Absolutely! And it's really, really hard to fire an in-law. Besides that, having relatives relying on you for their income is somewhat dysfunctional. As long as the foreigner relative is paying their way, they'll never do anything to improve their ability to earn an income on their own. One is actually doing their in-laws a disservice by hiring them.
Firefly, I'm seeing it from one side, my side, and my sides the side with the wallet. This type of situation is where the expat foreigner finds out where he really stands. Is it "us" and "our family" or is it me financing "you and your family"?
When you stay long enough in the Philippines you have always te be prepared for plan B (and plan C). Black or white becomes grey. It doesn't mean you have to accept everything from "them". Just keep a tiny lifeline, you never know one day you may need it.
Sadly, we will always be foreigners, even to our "soul-mate". How many of you have heard "You go back to your place" in the heat of an argument? There will always be side deals. I won't even play Monopoly with my wife and her sister. They are always making side deals ion the hyena dialect.
If I am not mistaken the previous owner of the property where Mikes resort is now was a man named Bill and he died over a week ago.