God does not instantly reply...

I always thought I really understand things but I was wrong.
God has the most valid reason why our prayers are not answered. He has His own time to answer those questions and when that time comes, you'll be surprised (better yet amazed); God answers in perfect timing.

How to transport a dog from U.S. to The Philippines

For further questions and faster reply, please e-mail me directly: nrhedlind@gmail.com. Sorry I don't get to answer comments right away. 



A lot of people are asking me how Nala got here in the Philippines from the United States.

So here it goes: 

SUBJECT: TRANSPORTING/TRAVELLING WITH A DOG FROM U.S. TO THE PHILIPPINES 
DOG BREED: GERMAN ROTTWEILER 
GENDER: FEMALE AGE: 6 YEARS OLD
DOG WEIGHT: 97 LBS.
AIRLINE CARRIER: NWA (NORTHWEST AIRLINE)
FLIGHT: PORTLAND-NARITA (JAPAN)-MANILA (CONNECTING FLIGHT)
DEPARTURE: PORTLAND AIRPORT, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
ARRIVAL: NINOY AQUINO INT'L AIRPORT, MANILA, PHILIPPINES
TOTAL FLIGHT HOUR: 12 HRS.
HOW MUCH?
AIRLINE FEE (PLANE TICKET): $450 FOR MY 97 LBS. DOG (PRICE DEPENDS ON WEIGHT)
BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY PHILIPPINES FEE: Php 350.00 or $7.00 more or less per dog (weight doesn't matter).
CUSTOMS TAX: NONE, NOT IF IT'S A PET. You just need to fill out Customs declaration form provided by the airline during the flight, Declare that you board a pet dog. That's it.

BEFORE THE FLIGHT, WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

1. Your dog's HEALTH CERTIFICATE/RECORD (must be recent)

My dog's actual health record

2. RABIES CERTIFICATE and VACCINE RECORDS (make sure it's not expired)

 My dog's actual vaccine and rabies records

3. CRATE/KENNEL. THE CRATE MUST COMPLY TO THE AIRLINE STANDARD.

This is how her crate looks like. Crate must have enough room for the dog to move. Notice the crate have airholes which is the standard for any airline.

There's lot of crate available in Wal-Mart which is compliant to most of the airline. Don't forget to print-out a sign that says: "LIVE ANIMAL" that you should stick into the front of the crate.

For "LIVE ANIMAL" STICKER, PRINT one HERE

4. PAYMENT- For Nala, I paid $450 in cash at the airline's front desk right at the airport at the very day of my flight. You can also use debit/credit card. You can pay upfront at the airport. Amount calculated base on your dog's weight. I paid $450 foy 97 lbs. dog, so the lighter your dog is, the lesser the amount is.
My dog's actual ticket

To give you an idea, the following table is the estimated price of your dog's air ticket:

(Based on NWA/Delta flights) 

CARRY-ON PETS Info: If you have smaller dog and not older than 8 months and weighs not more than 15 lbs. with kennel/crate, you can book your pet as Carry-On pet (it means the dog is in your flight seat) with one-way fee of $100. Crate compliant to airline standard still required. Make sure the kennel/crate will fit in under the airline seat.

DO I NEED TO BOOK EARLY?
ANSWER? NOPE. NOT NECESSARY.
Dog will be charge as "EXCESS BAGGAGE" so it's just like you brought a regular baggage.

However, booking in advance will avoid hassles. There might not be always a vacant cargo place for your dog especially during peak season.

In my case, I did not book early. Nala and I arrived 4 hours before my flight. (See above for step-by step process).

->ARRIVING IN NARITA, JAPAN (CONNECTING FLIGHT)
The flight attendant will check your dog's plane ticket, rabies vaccine certificate & health records  This is also when you will be asked to fill out Customs Declaration form.


…………>>>Finally..

NAIA
Manila, Philippines

Paperwork inspection again- takes a minute or two. After airline staff check your paperwork, you can proceed to baggage counter area and get your regular baggage. Proceed and talk to the airline staff at the counter near the baggage area. The staff will give go signal to one of their baggage porter to release your dog. Takes about 15 minutes or so.

They will help you proceed to Bureau of Animal Industry Philippines office (not too far from the baggage counter area, it is around 20 ft. across). The Philippine Animal Bureau office at the airport will check your paperwork and make some physical inspection to your dog.

They will ask for you to pay Importation/Quarantine fee (in cash so better have some pesos). The amount as of November 2008 is Php 350.00  (See the actual receipt below).

You must pay in peso! If you do not have any cash, you can leave your baggage and your dog to the airline porter or to Bureau of Animal Industry office  (like what I did) and get to the nearest ATM (just around the corner from the Animal office).

After paying them...congrats! It's done! You and your dog can now leave the airport.

This is the actual Bureau of Animal Industry receipt or they said this is the import permit itself:

ZOOM IN SO YOU CAN SEE THE DETAILS.

You can proceed going out the airport with your baggage and your dog. That's actually the hardest part--carrying all your baggage and crate all at once! But worry not! There will always be airport porters who will help you out. Don't forget to give some customary tips to the airport porter for helping you!

1. Make sure to have bottled water for your dog and a ready dish. You can write instructions outside the crate (the airline will have you fill a note sticker in how you want to feed or put water for your dog, you can also instruct them if you want your dog to take meds or pills). Note Example: Give water@ 2:00 pm, @ 9:00 pm. Give food@ 8:00 pm. Give vitamins@ 5:00 pm.
2. Make your dog familiar with her crate (if it's a new one). At least twelve hours before the flight, let her sleep inside the crate.
3. It will be a long flight so make sure that the dog pee/poo all ready.
4. You can put toys inside the crate so put her/his favorite toy so the dog will not get bored.
5.WARNING:  I heard some put tranquilizer so the dog will be asleep the whole flight but I don't think it's a good idea. So don't do this! They can sure survive the flight. My dog fell asleep most of the time for sure!

                                              


Note: You will notice it says in the receipt from Bureau of Animal Industry (Philippines) the date of quarantine is 1 month after your arrival but it doesn't mean your dog will be put on hold, they just documented it that way. The dog is released with you same day of arrival.
Bureau of Animal Industry (Philippines) doesn't even visit your dog after it arrives.

Credit to: Ingrid, and the husband


UPDATE: DO I NEED IMPORT PERMIT/CERTIFICATE FROM THE PHILIPPINES BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY PRIOR/BEFORE MY FLIGHT?


Talking from my experience…NO. All the paperwork needed are those I mentioned above. All that was asked in every checkpoint during the journey with my dog was the papers/documents  I mentioned above- all documents I obtained  from the United States!
I was NEVER asked about import permit or any certificate from the Philippines so I do not know about the other articles I read about transporting a dog to the Philippines and why import permit is required. 
To double check this, I recommend to confirm it with the Bureau of Animals in the Philippines.




P.S. I do not question the credibility of the website which publish that article about requiring Philippine import documents because the article stated its source too. I love LivinginCebu.org and I just  registered in the forum to shed light for the matter.

When journey had a traffic

What is your greatest fear?

I can't really think of any. I am not afraid of anything. Is that wrong? Am I too brave? Or just too coward to accept that I am weak. Whichever. I am only human.

My right eye is impaired for almost a month now. I spent an hour for fear. Five hours for anxiousness. twenty two hours of frustration and a hundred hour of questioning. Not to mention the hours spent for crying.

What a waste of time.

If my journey ends right here..Goodbye then. see, how easy. It's easy for me to accept things.
I wish it's true.
I wish I can really do that..I wish I'm all alone and nobody loves me. I wish I don't love somebody.

Too many wishes. too many frustrations. Too many negatives.

All I'm having now is LOVE. I'm moving on because of it. I know I won't lose it.

No matter how blurred my vision is, I can perfectly see the colors he brought me.

This is only a traffic...my journey will move on...soon enough.

AFTER SOMETIME..after so many once upon a times there will finally be, one single story that stands out. It was my story with Jeremy.

HAPPILY N'VER AFTER

IT's a ColD SuMmer niGhT

have you ever been through this?

They are the truth even if it is not correct.

-J.T.H.

Rizal is not only Philippine hero because he has been shot in Bagumbayan (Luneta)...it's more of he is a hero because of many brilliant thing he has done in his lifetime.

All was said about Rizal, can't find any idea of what to write about him anymore. (or I'm just so lazy to write today)

One word: BRILLIANCE.

11pm, Friday

Was sitting in the couch (actually a monobloc couch) after having a dinner, don't know of anything else to do, so with this little bony rectangular shaped object in my front which is universally known as Remote control, switched on the TV, find something good to watch...luckily it's Friday the 13th in Cinemax...ahh haven't watched this for a long time. It seemed wasn't enough coz I only had watched the climax of it, so I waited for the next movie. It starred Patrick Stewart, pretty fine movie anyway I don't know the title coz had skipped the beginning of the movie when I browsed for channels and watched CNN for a while.
If only life is some kind of a remote control...ahh well, it wil be a plagiarized idea mentioning my idea of life to be rewinded and fast forwarded...it was something from Click.

anyway anyway...I'm so excited to watch E.T.

HOTDOGS

I love you today Baby.

Wish my blog is popular enough for me to able to shout it across the globe.



Just like eating hotdogs......I would love you again and again and again................until FOREVER.

"It never even crossed my mind


That I would fall in love with you"




W H O   K N O W S   ?



Love is not waited. It's there. It comes.

------------------------------------------xx nuthing more and nuthing less


Acknowledgement: Kamikazee's Girlfriend

It Feels Like Snowing

Let it snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!
Why it's not snowing here in the Philippines??

What's like touching snow? If I accidentally swallow it will I get poisoned?
Will there be "twist of fate" for world's geography making this archipelago get snow finally?

Answers: Okay, now you are relieved that you ask those questions, but hence, wouldn't change a thing...wouldn't be snowing down here. But there is CHRISTMAS still. People are as happy as any people in the other countries with snow. Filipinos are as cheerful as ever--the whole year-round--most especially CHRISTMAS.

We got something unique here as well.... lots of stuffs only in the Philippines:

Salabat (Ginger Tea)
Puto Bumbong (a cylindrical cake of violet rice steamed upright in a bamboo tube)
Bibingka w/ Itlog na Pula (Rice Pudding w/ Salty Egg)
Simbang Gabi (Catholic Mass believes to be completed for 9 days starts Dec 16 til Christmas Day)

Cheers Cheers Cheers!

It wasn't snowing...but it feels like..it's getting colder here....

gLimPse from the Past

I've had written this May 2001

Out of broken heart.

Dear You,

I don't know where you are, what you're doing. I don't know even your name. But it's you who from now on I will wait for. I know you're somewhere out there. I don't know you, but how come I'm thinking about you now? We'll get married someday; find true love in each other’s arm. We will live a happy life. For now, I know you're not coming yet very soon but I will wait for you.

Love,
Me (from the Past)

Me. them, We

List of things a man should know about before marrying me:

• **My vision acuity is 20/20....who cares?
• **I'm nocturnal, usually prefer sleeping with dim light or no light at all
• **I got smaller hand and feet than normal
• **I don't grow my hair long, even my nails
• **My sense of smell is the most active among other senses
• **My sense of humor is ABSURD
• **I like to read not books or mags but labels (e.g. ketchup labels, warranty, ingredients, those little details etc.)
• **I like reading brochures too, I did collect them before but unfortunately termites eat them!
• **I never had a pet dog but just cats
• **Always in pony tails
• **Not so pretty, just charming!++(mother told me)
• **Poor in memorization, I don't memorize notes or terminologies
• **Better grades in essays than Identification
• **I am not good in paraphrasing too
• **I'm a loner/homebody with plenty of friends (I don't know how did it happen)
• **I was accelerated when I was elementary to grade 3 because of my advance reading ability, I was first honor,I learned how to read barely four years old
• **Always awarded "Most Behaved" elementary days
• **Meritorious honors are: Best in Effort, Most Behaved, Top 20 NSAT
• **I'm always always LATE
• **I have no talent, never participate much in stage activities in school
• **But I did recite a beautiful poetry grade 2 called " ALL THINGS ARE BEAUTIFUL" (Tagalog version)
• **I worked in almost all fast food chains in town, than I once became in love with French Fries
• **I'm silly
• **Don't like crowd much
• **Love beaches for me to mesmerize
• **My favorite word is mesmerize
• **Favorite Ice Cream flavor is Vanilla+Strawberry+Chocolate
• **Non-smoker, never tried
• **Non-drinker, but had some shots
• **Never tried prohibited drugs
• **Allergic to: weather change, crabs (I was allergic to ALL when I was younger so I use to just eat sugar+rice and water)
• **Stingy they say but I can't help to buy bargains
• **But I'm Signature conscious (before)
• **I worked in an Electronics Company for one month, 12 hours a day straight/no weekend break, that's when I started to become hyper
• **Nothing can make me real mad, just irritated but gone after few minutes. I don't welcome anger or hatred
• **I LOVE chocolates, but I am no sweet-tooth, just chocolates
• **I move a lot in bed when sleeping, but doesn't snore though
• **Was a coffee addict but cutting off the cup dosage recently
• **I drink more than 8 glass of water a day, maybe thrice as many as that, I bring water everywhere
• **Never forget cologne in my pocket, my only accessory
• **I throw-up in an air-conditioned car, resto, house, but I can adapt the next day
• **Feminine most of the time that's why I move so slow
• **I'm slow-learner most of the time, for me to learn fast I should be given the lesson then do self-study than being guided
• **I don't wear make up
• I got pimples
  

• **I'm interested in learning how to put make-up properly, I think with the right product, the right way of putting it, somehow doesn't makes a person looks mature like my Mum said
• **I once had a haircut almost bald, out of nothing, just so happened that the beautician wants to experiment, and I was her victim, anyway I like it
• **I can tell time without looking at the clock, trust me I never miss it, even the minutes! (not exact minute but very close)

***I DON'T KNOW SO MUCH OF MYSELF BEFORE! I NEVER BEEN THIS AWARE!

**My family:

• Tatay (Father) a no read, no write businessman selling/lending auto parts
• jeepney driver for almost 20 years
• fish broker , viajero ever since teenage years
• Vice Chairman of PTSC-DRICON, a transport group
• he do the above works at the same time now
• a good provider, but stingy
• straight faced--doesn't show too much emotion
• he is not affectionate as many father
• over protective on me especially when I was younger
• doesn't know the value of Education cuz he never had it
• believes only Male should go into college, cuz women are housekeepers

Nanay (Mother)

• she is beautiful, especially when she was younger
• not petite like me, she is little bit taller than average Filipina
• could cook wel
• very family-oriented
• rank, sometimes brutally frank
• sometimes too much of a drama queen, very emotional
• affectionate
• got no talent

Ahyan (Brother

• when we are younger we fight over: electric fan, TV channel, bathroom
• very childish
• hard-working guy, full of ambitions
• color blind, left-handed
• very talented, can dance, sing, play guitar, swim, sports etc.
• he prefers to be a Catholic, he never joins our religion
• I think he suffers from some kind of attention deficit/disorder
• no love life, just flings, he plans to marry at 35 (weird for me)
• had asthma when he was younger, cured when he do swimming
• very LUCKY cuz he looks like Luis Manzano (ha-ha)

In general, they are all COOL. My mother who have too much drama sometimes has now become tamed because no one will comfort her, my father doesn't like the idea of crying...but I saw him cry just recently. My family never saw me cry yet...but they know whenever I'm lonely.. They are all teasers, mushy, happy & contented with life. Well, except for my brother, who has the hint of being ambitious sometimes.

That's all folks...!
Sorry if I brag with things I shouldn't brag about! Sorry for non-sense facts too, that's all I can think of as I'm writing this.
If the man who will marry should come across to this...MESSAGE: I hope you love me still, Baby! DO you think this is hideous? Hee hee , I don't think so! Leme' publish this!

9:00 AM-11:--AM

Been to the city -- my wallet got lost, thanks to the accommodating bank security/personnel they help me go around the mall to find it. So, I found it! It's actually there at one corner of the bank under the withdrawal/deposit slips section Actually there's nothing so important to lose in that wallet, I don't put important IDs, ATM cards etc. because most of the people I knew is having a problem regarding lost wallet not because of the money, but more importantly their IDs.
I'm glad I found it (: the most important thing in my wallet is Ching's picture when she was a kid, I love that picture! So, I'm removing it now, just leaving this phone cards which is nothing to lose ‘coz I have those card numbers in my celfone as back-up.
Somehow my silly thoughts about everyday life help. I really don't care about the future but I have this notion of thinking in advance especially dealing with important matters. I may not be so practical all the time, but as much as possible I do ways to simplify things to avoid complications. Maybe because I know I have extremely complicated mind. My boyfriend doesn't notice it, but really I do. So, I try to manage everything in order to avoid further mess. Complicated, eh? And I'm not very good in paraphrasing!
-xxi.

BURN

2:-- PM started to do my sideline--CD Burning service! Fair enough, I got 50pesos downloading 18 Audio CD formatted songs, most are hip-hops so been into the dancing beat this day.

Someone throw a joke in me to burn more songs copying latest albums then sell it Wednesday, it's tiangge here every Wednesday.....hmmm...bright idea.....but I SAY NO TO PIRACY...err...what I've been doin'? Oh it's just for me something to do with this so-called personalization, personalizing your choice of song that couldn’t be finding anywhere…other than you make a list then pay someone to burn them, or burn them if you have the device called CD Burner.(choke)

DON'T PUT ME BEHIND THOSE BARS.

So much for the CD Burning thing, I say it's no big deal though, what I'm happier about is that my Advertisement is working good, I posted my Ad there at the local CD shop and cool...they responded!
-xxi.

The suit that suits me is...

It says this is my "Card-deck" personality. Take a Look

I took the ""It's in the Cards" quiz on gURL.com
		The suit that suits me is... Spades Spades are known as the "old souls" of the deck. They are practical and useful, always willing to work for what they want. As a spade, it appears that you don't mind putting in the hours for a little payoff.Read more... Which suit suits you?

My Filipino Baby

When the warships left Manila
Sailing proudly o'er the sea,
All the sailor's hearts were filled with fond regret
Looking backward to this island
Where they spent such happy hours
Making love to every pretty girl they met.

When up stepped a little sailor with his bright eyes all aglow
Sayin, "Take a look at my gal's photograph"
Then the sailors gathered round him just look upon her face
And he said, "I love my Filipino Baby."

She's my Filipino baby
She's my treasure and my pet
Her teeth are bright and pearly
And her hair is black as jet
Oh, her lips are sweet as honey