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PGYC ALL SOULS REGATTA

The PGYC All Souls Regatta (30th Oct - 3nd Nov) will bring the most enthusaistic of sailors from all around Asia to the most fun sailing event that kicks-off the 2008-09 racing season in the Philippines. Open to all classes of sailing yacht (racing, cruising, liveaboard) the All Souls Regatta has established itself as the best regatta for both experienced and novice crews to shake out the cobwebs, let their hair down and party on and off the water. The traditional breezes during the event are a mixture of 10-20 knots from the NE, under almost cloudless skies. Yachts from the Philippines and Hong Kong, crewed by international casts, have already confirmed their attendance and the moorings are open to all would-be competitors. If you are looking for a fun way to enjoy Halloween then let go your dock lines and sail on in to Puerto Galera for the All Souls/All Fun regatta 2008. Want to know more about water sports events in the Philippines? then click here and visit our Events page. Want to watch the event but can't get to Puerto Galera? then click here to check out the latest Puerto Galera webcams.
For those planning to travel here for the any Puerto Galera event from Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore or Indonesia across the South China Sea then check out the cruising information on the Cruising Info page.
The PG Webcam
	Thanks to the generosity of QBE Insurance you can now connect directly to Puerto Galera via a webcam. The Internet connection is provided through the resources of Sharkeez Pizzeria and Internet Bar & Restaurant home of the best-pizza-in-town. Click on the image (left) to open and the view the moorings from anywhere in the World.
Note: due to bandwidth issues in the province this webcam does not provide a continuous video feed - if you have patience the image will automatically refresh every 15 seconds; and, if the image appears mostly black, that's because the town has gone to sleep - we are GMT+8.

OKTOBERFEST in Puerto Galera 2008

Mayor Hubbert Dolor has approved a private sector-led plan to hold an Oktoberfest in Puerto Galera. When given the tagline "Mûnchen Deutschland in Puerto Galera Oktoberfest", the Mayor exclaimed, "Wow! Let's do this."
Mûnchen Deutschland means Munich Germany, birthplace of the Oktoberfest which is the world's largest fair with over 6 million people attending each year. Many cities across the world also hold Oktoberfest celebrations including Manila, modeled after the Munich event.
This year's worldwide Oktoberfest celebrations will be held from September 20 to October 5. However, local Oktoberfest organizers are targeting the last week of October as the finale of the event.
Among the activities being considered are as follows:
* Ceremonial Opening with the Mayor, after a twelve gun salute, tapping the first keg and uttering the word "O'zapft is" which means "it's tapped."
* Locals especially Germans will be asked to wear the Sennerhut, Lederhosen, and the girls in Dirndl which are traditional German dresses.
* The streets will be converted into venues for tents where beers will be served on Stein mugs- Oktoberfest beer mugs (1-litre-Steins, Maßkrug in German) are made from heavy glass and typically have a decorative logo on the side, thus making them very popular souvenirs among visitors. There will be long tables inside the tents with lots of German sausages and roasted pigs and chickens.
* Bavarian music with the local Oompah band will be played all throughout the venues.
* Banners of blue and white will be hanged in all the establishments near and along the main venue.
* Colored mementos and souvenirs will be printed to be given to visitors and guests.
* Local girls will be trained to carry and serve large beer mugs and to wear traditional apparels.
* A website will be published with complete information and an online booking facility.
* Half-page advertisements in the Manila Bulletin and Philippine Daily Inquirer for 2 consecutive Sundays leading to the event.
The organizers are targeting, this year, foreigners residing and working within the Philippines. They believe that the event will be a "great excuse" for them to come to Puerto Galera. Organizers expect 100% occupancy for Puerto Galera resorts during the event.
The organizers are also soliciting the support of German corporations like Adidas, Bayer, BMW, Heidelberg Philippines, Lufthansa and Maxbank. The organizers are appealing for support from the community especially resort owners to sponsor the accommodation and/or meals of guests like the European diplomats and officials of corporations sponsoring the event.
The organizers said, "That this is a true tourism event for Puerto Galera, one which is worth every peso as the return will be great and lasting for tourism establishments and the community."
"This will be a yearly event and will be part of the tourism calendar of Mayor Dolor."
The organizers said the event will be handled by professional event organizers, among them are Europeans residing in the municipality.
If you wish to help the organizing committee, share comments and suggestions, feel free to send e-mail to them: [email protected] or call our mobile at               0926-8484500       .

ATM in PUERTO GALERA..NEW

ALLIED BANK in Puerto Galere now have ATM where you can get cash on your VISA and MASTER CARD.The bank is located in front of the church.You can get max 1oooo peso in every transaction.Thats the only ATM in this area so its good news..

4 points of entry+new fee

Today the 3 november a new fee on 50 pesos is put on all arriving tourists on the ferry boats to Mindoro.From the 16 of november 2007 the new 4 points of entry is inforced in Puerto Galera..After much talk and bla bla and the court making a TRO the 2 point of entry is changed to 4 point of entry..Thats makes the entry point 1. Puerto Galera 2. Sabang 3. Balatero 4. White beach ....  so in the end nothing has real changed  only that arriving tourist is going to pay the 50 peso fee.

 

 

 

 

 

VISA NEWS

Immigration Commissioner Marcelino Libanan, in a memorandum order, announced that foreigners with temporary visitor's visas may extend their stay in the country every two months and up to 16 months without prior approval from the immigration bureau.

After 16 months, Libanan added, a foreigner may still extend his stay by another eight months or up to 24 months if his application is approved by the chief of the bureau's immigration regulation division (IRD).

"Extension of stay after 24 months need the approval of the commissioner," Libanan, in his memo, said.

Libanan's order, which is effective immediately, also directed the BI visa extension office to expedite the processing of all pending applications for extension of stay.

The IRD chief, lawyer Gary Mendoza, said the new policy on visa extensions applies to all foreign tourists regardless of their nationality. Previously, Mendoza explained, foreigners, such as Indians or Chinese, who must secure entry visas to the Philippines, were allowed to extend their stay every month up to a total of six months only. "Now, any foreigner, regardless of whether he is a visa-required national or not, may extend his stay every two months up to a total of 16 months without getting prior approval from the bureau's management," Mendoza added.    VISA EXTENSION on Mindoro is in immigration office in Calapan or in immigration office in Puerto Galera ..located in the municipal compound of Puerto Galera very near the church.Office hours is monday to wednesday from 8 am to 4 pm..They make your extension on the spot so thats easy.You can extend your visa for 2 month each time and then need go back for a new one. updated 06:59pm (Mla time) 08/14/2007   MANILA, Philippines -- The Bureau of Immigration on Monday launched a new type of investor visa in a bid to bolster the government's efforts to attract foreign business and build confidence in the country. In a memorandum, Immigration Commissioner Marcelino Libanan prescribed the guidelines for the "pro-investment visa" for foreign businessman. The BI chief said the program would benefit executives of multinational corporations who may now apply for visas that may be renewed up to a period of three years and which would automatically entitle them to multiple entry privileges. An executive who avails himself of the program is initially granted a three-month stay upon arrival, after which he may extend his visa every six months up to a total of three years. "Through this program, foreign executives of multinational firms operating here are assured of a fast, hassle-free and more convenient service from our immigration officers every time they visit or leave our country," Libanan told reporters. He said a special window for the program will be set up at the BI main office in Intramuros, Manila. Aside from senior executives of multinational corporations, other classes of foreign investors and businessmen may avail themselves of the pro-investment visa, according to the guidelines spelled out in Libanan's memo. Among these are foreign traders endorsed by the Board of Investments, Philippine Retirement Authority, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, local business councils and the various foreign business chambers in the country. Foreigners endorsed by these entities shall be entitled to landed visas valid for 30 days from their arrival. Others who may avail themselves of the 30-day landed visa are athletes and delegates to sports competitions, conventions and exhibitions; delegates, organizers and sponsors of international conventions, symposia and conferences, and other foreigners to whom the BI commissioner may at his discretion issue the visa. A basic fee of $100 shall be charged applicants availing themselves of the multiple entry facility for multinational corporations while a $50 fee shall be collected from other classes of business people applying for landed visas.

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