Grechen Ho laments family member’s experience at airport in Norway

• Gretchen Ho shared that her family member was denied a money exchange at Oslo’s Gardermoen Airport after the staff cited corruption in the Philippines

• The family member was told to exchange money elsewhere after trying to convert 300 US dollars

• Ho reported the incident to the Philippine Ambassador to Norway who promised to raise the issue with the Norwegian foreign ministry

• She questioned whether the refusal was due to misinformation or an unupdated policy noting that the Philippines was removed from the FATF grey list in February 2025

TV host and athlete Gretchen Ho took to Facebook to share her frustration after a family member was allegedly denied a money exchange transaction at the Gardermoen Airport in Oslo, Norway, with the airport staff reportedly citing corruption in the Philippines as the reason.

According to Ho, the lady at the foreign exchange counter refused to accept the U.S. dollars her family member was trying to exchange, saying, “You came from the Philippines? We cannot exchange your dollars because of the corruption and money laundering in the Philippines.” The relative, who was only trying to exchange $300, was advised to go elsewhere. “Terrible. What are we going to do about this, Pilipinas?” Ho wrote.

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In a follow-up post, Ho said she had already spoken with the Philippine Ambassador to Norway, who reached out after she submitted an official incident report. The ambassador, she said, was surprised by the account and assured her that such incidents should not be happening, promising to raise the matter with the Norwegian foreign ministry.

Ho added that the Philippines was removed from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list last February 2025, questioning whether the incident was due to a new policy, a lack of updated information, or simply an overzealous clerk unaware of the country’s current status. “We want to get some clarity on this,” she wrote, noting that other Filipinos have shared similar experiences at the same airport.

“So are we back on the ‘high-risk’ list for money laundering? Or is this an overeager clerk who was simply not updated on the grey list?” Ho asked in her post, which has since sparked online discussions about discrimination and misinformation against Filipinos abroad.

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Gretchen Ho, on the other hand, is a television host and former volleyball player in the Philippines. She played volleyball for the Ateneo Lady Eagles from 2008 to 2013. Her popularity rose when she became a co-host on Umagang Kay Ganda, TV Patrol, and The Score. Gretchen used to be in a relationship with television personality Robi Domingo, who is now happily married to Maiqui Pineda.

As previously reported by KAMI, TV host and former athlete Gretchen Ho shared her joy on social media as she posted photos of her family happily exploring their newly blessed farm. The pictures showed Gretchen and her loved ones spending time together on the vast property, which was also blessed by a priest who celebrated mass for the family. In her post, Gretchen quoted a Bible verse: “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” (Proverbs 19:21). She revealed that having a farm had been her dream since childhood, one she never thought would come true so early.

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In another report, Gretchen Ho took the time to visit the ABS-CBN Broadcasting Center in Quezon City. She personally bid goodbye to the building and its iconic tower which are set to be dismantled. The Kapatid broadcaster shared photos from her visit, where she bumped into several Kapamilya broadcast journalists and employees. She also wrote a meaningful message regarding her career, which began in ABS-CBN.

Source: KAMI.com.gh