How to Join Wowowee Show

It is the objective of TFC Studio Tours to provide TFC subscribers with unforgettable experience when visiting ABS-CBN Studio.

To have a pleasant and unforgettable tour experience, Please be advice regarding the following procedures below. BigAtin members shall also follow the same procedure


1.Reserve one month before preferred date. First come, first served. Walk-ins are discouraged and will have to wait for any cancellations.

2.Send the following information to tfcstudiotours@abs-cbn.com.


FOR US AND MIDDLE EAST CUSTOMERS

Name of account holder
BigAtin account number/membership level
Dates of arrival and departure to and from the Phils
Contact number in the Phils
*If you are not a BigAtin member yet, please enroll on-line at www.bigatin.com. Since TFC Studio Tour is exclusive to Bigatin members in the US and Middle East, requests of non-members will automatically be waitlisted and will only be confirmed once membership is approved, however depending on availabilty of slots.

FOR CANADA CUSTOMERS

Name of account holder
TFCKo account number/TFC customer number (for cable subs)
Dates of arrival and departure to and from the Phils
Contact number in the Phils

FOR EUROPE, AUSTRALIA, JAPAN/ASIA PACIFIC CUSTOMERS

Name of subscriber
TFC account/customer number
Dates of arrival and departure to and from the Phils
Contact number in the Phils
*If you are not a TFC subscriber yet, please visit our website at www.abs-cbnglobal.com for more information.

3. Bring confirmation letter together with one valid ID on the day of the tour. No confirmation letter, no entry.

By confirming your reservation, you are agreeing to the following policies:


TFC Studio Tours allows a maximum of 4 persons per group to watch one show per year. This is due to limited studio capacity and in order to accommodate as many customers as possible.

• For safety reasons, pregnant women and children six (6) years old and below are strictly not allowed. Children aged seven (7) to nine (9) are required to bring a copy of their passport or birth certificate as proof and must each be accompanied by an adult (1 child:1 adult).
  
• For proprietary reasons, food, drinks and video cameras are prohibited inside the studios.
  A booked customer who does not show up on his/her reserved date will only be allowed to book one year after (e.g. if booked on December 1, 2008, he can only book again starting December 1, 2009). Customer who cannot come on his reserved date must issue an authorization letter and provide a copy of his valid ID to his representatives.
  
• No-show at 10:01am means forfeiture of reservation.

• A booked customer who arrives after the cut-off time on his reserved date may be rescheduled depending on availability of slots.
  
• ABS-CBN Global reserves the right to refuse entry to those who will violate the TFC Studio Tour policies and to require anyone displaying untoward behavior to immediately leave ABS-CBN premises.
  
• Schedule of taping and airing, seating arrangement, choice of contestants and other production decisions are made by the producers of the live show and not by TFC Studio Tours.
  
• For changes in schedule, booked customers who will be affected will be duly informed, given a studio tour on the same day or rescheduled depending on their departure dates and subject to availability of slots.
  
  Contact Information:

MANILA
ABS-CBN GLOBAL LTD.
9/F ELJ Communications Center, Lopez Drive 1103,
Quezon City, Philippines.

Telephone No.: (632) 924-4101
Fax No: (632) 411-1168
Email: tfc@abs-cbn.com


Source: TFC Studio Tour

FAQ' s about Philippine Passport

1.Who is entitled to a Philippine passport?

All Philippine citizens are entitled to a Philippine passport. This right can only be abridged for reasons of national security and the public good. Those who have acquired foreign citizenships, i.e. Filipinos who were naturalized in foreign countries, are no longer entitled to Philippine passports as they are considered to have renounced their Philippine citizenship.


2. I am an undocumented Philippine citizen (TNT). Can I apply for a passport? Will the Consulate help me?

The Consulate helps and protects ALL Filipinos, regardless of their immigration status. A Filipino who has no legal immigration status in the United States deserves the same assistance as that accorded to a legal resident.


3.Does the Consulate require the payment of taxes before it issues a passport?

The Consulate General no longer collects taxes from Filipino citizens residing abroad in accordance with the Comprehensive Tax Reform Code passed by Congress in 1997. Under the said law, income earned by Filipino citizens outside the Philippines are exempt from taxation.


4.What are the requirements for a first-time applicant for passport?

In order for an individual to qualify for a Philippine passport, the Consulate General must determine two things: the true identity of the individual and that the individual is a citizen of the Republic of the Philippines. For a detailed information on requirements and procedures that must be complied with by first-time applicants, see Passport Requirements and Procedures: First-Time Applicants.



5.How long does it take to process a new passport? to renew a passport?

If all documents required are submitted, the new passport may be released within six (6) weeks from the receipt of application. Due to the heavy volume of applications received daily, patience is requested from the applicants.



5.What are the requirements for the renewal of passports?

Personal appearance is required for those who wish to renew their passports. Application sent by mail are no longer accepted. In addition, individuals would not have to pay additional fees, other than the consular fees prescribed by Philippine law. A comprehensive list of requirements is included in the downloadable passport application form found in this site. Click here to go to the Machine-Readable Passports.





6.What constitutes valid proof of an emergency?

If you urgently need a travel document because of a serious emergency, such as a death in the family, then the particulars of the emergency should be faxed directly to the Consulate. In the case of a death in the family, for instance, the hospital should fax the death certificate directly to the Consulate.



Guidelines in Extending the Validity of Passports

In view of the longer period required for the processing and issuance of machine-readable passports (MRP) and pending the implementation of the e-Passport, the following guidelines shall be observed in the application for extension of the validity of Philippine passports:

1. The passport holder must personally file for the extension of his/her passport with the Consulate;

2. The passport to be amended has a validity of less than six months;

3. The extension of the validity is a measure to address emergency or meritorious cases;

4. The extension of the validity of passport should not be considered as an alternative in lieu of a renewal of the passport;

5. The passport holder must submit an application form for the amendment of the validity of the passport, with the affidavit and passport to the Consular Officer. In the affidavit, he/she must state:

a. The reason/s for the urgency of having the validity of the passport extended for one (1) year and that he/she cannot wait for the issuance of the MRP or e-Passport;

b. The affiant undertakes to apply for a new passport within the extended period of validity; and,

c. The affidavit must be duly authenticated by the Philippine Consulate where a person is applying for the renewal of the said passport.

6. If the Consulate finds the applicant's stated reason/s for extension to be meritorious, the validity of the passport may be extended for a period of not more than one (1) year from the date of the application;

7. In the application for the extension of the validity of his/her passport, the fee for affidavit required is waived as it addresses an emergency situation and is considered to be done gratis or free of charge. The applicant should only be charged with a flat fee of $20 for amendment of passport and shall be paid prior to any extension.



7.I just lost my passport. What should I do?

You must first immediately file a police report and execute an Affidavit/Sworn Statement stating the circumstances surrounding the loss of the passport. Second, apply for a replacement passport at the Consulate with as many of the documentary requirements as you can gather. While it is a good idea to apply immediately, you will eventually have to produce all of the required documents.





8. What are the requirements for the replacement of a lost passport?

Lost passports can only be replaced when the consular officer can determine that, in addition to meeting the minimum requirements for a Philippine passport, that the applicant has actually lost his or her passport.

The documentary requirements for the replacement of a lost passport are essentially the same as for a first time application. Additional supporting documents may also be required to establish the applicant's identity, Philippine citizenship, and the circumstances surrounding the loss of the passport.

In addition to the documentary requirements, the Consulate General has to receive clearance from the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila to replace a lost passport. Due to the significant volume of such cases, the mandatory waiting period for the clearance normally takes 15 working days (3 to 4 weeks - do not count Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays) and another six (6) weeks will be required for the issuance of the new passport.
A comprehensive list of requirements may be found in this site.

Source: Philippine Consulate General

Philippines under Travel Alert By U.S. Department of State

The office of Bureau of Consular Affairs under U.S. Department of State alerts U.S. citizens of the risk involved of traveling to the southern part of the Philippines in the islands of Mindanao and urges to exercise extreme caution if traveling in that area. This alert brought by the recent acts of violence in the Maguindanao province. This Travel Alert will expires on January 6, 2010.

Travelers to this area in the Philippines should remain vigilant and avoid congregating in public areas. Other travelers who visit Mindanao hire their own personal security.

Tagalog to English Translator Tool

Another good thing about Google's new service is by having language translator where you can instantly translate text and web pages. You can also translate wide variety of foreign laguanges with this free language translator tool.

How to Buy Cheap International Airline Tickets

When planning your trip back to the Philippines, you can't just book your airline and expect a cheap price within 1 month of your trip. You can't even do this 3 or 4 months prior either. You MUST plan ahead if you want to save as much money as possible, as airline tickets will skyrocket as the departure date approaches. I would recommend at least 6 months, but even up to 1 year in advance.

The Following are Steps to a Cheaper International Airline Ticket.

1. Keep yourself updated on airfare wars by watching the news and reading the newspaper. Look for limited-time promotional fares from major airlines and airline companies just starting up.


2. Be flexible in scheduling your flight. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays are typically the cheapest days to fly; late-night flights ('red-eyes'), very early morning flights and flights with at least one stop tend to be discounted as well.


3. Find out whether the stated fare is the cheapest, and inquire about other options when speaking to the airline reservations clerk. If you're using the Internet, check more than one Web site and compare rates.


4.Inquire about standby fares if you're flying off-season. High season is a bad time to fly standby because most airlines overbook flights, making it difficult to find a spare seat.


5. Purchase tickets through consolidators, who buy blocks of tickets and sell them at a discount to help an airline fill up all available seats. Check the travel section of the newspaper under 'Ticket Consolidators.'


6. Again book early. You can purchase advance-ticket discounts by reserving 21 days ahead; book even earlier for holiday flights, especially in November and December. Keep in mind that holiday 'blackout periods' may prevent you from using frequent-flier miles.

8. Stay with the same airline as possible during your entire trip to receive round-trip or connecting fare discounts.