Beware if you travel alone to the Philippines

[~happyndinlove~ 540]

Hate to say this, but it is disgraceful and disgusting how some airport employees are in the PI? Especially at NAIA.

I can still recall that when I came home from one of my trips abroad, that before our plane landed, my friend kept telling me, "Be careful"!

I didn't understand why she kept saying those exact words over and over until I was about to exit the premises.

I was about a foot away from the exit door when the moron security guard just suddenly stopped me.

He immediately started asking me some stupid questions and made it very clear that I cannot get out of the airport until he'sdone "Exploring" my personal belongings!

Oh, of course, I didn't let the hungry croc touch my stuffs. I looked at him, smiled and asked this very specific question.."How much do you want"?

The shameless guard blushed and says, OK...you can go now! Lol! It worked!

Other experience was with a greedy cab driver. Hubby and I went to the Mall of Asia to pick up our wedding ring. Normally, we would pay about 65-85 pesos from Diamond hotel to the mall. Plus a good tip if the driver is mabait.

So we didn't expect (at least I did not) that we were gonna be charged for P400 in just one way. My first reaction was, are you serious, mamang driver? Yes, he was! He even tried to argue!

Before he said anything more, I handed him the P100 bill and told him, "take it or leave it"! I could hear him complaining but I didn't care!

Edited May 4, 2011 by ~happyndinlove~

[Richie Rich 70]

tallcoolone, i really don't wanna waste time and energy to reply to you but i've had enough of you..

seriously? have u ever been and stayed in manila for an extended amount of time? have you experienced all that manila has to offer?

i'm from manila and where i live isn't a sh!thole.. i'm not sayin the city is so great but it's definitely not a sh!hole!

i just hate people who try to be smart and say sh!t about something without even seeing the real/whole thing..

don't you think filipinos visit the philippine forum and leave hating visajourney because of your stup!d comments?!

you insult thousands of filipinos with narrow minded comments like this so don't you think you are a sad and poor representation of your state or america?!

.

[Richie Rich 70]

So as many of you guys already know who have been to Phils that some malls men CR's in Pines do not have toilet paper readily available. So I excuse myself from the table becasue after eating a pleasant lunch in the Food court I felt a rumbling in the ole tummy. I tell my lady I will be back shortly and I two step it to the CR. Two pinoy are at the mirror dolling themselves up as I slip and slide in (wet floors). I open up an empty stall and prepare myself for quality relaxtion time. I hear the two out at the mirror laughing but I ignore them and after I am done doing my business I reach for the tissue paper, BUT wait it's not where its suppose to be. I am like "WTH" so now I am totally screwed at this point. Do I get up and penguin walk to the next stall for tissue Do I swallow my pride and ask for assistance from those primadonna's in front of the mirror so I asked them for some assistance with toilet paper. One guy said $350 peso and at this point I was in no position to bargain so I said 250 peso now and 100 when he hands me the paper. Sur eenough the guy was true to his word and handed me the paper so I handed him the 100 peso. I was able to escape that embarassing moment. Low and behold on my exit from the comfort room I see where you are to purchase a packet of toilet tissue for 50 peso Kimmy till this day knew nothing about my Mall CR adventure

Thom --thats was funny . I had to pay 100 pesos for some water to wash my hands in the CR at the Manila airport . Believe it or not .

[Richie Rich 70]

Wow...

All that needed to be done was for your fiancee to complain or fuss at them. They only ever try things like that when I'm alone. People giving in and giving them any money at all is what keeps them coming back for more. And if you fell for the "sitting fee", well....

BTW, this entire thread would fit better in the Philippines regional forum since is has absolutely nothing to IR-1/CR1.

My Fiancee fussed at them but they ignored her . I thought the sitting fee was real and my fiancee did not know either since it was the first time we visited the Tourist site . I am more wiser now --they cant try those ''tricks'' on me again .

[Richie Rich 70]

I dont wish to offend anyone but in MY EXPERIENCE (3 visits to the Pi ) - I was asked for money for some rendering some ''petty service '' in Manila and Cebu .The only place I saw polite and couteous people that offered help without asking for monentary compensation was in places in Mindanow . I know they are some that stains the image of some good cities , but as I said it is my experience .

[ThomKimQC 14]

Thom --thats was funny . I had to pay 100 pesos for some water to wash my hands in the CR at the Manila airport . Believe it or not .

Are you serious!!!? You had to pay for water to wash your hands. Wait was there a CR attendant with a bucket of water and ladle I thought I was being ripped a new one.

[Joan >3 Bob 20]

When I experience this problem I just tell the guard or whomever..get out of my face or I will Pacquio your ####!!! never failed so far

[tokyobelle 2]

even as a balikbayan some people would still try to do this to you, or if you appear like you do not know anything in the Philippines. if you are a first-timer, just ignore them as much as possible, and appear like you are a frequent flyer.

when i was in college and i go to Manila with my friends, taxi drivers always try to rip us off. some of my friends have thick Bulakenyo accent so it was a dead giveaway that we're not from Manila.

i always have my mom rent a van from the airport to our house whenever i go to the philippines for vacation. just make sure you have a few bills ready for any emergencies. during my first vacation i cannot contact my mom thru my roaming phone so someone lent me their cellphone. please correct me if i am wrong but i haven't noticed any pay phones (or if they do you need to buy a card) near the meeting area. i always travel light but during that time i was carrying a remote control car as hand-carry and the guy who lent me his phone was telling me if i can't give him any bills any "pasalubong" will do. i told him to wait for my mom to arrive and i will pay him back. i gave enough money to purchase a new cellphone card.

just assume that nothing is free. a few dollar bills won't hurt e? if they complain then just say no.

[A and T 82]

One of the biggest problems for those coming to the Philippines for the first time is when you get off the plane (if its in Manila) You don't know where to go to find the people waiting outside. No signs say to go outside and cross this Cab lane and go down the stairs. I was totally lost when I arrived, I had no idea that was down there. People tried the same with me, wanting to help me with a phone call , but i had my cell phone working so i kept texting my wife who eventually told me where to go.

Its completely insane that they dont have a sign with a huge arrow that says " GO THIS WAY " Signs would be nice , but i guess they dont have them on purpose

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

One of the biggest problems for those coming to the Philippines for the first time is when you get off the plane (if its in Manila) You don't know where to go to find the people waiting outside. No signs say to go outside and cross this Cab lane and go down the stairs. I was totally lost when I arrived, I had no idea that was down there. People tried the same with me, wanting to help me with a phone call , but i had my cell phone working so i kept texting my wife who eventually told me where to go.

Its completely insane that they dont have a sign with a huge arrow that says " GO THIS WAY " Signs would be nice , but i guess they dont have them on purpose

The PAL terminal was easy, and maybe it still is. You walk through the doors once you get your baggage, and you are confronted with a wall of people waiting for passengers maybe thirty or forty feet away behind the steel railing the runs the length of the terminal. It took a few minutes to scan the crowd, but I spotted my gal down at the far end. It took like five minutes to meet up with her, and get to the car and driver she had hired for us.

[southcalhog 43]

One of the biggest problems for those coming to the Philippines for the first time is when you get off the plane (if its in Manila) You don't know where to go to find the people waiting outside. No signs say to go outside and cross this Cab lane and go down the stairs. I was totally lost when I arrived, I had no idea that was down there. People tried the same with me, wanting to help me with a phone call , but i had my cell phone working so i kept texting my wife who eventually told me where to go.

Its completely insane that they dont have a sign with a huge arrow that says " GO THIS WAY " Signs would be nice , but i guess they dont have them on purpose

U right..they must dont have the signs on purpose.I arrived at the International terminal there last September 2010.when i walked out the door there was Nobody outisde except taxi driver dropping off and shuttle buses but not visitors waiting for Passenger.one Pinoy saw me looking confused and told me people wait down one level, theres a waiting area. And of course he was glad to show me.when we went down and hes pushing my cart there was LOTS if people waiting.my Fiance finally saw me and of course i gave him a tip.....NO Signs!

[Scott and Mhay 57]

Pretty funny stuff....

On my last trip to the PI my wife and I were staying in the Pearl Garden Hotel. The first day we went to St. Lukes, the cab driver turned on the meter when we told him to. I think it was like 40 pesos to St. Lukes. The next day we had to go back. We got in the cab and the guy didnt turn on the meter. So, when we got to St. Lukes I just handed him 50 pesos....he looked at me and said 100 pesos.....I told him I made the same trip the day before and it was only 40 pesos. All he said was "traffic." I told him we made the trip the day prior and there was more traffic. At this point I told my wife to open the door. She was having a problem, so I opened it up and we got out and waled up to the door at St. Lukes.

You know I dont mind tipping, but if you are trying to scam me, I don't go for that. I have travelled around the world, so I am not that gullable.

My wife has argued with tricycle drivers too...because they wanted to charge us double. That is why we normally have her brother or one of the drivers we know take us anywhere when I was there.

[graceroxas 17]

There are two terminals serving international flights at NAIA and you can be spared the aggravation of touts and would-be scammers if you can arrange in advance where to meet up.

Terminal 1 is the older and more chaotic of the two as it serves all airlines except the national flag carrier, Philippine Airlines (PAL). When you go down any of the two ramps, there are waiting bays with alphabetical designations just before you cross the street to the designated waiting area for arriving passengers. So an arriving Mr. Jones, for example, can tell his welcome party to look for him under the "J-K" bay.

Terminal 2 (Centennial Terminal), which serves only PAL flights, is much less congested and it is easier to find people there. You can set as meeting place a coffee shop (there's only one free-standing) to the far right of the arrival area, a few meters away from the throng of people waiting for passengers.

Grace

Edited May 9, 2011 by graceroxas

[graceroxas 17]

. We got in the cab and the guy didnt turn on the meter. So, when we got to St. Lukes I just handed him 50 pesos....he looked at me and said 100 pesos.....I told him I made the same trip the day before and it was only 40 pesos. All he said was "traffic."

This is actually my pet peeve and is by far the most common scam that I think you would encounter there. Even Pinoys are not spared. Even if I can afford what they charge out-of-meter, I still refuse, out of principle, to patronize cabbies who do this. I always make sure that they flag down the meter before the cab moves any place far and if they don't, I alight. If they picked you up while lining up in a queue, then it will be a bother for them to replace you (a well-deserved one too).

Grace

Edited May 9, 2011 by graceroxas

[Piso Envy 5]

There are two terminals serving international flights at NAIA and you can be spared the aggravation of touts and would-be scammers if you can arrange in advance where to meet up.

Terminal 1 is the older and more chaotic of the two as it serves all airlines except the national flag carrier, Philippine Airlines (PAL). When you go down any of the two ramps, there are waiting bays with alphabetical designations just before you cross the street to the designated waiting area for arriving passengers. So an arriving Mr. Jones, for example, can tell his welcome party to look for him under the "J-K" bay.

Terminal 2 (Centennial Terminal), which serves only PAL flights, is much less congested and it is easier to find people there. You can set as meeting place a coffee shop (there's only one free-standing) to the far right of the arrival area, a few meters away from the throng of people waiting for passengers.

Grace

And there is Terminal 3, which Ceebu Pacific uses for both their domestic and international flights, also Air Philippines and All Nippon are now using the new terminal.