Best Posts in Forum: Expat Section

When Filipinos borrow money from relatives or family, the unspoken rule there is “pay when able” because there is nothing the locals hate more than collecting from family.

This is what I do so I don’t lose friends. When they come to me to ask for “a loan”, I tell them I would rather DONATE a small amount to their cause. DONATE so they don’t have to pay me anything back. It’s not going to be anywhere the amount they want, but they’re going to have to take it or leave it. Im not going to get stiffed with the bulk of their debt just because they think I’m an easy target. So just over to donate a small amount instead of giving them a loan. Makes for a smoother relationship.

 

Your best bet is DTI. I had bought a part for my car from a part store owned by a Chinese! It was an expensive part (17500 pesos). It was defective. I took it back to return. The part store said I had to have the original plastic wrap with it in the box to return. I complained to consumer affairs at DTI. they arranged a mediation and decision in 3 days. They ruled that I paid for the part, not the plastic or the box. They returned my money in full.

 

It's nice I find cooler heads here in the comment section of DI from expats. The comments here are funnier and level-headed. Back in FB and Hukad some expats are crying foul and me being racist for fux sake. (admittedly there are filipino dimwits whose comments are also out of line). It's funny that I was just enjoying my morning coffee and saw this, if it were two filipinos fighting I'd film it too cuz I rarely go to boxing matches and this one is free :D. I always have my morning coffee at Valencia, looks like i'll just have to keep it that way...if only the coffee was better.

 

Was in the theater in Tagbilaran, Bohol last week watching a movie. Young pinoy with a super-bright smartphone seated several rows and seats away---took a call, was yammering away and the usher came up and took him outside---then brought his packages to him and told him to leave. Good on the theater for making a movie there a pleasant experience for all.

 

I'm in Manila as of yesterday. The process to get here is simple when they first tell you it is only two steps, then it becomes almost intolerably more complex in execution.

Step 1) Get a medical certificate.
Step 2) Obtain "Authority to Travel"

That's it! So simple, right? Now, the real process is below. Words of Philippine origin may be misspelled because I didn't go to school here. My apologies in advance.

1a) Obtain Barangay clearance. This certifies that you correctly participated in a 14 day quarantine, self or otherwise. They'll consult their records, ask some basic medical questions, maybe take your temperature and blood pressure, then give you their clearance. The place I was sent to in Bayawan seemed like a government clinic.
1b) Take said "Barangay Clearance" to the "City Health Office" in your municipality. They will do everything stated in step 1a, but each task will be split between multiple desks, which may or may not have a person manning it at any given time. "Sir, kindly wait." Shortly before your patience runs out, they will ask you if you've paid.
1c) Proceed to some obscure place, that they'll give you some landmarks to find, and pay 50 pesos for the medical certificate fee. I have no idea what this place was called, but we found it and paid. My wife seems to recall it may be the "City Health Treasury Office."
1d) Return to the "City Health Office" and try to find someone and tell them you've got your receipt. After providing the receipt, you will be asked to kindly wait. For us, there was a step 1e at this point, basically explaining the circumstances of our quarantine, despite having received a "Barangay Clearance", to another person, prior to him telling someone to go type it. We were then presented with a "Medical Certificate" that states they weren't aware of us having the disease and that we didn't appear at the time to have symptoms.

2a) Obtain Mayor's signature for "Availability of Travel." I don't know why the mayor of Bayawan knows, but he does. This step took 3 days the first time, 2 hours the second time. Be generous with explaining why you need it quickly and they seem to step up to the plate to get it done.
2b) Ask to hand carry the papers to the PNP for the next step. If you have a copier in your vehicle, you may be able to avoid needing to run off somewhere to get a copy for their records. Not hand carrying the papers resulted in the initial 3 days period. It was Friday, people had other things to do, and they got it to the PNP on Monday.
2c) Obtain the signature of the "Chief of Police" for the municipality. This shouldn't be a step, because getting the signature means you are done, but you'll most likely have to leave a phone number which won't be called, and then have to go back later, twice in my case, to catch him/her when present.
2d) Pick up your signed "Authority to Travel" "COVID SHIELD" document, with a control number on it.
2e) You now have the document that needs to be presented to medical personal at the airport to obtain the "Medical Certificate" they will give you for presentation to the airline, which will allow you to travel. They will take your temperature again and ask questions to see if you still remember how to answer them, prior to giving you the certificate.

We were told more than once, the papers were only good for a day, 2 days, 3 days, or the month of July, so I'm not really sure how long they are supposed to be good for. My papers were dated 2 July and my wife's were dated 9 July and we both boarded a plane on the 10th of July.

A PCR test was not required to fly from Dumaguete to Manila. My airline, Emirates, states a PCR has to be done no more than 96 hours prior to travel, so you if you combine that information with what I stated above for the clearance, you'll probably decide as I did, to get clearance and fly to Manila for the test. My wife and I waited for 4 hours in the St. Luke's BGC emergency room on the 10th, paid 6600 pesos each, and expect to get our results tomorrow. I'm happy to answer any questions.

 

I was looking for a change of scenery and lifestyle, saw an article about retirement in the Philippines, did a bit of exploring, found Dumaguete and fell in love. I see all sorts of negative comments about various things but: The traffic - yes it's crazy but it sure beats the 29 sets of unco-ordinated traffic lights I had to go through from home to office in Sydney. The food: Where else can you buy great food, served to you, cheaper that you can cook it yourself: The People, gorgeous, friendly, non bitchy and - once accepted, surprisingly generous. The cleanliness: Every day I see people with very, very little and no expectation of ever getting much more, sweep their little dirt area until it's spotless and rows and rows of WHITE washing (how do they get them so white) hanging on lines or trees. Men working all day in the sweltering heat - what about those poor security guards at Robinsons in the sun in those awful outfits. All in all, I feel pretty privileged to have landed here

 

Why here? Wow! It was a divine appointment in salt lake city, utah!!
I was having breakfast @ the flyin j truck stop and a friend of mine from 20 years before, walked into the rest. With a small foreign lady with him!! I immediately got up and said hello to my friend!! I invited them to sit and eat with me!! While catching up on many years, his wife ( cristene ) said "rick" in broken and sheepish english, I have a cousin that would really like to meet you!! After I picked myself up off the floor in embarrassment, I said who are you talking about, say again? Then bruce piped in and said ohhhh rick she is beautiful!! Now I have just left another relationship with a chinese lady from fong chow!! I think! So I gave her my cell # and got her cousins number also!! Then about 2 weeks later while I was driving through nebraska I got a tx from an international number! We started a tx get acquainted communication, that lasted 2 months!! Then she got a job where she had access to a computer!! Another 6 months chatting, till I bought a camera @ walmart and put it on my laptop!! She already had one on her bosses computer!! So the next day we said we were finally gonna see what we both look like! The got everything set up and both pushed the button at the same time and "boong" the picture came on screen, and I could not say anything, I just sat there & stared at the most beautiful face I had seen in many moons!! So at the same time I said "your beautiful", "she said your handsome" !! Then we started earnestly getting to know each other!! A few months later I was asking her how much money she was making as a pharmacist floor manager? When she told me p3750.00 a month, I calculated that she was only making $74.00 a month!! Before I realized what I was saying, I said, will you do me a big favor? Please quit your job and take that time to plan our wedding? She looked at me astonished and started crying!! I thought I said or did something wrong, so I asked her what was the matter? She sobbed that I had proposed to her!!! Then I tried to think what I did say!! Ha ha ha ha!! So I took some time off and came here to marry my awesome wife!! Then I went back & sold and turned over most everything I was paying on to the banks, and moved back here for good!!
My wife and I are a really tight team now, and we are planning on building a home in lutoban , overlooking the south china sea!! I love it here!!

 

Hi Garbonzo,

I lived in Sydney most of my life and when I was on a high income that was fine but when I decided to retire at 55 years old, the cost of living in Sydney made life very difficult. Financially, a lot of the cost/benefit of moving will be determined if you are self funded or if you are on a government pension. I am self funded and being a non resident of Australia is beneficial on the taxes that I pay there - note that my accountant specifies that I must not own any property in Australia to have that benefit. As to healthcare be aware that Medicare continues for you for 5 years after you become a non-resident and if I needed to, could easily change my status back to a resident and take benefit of the health system (but go back to paying local marginal taxes and the medicare levy which I don't pay as a non resident). As to USD 3,000 per month I live on similar here in Valencia, rent an expensive (for here) home, have a partner and send my "step" daughter to a private school. I live far better here than I could do for that money in Sydney. I think it is important though that you have a pool either for a quick trip back to Oz or for emergency medical here. I have skin cancer and have to return back to Sydney every 4 months (used to be every 3 months) for treatment. I see a series of doctors when I return and each of them tell me that my general health is far better and they think that is because of the change of lifestyle - moving away from the high stress that is Sydney.

But that was all about money, as hinted by Shawn, two people and three opinions - so emotionally you should try it out for some time and see if it suits - for me this is easily the best decision I have made (in 2015), for others it has been a nightmare. Good luck with your decision and if you want more detailed accounting/legal information you can PM me - I have spent lots of time with accountants, solicitors and financial advisers/estate planners before and since coming here. For me, the biggest confirmation came from my 27 year old daughter who, like me unfortunately is particularly critical of everything in her life and after visiting for the first time over the past Xmas and New Year said - "I have finally understood why you left Australia - it's so chilled here."