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There is an American aid organization still working in Tacloban building schools. They learned that unless they came here and spent the money themselves it would never get done. They are 100% funded by American donations and give the 2o room schools to the locals when they are finished. The schools are super typhoon and flood proof so the LGU's are designating them as typhoon shelters. They come fully furnished and stocked with school supplies.

 

It will be a bloody, dirty fight for Duterte, police and military. He will have to sleep with one eye open for quite a while. He is president now and could start to coast but i believe his love of country and the people are the reasons he is taking on this huge task and putting his life on the line. I wish him all the best and hope his senators support him 100% in what he wants and has to do.

Martial law is not such a bad thing if implemented for the right reasons. lawful people have nothing to worry about, yes some might find a curfew inconvenient but its a small price to pay for eradicating corruption, crime and drugs.
When i was a kid in Montreal martial law was declared during the f.l.q. crisis, but it was life as usual for the average joe.

Right now the criminal element is worried. many have turned themselves in, stabbing each other in the back and killing their own. Perhaps Duterte is smarter than most people give him credit for.

On an interesting side note, The Philippine pension is making large pension adjustments to the retired people, many are surprised to find large unannounced deposit's appear in their bank accounts. My wife's father who has been retired for about 15 years heard the rumor from friends and checked his account a few days ago and found an extra P30,000. The corruption sucks, the poor suffer while politicians and bureaucrats line their pockets. I would bet big that is the fear of Duterte behind this pension adjustment...

Long live Duterte!!!

 

I enjoy waking up knowing i do not have to do anything i dont want to, My last 2 years at sea were a drag and its only the last few that i could be bothered looking at the ocean. so NO i do not miss working

 

Speaking from experience, I would only inform his wife/gf to notify the embassy. I had a well-intended friend notify the U.S. embassy of my husband's death the day he died (without informing me), before I was ready to notify them (sometimes the banks gets wind of it and will freeze assets/bank accts). I had to act quick to get much-needed cash out of an account for bills/burial expenses, before it was frozen.

 

Good news! I beat the Grim Reaper this time.

 

Its not just immigration though or LTO but virtually every government connected office has fixers be it getting a business license, getting a firearms license (didn't you hear after all a foreigner with firearms license already is 100% safe! hahaha), getting an annulment, or anything else. It doesn't protect you should they ever look over the stuff and see its not legit or had been fixed. Saying you didn't know is NOT an excuse to them or that the person seemed legit. Its not even an excuse if the fixer actually even worked for the office in question and was a genuine employee.

Simple rule of thumb, if anyone says they can take care of it real quick even if they say or don't say about its likely an illegal fixer. The Philippine government no matter what office is extremely slow, extremely annoying, and makes no sense. If what your doing seems fast, not so annoying, and makes sense.... it is NOT legit.

I've even been told by a government worker (forget what permit office though) and another foreigner that they knew the right people who could get me a firearm permit as a foreigner and both swore that if I had the permit granted it would fully protect me from the police or anyone questioning how me as a foreigner have it. I wasn't gullible though and laughed them off but to many suckers out there.