frosty (chris)

I did mine in Cebu last November, copy of passport, 2 pics, fill in a form, got there at 8am all done and dusted by 9am. Cost was 500 pesos

Last night chatting with a friend that did his visa ext last week at Island Mall, Lapu-Lapu. He told me that they have new stickers now so that's why the stamp on receipt was being used, waiting for the new stickers to arrive, bit like the new plastic license plates for the car 3 years and waiting.

Was at SM in Tamiya was sale day, they have a super market there with a small section for home ware stuff anyway was doing a little shopping and as always in the electrical section they have a 50 inch TV full blast with karaoke, this woman large as life with a shopping trolley full of food with ankle biters in tow, stops, picks up the microphone belts out a few golden oldies and is on her way again, no-one battered an eye lid, had a pretty good voice too, only in the Philippines.

I was only going for a short o/seas trip, probably before you get back, who knows what will happen, I need a visa renewal before then, probably have stickers again next time.

Don't say too much Jack, you'll put the mocker on it, Regards

I have Globe at home- Prepaid Wifi and it's good when it's working which is most of the time, if I need to go to their office with problems the cashier is the go to girl, seems to know what's going on and how to fix, the customer service staff need to learn customer service. Had PLDT when I first came, service was fairly good, moved location and there connection was pathetic, Sky not worth talking about. Having dealt with Aussie ISP's for years it's much the same as local ISP's or maybe worse but much more expensive.

Good idea to keep the receipts, I have to leave soon so keep us up to date and your return experience would be interested if you have any problems on re entry.

Feel for you Jack, just had a dose myself and chicken was the culprit, hope you're on the up and up.

I used to get a really bad smell in my kitchen, I bought some draino type chemical from the local supermarket in a 250 ml bottle about 70 pesos from memory, every month I just pour a bottle down the sink at night time and let it work it's magic, no more smells and the drainage is also much better, sorry can't remember the name, next time shopping will look and post the product name here.

Hi Geoff, the same as you, I went for my first 2 months extension, they gave me a receipt stapled into my passport along with the previous 1 month receipt/visa ( new passport, last time had 3years of stickers.) What bothers me, is your passport is a legal document, should they be using staples, also I have heard some countries refuse you entry if you have any rips or tears in your passport as 2 recent cases in Bali showed. I suppose if you leave they will be only be using the receipt/visa the same as an exit visa, when you return you just start the process all over again and the I could be completely wrong on all counts. MFIT P.I.

Just received a promo from Cebu Pacific Manila/ Kota Kinabalu Peso 494 Manila / Taipei Peso 1199 Manila/ Hong Kong Peso 1399 Clark/ Singapore Peso 1344 make of it what you will, regards Book by 4th Feb

I wouldn't be putting money on that.

You said you are staying on Mactan Island. Did a visa app 3 weeks ago. Go to Island Mall, just up from McDonalds, all the taxi drivers know it, there is an Immigration Office in the mall. It's one of the more enjoyable experiences here in dealing with the beaurocracy. They will only give you a 29 day visa first time, all you need is your passport, they give you a half page aplication form. You won't have problems there, it's all easy peasy stuff. I go at around 12-1 pm, usually takes 10-15 minutes, last time was 30 minutes, lot's of people there, not sure why. Cost was 3030 pesos, they used to give a stamp in your passport but this time was given a slip of paper, stapled in to my passport and told to make sure I DO NOT LOSE AND LEAVE IN MY PASSPORT, something new, maybe they ran out of stamps like the run out of plastic here for driving licence. Don't wait till the last day, go 2 or 3 days before you entry visa expires, it's really just so simple to do, good luck

Try Air Asia they have a promo on now, I got one in November from memory was about $25 Aus, to Macua

Hi there, an American acquaintance, goes to an Expat gathering at the Marco Polo Hotel in Cebu, don't know the time or date but you could contact the Hotel and ask, as far as I know they meet for dinner, mainly North Americans.