Everyone attending the conference is required to complete an official registration form, available online at http://www.wango.org/congress. As space is limited, participants are strongly encouraged to register for the conference as soon as possible.
Registration for the conference opens April 1, 2009. Registration closes on October 31, 2009.
All registrants must pay the registration fee to be confirmed as a participant for the conference. Reduced rates are available for WANGO members and for those applying by August 31.
As attendance is partially subsidized for members of WANGO, the discounted rates are available for up to two authorized representatives of membership organizations. Beyond the first two registrants, and if space permits, additional applicants from member organizations are charged the non-discounted (non-member) rate. One may not register a spouse as a representative of a member organization; rather they must register as a spouse.
The registration fee provides for a conference program, entrance to all plenary, symposia, and concurrent sessions, including workshops, entrance to the NGO Awards Banquet, entrance to the exhibition hall, daily coffee/snack breaks, and all official conference meals, although the Friday dinner, which also serves as the Association’s General Assembly, is open only to WANGO members.
Credit cards (VISA, MasterCard, American Express), checks, bank wires, money orders, and Western Union, payable in US currency, are the only accepted forms of payment for pre-registration.
When sending registration fees via bank wire or Western Union, contact Marybeth Ross at mbross@wango.org for WANGO designation information. Alternative payment arrangements are available for established WANGO Chapters if prior approval is obtained from the Conference Secretariat.
General participants and members of WANGO are to complete and forward their registration form, along with payment, directly to the conference secretariat. The official registration form is available online. Upon acceptance of the completed registration form and full payment of the fee, the conference secretariat will send a confirmation letter.
All cancellations must be made in writing and addressed to the conference secretariat in advance. A 75% refund of the registration fee paid will be given if written notification is received before October 31, 2009. No refunds will be given after October 31, 2009.
There will be no fee reduction, credits, or refunds for no-shows, late arrivals, or early departures.
The conference sessions will be at the Manila Hotel (One Rizal Park, Manila, Philippines; Tel: (632) 527-0011; Fax: (632) 527-0022; resvn@manila-hotel.com.ph; www.manila-hotel.com.ph). The Manila Hotel is a five-star hotel overlooking Manila Bay and Rizal National Park. It is located about ten kilometers (thirty minutes) from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
An historic landmark, built in 1909 and inaugurated in 1912, the Manila Hotel is finishing (in 2009) a complete renovation of its rooms. This premiere hotel is centrally located in the heart of the Manila Bay area, within walking distance of the Rizal Park and Intramuros, an old walled city of the Spanish period. Nearby are shops, the public aquarium, and it is close to the largest mall in Asia, the ultramodern Mall of Asia, which opened in 2006.
The Manila Hotel includes several restaurants, a sports and health club complex, two tennis courts, two squash courts, gyms, sauna, and a pool with a swim-up bar. There is a 24-hour full-menu room service, medical and dental clinic, and other world-class facilities. Among the restaurants are Ilang-ilang coffee shop (international and Filipino cuisine), the Cowrie Grill (Western), Ginza (Japanese), Champagne Room (French-Italian), and Tap Room Bar.
Conference participants are responsible to reserve and pay for their own accommodations for the duration of the World Congress of NGOs in Manila and any additional nights they would like to stay. WANGO has secured a special conference rate for hotel rooms at the Manila Hotel (www.manila-hotel.com.ph), where the conference will be held. The cost for a superior deluxe room (whether single occupancy or double occupancy) is 6,500 Philippine pesos per night net (about US$ 136 net). Thus, for two people sharing a room, the total cost for each person would be Php 3,250 per night net or about US$ 68 per person. The price listed is net in that it already includes the 11% government tax and 10% service charge. Buffet breakfast is included with the accommodations. To receive this discount rate, guests must be registered for the World Congress of NGOs. This rate is available only until September 1.
To make reservations at the Manila Hotel, one can use the secure online form at www.manila-hotel.com.ph. Alternatively, international guests may call (632) 527-0011 or E-mail resvn@manila-hotel.com.ph to make room reservations.
Since attendees are responsible for their own room reservations, those who wish to share a room with another participant will need to make their own arrangements for a roommate. Unless the correct name of the roommate is specified with the hotel, and both roommates confirm their reservations with the hotel, the hotel will assume single occupancy. WANGO members may utilize a special online roommate matching service to help in locating a roommate for the conference. This service can be accessed on the conference website at http://www.wango.org/congress/roommate.
The special rate for the Manila Hotel is only available up until September 1, 2009. After this time, the room block and special rates will be released.
Participants may also secure accommodations at other hotels in Manila. One hotel within reasonable walking distance (10-15 minutes) is the Bayview Park Hotel (1118 Roxas Boulevard, corner United Nations Avenue; tel: (632) 247-9000; fax (632) 522-3040; www.bayviewparkhotel.com). Participants of the World Congress of NGOs have been offered a single occupancy rate of Php 2,700 net per person per night (US$ 60 net), a double occupancy rate of Php 1,600 net per person per night (or US$ 35.55 net per person per night), and a triple occupancy rate of Php 1,200 net per person per night (US$ 26.67 net per person per night). Buffet breakfast is also included with the room accommodations at the Bayview Park Hotel.
Official conference meals are part of the registration package and include a Thursday night finger-food reception, a Friday luncheon, a Friday dinner for WANGO members (as part of the General Assembly), a Saturday luncheon, and the Saturday evening Banquet. For those staying at the Manila Hotel, breakfast is part of the accommodations package. There also are five refreshment breaks.
Participants are responsible for their own arrangements for any non-conference meals. Numerous restaurants and fast-food establishments are available nearby.
In the hotel, Café Ilang-ilang is open 24 hours and offers reasonably priced food, including a breakfast (6am-10am), lunch (12-2:30pm), and dinner (7-10 pm) buffet. The breakfast buffet is about 15 dollars and the dinner buffet about 20 dollars. The Cowrie Grill is open for lunch and dinner and offers a variety of steaks, grilled entrees, and seafood selections, ranging from about 6 dollars to 30 dollars, and the Ginza restaurant offers Japanese selections for lunch and dinner from about 10 dollars to 50 dollars. The Taproom Bar is open from noon until 2am and offers a wide variety of hors d’oeuvres and including pizza, cheese platter, burgers, sandwiches, chicken fajitas, fruit platters, and other food from about 6 dollars to 10 dollars. The Champagne Room is a French-Italian specialty restaurant open for lunch and dinner and requires semi-formal attire.
The hotel is near to many local eating establishments, including well-known staples like Kentucky Fried Chicken, Subway, Dominos, and McDonalds, the Chow King, the popular Filipino fast-food eatery known as Jollibee, and 7-11, as well as numerous other restaurants. Prices at these eating establishments tend to be very reasonably priced. One may also eat at the nearby restaurant at the adjacent public aquarium, or take a ride to the large Asia Mall, which features numerous restaurants.
Participants are responsible for their own air and ground travel arrangements and expenses. The Manila Hotel is planning to have a free shuttle service to and from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport available for WANGO participants at the time of the World Congress. As information becomes available, it will be posted on this website.
The Ninoy Aquino International Airport is located approximately 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the Manila Hotel. The trip from the airport can range from 20 minutes to 40 minutes depending on the time of arrival. The cost of a regular taxi, one-way from the airport to the hotel is about 300 Philippine pesos (approximately 6 US dollars). The cost of using the hotel limousine one way either to or from the airport is about 980 pesos (about 20 US dollars).
Tipping is generally expected for services in the Philippines, including for taxi rides and restaurant service. The standard practice is ten percent of the total bill, although many restaurants and hotels include a ten percent service charge, making additional tipping optional.
The climate from November to February is considered cool by Philippines standards, ranging from about 22 to 28 degrees Celsius (72 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit).
The official language of the conference is English. Within the Philippines, the official national language is Philipino. However, English is very widely spoken and is considered the country’s unofficial national language and the language of business. It also is widely used in government. The Philippines is the third largest English-speaking country in the world.
A valid passport is required for entry to the Philippines. Visitors with valid passports from a specified list of 146 countries are allowed to enter the Philippines without a visa for a period of stay of twenty-one (21) days or less provided that they have tickets for their onward journey. The passport should be valid for six months beyond your planned exit from the Philippines. You can see the list of countries for which a visa is not required on the Department of Foreign Affairs for the Republic of the Philippines; here is the link, http://www.dfa.gov.ph/consular/visa.htm. Nationals of other nations will need to secure a visa prior to departing for the Philippines.
A certificate of vaccination against yellow fever is required from all visitors coming from infected areas.
On production of the required documents upon arrival in the Philippines (passport, airline ticket, vaccination certificate if applicable, visa for nationals of select nations), you will be granted entry to the Philippines for twenty-one (21) days, at no cost. However, there is an airport exit tax of 750 Philippine pesos (approx. US$16.50) to pay upon your departure.
Please note that the Official Government Portal for the Republic of the Philippines (http://www.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=200037&Itemid=26) states the visa requirements more broadly: "Except for stateless persons and those from countries with which the Philippines has no diplomatic relations, all visitors may enter the country without visas and may stay for 21 days provided they have tickets for onward journey. Holders of Hong Kong and Taiwan passports must have special permits. Visas and special permits may be obtained from Philippine embassies and consulates." If you have doubt about your nation’s status regarding visas for the Philippines, please contact your nearest Philippines embassy or consulate, or contact the Republic of the Philippines via this link: http://www.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2000358&Itemid=48.
The World Congress of NGOs offers an opportunity for registrants and exhibitors to gain focused access to its highly influential NGO leaders. In addition, the exhibits will be displayed in the Millennium Hall with other exhibitors for the World Peace Convention, our partner group, and thus will be prominently displayed for an audience of about 1,000 high-level political, educational, religious, and nonprofit leaders attending that event. Exhibitors should complete the Application for Exhibit Space.
Additional information on the exhibit space can be found here
Excursions will be arranged to historic and scenic areas in Manila for the afternoon of Sunday, December 13 (after the conference has concluded). The signup for these day tours will be at the time of the conference. Please note that participants are responsible for their own accommodations and meal expenses after the conference ends with the Closing Plenary Session on Sunday, December 13.
The World Peace Convention also is planning an optional trip to the island of Mindanao to visit various peace initiatives on that island, including a peace village and educational centers. This trip, the Mindanao Field Study Tour, will begin on the morning of Monday, December 14, after the close of the Convention, with participants returning to Manila late on the night of the 14th. An additional fee of US$300 will be required to cover air flight, local transportation, and meals. Participants planning to attend this tour should schedule their departure for December 15, 2009.
During this Mindanao Field Study Tour of December 14, delegates will visit this southern island and visit Ozamiz City's Peace Village and Stimson Abordo Peace School. Delegates will be welcomed at the airport and be treated to cultural presentations, field demonstrations, and the peace shower by the village children. In visiting the Stimson Abordo Peace School, they will have the opportunity to interact with the religiously diverse children (Muslim, Christian, and indigenous). Participants will observe elements of the peace school: peace park, peace corner, and other aspects of the peace design.
Attire for the conference can be business attire or business-casual attire. Attire for the Awards Banquet is evening wear (not formal).
The organizers cannot accept responsibilities for injuries, health problems, or losses occurring to persons or personal belongings during the conference. Since the organizers do not accept responsibility for individual medical, travel, or personal insurance, conference attendees and accompanying persons are advised to arrange for their own insurance policies.
In the Manila Hotel, electricity is supplied at 220 AC volts, 60Hz, although most rooms also have 110 AC volt outlets. The outlet style typically is the two-prong (European-style) wall plugs. This is not the American style 2-pin outlets (3-pin, with the ground), but the rounded wall plugs. Some rooms have the American style 2-pin outlets, but with the 220 AC voltage.
The Philippines country code is 63. The city code for Manila is 2.
The official currency in the Philippines is the Philippine peso (Php) Dinar (JD). Roughly 50 pesos are equivalent to about one dollar. There are 5, 10, 50, 100, 500, and 1000 piso banknotes notes. The pios is divided into 100 centavos, with coins coming in denominations of 1c, 5c, 25c, 50c, 1 Php and 5 Php Foreign currencies may be exchanged for JDs at airport banks, in hotels, or at authorized s exchange dealers. Outside of Manila, the use of Philippine pesos for payments in preferred.
Many credit cards are accepted at first class restaurants and city stores. You should ask or look for the credit card logo before ordering a service.
Those staying at the Manila Hotel will have free Internet access in their room. The Manila Hotel also has a business center in which many services are available, including internet/computer rental, photocopying, faxing, scanning, purchase of phonecards, rental of DVD/VHS Player and overhead projector, and gift wrapping. This Executive Services Center charges 175 Philippine pesos for thirty minutes on the computer/Internet or 300 pesos per hour and 800 pesos per day, and 6 pesos per photocopy.
Participants wishing to work on documents should bring their own laptop and printer, or pay to use the business office of the hotel. The Congress does not provide printers or copying services.