News Forum - Philippines reopens Feb 10 for the vaccinated from most countries

[Fundok]

14 minutes ago, Sean1 said:

Agree 100%!!!!

Me too!!!

[Stonker]

2 hours ago, Marvin said:

The pandemic will be over when everyone learns to live with it!!!!

As long as they don't die of it first, and they learn to live with Long Covid and the 'brain fog', I'm sure you're right.

[Stonker]

55 minutes ago, Fundok said:

In my view, the best strategy for Thailand would be to upkeep and maybe even accelerate the vaccination of the population, possibly also getting them to get a booster shot 

In my view, too, @Fundok, but unfortunately that isn't possible so instead we have to deal with reality.

There aren't sufficient vaccines available to "accelerate" things, so those who had 2 x Pfizer or Moderna have a 6 month wait and those who had anything else have to wait three months.

The Moderna due this month from the THG hasn't arrived yet, at least in my provincial private hospital, so that's not an option yet either.

The problem would be solved if 60 million new Pfizer doses arrived this week, but unfortunately only 30 million are due this year.

55 minutes ago, Fundok said:

Being fully vaccinated gives you a 99% protection against dying from an infection, so that should be acceptable.

I've not seen anything quite that optimistic, so I'd be interested to see that study.

[BigHewer]

3 hours ago, Stonker said:

If you feel so strongly about it, maybe you could post some links of your own contradicting that, as you've notably failed to post any at all contradicting anything.

Not my remit to post links to prove anything. It was your faulty assertions that started us off and despite your digging, you still haven’t proven anything.

3 hours ago, Stonker said:

I'm sure a local native English speaker or a local English language teacher could explain that to you better than I can here.

I see that you are of a “quantity trumps quality” mindset when it comes to debating. You’ve tried backpedalling, redefinition of terms, circular logic and when all else fails, immature insults (which are where any debate ends for most people).

Any person reading your initial post and subsequent posturing would reasonably come to the same conclusion.

On another more topical note, it’s great to see so much positivity on this thread about the February 10th reopening.

[Alavan]

6 hours ago, Oracle said:

The PI are a great place for visiting, very friendly, great food, good nightlife, and English spoken by all. But be careful due to Omicron. Every colleague who returned for the year end holidays in Manila got Covid, with a 5 to 7 day home quarantine, though all had mild symptoms.

If there is one thing the Philippines doesn't have it is good food, unless you love hamburgers, donuts, fried chicken. Also a lot of garlic (to much). 300 year Spanish influence and 100 year US.
Contrary to other South-Asian people they can sing, but can't cook (said a Philippine chef).
And I visited the country from the North of Luzon to Basilan Island in the South.

[Stonker]

43 minutes ago, BigHewer said:

Not my remit to post links to prove anything. It was your faulty assertions that started us off and despite your digging, you still haven’t proven anything.

I see that you are of a “quantity trumps quality” mindset when it comes to debating. You’ve tried backpedalling, redefinition of terms, circular logic and when all else fails, immature insults (which are where any debate ends for most people).

Any person reading your initial post and subsequent posturing would reasonably come to the same conclusion.

On another more topical note, it’s great to see so much positivity on this thread about the February 10th reopening.

I can honestly say that I've never come across anything quite like this before, here or anywhere else.

44 minutes ago, BigHewer said:

Not my remit to post links to prove anything.

It's not my "remit to post links to prove anything" either, but I thought that since you asked me to do so and I gave several proving my point, and quoted from them so there could be no doubt, that you'd at least do me the courtesy of doing likewise.

Evidently my mistake.

47 minutes ago, BigHewer said:

It was your faulty assertions that started us off and despite your digging, you still haven’t proven anything.

My "assertions" were supported by my links, so unless the links were "faulty" - and they are from recognised sources and acknowledged experts in their field - then in the absence of any from you the 'proof' is pretty clear.

52 minutes ago, BigHewer said:

I see that you are of a “quantity trumps quality” mindset when it comes to debating.

No, I prefer facts, expert sources from reliable known links which I quoted from, and a reasoned explanation which I've given.  Your "mindset", however, seems to be rather different

55 minutes ago, BigHewer said:

You’ve tried backpedalling, redefinition of terms, circular logic and when all else fails, immature insults (which are where any debate ends for most people).

Well, that's what you accused me of, however there was clearly no "backpedalling" as I simply repeated exactly what I'd first written, no "redefinition of terms" on my part although you attempted to redefine "at the moment" to mean "as a rule", and no "circular logic" - just simple links confirming what I'd said, from which I quoted.

You're absolutely right about one thing, though - your immature insults on "backpedalling", and baseless accusations of "shifting goalposts" and "the old “oh no, that’s not what I was saying" argument” when I tried to have a reasonable, informed and courteous debate when you were unable to provide anything that supported your position should indeed have rung a warning bell.

[JohninDublin]

54 minutes ago, Alavan said:

If there is one thing the Philippines doesn't have it is good food, unless you love hamburgers, donuts, fried chicken. Also a lot of garlic (to much). 300 year Spanish influence and 100 year US.
Contrary to other South-Asian people they can sing, but can't cook (said a Philippine chef).
And I visited the country from the North of Luzon to Basilan Island in the South.

Regarding the food issue you I could not agree with you more. There is an excellent BBC doc, concerning a London Bus Driver who goes to PI to learn to drive a Jeepney. There are scenes of people eating a "dish" called "padi" which is food retrieved from hotel and resto waste bins and cleaned up. If I recall, the "cook" was humiliated by the job and was earning about 50PHP a day.

That's about as bad as it gets. But my experience in restos was unless you went to an upper-scale resto, the food was pretty dire most of the time, the main problem being they use the cheapest and thus the poorest of ingredients. You can make a bad meal from good ingredients, but you can never make a good meal from bad ingredients.

BTW, anyone watching the doc, should be aware there is an equally excellent sequel to it.

 

[oldschooler]

Interested why any farang would visit Phil as tourist more than once. 
Everybody seems poor and desperate. Overcrowding & Poverty at every turn.  No culture. Bizarre toxic mix of Asia / America / Catholicism. No Harmony. Flying needed to get anywhere quickly. Hordes of Sellers outside the major resort Hotels waiting to swamp foreigners. Not remotely relaxing or enjoyable. 
Million miles from the gentle ambience of Thailand.

 

[oldschooler]

1 hour ago, Stonker said:

I can honestly say that I've never come across anything quite like this before, here or anywhere else.

It's not my "remit to post links to prove anything" either, but I thought that since you asked me to do so and I gave several proving my point, and quoted from them so there could be no doubt, that you'd at least do me the courtesy of doing likewise.

Evidently my mistake.

My "assertions" were supported by my links, so unless the links were "faulty" - and they are from recognised sources and acknowledged experts in their field - then in the absence of any from you the 'proof' is pretty clear.

No, I prefer facts, expert sources from reliable known links which I quoted from, and a reasoned explanation which I've given.  Your "mindset", however, seems to be rather different

Well, that's what you accused me of, however there was clearly no "backpedalling" as I simply repeated exactly what I'd first written, no "redefinition of terms" on my part although you attempted to redefine "at the moment" to mean "as a rule", and no "circular logic" - just simple links confirming what I'd said, from which I quoted.

You're absolutely right about one thing, though - your immature insults on "backpedalling", and baseless accusations of "shifting goalposts" and "the old “oh no, that’s not what I was saying" argument” when I tried to have a reasonable, informed and courteous debate when you were unable to provide anything that supported your position should indeed have rung a warning bell.

“That which is proposed without evidence can be dismissed without evidence” Late Great C. Hitchens

 

[Poolie]

26 minutes ago, oldschooler said:

“That which is proposed without evidence can be dismissed without evidence” Late Great C. Hitchens

'He who quotes other people is too idle to make his own words count.' P Oolie.

[JohninDublin]

24 minutes ago, Poolie said:

'He who quotes other people is too idle to make his own words count.' P Oolie.

He who is never quoted, has never said anything of interest. JiD.

[PJK]

Looks like Phil’s will get my 6000 USD spent on each month long vacation . Early bird gets the worm as they say…..

[Clem]

What is meant by “ a recent negative test“? 

What is the time frame?  1day? 1 week? 1 month?

[King Cotton]

1 hour ago, Clem said:

What is meant by “ a recent negative test“? 

What is the time frame?  1day? 1 week? 1 month?

Hello, @Clemand welcome to Thaiger Talk!

Sorry, but your 'timeframe' Q is just one of many that the Thai govt appear determined to leave you and thousands of others asking . . . not good, by any measure.

[Clem]

@ King, the Thai govt has nothing to do with my question.  It would be the Philippino govt.

[Alavan]

11 minutes ago, Clem said:

@ King, the Thai govt has nothing to do with my question.  It would be the Philippino govt.

Then maybe better to ask it in a Philippino forum.
It is already complicated enough in Thailand

Edited January 29, 2022 by Alavan

[Bert]

Even though I am opposed to all travel restrictions , this seems a very reasonable offer for the moment...

Expect high tourist arrivals there soon ...

I don't know if Koreans and Japanese are currently allowed to travel freely from their respective governments, but if they are expect expect huge numbers ... 

[Sandbar]

Looks like the Philippines has caught thier Asians neighbours 'napping'. Make no mistake, this is a massive magnet to draw tourist's back to the Philippines and rob other asian countries of the desperatly sought after tourist trade due to thier complicated and expensive quarantine process. 

All ready looking at fares and accommodation in the PH. Thanks for the memories Thailand.

[Sandbar]

As humans we are always looking for the less complicated ways of doing things. The Philippines have given us the opportunity!

[samiam123]

19 hours ago, smartcontrol said:

thaiger.com is wrong as usual. the un-vaccinated can enter the Philippines starting 10 February, only difference is they do a 5 day hotel quarantine.

Best of luck with that.

[dean]

On 1/28/2022 at 12:03 PM, Bifrost said:

and much cheaper in Phils. .   and they are not so rude agaisnt foreigners but love white.  - not many place they do that in these days, ,    

I've looked. The flights are a couple hundred more then Thailand from canada and it looks like the girl prices are also more expensive. 

Am I wrong ?

 

[Artemis080]

4 hours ago, Bert said:

Even though I am opposed to all travel restrictions , this seems a very reasonable offer for the moment...

Expect high tourist arrivals there soon ...

I don't know if Koreans and Japanese are currently allowed to travel freely from their respective governments, but if they are expect expect huge numbers ... 

Koreans 10 day quarantine on the way back, can do it at home. Japanese 2 weeks isolation.

East Asia is not travelling in the short term, and much longer in my opnion. Asia, in a broad sense, is culturally adverse to health risks and has walked it's own path during this pandemic as a result.

[Cabra]

The question is is Burgos Street open

[pascal]

well i rather prefer thailand than phillipines in term of safety, this said there are a lot of nice spots there. more tricky to access to these spot, i hope they did renew manilla intl airport. fact is most likely a certain category of tourist may divert there instead of heading to thailand. however i would not like be sick there either. indeed it s a game changing .....competition is going to be interesting

[Stonker]

15 hours ago, oldschooler said:

Interested why any farang would visit Phil as tourist more than once. 
Everybody seems poor and desperate. Overcrowding & Poverty at every turn.  No culture. Bizarre toxic mix of Asia / America / Catholicism. No Harmony. Flying needed to get anywhere quickly. Hordes of Sellers outside the major resort Hotels waiting to swamp foreigners. Not remotely relaxing or enjoyable. 
Million miles from the gentle ambience of Thailand.

I've not been to the Philippines so can't comment from personal experience, but from what I gather if all someone wants on holiday is cheap nightlife, seedy bars, and willing Asian girls and boys looking for a hansum man then they'll probably find that as easily in the Philippines as they can in Thailand.

Beyond that, there's probably as much similarity between the two as there is between Nepal and Bhutan or France and Germany - just because they're in the same region doesn't make them a similar holiday destination.