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Certainly you have some points and I am not hesitating to give them to you.
Many things need to improve in Duma. Traffic and trash solutions need to be found. I guess nobody can have seriously a different opinion about that.

Me personally don’t know a better place in Philippines than southern Negros. I know better countries, but my wife is from here, so no option to move ahead.

By the way, I am not exactly convinced that Rome and Florence are more clean compared to Duma. Pollution in Rome is exorbitant and Florence has, like almost all cities in Italy, an enormous trash problem.
Would be nice if you could post your observations after arrival.

 

Yes, but having a tempered point of view and being vigilant is very rare. Being vigilant is the key here. You are projecting your point of view upon others in that you think they can act in a balanced way as you do.

Earlier today a person posted this about some people: "They are simple people with simple minds incapable of critical thinking. They regurgitate the crap they read online verbatim."

My point is that many people will go out and NOT be vigilant unless constantly being reminded.

This is a communicable disease and the behavior of a few affects us all.

 

i don't understand why valencia and bacong would close the fresh markets, cept that the people in charge don't value fresh foods and or, have a personal interest in a sari-sari, mini-mart, etc.

valencia has a huge sports field where venders could spread out, bacong has the concrete fish area and the adjacent hiway sidewalk where the lanzone venders set up; it wouldn't be that hard to maintain physical distancing. what's to happen with the fresh produce farmer's have taken months to grow? store brought shrink wrapped/foam trays produce leaves something to desire...

 

There is an agent in the same hallway as BI about halfway down the hall to the BI on the left. They will handle your visa extension at the BI for you. They charge 1000 but it is very convenient. They also do exit clearances. 4000 for that and you only have to see them, no Cebu trip.

 

On my first trip to the Philippines I rented a vehicle. Prices were comparable to US rental car prices. My three week stay was between $700-$800 if I remember correctly. The truck I had broke down and they replaced it with a piece of crap car. They said they would have the truck fixed in two days and I would get it back. A week and a half later they finally had it fixed and I got it back.

For my second trip back we purchased a used Mitsubishi Strata. It is manual shift 4x2 but works just fine even in the mountains. It is fairly comfortable and stylish enough for me, fits 5 inside and as many as you can pile in the back.

For a while while we are in the US, our neighbor in PH is also my wife's cousin who is a mechanic. We would pay him a few hundred peso to drive it for us once or twice a month. Worked great for a while, then he got busy. Truck sat for a while and soon needed a new battery. Not a big deal. I just didn't want the truck sitting to long and have stuff starting to freeze up. Eventually he became unbusy and they would take small trips. Bacong to Dauin, Bacong to Forest Camp-Valentia, etc. Nice little outing for everyone, they get to see places they have lived around forever but never had the means to actually see.

Now my wife's sister is getting married to a guy who is a driver for the owner of a local engineering firm in Dumaguete. They now use the truck off an on to go to his hometown of Tanjay. Saves me paying the cousin, but puts a few more KM on the truck.

Bought the truck used, had to buy a new set of tires, a new battery, a cover for the truck, and the air conditioner always had trouble keeping up. My soon to be brother in law had the air fixed so now everything is good. We cover the truck even though we have a fairly large carport-essentially a garage with no door- more to keep the chickens off it than anything. We paid 650k peso for the truck, I think it is a 2013 and had 35k km on it when we bought it in 2017.

Bottom line, it is much better to own than rent if you have the people you can trust to help take care of it and won't abuse it. I have heard horror stories of families taking advantage of things and ruining them because it isn't theirs, but my experience has been the exact opposite. They are very grateful and they take care of things we have there. Even when we are there, the one sister will wash the truck every time we go somewhere to help keep it clean. In fact we now own the Mitsubishi, a Multicab, and a Chariot there that they take care of. They use the Chariot and Multicab as needed, to get water or collect firewood for example. They ask every time when they want to use the truck though, although I don't recall a time we ever told them they couldn't use it. I think I am lucky and couldn't really ask for a better family to be in-laws with.

 

I agree with you that drivers do not use the horn in Dumaguete or heavy traffic anywhere. Once you are on the highway where traffic flows faster then having a horn is a necessity.
When someone overtakes me on the highway and our speed difference is big I get really annoyed if they don't give a toot, toot. No warning is just plain dangerous IMO.

 

The first map shows Adamo and Alima. The best way to locate them is to go to Silliman Hospital (most know that location), look for the 7 Eleven opposite and to the left (with your back to the hospital) and use the map below.

Salaya is signposted (left turn) from the South Highway BEFORE Dauin coming from Dumaguete. It is signed from that road. See the second map below.