Nasty stuff. Seems like it's not so good for the person using it either.

https://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search/a?dbs+hsdb:@term+@DOCNO+1434

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS/ Dry /calcium/ carbide in contact with skin may cause dermatitis. Contact with moist skin & mucous membranes leads to ulceration & scarring. A peculiar type of melanoderma with strong hyperpigmentation and numerous telangiectases is often observed. Persons exposed to calcium carbide frequently suffer from cheilitis characterized by dryness, swelling and hyperemia of the lips, intense desquamation, and deep radial fissures; erosive lesions with a tendency to suppuration can be observed in the mouth angles. Workers with a long professional history often suffer from nail lesions ... eye lesions with pronounced hyperemia of the lids and conjunctiva, often accompanied by mucopurulent secretions, are also observed. In heavy cases the sensitivity of the conjunctiva and cornea is strongly reduced. While the keratitis and keratoconjunctivitis evolve first without symptoms, they may later degenerate into corneal opacities.
[International Labour Office. Encyclopaedia of Occupational Health and Safety. 4th edition, Volumes 1-4 1998. Geneva, Switzerland: International Labour Office, 1998., p. 104.58] **PEER REVIEWED**

CASE REPORTS/ The fast ripening of fruits means they may contain various harmful properties. A commonly used agent in the ripening process is calcium carbide, a material most commonly used for welding purposes. Calcium carbide treatment of food is extremely hazardous because it contains traces of arsenic and phosphorous. Once dissolved in water, the carbide produces acetylene gas. Acetylene gas may affect the neurological system by inducing prolonged hypoxia. The findings are headache, dizziness, mood disturbances, sleepiness, mental confusion, memory loss, cerebral edema and seizures. We report the case of a previously healthy 5 year-old girl with no chronic disease history who was transferred to our Emergency Department with an 8-h history of coma and delirium. A careful history from her father revealed that the patient ate unripe dates treated with calcium carbide.
[Per H et al; J Emerg Med 32 (2): 179-80 (2007)] **PEER REVIEWED** PubMed Abstract Full text: PMC2289291

/CASE REPORTS/ Calcium carbide used in fruit ripening industry as a cheap alternative to natural plant hormone ethylene produces highly inflammable acetylene gas. Inadvertent ignition of this gas can cause severe ocular burn injury with unilateral or bilateral blindness. To determine the characteristics and visual outcome of ocular burn injuries from calcium carbide during mango ripening season of West Bengal, eastern India. A prospective study of all cases of calcium carbide related ocular burn injury attending a tertiary care hospital during mango ripening season was carried out. The demographic features, characteristics of the injury, management and outcomes were recorded. Fifty five eyes of 33 patients were studied. Males were more commonly affected (20 patients, 60.6%) than females. The injury was bilateral in 22 patients (66.66%). Seventeen patients (51.51%) were below 20 years of age. Ten eyes had open globe injuries and 45 eyes had closed globe injuries. One eye of a patient had to be enucleated (3%). Children below 14 years of age were mainly injured while playing with indigenous fireworks of shooting carbide. Middle aged women were affected particularly during ignition of evening lamps. Carbide lamp was another source of injury. Males are more commonly affected by calcium carbide related ocular injuries. Children and young adults are the common victims. Such injuries can involve both the eyes and cause a permanent visual disability.
[Bandyopadhyay S et al; Nepal J Ophthalmol 5 (10): 242-5 (2013)] **PEER REVIEWED** PubMed Abstract

 

Sedona i think you are correct. Having all the copies is for their convenience.
Whenever I get a new passport I always have it re stamped. I don't know what problems a person would encounter trying to re-enter the country without one. I'm not adventurous and don't want to find out.
One guy had his ACRI Card receipt but didn't have his card yet because it had gone astray. He got fairly gruff with the girl and she told him she needed to see the card or he would be fined. She told him she didn't know where his card was and didn't care. Go to Manila and sort it out yourself.
My ACRI card went astray, my wife asked the Dumaguete office to please help her find it. In a matter of minutes they told her the courier company, waybill number and who signed for it. Moral of the story, if you get grumpy with the BI they can give you a reason to be grumpy.

edited some of the spelling mistakes

 

Another problem is with the Water Districts turning the water off during certain times at night. When those lines are recharged, the pressure knocks particles and bacteria off the inside of the pipes. Even in countries that have potable water, when for some reason the water goes off, they tell you to boil the water or chemically treat it for the first few hours after service is restored in order to eliminate contaminates.

 

The spillway going to BIR is still accessible, if the car is a bit higher on wheels. A more sporty car with a low front spoiler cannot make it unless you take the damage for what it is. Motorbikes also seems not to have many problems to cross.