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  1. KINGCOLE

    KINGCOLE DI Senior Member Highly Rated Poster

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    Don't get involved with local politics, local politicians / businessmen or their way of life. They are not interested in our point of view, you will only make enemies of the locals and you will not change a thing.
     
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    KINGCOLE, Sep 1, 2015
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  2. Notmyrealname

    Notmyrealname DI Forum Luminary Highly Rated Poster Showcase Reviewer

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    I am sure no one will take offence (btw, the last time I wrote a positive response of this type a member gave me an 'abhorrent' rating!).

    Certainly Filipino nurses and carers are highly rated for compassion and work ethic. It is their culture to respect the elderly and so do not have the negative attitudes staff have from some other countries. They work abroad to care for themselves and their families at home and so do not look to avoid doing the job they are employed for - again unlike some other nationals.

    I recently had a blood test in the Philippines and the Filipina nurse was incredibly good, both in manner and in competence. Once I had blood taken by a nurse in my own country and I was in great pain and almost asked her to stop after she had made about 8 STABS (no more appropriate word!) at a very prominent vein. I was left bruised and shaken. This Filipina nurse was totally the opposite and had I had my eyes closed I would not even have been aware of the procedure.

    But in many countries they do have to undergo further training before starting the job.
     
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    Notmyrealname, Jan 9, 2020
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  3. Rye83

    Rye83 with pastrami Admin Secured Account Highly Rated Poster SC Connoisseur Veteran Army

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    I'm not certain it is as common as you perceive it to be.

    Maybe we could look at it from a different angle: We shouldn't forget that these men are adults with agency. They have made a decision, one that is in line with cultural expectations in their host country and is not uncommon among locals, to support their spouse and extended family. I'm almost certain that the reasons behind such a decision vary greatly between individuals.

    Some likely do so because they have had past trauma in their life and have grown into a less than perfect adult (as we all are) with huge insecurities about desertion and trust and do it out of fear of losing their spouse.

    Some likely do it because they truly love their spouse and want them and their family to prosper and be comfortable.

    There could also be some with malicious intent that are actually the predators in this situation (not the spouse's family).

    There are many who mutually benefit from such an arrangement. Say a foreigner is ill and needs to be taken care of. The family takes care of the foreigner while the foreigner takes care of the family. Quid pro quo.

    There are a thousand other reasons why a man may choose to support their spouse's extended family. Is it admirable? Well IMO, that really depends on the intent and that is something that can only be known by looking at each case individually. Regardless, if nobody is being harmed I see no issue with it and I wouldn't look down on anyone just for having such an arrangement.

    Additionally, from what I have personally seen there are very few foreigners that are being taken advantage of by the locals. Most of the time both parties are gaining from the relationship in some way (which is completely normal for relationships) or, which I see quite often, it is the opposite way around: Mentally unstable men controlling local women to an abusive level.

    These type of men eventually get burned at their own game, but many times this is just a local doing what needs to be done to escape a relationship that they are, very frequently, financially held hostage to. I've heard countless sob stories from both the foreigner and Filipino viewpoint. Both parties almost always share some blame in the breakup but I tend to side with the Filipina who comes from a life of poverty, poor education and lack of opportunity. The foreigner knows better, knows how to reach out and knows how to get help for their mental issues. Their mental illness is in no way a defense for their cruelty.
     
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    Rye83, Apr 22, 2019
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  4. Brian Oinks

    Brian Oinks That's Mr. Pig to you Boy! :) Highly Rated Poster

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    Been busy mate, have a fair bit going on with some Facebook Pages as well as a few things around here. All good, nothing bad thankfully! :smile:
     
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    Brian Oinks, Aug 30, 2018
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  5. Jack Peterson

    Jack Peterson DI Forum Luminary Highly Rated Poster SC Connoisseur Veteran Air Force

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    @ShawnM
    Ok , so he's back amongst the Family :thumbsup: Shadow aftwr his Trip.jpg
    and with his nephew who was relieved Shadow and Nephew.jpg

    Thank you all for reading my posts.
    BTW shawn this is Pudding now. Bigger than DAD
     
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    Jack Peterson, May 4, 2017
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  6. Notmyrealname

    Notmyrealname DI Forum Luminary Highly Rated Poster Showcase Reviewer

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    And polio is a disease I have been vaccinated against and, although I was too young at the time to even think about it, I would again accept that vaccine. It is NOW very well established. But read this "In 1954, clinical trials using the Salk vaccine and a placebo began on nearly two million American schoolchildren. In April 1955, it was announced that the vaccine was effective and safe, and a nationwide inoculation campaign began. Shortly thereafter, tragedy struck in the Western and mid-Western United States, when more than 200,000 people were injected with a defective vaccine manufactured at Cutter Laboratories of Berkeley, California. Thousands of polio cases were reported, 200 children were left paralyzed and 10 died." (Source: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/salk-announces-polio-vaccine)

    If I had children I would certainly accept them being vaccinated with almost every vaccine currently recommended (after researching them again carefully) but the risks with a new (and hurried) vaccine against Covid-19 are too great for me to accept currently.
     
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    Notmyrealname, May 20, 2020
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  7. Glendazumba

    Glendazumba DI Forum Adept

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    Several of the best nurses in the US are Filipinos. Anywhere in the world Filipino nurses are in demand because caring for the sick I think comes naturally to Filipinos. There had been a number of Hollywood celebrities who specifically requested for Filipino nurses to attend to them. That is why there is joke going around here telling our local nurses to stop going abroad because your patients are already coming to the Philippines---lol--it's a joke ....no offense meant.---lol
     
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    Glendazumba, Jan 9, 2020
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  8. furriner

    furriner DI Forum Adept Restricted Account

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    For SRRV, having been here for greater than 6 months they wanted NBI report. We went to NBI in Manila; SRRV consultant helped us and we made it through there in a flash. They had no problem giving us electronic fingerprints. You pre-register with Manila NBI online. They also request background check from home country. I just asked my daughter at home to go to local sheriff department and get copies for us; anybody can do it as police records are not confidential information. Just costs $25 apiece. She dhl’d them to us. My report showed a speeding ticket more than 15 mph over the limit pled down to 5 mph over; SRRV consultant did not like that and did not submit it. I still got SRRV visa; I had to submit affidavit (per approved BI procedure) that I would submit home police report within 6 month so she submitted it after I received SRRV. No problems! She was concerned that BI would delay approval until they could confirm that speeding ticket was NOT crime of moral turpitude...a regular BI clerk cannot make that judgement apparently, so it takes additional time for approval. But BI allows for an affidavit promising to submit within 6 months of approval so SRRV can be issued quickly. I didn’t want delays because we intended to travel to US in 6 weeks. Thiscis one of the great value adds of the free PRA consultant who get paid a commission by PRA for this work. We never would have been aware of the affidavit loophole; PRA consultant even gave us the affidavit form promising to submit home police report and you have your attorney notarize it. As of this date my speeding tickets has been removed from sheriffs report due due it being > 10 years old. Three things to take away are that 1) even small marks in police report can cause delays if not handled properly 2) FBI report is not required, local sheriff or police dept report will suffice 3) Full NBI report from Manila where the have fingerprint facility are required, in addition to home country police report, are required if you are have been in Philippines more than 6 months. If less than 6 months I THINK fingerprints are still required and probably can be obtained at NBI in some large city here. I cannot overestimate the value of the free PRA marketing consultant when you obtain SRRV; they make it very easy when you fly to Manila and visit all the agencies such as NBI, DFA (for red ribboning), BDO or whatever for bank deposit, Doctor for physical exam, USA embassy for marriage license and birth certificate affidavits, and PRA office at Citibank for application submittal and payment of application fee. We did not ever have to enter BI office during the process as the much friendlier PRA does that on your behalf. You go to 2 agencies max per day due to traffic in Manila; plan to spend 5 days there. Stay at a nice hotel in makati; not expensive at all! Make a vacation of it; “grab” cars will take you everywhere very cheaply and efficiently. After we travelled to the US, we returned to Cebu and were allowed to bypass long immigration lines at the airport and go through the diplomatic line for fast efficient processing. My apologies if I went too far off topic.


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    furriner, Aug 30, 2019
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  9. furriner

    furriner DI Forum Adept Restricted Account

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    Agree, there is nothing a foreigner can do. You can marry a Filipina or ex-Filipina and use your marital resources to put the land TCT in her name. Then you can live there and do so legally as long as your wife “permits” you to live there. Well, after 33 years of marriage I have no problem with that. We will never get divorced or separated at this stage of our lives but I do realize that IF for some reason, that did occur, I would be basically screwed. Also, not that there is a big age difference between us (5 years), I still expect to meet my maker well before she does but in the event the reverse were to be true, then there would exist this piece of property that I am living on that I did not own. What to do? It might be possible to simply do nothing, as I note many TCTs here and mother titles are in the name of deceased people. But in my case there are these greedy relatives who might play some inheritance shenanigans and get me kicked off. A saving factor is that they probably could never afford the legal fees or the resultant capital gains tax. But then again, there are a few lawyers in the family who might go pro-bono. We had our will made out but I don’t really have a clear explanation of this situation except that I would be “beneficial owner”, not a titled owner, but I could choose who would get the title. I am not so sure I believe that, plus we have kids in a foreign land who they say “could” inherit the land but I cannot really believe that because they are not Philippine citizens though they have a Filipina mother. Anyway, I would never let the Greedy just take the house and land as-is. They have things like bulldozers to correct such injustices but an even better option might be to donate it to the Catholic Church under the condition that I can complete my final days here. Some of the relatives are so fake-religious! This would be the ultimate justice, letting all that property go, and become the property of the Church.


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    furriner, Nov 4, 2018
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  10. PatO

    PatO DI Forum Luminary Highly Rated Poster Showcase Reviewer Veteran Marines

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    3 1/2 yrs ago today I had that stroke. It was a surreal feeling when it happened. Fortunately. SMC had the equipment, medication, and knowledge to pull me through.
    Today, my improvement (trying to get back to normal) seems to be leveling off. Maybe overall I am 2/3 back. This week I shaved myself for the first time since the stroke (using my left hand - I am right handed but that hand has about 75% paralysis still), 2 weeks ago I walked to the CR by myself for the first time. Normally, I need someone on my right side when walking. Small victories but you take what you can get. My voice is about 80% normal so I am lucky about that. I walk the boulevard walkway and go to the gym 5 times a week. My B-I-L is my driver and helps navigate me around the gym. The problem I have is sitting down and getting up by myself.
    My stroke was caused by a hereditary high cholesterol problem and I foolishly stopped taking Lipitor (expensive here) and my blood pressure went high during a stressful period. Plus no doctor checkup got 8 years (thinking I exercise, don't smoke, not overweight so must be healthy - WRONG),
    So maybe others here can learn from my mistake and get a blood test.
     
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    Last edited: Mar 31, 2017
    PatO, Mar 31, 2017
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