The Trade Department head, Sec. Ramon Lopez, announced over DZMM Teleradyo this morning that businesses in areas where businesses such as fitness centers, internet cafes, tutorial and review centers, and drive-in cinemas will open under certain restrictions and only in areas where GCQ (General Community Quarantine) is declared. For starters, some of these businesses will open at 30% capacity, Internet shops will open for education and work purposes only, still 30% capacity, drive-In cinemas are something new and will be implemented with supervision. Other businesses involved in grooming services (those involved in nail-care, skincare, and aesthetics) have also been allowed according to the government official.
Listed businesses must open on August 1 with 30% capacity only to manage spread of the disease (File, Anytime Fitness Shaw Boulevard)
Sec. Lopez also added that 30% is just the start and may increase business capacity to 50%, “Pero don’t worry katulad naman nung nangyari sa barbershops and dine-in restaurants, after a few weeks, kapag maganda ang compliance nila sa health protocol at sumusunod po sila don, may allowance tayo na mag-iincrease din ang capacity to 50 percent,” Lopez said. (But let’s not worry because like the barbershops and dine-in restaurants, if the results turn out fine after a few weeks then we can increase the capacity (of these businesses) to 50 percent)
Businesses must open their business with much caution
This is definitely good news but protocols still have to be followed and proper health guidelines are entrusted to managers of these businesses to make sure the spread of the virus does not increase. The Inter-agency Task Force for the Management of Infectious Diseases has issued those guidelines. Employers must empower their staff and in return, employees must guide customers in implementing these rules strictly.
The implementation of this recent announcement will happen on Saturday, 1st August 2020.
OUR CONTACTLESS PAYMENT SOLUTIONS just improved ten folds with the inclusion of GrabPay in our methods of payment. Now, guests can have the convenience of booking their stay at the hostel using this app.
How to book using GrabPay:
Inquire for space availability at +639478957600 or FB Messenger us m.me/CrossroadsHostelManila
Prepare to tell us the following information to hold a reservation for 24 hours
Full government ID name
Your mobile number
Your email Address
Check-in Date and Check-Out Date
Confirm the amount to pay
Get GrabPay QR Code from us (QR code expires after two (2) minutes)
Scan the GrabPay QR code
It’s simple and one of the safest methods to carry money around
That’s it! Get the payment confirmation immediately and your confirmed itinerary booking from us — in your email — within the day.
You can also make purchases and payments in the hostel using the app. It’s a total payment solution you need while you’re staying with us.
For more information on how to use GrabPay in our hostel or how to acquire GrabPay on your mobile, call us at +639478957600 or email us at crossroadshostel@gmail.com and we’ll help you get one.
You can apply for GrabPay even without a bank account
This feature is now added after having BDO, PayPal, Palawan Express, LBC, and GCash as methods of payment to book your stay with us directly. Asia United Bank made it all possible with their payment solution, AUB Paymate. Such technology has now given MSME vendors more leverage in doing business with GrabPay account holders. Thank you AUB Paymate people!
https://www.crossroadshostelmanila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/CHM-GrabPay_20200728_006-1.png6281200Crossroads Adminhttps://www.crossroadshostelmanila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/CHM-2019-TWITTER-LOGO-2-300x300.jpgCrossroads Admin2020-07-28 03:51:472020-07-28 06:47:58Backpackers, Book your Beds today with GrabPay
BUDGET CARRIER, Cebu Pacific, sent nine of its Airbuses this past week to the Asia Pacific Aircraft Storage (APAS) in Alice Springs, Australia. “This is the facility that stores aircraft. We need to ensure that it’s stored in a facility that’s really equipped,” Candice Iyog, Cebu Pacific’s VP for Marketing and Distribution, told reporters during a recent virtual press chat. Seven A321CEOs and two A330s. Reports said that these planes have not flown for four months since the lockdown.
Cebu Pacific has 52 Airbuses and nine of these are now in Alice Springs, Australia
The flag carrier still plans to send more airlines to the said facilities but more studies have to be made. “Once the demand is back, we can easily bring back aircraft into the line,” Iyog added.
Cebu Pacific according to its corporate website has 72 planes in all in its fleet. This comprises 52 Airbuses and 20 ATRs (Arei de Transporto Regionale) or the ones you see as turbo-propelled planes that run on either shorter distances or smaller capacities.
The tourism industry relies heavily on commercial airlines and without reduced business transactions across the country, all commercial airlines will be hard-pressed to provide mobility for all passengers and goods relying on this form of transport.
https://www.crossroadshostelmanila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/CebuPacific_004.png8601540Crossroads Adminhttps://www.crossroadshostelmanila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/CHM-2019-TWITTER-LOGO-2-300x300.jpgCrossroads Admin2020-07-27 01:10:472020-07-27 04:36:539 Cebu Pacific aircraft parked in Australia for Safekeeping
Travel booking platform, Travel Book Philippines, Inc., has decided to cease operations after a three-year run. The Manila-based online travel agency (OTA) through its General Manager, Kevin Chandra, informed Crossroads Hostel Manila recently that it is ceasing its operations after regretfully admitting that its business is “no longer viable to sustain the company throughout the challenging period.” The challenging period mentioned was due to the increasing pressures brought about from job losses and after-effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Travelbook first invited Crossroads Hostel Manila to join its business in November of 2017. It signed up as one of its merchants in 2018. The hostel had its page on travelbook’s website and have customers book directly to Crossroads Hostel that can stay in the property with their help.
In Travelbook’s Facebook Page, the company describes their business as a, “… booking platform for people who are looking for exciting promos on hoe accommodations, tour packages, and in-land and boat transfers, as well as discounted deals on restaurants, buffets, spas, museums, and other activities to do in the Philippines.”
Bloggers pose with Travelbook.ph booth during its campaign
Crossroads Hostel and its management is sad that this company will go but Travelbook promises to come back after its sales supervisor, Lizette Marie Cruz (linkedin), had this to say about its return in the future, “May we bounce back after this (sic) trying times a hundred times stronger, not just the tourism industry but as a country as well.”
We look forward to it and Crossroads Hostel Manila will be here, waiting.
In related news, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) says that the “current scenarios point to declines of 58% to 78% in international tourist arrivals for the year, depending on the speed of the containment and the duration of travel restrictions and shutdown of borders, although the outlook remains highly uncertain.” This puts the tourism industry stakeholders in a very precarious situation and one of the ways to survive this crisis is to continue to innovate and create ways to peak future travelers’ appetite in making their country, their place, their destination part of their next bucket-list.
“…foreign tourists, non-immigrant visa holders…will be turned back if they land in any of our ports of entry,”
Immigraton Commissioner, Jamie Morente
BACKGROUNDER
The country’s Immigration Chief, Jaime Morente, issued a warning upon learning that immigration offices being swamped with calls and queries from netizens who got news that the Philippines has opened its doors to all foreigners.
Morente appealed to the public to stop spreading fake news as it will only sow confusion, and create unwanted chaos in our all ports of the country. Foreigners are still covered by the travel ban.
Additional requirements for arriving foreigners
For more inquiries, call +6328465-2400 and +6328524-3769
July 22, non-essential outbound travelers shall be allowed upon compliance with the 5 IATF-EID conditions
Only the following shall be allowed to enter The Philippines
These are the five (5) IATF-EID required of outbound travelers from the Philippines
Please follow these guidelines accordingly.
SIGN OF GOOD NEWS
Morente, on the other hand, announced that foreigners married to Filipino citizens and their dependents, as well as foreign diplomats, can come to the country as earlier announced by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF). “We are therefore advising the different airlines to take note of these latest travel guidelines so that they can accordingly inform their foreign customers who may wish to book their flights to the Philippines,” the BI official said.
In another development, the immigration bureau issued new guidelines in their Facebook page detailing updated restrictions on top of the one mentioned in this article. These are:
Allowed to Enter The Philippines are the following:
Filipinos, their foreign spouse and children of Filipino nationals (with documentary proof)
Accredited foreign government and international organization officials and their dependents
Foreign airline crew members and seafarers
(Beginning 01Aug2020, foreign nationals with long-term visas shall be allowed upon compliance with the four (4) IATF-EID conditions)
Must have a valid and existing visa at the time of entry
With pre-booked accredited quarantine facility;
With pre-booked COVID-19 testing provider;
Subject to the maximum capacity of inbound passengers as set by the National Task Force for COVID-19.
FOREIGN NATIONALS WITH THE FOLLOWING VISAS SHALL BE ALLOWED ENTRY IN THE PHILIPPINES
Pursuant to IATF-EID Resolution No. 56 Series of 2020 dated 16 July 2020 beginning 01 August 2020:
Section 13 Series visa [sec. 13; sec 13 (a);sec 13 (b);sec 13 (c);sec 13 (d);sec 13 (e); sec 13 (g)]
RA 7919 Visa
EO 324 Visa
Native-born Visa
TEMPORARY DEPARTURE TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS
— only the following shall be allowed to exit the Philippines:
Foreign nationals
Overseas Filipino workers*
Permanent visa holders*
Students enrolled abroad and participants accepted in exchange visitor programs*
Note: Beginning 22July2020, non-essential outbound travelers shall be allowed upon compliance with the 5 IATF-EID conditions
Submission of confirmed round-trip tickers for those traveling on a tourist visa;
Adequate travel and health insurance to cover rebooking and accommodation expenses if stranded, and hospitalization in case of infection, in such as may be determined by the Department of Tourism (DOT);
Allowed entry by the destination country in accordance with their travel, health and quarantine restrictions;
Execution of a Declaration acknowledging the risks involved in traveling, including risk of delay in their return trip, to b provided for in the check-in counters by the airlines; and
Upon return, shall follow the Guidelines of Returning Overseas Filipinos of the National Task Force for COVID-19;
More updates will be available once it has been verified.
For the meantime, book your loved ones with us, at CROSSROADS HOSTEL for quarantine purposes if you need our assistance. It’s simple, easy, and we help all our guests go through the 4-day quarantine process. We’re accredited by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) through the Tourism Department (DOT). You can also chat with us if you have questions using Viber and WhatsApp with our number: +639478957600. Talk to you soon. Facebook? Talk to us!
https://www.crossroadshostelmanila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/CHM_2020_Immigration_pna.jpg260415Crossroads Adminhttps://www.crossroadshostelmanila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/CHM-2019-TWITTER-LOGO-2-300x300.jpgCrossroads Admin2020-07-21 11:40:142023-12-23 15:52:23PH Immigration Office issues clarifications on who can enter the Philippines
Travelers can now use GCash when making a bed bookings and reservations with this hostel.
This convenience is now more pronounced than ever during community quarantine when contactless payment is a must for businesses dealing with customers.
Scan to pay your stay at Crossroads Hostel Manila
How does it work? Prospect guests need only to ask how they will pay their reservations from Crossroads Hostel. Once the amount is requested to hold a reservation, guests can punch the amount on their GCash app and scan the QR code found above and immediately make the transaction to book their space in the hostel. The hostel will then finalize your reservations and a confirmation will be sent to your email.
These are the steps explained in all its details to bring back stranded family and friends who will go through the quarantine process. It’s fairly easy but thorough because we want to remove or lessen the stress you may feel bringing them home. This is bias to Crossroads Hostel but using the same steps, you can apply to any other places you want. We’re here to help!
3 EASY STEPS There are 3 easy steps to this transition process in bringing home your family to The Philippines (a bit long, bear with us!):
First, determine the airline and date when to go back.
Second, determine the accommodation where you want your family to spend 3 nights while waiting for the COVID-19 test results.
Third, getting the results from the Bureau of Quarantine to go home.
Welcome back! We hope this article will help you organize bringing your family back home.
‘EASY STEPS’ IN DETAILS FIRST STEP, the airline – Choose which airline to take going back to The Philippines. Right now, the gateway is MNL or the Ninoy Aquino Internation Airport Terminals. Passenger Passport is required to book an airlines and all the necessary clearances the origin country requires must be fulfilled before flying home. Once booked, email a clear copy of the passport and the itinerary to crossroadshostel@gmail.com.
SECOND STEP, the quarantine place – Book your stay with us at Crossroads Hostel. We’re open for quarantine services and all we require are paid reservations of three (3) nights stay and the Security Deposit of PhP1,000.00 per guest. We are accredited by the IATF thru the Department of Tourism: Make Reservations. To book your family, we need the following information (a) Full Passport Name (b) Nominated Email Address where we can reach them (c) Their PH mobile number where we can contact them upon arrival. We will automatically inform you or whoever is nominated to receive details of your booking;
Book Shuttle Ride. We offer airport shuttle pick-up for only PhP500 from the airport. We require the following to pick them up: (a) Clear Passport Copy (b) Clear Image or copy of flight itinerary (c) Information sent four days prior arrival (to be coordinated with Govt Agency and Coast Guard) NOTE: We will give you our driver’s name, the car and plate number to pick them up ADDITIONAL NOTE: Please note that there’s a maximum of two (2) pax per ride and trunk space is limited so if there are two passenger-guests but luggage are many and will not fit in one ride then additional vehicles may be needed and an additional fee of PhP500 per ride is required.
You have the option of hiring Crossroads Hostel to bring you to its establishment or you can have the Airport Taxi which will cost you at least PhP1,000.00
Make Payment. To pay reservations, (a) pay the 3-nights stay (b) pay security deposit and (c) pay shuttle fee.
Go through our payments steps available to BDO, Palawan Express, or GCash (details below) and inform us of your payment once made;
THIRD STEP, Waiting for the results of the quarantine process Upon arrival, guests will wait for their swab test results facilitated by the Philippine National Red Cross. The PNRC will clear the passenger and issue a certificate or not to the guest. Steps through all three-nights stay DAY 1 – Register We will have the guest declare their health situation, register their stay, and conduct contact tracing records upon arrival and have them receive their keys where they will stay; Guests will be issued a sanitation kit and oriented on how to move around the hostel.
DAY 2 – 3 Stay Stay inside the room and go out as necessary to the bathroom or to eat. You can have free water and coffee in our pantry area. You can also order food from our all-day Breakfast menu for no more than PhP100/meal. You can also read books from our mini library, and you can also watch your favorite shows on Netflix as you stream videos from our 100mbps wifi service. During this time, family members of the quarantined guest must coordinate with hostel admin using Facebook Chat on our Facebook Page. Closely coordinating with us will help ease your anxiety for information. You can coordinate your pick up time the following day after the results would have come out or even giving us a message for anything we can help you with; Take note that the Bureau of Quarantine updates their website from midnight and throughout the evening.
The Bureau of Quarantine thru the Department of Health with the help of The Philippine National Red Cross conducts swab testing when passengers arrive the airport.
Day 4 – Exit Quarantined guests can leave as soon as the hostel administration has a copy of the clearance certificate the Red Cross issued and that pictures are taken of the guest with the certificate before they leave.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Menu of Hostel Fees PhP2,097.00, Accommodation = PhP699/night x 3 nights, *No Free Breakfast PhP500.00 Hostel Shuttle from Airport = PhP500 x 1 guest PhP200.00, Early Check-in Fee = if guest checks-in early than 2 pm, dependent on the availability PhP200.00, Late Check-out Fee = if available, guest can check-out until 5pm PhP1,000.00, Security Deposit = Incidental Deposit, returned upon check-out PhP100.00/meal = choice of corned beef, luncheon meat, and hotdog over garlic rice, egg, and buttered veggies; Meal times are: 7-10 am , Breakfast; 11-1pm, Lunch; 5-7pm, Dinner Important: All fees are paid in cash either upon check-in or upon order;
Payment Steps via BDO BDO Account: 00.693.005.4436 | Crossroads Hostel Manila Co. Ltd | Savings Account Email us a clear copy of the validated deposit slip Message us at +639478957600 that you’ve sent email already Wait for our reply in one day
Payment Steps via Palawan Express Send payment ℅ Naneth Luzong (Admin Staff) Crossroads Hostel Manila address: 76 Mariveles Street, Highway Hills, Mandaluyong City Mobile number: 0912.984.2962
Payment Step via GCash
Scan this to pay your stay at Crossroads!
Payment via Credit Card Book your family using these: Agoda: bit.ly/hostelagoda Booking: bit.ly/hostelbooking Expedia: bit.ly/hostelexpedia Hostelworld: bit.ly/bookhworld Traveloka: bit.ly/hosteltraveloka TripAdvisor: bit.ly/hosteltripadvisor *Except for Hostelworld, the rest offer full payment on stay fees except for early check-in and check-out fees and security deposit
Our mobile number is +639478957600 Email: crossroadshostel@gmail.com Front Desk Open: 8am – 7pm
https://www.crossroadshostelmanila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/NAIA-shot-2.jpg490735Crossroads Adminhttps://www.crossroadshostelmanila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/CHM-2019-TWITTER-LOGO-2-300x300.jpgCrossroads Admin2020-07-05 10:47:492020-07-06 03:21:333 Easy Steps to getting stranded families back to The Philippines
AFTER THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT called off the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) to a much downgraded General Community Quarantine (GCQ), a deluge of inquiries from Facebook and text messages flooded Crossroads Hostel Manila. This after the said property launched an information campaign on social media. The campaign centered on informing front liners and healthcare workers of its viability to serve as a place to stay.
The hostel’s Facebook Page is lit up with numerous inquiries but it’s not what the owner initially expected it to be.
The calls were overwhelming as inquiries poured in mostly in the morning and late at night asking for details. “At any given day, we’re receiving and answering about 40-50 messages a day,” said Kristoffer Atienza who owns and manages the 30-bed property along with his wife, Malou. “Sadly, however, 90% of those inquiring are asking for short-time or overnight stay with their significant partners,” Atienza lamented after sharing that under the General Community Quarantine (GCQ) those kinds of customers are not what the place is for.
Crossroads Hostel is a backpackers’ accommodation serving travelers across the country and in the region. But that was before the lockdown happened on March 15th.
“The Administrative Order (AO 2020-002) issued by the Tourism Department to accommodation establishments bar any guests checking-in to stay leisurely,” the owner explained as he also said that even without the AO, city ordinance bars hostels to welcome individuals staying in intentionally for only short periods of time.
From commentaries to inbox messages, there are a lot of interested parties asking for space.
“I mean, I welcome the business and the interest coming our way but we have to work honorably and Crossroads Hostel’s character is nothing like that. It was built on the premise that it would help budget travelers have an affordable place to stay in a very busy and very commercial area like Ortigas Center. I mean there are either 3-5-star hotels, there are motels, nothing in-between and that’s where we come in.” the owner shared as he went on to say that Crossroads Hostel is an alternative place to stay for budget travelers both locally and internationally but trust was given to it by the Department of Tourism (DOT) to serve only what the AO has stated. “It’s easy to pretend and say we’ll abide by the AO but on the other hands receive any customers we want throughout this community quarantine period but at what cost? There are already insurmountable challenges keeping the number down as far as COVID-19 cases are concerned, so there’s no value not keeping our word to the trust that was given us by the government agency” he said.
“It was a blessing that we have our DOT accreditation since 2016 and that’s why we keep functioning because the good men and women of the tourism board acted swiftly and with care giving properties like Crossroads Hostel, the opportunity to serve the country this way.” Atienza said.
Are they as afraid as the rest about getting infected by the infectious disease? “Oh yes we are,” he said, “and that’s why we’re super strict with our registration policies that a mere hint of sniffles or sight of the person sweating without proper reason or logic would make us turndown their booking even if they paid it through online travel agencies like hostelworld, booking, traveloka, and the likes.”
So what about the 90% that continues to inquire for Crossroads’ services that continuously get turned down?
“We’ll welcome it. I mean people will contact you, they made an effort and that’s already an opportunity to share what Crossroads is and what a hostel is. The opportunity is a win-win situation because the moment you share what your accommodation-business is, it’s in their messenger inbox for life and you give them the option of contacting you back knowing you have a decent place to stay in and an affordable price to complete the package,” the owner said.
Note: Balikbayans, OFWs, Front line workers, Healthcare workers, Government personnel, stranded passengers, and employees of companies offering essential services within 2-kilometer radius of the hostel are allowed to use and stay in Crossroads as it may deem necessary.
Philippine News Agency
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