Best Posts

I do not see a recent update to this so I am sharing my experience:

U.S. Passport expires in July this year and have travel plans so need new passport to comply with the 6 months remaining requirement the Philippines and other countries have.

I filled out the application using the wizard on the embassy website and printed it out. On the application you can request the larger passport which has twice the pages as 'normal'. The cost of the regular and extra page passport is the same, the State Department no longer issues extra pages to add to your passport so if you think you will need them get them on renewal.

Per the instructions on the website, I went to BPI and got a bank draft for $110, had to put my wife's name and account number on the BPI request but they put my name on the draft. Not sure, but sounded like you need an account to get the draft. The exchange rate they used was better than xe.com (over p50.00 to $1 on a P49.xx to $1 day) and charged p250 (best I can remember) service fee.

Since the Air21 phone number at the Embassy does not work (per the instruction sheet, I believe it is finally working now) I just went to Air21 in Duma. Instead of p240 round trip door-to-door, it was p300 to send from their office and I will have to pay the Air21 return fee COD to the driver.

2 weeks since I was at Air21 I checked the Embassy Passport Status website, it said my new passport has been printed in the US and sent to the Manila Embassy.

Final result, I recieved my old and new Passport (with extra pages) via Air21 COD to my door today. COD fee was p120. That makes it mailed to Embassy via Air21 in Dumaguete on Friday 27 January and received via Air21 in Valencia on Wednesday 1 March, 2 days short of 5 weeks.

 

Well all I can say is fantastic!
Went in late afternoon and ordered fish and chips, out came a feast at 195 pesos , lovely bartered dorado fish in huge chunks along with very large perfectly cooked chips , it was a struggle to finish the meal as so large,
Kudos to This place I am more then impressed with the price , service and quality of food .
Had a full meal, ice cream dessert , and 3 or 4 beers , sat for around 2 hours watching the world go by at a cost of 390 odd pesos!
Great job why not

 

Today my wife and I decided to dress the Christmas Tree. We began by putting the lights on the tree and when we were nearly finished, my wife noticed that one of the push fit bulbs on the floor. It was then that we noticed that all the bulb holders were disintegrating, allowing the two contacts to escape the holder and possibly short out. We took all the lights off the tree and noticed that every holder was now turning into a powder. This then made me realise why there are so many fires here. We purchased these lights 3 years ago in a store very close to Mc Donalds. So please check your lights and discard them if they are not 100%.

Have a safe and Merry Christmas.

 

I was amazed to see an LTO check point today on the Hwy from Dmgte to Valencia. stopping M/C's for safety and noise violations. Then before lunch they moved it to just outside of Valencia. I was happy to see that they stopped and detained the guy who rides the green extra loud drag type M/C by my house several times a day and night.

 

"In a television interview last week, Mayor Ipe Remollo said that starting tomorrow till Friday, August 15 - 19, sidewalks painted green will be off-limits to motorcycles, pedicabs, 4-wheeled vehicles and vendors. The green sidewalks will solely be for pedestrians to walk on. This will be an "information dissemination week" and no fines will be charged yet.

Starting next Monday, August 22, violators will be penalized.

Let's observe and see if tinuod ba gyud ni!"


Note: It may be easier to find Pokeman than find a green sidewalk in Dumaguete but you will not miss them you see them. When the paint wears off you can park on them.
To help identify "pedestrians" it is suggest you wear green shirts so you are not run over by the locals.
Siliman College is working with this program.

 

I am a tough cookie when it comes to recommending people/businesses so for me to be posting this is a very positive thing,

I had a house on the market privately for a while there in Dauin, i had untold time wasters and nuisance interested people and around 4 sure buyers,,,,, the time came when i finally decided to change my luck and use a real estate agent recommended by a member here,

This guy went far and beyond his job title , he showed many people my property and gave the up most respect to me during the time he was marketing my property, his fees were very reasonable and he did everything he said he would do and in the time scales he said he would do them ,

I believe he is a member here, the guy i delt with was Gordon and i can highly recommend him for buying/selling/renting/management of property there in Dumaguete areas,

Highly trustworthy , had the sum of millions of pesos with not a glitch go through him,,, i cannot express my respect enough for this guy ,, honestly if you are doing anything with any property use his company if you want no headaches and straight honest dealings ,,,

If i am looking for property again buying/selling/renting i would not hesitate to use this guy,

got to be the best i have every come across in 10 years of being in the Philippines, this is no bull,,

If you read this Gord,, thanks again , i have no alteriour motives for this post it is genuinely giving praise where its due

cheers

 

Today we honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice and those still suffering from having served.
Semper Fidelis