Dumaguete Info Search


anybody leaving????

Discussion in 'Expat Section' started by filmguy, Jun 29, 2020.

  1. eskirvin

    eskirvin DI Forum Adept Blood Donor Veteran Navy

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    Well, I've left out a lot of consternation and uncertainty to leave the information in a more distilled format. For the parts that happened in Bayawan, I recently purchased a vehicle and was able to drive about to the random places they needed me to go. I won't go into the PAL experience as it still infuriates me, unless someone needs to know of the highway robbery.

    As for the Emirates flight, my wife and I had return tickets to Kuwait that brought us here and were to return us to Kuwait on the 29th of March 2020. I called Emirates to re-book them, but was told I could not use them because I would be creating an "open trip" as Kuwait is not currently allowing any non-citizen inbound flights. The UAE will be an interim stop, necessary because Kuwait will allow returns from the UAE on the 1st of August, but not the Philippines.

    So I booked an entirely new ticket to Dubai for the 11th of July on the 7th, and received an email on the 8th stating the UAE had changed their policy for allowing visitors from the Philippines to enter the country. Regardless of the nation of citizenship, people traveling from the Philippines would now need a negative PCR test issued 96 hours prior to travel from an accredited hospital. I knew there was less than a zero percent chance of obtaining a PCR test result prior to the 11th, so while waiting on the plane for takeoff in Dumaguete, I re-booked my ticket and bought my wife a ticket for the 15th, just on a prayer, not with any real knowledge of a timeline. Through phone calls, it seemed like the time frame was between 1 and 5 days, so it seemed safe.

    We chose to go to St. Luke's at BGC in Manila as they seemed the most professional over the phone, through many calls to many hospitals I placed while still in Negros. After a 4 hour wait and numerous questionnaires in the emergency room, we had 2 procedures, one in the nose and one in the back of the throat using swabs and were told we'd get results via email in 1 to 2 days. It cost 6600 pesos each person. As I write this, I haven't received the results, but it hasn't been 24 hours yet.
     
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  2. SkipJack

    SkipJack DI Senior Member

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    Hang in there @eskirvin . The next traveler may want to know that Cebu has in airport testing now. Hmmm. When will a hospital in Dumaguete be approved for testing?

     
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  3. eskirvin

    eskirvin DI Forum Adept Blood Donor Veteran Navy

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    My wife and I arrived in Dubai on the 15th of July and were herded into an area to be tested again. Most countries around the world are not required to have a test prior to boarding, but the Philippines is one of the lucky few. To me, it seems like nothing more than a financial barrier to prevent Filipinos from travelling to Dubai, as you've got to get tested at 6600 pesos each, then stay in a hotel to await results. You're boarding a plane with a bunch of negative test result passengers, flying direct to Dubai, then you've got to get tested upon landing. I think they way they do it when you land is the only real way to help stop the spread.

    I can't imagine the number of people who've missed flights or had to re-book at their expense for improperly estimating the amount of time needed to get the results of their test to try and save money on a hotel stay, but it has to be a lot. It took almost 2 days to get the test results to us, and the results have to be provided within 96 hours of flight. I spent more money on our hotel because I thought you needed to take the TEST within 96 hours, not get the results. You "could" get tested in Dumaguete, wait the 2 or 3 days to get the results, then make a mad scramble to fulfill all of the other requirements. It is a tight window, but possible. I guess you'd have to be prepared to spend more on your short notice flight though...
     
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  4. liberty9133

    liberty9133 DI Junior Member

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    I too am looking for a way out.
     
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  5. SkipJack

    SkipJack DI Senior Member

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    There are sweeper flights outbound from Dumaguete to Manila four days a week. Flights Manila to USA everyday of the week.

     
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  6. liberty9133

    liberty9133 DI Junior Member

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    What about expats wanting to go back to the country from whence they came?
     
  7. Happy Camper

    Happy Camper DI Senior Member Restricted Account Infamous Showcase Reviewer

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    Might want to check with the airlines. Both Cebu Pacific and PAL have flights coming and going a few days a week now. They are calling them Sweeper Flights. I doubt they are leaving empty.
     
  8. Show Pony

    Show Pony DI Forum Patron Highly Rated Poster Showcase Reviewer

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    If you get a sweeper flight make sure you and the airline "understand" it's a sweeper flight.
    My neighbor bought tickets online for ordinary flights that were cancelled at the last minute. The airline was more than happy to sell them new tickets on their sweeper flight. Same dam* plane same destination.
     
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