General information

Metro Manila

Located on the western coast of the main island of Luzon, Metropolitan Manila (MM) is home to 12 million people of diverse cultures. Covering an area of 636 sq. km., it consists of the cities of Manila, 11 other cities, and 5 smaller municipalities. It is the business and financial hub of the Philippines. The country’s entertainment and recreation center, MM has the largest shopping destinations, famous museums, historical attractions, golf courses, restaurants and bars that create a colorful nightlife.

Ortigas Center, the site of Edsa Shangri-La Hotel, is MM’s second largest business district next to Makati. About 13 km. from the international airport, Ortigas hosts three huge shopping malls that are near the hotel – SM Megamall, Shangri-La Plaza Mall, and Robinson’s Galeria. It is also where the headquarters of San Miguel Corporation, the Asian Development Bank, and the Philippine Stock Exchange Center are located.

Safety and Security Precautions

Like most major cities around the world, MM is not perfectly safe for visitors. Thus, travelers are advised to take the necessary precautions. Do not walk alone in unpopulated streets after dark or before dawn. Take a taxi to visit a restaurant or an entertainment place that is quite far from your hotel in the evenings. Try to walk in a group and do not draw unnecessary attention to yourself by wearing meeting badges, carrying large sums of money, or wearing jewelry. Lock your cash and valuables in your hotel safe when you don’t need them.

Climate

The wet season in the Philippines generally ends in October though typhoons are still possible. Temperature may range from 23 oC to 32 oC (73 oF to 90 oF). Humidity is 71% to 85%.

Language

English and Filipino are the official languages. Most public utility drivers and street peddlers will understand and speak familiar English words.

Time Zone

Local time is GMT plus 8

For more information about the Philippines, please visit: www.tourism.gov.ph.

Symposium Arrangements

Registration

To register, please visit www.irri.org/rg5/. A registration fee of USD150 will be collected during the distribution of symposium kit at the Edsa Shangri-La. The fee covers snacks, handouts, and IRRI field tour.

Hotel Room Reservation

Participants are entitled to special room rates at the Edsa Shangri-La Hotel, which are valid for the 5 th International Rice Genetics Symposium and the small group meetings that are integrated with the symposium only. The hotel shall extend the following amenities for those checking-in:

• Complimentary buffet breakfast at the Garden Café
• Complimentary use of Health Club facilities such as swimming pool, Jacuzzi, steam bath, sauna, and gymnasium
• Free use of tennis court from 6 am to 6 pm
• Complimentary coffee and tea making facility in the room, wherein coffee and tea sachets are provided and replenished daily
• Free two bottles of mineral water replenished daily
• Free shoe shine service
• Complimentary daily local newspaper

The hotel reservation form lists the room categories and their corresponding rates. Please contact Ms. Marwin Velicaria to ask for the form at marwin.velicaria@shangri-la.com or (632) 636-9075. To guarantee a booking, please fill out the form and return to Marwin.

Note: Rates are subject to 10% service charge, 10% VAT, and 0.7% local government tax. All diplomatic passport holders are exempted from the VAT and local government tax. You need to present your diplomatic passport when claiming for tax exemption.

Airport Transfer

Arrival. Transport from the airport to Edsa Shangri-La Hotel has been arranged. A representative from IRRI will be at the airport to receive and assist delegates. Please proceed to the International Organization Desk, which is in the Arrival Hall immediately after the Customs Inspection Area, and seek assistance from the IRRI representative.

The journey from the airport to the hotel varies depending on the time of day. At best, it will take 45 minutes. At the height of rush hour traffic, it can take up to two hours.

If you wish to hire a car, you can expect to pay approximately USD11 for a one way trip to Ortigas. Engage only with accredited official taxi if you opt for one.

Departure. Please be ready to leave the hotel at least three hours before flight time.

Meals

Complimentary buffet breakfast will be served at the Garden Café of the hotel from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. Buffet lunch will be served at the foyer of the Isla Ballroom. After taking your dish from the buffet tables, please return to the Isla Ballroom wherever convenient for you to take your lunch. You are free to take your dinner anywhere noting the customary precaution for strangers.

Snacks will also be served at the foyer of the Isla Ballroom.

Welcome Banquet

A dinner in honor of the participants will be hosted by the Organizing Committee on November 20, 2005 at 7:15 p.m. at the Isla Ballroom.

Presentation Assistance

Audio-visual technicians will be on standby to assist speakers with the projectors prior to their presentations and troubleshoot during the presentation when needed. A room (Camiguin) near the Secretariat Room (Basilan) is reserved for checking CD or slides before the presentation.

IRRI Field Tour

Participants will be treated to a day’s showcase of on-going research projects and activities that are relevant to rice genetics and improvement. All those who are joining the tour must start boarding the bus at 6:45 a.m. to depart exactly at 7:00 a.m. Please wear comfortable casual clothes and footwear such as cotton t-shirts and blue jeans and sneakers or rubber shoes or sandals and be prepared for wet weather.

Travel Requirements/Restrictions

Visas

Visitors with valid passports and tickets for their onward journey do not require visas for a stay of up to 21 days. However, entry visas are required for restricted nationals, stateless persons, and those from countries that have no diplomatic relations with the Philippines. Please contact the Philippine Embassy/Consulate nearest you to check the countries on the visa required list. Valid vaccination and immunization certificates are required for those arriving from or through an area infected by plague, typhus, or yellow fever.

Customs

Airline passengers must fill out the Baggage and Currency Declaration Form (BC Form 117) before disembarking to facilitate customs examination. For those with no currency or articles to declare, BC Form 117 signed by the Customs Officer serves as a gate pass. Foreign currency brought in must be declared at the Central Bank of the Philippines counter situated behind the Customs examination area. Imported items that are brought in and will not be taken out again are taxable. Departing passengers are permitted to carry foreign currency up to the amount brought in and declared.

Electronic Equipment. Laptop computers and other electrical equipment for personal use may be brought into the country without duty if these items will be taken out of the country on departure.

Visitors are prohibited from bringing the following:

• Internationally prohibited drugs, unless accompanied by a medical prescription; opium pipes and parts; misbranded or adulterated drugs; drugs or substances for abortion.
• Firearms, their parts and replicas; explosives; ammunition; weapons of war.
• Articles of gold, silver and precious metals without indications of true quality.
• Gambling machines and articles including jackpot or pinball machines, coin-operated video machines, lottery sweepstakes tickets.
• Misbranded and/or adulterated foodstuffs.
• Subversive, obscene, or pornographic materials.

Insurance

Please arrange for your own medical, travel, and personal effects insurance while attending RG5.

Ticket Reconfirmation

Please do not forget to have your flight departure schedule reconfirmed. You may request the Secretariat for assistance in the reconfirmation.

Airport Tax

Travel tax will be collected upon departure. The rate for international flights is Php 550 or about USD10. The rate for domestic flights depends on the destination, and may change without prior notice.

Regular Facilities/Services

Currency and Banking

The exchange rate fluctuates within near USD1 = Php55.

Traveler’s checks and foreign currency notes of all major currencies can be exchanged at the airport, commercial banks, and major hotels. Duty banks at the airport serve late flight arrivals and departures.

• Banking Hours: 0900H-1500H, Monday to Friday.
• Currency: Philippine peso (Php) is the local currency, which is available in denominations of Php10, Php20, Php50, Php100, Php500, Php1000, and Php2000 notes; and Php5, Php1, 50c, 25c, 10c, and 5c coins.

Power Supply

The supply is mostly 220 volts, which is obtainable usually through a 3-pin plug. US-made appliances of lesser voltage require a transformer. Adapters may be obtained locally but it will be better to bring your own.

Telecommunications

GSM cell phone with international roaming capability will work for local and international calls. Pay phones are available in commercial centers. Calls may be made using coins or phone cards. International Direct Dialling (IDD) Service connects to over 120 countries worldwide. National Direct Dialing (NDD) service is also provided for connections to major cities in the Philippines. Full telex, fax, and electronic mail facilities are widely available.

Tipping

Although a service charge is included in the bill in hotels and restaurants, it is customary for customers to give tips. Tipping taxi drivers is not mandatory, but rounding the fare upward is a good rule of thumb. A minimum of Ph20 tip will be highly appreciated by hairdressers, beauty parlor attendants, and hotel bellboys.

Shopping

Shops deal only in Philippine pesos but most malls have foreign currency exchange counters that accept major currencies. Most shopping centers are open from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Major credit cards are accepted but be prepared to show your passport to the cashier as proof of identity.

The malls carry import-quality local and high quality designer brands of clothes and shoes for all ages, sporting goods, furniture, appliances, groceries, toiletries, and food and beverage. They house state-of-the-art cinemas and auxiliary products and services such as amusement centers, spas, medical and dental facilities, bars, coffee shops, photo and video studios, salons, banks, and hobby shops, among others.

Value-added Tax

A value-added tax is levied on hospitality services and on the market/quoted price of most goods offered for sale.

Water

Potable water is available in hotels. Bottled water is available everywhere.

Optional Post-Symposium Tour

The symposium offers a rare opportunity for you and your companion/s to visit famous tourist destinations in the Philippines. If interested you may contact directly Versatile Travel and Tours, the official travel and tour agent of the Edsa Shangri-La Hotel, at telephone numbers (632) 634-7320 and 633-8888 local 2843 and fax number (632) 634-3591. You may also address inquiries to Ms. Luz Lintag at versatile_edsashang@yahoo.com.

It is advisable to make the booking at least a month before the symposium, i.e. October 20, 2005, so that necessary arrangements such as domestic air transport may be made. The booking transaction will entirely be between you and the travel agent. The organizers want simply to inform you that such services are available at the hotel and that you get the most reasonable price.

Below are descriptions and published rates (subject to change without prior notice) for tour packages of the most publicized destinations.

Banaue Rice Terraces (3 days/2 nights)

About 8 hours drive away from Manila is the province of Ifugao, home to the ‘Banaue Rice Terraces,’ the 8 th Wonder of the World and a UN Heritage Site. Amidst the Cordillera Mountain and soaring 3,000 feet above sea level, marvel how the natives curved the mountain using bare hands and iron knuckles to form what looks like a stairway to the sky. The rice terraces when joined from end to end covers halfway around the world.

-roundtrip transportation

-accommodation

-daily breakfast

-use of resort facilities

-view point tour

-service of an English speaking tour guide

Twin Room (US$325 per person for the stated duration; additional US$125 per person for an extra night)

Triple Room (US225 per person for the stated duration; additional US$100 per person for an extra night)

Boracay Island (3 days/2 nights)

Lay away the time, enjoy the sun and the beach with pristine white sand at Boracay island, voted 1 of the 10 most beautiful beaches in the world. Enjoy first class amenities in a natural setting and watch the clock tick away the time in an atmosphere of beauty and serenity.

-accommodation

-daily breakfast

-roundtrip land and sea transfers

-use of resort facilities

Rates vary according to hotel, room type, and season: minimum US$187 per person; maximum US$319 per person.

Exclusion: roundtrip airfare MNL-KLO-MNL via PR – Php140 per person

Palawan Island-Princesa Holiday Resort (3 days and 2 nights)

The ‘nature last frontier’, Palawan is about 1 hour away by plane from Manila. Go island hopping or go scuba diving. Explore the nearby island and reefs. Go windsurfing, sailing, fishing, or hiking. Visit the underground river or Calauit Island or simply relax and lay away the time in an island where time stood still. Enjoy the first class amenities in a very natural setting.

-accommodation

-daily breakfast

-roundtrip land and sea transfers

-use of resort facilities

Twin Room (US$182 per person for the stated duration; additional US$73 per person for an extra night)

Triple Room (US$163 per person for the stated duration; additional US$80 per person for an extra night)

Exclusion: roundtrip airfare MNL-PPS-MNL via PR – US$137 per person; MNL-PPS-MNL via 5J US$126

Cebu (3 days and 2 nights)

The Queen City of the South, Cebu City is a mixture of modern cosmopolitan life in a rural setting. It is home to the famous guitars, costume jewelry, and shellcraft. It is richly endowed with long stretches of white sand beaches and embraced with crystalline waters. Enjoy first class amenities in many beach resorts in a very natural setting.

Rates vary according to the beach resort, room type, and season: minimum US$108 per person; maximum US$355 per person.

Exclusion: roundtrip airfare MNL-CEB-MNL via PR – US$136; MNL-CEB-MNL via 5J US$129 per person

Day Tour Packages

Short tour lasting for a day or a fraction of it may be arranged. Packages include tour of the city of Manila and equally exciting destinations such as Tagaytay (famous for the smallest active volcano in the world), Pagsanjan (famous for an upstream boat ride to a powerful falls), and Corregidor Island (a World War II historical landmark). Rates vary by number of persons, journey time, and destinations: minimum of US$27; maximum of US$127.

Terms and Conditions

• Reservations and bookings shall be send thru email: versatile_edsashang@yahoo.com, with complete names and preferred tour dates at least 30 days prior to guests arrival.
• Payments for confirmed bookings shall be made 15 days prior to guests arrival thru:
  Equitable PCI Bank, San Miguel Avenue Branch Peso
  Account Name: Kalgin Travel Agency Inc.
  Account No. 0354-21818-6
• Cancellation fee equivalent to 50% of the entire cost of the package/tours shall be charged should a confirmed booking be cancelled 7 days prior to tour date. A 100% cancellation fee shall be appliced for on the spot cancellation.
• In case force majeuer or any fortuitous events, Versatile International Travel and Tours shall not be liable for failure to deliver tour services.
• Daily run tours can be arranged anytime.
• Tours and packages rates are subject to change without further notice.