Gents, thanks. Yes, the bank (CC) will deny the charge because of the dispute. Guess I'll go to the domestic office at the Manila airport and figure it out when I'm there. The question becomes, since I have no email confirmation of either booking, do I now be gutsy and make a third booking for the same flight. . . ?
New US Travel Warning on the Philippines
Guys:
Today, the US Department of State updated its travel warning on the Philippines. There's nothing much new, except the tone is more strident and makes the country sound more threatening than the prior advisory. If this new advisory follows the same trajectory as prior warnings, other Western democracies will soon follow suit with dire warnings of their own. My best guess is that this will adversely affect the rivulet of foreign investment capital that trickles in here, and more importantly for this August group, will dampen the enthusiasm of less than intrepid tourists thinking of coming here. Thus, demand may be truncated, while the supply will remain constant, given the poor economy and lack of opportunity. Punter competition in our common marketplace may actually decrease somewhat due to a reduced influx of tourists.
GE
For those who may have missed it, I've reproduced the relevant portions:
"Philippines
June 14, 2011
The Department of State warns U.S. citizens of the risks of terrorist activity in the Philippines, particularly in the Sulu Archipelago and on the island of Mindanao. Terrorist attacks could be indiscriminate and could occur in other areas, to include Manila. Targeted sites may be public gathering places including, but not limited to, airports, shopping malls, conference centers, and other public venues. This Travel Warning replaces the Travel Warning dated November 2, 2010, and updates specific regions of concern and reflects continuing threats due to terrorist and insurgent activities.
Travelers should exercise extreme caution if traveling to Mindanao or the Sulu Archipelago. Regional terrorist groups have carried out bombings resulting in injuries and death. Sporadic clashes have occurred between lawless groups and the Philippine Armed Forces throughout Mindanao, particularly in rural areas. U.S. Government employees must seek special permission to travel to Mindanao or the Sulu Archipelago.
The Philippine government declared a state of emergency on November 24, 2009, for the Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat provinces, as well as Cotabato City in Mindanao, as a result of election-related violence. Although the elections have passed, this state of emergency is still in effect. Travelers should be aware of heightened police activity and significant military presence in these areas. They should carefully research restrictions imposed on travel and follow the instructions of government officials.*
Kidnap-for-ransom gangs are active throughout the Philippines and have targeted foreigners. U.S. citizens traveling, living, and working throughout the Philippines are urged to exercise heightened caution in public gathering places.**U.S. citizens should exercise caution when traveling in the vicinity of demonstrations since they can turn confrontational and possibly escalate to violence."
Not All Filipinos Are Sleezy Money-Grubbers
A common theme on this board is how Filipinos are, in general, interested only in money and have no moral compass. I thought I'd pass along an experience from when I visited Davao last November.
I was in the street, which was crowded due to some parade or something going on. Lots of people were crowding and bumping into each other.
A young Filipino guy, maybe 18 or 19 years old, tapped me on the shoulder. At first, I assumed that he was just another beggar trying to hustle me. I snapped around ready to tell him to leave me alone, when I noticed that in his hand was my wallet. He said,"Sir, I think you dropped this," and handed me the wallet back.
I was amazed, because my wallet had about 20, 000 pesos in it (mostly 1, 000 peso notes). I tried to give him 1, 000 pesos as a reward, but he just smiled, said "no, it's okay" and then walked away.
People are people, some honest and some not. Nationality is irrelevant.
RG
