Reduced Staffing at US Embassy, How much longer will this go on?

[Joe Kano 327]

What in the world are the US Citizen Embassy workers doing?  Did they go back home to the USA?  Are they getting paid to not work? Are they furloughed and just hanging out in Manila area. 

 

In reality it looks like the US Embassy in Manila could easily be working with a skeleton crew for many more months.  I don't see them opening back up to normal staffing until somewhere in the year 2022.

[payxibka 10,045]

Staff was repatriated at the beginning of the pandemic.  Where are they now?  Uncertain. 

[Hilde 381]

31 minutes ago, Joe Kano said:

What in the world are the US Citizen Embassy workers doing?  Did they go back home to the USA?  Are they getting paid to not work? Are they furloughed and just hanging out in Manila area. 

 

In reality it looks like the US Embassy in Manila could easily be working with a skeleton crew for many more months.  I don't see them opening back up to normal staffing until somewhere in the year 2022.

This seems like a worldwide issue. Rio de Janeiro is also not moving along at all. Just doing expedited cases. I really thought in February things would move along quicker but it does not appear that way, unfortunately. 

[Cyberfx1024 7,980]

25 minutes ago, Hilde said:

This seems like a worldwide issue. Rio de Janeiro is also not moving along at all. Just doing expedited cases. I really thought in February things would move along quicker but it does not appear that way, unfortunately. 

Well it seems that both Manila and Rio went back into lockdown so that has hampered things. 

[Cyberfx1024 7,980]

1 hour ago, Joe Kano said:

What in the world are the US Citizen Embassy workers doing?  Did they go back home to the USA?  Are they getting paid to not work? Are they furloughed and just hanging out in Manila area. 

 

In reality it looks like the US Embassy in Manila could easily be working with a skeleton crew for many more months.  I don't see them opening back up to normal staffing until somewhere in the year 2022.

Supposedly the VA has a job there that I would definitely love to have. I applied to it and probably won't hear anything back but gosh dang it would be great to get that job

[igoyougoduke 1,656]

3 hours ago, Joe Kano said:

What in the world are the US Citizen Embassy workers doing?  Did they go back home to the USA?  Are they getting paid to not work? Are they furloughed and just hanging out in Manila area. 

 

In reality it looks like the US Embassy in Manila could easily be working with a skeleton crew for many more months.  I don't see them opening back up to normal staffing until somewhere in the year 2022.

 

or even 2023 or 2300 

[Joe Kano 327]

2 hours ago, Cyberfx1024 said:

Supposedly the VA has a job there that I would definitely love to have. I applied to it and probably won't hear anything back but gosh dang it would be great to get that job

That would be pretty sweet.

 

I think they have US Embassy in Cebu as well, my buddy went there a few years ago and got his passport replaced after a snatcher took his.   

 

I found this new development in Cebu called The Mactan Newton, it looks awesome.  Nice pools over looking the ocean with infinity edges, sidewalks with no pothole or beggars, it's very clean.    Price seem to be $450 to $750 per month for a nice condo with washer / dryer.  

 

You could live there for a while it would be nice an quiet instead of living in a house or an apartment and having to listen to all the noise pollution 24/7 like dogs barking, rooster cucking, trike noise, jeepney noise, video K noise or what other obnoxious noises they make all day and all night long in the Philippines.

 

Here is The Mactan Newtown Link: The Mactan Newtown | Township in Cebu | Megaworld Corporation

Edited April 13, 2021 by Joe Kano

[NeonParticles 126]

10 minutes ago, Joe Kano said:

That would be pretty sweet.

 

I think they have US Embassy in Cebu as well, my buddy went there a few years ago and got his passport replaced after a snatcher took his.   

 

I found this new development in Cebu called The Mactan Newton, it looks awesome.  Nice pools over looking the ocean with infinity edges, sidewalks with no pothole or beggars, it's very clean.    Price seem to be $450 to $750 per month for a nice condo with washer / dryer.  

 

You could live there for a while it would be nice an quiet instead of living in a house or an apartment and having to listen to all the noise pollution 24/7 like dogs barking, rooster cucking, trike noise, jeepney noise, video K noise or what other obnoxious noises they make all day and all night long in the Philippines.

 

Here is The Mactan Newtown Link: The Mactan Newtown | Township in Cebu | Megaworld Corporation

They have a consulate who's only open for like 3 hours a day.  MWTF.  Very helpful and clean and organized though.  

Newtown is fine but Mactan is a total mess outside of it.  Better to have a place in IT Park area which is similar and a more centralized location if you need stuff   You really want to go to Bohol/Moalboal if you want beach anyways.  

My plan at this point is, while waiting for the US embassy, spending extended time in Cebu if/when they open back up to tourists ... fingers crossed the vax card will let us in.

Edited April 13, 2021 by NeonParticles

[Cyberfx1024 7,980]

3 minutes ago, Joe Kano said:

That would be pretty sweet.

 

I think they have US Embassy in Cebu as well, my buddy went there a few years ago and got his passport replaced after a snatcher took his.   

 

I found this new development in Cebu called The Mactan Newton, it looks awesome.  Nice pools over looking the ocean with infinity edges, sidewalks with no pothole or beggars, it's very clean.    Price seem to be $450 to $750 per month for a nice condo with washer / dryer.  

 

You could live there for a while it would be nice an quiet instead of living in a house or an apartment and having to listen to all the noise pollution 24/7 like dogs barking, rooster cucking, trike noise, jeepney noise, video K noise or what other obnoxious noises they make all day and all night long in the Philippines.

 

Here is The Mactan Newtown Link: The Mactan Newtown | Township in Cebu | Megaworld Corporation

I know right. We would love to live in Cebu more so than anywhere in the NCR especially for anyone that is Cebuano or Bisaya.. There are not that many US jobs that come open in the Philippines especially with what I do but I am on the lookout for any that come open. I have a buddy of mine from the Marines (Fil-Am) that is living in Cavite right now. He is doing good right now drawing 100% from the VA and 100% from the DoD due to being shot in Iraq. 

I will definitely have to check out those condos. 

[top_secret 2,417]

16 hours ago, Cyberfx1024 said:

Well it seems that both Manila and Rio went back into lockdown so that has hampered things. 

 I have been in the city of Rio de Janeiro, with a Filipina no less, at the very height of the pandemic.  Whatever propaganda of bodies lying in the streets may be on TV, we were there.  First hand.  The city and society of Rio de Janeiro was functioning just awesome.  The pandemic meant your Uber driver would leave the windows down and you would randomly get splashed with a shot of hand sanitizer hear and there.  Otherwise everything was working great. If the US Consulate is shut down there they are about the only ones and I'm sure the Embassy workers are out in public enjoying the beach if they have an excuse to not be working.

[Trompie 9]

23 hours ago, Joe Kano said:

I found this new development in Cebu called The Mactan Newton, it looks awesome.  Nice pools over looking the ocean with infinity edges, sidewalks with no pothole or beggars, it's very clean.    Price seem to be $450 to $750 per month for a nice condo with washer / dryer.  

I just watched an expat do a review on this place on Youtube, looks awesome. Brand new and very clean, I would live there if I was in Cebu

[Jfresh26 23]

On 4/13/2021 at 10:50 PM, Joe Kano said:

You could live there for a while it would be nice an quiet instead of living in a house or an apartment and having to listen to all the noise pollution 24/7 like dogs barking, rooster cucking, trike noise, jeepney noise, video K noise or what other obnoxious noises they make all day and all night long in the Philippines.

This is SO spot on 🤣👌🏼

[Skyman 321]

On 4/13/2021 at 10:50 PM, Joe Kano said:

I think they have US Embassy in Cebu as well, my buddy went there a few years ago and got his passport replaced after a snatcher took his.

I think the consulate is open with the (nnormal) limited functions.  Passport renewal, notary, CRBA maybe.

[Joe Kano 327]

On 4/14/2021 at 9:32 AM, Trompie said:

I just watched an expat do a review on this place on Youtube, looks awesome. Brand new and very clean, I would live there if I was in Cebu

Yep.  I saw a one place had an infinity pool over looking the ocean from about the 5th floor, it was an awesome view.

[jskibo 588]

On 4/14/2021 at 10:32 AM, Trompie said:

I just watched an expat do a review on this place on Youtube, looks awesome. Brand new and very clean, I would live there if I was in Cebu

Was that Gio or Paul?