Birthday Blues at the Border: My Solo Travel Nightmare at Philippine Immigration

August is my birthday month, and this year, I wanted to do something truly unforgettable: embark on my first-ever solo international trip! Weeks of planning went into my two-week adventure to Vietnam and Singapore. Flights booked, hotels secured – everything seemed to be going smoothly for my post-pandemic return to global exploration.

I arrived at Manila airport a solid three hours before departure, a buffer I’d soon be thankful for. The immigration line wasn't too bad, maybe 20th in line. My turn came, and I hoped for a pleasant interaction, but it was clear from the officer’s demeanor that this wouldn’t be the case. Her tone and attitude screamed "power trip," and I had a sinking feeling this wouldn't end well. And it didn’t.

I’m not a frequent traveler, and my last trip was way back in 2017 to Hong Kong. My passport was recently renewed, so no stamps to show. I completely understand the Bureau of Immigration (BI) needs to do their job, especially with the Philippines being a hotspot for human trafficking. My solo trip to Southeast Asia could understandably raise some flags, and I was prepared to answer questions.

The initial questions were straightforward: purpose of travel? Birthday treat, solo trip. Who paid for it? Me, with my own hard-earned money. I even had debit receipts, but she didn’t bother looking.

Then came the deeper dive: funding source and employment status. I’ve been a Virtual Assistant for almost three years. I offered proof: my LinkedIn profile, company name on bank deposits, and even my name on our company website. But she wasn't interested. She kept pressing for a Certificate of Employment (COE). I apologized, explaining the last-minute planning and my boss’s busy schedule. Her irritable response: she didn’t care if it was my first post-pandemic trip. Then, without hesitation, she told me to get a COE and get back in line.

I was stunned. Why the attitude? Why was she so proud of turning me away? I watched her walk off, head held high, chatting with colleagues, leaving me confused and anxious about being offloaded.

With two hours until departure, I had to act fast. I messaged my boss (who, thankfully, was awake despite the time difference) and requested a COE. Within 30 minutes, he drafted one. I headed back to the immigration area, but the first officer was nowhere to be seen.

I decided to try another officer. This time, the demeanor was completely different – accommodating and professional. She asked similar questions, but wasn’t fixated on a COE. Unfortunately, she still couldn't stamp my passport. She explained I needed to be interviewed further to establish the legitimacy of my trip and my connection to the people I planned to meet.

I filled out a lengthy form and endured an endless Q&A session in a holding area. Eventually, by showing pictures of past travels with the person I was meeting and demonstrating my employment via our company website, the immigration officer was satisfied. They believed my trip was legitimate leisure travel, not a case of trafficking or illegal recruitment. I even showed my hotel and flight booking receipts, which finally made sense to them.

Finally, I was through! I made it to the boarding gate 45 minutes before departure. But the burning question remains: if a COE wasn’t needed by the subsequent BI officers, why did the first one demand it? Why did I have to go through three different officers and waste nearly an hour for questioning when the initial demands seemed so arbitrary?

I understand the BI’s crucial role in combating human trafficking. However, there has to be a more efficient and less stressful way to conduct these checks. The front-and-back essay-style declaration form was excruciating and a massive time-waster.

Philippines, I love you, my birth country. But when will we learn and improve our government services to be truly pro-people, rather than allowing individuals to wield power and authority to the point of inconvenience for citizens? We need officers with the right skills, attitude, and judgment to be truly effective in their jobs. In an increasingly busy world, especially with airport traffic, wasting people's time is simply unacceptable. It’s time for the BI to step up their game and streamline this process for everyone's sake.