Chaos at NAIA Terminal 2

[Tommy T.]

3 hours ago, Viking said:

You need a permit from your employer, to have a vacation in another country, if you are a schoolteacher???

What´s the reason for that? 

I do not know the exact reason, Viking, just rules is rules. But my understanding is that DepEd is trying to keep the teachers and not lose them to another country. They are afraid a teacher might leave and stay longer or leave without permission and leave their classrooms without teachers without notice. (I don't understand that thinking, however, because there is a glut of trained teachers ready to be hired - hundreds or even thousands of would-be teachers, waiting for a job.)

L knows about more than one teacher who went on vacation in foreign countries and did not obtain their clearance. Nobody was the wiser as neither customs or BI verify employment (apparently) when someone is departing the country for a short time. They departed and returned with no hassles. I don't know if any were interviewed - this was a couple years ago. There seems to be a paranoia in government here about losing trained or talented workers. I don't know anything else about it really.

Even during her summer "vacation" she is required to be on call for any activities that might require teacher presence. And our vacation to Taiwan was during her vacation time yet she still needed her clearance. It took several weeks, even with her walking it from desk to desk. Most of the time it just rests on desks awaiting rote signatures. It can take over a month to get it if the teacher doesn't push, call in favours of friends or nudge the process along.

[RBM]

10 hours ago, OnMyWay said:

 

 

Clermont, what was your destination? 

All:  Is this mainly a problem for the countries that do not require a visa?

Some of my wife's family are travelling with us to New Zealand next month, for a wedding.  They all have separate bookings and they have all secured their New Zealand visa.  The New Zealand visa is electronic so nothing is stamped in their passports.  Same for my wife and oldest daughter.

Sister 1:  About 45.  Married but separated.  Has never been out of the country.  She is a teacher.  She knows about the DPED requirements.  She just got her visa today so now her nephew in NZ will now buy her ticket and she will get the DPED done.  I assume she has permission from her direct boss already.

Sister 2:  About 47.  Married.  Her husband was an OFW but now at home.  She has been to HK a few times and worked there.

Brother:  About 46.  Has worked in UK and Taiwan.  Been to Singapore.

The PAL flight leaves at something like 0655, so they will arrive at terminal two in the middle of the night.

Thoughts about them?

 

I would go as early as possible to airport. Even they have visa for country they intend to visit matters little. It's entirely at the discretion of the immgration official regarding screening,  my partner met several people at screening whom had a visa.

[RBM]

2 hours ago, GeoffH said:

Having all of the documents, proof of relationship and photos of relationship does no good if it takes them 3 hours to complete the interview process (well technically 2 hours plus of waiting before starting the inteview) leaving us with 15 minutes before flight departure time and the gates having  already closed.  Mactan Cebu isn't as large or as busy so that's probably a factor in the differing experience.

This is correct, depends a lot on your luck. As I stated we were first to obtain a boarding pass, not withstanding we only just made our flight, most missed their flight which was irrelevant as almost all were refused exit that we witnessed. I have no idea how ever suspect it's always busy, if they gave out priority numbers like a bank it would improve situation.

[Snowy79]

I was fortunate when taking my partner at the time to Cambodia.  I think I was fortunate in that I had my son with me at the time.  My partner was pulled aside and asked a few questions.  Fortunately they never asked me any questions as she made some answers up.  She was asked to point me out and as I was standing with my son probably mistook us both.  We'd known each other for over three years and lived together for over a year but she still made dates up grrrr.  I warned her she could have lost the holiday if they had asked me the same questions.

I warned a friend off about what had happened and he briefed his partner of 2 months as they were going to Cambodia in the following month.  He was pulled aside also with his partner and seperated.  They took her phone and went through all the messages and her facebook then asked him to confirm dates and where they met etc.  Fortunately she was smart and they'd gone through a practice question and answer service but they were still held a good hour.

[Maxheadspace]

On 11/25/2019 at 5:51 PM, Marvin Boggs said:

 I look at it like, how dare some customs official tell her she "isn't allowed" to leave?  If its perfectly legal, and the paperwork and tickets are in order, then is she a free citizen or not?  What is the purpose of the passport?  If screening is required, it should be done at the passport and visa level, not at airport customs. 

 

We're actually talking Immigration rather than Customs, right?  So I'm wondering if there is some benefit to the Philippine government.  Is there some kind of fee associated with the questioning?  If this is a chronic issue with people missing their flights I imagine folks will be raising hell.  I'm just wondering if my wife is going to face this when we go back to the Philippines next month.

[Marvin Boggs]

Yeah I meant to say immigration official.  The concept of screening on exit should be about catching people who overstayed their visas, or making sure you are not on a 'wanted' list.  A law abiding citizen with a valid passport should not be stopped from exiting the country for any reason...that is my view on it.  In my experience, if she is your wife and you are traveling together, they won't deny her permission to leave.  Jumping through a bunch of hoops about it really chaps my hide though.  Travel is difficult enough without this unnecessary layer. 

 

[OnMyWay]

On 11/26/2019 at 12:02 PM, Tommy T. said:

I do not know the exact reason, Viking, just rules is rules. But my understanding is that DepEd is trying to keep the teachers and not lose them to another country. They are afraid a teacher might leave and stay longer or leave without permission and leave their classrooms without teachers without notice. (I don't understand that thinking, however, because there is a glut of trained teachers ready to be hired - hundreds or even thousands of would-be teachers, waiting for a job.)

L knows about more than one teacher who went on vacation in foreign countries and did not obtain their clearance. Nobody was the wiser as neither customs or BI verify employment (apparently) when someone is departing the country for a short time. They departed and returned with no hassles. I don't know if any were interviewed - this was a couple years ago. There seems to be a paranoia in government here about losing trained or talented workers. I don't know anything else about it really.

Even during her summer "vacation" she is required to be on call for any activities that might require teacher presence. And our vacation to Taiwan was during her vacation time yet she still needed her clearance. It took several weeks, even with her walking it from desk to desk. Most of the time it just rests on desks awaiting rote signatures. It can take over a month to get it if the teacher doesn't push, call in favours of friends or nudge the process along.

My SIL teacher, first time intl traveller, was asked for her DPED travel authorization.  Luckily she got it just two days before departure.  Otherwise, no interview and no issues at NAIA terminal 1.

[RBM]

2 hours ago, OnMyWay said:

My SIL teacher, first time intl traveller, was asked for her DPED travel authorization.  Luckily she got it just two days before departure.  Otherwise, no interview and no issues at NAIA terminal 1.

Wonder what she went through to obtain her DPED what ever it is.  Must carry some weight though.

[Jack Peterson]

5 minutes ago, RBM said:

Wonder what she went through to obtain her DPED what ever it is.  Must carry some weight though.

 Department of Education Travel Authorisation I would suspect, Bit like our Military Travel Warrant which would mean vetted already

[Freebie]

On 11/25/2019 at 4:51 PM, Marvin Boggs said:

I guess I "DO" have a problem with this kind of treatment, which seems discriminating to me.  Yes I know about Filipinas running off abroad and getting work or whatever.  My stance is, if Singapore or Vietnam thought it was a significant risk, they would require a Visa.  Then she would go through the pre-screening steps at the embassy, and not in the airport where you've already booked the entire trip.  I look at it like, how dare some customs official tell her she "isn't allowed" to leave?  If its perfectly legal, and the paperwork and tickets are in order, then is she a free citizen or not?  What is the purpose of the passport?  If screening is required, it should be done at the passport and visa level, not at airport customs. 

 

You forget that you live in a country where the government doesnt treat its people as citizens but as children.  Philippines seems to be the only country Ive encountered whereby its citizens arent free to travel despite having the required paperwork.

And the reason for this is the USA . Few years back Philippines was on a Tier 3 level for Human Trafficking. US offered a large financial motivation to Philippines to reduce trafficking. So, Philippines now tell US thats its stopped 100 ladies/persons a day from travelling ( trafficked they say) and US says Hooray and gives Philippines a large wad of $$$$$. Thats the sad reality of "offloading". And no cars or complains about it. Everyone just accepts  and tolerates this nonsense with mute silence