Practical Information to Participants General Information 1) The Interagency Experts Group (IAEG) on MDG Indicators Meeting is scheduled to be held in Manila, Philippines on Monday 17th – Tuesday 18th October 2011, at the Boardroom 2, 2nd Floor, Dusit Thani Manila Hotel. 2) The International Conference on the Millennium Development Goals Statistics (ICMDGS) is scheduled to be held in Manila, Philippines on Wednesday 19th – Friday 21st October 2011, at the Ballroom B, Ground Floor, Dusit Thani Manila Hotel. 3) Participation in both these events is by invitation only. Venue of the forum 4) The venue for both the IAEG meeting and ICMDGS is the Dusit Thani Manila Hotel (http://www.dusit.com/dusit-thani/dusit-thani-manila.html), Ayala Center, Makati City, Philippines. It is approximately 8 kilometers or 30-45 minutes away from the airport and located at the central business district of Manila. It has easy access to the financial centers, shopping area (i.e. SM Makati, Landmark, Glorietta Malls, Greenbelt (Lifestyle Center)), Philippine Stock Exchange, Ayala Museum, Makati Medical Center, cafés and restaurants and most embassies. 1 Registration IAEG 5) The opening session of the IAEG meeting will commence at 09:00 a.m. on Monday, 17th October 2011. Participants are requested to register at the lounge outside the Boardroom 2, 2nd Floor, between 08:00 and 08:45 a.m. on the same day. Participants who will not be able to register on the opening day are requested to do so as soon as possible, to ensure that their names will appear on the list of participants. ICMDGS 6) The opening session of the ICMDGS will commence at 09:00 a.m. on Wednesday, 19th October 2011. Participants are requested to register at the foyer outside the Ballroom, Ground Floor, between 08:00 and 08:45 a.m. on the same day. Participants who will not be able to register on the opening day are requested to do so as soon as possible, to ensure that their names will appear on the list of participants. Travel Information Visa requirements 7) Nationals from countries listed below who are traveling to the Philippines for business or tourism purposes are allowed to enter the Philippines without visas for a stay not exceeding 21 days, provided that they hold valid tickets for their return journey to port of origin or next port of destination (Please see the list of countries below, updated as of 8 August 2011). Philippine regulations require that passports are valid for a period of not less than six months beyond the contemplated period of stay. However, Immigration Officers at ports of entry may exercise their discretion to admit holders of passports valid for at least 60 days beyond the intended period of stay. For details, please see the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs website at http://www.dfa.gov.ph or contact your local consular office. 1. Andorra 51. Ghana 101. Norway 2. Angola 52. Gibraltar 102. Oman 3.Antigua and Barbuda 53. Greece 103. Palau 4. Argentina 54. Grenada 104. Panama 5. Australia 55. Guatemala 105. Papua New Guinea 6. Austria 56. Guinea 106. Paraguay 7. Bahamas 57. Guinea Bissau 107. Peru 8. Bahrain 58. Guyana 108. Poland 9. Barbados 59. Haiti 109. Portugal 10. Belgium 60. Honduras 110. Qatar 11. Benin 61. Hungary 111. Republic of Korea 12. Bhutan 62. Iceland 112. Romania 13. Bolivia 63. Indonesia 113. Russia 14. Botswana 64. Ireland 114. Rwanda 15. Brazil* 65. Israel* 115. Saint Kitts and Nevis 16. Brunei Darussalam 66. Italy 116. Saint Lucia 17. Bulgaria 67. Jamaica 117. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 18. Burkina Faso 68. Japan 118. Samoa 19. Burundi 69. Kenya 119. San Marino 20. Cambodia 70. Kiribati 120. Sao Tome and Principe 21. Cameroon 71. Kuwait 121. Saudi Arabia 22. Canada 72. Lao People’s 122. Senegal 2 23. Cape Verde 73. Latvia 123. Seychelles 24. Central African Republic 74. Lesotho 124. Singapore 25. Chad 75. Liberia 125. Slovakia 26. Chile 76. Liechtenstein 126. Slovenia 27. Colombia 77. Lithuania 127. Solomon Islands 28. Comoros 78. Luxembourg 128. Somalia 29. Congo 79. Madagascar 129. South Africa 30. Costa Rica 80. Malawi 130. Spain 31. Cote d’Ivoire 81. Malaysia 131. Suriname 32. Cyprus 82. Maldives 132. Swaziland 33. Czech Republic 83. Mali 133. Sweden 34. Democratic Republic of the 84. Malta 134. Switzerland Congo 35. Denmark 85. Marshall Islands 135. Thailand 36. Djibouti 86. Mauritania 136. Togo 37. Dominica 87. Mauritius 137. Trinidad and Tobago 38. Dominican Republic 88. Mexico 138. Tunisia 39. Ecuador 89. Micronesia 139. Turkey 40. El Salvador 90. Monaco 140. Tuvalu 41. Equatorial Guinea 91. Mongolia 141. Uganda 42. Eritrea 92. Morocco 142. United Arab Emirates 43. Estonia 93. Mozambique 143. United Kingdom of Great Britain 44. Ethiopia 94. Myanmar 144. United Republic of Tanzania 45. Fiji 95. Namibia 145. United States of America 46. Finland 96. Nepal 146. Uruguay 47. France 97. Netherlands 147. Venezuela 48. Gabon 98. New Zealand 148. Vietnam 49. Gambia 99. Nicaragua 149. Zambia 50. Germany 100. Niger 150. Zimbabwe Note: *The following nationals are allowed to enter the Philippines without a visa for a stay not exceeding fifty-nine (59) days: holders of Brazil and Israel passports. The following nationals are allowed to enter the Philippines without a visa for a stay not exceeding seven days: Holders of Hong Kong Special Administrative (SAR) passports; Holders of British National Overseas (BNO) passports; Holders of Portuguese Passports issued in Macao; and Holders of Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) passports. International Airports in Metro Manila 8) The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) ( formerly known as Manila International Airport (MIA)) is located along the border between Pasay City and Parañaque City in Metro Manila. It is about 7 kilometers (4 miles) south of Manila, and southwest of Makati City. It has three terminals, namely: 8.1) Terminal 1: NAIA Terminal – for international flights only of non-Philippine Airlines, non-Cebu Pacific Airlines, non-All Nippon Airways 8.2) Terminal 2: Centennial Terminal – All Philippine Airlines (PAL), both international and domestic flights 8.3) Terminal 3: NAIA International Terminal – for domestic and international flights of Cebu Pacific, Air Philippines, PAL Express and All Nippon Airways 3 Welcome Staff at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport 9) NAIA personnel in the following uniforms: Monday: Female – red blouse and blue skirt Male – black coat and black pants Tuesday – Sunday: Female – gray coat and gray skirt Male – gray coat and gray pants shall escort the participants upon arrival at the airport to the lounge where they will be welcomed by the NSCB staff clad in red shirt who in turn will assist them in getting public transportation from the airport to the hotel. Transport from and to Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 10) Taxi service is available from all three terminals of NAIA to all points of Metro Manila. 10.1) Designated airport taxis (i.e. taxis marked with “Bayan Ko, Sagot Ko”) are stationed at the lower level of the arrival area of the airport. A taxi desk for fixed rate airport taxi is available at the same area in the airport. Airport taxis fixed rate is P330.00 from the airport to the venue. 10.2) There are also metered taxis (i.e. yellow taxis marked with “Airport Taxi”) available around the area with Php 70.00 flag down rate and counter raises by PhP 4.00 for every 300 meters. The estimated fare from the airport to the venue ranges from Php 200 - PhP 300. A taxi desk for metered airport taxi is also available at the lower level of the arrival area of the airport. Airport Facilities 11) Airport information desks are open for all flights. 12) The international airport has adequate traveler facilities: tourist information and assistance counters, hotels and travel agency representative, banks and ATMs, postal service, telephone booths, and medical clinics, among others. Baggage carts and porter services are available for free. 13) The airport wheelchairs are available upon request from the airline ground staff. The airport also has ramps, lifts and toilets for the disabled. 14) Passengers requiring any special assistance should inform their airline prior to travel. For assistance, participants may call telephone number: +632 877 1111. Going Around the City 15) Participants can travel to the city center by car, bus, jeepney, Metro rail and light rail transits, and taxi. Airport Fees 16) Passengers departing for international destinations are charged an airport terminal fee of PhP 750 or approximately USD17.68. Internet and E-mail Services 17) There will be free internet and e-mail services available to participants at the Conference venue at the lounge outside the Boardroom 2, 2nd Floor for the IAEG meeting and at the Secretariat’s Room, Ground Floor (facing the Ballroom) for the IAEG Meeting and the ICMDGS. 4 18) Internet cafés and computer shops near the venue also offer Internet, e-mail and web-based services. Concerned Contacts: 19) For further queries, the following persons may be contacted: For technical matters: Ms. Bernadette B. Balamban Ms. Mechelle M. Viernes Conference Secretariat Conference Secretariat National Statistical Coordination Board National Statistical Coordination Board 2nd Floor Midland Buendia Bldg., 403 Sen. 2nd Floor Midland Buendia Bldg., 403 Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City Landline and Fax: (+632) 896 7981 Landline and Fax: (+632) 896 7981 Mobile Number: +639198281910 Mobile Number: +639175659511 Email Address: [email protected] Email Address: [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] For logistics and administrative matters: Ms. Teresita M. Almarines Conference Secretariat National Statistical Coordination Board 2nd Floor Midland Buendia Bldg., 403 Sen.