What Is the Topic?

[I'm Gone 60]

Regional Discussion

This Forum is dedicated to discussion on the major regions around the world. Topics of discussion may include travel, moving, what to eat and any other experience you may wish to share or inquire about. Have fun!

Sub Forum Philippines

So where does it say just immigration topics or is this something you have created?

[RickieAndEva 0]

Regional Discussion

This Forum is dedicated to discussion on the major regions around the world. Topics of discussion may include travel, moving, what to eat and any other experience you may wish to share or inquire about. Have fun!

Sub Forum Philippines

So where does it say just immigration topics or is this something you have created?

That is an excellent question...

[Otto 83]

Must be a new Sheriff in town...

[PlatyPius 5]

Immigration topics should be under the appropriate forum, I would think.... K1, K3, etc.

[Marilyn. 340]

yeah I thought the regional forum was for talking about country specific things that really didn't have anything specifically to do with immigration...

[sunandmoon 450]

yeah I thought the regional forum was for talking about country specific things that really didn't have anything specifically to do with immigration...

it should also be about things that have to specifically with immigration issues. procedures can vary at different country Embassies. If a Philippine Member we're to post in The Embassy Forum a question about CFO, members going thru other embassies might ask, what the heck is that, etc... such a question would best be asked in The Philippine sub forum.

the issue seems to be why non immigration threads are not being allowed in the open Philippine Forum, just in the pinned threads.

[Marilyn. 340]

yeah I thought the regional forum was for talking about country specific things that really didn't have anything specifically to do with immigration...

it should also be about things that have to specifically with immigration issues. procedures can vary at different country Embassies. If a Philippine Member we're to post in The Embassy Forum a question about CFO, members going thru other embassies might ask, what the heck is that, etc... such a question would best be asked in The Philippine sub forum.

the issue seems to be why non immigration threads are not being allowed in the open Philippine Forum, just in the pinned threads.

yeah I agree....

[PlatyPius 5]

Seems a little too restrictive, to me. That means people have to check one single thread, and read all of it, to find any "entertainment" posts from PI members. That seems silly.

[rebeccajo 14]

yeah I thought the regional forum was for talking about country specific things that really didn't have anything specifically to do with immigration...

it should also be about things that have to specifically with immigration issues. procedures can vary at different country Embassies. If a Philippine Member we're to post in The Embassy Forum a question about CFO, members going thru other embassies might ask, what the heck is that, etc... such a question would best be asked in The Philippine sub forum.

the issue seems to be why non immigration threads are not being allowed in the open Philippine Forum, just in the pinned threads.

yeah I agree....

Why is it a bad thing if members from other countries learn about the CFO by reading about it?

That being said, the only place Regional Forums are at all appropriate would be in the Consulates section.

The Regional Forums (as they exist at present on VJ) are nothing but a ghetto and have created clan behavior. They do nothing to foster a spirit of community, and even less to foster a full knowledge of the immigration process.

Edited September 21, 2008 by rebeccajo

[sunandmoon 450]

yeah I thought the regional forum was for talking about country specific things that really didn't have anything specifically to do with immigration...

it should also be about things that have to specifically with immigration issues. procedures can vary at different country Embassies. If a Philippine Member we're to post in The Embassy Forum a question about CFO, members going thru other embassies might ask, what the heck is that, etc... such a question would best be asked in The Philippine sub forum.

the issue seems to be why non immigration threads are not being allowed in the open Philippine Forum, just in the pinned threads.

yeah I agree....

Why is it a bad thing if members from other countries learn about the CFO by reading about it?

That being said, the only place Regional Forums are at all appropriate would be in the Consulates section.

The Regional Forums (as they exist at present on VJ) are nothing but a ghetto and have created clan behavior. They do nothing to foster a spirit of community, and even less to foster a full knowledge of the immigration process.

I not saying that it is a bad thing. In the Philippine Forum we have tried to foster the spirit of helping one another thru the process. Posting a question in the Philippine Forum about the process going thru Manila, a member is more likely to get the help they have requested. Recently in the Philippine Forum, there has been more bickering going on between some members. I think the reason for what is going on now with off topic threads is to try to keep the community spirt in the forum. I guess the dedate is whether off topic and questions about the process should be able to coexist in the forum.

[Captain Ewok 1,871]

Sorry all. Had a bumm computer all weekend but am all good now. I am reading up on this however regional forums should not be turned into immigration forums and are basically there to allow regional discussions (including OT) that focus on issues and topics of special interest to that region. The regular immigration areas should contain general immigration topics and the regional forums should not be specifically for that unless in regards to very specific issues involving that region (special processing issues perhaps).

[Captain Ewok 1,871]

I guess the dedate is whether off topic and questions about the process should be able to coexist in the forum.

Yes Off Topic Regional discussions as well as immigration issues that are very specific to that region may exist. I would strongly encourage people to post immigration topics of a general nature in the proper main immigration forum to help organize the site as well as help others. That said, there are often questions people have on regional issues that effect the process that are better suited for the regional forum.

Immigration topics should be under the appropriate forum, I would think.... K1, K3, etc.

Yes this is correct. Unless something immigration related is very specific to that region it should go in the appropriate main immigration forum.

yeah I thought the regional forum was for talking about country specific things that really didn't have anything specifically to do with immigration...

90% of all posts in the regional area should be of this type. The other 10% can be exceptions as I discussed above.

[Captain Ewok 1,871]

The Regional Forums were originally designed to allow people to find new friends with similar backgrounds based on their immigration path (and specifically their country w.r.t. immigration). Some topics of discussion are clearly easier to talk about with people that understand the cultural context (hence regional discussion areas). I think that people also need to remember that general immigration issues should always go in the right main immigration forum. Also they should remember that this is a great community and meeting people outside the Regional Forums will be enlightening for everyone.

[Captain Ewok 1,871]

@Sherif Uling (Phlippines moderator) and all global mods, please take a look at my above comments and please moderate the Philippines forum along these lines. Much appreciated!

Feedback is welcome is you disagree with my thoughts (which is totally ok). I am open to changing things if we think we can find a better way for things to work .

[Captain Ewok 1,871]

I wanted to add that I fault myself for not making the Regional Forums more well defined in terms of what is posted and how the moderation should work. I hope I have helped to clear this up and I have already notified the moderators to take a look here.