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I don't recall this "continuous trashing" - in fact, many members write very positive reviews of restaurants. However, members here have the right to be forewarned of the bad as much as the good. You highly rated Kri, as have others, but if anyone has any negatives then they have as much right to let us know as you do. Does 'Tripadvisor' print only positives? And if it did, then would any of us know the truth.

This site is extremely good and of huge use to members living in the Dumagute area - it was as good under previous management as it is now. The owners create the space and the members make it what it is, especially in the Forums.

 

I live a more respectful lifestyle here now than I did most of my years in the U.S. Maybe just older now and enjoying this chapter.

 

So I decided to bite the bullet and have a hybrid solar energy system installed. I contacted a few installer via Face Book and had varying results. One was very expensive and another was slightly less. Dexter wanted to come out and review the site and discuss my needs before offering a quote. I have somewhat of a technical background so of course I had a few "skill testing question" and I was more than satisfied with answers (learned a few things).

We discussed the number of solar panels, the inverter and battery capacities. We settled on enough solar panels to charge the batteries on an overcast day. The performance of the system is exactly as expected. On a sunny day fully charged by 12:00 noon, on a cloudy day fully charged by 3:30 pm.
I had a couple of specific requirements 1) two manual transfer switches so the inverter/solar stuff could be completely bypassed if it's has a serious problem and 2) test points (light gauge wires) brought to the electrical panel so I can troubleshoot individual panels without have to climb on the roof.

It was time to sign a contract.
The contract listed every nut, bolt, piece of wire, all the hardware Dexter was offering and it's price. I I wanted to supply some of the parts myself I could and the contract price would be adjusted. Dexter's prices for the inverter, batteries and solar panels were competitive so I decided to source all materials through him. A block diagram was supplied to show how the system would go together. At the end of the installation as built drawing were supplies so I could tell which panels went to which test points (nice).

Let the installation begin.
They had all the proper tools for making the specialized connections. That was nice to see. I've seen other electricians crimping electrical lugs with a hammer and screw driver. None of that nonsense here. Safety, the guys were tied off whenever they were on the roof, I was impressed.
The jobsite was always clean and tidy, again bonus points for housekeeping. The quality of the panel wiring was as good as I've seen anywhere in the industrial world.

The Contract:

This installation contract is entered into this JULY 13,2025 in BULAK DUIN NEGROS OREINTAL by and between, hereinafter referred to as solar installation contract.
MR. Showpony, a foreign national holding a 13a Philippine residence visa hereby referred to as the owner or employer.
DEXTER XXX_XXX. a Filipino of legal age, a Registered Master Electrician with license number 0069708 and proprietor of DX ELECTRICAL SERVICES with DTI registration number 236XXxx with residence of Brgy. Mangnao – canal Dumaguety City Negros oriental referred to as the solar installer.
PROVISIONS:
1. To SUPPLY and install 1pc 8Kw DEYE hybrid inverter, 14pcs 585w CANADIAN solar panels, 2pcs 11kwhr SOLAR HOME lifepo4 battery and set of protective devices and wirings necessary to complete the system.
2. WARRANTY of inverter and battery is up to 5 years and 10 years for solar panels. For inverter and battery incase of damage within the warranted period the unit, if necessary will be send to cebu supplier for repair and may take up to 2 months. For solar panels failure to generate power, if not repairable will be replaced. Third party modification of the original installation will void the warranty. Under the warranty period all expenses from repair parts is/are shoulder by the installer.
3. SERVICE the installer as part of the warranty, shall perform yearly cleaning of panels and tightening of terminals.
4. Any DAMAGE to the roof caused by the installers team will be repaired or replaced without charge to the owner.
5. CONTRACT PRICE. Php. 416,711.00 (tax excluded)
6. PAYMENT TERMS. Cash or Bank transfer ACCOUNT NAME: DEXTER Q. REPONTE (Bdo XXXXXX-XXY) ( PNb XXXXXX XXX )
Down payment -Php. 20,000.00
Second/third payment (delivery of panels and frames) -Php 100,000.00
Third/second payment (delivery of inverter and battery) -Php. 200,000.00
Fourth payment (after completion) -Php. 96,711.00 Total amount -Php. 416,711.00
7. DURATION. Each phase of the work shall commence immediately after confirmation of payments.
8. CANCELLATION. The client shall issue a stop of work letter to the installer detailing the grounds. Any materials paid and purchased by the installer shall be non-refundable and the client shall pay the installer the equivalent amount provided that the said material(s) is/are delivered or to be delivered to the client property in good condition. The downpayment is non refundable.

Post Installation support:
Dexter helped my get the Deye Cloud software (I bought a Deye inverter) running on my cellphone and desktop. He told me call him anytime if I need a hand with the software or any questions about inverter/battery setting.

A few pictures of the installation will follow.

All in All a good experience!!

 

I witnessed a foreigner verbally attacking a sales associate at Lee Hypermart several years ago. I felt horribly for the girl and I did feel obligated to apologize to her for his behavior. I told her I was so sorry how he spoke to her and that we aren't all like that. She smiled and said, "Thank you, ma'am". If people are that unhappy living in a country not their own, then they should go back. The visitors should never expect the host country to change their ways to accommodate them, they should be appreciative of their hospitality.

 

Agreed 100% sir. I wear my mask in rooms full of maskless people, on airplanes, when confronting cleaning staff coming to service a hotel room, and even in my car with strangers. I wash my hands a lot, something which I've always done, santize a few times a day, but otherwise continue life as normal, as it is allowed.

My "normal includes" avoiding smokers and their accompanying clouds like the plague, walking away from fights I'm not personally involved in, staying away from armed people, and being constantly aware of my surroundings, especially when driving.

 

The coronavirus is not the same type of virus as causes influenza and so their is very little herd immunity - meaning that few people within the population will have enough immunity to break the chain of spread (as in cutting down trees in a forest to reduce or stop the spreading of the fire), as does happen with influenza, especially in a vaccinated population. So, in the initial stages, no one knows how fast it will spread. China, being an authoritarian State is, of course, able to take quick action to reduce the spread. Also, no-one knows initially, with a new disease, how easily it spreads from person-to-person (how contagious it is) or how it affects individuals (especially the serious illness and death rates).

Then there is the possibility of mutation - changes in the outer coat of the virus which make it more dangerous and possibly more able to overcome any existing immunity within the population. This could take place due to the coronavirus recombining its RNA (like DNA but a little different) with another virus within a host - that could be a human it infected or another species. The new virus could be far more lethal. It may even behave like the influenza virus, which changes it outer coat by antigenic drift and so makes existing antibodies (a major basis of immunity) less effective.

So, I think in view of the fact that we do not know the potential course of this virus, extreme caution is required. And even though we know the influenza virus extremely well, any change to the type could make it a major world killer. So whatever it is now - affecting mostly the young and elderly, not spreading like wildfire, killing a low percentage of infected persons - it may not stay that way

Think of it like meeting a new type of wild animal - would you rush up to it or treat it with caution until you know it better.

Those who take this viral outbreak seriously will be treated as weak fools if it turns out to be not that serious - but those who ignore it and end up allowing vast numbers of people to die (also wrecking the world economy) will be despised.

 

I disagree Stefan, if you share the view that 99 in 100 Pinay-foreigner relationships have:
1. a golddigger Pinay girl and
2. a foreigner who's either in need of a helper/nurse or a bedmate or both?
then you are sadly misinformed; maybe had too many "discussions" with drunks at local bars?

The bedmate thing being very common in relationships everywhere I think we can safely scrap that one as totally irrelevant,
but even the gold-digging helper/nurse strikes me as an insult to my wife and many others I happen to know; actually among my friends I know of not a single situation where the characterisation might apply.

As far as I am concerned you can either retract your view or stick it where the sun don't shine.
I am sure there are some exceptions, but my view is that a large majority of long term pinay/foreigner relationships are not at all like that.