Alva Travel Corp, They are Legit, But That's All

Alva Travel Corp Experience and Review

I had a voucher for CashCashPinoy's travel deal from one of their merchants, Alva Travel Corp. After a year and a half of trying to book a date for the travel, I searched ( yes, I was too late to do my homework ) about this travel company and I saw a lot of negative feedbacks pertaining to "scams" or misleading information by CashCashPinoy. Now I have availed the deal, and here's my unbiased view of the experience.

For the most important question, the Alva Travel Corp is legit. I can say so since I was able to push through with the travel, but not without issues.

I will no longer discuss about the misleading ALL-INCLUSIVE deal title, and the costs involved in which I needed to make additional payments on each and every move I make wherein I have expected to be included in the deal. What I will discuss is the experience I had dealing with the travel agency.

1. Questions are left unanswered for a long time. - There are many instances, for example, when I was trying to ask for updated availability dates. Sometimes they will reply after a few days or weeks, depending on how persistent I get in sending the same question through their viber or email. Take note that the viber conversations are group messages they made on their own, so there's no chance that none of them received the question. Otherwise, if they do reply, they are polite nonetheless.

2. They lack coordination with each other. - When the dates I have confirmed were near, I have talked to one person, and then will repeat the same thing to another staff since it seems that the other person went for vacation.

3. They are fast when billing, but very slow on the delivery. - I noticed that when I asked for some add-ons, for example seating arrangement or baggage reservation, they are very quick in sending me the quote, but after I have paid, the said add-ons never took place and I had to redo them on my own, thus making double payment. Until now they have not refunded my payment.

4. They don't seem to care if you will make it or not with the deal. - I was under the impression that having a travel agency arrange your travel would relieve you from most hassles, and will have continuous update and reminders on the dates, etc. In my case, I was asking for an update for the visa requirements but haven't received a reply. When I finally found the correct landline to call, I was even blamed that it was my responsibility to remind myself of the upcoming visa application. Take note that I have paid another amount for them to assist in the visa processing.

5. Eerie office location. - The address written in a voucher they sent me was in fort bonifacio. But I was asked to go to a different address when I needed to pickup my passport. It was at the fourth floor of an elevator-less-almost-torn-down building. I wasn't even able to locate the building via google maps. This doesn't really matter to me since I shouldn't judge them by where their office was located.

All in all, I think they do try their best to assist, but they lack consistency and sincerity. They are working until late as I found out myself, and they do deliver most of what was agreed.

As for my conclusion, the experience wasn't hell, but it wasn't exactly great. I would not avail of their services again.

Sample Affidavit Of Support for Travel Tour

One of the requirements for bringing your parents, siblings or kids to another country for a tour is an affidavit of support, especially when they are unemployed. This affidavit states that the person issuing the document is able and will be responsible for all the financial obligations of the unemployed member of the party for travel. This is mostly required as a requirement for tourist visa aplications.


I had a relatively tough time to find some template since the Notary Public offices in Manila don't have ready forms for this kinds of affidavit. I went to a Law Firm and they have charged me a whopping 1000+ Philippine Pesos for this document. I tried to search for templates but I was not able to find something that is entirely for tourist travel purposes, so here I attached a template for the said document.

DISCLAIMER: This is only a sample and in any way is NOT a legal document. The document aims to give the person an idea on what should be declared for this kind of affidavit.

Sample Affidavit of Support

Don't Get Wasted, Not In Boracay

Boracay has never been my favorite place. Despite the popularity among younger tourists, either foreign or local, I perceive Boracay as an overrated and unsafe vacation spot. 

Recent news are circulating about the rampant cases of rape and theft that occurs in the area.  Police seems to be keeping mum about it, and seems that most victims, while being heavily intoxicated, keeps the incident to themselves.

I recently had a chat with a close friend about it. Apparently, she herself had witnessed a young alcohol-wasted Korean lady left alone by her so-called friends in the shore being dragged away by at least five local guys. "Why didn't you do something?!" I asked. She replied with a horrified expression, "What could I have done, there were five of them, all locals, and I'm scared that they will take it against me. Even if I report it to the Police, they do nothing."

Another friend had recalled having heard a few guys eyeing an American woman saying "I'll go first, when she's drunk." She has said a similar reason when I asked why she didn't try to help.

The targets seem to be commonly young foreign nationals that are easily drunk and  unaware of possible assault. 

I never recommended Boracay to my foreigner friends, not because of this reason initially, but just because it has become very noisy and unclean, where most party-driven people wanted to go.

However these days, I will strongly go against them going to that area, and  suggest safer and the less popular but nicer places that have kept the beauty of nature.

To everyone who would like to experience the night life in Boracay (and in any other places for that matter), please be wary of your things and yourselves. Always keep a close watch on what  and how much you drink. Keep your friends close and be brave enough to report any suspicious incidents.

Easy Peri Peri Chicken Recipe

This recipe is the easiest oven baked chicken that I came up with.

Ingredients :

1 kg whole chicken, cut in quarters
1 peri peri sauce or marinade
1 lemon
1 tbsp chili flakes ( optional )
100g melted butter
1 L cold water
1/2 cup of salt
1/2 cup of sugar

Procedure :
Brining (optional)
1. In a mixing bowl, dissolve salt and sugar into the cold water. Stir until dissolved completely.
2. Submerge the chicken into the solution, cover with foil or cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours to overnight.
Marinade

3. After brining, prepare the marinade  by mixing the peri peri sauce, lemon and optionally the chili flakes. Completely submerge the chicken into the marinade, or turn the chicken half time of the planned marinading duration.
4. Preheat oven to 180C.
5. Lay the chicken pieces into the baking pan, preferably on top of a grill to keep the oil away from the chicken while baking.
6. Bake chicken at 180C for 1 hour, basting marinade and butter every 15-20 mins.

Best served with rice