Documents Needed to Avoid Being Offloaded at Philippine Immigration

Although as Filipinos, we have a liberty or right to travel in and out of Philippines (as Article III, Section 6 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution - https://chr.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Human-RIghts-Advisory-Right-to-Freedom-of-Movement-CHR-V-A2020-013.pdf). You can also some immigration policies under: Republic Act No. 7610 o ang Special Protection of Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act. Immigration officers enforce strict procedures and regulations for departing travelers for several reasons. These reasons are generally based on the country's immigration and security policies: 

1. Illegal Migration Prevention: 

Immigration officers are tasked with preventing illegal migration, which could include individuals attempting to work or stay in another country without the necessary visas or permits. This is to ensure that people entering a country have the appropriate legal status. 

2. National Security: 

Countries have a responsibility to protect their national security by preventing individuals with potential criminal or terrorist affiliations from entering or leaving. Strict screening processes help identify individuals who might pose a security risk. 

3. Human Trafficking and Smuggling: 

Stricter immigration checks help combat human trafficking and smuggling by identifying and stopping individuals who might be coerced or deceived into illegal activities. 

4. Return Assurance: 

Immigration officers want to ensure that individuals leaving their country have the means to return. Immigration officers might ask about travel plans, return tickets, and financial resources to ensure that people won't end up stranded in another country. 

5. Visa Violation Detection: 

Individuals who have violated the terms of their visa, such as working without proper authorization, may be flagged by immigration officers during departure checks. 

6. Documentation Verification, Public Health and Safety, Bilateral Agreements, etc. 

Avoid Being Offloaded 

Here are some tips that Filipino travelers might consider to help prevent offloading: 

1. Complete and Updated Documents: 


Make sure all required travel documents are complete, up-to-date, and valid, including your passport, visa (if applicable), return ticket, and other supporting documents. 

2. Clear Purpose of Travel: 


Be ready to provide clear and truthful information about your purpose of travel. Immigration officers often question travelers about their destination, duration of stay, and reason for going abroad. Be honest and consistent with your answers. 

3. Sufficient Financial Capacity
:

Show that you have enough funds to cover your travel expenses and stay abroad. This could include bank statements, credit cards, ITR or proof of sponsorship if applicable. 

4. Itinerary:


Have a detailed itinerary of your trip, including accommodation details, travel plans, and contact information of people you will be meeting abroad. 

5. Supporting Documents and Ties to the Philippines
:

If you're traveling for work or business purposes, have employment certificates, company IDs, business permits, or conference invitations as proof. If you're a student, provide enrollment certificates or school IDs. 

6. Confidence and Courtesy: 


Approach immigration officers with confidence and courtesy. Prepare for possible questions about your trip. Where are you headed? Why? How long will you stay? Confidence and concise answers are your travel buddies here. Answer their questions calmly and respectfully 

7. Stand Up for Your Rights:

You have rights as a traveler. Don't hesitate to ask for clarification if things aren't clear. You're entitled to know why you're being held or questioned. 

Commonly asked questions by Immigration Officers:

*Why are you going to the <country>?
*Have you been to the out of Philippines before?
*Do you have relatives in <country>? 
*Who is going to sponsor your visit?
*Where will you stay in the <country>?
*What are you going to do in <country>?
*What is the purpose of your trip?
*Do you have return air tickets?
*How much is your budget from this trip?
*What places do you want to visit?
*How long will you stay in <country>?
*What is the guarantee that you will come back?
*What work do you do and what company?
*Did you take leave at your job? 

Remember that the role of immigration officers is to ensure that your travel is legal, safe, and compliant with regulations. Following these tips and being prepared can help increase your chances of a smooth departure without offloading issues.

Enjoy planning your international trip! 

QUICK LINKS:

Cheap Flights: https://expedia.com/affiliate/E894ZpY

Singapore Hotels: https://expedia.com/affiliate/SuxWwtR

Things to Do in Singapore: https://expedia.com/affiliate/ygVn7jL

LUXURIOUS SANTORINI VIBES BEACH RESORT IN SORSOGON - Recidencia Del Hamor Beach Front in Santa Elena

ABBEY: I was hooked when I saw the blue and white buildings of Residencia del Hamor. It’s like Santorini. This is where we stayed in Sorsogon. 

Welcome drinks were served upon arrival and a few moments later we were led to our rooms. Each room has its own balcony facing the pool and beach. This is a good place to see the sunrise. A big bed is at the center of the room and you have a kind of living room as well. Extra beds can be requested for other guest but of course for a fee. The restaurant served as our dining table. I liked their crispy pata; you can eat all except for the bone. Haha. I had espresso martini at their bar to wrap up the day. 

And in the morning we walked the stretch of the beach which is very therapeutic. It is indeed a relaxing stay.

LUXURIOUS SANTORINI VIBES BEACH RESORT IN SORSOGON - Recidencia Del Hamor Beach Front in Santa Elena - Santorini Vibes

LUXURIOUS SANTORINI VIBES BEACH RESORT IN SORSOGON - Recidencia Del Hamor Beach Front in Santa Elena - Exclusive Pool

LUXURY VACATION IN BICOL REGION PHILIPPINES! Condotel and Beach Resort in Albay and Sorsogon!

LUXURIOUS SANTORINI VIBES BEACH RESORT IN SORSOGON - Recidencia Del Hamor Beach Front in Santa Elena - Restaurant

LUXURIOUS SANTORINI VIBES BEACH RESORT IN SORSOGON - Recidencia Del Hamor Beach Front in Santa Elena - Sunrise

WILL: We are glad that we chose to stay in Recidencia than in beeeep*beepp*. Haha! Recidencia del Hamor Beachfront’s customer care knocks off the competition. It is easier to communicate with them. I mean, it won’t take days for you to to wait on their responds. I sent a mail around midnight and my delight when I checked my email in the morning they had replied me by 2AM. Kuddos to Front Office Associate named Ms Sheena Dig! Just one call and few exchanges of emails, everything was settled. Who wants a stress before their vacation right?

We were picked-up by Recidencia del Hamor van exactly on the time we prefered. The van is roomy and accomodated us comfortably. On our way from Legazpi to Sorsogon our driver gave insights what Sorsogon is known for, what are their primary crops and pointed out the Chiz’s Abode. We have a lovely ride to the beachfront.

Once we arrived, we were welcomed by front office staffs, taken our vaccines cards to get a copy, given a welcome drink and we were assisted by a golf cart to our rooms.

The Junior Suite Room is lovely and spacious, the bed is comfy and the toiletries is fragrance is quite calming. In front of the room is the pool exclusively available for resort guests. 

The beach! The sea! It is calm! Love it! And due to low tide you can walk/swim far and yet the water is still a chest deep. Haha!

We do not have an intention to go out of the resort and glad that they have a restaurant, bar and spa that is highly recommended for guests to try. Don’t forget to order their Crispy Pata and Bangus Belly for breakfast On our way back to Legazpi, our driver gladly dropped us off to some places that sells pasalubong. Abbey got a tablea in Aling Vicky’s store.

So what’s the verdict? Totally recommended! They know how to tale care of their customers, what they want and need. Thank you so much Recidencia del Hamor for this memorable stay in Sorsogon!

***

Recidencia Del Hamor Beach Front 

Php13,000 Junior Suite Room with free breakfast 

Van Transfer from Legazpi to Resort (2-way) Rate: PHP 6,000 

(F) https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...

(A) Brgy. San Sebastian, Sta. Magdalena 4709 Santa Magdalena, Philippines

(T) +63 905 245 1920

(E) reservations@recidenciadelhamorbeachfront.com.ph

BEST RESORT IN RIZAL PHILIPPINES | ESTANCIA DE LORENZO SAN MATEO RIZAL

ABBEY: After a 4-hour hike at Masungi Georeserve, our chosen place of relaxation is at Estancia de Lorenzo. It’s a couple of hours drive from the nature park but all worth the travel as the resort is quiet and peaceful. 

We stayed in a two-storey villa which has two bedrooms and three bathrooms. They have two restaurants, a sports bar, pools, a banquet hall, and spa. Off to the spa we go to rejuvenate our aching body. In the morning we took a dip at their pool and were suprised to see a crocodile pen nearby. 

Our stay also included breakfast. I got their version of bangsilog (bangus, sinangag and itlog) with matching brewed coffee. 

Great stay at a great place. But be sure to checkout on time, else you’ll be charged even for a minute.

BEST RESORT IN RIZAL PHILIPPINES | ESTANCIA DE LORENZO SAN MATEO RIZAL

BEST RESORT IN RIZAL PHILIPPINES | ESTANCIA DE LORENZO SAN MATEO RIZAL - FAMILY PRIME VILLA QUEEN SIZE BED

BEST RESORT IN RIZAL PHILIPPINES | ESTANCIA DE LORENZO SAN MATEO RIZAL - FAMILY SWING

BEST RESORT IN RIZAL PHILIPPINES | ESTANCIA DE LORENZO SAN MATEO RIZAL - LORENZOS RESTAURANT

BEST RESORT IN RIZAL PHILIPPINES | ESTANCIA DE LORENZO SAN MATEO RIZAL - POOL

BEST RESORT IN RIZAL PHILIPPINES | ESTANCIA DE LORENZO SAN MATEO RIZAL

WILL: If you’ll google Rizal resorts, the top results will be Luljetta’s or Timberland Casino. As I am Wilma (haha) I searched deeper than Google can reach, so I have found the Estancia de Lorenzo in tucked in San Mateo Rizal overlooking the Sierra Madre Mountains.

It’s a new resort, having a calming ambiance and low tolerance of noise. Well, people who are visiting the resort is willing to pay premium to enjoy the peaceful surroundings of Sierra Madre.

We checked-in on time and we were assigned to Orchid Villla just in front of the reception building. This prime family villa is huge that comprised of 2 bedrooms on second floor. 1 space that can accommodate 3 extra beds in first floor, a receiving area, 8 seater dining table, 3 bathrooms and huge veranda. We were 7 adults in that villa and it is still seemingly huge for us.

We had dinner in their Farmyard Sports Bar and Grill and the pizzas their are surprisingly good. Our breakfast is in Lorenzo’s restaurant and we were given a set meal of either sausage or bangus. Yummmy!! 

The pool is huge, temperature is fine and you can stare all you want in its greenery backdrop. 

Totally recommended! 

Here are some things that you need to know in Estancia. 

1. You can’t early check-in or check-out here. You will pay a for those minutes. 

2. You can bring food or drinks for a fee. 

3. You can’t be intoxicated in this resort. 

4. You can hail a grab and BGC is just an hour away! 

Thanks Estancia de Lorenzo for this wonderful experience for me and my family.

***

Estancia de Lorenzo -- Php15439.29 

(W) http://rizal.estanciadelorenzo.com.ph

(A) St. Patrick Street Marvi Hills, Subdivision, San Mateo, 1850 Rizal, Philippines

(T) (2) 8570.61.72 +63.917.192.7062| +63.921.847.9608

TOP TOURIST SPOT IN RIZAL PHILIPPINES | MASUNGI GEORESERVE

ABBEY: This is one of the places I planned to visit when I went back to Philippines. I was captivated by its karst landscapes. You need to book and pay a fee of Php 1500. The Masungi Georeserve will contact you to confirm your reservation. We chose Discovery Trail as our path. 

We were there as early as 5AM. We don’t want our guide and the reserve to wait for us. It is a good 10-minute walk from the carpark to the reception area. This is a good time to take in the beauty of nature overlooking the city. 

The highlights of our trail are the “net” works or webbings. We got ourselves climbing them; worth the effort once you reach the top; like Sapot ni Rick and Yungib ni Ruben. You’ll just be awed for what nature has to offer. Be ready mentally and physically as the trail is challenging. Bring water and change of clothes. 

The fee comes with light refreshments. 

TOP TOURIST SPOT IN RIZAL PHILIPPINES | MASUNGI GEORESERVE - Arch Bridge 

TOP TOURIST SPOT IN RIZAL PHILIPPINES | MASUNGI GEORESERVE - With our Forest Guide

TOP TOURIST SPOT IN RIZAL PHILIPPINES | MASUNGI GEORESERVE - Mossy Forest 

TOP TOURIST SPOT IN RIZAL PHILIPPINES | MASUNGI GEORESERVE - Sapot ni Ric

TOP TOURIST SPOT IN RIZAL PHILIPPINES | MASUNGI GEORESERVE - Stones and Falls

TOP TOURIST SPOT IN RIZAL PHILIPPINES | MASUNGI GEORESERVE

TOP TOURIST SPOT IN RIZAL PHILIPPINES | MASUNGI GEORESERVE 

WILL: My eldest brother is a hiker and a simple man. How can I say he is a simple man? He always have this simple wish… simple prayers that you know can be easily achieved and one of those is for him to hike with his siblings. 

Abbey is a nature lover. He loves to walk in any Singapore Park and indulge in what the nature brings in and out of him. Watching people hiking Masungi sparked curiosity in him and Masungi Georeserve make it to his bucketlist. 

Kuya Ric’s prayers and Abbey bucketlist was answered and tick off in one plan. wink 

We arrived in Masungi Georeserve around 5AM. It was dark and the park’s gate is still close. When the sun rises on 530Am we were awed by the view and a sea of cloud rushing around us. It seems that they are really greeting us a good morning. 

It is a 5KM+ of hiking and climbing up and down the trails of Masungi’s magnificent beauty. We finished the Discovery Trail in more than 3hours. If you are on top of Tatay’s peak, Sapot ni Ric, Duyan and Yungib ni Ruben you will definitely stop for a while and linger on the beauty of this nature. 

So here are the MUST DOs: 

1. Book in advance. They are not accepting walk-ins. 

2. Better to rent a car than going for public transportation. 

3. Wear sunscreen and mosquito repellants. 

4. Respect and listen to your tour guide while he is explaining what’s in the surroundings 

5. Take nothing and leave nothing. 

6. Just have FUN!

***

Masungi Georeserve -- Php1,500/pax 

(W) https://www.masungigeoreserve.com

(H) Tuesdays to Sundays, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM

(A) Kilometer 47 Marcos Highway, Baras, Rizal, Philippines, 1970, Marcos Highway, Baras, 1970 Rizal 

(T) 09088887002

MorongStar Hotel and Resort - Bataan

ABBEY: We wanted our families to be on a trip to unwind and relax. Enter MorongStar Hotel and Resort; a 3-4-hour travel from Manila. A 2D/1N stay for 2 rooms is Php 30,500. It can accommodate up to 18 persons and has its own toilet and bath.

The resort offers basic needs for your stay: bed with clean sheets, towels and toiletries. Complimentary coffee, tea, and water is not included but can be purchased on their shop.

The features of the resort include recreational (pool table, table tennis, basketball) and water (flying fish, banana boat, kayak) sports, zipline and swimming pools. 

Our package covered all our foods. And their food is delicious. It is free flow but as per order. This is to avoid wastage. You will be charged Php 100 per 100 grams of leftover. I enjoyed calderetang baka and fried chicken. Their version of macaroni spaghetti reminds me of the same taste from my school cafeteria.

The resort doesn’t have a white sand beach but has a fine texture. I hope they can make it more cleaner as there are cigarette butts on it. We made sure that we got our full dosage of Vitamin Sea.

They have live bands every noon and evening. Good thing that there are only few channels on the TV and wifi signal is weak. Basically we’re semi off-the-grid.

MorongStar Hotel and Resort - Bataan
Room 8 Adults

MorongStar Hotel and Resort - Bataan 

MorongStar Hotel and Resort - Bataan 

MorongStar Hotel and Resort - Bataan
Kayaking 

MorongStar Hotel and Resort - Bataan
Buffet Dinner

MorongStar Hotel and Resort - Bataan
Billiards - Php100 per hour

MorongStar Hotel and Resort - Bataan 

WILL: There are thousand of islands and beaches in Philippines but there are some concerns in choosing. 

1. How far the travel time from Manila to the beach. Include the computation on traffic. 

-My first concern is the travel time. Since we are together with kids and oldies, we want total relaxation and a bonding experience. If we chose south, traffic will just stressed each one of us. So we went for North. We only traveled almost 4-hours including stopovers. 

2.How much will be the expense. Since this will be the first fruit of the rental apartment that we will use for leisure. 

MorongStar charged Php1,850 per adult and Php750.00 for kids. It includes the following:

Room: 

We occupied a room with four (4) beds that can accommodate up to 10pax. Room, sheets, towels and bathroom were clean. But it doesn’t come with a bottled water, coffee, heater and toothbrush/toothpaste. Although shampoo and soap were provided. 

Food:

The price includes a buffet dinner, plated breakfast and buffet lunch! *Busog Lusog* Food are well prepared and tasty. So what to our bulging tummies? Haha! Oh! Lookout for their crispy fried chicken and — beef! Yummy!! 

Activities:

Kayak and zipline is also together with the package. IF! A big IF, you have enough time to do it. Haha. There’s no queue but people is enjoying the calm waves, playing the sand and  just chitchatting while soaking at the water. 

3.what is the sand texture and waves on the beach. 

-Sand is fine, water is calm and quite shallow. Perfect for kids. 

One day is truly not enough on this kind of getaway! We enjoyed our stay, specially when got some time to talk heart-to-heart with my nephews, niece, Ate Precy and Papa RS! 

This is the first time that Abbey and I used the money from our rental apartment for leisure. Yes! First time! For almost 5 years, we always re-invest it to another vehicle. And we want our families to enjoyed that fruit too. 

Thanks MorongStar for the accommodation! More and more blessings to come! 

***

MorongStar Hotel and Resort - Bataan Philippines

(W) https://morongstar.com

(F) https://www.facebook.com/Morongstar/ 

This Is Us - Aiza Seguerra & The CompanY at Music Museum

ABBEY: I wanted to watch a Valentine’s concert for so long. So when our vacation aligned with February 14, I looked for artists who will perform on that date. We didn’t got disappointed as we booked for This is Us : Aiza Seguerra and The Company at the Music Museum. 

We toured the memory lane with The Company while we got to hear the phases of love from Aiza (Ice). 

It was a great night. You can have your food and drinks while being serenaded with those golden voices.

This Is Us - Aiza Seguerra & The CompanY 

This Is Us - Aiza Seguerra & The CompanY - Ticket

WILL: Abbey arrived home and ecstatically announced that he found a perfect date for me on Hearts' day. And it is with Aiza and The Company at Music Museum. 

We arrived as early as 40 minutes before the show. We just sat there and talk. Yeah Abbey and I loved to have a conversation. Haha!

When Aiza and The Company invaded the stage, our hearing senses were heightened and we enjoyed every song The Company sang that time. There are times that we stand up and dance! Haha. When Aiza went back on stage, I felt every lyrics of the song. In love, heartbreak and happiness in one set. Aiza is one of the quality singers of Philippines.

Thanks Baby Abbey for this concert date! 

***

Music Museum

(W)http://www.musicmuseum.com.ph/

Black Panther at Robinsons Movieworld

ABBEY: Robinsons Movieworld is our theater of choice watching Black Panther as it is nearby to our hotel. 

We got tickets for the movie’s first showing of the day at 11:20. You can bring foods other than the cinema provides. They can improve their service if they have lights on the row letters of the seat. This will help the late comers locate their seats easily because we got a hard time :)

Going to the film, I learned a lot about the Black Panther. And definitely he is richer than Tony Stark or Bruce Wayne. The fighting scenes were the ‘Marvel’ type, of course. But seeing the origin of the Black Panther is great. 

Can’t wait to see the Avengers: Infinity War.

Black Panther Tickets 

 Robinsons Movieworld Galleria

WILL: This is a must-see film before the Avengers: Infinity War hit the cinemas by 27th April and we celebrated Hearts' day with Black Panther and his tribe! 

As usual, there is no boring part, action-packed and I am quite curious what will be Black Panther role as part of Avengers on next movie. :) 

We watched this movie at Robinsons Galleria Movieworld. The seats are perfectly sloped-up, so it will not be a problem if someone in front of you is way taller than expected. The seats gives a comfortable space. But the cinema is very dark. The seat number was not lit up and on that we need to use a handphone just to check the seat number one by one. 

Hope the moviegoers will take their own trash and bin it properly.

***

Robinsons Galleria Movieworld

(W) https://www.robinsonsmovieworld.com

(T) +63(2)395-2256

San Rafael River Adventure - Experience Nature, Romance, & Serenity

ABBEY: San Rafael River Adventure is the place where we held our family reunion. It is an hour and a half away from Meycauayan. We stayed in their Glass Villa for three days and two nights. The villa is spacious: has two bathrooms, one master’s bedroom, one common room, two bunk beds and a private jacuzzi. 

You can bring your own food, buy them and cook or you can order from the resort’s menu. You can also try their water activities like jetskiing, speedboat, paddle board, kayak, and slides. Glamping is also offered. The place is very relaxing. There’s even no wifi :)

We want to commend Cedric for all the help he gave and meeting all our needs during our stay.

San Rafael River Adventure: Experience Nature, Romance, & Serenity

WILL: We seek and we found San Rafael River Adventure! Yeeeyyy! We do not need to battle the traffic of South just to have a relaxing place to stay for two days! 

So what's with San Rafael River Adventure that we immediately booked it? Well, it is their Glass Villa. It can accommodate 12 pax and it is just perfect to lodge our dad, three families and us.. couple. They have 2 rooms (queen size bed), 2 double-deck and a loft (single bed). 2 bathrooms, a long dining table and our own jacuzzi. The rate of Php24,000 per night includes set breakfast meal and the use of kayaks, floating slides and of course free fresh fruits just right off the tree (ask for permission before picking, ok?). 

Kids enjoyed the coldness of jacuzzi and pool, Papa RS love the kayak and they also tried boating. Abbey and RJ laughed their way to the inflatable slides. Me?, I enjoyed the serenity of the nature around me. The birds chirping, the cool breeze and the beautiful sunrise. The calm water of San Rafael River is so relaxing to stare. There's not much mosquitoes so do not be afraid. 

This place is pretty awesome and on our 2Nights-3Days stay we went for two photoshoots. 

Thanks San Rafael River Adventure for welcoming us and specially to Cedric who is always there in assisting and cooking for us. 

We highly recommend this place for relaxation, you do not need to go far on South or North, just in Bulacan you can find the relaxation you need the most.

***

 San Rafael River Adventure

(W) http://sanrafaelriveradventure.com

(A) Barangay Talacsan, San Rafael, Bulacan, Philippines

(T) +63 995 974 6224 (Globe) / +63 02 513 1569

(E) reservation@sanrafaelriveradventure.com

Captain America: Civil War (Power Plant Cinema - Makati City)

ABBEY: This post is long overdue and I'll tell you the reason at the end of this blog. 

We watched Civil War at Rockwell Power Plant Cinema and it is the last full show. We bought the tickets online and we really appreciate the efforts of the staff for us to have tickets. There were some miscommunication on buying them but eventually resolved. We were about to pay at their office and we were told that it is a cash basis only. Still, the management accommodated our payment thru card as it was communicated before. 

The tickets were reprinted and we headed out to the cinema. The hall is big with enough leg room for me :) Since this is the last full show, and the place is cold and comfortable, I slept half of the movie. I was too tired. But I got a chance to see Spiderman, Aunt May (haha), and Stan Lee (Tony Stank). 

Anyways, we watched the movie again and I can say that the movie plot is already there in Pinoy movies but it's as if new when it was applied in Hollywood. The action and effects are great. Captain Rogers really believed on his friend. Can't wait for the next movie. 

Kudos Marvel and Rockwell Power Plant Cinema Management.

WILL: This is so, so late.. we apologize for that. 

For Civil War movie review, well, it has its continuation. The dust is not yet cleared. 

I want to take this opportunity to thank PowerPlant Mall for accommodating our request. As you can see, we booked our cinema ticket on the first day this movie hits the theater. 

I booked online at Power Plant Cinema and yet they have some problem in accepting credit cards (international or local). Despite backing out, we send an email to inform them about their site's glitch. In return, they help us blocked the cinema seats manually and we can pay when we arrived at the cinema. 

We commend Ms. Julie for treating us as a gold... As a VIP customer. Again, thanks Ms. Julie and Power Plant Mall. You help us make a wonderful bonding time for me and my family.

***

Power Plant Cinema at Power Plant Mall

(A) Rockwell Drive corner Estrella Street, 

City of Makati 1200, Metro Manila

(T) 898-1440 to 41 / 898-1702 loc. 2133 / 09175778161

(W)https://cinema.powerplantmall.com