Best Posts in Forum: Expat Section

Hmmmm, sounds like Robert's (Bob's) parents made a mistake, should have named him Richard (Dick)!!!

 

I had an accident on a motorbike and was not able to travel, staff in the immigration office was very helpful, think this is the standard procedure, you write a letter why you can't travel, your doctor signs it and it will be sent to Manila, where the standard is they give you 3 months and if you are still unable to travel you do same again and get another 3 months. Go to the immigration office in Dumaguete they will guide you on how to make the letter, good luck with it

 

I just talked to Matiao today, May 26, 2017 and they quoted me 25,000 to move me from Talisay City, Cebu to Bacong. I get the whole truck, 30 foot bed, for that. Some trucks are sides only with a tarp and some are enclosed. Your choice. I have to furnish my own crew to load in Cebu and they furnish the crew in Bacong to unload into the house. In my case, once here, they are transferring to a smaller truck in order to get down the drive to the house. My drive in Bacong is too small for the 30 foot truck to negotiate. Talk to Virgie at Matiao 035-419-9124

 

I think for most it comes to the same reasons while may flip around which is the top reasons depending on who.

For me, I'm a disabled veteran on disability compensation. My compensation every month was enough for decent food and a nice apartment in the states but that is about as far as it would stretch most months due to costs of living. If I wanted to go to the movies or out to eat I had to budget it carefully. Due to by status it was very hard finding a decent gal as while I got a check I wasn't moving upwards financially, didn't have a car, and pretty much seen as undesirable to western women unless I wanted an older woman with a couple of kids who was desperate.

So the top two reasons for me in the Philippines was financial freedom where I can do things within reason whenever I want without always having to look and worry on the bank account and then a woman that didn't have all the big materialistic and financial demands most western women do. Beyond that it was also wanting to see and experience something new and different.

 

Ahhh the trouble with getting older. I no longer drink after midnight, nor smoke, so the only change for me is that I may notice things are quieter here.

But I do agree that an exit plan is a good idea. Makes me wonder about buying a condo though. Just a dream at the moment but owning a condo (or anything you cannot pack in a suitcase) is not conducive to a quick exit.

 

You can live decently on something like P40K a month if you own your property, more like P60K if you're renting. But don't even think about moving here unless you have at least P2M in savings (after you've bought house, car, furniture, etc). If you get sick you'll need it.

 

i stopped and had a drink yesterday at PJ's restaurant on the northern edge of bacong and visited for an hour or so with owner jerry. he advised that he knows of approximately forty of his former patrons who have left the country stating they will never come back. he told of 13 canadians who all left on the same day vowing never to return. (btw, PJ's has great food and is an area oasis for expats) i am not much into socializing with other expats but i am aware of two who have left/are leaving and do not plan to return. one is already in thailand, the other is going to vietnam by way of the US. i will turn 78 in two days. as i look at this list i cannot imagine trying to travel in this country under the present rules! i am thankful that i do not have to face travel issues for another year or so and will hope by then some common sense has returned here. leave it to the philippines to create a system that is so confusing, difficult and at times internally contradictory.

 

Very common here, unfortunately. May I suggest in the future you check your side view mirrors before turning (left or right) because idiots on motorbikes are always trying to pass cars on both left and right sides irregardless of your turn signals and you can hopefully avoid this in the future. Also check before trying to change lanes too.

Yes, I know it's technically their fault but they are not going to stop doing it just because we want them to so a bit of caution is warranted on the drivers part to avoid wasting many, many hours of filing reports and insurance claims that get nothing accomplished except you pay the tab either for repairs or in higher premiums for insurance in the future.

Some other good rules to use when going into a blind curve is to honk your horn to warn any idiot trying to pass someone in the other direction coming around that blank corner. Better to honk than get into a head on collision with a sugarcane truck or a$$hat motorbike.

Also at night it helps to flash your brights in the same blank corners or curves for the same reason.

Lotz of Di#kh#ads here don't' have insurance, license or two piso to rub together to pay for repairs or even headlights and the TMG doesn't enforce the rules anyway.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.