Update on this:
When you ring the '24 hour' hotline, you get directed to an automated message ("Our office is open Mon-Fri 9am - 5.30pm"). Some people might hang up then. If you wait until the message has ended (and a little pause thereafter), then it forwards to an operator.
I'm guessing many people would 'abandon' the hotline whilst hearing the automated message. It's confusing. The hotline does work though..
Operator service seems a little inconsistent though. My friend was immediately given 'another' number to ring. The number was wrong (dead-number). Next try-again ringing the hotline and the number was fixed, but the code necessary to dial landline from mobile wasn't given (remember B.I.... you are dealing with TOURISTS here... they don't know this stuff!). It was also a Saturday...so, of course, the office re-directed to wasn't open... Try again, get given a number (cell phone) for some B.I. supervisor at NAIA...
As it stands, my friend has been looking for an answer (flight was cancelled due to super-typhoon... which forces him to over-stay his Sunday departure/visa end) all morning... AND STILL NO SUCCESS.
I will update what progress we get during the day... personally, I have low expectations.
Try to do the 'right' thing and follow the rules... waste hours of your time due to hopeless communications and non-existent information from B.I...
And..of course, the B.I. website is absolutely useless still. Not only near-impossible to navigate... but also not updated for YEARS. As an example, the address given for the B.I. Sub-Office in Olongapo is more than 5 years out-of-date!!! The sub-office moved physical address two times, since it was at the listed address 6 years ago. THAT is incompetence of the highest level...