That very evening I got on a flight from Manila to Hong Kong. I was originally planning for a trip to China with me exiting from Hong Kong back to Singapore. However, it seems it was not to be and something urgent came up in Manila and I needed to cancel the trip. When the issue has subsided, I realized that I still have a ticket back from Hong Kong back to Singapore. I decided to make use of that by taking a trip to Hong Kong instead of heading back to Singapore immediately. After all, I already wasted enough money with the cancelled plane tickets and hotel reservations.
Fortunately for me, Hong Kong is an easy place for me to go to since I have a friend who was willing to put me up at his place. All I had to do is get there. I have been there numerous times to know my way around the city and beyond. This time around, I only plan on just taking a break after all the hubbub in Manila. I took the late Cebu Pacific flight to Hong Kong.
Speaking of which, in another wonderful case of inefficiency, it turns out that buying Cebu Pacific tickets over the counter will definitely include a travel tax whether or not you are exempted. I asked if it was possible to refund it since I was entitled to an exemption. The staff said yes, but I would have to get the refund not at the airport, but at the Department of Tourism office in Manila. I find this very ridiculous not to mention irritating, especially the way they always try to make things so difficult for anyone. I decided to just purchase my ticket online instead and be done with it.
[xmlgm {http://www.worldwanderings.net/kml/StarFerryCentralPier.kmz}]
Hi, actually, that requirement to go to the DOT is the same for other airlines. It’s a government requirement for those exempted to get that form. Good thinking to just book online! 🙂
hi mich,
thanks for the clarification. it does make sense that it is actually is a government requirement if you still need to go to the department of tourism to do this. i don’t understand why they (the government) needs to make it so complex to avail of the exemption. i guess it is just one of the typical inefficiencies inherent in the government. some of them just don’t make sense, some of them you can avail after going all around the city several times and others are just there “just because”. i’m not sure how to properly solve something like this. i guess if you look at it, it avoids tax evasion which maybe the point of the whole thing. although it makes it quite troublesome for the minority who don’t have to pay them.
thanks for visiting!