Angeles City (Balibago) Tips

[Ah_Hia]

Originally Posted by Mr.PP

Awesome Bro,Tnks a million...Now i know what to do

Just remember to bring at least about SGD$200 for a days spending on an average.
Ur expenditure can be more or less depends on ur spending habits.

The $200 budget may or may not include hotel room charges which also will depend on the type of hotel and room booked.

Maybe u can pay for hotel bills via credit card/debit card.
Do remember some hotel charge an additional 3% or more for using credit cards.
Tell them outright that it is against the law and if they insist, ask them to prepare and invoice indicating the surcharge and they will waive it off.

Dun change money on weekends when the rates are lower and dun withdraw money on weekends when the ATM may run out of cash.

Enjoy ur trip.

[Mr.PP]

Originally Posted by Ah_Hia

Just remember to bring at least about SGD$200 for a days spending on an average.
Ur expenditure can be more or less depends on ur spending habits.

The $200 budget may or may not include hotel room charges which also will depend on the type of hotel and room booked.

Maybe u can pay for hotel bills via credit card/debit card.
Do remember some hotel charge an additional 3% or more for using credit cards.
Tell them outright that it is against the law and if they insist, ask them to prepare and invoice indicating the surcharge and they will waive it off.

Dun change money on weekends when the rates are lower and dun withdraw money on weekends when the ATM may run out of cash.

Enjoy ur trip.

Tnks bro-will head ur advise
appreciate alot

[Mr.PP]

Originally Posted by Ah_Hia

1) No need to declare as it's within the USD10,000 or equivalent.

2) Yes u can. U can withdraw to the ATMs limit which is usually 10,000Pesos (depends on ATM also)

3) Yes there is 1 ATM as u exit Clark Airport and its on the left.
Maybe there's more but i can only remember the one on the left.

U can always catch a taxi and ask him to bring u to SM Mall to withdraw more money so that u can pay the taxi fare.

Cheers !

Bro,do u tink i will will able to use my OCBC ATM which has the PLUS logo in CLarks' ATM machine.

I am leaving tomorrow bro,and i am not bringing anyhting more then 10,000 pesos and just 500Sing which i will declare based on all the brs advice.But now i need to really find out if i can use my OCBC atm card to withdrw cash from clarks atm machine.

[Ah_Hia]

Originally Posted by Mr.PP

Bro,do u tink i will will able to use my OCBC ATM which has the PLUS logo in CLarks' ATM machine.

I am leaving tomorrow bro,and i am not bringing anyhting more then 10,000 pesos and just 500Sing which i will declare based on all the brs advice.But now i need to really find out if i can use my OCBC atm card to withdrw cash from clarks atm machine.

Look for an ATM that accepts PLUS and you will be fine.
Not all will be PLUS, some use Maestro, Cirrus, VISA or MASTERCARD.

Cheers and Have Fun .

[piratedking]

Originally Posted by Ah_Hia

Look for an ATM that accepts PLUS and you will be fine.
Not all will be PLUS, some use Maestro, Cirrus, VISA or MASTERCARD.

Cheers and Have Fun .

Master of AC & Pattaya, when is your enxt trip? bring me ler...

[Ah_Hia]

Originally Posted by piratedking

Master of AC & Pattaya, when is your enxt trip? bring me ler...

Dun anyhow say lah.
Later u offend senior bros here.......

Me still a newbie compared to many other bros.

Cheers !

[Bushnell 1918cb]

Originally Posted by Ah_Hia

Dun anyhow say lah.
Later u offend senior bros here.......

Me still a newbie compared to many other bros.

Cheers !

Remember to rope me in as well.

[mongerx]

Originally Posted by Ninja_Assassin

As long as you dun bring in more than 10K pesos should be OK.

I brought in 9600 pesos which I changed at Lucky Plaza ($300 x 32) and had USD $1,500.00, SGD $800.00 & HKD $950.00 with me. I declared all my currencies and they asked me to show them and actually counted them.
No problem at all when all the currencies tallied with the declaration.

They then proceeded to check my luggage and helped themselves to some clothes, mugs & tidbits that I had bought from Hong kong Disneyland.

As I was leaving the office, the fat guard asked for a piece of each as "souvenir". So gave him USD $10.00 + SGD $10.00 + HKD $10.00.
He was happy like fuck and even helped to carry my luggage to the transport.

Btw, when I left Balibago I still had balance of pesos as most of the expenditure were covered by credit card so no need to change more pesos.

Please don't let these custom and airport workers push you around like this. If you are guilty of something, then buy your justice. Otherwise, reject any requests for money or gifts, and object when they start trying to help themsleves to your personal property. If they start trying to take stuff like Disney merchandise insist they stop. If they argue that what you have is illegal, say you disagree and want to speak to the superiors and that you demand a receipt for everything they confiscate.

It's not surprising the guard was doing a shimey shimey dance, he asked for money and you probably gave him more than a week's worth of his salary.

Being soft like that only encourages them to grow more beligerant.

[Ah_Hia]

Originally Posted by mongerx

Please don't let these custom and airport workers push you around like this.

Being soft like that only encourages them to grow more beligerant.

The Westerners introduced this culture of tips into the Philippines.
And today, it has become a norm to ask foreigners for tips esp in tourists areas like Angeles City.

Becuz they identify us as foreigners whose money grows on trees.
They never ask tips from local Filipinos.

Getting angry or showing dissent is 'face-loss' to Filipinos and it should not be done. Just remain cool and walk off with a smile.
U wouldn't want someone to pop a .25 caliber in the back of ur head diba ?

Some places, a 20pesos tip is seen very low and it is often accompanied with derogatory remarks like "cheap charlie","kuripot","kurimaw".
Again, dun get angry and just walk away.

Keep this is mind and have a safe and wonderful trip.

Cheers !

[ZIEBART]

Originally Posted by Ah_Hia

The Westerners introduced this culture of tips into the Philippines.
Some places, a 20pesos tip is seen very low and it is often accompanied with derogatory remarks like "cheap charlie","kuripot","kurimaw".
!

I was asking my waitress friends on what they get as a norm for tips and i was pleasantly surprised that my 20p tip is on the upper rate that they received. Of cos they get more when they can get a customer to relax and feel like a VIP buying drinks for everyone.
After that chat, i started giving 10-15p tip and still i got the same smile from the waitresses. Seems that the whites give usually 10p as tip.

[southaddress]

I had some good time in AC.

And I would like to share here, as this forum has helped me a lot.

I met 2 bro here. who helped me a lot and took care of me. first I want to thank them.

[bud-man]

Originally Posted by mongerx

Please don't let these custom and airport workers push you around like this. If you are guilty of something, then buy your justice. Otherwise, reject any requests for money or gifts, and object when they start trying to help themsleves to your personal property. If they start trying to take stuff like Disney merchandise insist they stop. If they argue that what you have is illegal, say you disagree and want to speak to the superiors and that you demand a receipt for everything they confiscate.

It's not surprising the guard was doing a shimey shimey dance, he asked for money and you probably gave him more than a week's worth of his salary.

Being soft like that only encourages them to grow more beligerant.

Yes, I agree, but it seems that our brother here is more keen to "show off"....

You started this and it will be cultivated as a habit for them to eye on the particular countries' passport holders and as a consequence, the rest of the brothers who wish to visit shall suffer with such treatment in assumption by the local officers that it is OK to do so continuously since no protest was lodged.....

Please be more considerate.....

[longblack]

Hello to all senior bros and fellow angeles cheongster,

I've been to angeles a number of times and getting through the immigration
improves with experience haha.

A few things (mentioned by other bros too) that I always take note:

1. Do not bring more than 10,000 pesos into Philippines
Note: I always get a better exchange rate at Norma so I don't see any
reason to change that much in sg.

2. Do not bring in more than US$10,000 or equivalent in other currency
Note: I have never declare the amount I bring in unless, of course,
if it's more than US$10,000

3. Dress simple, not expensive and attention seeking accessories. In places
like this, you would prefer to be known as an average guy/monger

Note: I've never encounter officer asking for tips when entering philippines.
They always ask when I'm leaving.

4. Do not bring your favourite lighter (if u r a smoker) because they don't
allow you to bring it on the plane (when u leave) unless you are checking
in together with your luggage.

5. If need to, a 100 peso tips is more than enough. Don't forget that if you
give 1, others will come asking too haha. I always tell them I got to pay
airport tax, not enough money.

Hope the little info helps, and enjoy the stay!!!

[lweiss100]

Originally Posted by longblack

Hello to all senior bros and fellow angeles cheongster,

5. If need to, a 100 peso tips is more than enough. Don't forget that if you
give 1, others will come asking too haha. I always tell them I got to pay
airport tax, not enough money.

Hope the little info helps, and enjoy the stay!!!

Hehehe...good tips bro.That last part...how many officers are there? WOuldn't it be funny that they all line up for handout? But then it's something that have to be tactfully handled. It's also easy to get on the wrong footing too. So we have to be a little extra street-smart too.

[ZIEBART]

Originally Posted by longblack

Hope the little info helps, and enjoy the stay!!!

Not little but very informative. Thanks for your effort.