Visit to the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in North Korea!

Believe it or not, despite many visits to South Korea, I've never been to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). I thus found it exciting that my first visit to the DMZ would be on the North Korean side!

We left Pyongyang quite early for the roughly two-hour trip south to the border in what used to be the village of Panmunjom. Today, it's where the Joint Security Area (JSA) is located. The JSA is the place where you can technically cross the border without getting into trouble. And that's where all tours will take you.

Exploring Pyongyang, North Korea

To those who are surprised that I got to visit North Korea, the DPRK is not as isolated as one may think. There are regular tours that leave from Beijing, China allowing you various options to get there. I took a 24-hour train ride (that was delayed for about two hours) from Beijing to Pyongyang. We arrived at the Pyongyang Train Station early in the evening and went straight to our hotel. So the real exploring started the next day.

North Korea: Train ride from Beijing to Pyongyang via Dandong

Few people realize that North Korea or the DPRK, as they prefer to be called, is not as isolated as we perceive it to be. There are regular tours that leave from Beijing which almost anyone can join. It was an exciting prospect that I've been wanting to do for several years now. This year was it!

Register now for Heritage Conservation Summit 2014: Revitalizing Old Downtowns

The Heritage Conservation Society, City Government of Iloilo City, and Iloilo City Cultural Heritage Conservation Council (ICCHCC) bring you the Heritage Conservation Summit 2014: Revitalizing Old Downtowns from October 24-26, 2014 in Iloilo City.

The Summit, which is being organized for the third time, has adopted the theme “Revitalizing Old Downtowns.” It is aimed at bringing together a wide spectrum of participants representing national government, local government units, local historical and heritage societies, academe, heritage conservation practitioners and allied professionals, architects, planners & real estate developers, the tourism industry, and the media. Its primary objective is to discuss and exchange knowledge on revitalizing old downtown areas and best practices in heritage conservation in historic old quarters and districts in the Philippines, its recent developments and the challenges and opportunities faced in the conservation of heritage. The presentations will include successful experiences of local government units and community conservation groups in revitalizing their historic downtown areas.

October 24, 2014
9am – Heritage Tour of Iloilo Province (Optional/Booking Required)
1-5pm – Adaptive Reuse Workshop for Iloilo Heritage Building Owners (Tentative)
6pm – Welcome Dinner (By Invitation)

October 25, 2014
Heritage Conservation Summit 2014
8:30am – Registration
9:00am – Welcome Remarks - Gemma Cruz-Araneta, Chairperson, Heritage Conservation Society
9:10am – Opening Address - Ivan Anthony S. Henares, President, Heritage Conservation Society
9:20am – Keynote Address - Hon. Jed Patrick E. Mabilog, City Mayor, Iloilo City
9:30am – FAQs on RA No. 10066 - Atty. Karen Lucille M. Isberto, Head, NCCA National Committee on Monuments and Sites
10:00am – Coffee Break
10:15am – Case Study: Escolta, Manila (Revitalization of Historic Business District) – Mr. Arturo Dy, President, Escolta Commercial Association Inc. (ECAI)
10:45am – Case Study: Calle Real, Iloilo City (Revitalization of Historic Business District) - Dr. Kristin G. Treñas, President, Iloilo City Cultural Heritage Conservation Council (ICCHCC)
11:15am – Case Study: Cebu City (Revitalization of Historic Downtown) – Dr. Jocelyn B. Gerra, Executive Director, Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (RAFI)
11:45am – Open Forum
12:00pm – Lunch Break
1:00pm – Case Study: Taal, Batangas (Revitalization of Historic Town) - Mr. Ernesto Villavicencio, President, Taal Active Alliance Legion
1:30pm – Case Study: Angeles City, Pampanga (Removal of Street Wires in Historic Center) – Dr. Richard Daenos, City Tourism Officer, Angeles City & Ms. Joy Cruz, Angeles City Heritage District Working Committee
2:00pm – Creating Style Guides for Heritage Districts - Dr. Fernando Zialcita, Cultural Heritage Studies Program, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Ateneo de Manila University
2:30pm – Open Forum
2:45pm – Coffee Break
3:00pm – Round Table Discussion on Revitalizing Old Downtowns
Moderator – Archt. Manolo LC. Noche, HCS Trustee
Panel – Dr. Felipe de Leon, Jr., Chairperson, National Commission for Culture & the Arts
Dr. Maria Sereno I. Diokno, Chairperson, National Historical Commission (NHCP)
Mr. Jeremy R. Barns, Director, National Museum
Hon. Jed Patrick E. Mabilog, City Mayor, Iloilo City
Mr. Ivan Anthony Henares, HCS President
Archt. Paulo Alcazaren, HCS Trustee
Mr. Angel P. Bautista, Acting Assistant Director, National Museum
Archt. Wilkie B. Delumen, Chief, Historic Preservation Division, NHCP
Dr. Kristin G. Treñas, President, ICCHCC
Dr. Jocelyn B. Guerra, Executive Director, Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc.
Archt. Joy Martinez-Onozawa
4:15pm – Mapping Iloilo: Geotagging and Promoting Pride of Place in the Digital Age - Mr. Bernardo Arellano III
4:30pm – 360 Immersive Imaging in Heritage Documentation – Mr. Fung Yu
4:45pm – Closing Message

October 26, 2014
9am – Heritage Tour of Iloilo City (Optional/Booking Required)

On-site registration is Php 2,000 inclusive of conference kits and meals.

Pre-register by Wednesday, September 26, 2014, to avail of discounted rates:
Php 1,700 for professionals and government
Php 1,500 for HCS members in good standing, masteral students with ID, or group discount (minimum of 8)
Php 500 for undergraduate students with ID

Please issue check payments to "Heritage Conservation Society." Cash or check payments could be deposited to BPI C/A No. 8105-8153-61. Remember to e-mail your deposit slip to info@heritage.org.ph and keep the original deposit slip which you have to submit on the day of the summit.

Again, take advantage of discounted rates by paying on or before September 26, 2014. See you in Iloilo City!

Here is the updated program: https://www.dropbox.com/s/dwfkek2f9rut06p/Heritage%20Conservation%20Summit%202014%20Invitation.pdf?dl=0

Australia: Applying for an Australian visa in the Philippines

Applying for an Australian visa in the Philippines will require some lead time, at least four weeks. Here are tips to help you apply for a Visitor visa (subclass 600), that will allow you to visit or remain in Australia for tourism or other recreational activities (holiday, sightseeing, social or recreational reasons or to visit relatives or friends).

1. Call the Australia Visa Service Desk at telephone no. +63 (2) 790 4900 and request for the latest Checklist for Tourist Visa. Note that the checklist and application form change quite often. And it's important for you to get the latest versions.

2. The good thing about applying for an Australian visa is that you do not need to submit your passport. Photocopy the information page and any stamps from previous travel. Do not include original documents as well. Should original documents be required, you may be requested to provide them at a later date.

3. Remember that visa processing takes at least one month for most cases. Mine was processed in two weeks. Here is more information on the Visitors visa.

4. Make sure you submit copies of all the documents stated in the checklist. The decision on your visa application may be decided based on the information and documentation included with your application at time of submission. Submitting incomplete documents may cause delay or denial of visa. The checklist (as of this writing) asks for the following requirements:
     A. Application Form 1419 or the Application for a Visitor visa – Tourist stream completed in English which you can download here. You can type your answers in the .pdf form.
     B. Visa application charge of AUD130 in Philippine pesos via a manager's cheque payable to: Australian Embassy. The exact fee will depend on prevailing exchange rates and you will need to confirm this when you call. Even if I called, I was unfortunate that the fee increased by Php100 while my application was in transit. So it delayed my application by a week. As a result, I was required to submit an additional manager's check for Php100 for the papers to move.
     C. Copy of your passport – This includes the photo page of your passport and any pages with amendments, endorsements, visas and entry / exit stamps
     D. One (1) passport sized photo attached to the front of the application form
     E. Evidence of your financial status and capacity to support yourself during your intended stay in Australia, such as: (a) copies of your bank deposit books showing your history of savings or salary; (b) copies of bank statements or payslips over a period of time; (c) credit card statements and limits; (d) letter of support from Australian contact with the above evidence of financial capability; or (e) evidence of current employment or documents supporting business ownership.
     F. Evidence of intended purpose of travel (this can include airline, hotel and tour bookings, etc.)
     G. Invitation letter from Australian contact (if applicable). If supported by Australian contact, evidence of relationship to Australian contact i.e. birth certificate, marriage certificate etc. and a copy of the photo page of their passport.
     H. For applicants below the age of 18, copy of the child’s birth certificate, showing names of the child and both parents.
     I. For children traveling without one or both parents or legal guardians, provide: (1) copy of each non-traveling parent’s ID; and (2) signed written authorization (or form 1229) by non-traveling parent(s) stating their agreement to permit their child to travel, the approximate date and duration of travel, whether a single visit or multiple trips are permitted and their contact information.

5. Once you've completed the checklist, you can call the Australia Visa Service Desk at telephone no. +63 (2) 790 4900 to set an appointment or have your documents picked up by courier for a fee. I chose to have my documents picked up by courier and was required to include a manager's check for Php1220 payable to VFS Services Philippines Private, Inc.

6. From the time of submission or pick-up, you just have to wait for the Visa Grant Notice to arrive. The reason they no longer ask for your passport is because they do not place visa labels on them. Instead, the Visa Grant Notice is printed on bond paper informing you that you've been granted a visa. If you need a visa label on your passport, you can get one for an additional fee of AUD150.

7. When you arrive at Australian Immigration, you simply need to present your passport (but make sure you bring the Visa Grant Notice just in case). Here's a tip, upon exiting Australia, they no longer stamp your passport. But you can request for an exit stamp as a souvenir, which is what I did.

VFS Services Philippines Private, Inc.
Mezzanine Floor Ecoplaza Building
2305 Chino Roces Ave. Ext. Makati City 1231
Phone No. +63 (2) 790 4900
E-mail: info.auph@vfshelpline.com