VII. ARRIVAL IN MANILA

 Airport Information

Arrival information forms are included in the application package. Completethis form as soon as a flight is scheduled for you already. Send this to CIS via email jayumul@mcu.edu.ph at least one week before arrival. Students coming to the Philippines without the arrival form cannot be accommodated in case CIS will be contacted for sudden arrivals.

o Make sure youhave your acceptanceletter ready in case the airport immigration asks for it.

o Aside from your passport, the airport immigration requires tourists to present a ticket that shows a departure to any destination outside the Philippines.

o Bring with you a flight ticket leaving the country.

o There are three airport terminals in Manila for international flights. Make sure you know which airline or terminal you are arriving because each terminal has its own lay‐out and pick up details.

 Entry visa

Students from non‐restricted countries have the option to get a tourist visa from the Philippine Embassy of your country of origin (30 days or 59 days visa) or to enter the Philippines without a visa. Tourists coming in without the visa will be given a 21 days tourist visa.

 Getting yourself ready for arrival in Manila o Fill out necessary forms (available in the airport terminal of your exit port, i.e. the country where you came from) such as Customs Declaration and Arrival Card. You may also be required to fill-up a Health Declaration Form. Make sure to provide all honest information on the forms. o Upon off-boarding the plane, pass through thermal scanners and line-up for the immigration check. Use the Foreign Passports Lane. o At the Immigration Counter, submit to the Immigration Officer your Passport, Return Ticket, Arrival Card, and Customs Declaration Form. Except for the Arrival Card,everything will bereturnedtoyou. Remember to line-up among the ones who hold foreign Passports. o Get your luggage and go to Customs Check. o Hand over your passport and Customs Declaration Form to the Customs Officer and answer some questions.

 REMINDER: Everything is free in the airport when you arrive. You are not required to pay anything. The immigration process, the baggage carts, the customs check, the elevator, the toilet is all free to use. Report to nearby airport officials if anyone is trying to extort money from you.

 Arrival Reminders o The moment a tourist arrives airport/visa fees are requested. We suggest having US$ 250 changed in the airport as soon as you arrive. This amount may be sufficient for 2 days already. You will need to spend for your taxi ride, if needed, food and temporary lodging. o Food is available in 24‐hour fast food outlets in the vicinity. For late arrivals please be extra cautious when leaving your lodging. o Please indicate in the arrival form if you would like to be brought to the temporary housing by cab, group pick‐up or temporary arrangements.

 Arrival and pick‐up instructions for passengers arriving at NAIA TERMINAL 1

After passing through the immigration counter just go out of the main arrival lobby and turn left and go to Taxi Bay.

 Arrival and pick‐up instructions for passengers arriving at NAIA TERMINAL 2

After passing through the immigration counter just go out of the main arrival lobby and turn left and go to Taxi Bay.

 Transport from the Airport to MCU o Pick-up o Airport Taxi

Travel time from the airport to MCU takes 1.5 to 2 hours in moderate traffic conditions. Please indicate in the arrival form if you would like to be brought to the temporary housing by cab, group pick‐up or temporary arrangements.

Passengers can hire a cab from the transportation counters at the airport. Make sure that you are going to take the airport taxi and NOT the rent‐a‐car. Please inform the receptionist or the cab driver that you will go to Manila Central University or your temporary housing. For those going straight to the Center for International Studies the following are the details:

Center for International Students

Academic Department

FDT Bldg., Manila Central University

EDSA Caloocan City, Philippines, 1400

Tel: (+632) T: +63 2 8364 1071 to 78 loc. 113

Mobile: 0905 936 8392

Email: jayumul@mcu.edu.ph

 Reporting to CIS

Please contact CIS or go to the CIS the next working day to arrange all necessary scholastic and visa requirements.

 Informing your Embassy

As part of your travel planning and security, be sure to visit your embassy and inform them of your arrival in the Philippines. By registering and providing the necessary information about yourself and your stay in the Philippines, your embassy can easily contact and assist you in case of an emergency.

List of Embassies and Contact Details

 Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran

2224 Paraiso St. cor. Pasay Rd., Dasmarinas Village, Makati City (02) 8 888-4757 to 59 iranemb.mnl@mfa.gov.ir

Consulate Section mnl.consular@mfa.gov.ir

 Syrian Honorary Consulate General Suite 1502, Liberty Center Building

104 Dela Costa Street, Salcedo Village, Makati City (02) 8 845-3041 to 42 syrianconsulate@gmail.com manila@wowsyria.com

 Embassy of Canada in the Philippines

6F RCBC Plaza Tower 2 Ayala Avenue, Makati City (02) 8 857-9000 manila-gr@international.gc.ca

 Embassy of the United States of America

1201 Roxas Blvd., Ermita, Manila (02) 5 301-2000

ACSInfoManila@state.gov

 Embassy of India

2190 Paraiso St. cor. Pasay Rd., Dasmarinas Village, Makati City (02) 8 563-4584 edu.manila@mea.gov.in

 Sudan Honorary Consulate

750 Shaw Blvd., Manadaluyong City (02) 8 533-2584 (02) 8 697-7453

Visa: http://sudanconsulate-phil.com/contactus.html

 Embassy of Egypt

7F GC Corporate Plaza Bldg., 150 Legaspi St., Makati City (02) 8 843-9220 and (02) 8 843-9232 embassy.manila@mfa.gov.eg and egyptmanila@gmail.com

 Embassy of the State of Palestine

LPL Suites Greenbelt, Chatham House

22F 116 Valero cor. Rufino St., Makati City (0977) 364-2988 (0928) 353-6810 palestinemanila@gmail.com

VIII. SETTLING-IN

 Accommodations

The University offers a comfortable and secured accommodation for its students who are living far from MCU. The University offers its Zurbaran Hall Student Dormitory which is located in the Purple Owl Complex.

All rooms are furnished with study tables, cabinets, and shelves for each student. “Dormers” are entitled to use all facilities like the study area, recreation rooms with TV access to Centennial Gym, and conference rooms. It is also an easy access to the University Canteen which is open from 6:30 am to 6:00 pm from Monday to Saturday.

The dorm strictly adheres to certain rules and regulations such as no smoking, no bringing of alcoholic drinks, no bringing of pornographic materials, and a curfew hour of 12:00 midnight. For further inquiries, you may get in touch with the Office below:

Campus Development Office dbdemesa@mcu.edu.ph or ggjaula@mcu.edu.ph Map of the Manila Central University

There are a number of off-campus accommodations available around Manila Central University thus there is a high demand for lodging in areas surrounding the schools and they are met with the also increasing supply.

The availability of accommodations in the MCU area varies every week. For this reason foreign students must call or visit the accommodations as soon they are ready to settle by coordinating with the CIS o Condominiums

The Center for International Studies will coordinate with Off-campus condominiums, apartments, dormitories, and rooms’ operators and will secure that their facilities are conducive to International Students’ living conditions. The said facilities that MCU-CIS recommends are the only ones which passed the safety standards of the University and that they obtain Certificate of Occupancy from the University as a proof that the off-campus accommodations passed the safety standards set by the University.

On the other hand, International Students are entitled to choose their own accommodation regardless if it has permit or none from the University. However, the University will not be held liable for any untoward incident that happens in an unaccredited off-campus accommodations.

 Calinea Tower

(0995) 119-1031

 Business Condominium Concepts Inc.

(02) 8 361-3122

 Vivo Garden

(0933) 381-5338

 VSTM Condominium o Apartments

 Vidaplex Apartments

 Apartment ni Ibe

 J. Co Apartment

 Garcia’s Residence

 JMA Apartment

 Lorenza Apartment

 Yanzon’s Residence

 Conception Apartment

 Netchita Apartment o Hotels

 SOGO Hotel

 Nice Hotel

 Astrotel

Buying food will not be difficult around the area of Manila Central University. Opposite EDSA Avenue, in front of MCU, as well as on the adjacent Gen. Rosendo Simon and Asuncion Streets, are rows of shopping malls, fast food outlets, convenience stores restaurants and coffee shops. Here are some places to try: o Shopping Mall

 SM City Grand Central

 Grandz Commercial o Supermarket/Grocery

 SM Hypermarket

 Ever Supermarket

 Puregold o Convenience Store

 Kmart (Korean Mini Mart)

 7-11 Convenience Store o Fast Food

 Angel’s Pizza

 McDonald’s

 Jollibee

 Greenwich Pizza

 Chowking

 Yellow Cab Pizza Co.

 Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken

 Tropical Hut Hamburger

 Chooks to Go

 On the Way Chicken

 Shakey’s Pizza Parlor

 24 Chicken

 KFC

 Max’s Chicken

 Tokyo Tokyo

 Burger King

 Nabe

 Kimchi Kimchi

 Sabawjuan Bulalohan

 Manzano Creative Chicken o Bakeshop and Pastries

 Goldilocks

 Red Ribbon

 Caramia

 Conti’s

 Krispy Kremes o Coffee Shops

 Starbucks Coffee

 J. Co Coffee Shop

 Mary Grace

 Crazy Cups

 Hideout Bar

 Banks

 Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI)

 BDO Unibank

 East West Bank

 Union Bank

 Laundry

 Save5 MCU Laundry Center

 Angelina Laundry Shop

 Tap and Wash Laundry

 Lavatory Laundry Station

 Billy’s Laundry

 House of Wash Laundry

 Angel Tag Dry Clean

 Tiya Anita’s 888 Laundry

 Other Needs o Staying in Touch: Communications

 Mobile Phones

Staying in touch with family and friends is easy. Telephone service in the Philippines is modern, mobile phones are plentiful and cheap, and mobile phones are widely used as a medium of communication. In fact, Filipinos love to text, making the Philippines the “text capital” of the world. The network providers are Smart Communications, Globe Telecoms, Talk N’ Text, Sun Cellular, TM, and DITO.

Mobile phones can be bought directly in phone companies or in Shopping Malls. SIM Cards can be bought in convenience stores or malls.

 Landlines

You can get a landline in your place by applying directly to any of the two service providers, PLDT or Globe. Payphones or phones for rent are available at Php5 per call for a non‐business phone line that allow public calls.

 International Calls

Calling through cellphone – country code + area code + number Landline – use a budget card for PLDT phones since its cheaper ‐ country code + area code + number

 Local Calls

 Landline to landline - same area does not need any numbers before it. An area code is needed for provincial calls (see a list of area codes in the PLDT Phonebook)

 Cellphone to landline - area code + phone number. Ex. Metro manila call (02) 426 5907

 Landline to cellphone - dial direct for NDD (national direct dial) capable phone

 Internet

Keeping connected with family and friends back home is possible during your stay here in the Philippines, thanks to broadband internet. Get real time communication through chat and Internet phone calls. You can even upload photos and videos of yourself and the beautiful beaches you’ve visited in Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

Companies providing broadband internet connection include: Smart Bro, Globelines Broadband, SkyBroadband, DigitelOne DSL, Bayantel DSL, and PLDT MyDSL. Broadband service on‐the‐go is also provided in pre‐paid and postpaid plans by Globe Tattoo, Smart Bro Pocket Wi‐fi and Sun Broadband. These come in the form of a USB stick that works as a modem when you plug it into your laptop. These are widely available in malls and electronics stores.

 Post Office

The nearest post office is located at:

Caloocan Post Office

34 UE Tech, Samson Rd., Caloocan City (02) 8 361 9648

 Courier Services

There are a number of courier services you can choose from in sending your parcel, documents, or letters fast.

 International o DHL Express, UPS, LBC Express, 2Go.

 Local o LalaMove, J & T Express, Grab, JoyRide, Angkas

o Getting Around: Transportation

Public transportation in the Philippines may not be as convenient as it is in other countries for the foreigner; it takes some time to get used to it, as there are hardly anymaps provided at the stations. Onemust first familiarize oneself with the route of the public transport before riding in it alone. Sometimes, due to traffic or flooding, some public transport vehicles may choose to cut routes or take on other routes which may cause a problem for the unfamiliar foreigner.  Within Metro Manila

 Modes of Transportation o Jeepney. Jeepneys (or “jeep” for short) were originally made from US military jeeps left over from World War II and is thus a symbol of Filipino creativity. Jeepneys, which have a normal capacity of 12‐18 people, travel along certain routes and are designed forlongerdistances.They are not air‐conditioned and are prone to thefts. o Tricycle. The tricycle is actually a motorcycle with a sidecar used for short, walkable distances. It has a capacity of three to four passengers.

Fare: The minimum fare is Php12.00. The charge for every succeeding kilometer is Php1.25. Your overall fare depends on how far your destination is.

Fare: Fares range from P15.00 to 30.00, but drivers sometimes ask for a humble P5.00 to 10.00 tip for longer distances and night trips o Taxi. Taxis are plentiful in Manila. When riding a cab, just make sure that the taximeter is turned on before letting the taxi driver drive. Sometimes, during rush hours, the driver will ask for a little extra. They often ask for an additional P20.00 as tip.

Fare: Flagdown rate is Php45.00 plus Php3.50 for the succeeding 300‐meter distance covered o Bus Buses travel through major thoroughfares and travel short distances and out‐of‐town trips. Some buses are open while some are air‐conditioned, especially those designed for long‐distance travel. Fare: Minimum fare for air‐ conditioned buses in Metro is Php15.00, which covers the first five kilometers. The rate for every succeeding kilometer is Php2.65. Out‐ of‐town trips can cost P300‐800 depending on the distance. o UV. UV or Utility Vehicles are slightly more expensive than the jeep. They are SUV used as public transports and operate similar to jeepneys, with preset routes. They are air-conditioned and provide a more comfortable ride. UVs are gathered along informal UV stops and have a sign on their roof similar to that of a taxi. o Train System. Similar to other countries, the metro system is a convenient mode of transportation to avoid the heavy traffic in Manila. There are three railway systems that run in Manila: LRT‐1, LRT‐2 and MRT. Yamaha-Monumento station, the nearest station to MCU, is a part of the LRT‐1. The tickets are sold at vending machines inside the station called Beep Card.

Fare: Fares usually range from P30.00 to 70.00.

Fare: Passengers are charged Php15 for the first 3 stations.

Schedule

Weekdays: 5:00 am to 9:30 pm

Weekends: 5:00 am to 9:00 pm

IX. WHEN IT’S TIME TO RETURN HOME

 Informing your Landlord

If renting off‐campus, it’s best to let the landlord know ahead of time the date of one’s flight back home. Check the contract for the stipulations detailed in it, and be sure to follow it for a stress‐free return home.

 Shipping and Packing

Shipping things from the Philippines back to one’s home country is easy through cargo companies. Remember that Philippine Customs requires an itemized listing of the contents of your box. Items are limited to 12 pieces of each kind and the total dollar value should not exceed $500.00.

 Travel to Airport

Riding a taxi is the easiest way to go to the airport. Taxi information can be found in page 53-56 of this guidebook.

 Fees at the Airport

There is a Passenger Terminal Fee for all passengers embarking for: o International travel: PHP 750.00 o Domestic travel:PHP 300.00. Youmay pay at the airport of departure

X. ENROLLMENT AT MCU

International students’ enrollment in MCU varies from College to College. This means that each College or Program reserves its right to implement an enrollment scheme which includes requirements submission as well as interview process and admission. Provided, however that the implementation is approved by the University Management.

 International Students’ Requirements o New

 Original and authenticated copy Transcript of Records (TOR)

 Original and authenticated copy of Diploma

 Notarized Affidavit of Support (AOS) with a bank statement authenticated by the Philippine Consulate Office or Embassy

 Certified True Copy of Birth Certificate with English translation if written in different Language)

 One (1) Recommendation Letter from previous/current employer

 Police Clearance from country of residence

 Certificate of Good Moral Character (GMC) issued by former school (with a written undertaking that they are not and will not bemembers of any subversiveor terrorist organizations that espouses violence and uprising)

 One (1) piece Passport-size photo (in white background)

 Copy of Passport (Biopage, Visa implementation stamp

 Developmental Fee Receipt

 IELTS Exam Results of 6.5 or Higher or TOEFL Exam Result of 75 or Higher o Transferees

 Original and authenticated copy Transcript of Records (TOR)

 Original copy of Transfer Credentials/Honorable Dismissal

 Letter of Intent to Transfer

 Certified True Copy of Birth Certificate with English translation if written in different Language)

 Certificate of Good Moral Character (GMC) issued by former school (with a written undertaking that they are not and will not bemembers of any subversiveor terrorist organizations that espouses violence and uprising)

 One (1) piece Passport-size photo (in white background)

 Certificate of No Objection

 One (1) Recommendation Letter from previous/current employer

 Copy of Passport (Biopage, Visa implementation stamp