Jet Lag To From Philippines

Jet lag to and from the Philippines

Jet Lag between USA and the Philippines

I have read different methods to alleviate jet lag. I don't think any of them work. Or maybe I have just been too busy to follow the steps. For example, one method says to change your bedtime by an hour a day for 10 days or so. Going to bed one hour earlier each day. I tried it for several nights before my flight one time. Did not see an appreciable difference after arrival at my destination.

Flying from the Philippines to Florida, USA the plane arrives at about 7 p.m. in Tampa (or 7 a.m. the next day Philippine time). Upon arriving at my house, I stay up until about 3 p.m. I always get a bad case of jet lag that lasts for about a month. Within a few days by 1 p.m. in the afternoons I am ready to go to sleep. Once I parked the car at a buffet restaurant and was walking across the parking lot to the restaurant. My eyes were very heavy, and I thought I might actually fall asleep walking. I fought it and was able to eat then go home and straight to bed.

Traveling from Florida to Manila is different. I always arrive in Manila at about 9 or 10 p.m. (which is 9 or 10 a.m. Florida, USA time. Of course, I am not ready to go to sleep, so I want someone to talk with. That keeps others awake.

By 10 a.m. the next morning it is 10 p.m. Florida time and I am ready to go to bed. I sleep until about 5 p.m. and get up and eat "breakfast." This last for several weeks, though I try to fight it. Slowly but surely, I finally get adjusted to the new time zone.

I was living in the Philippines by continually extending my visa. So, within a couple of weeks after each arrival I was almost fully adjusted to the new time zone.

If you are coming to the Philippines from the USA, you will probably be hit by jet lag. Expect to sleep most of each day in your hotel. Then you will be ready to get up and go out for the evening.

Ten tips for fighting jet lag.

If you have a method of fighting jet lag that works for you, please share it with others. Add a comment below on this page.

Use this Jet Lag Calculator and get some more advice.

If you are flying to meet ladies of the Philippines consider that you may have jet leg when you arrive. The farther you travel to the Philippines the more you will be affected by jet lag. For example, if you are traveling from New York to Manila you can expect to sleep mostly during the daylight hours and be awake at night for up to 2 weeks. Remember, New York is halfway across the world from Manila.

There are many American fast food restaurants all over the Philippines.

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Please check back to read more about jet lag between the Philippines and other countries. Last updated June 7, 2022.

Buying Property Philippines

Properties for sale in the Philippines

Buying Houses or Buying Condos in the Philippines

A foreigner may buy a condo in the Philippines but may not buy a house or land unless he is married to Filipino. There is no such thing as "Title Insurance" in the Philippines. I have asked real estate agents and representatives of developers. Personally, I cannot imagine buying property without property insurance.

I am a real estate broker in Florida, USA and lenders require property insurance for each property purchase they provide a loan for. As far as I know property insurance is available throughout the USA.

After reading the Wikipedia entry (at the link above) about government processes which can ensure clean title I now feel more secure about buying Philippine property. No one fully explained the procedure to me. The real estate agents tried to explain but something was lost while I tried to understand their imperfect English.

I discovered there may be insurance companies outside of the Philippines which may write property insurance for properties in the Philippines. But I think that most international property insurance written by U.S. title insurance companies is for commercial businesses.

Read this about the about title in the Philippines.

Read about a court decision that could have disastrous effect on millions of owners (Posted 02 April 2012 - 05:45 PM by Fred42).
Here is the article Fred42 referred to.

It is VERY important that you read these articles.

You may find properties for sale or for rent in the Philippines by visiting this link.

In my opinion it may be much safer to just rent a house or condo in the Philippines.

Do NOT buy or rent a residence near or downwind from pig farms in the Philippines. In fact, be as far away from pig farms and chicken farms as possible.

It would be wise to consult with an experienced Philippine real estate attorney before even looking for property. Protect yourself!

Bank of the Philippine Islands

Both BPI and Banco de Oro (BDO) and other Philippine banks publish lists of bank owned real estate including houses, land and commercial properties. Pick up the lists at their branch offices. The lists feature properties which have been foreclosed.

Talking with a banker at Banco de Oro (BDO) we discovered that banks do not make loans for all properties. The house or property you like may be in an area where the bank or banks will not make a loan. I do not know the reason for this. Do your research and talk to a banker of a major bank; for example, BDO or Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) before even looking at properties. Check out their web sites.

We really liked one house we looked at in Poroc (not far from the Clark Freeport Zone.) We were told by the real estate lady that it was being sold by the young couple who were living in it with their young child. But, due to several contributing factors I did not make an offer on it. I found out there would be no property "title insurance." Another contributing factor was Mt. Pinatubo's proximity to the house. Mt. Pinatubo is still active, though only mildly at present. It was dormant for about 500 years before the last eruption, so it probably won't erupt again for hundreds of years.
If you are considering buying property you may want to consider how close is the nearest volcano and what are the chances of it erupting while you own the house or other property. I have been told that Mt. Pinatubo was considered an "extinct" volcano before its violent eruption on June 15, 1991.

Probably the most important factor was, that after talking for quite some time with the "sellers" and their real estate lady, the man disclosed that the house was actually owned by his aunt who was at that time confined in a hospital in Manila. Being a licensed real estate broker in the USA this raised a '"red flag." The aunt was quite old and that could present a major problem. If an owner is deemed incompetent, and it sounded like she was, a transaction can be reversed. In the USA a contract is not binding if it is revealed that a party to it was incompetent at the time of signing. So, those factors put an end to my interest in that house.

Always consult with a Philippine attorney who specializes in real estate before you begin your search. An attorney can give you basic advice that may save you a lot of time and money in the long run.

Have personal experience buying, selling or renting in the Philippines? Share it with other readers by making a comment below.

Match Filipinas Dating

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This article will be expanded upon. Please check back to read more about buying property or houses in the Philippines. Last updated June 17, 2022.

Colleges Philippines

Attending and graduating from colleges in the Philippines.

Colleges in the Philippines

I attended 3 years of college in the USA and never entered the field I had majored in. Never graduated college.

But I have started several businesses and operated them for varying lengths of time; an installation business, an electronics store, a painting business for 15 years and then founded and operated a Florida real estate brokerage for over 17 years.

Most expensive and the cheapest colleges in the Philippines

Cheapest colleges in the USA

Free MIT college courses online! For example, "Entrepreneurship 101" offered free by Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Watch the following YouTube videos.

See what some experts say about college in the United States of America.

 

The web site he refers to has been taken down but the ways to save money on college are invaluable.

College? Who needs it?!

John Stossel - College is a RIP OFF!

Peter Schiff -- Just skip college!

I think that college is more necessary in the Philippines and some other countries. But, in the USA there are many college graduates who owe a fortune in student loans but cannot find a job in their chosen fields.

A major difference between U.S. and Philippine colleges is cost of tuition.
For example, in the Philippines medical college cost about $1,500 US per year!
Find how much does medical school cost in USA?

An excerpt from About.com

 "In 2010, the median debt at graduation 

was $150,000 at public institutions, 

$180,000 at private, and $160,000 

combined."

According to a www.USNews.com "Eastern Carolina 

University's Brody School of Medicine in Greenville, 

N.C., tops the list of least expensive public medical 

schools for in-state students, with a total annual cost of 

$12,644. Brody's cost is less than half the in-state 

average among public medical schools, and less than a 

third the average among private medical schools."

Here's a list of over 40 educational websites where you 

can get a free education!

The first two links are wrong. Alison free courses are 

found here. Coursera is found here.

If you have insights about college in the Philippines, please share with other readers by making comments below.

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This article will be expanded upon. Please check back to read more about college in the Philippines and college in the USA. This article last updated June 4, 2022.

Visas Passports Immigration

Immigration in the Philippines

Visas, Passports and Immigration in the Philippines

You will need a USA Passport before you may travel to foreign countries.

Check out the procedure for applying for your US Passport.

Click on this link to find the Passport Acceptance Facility nearest to you. These facilities will accept your passport application.

If you are outside the USA and want to renew your passport, find US Embassies, Consulates and Diplomatic Missions. You may apply for a new passport at these locations.

New countries have been added to the list of countries requiring no visa to enter the Philippines. Also, see the length of time you may stay in the Philippines without a Visa extension.  A person who marries a Filipino may apply for Permanent Residency and thus avoid the bimonthly visa renewal process.

Visas for the Philippines

Read what the US Department of State advises about entry and exit requirements for US Citizens.
You will learn about visa requirements and penalties for overstaying your visa in the Philippines.

Immigration office at Intramuros, Manila 

In December 2008 I had been in the Philippines for almost a year and 3 months. In September 2007 I had received a 3-month extension. It was about to expire. Well, it was almost Christmas and I decided I'd better go to immigration. I should have gone before the holiday season started. I checked on the Philippine Immigration web site. Much to my chagrin I discovered that the offices were closed for the holidays! That was not good.

Extend Your Visa Before You Overstay!

I now had only one day to extend or depart! That night we got on the web and made reservations on Continental Airlines (now United Airlines after the merger.) I had to pay a very high fare, over $1,000 for a one-way trip to Florida, USA, because it was a last-minute booking. At 10 p.m. we received confirmation. I was on the plane at 9 a.m. the next morning. And wouldn't you know, the flight from Manila to Guam was almost empty. So much for giving your Frequent Flyer members a break!

After arriving back in the USA my wife sent me email informing me that immigration police had rounded up about 25 people, in our area of Metro Manila, who had overstayed their visas. I hear that immigration makes a habit of rounding up, at Christmas time, visitors who have overstayed their visas. I'm sure that made their Christmas especially 'merry.' So, BE SURE to go to immigration before offices are closed for the holiday! And be there early in the day so you may get your passport back before closing.

If you are on Luzon and have been in country for almost a year you will need to go to the main immigration office in Intramuros, Manila. If you go there by taxi the driver can let you out right in front of the building. You will not need the driver to wait for you. There will be plenty of taxis when you are finished there. If you go by jeepney ask the driver to tell you where to get off ( "please tell me where to 'go down' .")  You may verify the information on this page by visiting an immigration office near you (for example the Angeles City office in the Clark Freeport Zone).

"Persons who overstay their visas are subject to 

fines and detention by Philippine immigration 

authorities. Please remain aware of your visa status 

while in the Philippines and strictly follow 

immigration laws and regulations. Travelers 

departing the country from international airports 

must pay a Passenger Service Charge in Philippine 

Pesos." (From the US State Dept. web site.)

See the possible penalties for overstaying your visa and find out about the ACR card and more by visiting the Bureau of Immigration of the Philippines web site.

If you are on another island in the Philippines, be sure to go to the nearest immigration office and inquire about your situation and get their advice about what to do when and where. I suggest you do this soon after arriving at your destination.

Do not overstay your visa! It is recommended that one should get one's visa extensions 7 to 10 days before they are about to expire.

Bureau of Immigration office,
Clark Freeport Zone,
Angeles City, Philippines.

If you are in Angeles City, you may get visa extensions at the Bureau of Immigration office in the Clark Freeport Zone. Don't arrive late in the day or you may need to return the next day to pick up your passport. The process here is streamlined, it takes a lot less time to get an extension here than at the main office in Manila. It is a small office and there are a seldom many people waiting. The staff are all very pleasant. It is not necessary to pay a taxi 300 pesos to get there from SM City Clark Mall.
Just go to the jeepney terminal across the street from the mall. The one near the public park.
Ask any driver which jeepney goes to the immigration office. I think I recall that it is at the number two jeepney stop. They leave about every 15 minutes. The cost will be about 20 pesos each way. Just ask the driver to stop at the immigration office or ask any passenger "will you let me know where to 'go down' for immigration?" Everyone in the jeepney speaks English. Most of them work in call centers. The office is a very short walk across a parking lot from the jeepney stop.
If you want to wait for your extension to be processed, you may wait at one of the several restaurants near the immigration office or at the Mini Stop convenience store nearby.
When you are finished at immigration go back across the street to the little bus stop shelter on the sidewalk and wait for a returning jeepney.

Another word of advice which may save you a lot of time and trouble; before going to the immigration office find a photocopy machine and make a copy of the photo ID page of your passport and a copy of the page showing your latest visa expiry date. You will need those copies and there is no copy machine at the immigration office. You may find a copy machine at one of the restaurants near the office, but then again it may be out of service. So, to avoid having to go back to get copies, like I have had to do on a couple of occasions, get copies before going there.

Your hotel may have a copy machine. If not, there is a computer service store on a N.W. corner of Fields Ave. (not far from the jeepney station.)
You might think you could get copies made in SM City Clark Mall but good luck! The copy store on the second floor usually has a long waiting line. Whenever I tried to get copies there it seemed all the customers ahead of me were printing books!

At the main immigration office in Manila there should be a copy machine service in the main lobby. If there is not, then ask directions to a nearby copy center. There should be one across the street from Greenwich Pizza (about 2 blocks from immigration.)

Regarding your passport. I asked an immigration employee at the office in the Clark Freeport Zone if I could carry a copy of my passport. She replied, "You must have your original passport with you at all times."

Be sure to report to an immigration office after New Years Day.

"...all foreigners holding immigrant or non-immigrant visas are required to report to the bureau within the first 60 days of every calendar year, to avoid administrative fines or possible deportation."


Update July 23, 2013: Long stay 6-month visitor visa extension for tourists.


Please share your personal experiences at the Bureau of Immigration offices with other readers by making comments below.

Read about immigration at the airport, DMIA, in the Clark Freeport Zone.

Read tips for traveling abroad.

Buying or Selling real estate in the Philippines or USA.

Meet Filipinas

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This article will be expanded upon. Please check back to read more about passports, tourist visas, Bureau of Immigration and flying to the Philippines. This article last updated June 4, 2022.