Why are Filipinos required to have a return ticket?

There is one reason why Filipinos are required to have a return ticket when they travel out of the country, and three reasons why it's non-sense!

Return ticket, check! Body weight... what? Manila, PH

Airlines are required to check your return ticket if you're traveling outside the country, especially as a tourist, to ensure that you will return home and not become one of the thousands of undocumented immigrants/ workers in other countries.

And here are three reasons why this doesn't make any sense:

SQ: Is Philippine Immigration OK with multi-destinations?

If only international travel is as hassle free as domestic. Komodo, Indonesia.

At our Facebook fan page, a follower asked the following question: "Would I have problems at the Philippine Immigration if I have multiple destinations outside of the country?"

First, a disclaimer: I am not an immigration lawyer. My answer to this question is guided by my own experiences having gone out of the country more than twenty times in the last ten years.


For those who do not understand the context of this question, Philippine Immigration requires Filipinos going out of the country to posses a return ticket upon their check in for their outbound flight. If you're wondering why, here are my thoughts on the issue:

Solo travel and the people I've met on the road

"A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles.” – Tim Cahill 

More travel quotes here: 50 Inspiring Travel Quotes

One question that people often ask me, aside from "Where are you?" or "Are you in the Philippines?", is "Why do you travel?"  This is one question that is easy to answer, and I have many. One of which is to meet new people, to meet new friends.

In the last 10 years, I've met quite a few, and thanks to Facebook, I'm still in contact with some of them. For those whom I am not in contact anymore, I still have our shared moments to cherish. My traveling experience has been made memorable by these new found friends, and on this post, I would like to give tribute to these amazing fellow adventurist.

Crazy Christmas eve celebration in Saigon, Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, 2009

On my first solo backpacking trip in Southeast Asia, I ended up celebrating my Christmas in HCMC, Vietnam. It was my first Christmas outside the country, and the first time I am spending it alone. After a tour of the Mekong River, I went back to the hostel and discovered all my roommates getting ready for dinner. It was an 10-bed mixed dorm in the middle of Pham Ngu Lao - Saigon's backpackers' area.

It was a crazy mix of solo travelers, a girl from Netherlands, a lady doctor from Brazil, a couple of Aussie guys, and the rest from different countries in Europe. We went out to dinner, then had a few bottles of Saigon beer. Too early to call it a night, we transferred to another area that served cheap draft beer (I think it was about 1 USD for a pitcher). Stories were shared, advice were asked and even stories back home were overflowing. After midnight, we went back to the hostel too drunk to care as the others were competing for the loudest snore.

Your shit or you're shit?

The menu in one of the local restaurants in Siem Reap.

They say grammar is knowing the difference between your shit and you're shit. Well, I have news for you babe, more than half the world doesn't give a shit!

Go to China, where you'll probably stand for hours on the road if you're lost, and you're looking for someone who speaks English to help you. (Yes, I am speaking from experience though admittedly, the incident happened 9 years ago, well before the the Beijing Olympics.)

My favorite sunset spots

Sunset at U Bein Bridge, the world's oldest and longest teak wood bridge, in Mandalay, Burma

I love sunsets. 

Sunsets remind us that no matter how rough your day may be, it will soon be over and tomorrow will be another day, another opportunity to try, to make things right.

Below are some of my favorite sunsets taken from some of my favorite destinations in Asia, North and South America.