Hi Kristine,
I am a Filipino and PR in Singapore. I've tried applying in Philippines last 4Nov but China Embassy there also rejected it because my flight ticket will be from SG-Shanghai-SG. They told my sister it should be from Phil-Shanghai-Phil. And you should be personally there to apply. It such a nightmare experience. I've wasted so much money and effort just to get the visa.
I suggest you can get the invitation from China govt and apply for business visa instead of tourist visa.
I think it will work.
Goodluck!

Hi Ms Caren,
Apply business visa from Philippines or from Singapore? So for business visa would it be all right if i fly from SG-China-SG? coz I heard that it should be Manila-China-Manila.

Thanks

Hi Kristine,
You can apply at China Embassy Singapore for Business Visa. When are you going to China?

Really? because i heard that people got their visas turned down here in singapore. is the business visa an exception? plan to go to end of november but i might need to travel to jan or feb as well for business. do they grant multiple visa? can i go directly to the embassy and apply coz travel agencies have shun my application and ask me to apply in my hometown. does this goes to show that there is no ban as such if applying for business visa against tourist visa? or as long as you are a filipino passport holder, they will automatically reject the application?

Hi Kristine,
I have the same experience as yours. Initially I've went to Five Star Tours for the Tourist Visa Application. After 2 days they called me to inform me that the visa was rejected. I searched online and found out that those holding Philippine passport are the only exception. I immediately sent my documents to Philippines hoping that China Embassy there will issue Tourist Visa. To my surprise, it was rejected for the 2nd time as they are considering the flight ticket (should be Ph-Shanghai-Ph) and you must be personally there to apply. So I instructed my sister to return back the documents immediately to Singapore. The next day I received it and went straight to China Embassy Singapore. As expected, upon seeing my passport, the staff said they cannot issue Tourist Visa to me, but one way is to request for Business Visa. She showed me a sample Invitation letter from China Government and that is the only way we can have the visa. I cannot do anything but cry, I was supposed to fly to Shanghai the next day and the situation is really killing me. It's like you've done your best but still I failed. Terrible. I have to cancel my flight and since it's a SQ promotion, I was not able to refund all, they just refund the tax less admin fee.
For my advice, better go to China Embassy personally and ask them what can we do to have the visa since it seems like they really ban us. It is just so sad that applying visa for us Filipinos is so complicated.
Goodluck..:)

Ms.Kristine, it all depends on the China Embassy finally, no traveller here can give you the exact answer.