As always, I plan way ahead.  This time, we’re going to Palawan. I’ve saved enough personal money this year so I’ve decided to take my parents and siblings to the beaches of Palawan. We were supposed to go to Boracay but I decided against it as there was nothing much to do in there aside from hanging out in the beach. In Palawan, you have a lot of activities and tours that’ll fill at least 3 days.  In our case, we’re planning to stay for 4 nights and 5 days to enjoy and take in everything, spending 2 days on the beach and the other days touring around Palawan.

I already contacted Kawayanan Resort to book 2 family cottages for our June/July stay. My dad was able to pay the deposit thru the bank and got confirmation of our stay  and the van which would pick us up when we arrive in Puerto Princesa.  I was also supposed to get the tours arranged by them but then looking at some blogs, it is better to just rent a van instead of joining a tour. You pay a flat rate for renting a van (depending if your group can fit in the van) instead of paying per head on a tour i.e. Php1000 for 3 hours rent vs. 800 per head (9x800). However, for the Subterranean River trip , it might be better to get the tour. By the way, the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park and the Tubbataha Reef are nominees  for the New 7 Wonders of Nature so try to vote both of them.

I also completed booking a flight for all of us (7 adults and 2 kids) from Manila to Puerto Princesa thru Cebu Pacific Airways.  I paid around Php32500 (QR3000) for all our tickets.  It’s actually surprising to see that the published rates for local flights in the Philippines are cheap. However, once you get to the payment page, you’ll eventually end up paying 6X the amount of the published rates. (More on this on another entry)

Our annual vacation a month away and we’re all sure excited about it.

Resources:

Kawayanan Resort
Abaa Rd., San Pedro, Puerto Princesa City
Palawan, Philippines

http://www.palawan-resort.net
Email: kawayananresort@yahoo.com
Telephone Number: (63) (48) 434-7078
(63) (48) 434-7088
Cellphone Number: (63) (918) 693-6960

Anyway, one of the movies that are expected to make it big this year is Iron Man. And I'm quite excited to see it as it has been gaining great reviews from all around. Iron Man is actually one of the top 3 genuises in Marvel's world. Along with him on top are Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic (Fantastic Four) and Dr. Henry "Hank" Pym. I'm sure Reed is the no. 1 but don't know who is 2nd or 3rd. Iron Man isn't even someone you'd emphatize as much as Spriderman or even The Hulk. He is gritty and too concerned of himself that he usually is the focus of big, disastrous changes in the Marvel world, i.e., Civil War and World War Hulk. But it would still be good to see how a comic character is played on the screen. I'm hoping that this would be like the other movie incarnations of Batman, Spiderman and the Xmen and not like Ghostrider, The Punisher, and The Hulk (Ang Lee).

I do want to watch it but  I'm not sure if they're going to let Xiane go in the cinema if we do decide to watch it. Or else they would have to find something else to watch or go round the mall.

The draft makes it illegal for sponsors to retain the passports of their foreign workers after completing the visa formalities (renewal or fresh issuance) unless it is mutually agreed between the two parties that their passports or travel documents are to be deposited with their employers.

The minister in-charge or an authority appointed by him will have the right to order change of sponsorship in the case of domestic workers who have been abused by their employers. But the draft retains almost all other features of the existing rules that govern the work and stay of residents and their families here.

For instance, residents cannot change their sponsorship unless they get permission from their employers. Only the minister in-charge will have the right to order a change of sponsorship or, in the case of a worker having legal dispute with his employer, can allow a resident to temporarily work elsewhere.

Interestingly, the draft suggests that the Department of Labour can also recommend to the minister or the authority concerned to change the sponsorship of a foreign worker on valid grounds.

A resident who was here on a work visa but left the country for good after quitting the job or having been dismissed can come back to take up employment with any other company only after a gap of two years – the gap period is to be calculated from the date of his departure from Doha.

However, the minister in-charge or an authority deputed by him will have the right to waive this condition.

The draft also suggests that a department be set up exclusively to look after the implementation of the new sponsorship law and closely monitor the new entry and employment regime.

Foreign workers entering the country and their sponsors are required to complete residence formalities within seven working days from the date of their arrival.

Residents can stay outside the country for up to six months continuously and can apply for extension for another six months after paying a fee, provided they have a residence permit (RP) which is valid for 60 days at the time of their re-entry.The draft suggests that residents have to apply for RP for a newborn within 60 days from the date of their birth even if the birth has taken place outside Qatar.

It is, however, anybody's guess if the new sponsorship law, which is yet to be enforced, will have all the provisions which the draft outlines.

The next day, I got the insurance prepared by Doha Insurance in their office in C-Ring Road and paid the minimum charge of QR1250 for a comprehensive insurance. I got the minimum amount paid since I didn't get into an acciddent last year. I think they ad danother 500QR if your car has gotten into an accident for that year of coverage. I found out that cars usually get a 20% depreciation each year in terms of their value so our car is now less than QR30,000. Anyway, it was easy to get the insurance sorted out and went to the Traffic Police Department in the Airport Area. This is where the problems started.

I got a number  and was sent to one of the lady receptionist. I was thinking that this would just take 5 minutes but then I was told that I was missing a "Computer Number". I asked where I would get that compuer number and was told I should get it in my Insurance company. So I went back to the Doha Insurance and asked them for the number. I was told that that number was already in the form so I went back to the traffic department and showed the lady the number. She told me that it wasn't it and was asked to talk to another officer who can speak English better. The "Computer number" is supposed to be given by my company as the car is still under ther name. Feeling defeated, I gave up just went back to work.

I applied for the document for the transfer of registration of the car to my name once I got back in the office and got the document a week after. I was excited to go back to the Traffic Department but was again rejected. Why? Apparently, my company placed the stamp and signature on the wrong location. Argghhhh!!! So I had to leave and apply for the document again.

By this time, I was told by my colleague that I might encounter some problems with my insurance as it would already be 2 weeks since I got the car insured and my expiration date for next year would be past 2 weeks before my 2009 registration expires.

I got the revised and corrected document the next day and decided to make sure that I won't encounter anymore problems by going to Doha Insurance and extending my insurance to reflect the date that I'm registering my car. I got to the Traffic Department and looked for someone to type the details of my insurance on the Registration form. I paid 10 rials for that.

So went in and hoped for the best. This time, all my documents got cleared and was given my 2009 stickers and after a while, my car Istimara/registration. Whew! I really felt happy when I got the stickers as it meant that this would all soon finish.  I immediately placed the stickers on the car plates and drove away happy!