Philippines, Olongapo City

[etsys]

Originally Posted by ZIEBART

For those who want to be cheaply contactable by your Smart cel contacts after u return to Sg or My....

Activate roaming for your Smart prepaid sim card by sending txt ROAM ON to 333. Need to have more then 100p load balance on activation. You can go below 100p after activation.

Do remember to deactivate when you return to Philippines. Txt ROAM OFF to 333. 1p load needed. If not, you can still txt but no calls.

And if you register at the Smart website, while you are in Philippines, you can turn on or off roaming, via web In case you forgot to turn it on ..

I can count a few times I had to send the phone to Philippines to get roaming turned on before getting it back .. till I discovered Web activation !

[Bielsa]

Thank you to bros for your input, I think I will make my 1st trip to Cebu.

[Bielsa]

Originally Posted by etsys

And if you register at the Smart website, while you are in Philippines, you can turn on or off roaming, via web In case you forgot to turn it on !

Wat is the SMART website? Is it in English or Tagalog?

[The Lord]

Thts wht i thought as well.


BTW thx for d Heads Up on Web Activation of Roaming for Smart.

Originally Posted by etsys

Pasay ? haha .. you should have asked in the Manila Forum

Well, you are not far off from MBC and Edsa Complex- if you are into Barfines ..

[The Lord]

Here u go..

http://www1.smart.com.ph/prepaid

Originally Posted by Bielsa

Wat is the SMART website? Is it in English or Tagalog?

[etsys]

Originally Posted by The Lord

Thts wht i thought as well.


BTW thx for d Heads Up on Web Activation of Roaming for Smart.

welcome - remember to get registered on the site before leaving Philippines - if not - tak boleh !!

On registration, it will send an sms to verify ..

[The Lord]

Cool sia. Thks again.

Another trip coming up for me.

I hv a SunCell sim which i activated b4 leavin the PI. i also bought prepaid loads which i load on to my sim card from time to time.

So far they hv accumulated.

Hv not lost any peso yet..

Originally Posted by etsys

welcome - remember to get registered on the site before leaving Philippines - if not - tak boleh !!

On registration, it will send an sms to verify ..

[Comjuka]

Originally Posted by Boat collector

... then I'm off to Subic! hehehe.. new adventure to new grounds!!!

Have you booked your accomodation in Subic yet? If no, then don't do it, wait until you arrive in Subic and then negotiate your room rates with the hotels. Now is the low season and this year is especially bad.

Barrio Barrieto / Baloy Beach is practically a ghost town and the hotels / bars are begging for customers. Dun bother about the published rates, make them an offer that you are willing to pay and most of the hotels will accept as it is very competitive now. I knew a backpacker Swede who was in Subic last weekend who went to the Blue RocK / Arizona / Johan's / Sheavens to compare and negotiate rates. Finally he settled for the Blue Rock and got a 2500p room for only 600p. What a bargain.

Most hotels are offering 50% off but you can still negotiate for a lower rate.
Not many bars are opened too as it makes more economical sense for them to close for a few months than to keep losing money every night. The exceptions are the Dryden Group of bars and some bars that have strong local support.

Do drop by the Ruote 69 Sports Bar, you'll love it there. It is a gathering point for mongers from all over and there is so much experience and stories to be shared amongst the customers. There is a goldmine of information to be found there.

Bring along wet weather clothings as it rains everyday in Subic.
Change your money in AC before coming into Subic as the rates here is damn shitty for SGD as most moneychangers accept only USD.
There is only 1 ATM in Barrieto / Baloy Beach.

Trikes are 8p for locals and 50p for foreigners. It is standard rate so there is no need to bargain unless you are crossing boundaries.
Trikes in Barrio Barrieto belong to one organisation. Trikes in Baloy Beach belong to another group. They operate within their allocated zones. So if you need to cross into the other zone, you top up another 20p to the trike fare. So don't be surprised if a trike comes in to drop off a passenger and makes a u-turn out without wanting your fare.

Lastly the bargirls are desperate for barfines due to the lack of customers so it is up to you to negotiate a good deal for yourself. The managers / mamasans here are different from AC, they don't get involved in the deal between you and the bargirl.

Have a good trip and enjoy yourself.

[The Lord]

Nice piece of information.

1) wet weather... Protective gear

2) money changer n rates

3) trike rules/rates

4) bar girl...deals... Negotiations...

5) Hotel deals

Good write up

Originally Posted by Comjuka

Now is the low season and this year is especially bad.

Barrio Barrieto / Baloy Beach is practically a ghost town and the hotels / bars are begging for customers. .

Have a good trip and enjoy yourself.

[Ninja_Assassin]

Bros coming into the Philippines this few weeks please cheong with caution.
The college semester starts on June 18th and school fees need to be paid. This is the time many 16-17 yr olds will be available for FLs or moonlight in the bars. Late June/early July is oso the favourite month for the authorities to conduct raids.

So please cheong with caution and leave the underage girls alone.

P.S - Kindly note you can be charged in Singapore if you are arrested for underage sex outside the country.

[The Lord]

Good and timely reminder.

Stayaway from underage girlz.

Always check girlz IC.... Esp those dealing with FLs..

Originally Posted by Ninja_Assassin

Bros coming into the Philippines this few weeks please cheong with caution.
The college semester starts on June 18th and school fees need to be paid. This is the time many 16-17 yr olds will be available for FLs or moonlight in the bars. Late June/early July is oso the favourite month for the authorities to conduct raids.

So please cheong with caution and leave the underage girls alone.

P.S - Kindly note you can be charged in Singapore if you are arrested for underage sex outside the country.

[Boat collector]

Bro Comjuka, as always fantastic advice. I owe you a drink!

Unfortunately, I've already booked my hotel room - and PAID! .. but my brother who is a last minute inclusion tried to book in the same hotel last week and was told that it is fully booked.

Hmmm... does that mean that I can also negotiate the bar fines? or is it a standard bar price. I have to shamefully admit that there may not be much of a FR from me this time around.. as it looks like I may have a pre-booked girl from Olongapo with me.. She is even going to meet me in the airport in AC!! Need to acquire the skill to temporary shake her off! Please don't flame me for fasting and still going to an all you can eat buffet!! BUT you never know..

Thanks for the tips about the money changer and ATM machine. Doing my research, there appears to be a second ATM, but one of the 2 doesn't accept foreign ATM cards.

Originally Posted by Comjuka

Have you booked your accomodation in Subic yet? If no, then don't do it, wait until you arrive in Subic and then negotiate your room rates with the hotels. Now is the low season and this year is especially bad.

Barrio Barrieto / Baloy Beach is practically a ghost town and the hotels / bars are begging for customers. Dun bother about the published rates, make them an offer that you are willing to pay and most of the hotels will accept as it is very competitive now. I knew a backpacker Swede who was in Subic last weekend who went to the Blue RocK / Arizona / Johan's / Sheavens to compare and negotiate rates. Finally he settled for the Blue Rock and got a 2500p room for only 600p. What a bargain.

Most hotels are offering 50% off but you can still negotiate for a lower rate.
Not many bars are opened too as it makes more economical sense for them to close for a few months than to keep losing money every night. The exceptions are the Dryden Group of bars and some bars that have strong local support.

Do drop by the Ruote 69 Sports Bar, you'll love it there. It is a gathering point for mongers from all over and there is so much experience and stories to be shared amongst the customers. There is a goldmine of information to be found there.

Bring along wet weather clothings as it rains everyday in Subic.
Change your money in AC before coming into Subic as the rates here is damn shitty for SGD as most moneychangers accept only USD.
There is only 1 ATM in Barrieto / Baloy Beach.

Trikes are 8p for locals and 50p for foreigners. It is standard rate so there is no need to bargain unless you are crossing boundaries.
Trikes in Barrio Barrieto belong to one organisation. Trikes in Baloy Beach belong to another group. They operate within their allocated zones. So if you need to cross into the other zone, you top up another 20p to the trike fare. So don't be surprised if a trike comes in to drop off a passenger and makes a u-turn out without wanting your fare.

Lastly the bargirls are desperate for barfines due to the lack of customers so it is up to you to negotiate a good deal for yourself. The managers / mamasans here are different from AC, they don't get involved in the deal between you and the bargirl.

Have a good trip and enjoy yourself.

[The Lord]

Id love to negotiate barfines

Dun worry abt fasting at aN Eat all u can buffet.

There is something known as cheating.... Sneaking out.

A thrill of its own.

Originally Posted by Boat collector

as it looks like I may have a pre-booked girl from Olongapo with me.. She is even going to meet me in the airport in AC!! Need to acquire the skill to temporary shake her off! Please don't flame me for fasting and still going to an all you can eat buffet!! BUT you never know..

[Boat collector]

Hahaha.. bro you must teach this young padwan how to do it! :P

Originally Posted by The Lord

Id love to negotiate barfines

Dun worry abt fasting at aN Eat all u can buffet.

There is something known as cheating.... Sneaking out.

A thrill of its own.

[The Milk Man]

Originally Posted by datou

Just left Angeles to Manila for flight n landed in Xiamen last night.

Bro Datou, we left on the same day but my flight was at the nearby Clark airport.

And what a surprise I got when I reached there........ the new DMIA started operation on that very same day...... it was chaos as there were no directions and signs to guide the passengers...... even the staff were confused themselves.

The International flights are on the 2nd level and the Domestic flights on the ground level......

At about 11.00am, some VIPs came accompanied by a large group of reporters to officiate the first international flight to take off from the new terminal (Dragonair to HK) when suddenly all the lights went out and total darkness....... a brownout!! It took some minutes before the emergency lights came on but aircon was not working..... the toilets had no running water.

And me with several others almost missed our flight because we were waiting at the "wrong" gate........ our boarding pass stated Gate 1 and the display terminal also reflected our flight as Gate 1........ so many of us went to that gate to wait for boarding........ our flight was at 1210 hrs but already 12pm still no sign of any CB staff at the gate....... until the announcement came over the PA "LAST CALL FOR PASSENGERS OF CEBU PACIFIC 5J 537 TO S'PORE, PLEASE BOARD AT GATE 2"......... the large group of us made a scramble towards Gate 2.

The staff were apologetic though when some of the passengers voiced their unhappiness....... "sorry sir, we oso dunno.... its our first day with the new system".

Welcome to the Phillipines...... how to remain angry with these sweet pinays for long