My First to Travel as Tourist

Before our flight to Singapore in March 2015, I just want to share with you my experience at the Philippines airport. It was my first time to have trip outside the country as a tourist.

I go with a friend with my travelling bag, passport, IDs and returning date stub. When we lined for luggage checking, I was advised to pay for travel tax of P1,650. Yes, my friend paid for my travel tax while she was exempted on that. I don't know if this is applied for Filipino travelers only as tourist. In immigration, they were strict for those who are holding Philippine passport. I was interrogated compared to my friend who has blue passport (U.S.) and no more questions was asked to her. Aside from the information they asked based on my passport, they also asked if someone sponsored my trip, what is the job of my husband, if where is he that time. Those were just some of the questions asked to me. I think they were too 'sigurista'  (to Filipinos only?) if how can I afford to travel because I have no job OR they were simply doing their job. Is this a custom in Philippines airports for Filipinos travelling as tourist? Just asking because it smells discrimination to me this way.