Originally Posted by
DL4EVAH
MNL has a notoriously bad immigration/customs line problem. If you're arriving in the evening (after 7pm), many international flights come in within minutes of each other. Apart from the potentially long wait, there's utter chaos. You're never sure if you're on the correct line. (There are a number of classifications, including tourist, overseas workers, residents, etc..) There are multiple lines for every classification, and you always end up on the slowest line.
Good luck.
Unless you arrive with a bunch of other flights MNL Terminal 1 is not that bad. Finding the right line is not difficult -- the big blue signs saying "Vistor" should clue you in. Baggage usually comes out very quickly and I have never in 30+ trips been stopped for more that 30 seconds at customs - I usually walk right by. The taxi queuing system is also a breeze compared to (say) BKK. Note: I do find arriving at Terminal 2 (PAL) more choatic in the baggage area than Terminal 1.
In my last 3 arrivals at MNL (on CX) I have literally gone from door L1 on the aircraft to inside the taxi in < 12 minutes -- I just checked my cell phone SMS log to confirm.