Ok it was poor planning (ignorance of facts) that I got my return ticket to the US 6 months and 3 weeks after I arrived here so I sucked it up and paid BI 4550p *only* haha for an extension. I won't even bring up the "express lane fee" here as no one seems to understand what the hell that is, but WHY when I now have a fresh paper in my hand saying I'm not on any Hold Departure, Blacklist, Watch list, blah blah List do I have to make a special trip to Cebu next week to get a paper saying as I understand it virtually the same thing?? Maybe the new BI chief here can take a shot at answering that one because it is beyond me. Also I'd like to recognize them for their new "cue numbers" the guard at the door adamantly requires everyone to have now. Gone are the days I could drop my forms and money on the lady's desk and come back the next day and have her hand me my passport and receipt and be out the door in under a minute. PS Having exit clearances (redundant as they are) available at only 3 offices in the whole damned country was a stroke of genius!
Yes, times are changing fast and not to our advantage, prices rising also steadily, will hope that it gets not to difficult and hard to live in peace...
