9th CUTTING EDGE CONF in HONGKONG INFO PACK # 2

9th CUTTING EDGE LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE in HONGKONG .... may I have more info , pls! (Letters & Info Packs)

Dear IT Phils Eagles, Partners and Friends,

GREETINGS !!! In over two months , we will be seeing each other in the beautiful city of HONGKONG for our 9th CUTTING EDGE LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE 2026. We are so excited for this gathering. We look forward to an amazing time of fellowship with all of you again!

Additional conference info and instructions:

A. IMMIGRATION REQUIREMENTS for both PHILIPPINES & HONGKONG

1. Please check regularly the announcements on our Facebook. We will have a pre-departure briefing for all registered conference participants to best prepare you on your immigration encounters – both in the Philippines and in Hongkong. The dates and time will be communicated to all via announcements on our Facebook page.

2. All documents that may be asked from you by immigration officers will be provided by our office. Please show the documents only when asked by the immigration officer!

3. The Philippine government requires all government employees to first secure clearance before they are allowed to travel outside of the country. If you are a government employee and could not present the document upon the demand of our airport immigration authority, you will be denied boarding. Please make sure you secure one as early as possible. We have missionaries in the past who were not allowed to board because of their failure to attend to this important requirement. Our office will issue the needed certification explaining the reason for your trip to Hong Kong.

4. There is no need for an Entry Visa for a Filipino to enter Hong Kong. All you need to present to the Hong Kong airport authorities are your passport, a return ticket and if asked, purpose of visit and proof of accommodation during your stay in the country (to be provided by our office). You are allowed to stay for fourteen (14) days only.  Please double check your passports expiration date. The Philippine immigration officers won’t allow you to leave the country if your travel date falls within 6 months prior to expiration. If you are Philippine born but holding a non-Philippines passport, you must check with the Chinese embassy for their visa requirements for citizens of the country shown on your passport. For other nationalities who need to apply for entry visa to Hong Kong, our office will provide the necessary documents – invitation to the conference, status as IT missionary or trainee, etc.  

B. AIRPORT IN HONGKONG

The main airport in Hong Kong is the HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (HKG). The airport is also referred to as CHEK LAP KOK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.  Transportation from airport to the city center will be discussed in the section below.

C.  AIRPORT DEPARTURE & ARRIVAL

a. DEPARTURE/ARRIVAL in NAIA (Manila) …Paper-based departure will no longer be supplied. All departure and arrival forms are now on digital format, meaning all travelers must fill the forms ONLINE. You must accomplish an eTravel online form by downloading the application from etravel.gov.ph and fill it up completely. Once completed , you will receive a QR code (take a screenshot right away). You will be asked to present it upon departure or arrival, before you are allowed to proceed to the immigration counter.

ETravel pass is FREE. Do not pay for it. It is easy to use!  If you are still having difficulty you may just ask the assistance of any of our IT Office staff or IT missionary who have used it already.  Other Philippine international airports (Davao, Cebu. Clark etc.) have already adopted the online requirement for international travels.

b. STEP BY STEP ARRIVAL PROCESS in Hong Kong International Airport 

Upon landing at Hong Kong International Airport, you will disembark, clear immigration, collect your luggage, pass through customs, and exit to the main arrivals hall for transport.

Step 1: Disembark and Follow Signs

• Leave the plane and enter the terminal.

• Follow signs for "Arrivals" and "Immigration".

• Walk or ride the underground train if your gate is far from the main hall

Step 2: Clear Immigration

• Join the line for visitors.

• Have your passport ready. Hong Kong does not require paper arrival cards for regular visitors anymore.

• Receive a landing slip small paper receipt from the officer instead of a passport stamp. Keep this slip safe during your trip

Step 3: Collect Baggage

• Check the screens for your flight number and luggage carousel number.

• Go to that belt and wait for your bags.

• Grab a free luggage cart if you have heavy bags.

Step 4: Clear Customs

• Walk through customs after you get your bags.

• Use the Green Channel if you have nothing to declare.

• Use the Red Channel if you carry restricted items or goods to declare.

Step 5: Get Essentials in the Arrival Hall

• Buy or pick up an Octopus card (smart card for public transit and shops) at the station or convenience store.

• Set up a SIM card or pick up pocket Wi-Fi if you ordered one online.

• Get local cash at an ATM or currency exchange desk if you need coins or paper money.

Step 6: Head to Transportation

• Follow signs to the Ground Transportation Centre.

• Ride the Airport Express train for a fast 24-minute ride to the city.

• Choose a public bus or taxi as a cheaper or direct alternative to your hotel.

D. CHANGE CURRENCY

Exchange your US$ or whatever currency to the local currency or HONGKONG Dollar (HKD) at any Currency Exchange Counter that you’ll see at the airport. The exchange rate as of AUGUST 25, 2026 is USD 1 =  HKD 7.84 = Phil Pesos 61.64 .

Some Currency Exchange Counters accept Phil Pesos and the rates are normally posted on a board or screen. You will have to pay your bus or taxi in HKD so please remember to have your money changed to the local currency before heading towards your preferred mode of travel. 

E. TRANSPORT FROM AIRPORT TO CITY CENTER

You can get from Hong Kong Airport to the city center by airport express train, bus, or taxi.

1. HONGKONG AIRPORT EXPRESS TRAIN

The high-speed express train from Hong Kong Airport (Airport Express) runs from the airport to the city from early morning until midnight. The trip duration is 24 minutes, the Hong Kong Airport express fare is around US$13.40 (P825). Tickets for the Hong Kong Airport express can be purchased at the ticket office. Trains depart at approximately 10 minutes intervals from 05:54 to 00:48 daily.

Q: What is an OCTOPUS Card?

OCTOPUS CARD is a stored-value payment system that is similar to Manila’s MRT BEEP card. You can purchase an ON LOAN OCTOPUS CARD at the airport. Pay the initial value. Each time you use it for some payment (MTR rides or other transportation, even for small purchases at stores), the payment amount will be deducted from that card's balance. You can "add value" to it any time at any MTR Station when the balance runs low.

You get your unused balance and deposit back, minus a nominal processing fee when you return your on-loan Octopus Card at the airport when you leave

PURCHASING TICKETS AT THE AIRPORT

You can purchase the Airport Express Ticket from one of the many counters at the airport. Simply ask around for directions to a counter. Or you can easily spot one by looking out for the MTR logo.

2. AIRPORT BUS TO THE CITY CENTER

There is a large number of buses departing from the airport and taking passengers to different districts of Hong Kong. You should study the location of your destination before the trip to know which district you will need to go to and choose the appropriate bus. The most popular buses are А10, А11, and А12. Nighttime buses start with the letter N.

The airport  bus transportation fare from Hongkong airport to the city center ranges from HKD 35 to HKD 50 (Pesos 275 to 393) for daytime routes and around HKD 15 to HKD 33  (Pesos 118 to 260)  to for slower night routes. The Hong Kong Airport bus fare depends on the bus chosen. The trip duration depends on the route and the traffic on the road and takes about 1 hour travel time (bad traffic can bring the time up to 2 hours). Hong Kong Airport shuttle bus tickets can be bought at the special ticket office at the airport or from the driver before boarding (note: if you’ll pay in cash, you will need to have the exact amount of money needed as drivers don't have change.)

3. AIRPORT TAXI TO THE CITY CENTER

The most convenient method to get to the city center is via Hong Kong airport taxi. The taxi ride will cost around US$40 (Pesos 2,465) and it will take approximately 30 minutes to reach your destination. Always ask for a machine-printed receipt. If the machine is not functioning, the taxi driver is obliged to provide a hand-written receipt. Taxis in Hong Kong mainly accept cash. Some taxis may accept electronic payments, such as credit cards.

Taxis are all over the place in Hong Kong. Just wave down the first to come by, just like how we do it in Manila.

4. UBER CAR

UBER still operates in Hong Kong. The main rival, Grab Car is not available.

Uber is less convenient/harder to use than taxis if you are not familiar with the places in Hong Kong. Uber booking requires the exact location of your pick up (including which side of the road and so), and the exact location of your destination. If you have an existing Uber App on your phone, you won’t need to download. a new Uber app. The existing app will run in Hong Kong automatically. .

An advantage of Uber over taxi is that you pay by credit card; taxi payment is by HKD cash only. Uber is also usually cheaper than taking a taxi. In some cases, Uber fares can be up to 40% cheaper than traditional taxi fares.

F.  POST-CONFERENCE TOUR (HONGKONG, MACAU & MAINLAND CHINA)

We will be discussing at the next Info Pack the Pre and Post Conference activities – optional tours to special sites. Missionaries in Training who signed up for ACCESS 2 will follow an itinerary set by our ACCESS 2 Evaluators Team.. The rest will have their options open to any trips or activities in and out of the city. We will also present suggestions on good places to go to and activities to do while in Hongkong on our next posting.

G. REMINDERS: 

1. STREET CROSSING CAUTION …. Be extra vigilant and be super attentive while crossing the streets of HONGKONG. So many accidents occur mostly to people who took lightly the dangers of crossing the streets in this city. When crossing the street, please always remember that they drive on the other side of the road. Cars in HONGKONG drive on the left side of the road. The cars they use have steering wheels located on the right side, just like the ones used in the United Kingdom & Japan. Cars in the Philippines drive on the left side though. Always look to your RIGHT first when crossing, if you don’t, you might be shocked to see a fast-incoming vehicle coming from a different direction that is about to hit you. Many road accidents are a result of careless street crossing due to non-familiarity with the direction of the incoming cars.

2. PASSPORT CHECK … Please check your passport for any discoloration, tear or any visible defect. Even if it looks like a minor thing, the airline counter might not allow you to  check in anymore because they are instructed to refuse boarding of travelers with defective passports. You still have time to request for a replacement passport from the DFA should you find defects on your passport.

3. SMARTPHONE … everyone must bring their own smartphones. We would like everyone to be accessible in case of emergencies. Most airports, including our own NAIA airport,  don’t issue paper departure and arrival cards anymore. They require that you fill up the forms online and show the QR codes to the airport officials who will request for it.

4. ROAMING SERVICE: Please ask your service provider (Globe, Smart etc...) if they could activate your phone for International Roaming. When you are on roaming, your friends and loved ones can call you or text message wherever you are. Warning the cost of roaming services is high. When activated your mobile phone will be able to receive text messages and calls from the Philippines, for free. However, once you start to answer the call or send a reply text, the cost to you is extremely high. Better purchase a local SIM card that you can use to respond to text messages.

5. INTERNET SERVICE:  You may avail of the Pocket Wifi rental or simply purchase a SIM card. The Pocket Wifi would be good for group (around 10 individuals) use. For SIM card, you could use your phone as a Personal Hotspot where you could share your internet signal to a maximum of 4 individuals. Both would offer you outright connectivity and capability to call or chat using FB messenger, Viber etc… Both services can be purchased at the airport upon arrival. Your local phone provider (Globe, Smart …) will send a message upon your arrival of their various offers that you could access right away. They could activate your phone for international internet service at a price that ranges from around P399 per day.

H. PRAYERS and INTERCESSION:  Please always include the conference and the organizing staffs in your prayers. Pray also for GOD’s provision for all those who will be attending the conference.

We’ll this is it for now! I’m excited and looking forward to another great Cutting Edge Leadership conference. More conference info and updates on our next INFO PACK

See you soon in the beautiful city of HONGKONG … much blessings!

Ptr. Gani Sison