Philippine Ambassador to Palau Ramoncito Marino, right, have a photo session with Roberto Hernandez, the Board 1 player of Palau Chess team to 2010 World Chess Olympiad in Russia. Hernandez received one of the Outstanding Overseas Filipino Worker in the entertainment category. With them is the better half of the Ambassador Issa. Mr. Marino also sponsored 2 chess tournaments in Palau, the inaugural Ambassador Marino Cup Rapid Chess tournament in 2006 and the 2nd Palau Invitational Chess Championship in 2007. (Photo by: Jaime Guevarra)
GETTING A RUSSIAN VISA
THE FIVE members of Palau Chess Team to the 2010 World Chess Olympiad in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia are now in the process of obtaining their visas in the Russian Embassy in the Republic of the Philippines.
In the invitation from the Russian Federation, Palau is listed to get their visas in the USA. But all 5 players are holders of Philippine passports.
It was decided that they all get their visas in Manila Embassy after Papua New Guinea top chess player Joselito Marcos was instructed to get his visa in Philippines instead of Australia.
In his email to Roberto Hernandez on August 19, 2010, Lito stated:
Got them, Robert. Looking at the screen capture you will find the Chessmate issues that you have sent me. I renamed the file for easy reference and for them to be chronologically sorted.
I am yet to get my Russian visa and I have no choice but to get it from Philippines. I have changed my flight date to Manila from Sept. 15 to Sept. 12. There are additional requirements such as police clearance and NBI clearance.
Russian visa applications are accepted every Monday, Wed., and Friday from 9:00-11:00 am. Releasing is on the same day from 11:00-12:00 noon.
Hopefully, once I complied with the additional requirements, together with the visa support (official invitation), I would finally get my Russian visa.
How is your team preparing? Taking this advice from Gary Bekker -- while in the Olympiad, have fun! I was very serious in my first two games and lost both of them in Bled, Slovenia Olympiad!
After I took a two-day rest, I became relaxed and never tasted defeat since then, resulting into my registering the most number of wins for the PNG team.
So don't be so serious... This is about all for now. Regards, Lito.
P. S. I am already looking forward beyond the Khanty-Mansiysk Olympiad to the 2011 Oceania Zonal Chess Championship in Rotorua, New Zealand. keep it this intention to yourself for the meantime.
Philippine Ambassador to Palau Ramoncito Marino also helped in expediting the issuance of visa to the 5 players by writing a letter that read as follows:
Embassy of the Philippines 25 August 2010
The Consular Department, Embassy of the Russian Federation
1245 Acacia Road, Dasmarinas Village, Makati, Metro Manila Philippines
Email: rusemb@i-manila.com.ph
Sirs/Mesdames: I am writing on behalf of members of the chess team of the Republic of Palau, composed of five Filipinos and one Australian, who will be participating in the 39th World Chess Olympiad to be held in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia from 20 September to 04 October 2010.
They already sent to your office their visa application online and are hoping to receive their visas soonest considering the difficulty in obtaining flight connections from Palau all the way to Khanty-Mansiysk.
Attached for ease of reference, is the pertinent invitation letter with the list of the aforesaid players indicating their names, dates of birth, sex, citizenship and passport numbers.
Your kind consideration in expediting the issuance of their visas will be highly appreciated. Best regards. Very truly yours, Ramoncito Marino (Ambassador)
Source: Chessmate by Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper Volume 19 Issue 35 August 30- Sept. 05, 2010
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