Hello once again Ivor, you are so happy I can tell, its all full steam ahead for you now, and why should you not be happy, you deserve it !!

So lets answer your questions,

The CFO thing should be straightforward, I guess? - just waste time and money in Cebu... Is there any advantage or benefit to my being there with her at that time? My initial thoughts are that since I will be going over to pick her up, I might as well be around at that time. Or would it just be a waste of a couple of days?
You might want to accompany Mel to the CFO, If you are in Cebu at the time, why not, of course, you will not be allowed into the guidance and counselling, but you can wait around outside, I just spoke to Gina and she told me, that you can sit downstairs in the hallway and wait for Mel, however Gina recommends, that it takes 3 hours to go through the counselling, she suggests you leave Mel at the St Mary's Euphrasia Foundation and go back to your hotel, watch HBO for a while, and then go back later and collect Mel, but Gina told me to tell you, there is nothing there for you to do.

Let her text you when its completed, just get a local sim card for your phone, and leave it on until she has finished.

As someone who always buys online... and buys returns... I still don't have a clue about where to buy plane tickets for the trip back to Manchester. I was hoping to be able to buy 2 singles when I go back there, and I'm assuming I can do that somewhere in Cebu? Does anyone have any recommendations?
Yes Ivor, you could buy a single to Cebu, that would be your best opportunity, then go to a travel agent in Cebu, actually Cathay Pacific is in Cebu as you know, you could go to them and buy 2 singles, or Silk Air through Singapore Airlines from Cebu, also Emirates I think does that run now as well, just go to a local travel agent in the malls, I think there is one, underneath the Cebu Midtown Hotel, if you need somewhere to stay in Cebu, the Midtown is excellent if you have not already stayed there.

Then suggest you buy 2 singles back to UK, this would be better, as you do not know at this stage when you will be returning, it makes sense to do this.



Something else that has flitted across my mind in the past few weeks - emigrants to USA and Oz are required to have a medical, but I've not come across mention of any such requirement for the UK... Can anyone enlighten me on this please?
Mel is not required to have a medical before embarking for the UK, all she requires is the certificaate of guidance and counselling, and an emigrant stamp in her passport from DFA, the details of which you know are on the web page I directed you to.

As for medicals, Mel maybe be asked to have a quick medical at Manchester Airport on arrival, this I find to be undignified and offensive, however, when you and Mel arrive back in Manchester, go through the section with her, for foreigners, they may ask her to submit to a medical, they may not, depends on how busy they are, its a bummer but cant be avoided, this will only happen once.

And when Mel finally arrives here and starts living with me, I assume this will affect my Council Tax? Do I need to inform the council before she arrives?
Yes you are correct, as you receive a 25 per cent reduction as the only adult occupier, your council tax would revert back, however, I wouldnt bother informing them until renewal, if you even want to bother, of course thats up to you, the only problem is, if anyone knows you receive a 25 per cent reduction as 1 adult occupier, and they inform the council, all of a sudden you get a bill for the difference, and they dont like it, that you didnt inform them.

also, I know she is not entitled to benefits, but what happens if she should need doctor or hospital or dentist? Presumably she CAN see somebody? My local GP or hospital would be able to see her?
You are correct Ivor, Mel is not entitled to receive public funds, however she is entitled to register with your local Doctor, as for Dentistry, I have a bit of advice for you, when you are in Cebu, take Mel to the Dentists there, and have her completely checked before you come back, any work that needs doing should be done there, because, she may not be entitled to NHS Dental treatment, if you go to an NHS Dentist locally, we cant seem to find one where I live, so we have to go private, at £60.00 a visit, its better to have Mel checked out first, I know it sounds funny, but youre much better off getting a dental health check there for her, rather than waiting to come back to UK to find out, she needs £200.00 of dental work.

I hope that helps Ivor, the Dental thing is a must ok, I did this with Gina, and she hasnt visited them once since she arrived, you will also find, that Filipinas who come to Uk, are reluctant to visit UK Doctors at first, so if she does have anything she is concerned about, do it in the Philippines first, Best of Luck

Pete