is tourist flights open in february 2021 ?

Tourism pumped billions of US dollars in to the Philippine economy back in 2019. Closing it down was a bad idea. Hundreds of food franchises were closed and more than 8 million Filipinos were put out of work because of it. Can’t really grow the economy that way...

And even the Mitsumi factory near my old place in Cebu was shuttered because of covid.
I think it might have reopened now. I’m not sure yet.
I’m not saying it’s enough on it’s own...but neither will a few factories scattered around the archipelago.
Not on it’s own.

The fear of foreigners bringing a covid surge is irrational.
We’ve seen evidence that it simply is not the case.
Thailand reopened it’s tourism.
So did Cambodia.
In Qatar a study was done that showed that only 2% of coronavirus positives occurred in their international travelers.
Aruba and the Dominican Republic also reopened their islands for tourism.
With screening precautions, and there was no massive surge in covid cases in any of those countries.
The recent massive surges of covid in Europe were not from foreign travelers either.

I think there’s another force at work here too. As someone already mentioned there are many Chinese businesses now. I’m willing to bet they would rather see the yuan circulating around than the Euro or US dollar. Just a hunch though.

Same with Indonesia too probably.

[Post under review]

mikebrant1973 wrote:

no need to get marry,,,,,no need to buy the cow for a glass of milk

Udderly Ridiculous

"No need to buy the cow for a glass of milk" on the front of the tee shirt could be a good seller especially if on the back it states that  "But the cream costs"

Cheers, Steve.

Enzyte Bob wrote:

mikebrant1973 wrote:

no need to get marry,,,,,no need to buy the cow for a glass of milk

Udderly Ridiculous

I cowcur

mikebrant1973 wrote:

no need to get marry,,,,,no need to buy the cow for a glass of milk

The more foreigners having that attitude, the less competition for us good guys to get a good woman... 

I know a lot of Filipinas, who are frustrated at so many foreigners at dating sites aren't serious, just wanting to get nude videocalls, while theese Filipinas are serious and want to get married...
(They like to communicate with me, although I have told them we will never become a couple because we don't suit as married and I haven's send them any money.  I suppouse because of my very different attitude than Mike's...,  They are my "Private news service" sometimes even being faster than TV news!!!     concerning e g earthquakes and they tell me things many foreigners living in subdivisions don't know and rich Manila Filipinos don't have a clue about the provinces.)

I just read ADVISORY NO. 12-2021 from the Philippine Consulate General Chicago website. Looks like entry to the Philippines by foreigners with Filipino spouses are now open.
I tried to find info if tourist visas are restricted and found none. It looks like you can now submit your tourist visa application and pray you'd get it.
PAL (online) is now taking bookings with no-fee re-booking. I hope they are not serving Covid for in-flight snacks. ✈😷

Anybody considered sailing / boating to the Philippines, crazy thought i know but people are
sailing around the world all the time, i dont know about the laws with arriving by boat.

Gaz555 wrote:

Anybody considered sailing / boating to the Philippines, crazy thought i know but people are
sailing around the world all the time, i dont know about the laws with arriving by boat.

Welcome to the forum Gaz, an interesting thought indeed.

Cheers, Steve.

bigpearl wrote:

Gaz555 wrote:

Anybody considered sailing / boating to the Philippines, crazy thought i know but people are
sailing around the world all the time, i dont know about the laws with arriving by boat.

Welcome to the forum Gaz, an interesting thought indeed.

Cheers, Steve.

Interesting yes....but I think more care needs to be taken in the avoidance of sea piracy & also there is a mandatory insurance requirement where someone  was quoted approx 5000 USD for a boat which was valued approx 150,000 USD.
(If I'm not mistaken)
Looks a little too expensive/risky for me...but maybe more research can be done.

Gaz555 wrote:

Anybody considered sailing / boating to the Philippines, crazy thought i know but people are
sailing around the world all the time, i dont know about the laws with arriving by boat.

I suppouse same rules undepending of how you arrive.

(A bit compare:  A CANADIAN got fined when he entered CANADA by boat just because he ate breakfast before he reported to the custom, never entered the land/pir! )

I'm flying up to Darwin next week for a week, I'm going to make enquires wether it's viable to charter a boat , maybe get a few like minded guys to consider the adventure...... I don't think international flights will be operating anytime soon. I agree about the dangers of pirates though.
If anybody knows people in Australia who might be interested,  let me know, cheers

Gaz555 wrote:

Anybody considered sailing / boating to the Philippines, crazy thought i know but people are
sailing around the world all the time, i dont know about the laws with arriving by boat.

Bold idea. I will not be surprised if there are people who'd do that. There are already a bunch of rich people travelling the world by sailboat and yacht. Entering the Philippines, there are already established procedures when entering by seacraft. Or, just don't get caught. 😂

Gaz555 wrote:

I'm flying up to Darwin next week for a week, I'm going to make enquires wether it's viable to charter a boat , maybe get a few like minded guys to consider the adventure...... I don't think international flights will be operating anytime soon. I agree about the dangers of pirates though.
If anybody knows people in Australia who might be interested,  let me know, cheers

Philippine Airlines is already accepting bookings. I checked JFK-MNL. I also checked the Chicago Philippine Consulate's website, they are now accepting foreign spouses of Filipino citizens. I did not find any statement they are not granting tourist visas. Flying might be more convenient but I cannot argue the adventure going by sailboat. If I am younger, lots of money and have lots of time on my hand, I will be interested to go on the sailboat, but for now I do not have those 3. At best, I can have lots of time on my hand.

Gaz555 wrote:

Anybody considered sailing / boating to the Philippines, crazy thought i know but people are
sailing around the world all the time, i dont know about the laws with arriving by boat.

Haha yes, I have thought about it, mostly as a fantasy, but not completely out of the realm of possibility if there were no other options. Because from here (US West Coast) it is a long journey. . I did have a bareboat license and used to charter, but it would be an expensive adventure, as you would have to buy and outfit a boat. We are talking a year to get ready and wait for the right weather patterns, at least. So probably not feasible. They certainly did it in centuries past however, and they didn't have SPOT beacon or weather radar, lol. I suspect luxury high speed sail may become a future option.

Pray you are wrong also. I have been waiting since Aug 2020 to travel to the philippines

Gaz555 wrote:

Anybody considered sailing / boating to the Philippines, crazy thought i know but people are
sailing around the world all the time, i dont know about the laws with arriving by boat.

got a friend who do that but you better know the law because you cant just come and go

you got customs & immigration to deal with just like everybody else

The crazy part for me is that I have been planning to retire to the Philippines for 12 years. Although I had no plans of marrying there but years ago I researched the Philippine law and was able to set up an SEC corporation that allows me to partly own property and businesses. I have invested millions of pesos there over the years and my only residence is in the Philippines.

I said all that to say that I am treated no differently than a tourist because I have never spent more than physically in the Philippines. I have researched the SRRV Courtesy Retired Visa option, but this visa does allow me to travel to the Philippines.

Lastly, I have already received the required two doses of covid vaccine, but I do not expect the current travel restriction to be eased until the vaccination rate US and Philippines is much higher (obviously vaccinations have not started in the Philippines). I do not think officials in the Philippines are flexible and entertain particular situations.

I start this post 2 month ago ......
any good news that open Philipines for april 2021 ?
please ?
thansk and bless

Martin882 wrote:

I have invested millions of pesos there over the years and my only residence is in the Philippines.
I said all that to say that I am treated no differently than a tourist because I have never spent more than physically in the Philippines. I have researched the SRRV Courtesy Retired Visa option, but this visa does allow me to travel to the Philippines.

More than 75 000 USD?   
Phils opened entry for SIRV investors in november.
Have you checked SIRV?  I don't know if old investments can be counted or if it has to be new.

Martin882 wrote:

years ago I researched the Philippine law and was able to set up an SEC corporation that allows me to partly own property and businesses.

Good one more know of this possibility    which almost all say is impossible      /question it when I have said it can be done like that.

Thanks for info, I looked into SIRV vs SRRV and SRRV better suits my situation. As stated, I am not married to a Filipina and I am retired military. All of property (land and house) other than a condo is in name of the corporation. With SRRV visa I will only have to contribute  a total of $3000. Military pension covers the other requirement. It just does not get me into the country. I just have to be patient.

Martin882 wrote:

Thanks for info, I looked into SIRV vs SRRV and SRRV better suits my situation. As stated, I am not married to a Filipina and I am retired military. All of property (land and house) other than a condo is in name of the corporation. With SRRV visa I will only have to contribute  a total of $3000. Military pension covers the other requirement. It just does not get me into the country. I just have to be patient.

With the latest update, SRRV now gets you into the country. In addition to the usual COVID-19 requirements, quarantine, hotel booking, tests, etc,, you will need Entry Exemption documents issued by the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). Getting easier but not by much.

However, it's not so easy to get an SRRV while outside the country. Most applicants enter the Philippines on a tourist visa to make their application. Currently there are no new applications for SRRV permitted.

Good luck

Steve

Thanks for the update.

Your situation is same with us. And I tried to sent messages to the Philippine Embassy and to the Immigration to issue a Special Visa for those foreigners who will enter the Philippines for Marriage Purposes. They can request the CCAM to prove that the purpose is not for Tourism. I hope that all of you guys help me to ask my government about this Special Visa. My fiancee is in Europe right now. Still waiting for Philippines to lift the ban.

RN022486, were you not trying to do the same thing since mid 2019? There must be something special for you to get married in the Philippines. He's in France, you're in Singapore (I'm guessing). If you're going for a religious wedding, that can be a lot of documents you will need. And that's only for the religion. If you're looking for a civil ceremony wedding, it's less. Your problem about getting in the Philippines is the least of your problems. You could both have entered as tourists in 2019.
One advantage of getting married outside your home country is that no ones knows you and no one can object to the marriage.😂
Have you considered Las Vegas?
Elvis Presley will be there.

Jackson4 wrote:

RN022486, were you not trying to do the same thing since mid 2019? There must be something special for you to get married in the Philippines. He's in France, you're in Singapore (I'm guessing). If you're going for a religious wedding, that can be a lot of documents you will need. And that's only for the religion. If you're looking for a civil ceremony wedding, it's less. Your problem about getting in the Philippines is the least of your problems. You could both have entered as tourists in 2019.
One advantage of getting married outside your home country is that no ones knows you and no one can object to the marriage.😂
Have you considered Las Vegas?
Elvis Presley will be there.

Las Vegas....is by far the easiest place in the world to get married, and is well known as the "Wedding Capital of the World".
Ohh yeah...Elvis Presley rendition always start with his hit song "Can't Help Falling in Love" ...one of my favorites.