Happy Holidays.

[Jedironin]

MANILA, Philippines –  Visitors to the Philippines may get smiles from airport immigration officials, but they shouldn't expect to hear "Merry Christmas."

Immigration Bureau chief Ronaldo Ledesma says officers at passport counters are banned from offering Christmas greetings because they may be misconstrued as soliciting gifts or cash.

It is a tradition in the Philippines for children to offer Christmas wishes to solicit gifts from godparents and relatives. The practice has been hijacked by corrupt officials who sometimes use it as code for extortion requests.

Ledesma said Tuesday that a Christmas greeting, even if sincere, may sound like asking for a tip. Instead, he said officials should give a warm smile, and efficient service.

Ledesma's bureau has been criticized as a beehive of corruption, and he has promised to clean it up


Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2010/12/07/philippines-bars-xmas-greets-airport-arrivals/#ixzz17R1ZBOmE

Well, I guess it's good he's trying to clean things up there... Hopefully some good news in with the bad?

At any rate... Happy Holidays everyone! Don't send me anything!   

[robert angel]

Re:

>> Happy Holidays.
« on: Today at 09:12:00 AM » Quote 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quote
MANILA, Philippines –  Visitors to the Philippines may get smiles from airport immigration officials, but they shouldn't expect to hear "Merry Christmas."

Immigration Bureau chief Ronaldo Ledesma says officers at passport counters are banned from offering Christmas greetings because they may be misconstrued as soliciting gifts or cash.

It is a tradition in the Philippines for children to offer Christmas wishes to solicit gifts from godparents and relatives. The practice has been hijacked by corrupt officials who sometimes use it as code for extortion requests.

Ledesma said Tuesday that a Christmas greeting, even if sincere, may sound like asking for a tip. Instead, he said officials should give a warm smile, and efficient service.

Ledesma's bureau has been criticized as a beehive of corruption, and he has promised to clean it up


Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2010/12/07/philippines-bars-xmas-greets-airport-arrivals/#ixzz17R1ZBOmE

Well, I guess it's good he's trying to clean things up there... Hopefully some good news in with the bad?

At any rate... Happy Holidays everyone! Don't send me anything!  <<

From my experience, many Filipinos have a thousand other methods to 'solicit' tips, but in all fairness, the solicitations usually follow some sort of work or service.

[Dave H]

"It is a tradition in the Philippines for children to offer Christmas wishes to solicit gifts from godparents and relatives. The practice has been hijacked by corrupt officials who sometimes use it as code for extortion requests."

I am not going to say that they don't exist...but in my 10 years of traveling to (including almost 2 years living here) the Philippines, I have yet to have any problems with immigration officials. Perhaps because all of my papers are kept in order and I DON'T attempt to do anything illegal! Some US Immigration officers...don't even get me started! I personally think that the "non-Merry Christmas policy" is really an attempt to avoid upsetting any Muslim or non-Christian travelers (of which there are many). I was shopping at a SM Mall yesterday, in a city with many Muslims. Being from the "PC" USA, I was rather surprised that they are still doing the 12 noon Catholic prayers there.

BAH HUMBUG! Not just "corrupt officials, God children, or relatives." "Advanced Merry Christmas!" Seems like I hear that all the time. From kids to adults. I usually ignore them or say to the particularly persistant ones, "Wrong Kano, Santa Claus is my brother!"   "Merry Christmas" seems to have become a euphemism for "Hey Joe, GIVE ME MONEY!" Numerous "Christmas  carolers" invade the neighborhood every night. ("I sang a song now GIVE ME MONEY!") I won't bother to respond until just before Christmas. I don't mind a few days or a week before Christmas, but with the Philippines having the longest Christmas of any country in the world, this all started way back in September. I have discovered over the years, that the same people come back multiple times...even on the same night, often switching groups and/or changing clothes. When people see me on the street, they often "transform" into "Christmas  carolers" and run up to me! During my first Christmas in the Philippines, I went through 2 sacks ($40 - 1000 piso coins each) in no time...weeks before Christmas! I finally started letting Filipino family members hand out the coins and the 3rd sack of 1000 piso coins lasted through Christmas. They knew who had been  coming back multiple times and ran them off. Also they gave about 5 pisos to the entire group and not a piso or two per individual.

Merry Christmas! Maligayang Pasko! (Tagalog), Maayong Pasko! (Cebuano), أجمل التهاني بمناسبة الميلاد و حلول السنة الجديدة

Dave