Musings of Don Kishote….

Subject : U.S. Immigration , US Dept. of Homeland Security & TRAVEL ADVISORY

This information is very alarming and I think it’s worth sharing to save you from trouble and embarrassment.
A Filipino friend shared this email.

His friend who works for Homeland Security as Immigration Inspector at LAX (Los Angeles International Airport ) called him yesterday to share the information that happened last weekend. A FIL-AM citizen who was flying to the Philippines for vacation was apprehended by an Airport Immigration agent while she was checking in her baggage and going through the X-ray machine. For some reason, she was randomly checked and was told to open all the envelopes inside her carry-on Coach bag.

They found 10 envelops addressed to different people in the Philippines. When all the envelopes were opened, a total of $11,000 cash was discovered. They asked the traveler if she knew the contents of the envelope. She said no, because all the envelopes are just “padala” and the senders didn’t tell her whether or not there
was money inside.

Immigration agents showed her a Policy and guidance stating that it is illegal to import and export over $10,000 in any Asian countries to prevent the possibility of supporting terrorism.

Sh e was fined $500, her name was “red labeled” by Immigration (means every time she enters and exits the airport, she will be searched 100%), and she also missed her scheduled flight to the Philippines for being held almost 5 hours. Hard to believe that departing passengers from the U.S. are also subject to the policy but looks like it is being strictly enforced now.

The lessons learned is before you accept any “padala”, make sure the envelopes are open and you physically see the contents of it or just plainly say “sorry but I can’t accept any padala” for your own safety.

Subject: TRAVEL ADVISORY FROM AMERICAN
EMBASSY MANILA

Please share this with your friends and relatives.

Please be informed of the recent travel advisory to the United States. However, not only pirated VCDs/DVDs are on the hot list. Customs officials are also looking into fake bags like Louis Vuitton, Coach, etc. Please be informed that the American Association of Publishers (AAP) has also alerted the American customs officers to check out for pirated books. This information; was given to me by Patricia Judd of the AAP.

Please warn all nursing graduates who plan to take the NCLEX and CGF exams in the States not to bring in these pirated books because there will be a penalty of
automatic deportation as violation of intellectual property rights. If you know anyone going from the Philippines and coming back to the USA , with “pasalubongs” and “padalas,” please read this important enclosed advisory from the American Embassy in Manila.

Please share with your friends.

Just a friendly reminder: if you have plans of going to the U.S.,please take precautionary measures on all “padalas,” especially those containing fake/pirated
compact discs/DVDs. US Embassy employees have been given an advisory that as US Gov’t employees, we should abide by the U.S.laws, including Intellectual
Property Rights (anti-piracy) laws.

As an additional incentive, the Consular Section recently received a report that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) searched the bag of a Filipino
entering the U.S. on NW 72 in Detroit.

During the search, 70-80 compact discs, 30-40 empty DVD jackets and 10-20 DVDs were found. Since the travelers were not American citizens, their visas were canceled and they returned to the Philippines .

If they had been Americans, they could have been subject to arrest and criminal
prosecution in addition to civil fines and penalties.

Please remember even ONE pirated item can jeopardize your trip. Also, the fingerprinting system has successfully been instituted in all port of entries. I suggest you bring extra identification cards in addition to your passport to facilitate your entry in the US Immigration. I hope this is helpful.

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/mailbag/mailbag/view_article.php?article_id=99373
Travel Ban to Afghanistan, a Simplistic Solution
INQUIRER.net
 
Posted date: November 07, 2007
 

The FIA is an organization that represents more than 1,000 Filipinos in Afghanistan. We respectfully submit to you our request for the lifting of the deployment ban of Filipinos in Afghanistan. The Master List of Filipinos working in Afghanistan as of October 2007 is available upon request.

We appeal to our government’s good judgment to consider the consequence of the ban to the Filipinos in Afghanistan and our families in the Philippines.

We understand that the Department of Foreign Affairs´ reason for the ban is the security situation in Afghanistan. It is true that being a post-conflict country, Afghanistan has residual security problems, but the conditions here are not as bad as the situation in countries like Timor Leste, Sri Lanka, Sudan and Israel where there is no ban on deployment of OFW’s.

Many Filipinos in Afghanistan are currently occupying senior positions in international development (World Bank, UNDP, USAID, ADB, Adam Smith), humanitarian (international NGOs), reconstruction (engineering, architectural design and telecommunications firms) and office/camp management (security, office/camp supplies and catering services) organizations.
They have experience in post-conflict countries (on-going conflict in some) such as Iraq, Angola, Bosnia, Somalia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Sudan, Aceh (Indonesia), Timor Leste, Cambodia, Eritrea, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. We chose to work here in our search for better job opportunities that are not available in our country.

We summarize the reasons for our request to lift the ban:

1. Our employers are reputable international organizations with projects worldwide and as such, working with these organizations in Afghanistan will be a door through which we will be able to get postings in other countries.

2. With the ban, the Philippine Government is making an assumption that our employers are irresponsible. There are other nationalities working with Filipinos – Americans, British, Canadians, Australians, Italians, New Zealanders, etc - and they trust the security measures of our employers.

3.Our employers provide physical security arrangements to Filipino employees (some are issued armoured vests and Kevlar helmets): secured housing, armed guards, vehicles (including armoured vehicles), security checks and monitoring through radios. We have a strict security regulation that non-compliance of which result to termination of employment.

4.Filipino employees of some organizations are automatically included in the evacuation plans of the embassies under which the organizations belong.

5. Many of the Filipinos in Afghanistan work for agencies involved in security work and are therefore aware of the daily security situation. Security information is also being shared by all international agencies.

a.NGOs receive daily and weekly security advisories from ANSO (Afghanistan NGO Security Office), which is a security advisory project funded by the ECHO under the German Agro Action.
b.UN, USAID, ADB and World Bank personnel have their own security information procedures.
c.Private security agencies have their own sources of security information.
d.Embassies disseminate security information to its citizens and to organizations under the government of that embassy.

6.There has not been any Filipino who died from suicide bombings or has been caught in the conflict between the US/NATO and the armed opposition groups.

7.Most of the Filipinos in Afghanistan have careers in international development, humanitarian and reconstruction work and this line of work is usually in post-conflict countries.

8. Loss of income by many of the over 1,000 Filipinos working in Afghanistan. The average income of the Filipinos working in Afghanistan is $3,000 per month. A lot of the Filipinos in Afghanistan are professionals and occupy very responsible positions.

9.Filipinos are provided with life, accident and medical evacuation insurance coverage by their employers.

10.Responsible positions occupied by Filipinos include Country Managers/Directors, Project Team Leaders, Lead Engineers, Project Managers, and Department Heads among others. An abrupt departure from these responsibilities as a result of the ban is not fair to our agencies. Projects will be adversely affected and funds already allocated for the projects will be wasted. Thus, this will not put us in the good light with these agencies for future employment.

11.The DFA has been working with the International Organization for the Migration (IOM) as its partner specifically in the evacuation of the Filipinos during the war in Lebanon. The IOM is on the ground Afghanistan and with Filipinos employees as well.

12.Lack of alternative employment provided for Filipinos who will lose their jobs at very short notice.

13. Many of Filipinos here have invested their earnings to housing and business ventures in the Philippines. We are still paying for these housing and business loans and losing our jobs will mean reneging on monthly amortizations and the consequential loss of relatively huge amounts already invested.

14.There is a cohesive association of Filipinos in Afghanistan (FIA), which other post-conflict countries may not have, that volunteers to provide some support to “kababayans”, in the physical absence of a Philippine Consulate and DOLE representatives in Afghanistan.

a. The FIA has a warden system to respond to emergencies.
b. The FIA has proven itself in providing the necessary assistance to Filipinos – repatriating the remains of a Filipina who died for a crime-related incident, seeking medical help for sick Filipinos (quite a number of Filipinos are involved in medical work), temporary housing for Filipinos terminated from work without notice, repatriating the remains of Filipinos who died from health related causes.
c. The FIA has regularly kept in touch and provided updates to the Philippine Embassy in Islamabad regarding the situation in Afghanistan.

We do not understand the rhyme or reason for this deployment ban to Afghanistan. We feel like we are being played with and sacrificed for our Philippine government’s deficiencies somewhere. We thought we are being hailed by the nation as modern day heroes but are we really? Over a thousand Filipinos will lose good paying jobs as a result of this ban. From an economically productive life, we and our families become an addition to the statistics of an already high poverty rate in the Philippines.

The ban is unfair to us. We were not consulted or given time to find other employment. Nor has the Philippine government provided an alternative for us. We would rather live and work in a dangerous country where we have employment and be able to put food on our table, provide shelter and clothing and send our children to school. The Philippine government does not have the right to take away our jobs if it is not able to provide these for us.

It is particularly cruel to impose this ban at this time of the year when Filipinos are going home to spend the Christmas holidays with their families. It is supposed to be the time of cheer. But with the ban, it will be a time of pain and despair.

Strangely enough, the Philippines is the only country that bans its citizens from traveling to Afghanistan. The ban is a simplistic solution to the problem of security. The Philippine government should seek to work closely with the Filipino communities in other countries and strengthen them instead of make unilateral decisions that have adverse affects on the economic independence of these Filipinos.

With this ban, the Philippine government might have found a solution to physical security but in consequence, it is threatening our economic security which is even worse and potentially destabilizing to our country.

We only seek for better lives for ourselves and our families as we seek your government’s understanding and support to our request.

Respectfully,
Catherine S. Sobrevega
Representative, Filipinos in Afghanistan (FIA)
+93799419712 / +93797093073

Signed and agreed upon by 71 Filipinos representing 71 companies and 1,181 Filipinos working in Afghanistan this 2nd of November 2007 in Kabul, Afghanistan.
 
 

From Fred Borbon:

MGA IGAN, E2 PO ANG USAPANG LASING NG ISANG KASAMAHAN NATIN NA KABABAKASYON LAMANG, GINAWA NA NAMAN ULIT TAYONG MENSAHERO .

KABILANG SIYA SA MGA IBA PANG OFW DYAN SA TABI TABI NA HINDI KAYANG PUMALAOT SA ATING MGA PALITAN NG KURO KURO AT KUNTENTO NA LAMANG SA PAGBABASA, AYOS NA DIN NAMAN IYAN, MAGALING KESA SA WALANG MIRON.

PAGBIGYAN NAMAN NATIN AT MALAY NINYO, MADAMI PANG MAHIKAYAT SIYA SA MGA KASAMAHAN NATIN DIYAN NA INAANOD NA LANG NG ISYU.

PARA DAW PO SA MGA MASISIPAG NA MGA NAGPAYAHAG NG KANILANG MGA PALA PALAGAY AT SALOOBIN .

CARLO MAGNO, SANA AY MAHULASAN KA NA SA IYONG KALASINGAN AT IPADALA MO NA DIN ANG PART 2, KASABAY NG PAGLALANTAD MO SA IYONG TUNAY NA PAGKATAO AT MASALIMUOT MONG KASAYSAYAN.

=================

From: Carlo Magno

Kwentuhan ni Pedro at Juan.

Pedro: Pareng Juan dumating ka na pala mula sa Nigeria ? Anong pasalubong mo?

Juan: Pare may alak akong imported masarap ito. Mag-inom muna tayo. Natatandaan mo ba yung paborito kong sinaing na tulingan na niluluto mo na may kamias na tuyo, yun na lang ang ipulutan natin dahil para bang naglilihi ako sa pagkain na yon. Hayaan mo at ibibili naman kita ng litsong liempo at manok dahil yan ang paborito mo.

Pedro: Pare buti ka pa ay nakakabili ka nitong alak na ito napakatapang at masarap inumin at masarap na pulutan. Ito ba paborito ni pareng Erap yung Blue L……

Juan: Yan nga yon pare!…hehehe. Wag kang maiinggit kung makabili man ako nyan dahil matagal naman kong pinag-iipunan yan para marami akong maiuwing pasalubong. Sya nga pala may pasalubong akong sabon at tsokolate para kay Mare at kay Junior mo.

Pedro: Pare kamusta na ang trabaho mo doon.

Juan: OK, naman pare.

Pedro: Ayon sa balita eh…total ban for travel na raw yung mga pabalik doon sa lugar nyo dahil magulo raw doon at may mga kidnapping na nagaganap. Totoo ba yon?

Juan: Pare totoo na may gulo doon pero di sa lugar na pinagtatrabahuhan namin kung may gulo doon ay parang nasa Manila at Mindanao ang layu namin doon sa gulo. At kung nasa hot area ka parang nasa General Santos City at Sulu ang layo mo. So safe pa rin kami doon.

Pedro: Ganun ba? Ay bakit may pinatutupad na total ban papuntang Nigeria ?

Juan: Alam mo pare, yung mga nakaupo sa gobyerno na nagpapatupad ng batas ay walang alam kung ano ang tunay na nangyayari sa lugar na pinagtatrabahuhan namin. Kaya naman ni hindi nga sila nakakatuntong sa Nigeria kaya kung mag-desisyon sila ay ganun na lang.

Pedro: Pero ayon sa balita ay talamak daw sa kidnapping doon kaya pinatupad ang total ban sa dahilang nalalagay daw sa peligro yung mga kababayan natin?

Juan: Pare kapag ikaw ay nakatuntong ng Nigeria ay maiintindihan mo ang buhay sa West Africa di lang sa Nigeria . Tulad ng kidnapping na yan…. Alam mo ba na kung sa Nigeria ka ma-kidnap ay ititira ka pa sa Hotel at bibigyan ng babae ng mga kidnapper?

Pedro: Totoo ba yon pare? Hehehe… di ako makapaniwala sayo….

Juan: Tototo yon pare…hehehe. Tanungin mo yung mga mga Bitoy na nakidnap…hehehe…..

Pedro: Ikaw talaga pare niloloko mo ako…hehehehe

Juan: Ganito yan pare, may klasipikasyon ang mga kidnappers sa kanilang mga biktima. Depende yan sa Grade mo…. Grade A, B, C, at D. Kapag Grade A ka ikaw ay maaaring Bitoy, Kano or Frances or empleyado ng mga oil giants sa Nigeria kaya ang accommodation mo ay Hotel, may masarap na pagkain at baka bigyan ka pa ng tagamasahe ng likod mo habang hinihintay mo na tubusin ka ng kumpanya mo.

Pedro: Ano naman yung Grade B….?

Juan: Yan naman ang mga empleyado ng mga international company na maganda ang bayad sa mga kidnappers kung baga pumapangalawa sa magandang magbayad na Grade A.

Pedro: Eh, ano naman ang Grade C at D kidnap Victims?

Juan: Yan pare ang matindi….hehehe

Pedro: Bakit pare? Ano ang ibig mong sabihin?

Juan: Yan yung mga third country nationals tulad natin, pana, Indonesians, Pakistan at thailander…at mga kuripot na kumpanya ng mga koreano, italiano at frances . Yan yung mga kuripot magbayad… kaya hindi masyadong tinatarget yan ng mga kidnappers…. Dahil kakaunti ang kinikita nila… kapag minamalas malas ka ay baka pagboksingin pa kayong mga victims kung matagal kayong tubusin….hehehe

Pedro: Anong ibig mong sabihin na pag-boksingin? Mukhang ngayon ko lang maririnig yan ah… at wala sa dyaryo yan ah…hehehe

Juan: Yan yung sinasabi ng mga OFW na taga Nigeria …hehehe… kinakailangan ay dala mo ang dibdib mo at itlog mong panlaban sa pitpitan…hehehe…kasing tapang daw ni Gerry at hindi katulad ni Mar….hehehe

Pedro: Ikaw talaga pare…binibitin mo ako sa istorya mo…hahaha. Ano ba yong boksing.

Juan: Yan pare, halimbawa kung sakaling apat ang kidnap victims, yung dalawa doon ay magboboksing… yung dalawa naman ay parang corner man yon…. Kapag tumama ng suntok yung isa sa kalaban nya may equivalent na sampiga sa mukha naman yung corner man nung boksingerong tinamaan ng suntok.. alam mo ba kung sino ang sumasampiga?

Pedro: Sino?

Juan: Eh di yung kidnapper?

Pedro: Pare, totoo ba yon? Mukhang ginugoodtime mo lang ako?hehehe… baka naman gawa-gawa mo lang yung istorya mo? Hehehe

Juan: Ikaw talaga pare? Kaya nga dapat kapag pumunta ka sa Nigeria ay dala mo ang bayag mo…hehehe

Pedro: Talagang hindi ako makapaniwala sa kwento mo….

Juan: Talagang ganyan pare… hindi mo nga ako paniniwalaan dahil sila ngang mga nagpapatupad ng ban ay hindi maniwala sa amin na safe kami sa lugar na pinagtatrabahuhan namin sa Nigeria …. Ikaw pa kaya….hehehe siguro kung makakarating ka sa lugar na pinagtatrabahuhan namin ay malalaman mo na hindi lahat ng lugar sa Nigeria ay magulo. Maiintindihan mo sana na kung bakit nagagalit ang mga OFW na kasamahan namin doon.

Pedro: Pare tignan mo naman dalawangput apat yung nakidnap na seaman at yung isang huli ay taga-land base pa… eh kung ako ang nasa gobyerno ay baka ganyan din ang gawin ko….ipatupad ang ban to travel to Nigeria .

Juan: Ganito yan pare…dito sa Pilipinas kapag nakidnap at nagbayad na ang pamilya mo ay malamang ay baka patayin ka pa…. itanong mo sa mga intsik na kakilala mo kung hindi totoo ang sinasabi ko….sa Nigeria kapag nakidnap ay siguradong pakakawalan ka kapag nagbayad ang kumpanya mo…yung dalawangput apat na nakidnap na seaman ay European base company yan at mga walang security escort yan na katulad ng sa amin ditto sa land base kaya masyadong nasensationalise yan…pero nasaan ba sila? Di ba’t nakauwi na…. kung sa Pilipinas nakidnap yan eh baka pinugutan pa ng ulo yang mga mahal nating mga kasama sa hanapbuhay…katulad sa Sulu… Mabuti na lang at hindi rin nagpapalabas ng ban to travel ang Nigerian government sa Pilipinas….hehehe…. Bakit nga ba?hehehe alam mo ba kung bakit? Wala tayong oil fields na katulad nila at wala pa silang mga engineers at techinician na katulad ng mga pinoy na ipapadala sa pinas… nakakatawa nga eh…hehehe… pilipinas lang ang nag-issue ng ban to travel to Nigeria…hehehe… mga bugok pala…hehehe… akala ko’y pagkatapos ng edsa ay mga agila na uupo dyan sa Mala…..gobyerno natin….hik..hik… lasing na ata ako pare…mga langaw pala….hehehe… siyanga pala yung huling nakidnap ay gusto nang bumalik non…sayang baka 3k hanggang 30k per day ang nawawala sa kanya….hik…hik..

Pedro: Ganun ba?????

Juan: Alam mo pare…hik…hik.. lasing na ata ako ha…hehehe…Sa Nigeria….kahit moral support lang ang manggaling sa embahada ay ok na at siguradong makakalaya ng buhay ang biktima… dito sa atin kapag biktima ka ay baka maubos ang pera ng pamilya mo at baka patay ka pa. Sa Nigeria kumpanya ang nagbabayad… ditto sa atin pamilya natin ang nagbabayad…hik…. So sino ang mas kawawa… yung mga nakidnap sa Pilipinas o yung mga nakidnap sa Nigeria ….hehehe..hik

Pedro: Anong tulong naman ang nakukuha nyo sa embahada sa Nigeria ….hik .? Mukhang lasing na rin ata ako pare…hehehe hik..

Juan: Pare…lasing na ako….hehehe… Moral support lang pare…moral support lang….hehehe…. Wala namang pondo yan sila eh..heheh hik….. yung pondo… eh pina-aapruban pa sa Pilipinas kaya matagal pa bago dumating…hehehe…hik…tulad ng pambili ng tiket sa para…hik..hik..hik …sa repatriation…hik

Pedro: Pare lasing na rin ako…hehehe….hik…hik…marami pa akong…itatanong sayo kaso gusto ko nang matulog…hehehe…

Juan: OK….hik..hik.. bukas na lang ulit tayo mag-inom..hahaha…hik… tamang-tama si pareng Erap ay nadyan na…hehehe..hik…hik… akitin nating mag-inom…hik…hik….sa susunod …may Blue L….. pa ako….pag-ubos na ito ay inom naman tayo ng lambanog..hehehe…masarap talaga itong tulingan…..hehehe..hik..hik…

Juan at Pedro: Ibong mang may layang lumipad♪♫♪ kulungin mo at umiiyak…♪♫♪ hik…hik…