Incredible – possible only in the Philippines

Silent Gardens is known to answer to any request or inquiry. If we can help, we do it – with pleasure, of course.

This morning we got the following story in our inbox: 

Good day!!

I would like to ask about the case of my boyfriend. He is an American citizen (he doesn’t have a dual citizenship) and he overstayed in the Philippines for 14 years to study. So basically he grew up here. He is 19 years old now. His last visit to America was in 1998 which makes him overstay here for 14 years. He plans to go back to the USA this coming October.

I would like to ask about his total penalty fine?

I checked and saw this but I don’t know how to calculate following the extension fees displayed in your website. Please help me.

I would also like to know if there is any way wise enough that we could do to save more?

Well, this had been a bit out of the ordinary. Imagine a US kid that grows up in the Philippines and that has no papers.
14 years in the Philippines and nobody did ask any question.
We recommended the sender of this e-mail to get in contact with the US embassy. We also think that in this particular case the Bureau of Immigration will do some inquiries and let the young man travel to the USA without a fine but with the needed documents.

And there is the story of Hampi of Alona, Panglao.

Hampi is an expat who loves his wife Thata and loves funny cars.
One of his most famous cars is a Pontiac Parisienne.

And just by chance, this car had been elected by Playboy to be one of the 25 most beautiful cars ever built.

We don’t know how he did it, but just for his wedding in 2010, Hampi bought a Pontiac Parisienne. He surely thought that a beautiful woman needs a beautiful car, does she? 

3 beauties: Thata & Hampi and their Pontiac Parisienne

Haha, that’s Hampi’s Pontiac Parisienne, but this is not Hampi. It’s me!
I hope Hampi will send me a picture of him and Thata, so I can correct this silly error.  
(Already done! Thanks Hampi. )

To accommodate such stories, we have opened a new category: “Only in the Philippines”.

Post scriptum 1: Hampi just sent me a text and informed me that it is a Pontiac Parisienne and not a Pontiac Lemans. Sorry, having lived in Geneva for over 25 years, I got to be a bit “lémanique”.

Post scriptum 2: And now, Hampi just sent me an e-mail with the official wedding photo. Already put in the correct place above.