Dave Hounddriver Posted August 5, 2013 Posted August 5, 2013 (edited) I am sitting in BI, Mandaue as I write this on my laptop. I knew that the BI does not close for lunch so I arrived at 1 minute after 12 noon to begin my visa renewal process. Unfortunately, the lights are on and nobody's home. My application went in the start of a 'stack' that was not touched until now (1:05 pm). Unfortunately they still have not touched it, even though a lot of people are getting ahead of me because those who come in after get their apps stuck on TOP of the stack. So the first one here looks to be the last one served. (I have used that trick in restaurants. If you are with a group of people, be the last to order and you will be served first. And more bad news. 2 months ago I asked the guy at the desk if I could get my ECC and final visa extension at the same time (2 months before I leave). He said yes, of course. Today he says no, the ECC will only be valid for 1 month so I have to come again before I leave. As is normal with BI Philippines, your mileage may vary. Rats, I forgot to add the rest of the bad news. They do not ask me to renew my Tourist ACR card. I have been her on an expired one many times. But now they want a photocopy of it when you apply for the ECC (along with the usual 2x2 pics and the fingerprints). If you never got the card then a photocopy of the passport page showing you paid for it is fine. What it means is they are going to charge me for a card I never got, never will get and don't need, before I can get an ECC and leave the country. Canada is looking better and better. Edited August 5, 2013 by Dave Hounddriver 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SubicSteve Posted August 5, 2013 Posted August 5, 2013 If you want to let the others go ahead of you that came in after you your a better man than I am. And if my wife was sitting with me and saw them pull that crap, some serious Tagalog vocabulary would be coming out of her mouth to the person pulling from the top of the pile. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Hounddriver Posted August 5, 2013 Author Posted August 5, 2013 Over the years I have seen and heard a lot of people using loud and serious vocabulary at the BI folks in Mandaue. I never see what happens as they tend to get pushed back in the queue and I am always out of there ahead of them, always. I seriously don't recommend it. I have never seen the BI officials use loud and serious vocabulary in return. They just keep repeating the same thing they said in the first place, and ignore you. But your mileage may vary. I do know that money and status gets faster service. I see that almost every time I go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Posted August 5, 2013 Posted August 5, 2013 Canada is looking better and better. Does this mean the romance with the Philippines is over? A soon to be closed chapter in your life? A been there and done that memory? Canadian Bob can't wait to leave Canada to get to the Philippines and here you are counting down the days before you can get back to Canada. Oh the dichotomy of it all! :th_unfair: Speaking from a medical point of view... a man your age should not be shoveling snow! :541: 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Hounddriver Posted August 5, 2013 Author Posted August 5, 2013 A soon to be closed chapter in your life? If they ever let me out of the country I may go the way of our last well known Canadian member, ekimswish, and dissappear into the Canadian work force for a while. Its too soon to tell but I did put out some feelers. I hear all these people telling me how great it is here on 800 dollars a month and I can blow that in 2 nights in Cebu. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Posted August 5, 2013 Posted August 5, 2013 A soon to be closed chapter in your life? If they ever let me out of the country I may go the way of our last well known Canadian member, ekimswish, and dissappear into the Canadian work force for a while. Its too soon to tell but I did put out some feelers. I hear all these people telling me how great it is here on 800 dollars a month and I can blow that in 2 nights in Cebu. Well, living in one's means are important. I assume you are due a Ralph Kramden retirement check and a SS check and so if you can work and save or work and get vested in a retirement plan to add a 3rd check, that might be a good idea. but in today's business world, 'good' retirement plans are harder to get into. But unless you are Bill Gates, blowing $400 a night on entertainment will catch up to you real soon on the average retirement check. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert k Posted August 5, 2013 Posted August 5, 2013 I have never encountered an amount of money I could not spend if I put my mind to it. My ex sister in law was a master. My brother had a good month and brought home $17,000 after taxes, they should have comfortably been able to handle all household expenses, entertainment and miscellaneous things for $5,000 but sis in law managed to spend an additional $14k and not have anything to show for it. Spending validated her as a person. It also got her kicked to the curb. I do have to admire the skill it took to spend that much and have nothing physical or durable to show for it. :no: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Posted August 5, 2013 Posted August 5, 2013 I have never encountered an amount of money I could not spend if I put my mind to it. My ex sister in law was a master. My brother had a good month and brought home $17,000 after taxes, they should have comfortably been able to handle all household expenses, entertainment and miscellaneous things for $5,000 but sis in law managed to spend an additional $14k and not have anything to show for it. Spending validated her as a person. It also got her kicked to the curb. I do have to admire the skill it took to spend that much and have nothing physical or durable to show for it. :no: You are right. I used to own a pawn shop 1 mile away from the Seminole Indian tribe. They, the average Seminole gets (today) 10K a month! And they still run short..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp52 Posted August 5, 2013 Posted August 5, 2013 I hear ya Dave. Thats why I will spend 6 months in the Philippines and 6 months in Canada. I will be going to the Philippines in September for 6 months ( my 5th visit ) and wondering if I will be able to hack it. the longest I have stayed before is 3 months. There is no comparison when trying to get things done in Canada vs Philippines. In Canada things are done fairly smoothly and mostly done right but you pay through the nose for that. In the Philippines people think they are getting a great price on things there, But its so true in what they say, "You get what you pay for". and most businesses dont care about customer satisfaction as they deal in volumes of people. I,m retired now and i,m done with the rat race of keeping up with the jones,s so the Philippines is a good place to kick your shoes off and lay back and suck on a few SMG,s and do a little travelling. Dave, When are you heading back and is it for good ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Hounddriver Posted August 5, 2013 Author Posted August 5, 2013 Dave, When are you heading back and is it for good ? Thats a good question. I'll post when I have the answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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