Early September Update from the Philippines: ICAT Guidelines for Departing Filipino Travelers. China's 10-Dash Revised Map Opposed. More Medical Schools? Better than Cash - Digital Payments.
Early September Update from the Philippines: ICAT Guidelines for Departing Filipino Travelers. China's 10-Dash Revised Map Opposed. More Medical Schools? Better than Cash - Digital Payments.
What's interesting about the onerous restrictions for travelling Filipinos, ostensibly to address sexual trafficking, is that the vast majority of the rules have absolutely nothing to do with minors. Like most requirements those who had the money already corrupted the system, so they will likely have no problem. An average person wanting to visit say their significant other in Thailand is who will get turned away...
There is a preexisting rule that Filipino minors cannot travel outside the country without additional paperwork showing how the adult is legally allowed to bring them overseas. I opted to omit my child's father from the birth certificate due to this, so under Philippine law my child is "Illegitimate" and automatically gets my last name. Parents who don't share the same last name as the minor traveling are shunted off to the side for additional questioning. My child and I have the same family name on passports. I didn't want to keep explaining I'm a single mom with a last name different from my child's last name (if I opted for the fathers') each time we pass through the airport. The new rules are an added nuisance and delays travelers forcing them into giving a 1,000 peso bribe versus facing a non refundable 35,000 peso ticket or a 5,000 peso rebooking fee.
It's not just the Philippines that can create problems like this. America can be difficult for any minor child travelling with a single parent. That's precisely why I never changed my last name legally: I am white and my first husband was Thai. When our daughter was born in Thailand, my husbnd argued to the hospital that he wanted our daughter's last name to be the same as my last name, even though we were legally married at the time. He took advantage of a recent law passed in Thailand that the child could have the last name of either parent as they felt their old rule of defaulting to the father's last name discourage marriage. Our daughter looks a lot like her father, and only a bit like me. Her Dad passed away when she was five years old. I am so thankful that me and her have the same last name and I have gotten additional scrutiny sometimes. I never legally changed my last name to my new Thai husband's last name (Sukwan) for exactly the reason of travelling with my daughter. I always carry her certficate of birth abroad and both her father's Thai death certficate and the certified English translation...
My midwife was very helpful to put down "Unknown" on the father's name space for my child's birth certificate. She said if she put his real name it may create hassle as Immigration officers may opt to delay me by trying to contact him or google him to verify he's allowing me to travel with our child. It's not the "truth", but it's the way out that creates the least suspicion. I'm the only legal guardian and that's that. Glad you also opted for the least hassle-option for your child too.
I recall the massive, massive virtue signaling in Filipino mom groups along the lines of... WELL I ASKED MY OB/CHILD'S PEDIA AT [name drop Top 5 Manila hospital] AND THEY SAID THE VACCINE IS SAFE. Famous last words.
I'd like more folks like Mike Enriquez and Mr. Diño to pass this realm before they use their influence once more to coerce people into getting vaccines they don't wish to have. Good. Fucking. Riddance.
What's interesting about the onerous restrictions for travelling Filipinos, ostensibly to address sexual trafficking, is that the vast majority of the rules have absolutely nothing to do with minors. Like most requirements those who had the money already corrupted the system, so they will likely have no problem. An average person wanting to visit say their significant other in Thailand is who will get turned away...
There is a preexisting rule that Filipino minors cannot travel outside the country without additional paperwork showing how the adult is legally allowed to bring them overseas. I opted to omit my child's father from the birth certificate due to this, so under Philippine law my child is "Illegitimate" and automatically gets my last name. Parents who don't share the same last name as the minor traveling are shunted off to the side for additional questioning. My child and I have the same family name on passports. I didn't want to keep explaining I'm a single mom with a last name different from my child's last name (if I opted for the fathers') each time we pass through the airport. The new rules are an added nuisance and delays travelers forcing them into giving a 1,000 peso bribe versus facing a non refundable 35,000 peso ticket or a 5,000 peso rebooking fee.
It's not just the Philippines that can create problems like this. America can be difficult for any minor child travelling with a single parent. That's precisely why I never changed my last name legally: I am white and my first husband was Thai. When our daughter was born in Thailand, my husbnd argued to the hospital that he wanted our daughter's last name to be the same as my last name, even though we were legally married at the time. He took advantage of a recent law passed in Thailand that the child could have the last name of either parent as they felt their old rule of defaulting to the father's last name discourage marriage. Our daughter looks a lot like her father, and only a bit like me. Her Dad passed away when she was five years old. I am so thankful that me and her have the same last name and I have gotten additional scrutiny sometimes. I never legally changed my last name to my new Thai husband's last name (Sukwan) for exactly the reason of travelling with my daughter. I always carry her certficate of birth abroad and both her father's Thai death certficate and the certified English translation...
My midwife was very helpful to put down "Unknown" on the father's name space for my child's birth certificate. She said if she put his real name it may create hassle as Immigration officers may opt to delay me by trying to contact him or google him to verify he's allowing me to travel with our child. It's not the "truth", but it's the way out that creates the least suspicion. I'm the only legal guardian and that's that. Glad you also opted for the least hassle-option for your child too.
Yes, 100%! I am the only person making decisions and the legal guardian. Much easier that way!
I recall the massive, massive virtue signaling in Filipino mom groups along the lines of... WELL I ASKED MY OB/CHILD'S PEDIA AT [name drop Top 5 Manila hospital] AND THEY SAID THE VACCINE IS SAFE. Famous last words.
I'd like more folks like Mike Enriquez and Mr. Diño to pass this realm before they use their influence once more to coerce people into getting vaccines they don't wish to have. Good. Fucking. Riddance.