By: Manny Paez

Manila Forwarders, the leader in balikbayan box technology, moved its command center to a new location at 4249 Eagle Rock Blvd, Los Angeles, CA USA 90065. Its sister company, Manila Forwarders Travel and Tours, TravelPh.Com and Travel Phil, Inc will also be holding office at the same location.



The new location is equipped with the most advanced material handling resources and security equipment to ensure safe handling and efficient processing of your balikbayan boxes, jumbo boxes, furniture, vehicles, as well as other shipments you would ship through Manila Forwarders.

All of Manila Forwarders jumbo boxes and balikbayan boxes are sealed in front of the customers to ensure the companys track record of zero pilferage. Upon arrival at the warehouse, all boxes bound to Visayas and Mindanao together with internet boxes mailed through UPS or FedEx from all over the nation are wrapped with industrial strength plastic. All boxes are strapped with durable strapping materials to further protect each package.

Package information is then entered into the companys computerized database for easy monitoring and package tracking. Manila Forwarders also offers a new way to track each balikbayan box. Just log-on to www.manilaforwarder.com and click on the package tracking icon.



Manila Forwarders maintains regular shipments of its own container to ensure security and fast shipping time to the Philippines. Each container is insured with the reliable Marsh insurance group aside from the insurance bond maintained by the company through the Federal Maritime Commission. This system ensures the protection of Manila Forwarders clients.

Manila Forwarders also offers air cargo shipment to the Philippines. Air cargo shipment takes less than a week to Metro-Manila. Have your Christmas gift picked-up on or before December 20, 2003 and youre assured your package will be in the there on or before Christmas. Please ask for Air Cargo services.

Aside from freight forwarding services, Manila Forwarders is a full service travel agency. Manila Forwarders Travel and Tours is also known as TRAVELPH.COM in the internet. It also have a Philippine office, Travel Philippines, Inc to provide global support to our US and Philippine Travelers. This also allows our client to have support in case they would need something while they are in the Philippines. The website features live chat that rotates both in the US and their Philippine office. Just log on to www.travelph.com and click on the live chat icon and an on-line customer service representative will gladly assist you with your travel needs.

Manila Forwarders ensures that the vacation package is tailor made to the clients. The company conducts ocular inspection of the hotels and resorts that the company offers to ensure quality, suitability, and security of each passenger. The company also maintains a daily liaison with the Travel Sellers to ensure that we offer up to date information.

With this special arrangement with Philippine Airlines and other carriers, one may have a grand Philippine vacation for around two thousand dollars with still a lot of extra change for pocket money for a splendid two week vacation. Philippine Airlines is the only provider of direct flight to the Philippines from the USA. TravelPH together with the Association of Filipino Travel Agents (AFTA) was also instrumental in obtaining a direct flight to Laoag City from USA and Hawaii that started December, 1, 2003.

There are a lot of destination packages to choose from and they are all posted at http://www.travelph.com. Special packages are also available like city tour, golf tour, diving tour, shopping tour, family visit tour. The packages cater to high end packages to budgeted packages. Special trips like weddings, convention, and others can also be arranged.

Manila Forwarders Travel and Tours/ TRAVELPH.COM offers packages like a 2 night-stay in major hotels and get one night FREE of charge. Clients can choose from a wide variety of hotel listings such as Shangri-la Makati, Manila Peninsula, Dusit, New World Hotel, The Richmonde Hotel, Balikbayan Family Suites and a lot more. This bargain is only available if booked in the US.

One of the companys best seller is the Boracay Package. Located in the Panay Island in the province of Aklan, Boracay is a Mecca for balikbayans where one could bring the whole family and would not run out of activities. In Boracay and other places in the Philippines, the company can provide your own tour guide and personally arrange all your needs like snorkeling, island hopping, banana boat ride, wind surfing, skiing, para sailing, and scuba diving.

The company also has a network of Tour and Resort Operators to ensure that one would have the best package available in terms of quality and rates.

A typical Manila Forwarder / TRAVELPH.COM package includes welcome party at the new Philippine Airport and then shuttled via first class air-conditioned coach to ones choice of hotel.
One of the most popular choices of billeting is Net world Hotel in Roxas Blvd, Pasay City. At the Net World hotel, the family can enjoy a FREE spa and sauna to relax the tired muscle from the flight. After the spa, one can go on a day trip to Intramuros to visit the historic Fort Santiago, San Agustin Church, and the WOW Philippines daily party and shows.


Philippine Address TRAVELPH.COM / Travel Phil, Inc. Suite 777 The Island Plaza Salcedo 105 Leviste Street, Salcedo Village Makati City, Philippines 1227



The next day, Manila Forwarder / TRAVELPH.COM guest will go back to the airport to fly to Kalibo, Aklan and transfer to the new Caticlan Ferry Terminal via air conditioned bus. Also available is a direct flight from Manila to Caticlan via SEAIRE or a direct ferry ride from Manila to Caticlan.
Upon arrival in Caticlan, ferry boats from chosen hotel will be waiting at the pier. A Boracay-based tour guide or dive master will be available to arrange an ocean adventure experience that only happens in Boracay.

Manila Forwarders offers billeting to Lorenzos, Willys, and Fridays and among others. Spa Resorts are also available at Surf Side Resort. The company also offers cottage accommodations for as low as ten dollars a day on regular season.

Another popular Philippine Tourist Destination is Bohol Province. Located in the central part of the Philippines, the province is just a one hour boat ride to Cebu or Leyte. Or a One hour or so plane ride from Manila. The oval shaped island boast of 654 kilometers of coast line with 73 islets including the popular beach of Panglao Island, whale and dolphin spots of Pamilican Islands, and one of the worlds best diving spots of Balicasag, Danajon Reef, or the Cabilao Island.

Bohol has a mountainous interior which is home to popular tourist destinations like Chocolate Hills, Loboc River Cruise, among others. It is also the home of the worlds smallest primate, the tarsiers.
Under the present leadership of Gov. Enrico Aumentado, Bohol Province is the recipient of Department of Tourism & Philippine Tour Operators Association (PHILTOA) Award as the Number 1 Tourists Destination in the Philippines. The Governor also received The Visionary Leadership on Tourism Award given by Network of Independent Travel Agencies (NITAS).

For honeymooners, Manila Forwarders / TRAVELPH.COMs best seller is Club Noah Isabelle in Palawan. An hour and a few minutes from Manila Domestic airport via chartered SEAIRE, Club Noah is for designed for those who crave for romanticism. Upon morning arrival at Sandoval Airport, the guest will receive a professional briefing from Club Noah Isabelle staff. It will be followed by a 15 minute safari like jeepney ride followed by a 30 minute boat ride that would remind one of the Amazon River including the sights of monkeys and other wildlife. Then, it will be followed by a speed boat ride that would finally bring the guest to the secluded paradise, Club Noah Isabelle.
A welcome entourage will greet the guest upon arrival at the resort followed by briefing by individually assigned activity coordinator. All the food and activities are included in the tariff and tipping is not allowed.

The resort offers snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking, island hopping, cave exploration, fishing, island picnics, nightly shows, massage, baby sitting, swimming pool and Jacuzzi and special dinners in a remote chosen cave exclusively for the couple.

Whichever is ones choice, all of these are available at rates that are almost unbelievable but true. This was made possible by the close coordination of the Philippine Department of Tourism, Philippine Airlines and other Airline Carriers, Tour and Resort Operators, Association of Filipino Travel Agents, and Manila Forwarders Travel and Tours / TRAVELPH.COM.
Manila Forwarders Travel and Tours and TRAVELPH.COM are staffed with Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) certified divers to professionally assist you with your choice of under water activities.

Manila Forwarders have special arrangements with Philippine dive shops for first time divers to advanced divers. One can experience a discovery dive for as low as fifty dollars to an open water diver certification for as low as three hundred dollars. More added bonus is also available based on the season and the number of divers.

Why think of other things to do with your tax refunds? Go visit the Philippines and have a grand vacation. This would also help the Philippine economy. Call Manila Forwarders now at 1-800-210-1019 and experience the ocean adventure vacation package in Boracay. For further inquiries or booking requests log-on to our website at www.travelph.com.
Aside from balikbayan boxes and tour packages, Manila Forwarders have added new services to the company.

Manila Forwarders is a licensed and authorized dealer of TFC or the Filipino Channel. The company is staffed with certified TFC installers and customer support. Be updated with all the local news and showbiz gossips with the Filipino Cable channel. Watch you favorite noontime shows and local artists 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Manila Forwarders also offers cellular services of Smart and Globe Philippines here in the USA. These wireless services will allow your loved ones and friends in the Philippines to send text messages here in the USA for only one peso. And the people here in the USA can send text messages to the Philippines for free on some Cingular or T-Mobile calling plans. The company also offers prepaid cell phones.
Manila Forwarders, through its sister company Web Image International, also offers graphics and web design services. It is manned by US and Philippine talents. The company offers various designs from basic to dynamic web sites. Visit their website at http://www.web-imageinternational.com.

Another sister company of Manila Forwarders is the on-line Manila Magazine. It offers the latest trend and issues for Filipinos in the USA. Visit their website at http://www.manilamagazine.com.
As a way of thanking the Smart Pinoy community, Manila Forwarders offers the suki card. The suki card offer customers the mileage program from Manila Forwarders. For every box sent to the Philippines, agents will stamp the corresponding suki card together with the invoice number and date of pick-up. Once the suki card has been filled-up, loyal customers are entitled to a free box shipment anywhere in the Philippines.

Manila Forwarders also offers affiliate program all over the nation. Interested entrepreneurs may contact the company directly and look for Miss Roselle Arbulante or Manny Paez.

Starting next week, Manila Forwarders will be staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to provide round the clock customer support. The company is staffed with Ilocano, Kapampangan, Visayan, Tagalog, Spanish and English speaking team member.

Manila Forwarders also added more telephone lines to handle the growing number of calls: (323) 478-1599, (323) 478-8321, (323) 478-8353, (323) 478-8359, ( 323) 478-9740, ( 323) 478-1048, (323) 478-1146 and fax ( 323) 478-1165.

One may also send e-mail at sales@manilaforwarder.com. For more information about Manila Forwarders, please log on to www.manilaforwarder.com or call us at 1-800-210-1019.