TRAVEL TIPS 1   Prepare to hop in a jeepney, tricycle or pedicab, exotic and local modes of transport that are most commonly available for going around. Always bring loose change when taking this type of public transport.   Ask for transport schedules and availability on that day, some destinations are only being served intermittenly, not to mention extreme weather conditions that will affect these schedules.   Casual clothing is acceptable inside churches and business offices. Dining establishments and hotels impose no dress code but shorts and slippers are deemed improper.   For formal occasions, the traditional Barong Tagalog, the Philippine national costume for men, is just as suitable as the suit-and-tie.   Adopt to local customs and accept local differences. The Filipinos are divided culturally into regions, each with its own distinct traits and traditions.   Be sure to sample the endless variety of native delicacies and local cuisine, which differ in every region. South Cotabato has a lot of flavors that you will want to take home with you.   Patience is the traveler's sterling virtue. Sense of time in South Cotabato seems to be slower and almost everyone does tend to talk rather than act. Avoid showing impatience and anger, anticipate delays and the experience of having to do some waiting. Always look on the brighter side, like the Filipinos do, you will discover more about places and people during delays.   You must also learn how to be appreciative, consider each place as unique, in South Cotabato, it will always have its own set of the unusual.   Cheap food is always available, go where students and government employees eat. Local rice delicacies make substantial substitutes for a full meal. Noodles are also quite filling.   Smile, this never fails to elicit a positive response and makes it easier to get what you want.   Take a tricycle to get around in the city, they ply more routes, are swift and cheap. It is even more practical to hire tricycles on a per-hour basis, the price is always negotiable, specially if you wish to cover the most ground in the least amount of time.   Do not tempt potential criminals with an unnecessary display of wealth or by leaving your bags unattended.   There will always be a hustler at every terminal and port. Should you be approached by one, let him know you're not the easy target he mistook you for. Make it clear that you do not have the money he expects to take from you.   All travelers should visit either their personal physician or a travel health clinic at least 6 - 8 week before departure, make sure you will get the proper vaccination.   Make sure you have a proper health- and travel insurance before departure. Bring essential medication such as cold and flu tablets, paracetamol, treatment for diarrhea (Imodium or Lomotil) and antiseptic for cuts and grazes. Remember that traveler's diarrhea is among the most common ailments.   Avoid eating raw products that is neither cooked nor peelable, shellfish such as mussels, oysters and clams, as wel as undercooked meat.   Avoid drinks with ice, unless the ice has properly been treated. Be wary of fruit drinks where water may have been added. Anything carbonated is safe to drink, untill you add ice. A trip to South Cotabato is fun and exciting, but a fun trip can sometimes turn sour without proper planning or prior knowledge of this beautiful province. It is always advisable for travelers to learn more about their destination, to expect the unexpected and take proper precautions before coming to South Cotabato. We will try to give you some useful travel tips and hope these will make your stay more enjoyable.   Travelling should be fun, no matter whether you are travelling for business or pleasure, you need to make the most out of your trip and to have as few complications as possible. If you intend to visit the Philippines we recommend that you keep updated with the latest news and travel alerts. Information can be obtained from the Philippine embassy in your country. We also recommend that you check availability and make reservations in advance.   Never hesitate to ask questions, people in South Cotabato are usually willing to help you when you ask for directions. However, sense of distance and direction can be subjective. What is near for locals may actually be far for you. Observe closely the angle of the arm or a finger when someone is pointing toward a direction. The wider the angle, the farther the distance. Traveling overland the entire length of the Philippines is now possible through the Pan Philippine Highway. Also known as the Maharlika Highway, the road network runs from Manila to Laoag City via Cagayan Valley in northern Luzon and from Manila to Davao in Mindanao via Bicol in southern Luzon and Samar and Leyte in eastern Visayas.   Twenty-six areas in Luzon and seven areas in the Bicol region, the Visayas and Mindanao have been designated Scenic  Highways, all with comfortable amenities for the traveler.   South Cotabato is blessed with a tropical climate that has relatively generous amount of rainfall and gentle winds. Basically, there are three noticeable seasons namely the wet and rainy season, June-October. The cool but dry season, November-February and the hot and dry season in March-May.   The best time to make a trip to South Cotabto is from the middle of december to the middle of May. Travelers coming to the country in december (Christmas) or April (Easter) are advised not to travel more than necessary as the entire country is on the move, making it difficult to get a seat on any type of transport.   January, May and December are the best months to visit South Cotabato, if colorful celebrations and fiestas are on your list. In March and April the weather is pleasantly warm, these months can be ideal for island hopping. Please be adviced that for those who can't take the heat, the month of May can be quite an experience of warm discomfort.     DEPARTURE FEES   Travellers are requested to pay an airport tax  when departing from any International Airport. Travellers are advised to check with their agents on this issue before departure as the fees are subject to change. The international airports have adequate traveller friendly facilities: tourist information and assistance centres, duty-free and souvenir shops, car rental services, banks and automated teller machines, postal service, national and international direct dial telephone booths, medical clinics and baggage deposit areas.   VISA REGULATIONS    Except for stateless persons and those from countries with which the Philippines has no diplomatic ties, all visitors with valid passports may enter the country without visas and may stay for 21 days provided that they have tickets for their onward journey. Holders of Hong Kong and Taiwan passports must have special permits. Visas and special permits may be obtained from Philippine embassies and consulates.   A foreign spouse and children of a Filipino passport holder, or a previous citizen of the Philippines living abroad, when travelling together, will be automatically granted a Balikbayan visa for 12 months upon arrival in the Philippines.   VISA EXTENSIONS   Extensions of Stay Visitors intending to extend their stay from 21 days to 59 days should contact the Immigration Office (Commission on Immigration and Deportation; CID), Magallenes Drive, Intramuros, Manila, and its offices in Angeles, Cebu City and San Fernando (La Union). Upon arrival at the Immigration Office, all you have to do is present your extension application and passport to the various immigration officials with which these documents will remain with the Immigration Office (Regular Service) for processing.   Fees for a 38-days visa extension vary in cost depending on whether the application for extension by the visitor was filed before or after the 21 days limit. If you are planning to apply for a visa extension, do remember not to dress in shorts and flip-flops (thongs) or else you can expect to be refused service.   CUSTOMS REGULATIONS   To facilitate customs examination, visitors are advised to fill in the Baggage and Currency Declaration Form before disembarking. Visitors are allowed to bring in the following items duty-free: reasonable quantity of clothes, jewellery and toiletries, 400 cigarettes (total) or two tins/packets of tobacco and two bottles of wine or spirits of not more than one litre each. Visitors carrying more than $3,000 must declare the amount at customs on arrival. On departure, foreign currency taken out of the country must not exceed the amount brought in.   NATURAL DISASTERS   Typhoons strike the Philippines during the rainy season usually between July and December and flooding may occur. The Philippines is in an earthquake zone and there are more than 200 volcanoes, most of which are extinct, but there are major eruptions every once in a while so best ask a local before venturing up the sides on one, or you may descend far faster than hoped or not at all. www.tombombon.com     HEALTH REGULATIONS   A certificate of vaccination against yellow fever is required for travellers coming from infected areas. Travellers with infectious diseases are subject to quarantine. Children under one year of age are subject to isolation when necessary. Therefore immunizing oneself and having proof of immunization is important and should be presented to the health authorities if and when required.    BILHARZIA    Visitors are advised against swimming in fresh still water as the disease called Bilharzia (schistosomiasis) is present (flowing water though is generally fine). However, it is quite safe to swim in swimming pools that are chlorinated.   DENGUE   Dengue Fever is another mosquito borne ailment that is rife in the Philippines. Here there are no prophylactics to stop your chances of getting sick and the best way to prevent contracting the disease is to cover yourself in some form of mosquito repellent before venturing out at night.     Health Information for Travelers to Countries in Southeast Asia Bilharzia: More information Dengue: More information MALARIA    The threat of malaria is present the whole year round below 600m in altitude except in urban areas where the malevolent falciparum strain is present and believed to be highly resistant to chloroquine. Please talk to your local doctor for Malaria advice. From our own point of view, it is not advisable to take any precautionary measures as if you do contract the disease it is harder to diagnose if you are already taking a preventative medication. Therefore locals advise not to take anything and IF you get the disease only then take the cure. The best form of prevention is to wear a mosquito repellent all the time and never wear dark coloured clothing…mosquitoes are attracted to dark colours. Malaria: More information   RECOMMENDATORY Usage of long-sleeved shirt and long pants to wear whenever possible while outside, to prevent illnesses carried by insects Usage og insect repellent containing DEET (diethylmethyltoluamide), in 30%–35% strength for adults and 6%–10% for children. Unless you are staying in air-conditioned or well-screened housing Usage of a bed net impregnated with the insecticide permethrin. Staying and sleeping in air-conditioned houses Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG) Hepatitis B or immune globulin Rabies, if you might be exposed to wild or domestic animals through your work or recreation. Typhoid vaccination is particularly important because of the presence of S. typhi strains resistant to multiple antibiotics in this region. A booster for tetanus/diphtheria - if not covered which indicates not vaccinated within the last 10 years. Japanese encephalitis, only if you plan to visit rural areas for 4 weeks or more Yellow fever, when entering from a yellow fever endemic region. HEALTH Wash hands often with soap and water. Drink only boiled water, or water and carbonated (bubbly) drinks in cans Avoid tap water, fountain drinks, and ice cubes. Eat only thoroughly cooked food or fruits and vegetables you have peeled yourself. Remember: boil it, cook it, peel it, or forget it Protect yourself from insects by remaining in well-screened areas, using repellents (applied sparingly at 4-hour intervals) and permethrin-impregnated mosquito nets, and wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants from dusk through dawn. Prevent fungal and parasitic infections, keep feet clean and dry, and do not go barefoot Do not travel at night Trafic accidents are frequent, be careful Always use latex condoms to reduce the risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases Don’t eat food purchased from street vendors. Use malaria prophlaxis in the form of chloroquine and proguanil below 600 m except in Bohol, Catanduanes, Cebu and Manila.   DRUGS   Possession or use of prohibited drugs carries a maximum penalty of imprisonment of 20 years and a fine of 20,000 pesos. if caught you will be convicted. Penalties for carrying or trafficking illegal drugs are extremely severe, ranging from long prison sentences to the death penalty.

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