Quarantine in Philippines

[NW Dive Dawg]

Lisa..... so sorry to hear that this happened. Yes insurance helps and yes it's always a risk traveling to a country where the unexpected might occur........ But it's really a bummer that you planned and looked so much forward to what I assume was an expensive trip of a lifetime and then had this happen..

Hope the travel gods are good to you on your next trip!!

 

[JackOfDiamonds]

I don't consider working plumbing a luxury

You clearly have never spent an extended period of time in a 3rd world country.

Each country has their own standards, and considering where you were, plumbing is absolutely a luxury for most people.

 

[Tippytoes12]

I feel extremely sorry for the OP. And grateful to her for sharing the story.

We all love diving and nobody knows how long they will be able to do so.

I had two wonderful weeks in the Philippines in March and it honestly never occurred to me what would happen if I tested positive or was a contact of a positive case while there.

 

[Centrals]

1. Good travel insurance is a must.
2. LoB is potentially risky because the clients are arriving usually from different countries and you are confined in a relatively small area with large group of peoples/strangers.
3. Puerto Princesa is a tiny provincial town and the quarantine facility is probably set up for the local. Therefore foreign tourists might find it unacceptable.
4. As long as there is water(running or in a container) I couldn't careless about plumbing.

A ruined holiday? YES.

 

[Centrals]

I don’t think you’re going to get too much sympathy here. You went to a third world country. It’s not like you were in Europe.

I do not think HK can be considered as 3rd world.

https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3163512/quarantine-not-punishment-angry-residents-hong

Providing acceptable facility in relative short time is never easy.

 

[Sevenrider860]

When I went to the Philippines earlier this year the 5 days quarantine upon arrival was still in place. Had we tested positive without needing medical attention (asymptomatic), we could have stayed in the same hotel until we tested negative or after x number of days (I don't remember the exact number). Was staying at a BOQ-Approved Quarantine Hotel not an option?

 

[ontdiver]

The issue of working plumbing brings to mind facilities in (country X) where I had to hold my breath to avoid inhaling insects.

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

I find, as a family, we can acclimate to most any situation, plumbing wise. Bucket showers (with a kettle to heat the water), hole in the floor toilets (so long as there's a water pitcher to wash with), and no AC (mosquito net and ceiling fan, please) really don't dampen our enjoyment of the trip. If anything, you appreciate what you have more when you get back.

Embrace the way others live and you won't take for granted that with which you are blessed. And for certain, we are blessed every day. Especially blessed when we are under water, though.

 

[Damselfish]

For those who will be fine with such a situation, good for you. For those who will not for whatever reason, I think reports of what could happen are useful, and I do have sympathy for the OP or anyone who goes through something like that. Too many people have a hard time putting themselves in other peoples shoes, and that goes both ways. But the level of hardship in any situation is quite relative to what someone is used to.

If working plumbing is the general expectation for tourists in a place, I don't think it is an unreasonable expectation for the same tourists forced into a quarantine situation. If certain things aren't available to begin with, the visitors expecting them wouldn't have come. Saying working plumbing is a luxury to many people in a place doesn't mean it's unavailable there.

And it's smart for countries to do a better job, as word gets around and it will hurt their tourism. The internet has a long memory. I know it is all challenging, but seems there should be plenty of hotel rooms and often the possibility of staying where you are. Yes you should have travel insurance or be otherwise prepared to pay for it.

 

[DJRSB]

Thank you for your post. We were thinking of diving in the Philippines in September but hadn’t considered possible Covid complications. I think we’ll hold off until ? next year?