Traveling to the Philippines after reopening

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Well I am sitting here waiting to board my flight to Qatar and then onto Manila. The woman at the check in was pretty thorough going through all the Philippines requirements:
1. Proof of vaccination (CDC card works)
2. Negative PCR test within 48 hours of departure.
3. Health insurance of at least $35,000. I got one dirt cheap at American Express.
4. Philippines Health Pass registration. At first she wanted the QR code but I told her it has to be issued within 24 hours of arrival. She was satisfied to see that I had completed the registration.

The real test will be in Manila - I hope they are so hurting for tourists that they won’t make me walk through burning coals. I have a long layover in Doha but the flight was cheap - comparatively speaking that is.

We are so ready for this. Every day for the past two years on Messenger.

I had to use my Canadian passport since the expiration date must be further than six months from arrival date in the Philippines. My US passport is going to expire in August so it’s time to renew that one.

[Rockheart]

Well I am sitting here waiting to board my flight to Qatar and then onto Manila. The woman at the check in was pretty thorough going through all the Philippines requirements:
1. Proof of vaccination (CDC card works)
2. Negative PCR test within 48 hours of departure.
3. Health insurance of at least $35,000. I got one dirt cheap at American Express.
4. Philippines Health Pass registration. At first she wanted the QR code but I told her it has to be issued within 24 hours of arrival. She was satisfied to see that I had completed the registration.

The real test will be in Manila - I hope they are so hurting for tourists that they won’t make me walk through burning coals. I have a long layover in Doha but the flight was cheap - comparatively speaking that is.

We are so ready for this. Every day for the past two years on Messenger.

I had to use my Canadian passport since the expiration date must be further than six months from arrival date in the Philippines. My US passport is going to expire in August so it’s time to renew that one.

I can't see what more they can make you do when you get there. Maybe take another test or quarantine you for some reason or another.
Unfortunately if there isn't many tourists they may be more likely to search you or check your stuff than when it is busier I think.
Thailand they never ever checked me but they are really really tourist oriented across the entire country. Falangs that don't look broke or suspicious don't get bothered.
I don't think PI has the same customer service attitude. These days you never know what could happen anywhere though.

Strange that no one ever asked me for proof of health insurance when travelling to any country ever.
Recently when travelling to Brazil, Mexico and USA never was I asked about health insurance even though all require it. Fernanda also was not questioned about health insurance in Mexico, USA or Canada. I did buy her insurance for USA and Canada since the medical care is so expensive, and also because we would be skiing. Probably the covid restrictions are taking up too much of their time for that.

All restrictions are now dropped in my province and many others in Canada. I'm not sure how the dozens and dozens of crusty masks in my car, condo, pockets kept anyone safe. When I needed a mask I just grabbed the closest one... hardly sterile or even useful.
Unfortunately the masks are just wet face diapers in the the hotter countries like when I was in Brazil and Mexico.
I was sweating through the mask within minutes in most cases. So I'm sure that won't be fun in Philippines in that regard.

Should be good to see your GF after that much time. Fernanda has gone back to Brazil and I miss her already.
I may go to Brazil later but she will probably come back to Canada soon. I'm not going to travel for a while in hopes all restrictions will be dropped this year.
Hopefully people will come to their senses soon but I'm really bored of the whole covid tests and apps and bullshit.

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I can't see what more they can make you do when you get there. Maybe take another test or quarantine you for some reason or another.
Unfortunately if there isn't many tourists they may be more likely to search you or check your stuff than when it is busier I think.
Thailand they never ever checked me but they are really really tourist oriented across the entire country. Falangs that don't look broke or suspicious don't get bothered.
I don't think PI has the same customer service attitude. These days you never know what could happen anywhere though.

Strange that no one ever asked me for proof of health insurance when travelling to any country ever.
Recently when travelling to Brazil, Mexico and USA never was I asked about health insurance even though all require it. Fernanda also was not questioned about health insurance in Mexico, USA or Canada. I did buy her insurance for USA and Canada since the medical care is so expensive, and also because we would be skiing. Probably the covid restrictions are taking up too much of their time for that.

All restrictions are now dropped in my province and many others in Canada. I'm not sure how the dozens and dozens of crusty masks in my car, condo, pockets kept anyone safe. When I needed a mask I just grabbed the closest one... hardly sterile or even useful.
Unfortunately the masks are just wet face diapers in the the hotter countries like when I was in Brazil and Mexico.
I was sweating through the mask within minutes in most cases. So I'm sure that won't be fun in Philippines in that regard.

Should be good to see your GF after that much time. Fernanda has gone back to Brazil and I miss her already.
I may go to Brazil later but she will probably come back to Canada soon. I'm not going to travel for a while in hopes all restrictions will be dropped this year.
Hopefully people will come to their senses soon but I'm really bored of the whole covid tests and apps and bullshit.

Actually I think everyone is tired of it.

When I arrived in Manila, the first thing I wanted to do was get on wifi. Usually every airport has a public wifi but not Manila. They have a bunch of free wifi networks that want a Philippine phone number they send a code to. I finally found someone who was patient enough to give me their phone number and then give me the code.

Thank God because at the health check which precedes everything they wanted the Health Pass QR code. I had completed the application and received notice that it was complete but no QR code. I told the woman that I didn’t have a QR code and she was going to help me but then my email got updated and there it was - the precious QR code she could scan.

After that she just wanted to see my CDC card with the vaccination data as well as the negative PCR test. No one asked about the medical insurance.

After I went through immigration there was a final check to see if I needed to quarantine. I showed the guy my QR code and he scanned it and gave me a little paper saying No Quarantine. At the terminal exit I showed the paper and then I was free to meet my girlfriend outside. Finally after two years we were together again. Life is good.

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Good you made it.
I never understood the quarantine thing. If the virus is already in the country, what does quarantining people do?
That is why they lifted all the mandates here, it was pretty obvious the vaccine (which is not a vaccine) and the masks were doing nothing to stop covid.
Some places they don't want to come to that realization.....

This is why I won't go to Asia until this thing is completely over there.
As a tourist, if I get covid when i get there, they may disappear me.

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Good you made it.
I never understood the quarantine thing. If the virus is already in the country, what does quarantining people do?
That is why they lifted all the mandates here, it was pretty obvious the vaccine (which is not a vaccine) and the masks were doing nothing to stop covid.
Some places they don't want to come to that realization.....

This is why I won't go to Asia until this thing is completely over there.
As a tourist, if I get covid when i get there, they may disappear me.

I have to say that this whole obsession with people entering the country and bringing a disease that is already there and widespread seems pointless. Unless you are prepared to wall off the country it’s going to get in and it’s going to spread. Destroying the economy on top of the misery caused by the pandemic itself is no solution.

Now that I am here in the Philippines life seems fairly normal except for the masking. Some people still mask in Texas but it’s up to the individuals what they want to do to feel comfortable. My girlfriend’s salon had plenty of customers yesterday so maybe things are turning around at last.

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Salons and Gyms took a beating during the pandemic for no real reason other than deemed close contact.
When I went to get a haircut they would lift my mask off one side to cut, then the other side.
I think the virus took a break during these mask removals apparently or masks are just theater.

Almost nothing was logical or scientific, only political.
Asia has always had maskers due to pollution in big cities.

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Salons and Gyms took a beating during the pandemic for no real reason other than deemed close contact.
When I went to get a haircut they would lift my mask off one side to cut, then the other side.
I think the virus took a break during these mask removals apparently or masks are just theater.

Almost nothing was logical or scientific, only political.
Asia has always had maskers due to pollution in big cities.

Yes, walking around Makati yesterday, even though we were outside and it wasn’t really crowded, everyone and I mean everyone had a mask on. At the end of the day though walking to her house from the salon on the side streets, people dropped their masks. I think here like everywhere they are tired of this and want to move on.

[Rockheart]

I think the only country that didn't fuck their tourism industry was Mexico. They never asked for vaccines or tests to enter, you just had to fill a form saying you didn't feel sick. There was never any major outbreaks or the country didn't get blocked. I think Mexico will reap the rewards going forward. Thailand and PI are so far for North Americans. You can find some nice beaches and cheap prices in Mexico without the big trip.

It may be more dangerous I suppose but I think the gangs are reason Mexico didn't shut down like other countries. I would like to think they have smarter politicians but it appears almost all politicians around the world were making the same power grabs and putting in ridiculous restrictions during the pandemic. The gangs rely on tourists so they probably weren't much in favor of big restrictions.

I would like to visit Philippines but I suspect i may go back to Mexico before that ever happens. 3 hour flight vs 20 or more hours to asia.
There is some decent TS in Mexico but I think many are imports from South and central america. The one thing is on average I don't find the GG women that I saw there nearly as attractive as what I have seen from Thailand and Philippines. I see many Filipina women here in Canada. The second most spoken language in my province is Tagalog, behind English and above French.

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I think the only country that didn't fuck their tourism industry was Mexico. They never asked for vaccines or tests to enter, you just had to fill a form saying you didn't feel sick. There was never any major outbreaks or the country didn't get blocked. I think Mexico will reap the rewards going forward. Thailand and PI are so far for North Americans. You can find some nice beaches and cheap prices in Mexico without the big trip.

It may be more dangerous I suppose but I think the gangs are reason Mexico didn't shut down like other countries. I would like to think they have smarter politicians but it appears almost all politicians around the world were making the same power grabs and putting in ridiculous restrictions during the pandemic. The gangs rely on tourists so they probably weren't much in favor of big restrictions.

I would like to visit Philippines but I suspect i may go back to Mexico before that ever happens. 3 hour flight vs 20 or more hours to asia.
There is some decent TS in Mexico but I think many are imports from South and central america. The one thing is on average I don't find the GG women that I saw there nearly as attractive as what I have seen from Thailand and Philippines. I see many Filipina women here in Canada. The second most spoken language in my province is Tagalog, behind English and above French.

Mexican women. You are right. The vast majority of Mexican women are not attractive - they tend to be thick and plain. However the hottest woman I ever saw anywhere was riding the Mexico City subway - she had the attention of every man there. She looked like she was on her way to work.

Looking at the Filipinas here many are quite unattractive but many are good looking. It seems to be one or the other with no middle ground. I told my girlfriend when we were in the mall that I was seeing many women who could pass for Korean and she said a lot of women had work done with that aim in mind. The one thing about Filipinas is they love a foreign guy and they don’t care how old he is if he’s good to them.

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Girls in every country like foreign guys.

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Girls in every country like foreign guys.

I had a Mexican girlfriend for a while and while some Mexicanas are interested in foreigners many, maybe most are not. Colombianas on the other hand are just like the Filipinas. It’s hard not to feel like George Clooney there.

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In most Asian countries, especially Thailand, a western looking guy is a prize and they will fawn over you. Mexicans can take or leave Americans as it is almost the same country. But I'm sure there is guys from some countries that knock the Mexican girls off their feet. Here it is guys from England, Australia, Spain or France. Mostly it is accent, I think.

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The accent. I remember one time coming back from Medellin and I was checking in at the airport. I was speaking Spanish to the women at the counter (both of whom were gorgeous) and they kept giggling. Finally I asked them what was so funny and one said, “Tú acento, es tan lindo!” (Your accent, it’s so cute). Yeah, those were the days.

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I read a few days ago that 96,000 foreigners had entered the Philippines since reopening last month - more than they expected.

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Probably many horny fuckers out there just waiting....