Expats Living In The Philippines
I Love Living In The Philippines
In February of 2008, I moved to the Philippines. As far as good things go, they rank close behind the birth of my children, getting a college degree and finding inner peace through a spiritual awakening. Those are pretty big milestones in ones life and my choice to live in the Philippines is included among those.
Cost of Living In the Philippines
The cost of living in the Philippines is key for me. I can live much cheaper in the Philippines than I can in the USA. Now don’t get me wrong, I love the USA. If I had unlimited wealth, I suspect I’d still spend a large part of my time there. I would still spend a large portion of my time in the Philippines too though.
I am not trapped here. I love the Philippines.
Now some expats sit around, drinking their Red Horse (a good beer in the Philippines) and complaining about how horrible this country is. How corrupt the Philippines is. Some even complain about how expensive it is. I don’t know their lifestyle but I can’t imagine it costing me more to live here than it would the USA.
On this website, I have numerous examples of the low cost of living in the Philippines. Here is one more. This past week, we had a child in the hospital for two days. The cost was about $35!
Loving Filipina
Filipina are the most loving women I’ve ever found. Yes, I know there are exceptions and a large part of that has to do with where you find them. Go to the darker areas of the Philippines and you’ll find shadier people. That’s true of any place you’ll go.
I watch Filipina with their children. They usually come home from work and greet them with a long, tender embrace. Oh sure, mothers everywhere get irritable with their children constantly wanting something. Sometimes they snap at them harshly like most parents will do. Jessie often greats me when I wake up with a long tender and loving hug. So often that helps make the entire day go well.
If you treat a Filipina well, she will usually be intensely loyal. She will get upset if you try to take care of yourself too much. She wants to do things for you. Not that you can expect that 100% of the time but I have seen it often.
Beaches Every Where!
The Philippines is an island country. Or an archipelago. There are over 7107 island in the Philippines. That gives an easy way to a enjoy of the beaches of the Philippines.
So far, my favorite beaches are found on Bantayan Island. It is usually very quiet there. There are few tourist. It is a very nice place to go and relax.
Bantayan Island Beach
People Living In The Philippines are Friendly
Filipino are amazingly friendly and respectful. I am amazed when I see a foreigner that thinks Filipino are rude. Where the heck has he been hanging out at? What has he been doing to make the Filipino mad?
It has been my observation that most Filipino would rather avoid trouble. They will let something pass that we Americans might be ready to make a major issue out of. Some say that Filipino are compliant. I think they are just smart enough to know where to pick their battles.
If you make a Filipino mad, the result for you could be pretty bad. Once they have had enough, they usually set out to end the situation and they may take drastic measures to do so.
Of course there are exceptions. I’ve known some crazy Filipino. Some ready to cause trouble at the slightest excuse. That’s the way some humans are any where in the world. But most Filipino are awesome people. Filipinos looking to make trouble are indeed rare.
Do You Want To Live In The Philippines?
If you want to move to the Philippines, I’ll be glad to answer your questions. Post a comment and ask
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me what you want to know. I’ll do my best to give you my reality. That’s really all of any of us can do. I have gained a lot of knowledge by constantly living in the Philippines and a lot by reading what other expats and Filipino have to say. I’ve heard to many expats living in the Philippines discount what the locals have to say. Often, they are very insulting when they do it. Do not underestimate Filipinos. They are often poor, they are often uneducated but they know the Philippines better than you or I can ever hope too and they are certainly not stupid.
I have more information coming into me than I can possibly process or remember. If I can be of assistance, please post a comment!
If you want to or are living in the Philippines, please tell us all about it!
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Hi Rusty
I spent about two weeks staying in the Pardo area of Cebu City just last month( Feb. 2011) and was talking to my Fiance about living there later after I retire. I read one of your pieces that said, to bring her here to the states and let her experience the U.S to have a comparison to be able to base her decision on. I agree with this by the way.
What I am reseaching is how to find out about homes there there for her family and me(ofcourse). I’m not talking about the American or even European style homes that I am finding on youtube, but Filipino style homes. What they live in would be best decribed as the slums, so a big leap to a American home would be a shock, and really, I’m going to be on a limited income myself. I am looking into a retirement visa so i can start business there(not sure what), and be able to puchase land and avoid some of the import tax on my stuff should we decide to bring it there. So, what is your take?
Thanks for all the infomation you bring to the expats, and future expats.
I’ll get your ebook too.
Andrew Llera
Wisconsin
Hi Andrew,
You can find something that is a Filipino style home but a nicer one. Something not quite up to Western styles but close. Mine is like that. No central air and no centralized hot water. The windows are glass but leaky.
That’s the only way it is not Western.
It took me about three months to get use to hot water at the tap. We have a water heater just for the shower. Filipino that have a hot shower, usually have that or they warm water on the stove.
There is another type of device that can be dropped in a pail of water to warm it up. Works, but careful or you’ll get a nice little shock. I did twice. haha
You wont be able to by land directly. You can buy a condo with certain restrictions. Those are generally not cheap.
You have to become a citizen to do that. You’d first need to be permanent resident and live, perhaps stay in the Philippines for 10 years. I’m not sure you can even leave for a short trip. You must live in the Philippines for 10 years continuously.
The SRRV (Retirement Visa) wont allow you to do that. Only a citizen may by land.
To get a SRRV requires putting at least 10K in the bank and some hefty application fees. A $1400 application fee. And in some cases a $500 annual fee.
The benefits of the SRRV:
Once you are an SRRV Visa holder, it opens the door to vast opportunities and benefits. These include:
1. Option to Retire Permanently
• You may live, work and study in the Philippines
2. Multiple Entry Privileges
• You may travel outside the Philippines and re-enter anytime
3. Exemptions from:
• Income tax over your pension and annuities;
• Exit and re-entry permits of the Bureau of Immigration;
• Annual registration requirement of the Bureau of Immigration;
• Customs Duties and Taxes with regard to the importation of household goods and personal effects up to US$7,000.00;
• Travel tax, if you stay in the Philippines is less than one year from the last entry date; and
• I-Card
As an SRR Visa holder, the PRA can assist you in obtaining basic documents from other government agencies. These include, but are not limited to:
• Alien Employment Permit
• Driver’s License
• Tax Exemption/Extension Certificate
• Tax Identification Number
• National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Clearance
My lights are scheduled to be turned off at 8am so I’m going to be working on adding this to my eBook today using my step son’s netbook until his batter dies too. LOL
Rusty-
I worked in the Makati area most of 2010. Lucky me I also found a wonderful Filipina, so I understand completely what you say about them!
I also lived in CarCar, an area near Cebu for over a month and experienced “province life” and it was an eye opener. I agree that once you give up the western way of thinking and our expectations, life in the Philippines is wonderful.
I am currently back in the states working ob the fiance visa–OMG there’s an article for you!!!
We also plan to retire back in the CarCar or Cebu area.
You ebook and these articles have been wonderful, so please keep up the good work.
Robert Bartay
Texas
Hi Robert, sorry late in replying. I was away for a bit.
Now I’m covered up with stuff to catch up on. I almost missed your comment too. Good thing for email alerts.
I married a Canadian when I was in the USA. The immigration red tape makes the IRS look like eating pumpkin pie. One of my favorites. haha
Carcar is in Cebu.
It is a bit south of me. I’m even further away from the City. I had fish there once. Was awesome. Well, I think Carcar it was close tot here.
Hi there,
Is there anyone here willing to visit manila,philippines? i can be a tour guide and of course very friendly…if someone needs my help here is my contact #..feel free to call anytime…
lucy mahumok
+63 908 455 0379
hi rusty, i dont even know where to begin!, but i need your help , or rather i hope you can help me & my new filipino family please!!!
im so stressed and woried now for my situation i dont know what to do?!
im 50 years old, i live in pennsylvania u.s.,im married to a maganda filipna(rochelle)since 6/2010 married in the phils,we have a baby girl, angelica, born 2/2011 & rochelle has an 11 year old son, alen(my unofficial stepson)
we met 9/2007 via internet,(jump ahaead)…we started her immigration process in late 2009 early 2010 and are nearing the end of the process,the baby has her u.s. birth cert & u.s.passport and rocheles has to re-do her med exam because her med cert.expired 12/22/11 due to the slow nature of visa processing(blah blah blah)and resubmit the doc’s to finish visa processing!
all is well (so far) with regards to the process(i know this is vague info, im sorry, but for now i will leave it at that)
my situation financially has not always been the best(understatement) and i have worked very very hard to make all of what rochelle & i are trying to do, become a reality, which is to bring her, alen & baby angelica here to the u.s.( i do not meet the income guidelines for her son to come to the u.s.for now):(
anyways… i lost my job as of 1/24/12, this is not the first time for me to lose my job since rochelle & i have been together & it has caused rochelle & i serious emotional stress!!
the economy & life in general here is really starting to *seriously* stagnate!( which rochelle just cant understand no matter how much i try to explain) not to mention what is happening here with the government! im starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel and im pretty much convinced now its a train coming the other way! things are not lookig good at all here! if the current agenda continues here(police state) rochelle and i could be setting ourselves up for disaster!:(
i feel im setting us up for failure by sticking to our plan to bring rochelle, baby angelica & alen here!
so its with great concern, hesitation & not much enthusiasm from rochelle, her dream is to give the children a better life & so called opportunity here in the u.s., and she has great reservations about us surviving there in the phils financially speaking.im seriously thinking/wanting to give up on bringing her here, if i dont find work soon i will really have a problem here, my landlord will not tolerate my financial situation for much longer, im already behind on rent, if i get evicted, im in a whole new world of poo!!!
rochelle & baby angelica will have no place to come to!:(
i really want to come to the phils to live with my family!
just to let you know my wife & i have recently started a small call center business which is now up and running and things seem to be going pretty good according to my wife, we could see income afrom the business as soon as april/may.
again, my finances are almost non exsistent now, no income as of now & about $1500 cash on hand!
yes i hav been supporting my new filipino family pretty much since we met and i hav e no problem at all with this & i love to be able to help!
***by the way i thought i’d better get this out of the way now!…
yes all of this is legit, im using the services of my congressmans office(thank god!) for the immigration case, the wedding is legit and everything has been documented through the congressmans office. what i mean to say is, this is a real loving relationship and i know absolutely 100% in my heart that this is my destiny!:)
yea corny sounding maybe, but it is what it is!
by now you have either stop reading or your thinking how in the he.. am keeping my head above water, not to mention my mental/emotional well being, im just doing the best i can with whats going on,but very soon i seriously need to make a decision on what i will do..
take my chances with my funds to come ther or continue this mad struggle to survive here to bring my family here, rochelle & i very woried!!!:(
please rusty!.. in all honesty & of course realistically, rochelle & i need your help in trying to decide on the logistics of me coming there to stay or will i just be commiting suicide?!:(
i personally feel cutting my losses here to move to the phils is a no brainer at this point,regardless of my financial situation, but maybe im just wanting to be with my wife & baby soooooo bad that i just cant think straight anymore?
again rusty, im 50 years old, im so very very tired of the rat race here, im so very very tired of trying to sell myself here just to find a job that might pay $12-14hr, i been to the phils 3 consecutive years 08/09/10, i love the phils, i love the people, rochelles family loves me & has lovingly taken me in as family, rochelles son alen calls me papa & mom calls me son, we have a great thing going, xecept we are on opposite sides of the planet and its killing me!:(
it is my dream to be with my family and live in the phils !!!
i think its time to cut my losses and make the move,
b u t!..
i really need your advice, *p l e a s e* can you help rochelle & i figure this out to be togeteher as a family in the phils?
please rusty, i am not asking you for any kind of financial help or anything like that, thats not what im about, i just know from visiting your site, that you have lived in the phils long enough now to know the ins & outs and of course you know people, and maybe you have some resources at your disposal that can help rochelle & i.
im sorry rusty for the way i have made contact with you & blowing all this out of the blue on you! im not exactly the computer/internet genius!
sorry again rusty, but im writing to you from my local library and my time on this p.c. is done, i dont have a p.c./internet at my apartment.
please rusty, is it possible you & i can talk via email about my situation?
im so desperate now! im losing my mind! i havnt even seen, held, smelled or interacted with baby angelica & its her 1 year birthday on friday 2/10/12!
im a train wreck waiting to happen!
*salamat po from my heart for taking time(i hope?!)to read this and i hope and pray you and i can talk?!
sincerely,
scott k. krick
Hi Scott,
Maybe you’re like me, you find writing therapeutic. Thanks for your story. It could be helpful for others. Do me a favor though, turn the caps lock off.
Better to write in all lower caps than all upper. 
There wa a time I did the same thing. Now it is completely impossible for me to read tha. I don’t know why but I honestly can’t read all up cases. 
I changed it for you here.
When you were here for three years, were you with your wife during that time? All of it, part of it? If you had a pension, this would truly be a no brainer. Now I don’t know your wife, you do and you’re the best one to judge if that call center is really doing well. I’ve seen so many scams that I’m afraid it is not even there. If you know her well enough to know that what she says is true, then there are two choices here. Maybe.
Now I don’t know if you have savings in the bank or what. If your behind on your rent probably not. If I knew the call center was there and on the verge of making a profit and in your state of mind, I’d sale everything can move to the Philippines. That is a huge risk though, if the call center fails, you’ve got a problem. No income and not much hope of getting one. Your best bet is to become computer aware enough to start blogging and start making money online as a backup plan. I helped a guy get started a year ago and now he has no job. All he does is internet marketing. Though I have no idea if that is choice or because he had no choice. I don’t know how much money he is making. The one thing I think you must have if you do this is enough money to return home. You must also get your 13A so you want have to pay for the bi monthly visa extension fees. Personally, I would take that option and I would sell everything I owned that I could sell and give the rest away.
The safer option would be to wait until this call center is making money. You stand the chance of being evicted though. It will take some time for the courts to get through that process.
You know the woman, I don’t but I would find it very hard to stay in the USA under your current situation. How is your wife going to take the news that she wont be going to the USA? Have you talked to her about that? If she is unhappy with the idea of you coming here then instead of her going there, that makes the choice of coming to the Philippines a much more difficult one.
I have no crystal ball, I can’t tell you what is best. But if I and Jessie were in that same situation, I would come here. In fact, I planned to bring her to the USA when we first became an online couple. It took me a while to realize that probably wasn’t going to happen for us. So I had to slowly change gears and wrap my had around coming here. I had never been here, didn’t know anything and was at a loss so it took me a while. I’m so glad I came but I do have a pension that can get me through the lean times.
I hope to visit the USA this year but I don’t miss living there. I’m quite happy here. You’ve been here so you know you like it. You also know the risk of not having an income and living here. You’ll have to roll the dice and take option one or play it safe and take option two. You have to decide. I can’t do it for you.
Let us know how it goes!
Anyone that says the average filipino is rude is honestly clueless. I love the Philippine. I love America. I would MUCH rather live in the Philippines.
Sure, there are many problems….but so many good things. I truly believe the Philippines is one of the best kept secrets in the world.
Fantastic people, beautiful beaches almost everywhere, and just a better way to live to me.
Todd, I’m not sure where I’d want to live if money was not an issue.
But with a limited budget, living on a decent but still not great pension, this is the right choice for me.
Yeah, sure there are some rude Filipino but that is by far abnormal. Geesh, I’m in travel status right now and I’m being treated like a king.
hi there
I am Aussie living in the Philippines–With a wonderful woman –love the people –manila not so hot –but higher education i am told by this ladies daughter, that to obtain her masters in Phys ed -she has to defend her thesis; at 5000 peso per time -three times- added to this; she is required to take some 5 of the evaluating officers to lunch
when I phoned the dean of graduate studies –one of the staff tell me that they had now knowledge of such costs-that this was between the students and the officers
–Thus the young graduates-in Philippines learn at an early start in their careers,what to expect.
As i say love the people, but how are they ever gonna learn how to stop scamming-if things like this are done in higher education
regards
David
Wow David, that’s some story. Sorry, I was traveling when this came in.
Yeah, I probably would not have believed it either but I wouldn’t have gone through all that trouble.
So basically your step daughter told you this whopper? Thanks for the info!!!
Folks, Believe me Rusty knows the Philippines and I do as well. Read what Rusty and Jessie write. I am telling you all, The Philippines is a awesome place. Wonderful people, food, and the land scape is like no other. You’all think it looks like Hawaii but the Philippines is better. One thing to remember is always be cool not rude, you won’t get anywhere. No reason to be rude. I find most Filipino’s and Filipina’s go out of there way to make you feel at home. You’ll never find that in the USA any more.
I am not bashing the USA. I am just saying your money will go further in the Philippines and you will have a great time and be with people that show pride in their country and love to show it off. Yes there are poor people their but they are happy. In fact they will share with you with what little they have and be happy doing it.
I could go on about the Philippines but you know this is Rusty’s page. Lord how I miss the Philippines. God Bless Rusty and Jessie. You too have become like family to me.
Thanks Matthew. Matthew wrote something like that on my Facebook page yesterday without my encouragement.
I asked him to come say that here too if he had time.
I don’t know a lot about the Philippines, I learn more all the time. What I thought I knew use to change a lot because I keep on learning. My opinions don’t change as much as they use too but the do still change because I listen to those that have had a hard time in the Philippines, I listen to those that like it and most of all, I listen to Filipino.
One of my first lessons was on the concepts of right and wrong, good and not so good. I talked with my preacher friend about that. One far more studied on what makes people tick than myself and has laos seen much more of the world. I remember saying to him that what is right and wrong seems to be largely dependent on where one is born. He said something like “It defiantly depends on where you’re born.”
“Your” way is better for you. The best way for Filipino is for Filipino to decide. They have a different culture, “your” culture is not better it is different. It came to be your culture because of where you are, what happened where you are. Those things didn’t happen here, other things happened here.
Thanks again Matthew, I hope you visit often.
im going there in october central manila my gf moved back over there she doesnt really have a good job and im planning on saving about $4,000 do you think that would last us for a year if not how long do you think that would last and to move there permanet what do i have to do i never traveled before
Anthony, in Manila that would last me less than two months unless I took a substantial decrease in my living conditions. It would mean no air con which I think really might kill me.
Maybe you mean central Luzon which would still be near Manila though.
Manila is the most expensive place to live in the Philippines. I’m including Makati City in that which is even more expensive. It is part of Metro Manila.
$333 a month is not enough in my opinion. If you’re willing to live in a style like a working Filipino, try to find pre-arraigned employment and get the Tourist Visa(9G). You could try teaching English. You’re English is better than some I know that teach it. I’ve known an assistant in one of the schools that could barely read and write.
Just need to be able to speak it. You’re above that level.
I wouldn’t move here for a specific girl. If she had to go back that is one thing is if she left because she wanted too, I wouldn’t come here for her.
You can live on less in Cebu, find a girl once your here and get work as a teacher. To be legal, you have to set it up before you get here. I’ve known some that did some fancy legal moves and tell me it was legal. I don’t buy it.
I’m not saying this because I’m trying to make $25, I’m saying it because you really need the information, buy my eBook.
There is no way I’d come here with $4000 and no job. Keep in mine too that you have to leave the country every 16 months, 36 with special extensions. I think 36, could be a little off on that. You can come back after three days but that is going to add significantly to your cost. You can avoid that by getting married.
Hi there,
I wish u can contact me….its better to have business first using that money so that u can go back and forth without thinking on where to get money for your expenses…business is good…its nice to have business here in manila….here is my contact #…
lucy mahumok
+63 908 455 0379
or email me at:
[email protected]
Hey Anthony, you need to really check yourself. Are you saying you would move over there with $4000 and expect that to last you a year? If so, you need to really think what you are doing.
Yes, that would be enough….for a very very very low existence! Did I put enough very’s in there so you can understand that is NOT nearly enough just to live on. If you both have some other income that might be enough.
I would not move to the Philippines unless I had a minimum of $800 a month and ever with that I would not feel real good.
Yes, it is not as expensive to live in the Philippines as it is to live in America. But my goodness! Less than $400 a month would be really tough for two people…unless you are willing to live like many very very very poor filipinos.
And I have NEVER met an American or any other foreigner yet that WANTS to live like a very poor filipino. It is a rough life if you do!
sorry i didnt see the reply button as i was saying she wants to open up a little business in a mall yess were young im 19 shes 20
At 19 a person can live with alot of discomfort. When I was your age I was sleeping most nights on the ground outside, in S.E. Asia, without any ill effects. So maybe advice from fat old farts, who need a nice bed and AC. or we die, is not the most relative to you in this matter. Let this be your guid. Most Filipinoes live on less than the 2K a yr per person you will have. If you can live in a hut in steaming temperatures and eat mostly just rice then go for it. If nothing else it will be quite the test of your love match. Just have your return ticket in hand and enough ready cash for a taxi to the airport.
I agree Jodon with the comments on age, I could tolerate a lot more at 19 than I can at 52, heck, I can’t even remember my age already.
And I agree about the exit plan but I wouldn’t get a non-refundable ticket. In fact, I get a refundable one to Thailand and then take the refund. That’s what I did but one needs an exit plan. I must admit, I didn’t have much of one.
I probably would have had to sleep on the Embassy steps until my next check hit.
she wants to open up a little business in a mall her sister is really rich and offered to help but she wants us to have are own place cause of ourselfs she already got a house im just kinda scared cause i dont know like the price ranges there
Being young will help a lot. Being young and in love is trouble. ha ha. Being old and in love is also trouble, sometimes even more if the guy is desperate.
It isn’t legal for you to have a business in the Philippines. Rarely but sometimes authorities have gone after “dummies” where a foreigner puts his gf in business.
If you give it a shot, you really MUST have an exit plan. Can you get back to the USA is critical.
I don’t know your girl but red flags are going off all over the place for me. It sounds like you knew her in person though and that an mean a lot.
I’ve just seen so many Filipina try to get a guy to come here and start a business and many times they are sincere. They just don’t have the knowledge about business nor experience with money.
Even opening a Sari Sari store is an option. You could make $20 a day doing that, maybe. I fear you’re not going to be able to provide for this girl what she is hoping for.
I’ve just seen it go bad so many times but you know her so you’re in a better position than me to judge that.
she went back cause her brother passed away i hope i know what im doing i know she just wants us to have a business and a family and all that i never know if i dont try right
Anthony, you are very right and you bring back a long ago memory.
Don’t let a girl go that you are not ready too, it could haunt you for the rest of your life.
Just have an escape route. If worst comes to worst, the American embassy will help you get home but you’ll loose your passport until you pay the loan back.
I should say, might help you get back to the USA, no telling what kind of stipulations there are or how long it would take.
Well if you can go over there with $4000 and you can have a business there that actually makes money, you can probably make it…especially with help.
It really depends on what lifestyle you want.
Even thought cost of living is lower, there are still expenses that can really eat up your money. But listen, give it a shot. If you really want to live there then give it a go…just make sure you leave some money to come home.
If you can make it work there you will love it. Probably love it I should say.
i never traveled b4 how do i get a visa that would allow me to stay there for a while i havent got my passport yet i know i can go there without a visa but i want to stay longer than 21 days and do i have to get a ticket to come back to the US can i just get a one way ticket there
You can extend your passport before the 21 days are up. Then extend it for 60 days every other month. You can do that for 16 months pretty much automatically.
Longer after that after filing additional paper work, You will have to leave the country though at ever 16 24 or 36 (I think 36 i might be a little off) months depending on the extensions you get. You can come back after three days.
If you marry her you can get a permanent resident visa in most cases.
Well, throw this guy a life saver. He’ll probably get killed for his cell phone.
Anthony, don’t listen to G.
There are dangers here but you’ll be safer in the Philippines than most places in the USA.
Crime is higher in Manila, depend on that girl to help keep you out of trouble. A Filipina close by can be like the best attack dog you ever had. She can also turn around and bite your leg off though if you get the wrong one. I hope you keep in touch and let us know how it turns out for you.
Hi there,
I wish i can be your tour guide when u come here in manila, if ever you need my help…u can contact me at # +63 908 455 0379 or email me at [email protected]….i know u dnt know me yet but i know we can have enough time to get to know better before u come here….
lucy mahumok
+63 908 455 0379
I lived in the Philippines for a few years (my wife is from there) but I got disgusted with the place and came back to the U.S.
It was ok for a while, but after the novelty wears off, it grinds you down, and I just got sick and tired of it.
I see lots of people talking about the good things (and yes, there are some good things about it…every culture has something good to offer), but not many people are talking about the bad.
First of all I find the Philippine govt. to be racist, to put it bluntly. For example I was not allowed to buy a pistol (or any kind of gun, for that matter) because “[I'm] a foreigner”. Never mind that I was a legal permanent resident, never mind that I have a clean record, never mind that I was in an area that had a lot of crime – I was not a Filipino, and that was all that mattered. Period.
Yes my wife could go through the red tape and get one legally or I could’ve got one on the black market, but that wasn’t the point. If a Filipino permanent resident in the U.S. can by a gun to protect his home and family, why can’t I?
Same thing with owning land. I can’t buy land, not even a tiny little 100 square meter building lot – because I’m not a Filipino…I’m a “foreigner”. Yes my wife and I could jointly own property, as long as it’s 51% hers and 49% mine. Normally I wouldn’t even care, but Filipinos can come to the U.S. and buy land, so why can’t I do the same there?
And what if the marriage fails? Not that I expect it to, but things happen. And if it happens, I realized I’m not in a neutral country.
And then there’s the price of things. Like electricity. I was in an area where there was hydropower. Silly me, I thought I was going to get reasonably cheap electricity. I thought, hmmm there’s no fuel to buy, no U.S. type regulations, probably they don’t pay their people $35 per hour like in the U.S. needless to say I was “shocked” when I got my first electric bill – it was about 15% higher per kw/hr than where I came from in the U.S., where they had to burn fuel, live up to all kinds of pollution and safety regulations, pay high salaries and benefits, etc.
And then there’s the crime. Never mind the bombings and the kidnappings and the shootouts and the holdups on the busses (yes I was on Mindanao), but I found you really couldn’t trust very many people.
You make friends with someone and let them in your house, and then later you notice things missing. I had that happen several times.
And then there was the time that I was interested in buying a used diesel pickup truck (like everybody drives over there). Word got out and I had people trying to sell me one. And do you know that every single person thet tried to sell me a truck was dishonest in some way, e.g., turning back the odometer, lying about the year of the vehicle, etc.
And then there’s the government – nickle and diming me to death. It seemed every time I turned around, I owed them $50 for something, something to do with my permanent resident status; there’s a fee for this and a fee for that and a fee for everything else and it never ends. They would never do that to their own people, but if you’re a Gringo, you’re going to pay.
No place is perfect certainly, not the U.S., and not the Philippines, either.
Nelson, I’m having problems getting past the part of a racist government preventing you from buying a weapon. First that is what expats will tell you. It is not accurate, foreigners can own a weapon in the Philippines. I know there are many forums on the web that will tell you otherwise, they are wrong. Foreigners can own a gun in the Philippines. It is a full pain in the butt it can be done. The regulation shave nothing to do with racism. They are because of an ongoing civil war and a history of occupation in the country.
The Philippines isn’t for everybody, one doesn’t have to look very far in what i write to learn that. I often say if the Philippines is for you, depends on what is between your ears. If one can only apply Western thinking to Asia, see racism instead of looking at what is really going on, no, you probably wont be happy here. Another important factor is income. If you have a enough money to enjoy the USA, it really does offer many things the Philippines does not. But I would have to be super rich to get from the USA what I get in the Philippines.
Since you start off with something that is so grossly inaccurate, I just can’t see you as much of an authority on the subject.. Something that many expats get wrong is when they start hanging out with other expats that sit around, drink beer all day and tell each other how much better they are than Filipino.
No, the Philippines is not a paradise. There are many problems here. I guess I’m lucky in a way, I’ve learned how to just block out the negative. It may come from having such poor periods in my life, I’m not sure. I have found though that once I was able to automatically concentrate on the positive I was a much happier person where ever I was. I’d be okay in the USA but I’d be alone and too poor to breath.
Something else I’ve noticed, some guys come here and seem to constantly get scammed. I haven’t had that problem. Oh Filipina online would do it if I let them but I don’t so not a problem. Others run into it constantly. I just don’t and the people I know don’t. Why that is, I don’t know. I haven’t been able to figure that out.
As for your odometer issue, many don’t turn it back, they just disconnect the speedometer so that it never registers. Very common here. That is true.
Sounds like you made the right move for you. Glad you’re happier now..
Rusty, I’m not starting off with something that’s “so grossly inaccurate”. If you are not a Filipino, you cannot legally own a gun in the Philippines. And it has noting whatsoever to do with the “civil war” (if you want to call it that) going on over there.
I spent literally months looking into this issue. I even consulted a lawyer over there. BTW it is difficult to even know what the laws are in the Philippines, but to the extent the laws can be known and understood in the first place, they operate to prohibit “foreigners” from legally owning a gun.
Your wife can, but not you; and it’s racism, plain and simply.
If you say otherwise, please cite the law or link to it. I really would love to be proven wrong.
BTW the Philippine government is corrupt beyond words, just like the U.S. government is, if not worse, and if you’re there long enough, and look at things objectively, you’ll eventually see it if you don’t now.
As you know, there’s no social justice whatsoever in the Philippines. And whenever any kind of serious labor leader or left leaning political arises, even college students, they get assassinated – shot down in broad daylight in the middle of the street by a govt. sponsored assassin on a motorcycle, for example. I’ve been there when it happened.
The Philippine government could do a lot to help itself and help people like you and I, but it refuses. Many third world countries in Latin America for example have incentives to draw retirees (i.e., pensioners); e.g., easy resident visas, all kind of tax breaks, land ownership, discounts on travel, food, etc., but not the Philippines. Instead of trying to accomodate people (so they’ll go there and spend money there), they go out of their way to make you feel unwelcome.
You are like me the first few times I was there. I saw no evil. But then I went and lived there.
You are very wrong about gun ownership by foreigners in the Philippines.
A few months ago a man, I think in Subic was arrested for carrying a gun. A foreigner. His guns were confiscated. The guns were later returned after the produced the proper documents and the judge in the case came down pretty hard on the agency that arrested him. Just a tongue lashing. I tried to find thew news article but I can’t. Often they don’t stay up long. There is also a foreign owned self defense business in the subic area, where not only do they own guns they sell them and teach self defense. I know you’ve been told that foreigners can’t own guns. You were told wrong.
The law is here: http://pctc.gov.ph/laws/basicFA.htm
You are wrong, you are completely and totally wrong.
Rusty,
All I can say is, print that out, go to a gun shop, and see how far you get. I guarantee you will get nowhere.
That “law” you cited doesn’t say anything about “foreigners” legally owning guns. I’ve seen that before. It means nothing.
I was in the Philippines for several years. During that time, I talked to the police, a lawyer, and various gun shop owners. The result: If you are a “foreigner”, you cannot legally own a gun in the Philippines.
Here’s what the “Filipino Firearms Forum” says about it:
Who can own guns in the Philippines?
Only Filipino citizens at least 21 years of age, or domestic corporations and juridical entities, all subject to additional requirements, can legally own firearms here.1 All firearms must be registered with the Philippine National Police through its Firearms and Explosives Division, and a license obtained for each and every firearm to be in one’s possession.2 Air guns are considered firearms.3
http://ffforum.110mb.com/introfaq.html#own
Are they wrong also?
I don’t know, I’m not going to look. I’m 100% certain you can own a gun here. If you don’t want to believe that, don’t.
There was also an article in one of the papers three years ago fully explaining how to do it. I was excited since I had a carry permit in the USA.
After reading the article and seeing the cost, I decided it wasn’t something I was interested in. It wasn’t online, probably was in the Freeman since that is what I usually read but it could have been Cebu Daily News. I was on my way to Bantayan Island at the time. I remember texting Bob Martin who has lived in Davao for more than 10 years now when I found it. I remember him saying, I wouldn’t carry here. The risk are just to high for a foreigner. He has a valid point. But if you die from not being able to protect yourself, that’s a pretty significant risk.
If you don’t want to believe me, fine, great, have a nice day. I’m not going to sit by and watch you spread what is so often quoted as fact when it is not fact. It is wrong. I know an expat that had an immigration officer tell him he couldn’t have a gun here. But I know you can. I have seen it from much better sources, I’ve seen a judge return firearms to a foreigner, I’ve seen the regulations on how it is done. You believe what you want, I just don’t want other to blindly accept false information.
Well well Rusty, you were 100% wrong.
haha
I finally herd back form the Office Of Firearms and Explosives. The chief send a letter via email in PDF and according to him, only Filipino citizens can own a gun. I will write a full story on it to later make sure it gets adequate disclosure..
I don’t understand why you keep insisting that I’m wrong, when you’ve never even tried to buy a gun there yourself.
If you don’t believe me, and you think I’m being dishonest, you can do a Google search and find lots of other people corroborating what I’ve said. Are we all being dishonest for some reason?
Anyway, I wish someone told me, before I went there, of the various hassles I would have to endure, as I never would’ve wasted my time and money.
One last thing that happened, something that was the *last straw* for me, that made me leave the Philippines, was when I ordered something by mail from a company in India. As a hobby I was doing some electroplating and anodizing, and I ordered a type of anode from this manufacturing co. in India. It cost me $120 USD. Well, the Philippine govt. held my anode for ransom and told me I could not have it unless I paid $30 “import duty” or “tax” or whatever they called it.
Well as if the outrageous amount wasn’t bad enough in the first place, there was another problem: The co. in India sent me the wrong part.
I tried to explain to the Philippine govt. that the part was wrong and I had to send it back, but they would hear none of it. Their position was: either pay us the $30, or we confiscate your item and “dispose” of it.
And I pleaded with them, “but I have to return it. I can show you a picture. I can prove that there’s been a mistake, I have paperwork to prove it.” “Too bad”, was the reply.
And that was simply the last straw. There I was, spending lots of money there, helping to keep people employed, and this is how I’m going to be treated? And that was it.
I can tell you lots of other stories about other people getting ripped off over there, some for lots of money, but I’m sure you know what I mean.
Because you are wrong. I don’t think you’re being dishonest at all, I think you’re mistaken. You must think I’m being dishonest, you think I made the story up about the Filipino judge returning the weapons to the foreigner?
Yeah, I’ve had problems with customs too. That’s why I use Johnny Air Cargo now to ship anything to the Philippines. I get it quick at a decent rate and no custom fees. I paid about $75 on $300 worth of electronics I shipped here. You’ll never hear me say there are not problems here. I’ve just been able to find ways to resolve them.
You were not happy here, you did the right thing. Glad you’re happy with your choice. I’m happy with mine.
Here is the story, Filipino decent but not a citizen.
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=587562&publicationSubCategoryId=107
Sounds like Filipino Chinese to me. Certainly not “White”. And it doesn’t say that he wasn’t a citizen.
Most likely he was a dual citizen.
I’m sorry, but that doesn’t prove anything.
Nelson, sorry to hear you can’t make a life for yourself here in the Philippines…Just leaves room for those of us who have found our part of paradise without having be reminded of the good things we left behind. Good..Bad.. and Ugly, happens in all parts of the world. Hope you can find a place for yourself
Living in the Philippines surely isn’t for everybody. How one sees the Philippines is dependent on what is between our ears and behind our eyes.
We are who we are.
However, saying the Philippine is racist is not accurate. I can understand why some people feel that way but it isn’t racism. When I went to the Underground River I paid an extra P50 over Jessie for my fee because I’m a foreigner. Now if I had to pay it because I was American, I would see that as Anti-American but I wouldn’t see it as racist. If there was an extra fee for white people now that could be racist but even that probably wouldn’t be. That isn’t the case so I don’t need to go there. Every country provides benefits to locals that it doesn’t give to foreigners. It bothers me none at all. I’ve seen others rant and rave over such fees. Take a xanax, you clearly need something. We are who we are. If someone is not happy here, they should go. It is all about what is important to you and what you can achieve in your homeland.
For some of us the Philippines is a wonderful land providing increased opportunities, wonderful and beautiful Filipina. For others, it is the land of scams, poverty and filth. I am glad I’m one of the many that found a good life in the Philippines.
Oh, and yes Nelson, of course the restrictions on gun ownership is because of war and occupation of the Philippines. As is the restriction on speech in the Philippines. The Philippines must be concerned with the possibility of “freedom fighters” from the middle east joining the ranks of the Muslim rebels and making it harder for the government to put down the resurrection. Isn’t that obvious?
My gosh, why would anyone leave the Philippines because of racism and return the land of racism, the USA where so much of what happens is based on racial tension. Of course there is racism in the Philippines but there is far, far more, exceedingly more, ridiculously more in the USA. That part of the reasoning is illogical even if the gun ownership rules prevented foreigners from owning a gun.
And where in US law does it specifically state a foreigner can own a gun? Foreigners in the Philippines can own a gun. It is fact. That guy was not a Filipino citizen. He was an American citizen.
This is the last message I’ll be posting here on this topic.
For the last time, Rusty, “foreigners” cannot own guns (or land) in the Philippines.
That said, I don’t know why someone like Rusty would go to such absurd lengths to misinform prospective new foreign residents of the Philippines about their unreasonable/racist gun laws.
I wish I could’ve found this kind of information before I moved there 8 years ago. And if it was up to people like Rusty, the information would never get out.
You live there now, right? Why not stop by your local gun shop in the nearest SM mall or wherever and report back?
Before you shout from the hilltops that I’m wrong, why not just take a few minutes, stop by any local gun shop, find out and post the results here?
I’m really glad to hear that it will be the last time that YOU give false information on the subject. Foreigners can own guns in the Philippines.
Davila, you may be sorry to hear that, but I am glad someone like Nelson decided to move out of the Philippines. He definitely doesn’t seem like the type of person I want living near me and I’m sure most Filipinos are happy as well having him move back to the States. Another good is that he can stop giving Americans a bad name. And stay away from Texas, they don’t like whiners there. Try San Francisco.
Nelson, you are certainly entitled to your opinion and it is great that Rusty allows free and open discussion, but I think you are way off base on some of your comments. But I think you are also correct in some things you say.
The Philippines government is not racist. It is just idiotic. They don’t discriminate against anyone because of skin color or any specific country…they are just real partial when it comes to certain things related to filipinos. Land and business ownership are some of them.
Part of this comes from them being occupied so often that they have kept up with laws that no longer serve them well. The lack of foreign ownership actually hurts them.
But at the same time if they allowed foreign ownership to come in and buy, there would not be any land for a filipino to buy!!! The filipinos would have a hard time buying most of it. At least most filipinos would.
As far as gun ownership, you might be write…but I am not sure. Again, I do not think it is racist…racist has to do with a race of people and how they are judged…not whether you are from a foreign country.
So you are not happy with electricity!! LOL. Neither are my neighbors in America!! As with anything, there are good and bad parts of living anywhere.
As far as crime….hmmmm. I live near Portland, Oregon but on the Washington side of the Columbia River. A beautiful area. It is like a damn war zone at times in Portland! Have you checked out the crime rates in other areas of the United States? Plenty of crime.
I feel safer in the Philippines and have NEVER once had a problem. And neither have my friends or any associates. But I had had friends and associates murdered here in America. By the way, I also lived in Mindanao, you sorta have to think about things guy.
If you move to an area that has a lot of crime and violence…well what do you expect? The American rides in on his horse and things are grand? If you moved to Detroit knowing about all the crime would you then sit here and complain about it? Probably not. You would have realized it was YOUR fault for moving to a crap hole.
Hmmm, car sales people being dishonest. Oh my God. Stop the spinning of the earth. A car sales person lying about the condition of the car. Wow. Amazing.
Never heard of that one before. Just incredible a car lot would do something like them. Shame on them filipinos…shame on them! At least in America car sales people are honest and NEVER do anything like that. I feel for ya man.
As far as you being back in the United States! GREAT! Now you can enjoy our corrupt government, the American’s that think they have to keep up with the Jones’ on everything, and our honest sales people and mechanics.
I do not think the Philippines is perfect….not even close. But the Philippines is PERFECT for me. If America is PERFECT for you then you should now be happy.
No one should doubt that the Philippines has major problems. But so does my country, the United States. But the Philippines has a lot of positives. Some guys just expect more there than what the Philippines can offer. So pack the bags and get out!! Most of us that travel there or live there will NOT miss you.
There are some anti foreigner feelings and they are growing. Americans have the reputation for being complainers. I know of landlords that wont rent to Americans because of that.
Twice I’ve seen government officials use the term “especially foreigners” and that bothers me a bit. That is not racist though it comes close. It is however, the feeling in the USA too but I don’t think you’ll see government officials admitting that in public. Probably not see it applied much in their handing of issues either. But most American’s resent it more when a foreigner is involved in a crime. The press will bring it out that someone was a foreigner both here and in the USA.
But inherit racism in government, no. There is less racism among the people too. There is racism, I’ve seen it but never directed at me. Just ONE comment from one Filipino. I saw far more in the USA and still do from Americans both in the Philippines and back in the USA.
PS agreeing me with has never and will never be a requirement for commenting here.
Now attacking me isn’t a great idea. haha I will even put up with that for a bit SOMETIMES. 
I’m far more likely to defend a visitor to the site than myself. Personal attacks are all I really care about.
You’re talkin’ nonsense.
Firstly, the U.S. is probably the most corrupt government in the world because it has the most corrupt people in the world. I never said it wasn’t. I despise the U.S. government, and I’m looking to get out.
Second, my main complaint is that I never see any Philippine related blogs/forums talking about the down sides of the Philippines, of which there are many.
Third the Philippines has crime that’s far, far worse than the U.S., and that’s not even debatable. Don’t try to tell me otherwise because I’ve looked into it, and I’ve lived there. I’ve seen it, and it’s bad. Really bad.
Forth – about land ownership. Other third world countries (e.g., Panama, Costa Rica, Ecuador, etc.) allow foreigners to buy land, and the foreigners don’t buy up all the land. And if that really was a concern, it’s easily solvable: just let foreigners buy small pieces, say no more than one hectare, right? You’re going to tell me they can’t make a distinction between a small to modest residential property, and “buying up all the land”?
Fifth, don’t gimme that crap about having been “occupied”, as an excuse. Most countries were “occupied” at one time or another. BTW at one time the Philippines threw the U.S. out. And that was the logical and morally proper thing to do. And then what did they do? Why they let the U.S. back in; and in so doing, they lost what little bit of respect I had for them. Apparently they love being “occupied”; so that’s not the issue.
Lastly, I lived next to a Malaysian (or maybe he was Indonesian) who was able to buy a gun legally in the Philippines. And when I asked how he was able to, the reply was: because he looks like a Filipino, or something like that.
If you’re “White” they don’t want you there. Accept it.
“If you’re “White” they don’t want you there. Accept it.”
LOL Yeah, right, that’s why I get special treatment that makes me feel uneasy.
That is just crazy. Have a good life back in the USA. It too is a really nice place to live. I’d be surprised if you are happy there though. Why did you come to the Philippines with the intent of living here?
Nelson:
You are wrong, NO Alien in the US, tourist, student, permanent resident, “Green Card” holder or whatever, can buy any cartridge firearm in the US. The only exceptions are air guns (pump up or CO2) and muzzle-loading, black powder replicas (which are not considered “Firearms”). A US citizen can give a firearm to an alien as a gift, but god help him if the BATF even thinks he got paid “under the table” for it. I’m not even talking about the “Fast and Furious” mess on the Mexican border; it can be a problem just giving a .22 to your Fhilippina wife, especially if she loses it later. “Don’t ask me how I know.”
You know that’s kind of odd. Not illegal for foreigners in the US to be in possession, they just can’t buy one. I had a green card wife from Canada. I never ran into that but i never tried to buy her a gun. She hated them.
She’s now the X2 unit. 
haha
Just recently the Canuckians have given up their gun registration requirement. Not that it ever worked.
Green card holders are allowed to buy guns and ammunition in the US. Where are you getting your information?
Sorry, I was wrong. I just checked the ATF website and apparently there were some changes in the laws in 1995 (Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act) & 1998 (“Brady Law”). “Green Card” holders now can purchase and possess guns & ammo; and Non-Immigrant visa holders can, IF they have lived in a state for 90 days AND have a hunting license (which can be from another state). I was going by what was told me in the ’80′s in Maine when I was trying to get Lyn interested in shooting.
i researched that when Nelson started off, you found exceptions I didn’t find.
It really doesn’t matter. When one tries to compare the USA to the Philippines from a moral stance, they make a fundamental error.
They are just to different. In the USA we don’t have much violent political strive. Our constitution and the right to bear arms came mostly so the people could overthrow their government. I think the Philippines has had enough violence. And the world has changed much. The American 250 years ago couldn’t possibly see Islamic terrorist coming to such prominence. That is what the Philippines faces.
Nelson started insulting people which wasn’t a surprise. He’s gone now. Glad you came back though.
Wow…..and I got chastised for saying the Government was corrupt over there… Rusty …see what I meant.. Some folks do know how things work there…You must pay the piper….it has always been that way…and — sad to say — it always will be. Just the way of life there.
I can remember folks doing business to get licenses and such for “BUSINESSES”…. and some…simply went along with all the nightmares involved — and SOME — “paid the piper” – and got their licenses months before the guys trying to stay within the law… Nelson…I commend you for being so correct and to the point. I lived there for ?? roughly 6 years…..and a bit ..in between…with the US NAVY… I was a senior PO….and knew the ropes very well… Today …everything works the same. Most important — that you get a friend who is a COP — or a Soldier…preferably a Philippine MARINE…. Best of luck to all..Rusty — hope you are feeling better..
Monday – I go back to the Doc… Seizures are killing me….sad…
Stopping me from going to Manila…..
Nice debate though typical of Rusty. Nelson, I read all there was on Ph gun law and yes you can own a gun, theoreticaly. Like any third world country and their local princedoms, laws are inturpreted locally until challenged to a higher court or offical. This is never appreciated by the local power monger (i.e. assinations). With this inconsistant application of law and the resulting costly and phoney non-productive assertion of rights to equal treatment under the law is in fact a form of control of the masses. Nelson you and Rusty are both right. One theoreticaly and the other pragmatically.
If you will stop putting “wtf” in the website box in the comments you’re messages will be less likely to go into spam and you’ll stop causing broken links on the site which would be good for me. Just leave it blank.
Hello “G”,
I did lots of “reading” too. The problem with “reading” is that nowhere, and I mean *NOWHERE* is it explicitly stated anywhere in Philippine law, that “foreigners” can own guns.
It may actually be “theoretically” possible…in the same sense it’s theoretically possible that the universe is filled with “dark matter” and “magnetic monopoles”.
You see, the problem is that, unfortunately, if some knife-wielding drug addict breaks into your house and threatens you, “theory” isn’t going to help you.
I find it amazing that people who’ve never even tried to buy a gun legally in the Philippines are going to vehemently dispute this issue with me (and dozens of other people whose statements you can see on google) after I spent months ACTUALLY TRYING TO DO IT.
Heck Rusty, I have heard MANY American politicians say very negative and racist things about people from other countries.
My point about racism is that saying negative things about foreigners is not really racism. I hate it when people make blanket statements about other people based on what they have seen and heard just a few say.
Some filipinos are racist, no doubt. MANY MANY Americans are racist…there is no doubt about that. But that doesn’t mean ALL filipinos are racist and certainly not all Americans are racist. In fact MOST people are not racist.
I think people need to be careful when making blanket statements about a country or a group of people based on what “some” people from that country or race of people do. It is simply not fair.
For example, to say the filipines is dangerous because some areas are dangerous is silly. To say America is dangerous because Detroit is like a war zone is also silly.
To say that filipinas are scammers because some scam is insane. To say that American women are whores because some are is also just as insane.
The Philippines has many flaws…and some of those flaws are alarming, but the Philippines also has some very good things about it. I have not had a problem with people scamming me. And neither have my friends.
But I do know it happens. But you know what? I had a business van stolen from me six weeks ago while on an actual job!! Bad things happen in America also.
So if the Philippines is not for you…then leave. As expats we have that luxury. But I will tell you this, most expats I know that have lived in the Philippines and then moved back to America…they cannot wait to get back to the filipines.
The USA is dangerous compared to the Philippines. I would feel far safer in Zambogonao than I would in Memphis or Detroit.
I don’t think you’d find a prosecutor in the USA say “and especially foreigners” when prosecuting a case. At least not a successfully prosecuted case. In many states that would get the case thrown out of court and charges dismissed. Usually the prosecutor would be fired unless he was elected then it is up to the people.
I agree though, it isn’t racist. They don’t care if you’re black or white or green.
Two kinds of statements about the Philippines that people should discount. The Philippines is perfect for everyone. The Philippines is horrible for everyone.
Every time I write a positive leaning article about the Philippines, I worry that someone will make life changing decisions based on what I say. Then they will come here and hate it
How one sees the Philippines is dependent on them and the amount of information they have. There was a guy not long ago that post on a forum that I use to visit a lot. He came, hated it and then tried to convince everyone else it was horrible, nothing good here. He went back to the USA and had a nervous breakdown because he hated it there too. I think one will find that to be the case 99% of the time. If one is not happy with how things around them operate in one place, I don’t think it is likely that will change by going to another location. Well, of course, if you live next to a smelly landfill, you might be happier moving to a new location.
I would have been happy in the USA but I would have been surviving and likely lonely. In the Philippines, I’m thriving. I think it is because I’ve learned how to not dwell on the negative. There was a time, I did just that. I couldn’t let the negative go and I was miserable.
Racism is when bigotry becomes official policy. That’s what racism is.
Some individual Americans are bigots, yes, no doubt. But Filipinos that legally reside in the U.S. are allowed to own property and guns.
On the other hand, when White people go to the Philippines, the bigotry becomes racism because bigotry is the official policy.
BTW the Philippines is more dangerous than the U.S. in part because there is a complete breakdown of law and order.
Find me a province in the Philippines where you cannot buy your way out of a crime for the right price.
Find me some social justice inthe Philippines. There isn’t any. There are lots of political assassinations and “disappearances”, however. By some estimates over 600 political assassinations since Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo came to power. Many of them committed by the military and police.
How many third world countries have you been in? The way you talk I’d say not many. There are some third world countries that don’t discriminate against someone because they’re White.
If foreigners are banned from owning a gun, it applies to all races, including Asians. That is not racism.
Per Wikipedia:
Race is classification of humans into large and distinct populations or groups by factors such as heritable phenotypic characteristics or geographic ancestry,
They should have stopped there as that is race. They went on with this and much more:
But also often influenced by and correlated with traits such as appearance, culture, ethnicity, and socio-economic status.
Go ahead, try to argue the Philippines is more racist than the USA. “I tell it to myself and I agree.” Alice Cooper
I am in Milwaukee area now and the other night at our State Fair there was a terrible racist event. Groups of hundreds of black teenagers inside and outside the fair grounds beating up anyone they came across that is white. Knocking bikers off their motorcycles and beating one man almost to death. 11 policeman injured and dozens of white men women and children beaten because of their race. This was the third such incident since spring and this is supposedly a safe city. if it had been white on black similar racial violence it would have been worldwide front page news. However its just your typical beat up whites for being white incident so it is hushed up and I bet no readers even heard of it. All whites can do is beat up on themselves for supposedly being racist rasism against whites is hushed up, not believed and has us scrambling to figure out what we did to provoke it.
Todd, I’m really sorry. I think one of your comments was deleted. I saw your name in a comment marked as spam by the system. I thought I clicked not spam but I must have clicked the wrong message. I’m not sure. It is gone. I looked in the database too for it, hoping it might still be there but it isn’t. That’s a dangerous place for me to be looking anyway. I really hate that I lost a comment.
Sorry for your wasted time.
Hey Rusty, no problem. I did think you deleted that because you did not like it! LOL. Anyway, no problem. You allow a lot of freedom hear and that is much appreciated.
Take it easy.
It made me angry Todd, I hate that it happened but I should be more forgiving. We all click the wrong thing sometimes.
Hi, first post here.
Was reading the latest posts related to Guns, Racism and all things supposedly bad about the PI.
I have lived in the Philippines when Marcos was in power. THAT was a superior time for sure. Peso rate was 7.5/1 but is was numerically cheaper then than now. Scarier politics, but the dollar went much further.
I had to move back to the US but visit the PI every year since then, and YES I do plan to retire there.
Now, of ALL the resons anyone would want to live in the philippines, Gun ownership is not at the top of the list, even for me…a gun toting, NRA card holding, gun loving American. When I move to the PI, if I cannot own one, then so be it.
I will move to the PI for most all the resons that Rusty has stated. My MONEY will go further. I dont care about the politics, hell I dont care about the politics here. I ignore it and LIVE my life. I will do the same in the PI.
I do know many folks that have had a bad go of it in the PI, but guess what they have a bad go of it everywhere they go, because in many cases they are too demanding, too smug and it short are the UGLY Americans that the rest of the world hates anyway.
I have no illusions that if I had no PESOnality then I would not be as welcome in the Philippines, but then again, I have been in situations in the Philippines with NO MONEY and many good Samaritans helped me out.
Now having said all this, let me make my point. The reason there are not many websites that talk about the or FOCUS on the negative regarding the philippines is that it is a waste of time. Folks that don’t LIKE the PI should not LIVE there. Just as I don’t LIKE Europe and I don’t LIVE there. (I do like to visit it though) If you have an AX to grind with the Philippine government, then GOOD LUCK. As I said I have been going there since the Marcos days and it has changed very little politically. Stay right where you are. We don’t need your complaining type there making us look bad.
People like Rusty write about what they LIKE, its human nature. I for one have chuckled several times when reading rusty’s tales, because I have been there and done that. This is what I like.
For anyone that does not like the PI and I know tons of them, do what my other friends do. DO NOT GO THERE. They all are still my friends and they think it is weird that I want to live in the PI but they do not berate me and they certainly do not troll around PI websites challenging the moderators to agree that the PI is Bad. Its DIFFERENT and that is why I love it so.
Now I am off to the PI gun shop to buy a used car with low miles and leave my front door open…………
HI Joe, thanks for your first comment. I hope there will be more.
If you can or can’t own a gun and I’ve seen strong evidence you can, including talking to a guy that went hunting at regulated hunting reserve in Mindanao, that it isn’t a huge concern. I too was a member of the NRA. Haven’t been in a long time. I am a hunter and I had a carry permit. Actually I still do for the USA. It will expire though, I think in two more years or maybe seven. Not sure.
My hunting days ended in the 80′s. Only because it too too much out of me. I love it and I miss it.
I don’t only write about the positive aspect of the Philippines. There is an article here someplace about the reasons not to move to the Philippines. When I write about why I like the Philippines it is what I like. You got that right.
You can also find quite a few articles trying to warn the guys about some of the Filipina. Like the “ugly American” that gives us all a bad name unjustly, the scamming Filipina often gives the Philippines a bad name unjustly.
Have a foreigner do something negative here and it gets more press than if a Filipino does it. Same is true in the USA or any other place in the world. We like our groups. We tend to dislike people out of our groups. Most of us are that way. I’m not so much but it has been said I’m too accepting.
If someone is not accepting toward the choices and lifestyles of others, the best place would be a cave or igloo in Alaska.
I consider some topics in the Philippines to be off topic for foreigners. I’ve seen Filipino express that it is seen as meddling by outsiders. I can understand that.
Also, Filipino are more than capable of handling the issues themselves. I find it insulting to think my way is better. Many come with the idea that they are superior to Filipino and you can see it in what they write and say.
Filipino respect me, I respect them. They don’t want me talking about their politics or giving my opinion on divorce, reproductive health or touchy subjects. I’m a guest in their country and I act that way. I don’t like everything.
I think if an expat were to write a completely negative blog about the Philippines, their stay here might be short. Those that hate it tend to leave though and that’s another reason you’ll see more positive leaning blogs. We are still here to write about it.
Now you’ll find the nay sayers in forums and posting comments on blogs. They are more than welcome, just don’t expect me to keep quite when they post their one sided opinions. When they say things like the Philippines is racist or that Filipino are rude.
The rude, I just don’t get at all. Perhaps those that say it do have a personality but it is just vile. I can think of one commenter here that certainly fits that description. No Nelson, I’m not talking about you. I’m talking about a guy that thinks women are evil and quoted scripture to back up his position.
I also agree that many don’t like it here. I go out of my way to point out that it is not for everyone.
You said: “Now having said all this, let me make my point. The reason there are not many websites that talk about the or FOCUS on the negative regarding the philippines is that it is a waste of time. Folks that don’t LIKE the PI should not LIVE there.
That’s a silly thing to say. It’s not cheap to move there and then have to come back. Why not discuss the good and the bad, let’s have it all out in the open, and then let everyone make their own decisions?
Who, in their right mind, before spending that kind of time and money and aggravation wouldn’t want to hear all the details, good and bad?
Nobody needs to necessarily *FOCUS* on the negatives, but just try to treat it objectively, no?
Nelson, I talk about the negatives of the Philippines. I don’t focus on them because the good is far better than the negative. It is safer, it is cheaper, I’m sorry you moved away for reasons that were just flat wrong.
If you don’t find what I saw about the Philippines then it is your own mind, your own view, your own hate and it is getting really old.
Where is your objectivity? You can’t see mine because you came here and hated it. Now you want everyone else to hate it. It isn’t going to happen. I love living in the Philippines, I’ve done it for more than three years and it isn’t going to change. You’re rantings certainly are not going to do it. Nor the many others that come and go. Usually on other sites.
Yeah, right food is more expensive in the Philippines. That’s absurd. I guess next you’ll tell me housing is more expensive, labor and toys are cheaper too. They break just as fast here as they do in the USA but cost a lot less. Sometimes hundreds of dollars less. You just didn’t have a clue what you were doing.
I think Joe, what people try to do when they visit here is to get an idea of how it is here. In order to do that you need to here opinions on what is the positive and what is the negative about a place. It is not complaining to point out the negative but trying to give people an honest picture so they can make up their own mind if the Philippines is a place they would enjoy visiting or living in.
If all you want to hear is the positive then visit the Philippine tourist bureau sites. Alot of us hear such glowing reports on the Philippines that we wonder if the people are talking about the same place we visited and lived in. Balanced honest opinions on their experiences are what makes these sites useful. All places in the world have good and bad about them, as individuals with differant needs depending experience them. Lets not be afraid to hear all so people have some idea of what they are getting in here when they come here.
I want different opinions too. I also want them in without a condescending tone. Words like nonsense and silly don’t belong here. I mind it less when someone attacks me than when they attack other members here. There are a lot of post here to me that are attacks on me. I’ll take it until it gets out of hand. Then I will stop it. If Joe or anyone else disagrees with a comment, they too are more than welcome to voice their comment too.
If someone wants to bash the Philippines, why don’t they put up their own site? When it becomes clear to me that someone likes to create problems, they wont last here long.
To say this site only puts forth the positives is not accurate, it is completely baseless. To say I write to sell my book is also not accurate, here are a few post here like that. Those post are clearly for that purpose. I almost never thing “What will sell my eBook and then write that way.” When I do, the article is about the eBook, There are two or three of those. Now sometimes, after writing them, I think, I should add a link to my eBook. I don’t expect skeptics to believe and I really don’t care.
Comments are good for the site, the last thing I want to do is prevent someone from posting them. Then again, I am not preventing about 750 post per day. Such a joy for me to have to go through all that. Just spam, people posting links using automation that never see the site.
I offered that guy an olive branch, he came back with an attack and argumentative tone. Others will stop posting to comments with that kind of thing going on. Having a troll on the site, can sure stir up the comments but it can also kill them.
Have you noticed people that attack rarely will answer a direct question?
BTW, I sent an email to the PNP about foreign gun ownership. I’ve read a lot that says you can own a gun here. Everything I’ve emailed a government agency in the Philippines, I’ve actually received a reply. Sometimes it takes a while. Not every reply I got was correct though. Whatever the PNP says, I will post. It wont kill me to be wrong, I’ve been wrong before, I’ll be wrong again.
There are too many websites with a ton of comments and the mood is friendly. I don’t need any praise, i don’t need agreement with me. That should be really clear since here is a lot of disagreement. There are people behaving in ways I would never do, well not at this stage in live. Comments are great for a website and nothing like disagreement to get them going.
Alot maybe most people go through life looking for reassurance and affirmation only. Anything other than that makes them uneasy anxious and even ill. Truth is not as important as comfort level. Comfort level is the most important thing for most americans. Fine tuning comfort level is our most common psychological motivation.
not wanting or appreciating truth but only seeking affirmation is the number one cause of the financial meltdown that happened in this country. people just didn’t want to think that they just couldn’t afford tat beautiful house. If some loan officer says its ok go for it we did. Why be negative just think positive.
Its a great high when we think all is good and only going to get better but it can lead to shock and disaster when the truth we avoided finally hits home.
i guess I don’t but that can also leave someone without a lot of friends.
It has been my observation that people really don’t like the truth and sometimes I am really bad at not saying it.
In this article too, nearly every positive is counter balanced with an exception or negative.
Somethings do cost more. Gasoline is around $5.00 a gallon! Ouch, it has gone up a lot in three years. Technology of near equal quality of the USA will cost you more. I can also buy an “iPod” for $20. Okay, maybe a chinaPod.
Electricity is probably more here, it is hard to cage buy my bill is as much here with one window unit as a home in the USA with central air. However this home has very poor insulation so I’m sure that’s pushing my cost up.
I know an expat that even manages to pay more for at least some of his food. Wow! He pays four times for chicken ready to cook than I do for already cooked.
He refused to adjust, he’d rather just complain and go on telling everyone it is more expensive to live in the Philippines. I guess for him it is. It certainly is not for me.
Actually, the people I know that say that don’t live here. They might even have a home here but they don’t live here.
Whether you’re talking about electricity, or food, or toys for your kids, etc., you generally get far more for your money in the U.S. than you do in the Philippines.
Some “prices” are cheaper in the Philippines, yes, but when it comes to *value*, let’s face it, the U.S. is hard to beat.
For example you can get far more and far better food at a Walmart or a Sam’s club, than you can buy anywhere in the Philippines.
As another example, in the Philippines, just about every single toy I bought for my kids, broke, not long after they had it. One year for Christmas I bought them bikes at a nearby SM mall, and they were nothing but trouble. I spent more time trying to fix the bikes than the kids spent riding them. And in the Philippines, unlike here, you generally cannot take something back to the store and demand a refund. If you buy something, and it’s bad, you’re simply stuck with it.
These are all things that people should be aware of before deciding to move there, IMO.
No one thing would stop me, but put it all together, and, as I said, it can really wear you down.
Nelson, if you paid more for food in the Philippines you really did something wrong. i don’t know how you pulled that off.
Nelson, I don’t know if I wrote about the crappy bikes Jessie bought for the kids here in Bogo or not. I suspect I have mentioned it. I don’t recall.
She goes out and buys a new bike for $15 to $30 and yes it is junk, the chains fall off is the most common problem. I tried to get her to to go the bike store where you can pay $100 to $1000 for a bike. She wont do it. You can get a good bike in the Philippines. There are groups of Filipino that ride as a hobby. One group travels all over the place, taking video and pictures. I found them on YouTube.
Yeah, I bought a crappy bike in the Philippines, so I should hate the Philippines and ignore all the benefits? Tell me Nelson, be objective, what did you like about the Philippines?
Hey Nelson, I hope you will continue to post your dissenting opinions about the Philippines. I’m fine with that. I encourage that.
You need to change the direction though if you wish to express your opinion. You’re attacking me and you’re not going to do that any more.
If you want to tell us why you don’t like it here. Great, love to have you.
Nelson, Have ever been to the Philippines? or spent time with the locals?The Philippine people are awesome. If you treat them with respect they inturn do the same. Not all are bad but there are a few. Why focus on the negative. There is so much positive in the Philippines. Don’t like don’t go. Just more for us to look forward to. Get off Rusty’s back, He is doing a value to everyone who really wants good “truthful info”. You really don’t need to carry a gun. Just stay clear of the known crime area’s and you will be cool.
Why make a big deal out of it? if your going to pick a fight go somewhere else.
It really is cheaper to live their. You have know where to shop and be frugle. Let the wife or girlfriend do it. They are better at it anyway. I personally think you got ripped hard. Live and learn, sorry you had a bad expirience their. I personally never had any problems their at all.
Sorry but folks that attack the Philippines gets me all fired up when they talk crap. Ugh!specially when they don’t have a bloody clue.
I appologize Rusty. Nelson has to start crap on your site, just delete his crap.
No, I’ll let it stay. People should know that not everyone likes the Philippines but there is only so much I’ll take. He obviously cannot read if he thinks I only talk about the positive.
Honestly, I think he is like so many others that can see the world in any way except through his own negative outlook on life. Lots of that but I’m glad he’s posted his negative opinion of the Philippines now that he has several times, it is time for him to shut up, move on and enjoy his life in the USA. I doubt he likes it there either.
Wow. FOod is MORE expensive in the PI than the USA? Where and how did you get this info? I just got back from the PI and I went full bore crazy with food and still did not even spend near what I spend in the USA. ONE prime example. GO to the Dampa Market in ANY city and order up one kilo of sushi grade Tuna. Cost I paid IN MANILA (Las Pinas) was 380 Peso. About 9 bucks for TWO point TWO pounds of fresh fish. On Boracay at the palenge same weight was around 290 pesos. What IS more expensive here is any dairy product or imported canned goods, but even then it is not that different on some items. Example. SPAM, a bit more expensive here at the Hypermart at SM malls, but when factoring in the shipping costs etc, if IS cheaper to just buy it here. What I have noted over the years is that anyone that wants to eat like they do in the USA will spend a lot, but still LESS than what they pay in the states. I for one eat local and buy FRESH and grill it up at the Pension house or the apartel or go over someones house and have a blast. Eating out at regular places is more expensive but even here, it IS always cheaper than the states.
part of the enjoyment I get from going to the PI is the sharing and the EXPLORING. Hell if I knew everything good and bad prior to arriving it would be BORING!.
Now, Electricity, I looked at a Bill for the house I visited in Bulacan. The PI DOES CHARGE more per KWH than what I pay in the states. Not sure why, but I dont care. These folks run 1-2 Aircons all night sometimes and their bill averages 3000-3500 Peso’s per month. ($71-84 dollars) STILL cheaper than my usage here in the states, since we run a lot more lights and have tv in every room etc. So even at the higher rate its CHEAPER in the PI.
What did set me back on my heels was GASOLINE. Way higher in the PI, but then again, a lot of folks run Diesel which is cheaper in the PI, Vs USA. But here in my case I dont drive a car in the PI and probably would not when I move there. Now riding a motorcycle…Yes every chance I get and until you have ridden in Manila during the week days, you don’t know if your a skilled rider. I have survived 35 years of riding in the PI with No mishaps of consequence.
In my humble opinion,and observation, most folks that dont like the PI are measuring it against best case scenes in the USA. Well if that is how its done, no wonder they don’t like it here. As for me, I look for the differences and THAT is why I like the PI. GO wit da flow and Bahala Na will get your BP down around 100/65 with a resting pulse rate of 65 and I am in HEAVEN.
I do have a question…how do ya get your photo in the posts? Do I have to register for that?
Joe, you need to go to http://en.gravatar.com/ and register there with the same email you use to post here with. Then your post will show your picture on nearly every WordPress driven blog.
Joe, when his first sentence included that food cost more in the Philippines, I just couldn’t really force myself to read the rest.
I have known others that say that. From someone else that doesn’t live here. Now that guys owns at least three condos in the Philippines. He knows about Ayala Mall. He’s an expert on that place and when it comes to real estate. I recently observed he argues with me when I agree with him.
I’m paying about P9500 for electricity. The guy that lived here before me paid about 6500. That was three years ago and there have been increases in price. When I first moved in it was around P7000 to P7500. The price increases have been substantial.
The Philippines was subsidizing the power cost but it has either reduced or eliminated that.
I can go out to eat here for less than $5 with Jessie and have a beer or two if I choose. They usually give me one beer for free. I’ve not had one in a long time because of diabetes.
You’ve seen the pictures of my travel in the Philippines. That trip to Palawan probably would cost $10,000 in the USA, at least $5000.
His comment on the cost of food is absurd. I’ve said it many times, if one can afford a good live in the USA then they can spend more here trying to match that life. I’m so done with this though.
It is just this simple, how you see the Philippines is determined by what lies between someone’s ears. The Philippines is not for everyone and I make that abundantly clear. I also love living in the Philippines. I decided that on my own and no one else is going to “undecide” it for me.
I have as much desire to change Nelson’s mind as I do arguing with a brick wall.
Does the Philippines have Net Metering for Solar Power yet? Last year when I looked into it it was NOT available. Solar Panels could be installed but had to be OFF GRID and use battery power at night which makes the cost VERY HIGH. I did not have time or access to look into it this year on my visit.
I helped a fella I know from Philippine Airlines install a Solar power set up for his water pump two years ago that is saving him big bucks now. The hassle was we had to use an ACMP (AC powered Motor pump) to use the panel direct with no rectifier. Expensive to set up, but as rates rise the pay back is substantial. He now also has installed a Solar Hotwater system that his working quite well and uses NO power to transfer water. its a Thermal siphon type and is great for those that like hot showers even at Night.
I’m not mechanically inclined I’m afraid. I’m pretty awful at it.
Yeah, I looked at the cost of solar power mostly for information purposes. The cost I saw for anything that would provide real power was staggering.
I just use what Filipino that have hot water (very few) use. A water heater that provides hot water for the shower only. I paid a local to install it for us. Works just fine.
I have also used those elements that people drop into their buckets for hot water, got shocked nearly every time I used it.
Didn’t have to actually touch it. What fun. lol ) There is an article around here about both of those.
I lived in a place in Talisay where the sun heated the water up so much it was too hot. There was some kind of small factory not far off though. I wondered if that was contributing to it. Lots of steam coming from there. I took cold showers for about a year, now that was a real joy. NOT.
Honestly, some of the comments here have me in utter shock! That is not easy to do!
First of all about the food. The cost of food in the filipines is FAR less expensive in most cases that the United States. I have no idea how anyone can say food in the filipines is more expensive.
The cost of almost everything is less than the U.S., although there are some things like electricity and electronic items that can cost quite a bit more.
What I have found is that when living in the Philippines “keeping up with the Jones” is far less likely to enter your mind. Suddenly all that stuff you thought was so important in the United States…well, it is just not that important when in the Philippines and I find that VERY refreshing.
If you try to EXACTLY replicate what you have in the United States then the cost of living could be more, but most people when they get to the Philippines do not do that. They find that the filipino lifestyle is what they love, not the material possessions that Americans sell their soul for.
I know of people that have plenty of money, they can live anywhere they want. They choose to live in the filipines because of the lifestyle. Some of us LOVE it! Some don’t.
I have a friend married to a filipina. He can’t stand many things about the filipines. What he cannot stand does not bother me a bit. And so it goes.
The Philippines is not for everyone, and I am damn happy about that. If everyone loved it there then it would not be what it is. So if you do not like it there, don’t go. I don’t care and neither do most expats.
When I first moved to the Philippines, I was really lacking in accurate information.
The things I had to do without were a little hard for me in the first couple of weeks. That started to change soon though. I was sitting in the back of a tricycle for the first time.
I saw the poverty, massive poverty and measured it by what I new of the USA. I wondered to myself “What have I done?” Then I looked around and saw happy people.
I asked Jessie if it was safe here. I did the same thing while in the van from the airport. I was in a place that looked like a killing zone in the USA. They said, “Yes, it is safe to get out here.” I wanted to get out because despite the poverty I also saw a beauty. I wanted to get out and take pictures and that is why I wondered if it was safe.
Back to being the in the back of that first tricycle, I thought to myself, so I can’t flush toilet paper, I have a funny looking thing in the shower to provide hot water which I had turned my nose up at when I saw it. I then thought, “All these people are happy, there are other expats here that are happy. If they can do it, I can do it.”
Those few moments set the tone for the rest of my life in the Philippines. If one looks hard, they can find an old story about things I miss about the USA. It is possible that it is on another website. I’m not sure.
I don’t miss those things any more. I also wouldn’t have gained Jessie. I can’t go into all the ways this woman is wonderful. She enjoys doing things for me, wants to do them, wants to take care of me. It isn’t a chore for her USUALLY. haha
I could be happy any place if Jessie was there and you are not going to find a woman like Jessie in the USA. They don’t live there.
BTW, I’ve been working on a story for sometime about the things I don’t like living in the Philippines. It is in the mix of things I will write. I just have the list for now. That article too will start with I love living in the Philippines but it isn’t paradise.
Something else is higher here, gasoline though that may not hold true for long. Part of that is the dollar is depressed right now.
Someone said they didn’t know why it was higher here. There has been a lot of friction in the Philippines about oil exploration. Where does the gasoline come from? Doesn’t the Philippines have to import most of it, nearly all of it? I’m not sure at all. If someone has, let us know.
When I first arrived in the Philippines, gasoline was cheaper.
I would like to have a multicab myself. There are places around Bogo I’ve not seen. I’d like to be able to take off and see a place whenever I want to rather than find a tricycle to take me there. I’ll get one but I’m going to buy a new DSLR first. Before I take any more major trips I want a new DSLR. Before that I need to have a physical and take Jessie to see her family in Tacloban. Hope to do both of those two this month but not sure I can get them both in.
Cost for one of the more expensive hospitals in Cebu? Room is $50 per day.
I am planing to move to Lahug, Cebu City in October 2011. I have met the woman of my dreams and am more happy than I have ever been in my entire life. I am 69 years young. I am retired drawing Social Security and am disabled through the Veteran’s Administration. I am not wealthy monetary wise, but am very wealthy with love and caring I receive from my future wife, for life.
Is there any reason that I should worry for my safety while in Cebu City?
Thank you for allowing me to make my statements and your time in answering me.
Sincerely,
Fred from Santa Rosa, California
Of course there are reasons to worry about your safety. If you’re girl is a good one, she can help you a lot. Listen to her. I personally wouldn’t come here for a girl I met online. I would come for other reasons and hope the girl worked out. Until you confirm this girl is what she appears to be, she could be your biggest threat. She could be a dream girl just like you think.
Cebu City is far safer than most places in the USA and one of the safer places in the Philippines. You need to exercise caution, especially at first. It won’t look safe to you. It surely didn’t to me. Poverty in the Philippines is abundant but it doesn’t always mean dangerous places like that in the USA. I’m far, far safer in the Philippines than I was in Memphis, USA.
Rusty: I am very interested in living the expatriate life in the Philippines. I have a couple of questions I want to ask and ask your confidentiality. First, I understand that if I marry a Filipina, there, while on a tourist visa, that I automatically qualify for residency status. Is this correct information? Second, I was once convicted of a felony in the United States and suppose it could be interpreted as a crime of moral turpitude . . . so the question is: if I just show up at the Manila airport, will I be cross-checked or will I be able to enter as any normal tourist and be given the 21-day tourist visa, pretty much with no questions asked? Thanks for your confidentiality in not posting this on your website and responding directly to my email. Dennis.
Hi D, you did ask it on the website and not via email. So, I removed your name. I don’t know if I should have just deleted it or reply to it. Since it will help others, I changed the name and replied. However, I don’t know.
I only do email with people that have bought my book.
Immigration is tied into Interpol computers. Some have been stopped from entering the Philippines due to prior convictions. The only ones I’ve read about were sex related crimes. I’v e not seen any reported in the press in a couple of years. That of course doesn’t mean it is not happening.
There’s no way for me to know if they check everyone that is entering, They didn’t do anything like that when I have entered in a public way. However, immigration appears to also have people checking passenger list via the computers. One guy managed to enter from Australia and get married. When he applied for his 13a resident visa only then did they disocver his conviction, he was denied. Immigration released a press statement regarding that. Clearly to send a message.
After a guy in Cebu was charged with human trafficking the governor issued a statement basically asking BI to stop anyone from entering that had a prior conviction. He had spent time in country lockup for drunk driving with repeated convictions. She reasoned that people with convictions were more likely to break laws in the RP. What BI did with her request I have no idea.
If your dead set on getting married and getting the 13A then you might as well contact the philippine embassy in the USA because they are likely to find it. If you want to roll the dice and come, you might get in. You could also email immigration in the Philippines, they do actually answer emails! I don’t think I’d apply for a 13a unless I knew the likely outcome. You shouldn’t apply Western thinking to the term “moral turpitude.” In our culture virtually any crime will be seen that way. The Philippines is pretty uptight about sex in general when compared to the West and that term in the Philippines, for me, usually mean ssx. Nothing formal about that definition. Strictly opinion based on observations.
Those are my thoughts, I can’t answer the question. I don’t know anyone that has admitted to be a felon. I suspect there are many here though.
Rusty, If you would also use only my initials for my anonymity, I would appreciate it.
I am in the same situation it seems as the guy with the previous question. I am in love with my Filipina girlfriend/fiancee and would like to go be with her and live out the rest of my days with her in the Philippines. I was convicted of a sex offense (‘consensual’ with a teen neighborhood girl) in 1997. It’s a long story, but just suffice it to say I was not in my right mind due to taking excessive doses of prescription pain medications and awaiting spinal surgery. I’m not trying to justify my bad judgement or my decision. In fact, I felt and feel extremely ashamed for what I did. Although I had been warned by my mother, my mother-in-law, and my exwife that the girl had a ‘crush’ on me and I should be careful or avoid her, I just felt flattered by the attention I got from such a beautiful young girl. I didn’t listen to the people I should have listened to, and at the time of their warnings, I never had it in my mind that anything of that nature would occur. After ‘being with her’ two times over about a ten day period of time, she told her girlfriend, and the girlfriend called the police to report it. I had never been in any type of trouble with the law at that time, nor since, but what I did on those two brief occassions has had very far-reaching consequences and continues to hurt the people I love and care for the most. I served almost eight years in prison, and three years on parole where I attended weekly ‘group’ sessions for men (yes, and women) who had similar, or worse crimes. I have never had any fantasies or desires about children, and unlike what is always in the media about such offenders, I didn’t have any other victims, am not a ‘predator’, or any of the other crazy things that people who watch too much tv think about ‘sex offenders’.
I had a Chinese fiancee I met while I still had two years to go on my parole. She waited until I got off parole, could get a passport, save my money, get a Chinese passport and go to meet her and her parents. I had letters of support from everyone you can imagine, a very expensive psychological evaluation, polygraph testing, etc – all attesting to the fact that I was an extremely low risk of ever re-offending, and that I had maintained a good job and had completed my parole in good standing, and I was not in any way to be considered a risk of harm or danger to my fiancee. Well, after waiting for almost another four years, my petition was denied by the USCIS, and which time my fiancee were heartbroken – devastated. We could have appealed their decision, but we were told by attorneys that the outcome would most likely be the same because it would be reviewed by the same USCIS officials who issued the original denial. A ‘motion to reopen’ might have been possible but, at that time, had not even been tried by any immigration attorney as yet. Most people do not know that this denial was because of the passage of the Adam Walsh Act which amended the U.S. Immigration laws to prevent anyone who has a history (at any time in the past) of certain “specified offenses” from being granted any family-based visa petition. In other words – any family member. any! the outcome would have been the same if she and I had been married in China and had applied. I should mention also that my Chinese fiancee had never been married and had no children; there were no other ‘derivative beneficiaries’ of my petition for her. Interestingly, forcible rape, murder, manslaughter, and other terrible offenses are NOT among the “specified offenses” of the Adam Walsh Act as it applies to the amending of the Immigration Laws. And, even though she and I had originally met almost two years before the law was passed, it took effect for every new petition, which I could not apply for until after having met her and spent time with her in person – a strict requiremnet for a fiancee visa petition.
My ex-fiancee and I decided it would just be too hard to try to appeal, file a motion to reopen, etc, because we didn’t know how long it would take, and we might just be denied again. So, please warn any of your readers here to google the “Adam Walsh Act and Immigration: and familiarize themselves with this law and the “specified offenses” and the “burden of proof” which is the sole responsibility of the petitioner. Even closed or sealed cases have to be explained for these family based visa petitions. If they have any sex – related offenses, I can just tell them they are in for a long, tough, and expensive! time of it. (The one 40 page psychological exam I had dome by a Qualified Medical Examiner and a board certified Forensic Psychologist costs $2500!) They will need to try and get police reports, FBI reports, parole or probabtion officer reports (which they are extremely reluctant to give! or possibly cannot give under their instruction or standards of operations. Yeah, think of those few horrific offenses or reoffenses which make the news out of the hundreds of thousands of registered sex offenders who will never have any other offenses. What politician or parole officer in their right minds are going to put in writing that ‘this parolee, in my opinion, will never reoffend…”? Don’t get me wrong, I think the AWA is a great law, and can and will keep children from being horribly abused – it’s just that people need to actually THINK about the way these laws are being applied. Every case and every offender is Different! and we also deserve to try to get on with our lives and to have reasons to look forward to our ability to contribute to society again and live fulfilling lives.
And now, I am finding out that I may not be able to go to the Philippines to marry and live with my beautiful fiancee. It has taken me about two years to mend my heart enough to try to move on. My Chinese exfiancee is one of my very best friends. I will always love her and wish her and her new guy – also an American – the very best. I have been so lucky to meet these two women.
I have discussed my past with my friends, coworkers, and others, so it was very necessary I think to tell the women I am most interested in making my wives about the crime I committed and what it has caused and what the continuing consequences might be. I prayed a lot about this. I searched the internet and found your website which I appreciate very much. Next, tomorrow, Monday morning, I will contact the local Philippines embassy and just ask honestly if there is a chance I can marry my fiancee in the Philippines and get the visa extension to live there with her. I just have to try to keep that hope alive. And I have to keep the hope alive that the USA will come to its senses about these crimes which create such an emotional reaction before these laws are replicated all over the world.
Thanks for letting me share, and thanks so much for including the article ‘because it does help a lot of us’ that you did.
Sincerely.
I think a lot of us have fallen to one kind of temptation or another. A momentary lapse of reason one might say. These things can destroy our lives or parts of them
I’m sorry but you have almost zero chance of getting into the Philippines if you tell the truth or the truth is discovered upon entry.
A man applied for a resident visa after marrying his gf. On his application he admitted to a sex offense. Not only was his application denied but the press made fun of him for admitting it on his application. They made it seem like immigration officials did too but that was probably just their slant.
BI uses Interpol records to screen some people when they enter the Philippines. I don’t think everyone gets screened. You’d have to lie to get in and you might be able to do it if you didn’t stay too long. I would suggest that you have the girl fly to a third country but changes are high that she’ll be denied exit from the country in fear that she will be trafficked.
It isn’t an issue for the American embassy, it is an internal affair of the Philippines. Filipino are generally very courteous but when it comes to making special exceptions on policy, even businesses are very unlikely to do that. A government agency isn’t going to make an exception to anything.
Those who spend their lives complaining in the US will spend their lives complaining in the Phils.
My plan is to move from Oklahoma to Baguio about this time next year. I would rather complain about the rain in Baguio than 110F days in Oklahoma !!
You make a good point and nice place to live I think.
I don’t mind people with a negative view of the Philippines posting but it seems they usually follow that up with attacks on me. In a few days there will be two articles on things I don’t like about the Philippines. Een they have many positive in them. Just like when I write about why I like the Philippines I mention the negatives.
I look forward to visiting Bagiuo, we can sit on your porch and enjoy the rain. Actually, I love the rain but I’d rather stay at home and watch it. I’m a homebody so it doesn’t bother me. And it cools things off. It sure beats the heck out of May in Cebu. HOT!
Thanks ..for the notes…..
When I lived in the PI…I taught the Local Police and the Philippine MARINES …firearms Marksmanship….
Major Edanyo..!!! SALAMIT…. You must be a General Today …or Retired..!!!! I feel…. if I can not own a Firearm .. I am not living in a safe place…. I have seen many people murdered in the PI…and the ownership of a weapopn would have saved their lives. I was called to save some lives — and did….at the cost of the murderers lives…
I love the PI — the People — the food…. the weather…BUT — if I can not defend my self and my family ???? There MUST be a determination – by the Philippine Government — that the people have the right to defend themselves — or …down the road…there will be more and more people lost – because of their lack of FREEDOM to DEFEND Themselves…
Been there — and know I am totally right…. I met and ealt with MANY of the Philippine MARINE Officers and Police..and –Ferdinand himself !!!!!Man……….. has been a lot of water under the bridge…… Remeber the XXIT RIVER BRIDGE..??? Olongapo.??? Bodies floating under the bridge… I was there….!
Eugene, couple of things. You taught marksmanship to police yet you don’t know if you can own a gun or not? Since you were able to do that you should have contacts to find out the answer to that.
You’ve seen people murdered in the Philippines? I have lived here for more than three years and I’ve not seen that.
You need a firearm in the USA, I think it should be a duty to carry one there, I did. I don’t carry here. I don’t feel the need to. I’m at much less risk of violent crime in the Philippines than I was in the USA.
The Philippines must not do anything. Why “must” they? I would not recommend you go to a foreign country and tell them what they must do.
I’ve been doing some reading here: http://www.fed.org.ph/index.html
They regulate firearm possession. I found a clause that says loss of Philippines citizenship is grounds for revocation of a license. At another point, it said you could only carry up to a 357 mag. Yet there are fees for a .45? It looked like there may be other exceptions to the .357. I’ve seen people on forums say the largest you can own is a .357 but clearly there is an exception.
That website has an email address at the top of it. You can’t click it, you can’t even copy it. Websites within the Philippines are often hard to use. Perhaps they are trying to stop spammers from getting it is why they do that.
I’m going to email them. I THINK this is the website we found before that indicated how a foreigner can carry a gun. I know there is an exception to the citizenship clause. It pertains to diplomats. Where there is one exception, there can be others.
It is almost a certainty, that you will not be able to import your firearm yourself. Maybe you can do it through a broker but you can’t do it unless there is yet another exception. One thing I’m sure of, you’re not going to be able to do this without contact the proper agencies. You are the expert, find out and let us know please.
“Remeber the XXIT RIVER BRIDGE..??? Olongapo.??? Bodies floating under the bridge… I was there….!”
………………….
I seem to recall a Marine hung from that bridge.
Just had a nice little chat with the Barangay Captain in the area that I just visited in Bulacan.
here is how it works in HIS neck of the woods.
Any gun purchase must be made by a citizen and registered. HOWEVER foreigners are allowed to use that same gun at the range, or wherever target practice is allowed. ALSO and this is key, IF there is an intruder at your house and the legal owner of the gun is not able OR willing to use it, then as a matter of self defense you can as a foreigner fire that weapon. Just make sure the suspect is IN the house or inside the Walls of your compound, and also you MUST warn them that you will fire. His take on this whole discussion is that the most common crime against foreigners is theft and Burglary. BOTH crimes are normally carried out without guns and if a gun is brandished then it usually stops there. Robberies of the street, same thing, BUT many do carry guns. As for the sue of a Gun outside the home, most Filipinos are not legal there either, as it requires a carry permit.
Now having said all this, your Barangay Captain may have a different view of things as well as the local PNP reps. he also stated that if you invite the local Captain over once in awhile folks around the neighborhood will know through the bamboo telegraph to leave your place alone for the most part, as well as YOU personally.
We did this several times my last trip, where we engaged in Tagay Drinking. IE: Everyone drinks for the same cup and talks story and tells jokes etc. When I made a late night return from Manil, when I got of the bus in Baliwag, the tike drivers all knew who I was and even said: hey Joe, Captain says we should take you home safe and no over charge! (I laughed at that one but it worked.
I know Joe that’s what I hear most of the time but I’ve seen authoritative sources say otherwise. So, I’m still digging.
I just sent an email to the Firearms and Explosive agency in the Philippines. Maybe I’ll find out for sure.
Maybe the reason I can’t find that article online any more is because it was completely and totally wrong.
Rusty,
“You’ve seen people murdered in the Philippines? I have lived here for more than three years and I’ve not seen that.”
Prolly this was back-in-the-day. The second Huk (Bagong Hukbong Mapagpalaya ng Bayan) uprising.
Something a little odd today over the guns issue. I sent an email to the Firearms and Explosive Division of the PNP (FED). The replied with “What is your full name.” I found that odd and a bit disturbing. Why do they need to know who I am to answer the question?
I probably wouldn’t have replied again but the email has the address of my website in it so its not like they can’t find out. I sent it to them.
RUSTY — TOM…
They ask your name – so they can check to see if you have a firearm.
We all know why on that one…
I was in the PI …looooong befor you guys .. When I was there…there were a LOT of MURDERS …and robberies…especially if you were riding in a “trike”…Forget what they called them…OH…not the JEEPNEY… Yes — I knew MANY POLICE.. I was US NAVY.
Was CHIEF MASTER AT ARMS on a SHIP…that spent a lot of time in the PI….?? I was there in the 50′s..(on a CARRIER)..the 60′s…..to the 80′s..(on a Destroyer TENDER)..then — I crossed over to the US ARMY — and Retired ARMY – SERGEANT MAJOR.
Long story – buy typical Government Buracratical BS….
I carried a GUN in the PI…..all the time. I had paperwork to do so.
The Paperwork was issued by my Base Commander there…then I had to go to the PHILIPPINE MARINE HQ on BASE…and they signed it off also…
I gave them a can (1000 rounds of .45 AMMO) – as payment for the “favor” of having the AUTHORIZATION signed off.. Everything in the PI was on a “payment” plan… Here we call it “GRAFT”…….
Today — I have no idea …..but – I bet it still works…on the QT….
YES — I trained MANY of the NATIONALS on BASE – at the RANGES….
I was one of the main INSTRUCTORS for FIREARMS…and had control of millions of rounds of AMMO…Had the Local MARINES and POLICE begging for ammo… They got it…in trade for other “things”..
Yes — there was a MARINE hung over the side of the SR Bridge in OLONGOPO… He had been murdered… We had a man from our Ship murdered also.. MANY — MANY robberies and injured personnel.. I was in a bar —with a CHAMPION ARM WRESTLER…… I had the money in his wallet – that he had been winning..
on the bar table..BUT — I was watching him – instead of the wallet…. Sadly – some sob stole the wallet… It was their way of life — to steal and injure…as they saw fit. That was in the 70′s… It was dangerous at night…. You did not walk alone….or — you would be found alone —- and nothing in your pockets.
ALSO–just inside the BASE…there was a BANK to the left of the GATE….. 2 – locals – were in there with AK’s…ROBBING the BANK….
2 US MARINES went in….DID NOT shoot the robbers…they were CHICKEN… Just stood there….could not speak TAGOLIG….and did not know what to do….. 2 –PHILIPPINE MARINES — pushed their way into the BANK….pushed the US MARINES out of the way — and SHOT DEAD the 2 robbers…
I have many memories of violent days in the PI….where only the BAD GUYS had weapons….. This is why — I am adamant on having the means of proper defense – if living there…. The POLICE will NOT be there to defend you if you are in need… unless you are paying for an ARMED GUARD… Then the “GRAFT” comes into play… Very serious….be darn sure that you have Security where you choose to live…
Be darn sure they speak your language..and be darn sure you can trust them… I spent far too much time there to be told different…. I can not say too much — but I too was into Black Market and other things where we needed help from the local MARINES and POLICE…. “GRAFT” worked every time…
Ever try to smuggle an Elephant tusk ??!!!! I DID !!! It worked …. Was over 30 yeaqrs ago…..Statute of Limitations is dead now…..
So….research on the legality of having SMALL ARMS to defend your home…
Yeah, you where in what many consider the “hey day” Much has changed now. Of course, I don’t have personal experience with the change.
That makes sense now, how you were able to do that but don’t have contacts. Doesn’t make any sense to look to see if I have a firearm, if I’m asking if I can own one, why would I have one. Perhaps they think I do. I told them I have a website and the question keeps coming up. I’m a X IRS employee and we are all paranoid, if you think having to deal with them as a taxpayer sucks, try working for them. Loved the job hated the way they treated us. I know people that were approved for PTSD due to working for the IRS. I just don’t like it when a government agency wants my name. There’s no reason they can’t answer the question without that. Maybe they just assume I’m up to no good. Makes not sense, I didn’t say I had one. I may have even said that I found it too expensive based on what I saw in the news paper article.
I gave them my name, “Rusty Ferguson” its a nickname, didn’t even think about it at the time. haha
A former police officer from the USA that visits here helped me look into it about it a year ago, we found you could. I just can’t find that. It thought I saved it. Awww, I had a computer die, I bet it is on that hd.
Hope I can sleep tonight, I need to go see the doctor. Unable to sleep last night.0 I guess I keep mentioning it because honestly I’m worried.
The Philippines has changed much but the people are still extremely nice. Have you visited at all since then?
Also, the US is still training solders here but more high tech stuff. The MILK shot down an UAV a couple of years ago. One would have a very hard time convincing me the SEALS are not here on a regular basis. Just had a kidnapping last month of an American citizen. They know we have those UAV so they probably have her in cave.
The kidnapping was via Abu Sayyaf. Her friends have been on the site. Wish something positive would come out for them.
Rusty, as Eugene says the Phils were wild and wooly back then at least near the waterfront. Still I loved the PI then.
Over the years I have been in many, many waterfront bars – purely for research purposes you understand…hehehe – and was only in ONE fight. That one was with a bunch of BRITISH sailors in Hong Kong !!
Watch your mouth, be polite, keep your head up and eyes open …….goes a long way toward safety in any language. In order to further my research late into the night, always I would find a suitable female tour guide early in the evening and would come under her protection. Maybe I’m just lucky but never was I stolen from much less injured by any of these women.
Tom B..
WOMEN ..??? Stolen from…..?? Hey …Lets not bring “adventure” and “excitement” into what was a “history” lesson….
Seriously………… Yes — it has all changed there – no doubt .. But – some things never change… One is “how laws are enforced”….
and – I can guarantee you ………..graft still is “key”… You understand the term – graft — and you have the “key” — to unlock all doors… Always works — in all countries.. In HONG KONG – with a proper
“escort” == I went from HK — over on a FERRY — to mainland CHINA….and up to a MONASTERY…wherre I met MONKS …who were the finest people I ever met in my life. AND — they were in RED CHINA….
totally against the law — and had I been caught — I would have been in JAIL…. BUT —- GRAFT – worked….and I have to this day ….a SHIPS BELL….that has in Chinese on it — “SILVER CLOUD”… the name of the Ship it came from..
My “escort”……of course spoke the language — and got me everywhere…. She was a AIRLINE STEWARDESS for a Chinese AIRLINE…who spoke perfect English… Greatest days of my life were spent in ASIA…
never — to be matched in this country…the US… I found the PHILIPINO and CHINES to be totally – wonderful – giving people – who did all they could to help and make a stranger –”a friend”…
I’d move there in a minute — but …some basic needs must be attended to first….and — they are being moved aside by the LAW of the PI….
YOUR right to life — and SECURITY is basically being ignored…. Not good…
Darn TOM B… we may have been in the same BARS !!!!!
I operated with SEAL TEAM 1,,, 2 or 3 times.. I built many SNIPER RIFLES for them.???
My best friend …was a SEAL TEAM 1 — wash out…. He was a heart broken kid — was color blind to 2 colors…. ANTHONY BREWER — went on to the SAN DIEGO SHERIFF DEPT when he got out of the NAVY — and was killed in a drug bust… SAD………. there would have been no survivors – had I been there…
I am hoping that more comes out on the present outlook – on the possession of firearms..and the right of a “RESIDENT”…NO MATTER WHO THEY ARE….to defend themselves — if the need should arise…!!!!
Lets keep after this…and see if the NATIONAL GOVERNMENT will get off their butts and make a statement – as to whether or not – they feel — you — although having been born in another country — that you still have the RIGHT to LIFE… The ABSOLUTE RIGHT to protect your family and your home from ANYONE who may want to harm you…THAT RIGHT — of course – is the right to be ARMED…. KEEP AFTER THIS…!!
Eugene, were you a SEAL or worked with them? I’ve always just wanted to speak to a SEAL. haha
I think I had the mental tenacity it takes to be a SEAL but I don’t think I’ve have ever had the body to be one. Oh wait, I was a seal and a CO at that. Oh, I guess an online game just show how isn’t the same, huh? LOL
In the 3.5 years I’ve lived here, I’ve only once been asked for a special payment. Maybe because I have an angel on my shoulder. Her name is Jessie.
Tom, last time I was in a fight, I was in the sixth grade with Don Richardson.
I wasn’t in the military though, that might have made things different.
I did “time” with SEAL TEAM 1….I was “assigned” to them..
I did ALL they did — could have gone to San Diego — and went to the SEAL TRAINING – but was assigned to a SHIP to build the SNIPER and other WEAPONS that were being used by SEAL TEAMS and “others”…
I had the “body”…. did the time…but did not attend the school at CORONADO …. Man…that was a while ago…But — at 72 now .. I know of no one near my age that can keep up with me…I still wear the same sized clothes I wore at 35 years old …and the waist is still 36.
So — think about it ….I know how to stay fit..and ticks a lot of people off….. Oh my God…just remembered — We captured a guy once….in the San Diego Hartbor — late at night .. He had a SubMachine Gun….and was on the anchor chain of our Ship…… Turned out – he was a SEAL….. His task to graduate was to capture our Commanding Officer…. I and the men in my ARMS ROOM gave him a piece of rope to tie the Skipper up…and to have it recorded that he did indeed capture our CO… While up there…PO2 EVANS saw a man pointing a weapon at our CO…. He grabbed an M14 and was nearly about to shoot the poor SEAL….. I had to calm Evans down — and it all went well… The man DID Graduate SEAL Training and was a US NAVY SEAL !!! He was one proud little SAILOR !!! Often wondered how he was today……
SEALS are nothing to sneeze at…….. they are much harder than you would ever imagine. At times – they were left in the water for days….alone……and — they made it….. No one can compare to them – except — KOREAN MARINES !!!!
Stay alert all…………San Miguel…….you are SWELL… top
I have never been healthy, even when I was fit.
What I like about the SEALs is TEAM. They take that to the concept it should be. I have the understanding that being a SEAL is 90% mental but some of what they do is also genetic.
Many can’t handle that long swim in cold water that is done at the end of training. They just don’t do have the genetics that allow them to do it.
Mr Pan,
What Ship built and or maintained the sniper weapons or ANY weapons whatsoever for Seal Team 1 in the 80′s? Also if you were attached to a ship how the hell did you “work” with the SEALs at Subic?
Give me some ship names and approx dates. I think we have a faker in our group here.
Also if I am wrong, then extra credit goes to you if you provide your Actual rate in the 80′s.
I can smell and root out fakes a mile away, or in this case 5 thousand miles away.
Joe P… You are an absolute DORK 1ST CLASS…
I was on USS PRAIRIE AD15 …we were in and out of SUBIC all the time.. My job was to train shooters..and in my ARMS ROOM — I built and maintained MANY M21 Sniper Rifles. I was a US NAVY MATCH ARMORER — and SHOOTER, as well as a STATE CHAMPION. To you meat head – -I need prove nothing…I know who U am — and those that know me – also know who I am…to you !! Take a flying jump….
I would yell at you but he did start it. Be nice guys.
Well growl softly.
My thought would be if someone is going to lie why not just say he was a SEAL. Of course, there could be a reason, a SEAL might hunt you down.
Ya know something, come to think of it, I wouldn’t want to screw up a SEALs weapon either.
Actually one of the more common ruses now is to say you worked with or trained with the SEALS or that you did everything they did but did not want or get or qualify for the trident etc.
Its actually a sickness. After the Bin Laden incident the number of fake seals and seal wannabees or “folks that worked with seals” increased to an all time high. There are MANY devoted SEALS out there that do track this stuff and when they have evidence of a real faker they take real actions. In other words they can make your life a living hell for real.
I know there are fakers out there. I use to play a game online called Fighter Ace. My squad as The Navy Seals.
I use to worry that a real seal might see it as fake but it was meant to honor.
I want to be a SEAL
I’m not and never could be because of physical limitations. Can’t have those and be a SEAL, part of it is pure genetics. Now the mental part, the determination and the sense of team work, that I could have done but that’s not all of it.
It would be so nice to be a part of that team though.
While I was playing that game for several years, I did as much research on them as I could. And if of them catch up to a faker they will usually do something to discourage it and it probably be more than a talking too.
I’ve known some guys that did work with the SEALs but they would never come right out and say it. “I support special forces” was the normal remark and if I pursued it, it became very evasive.
I can’t imagine anyone not wanting to acquire the Trident. I’d rather have that than the Meddle of Honor. Why? TEAM.
i agree with you we call them john q. wannabes
Rusty,
I have a question for you. I tried several searches on your site and none of them worked.
IF you live in the Phillippines do you pay US income taxes and any money coming from the states? IE pensions social security etc?
I hope to put some money on my CC soon. then I buy the E-book!
Marc
Grrr, I’ve tried to answer this three times.
I just hit the wrong button and lost it all.
The short version, you’ll pay US taxes on your income earned from the USA where ever you live. Well, you’re are suppose to. Failure to do so could seriously foul up your fun.
On a related note, I find it amazing that a guy that left the USA because I can’t afford to live there pays any income tax at all.
Link to more info:
http://www.taxmeless.com/page4.html
Also do not fret, most folks living in the PI have limited income anyway, so even if you do owe it is slight. IE: Social Security Income and small pension payouts.
California Residents need to De-Domicile prior to leaving since California still wants their cut also!
I don’t know if someone earning $700 a month as some on SS retirement do have to pay tax but if they that is freaking insane.
When you have low income, the smaller amount often hurts more than those with large incomes. I think being taxed on my retirement alone is next to obscene. Not because of the source but the amount. The amount of tax I am required to pay is absurd. I can’t even afford to live in the USA but yet, I do make enough that I have taxes due. You didn’t hear me complaining about taxes when I was working and earning a good income.
However, I’m also not asking for a tax cut for my income group. Doing so at this time also make no sense.
The TAX part had me wondering also….. Will be educational to a few of us..
In MANILA…there is a Company that makes Jeep Bodies…..(was)…
They are the WW2 Type Body.??? Does anyone know if they are still made.???? The WW2 JEEP is a HOT item in the WORLD…and — if they were assembled in the PI — and sold WORLD WIDE..?!!?? Let me know …… thanks… Gene
The largest manufacturer of owner-type jeeps in the Philippines is David Motors in Quezon City,
The largest manufacturer of vintage style army jeepneys is MD Juan.
Other manufacturers/marks include Mega (which also produces the Lanceta line of jeepneys, in Lipa), Malagueña (whose factory in Cavite was the site of one of the very first Yield Stops of The Amazing Race),[7] LGS Motors, Morales, Hebron, Marinel (jeepney makers based in Rizal which is popular for their patok (popular) jeepneys which are equipped with high-powered sound systems, aggressive racing themes and lettering/fonts, and their speed—some even achieving a “lowered”-style) and Sarao Motors
In Cebu, popular jeepney manufacturers are Chariot and RDAK, known for its “flat-nosed” jeepneys made from surplus Suzuki mini-vans and Isuzu Elf trucks, which are no longer in use in Japan. These are equipped with high-powered sound systems, racing themes, and are bigger and taller than those in Manila.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeepney
Great post. I was checking continuously this blog and I’m impressed! Very useful information specially the last part
I care for such information a lot. I was seeking this certain info for a very long time. Thank you and best of luck.
I’ve gone back and at least scanned all the posts.
One thought I have is that the Philippine government might consider looking into a retiree program such as that offered by Panama. Seems such a program would be good for the people of the Philippines as well as those of us who will retire there….and many more would bring their money and retire.
My second thought is the Philippines belong to the people of the Philippines. Ex pat’s, by the very definition, are citizens of another country. I just don’t understand all the criticism of a country you are not obligated to live in.
I’m a guy who has guns. After I move to the PI I will have a gun within a few months. Quietly. Many here are military and damn well should be able to help ourselves ….heheheheeh
Tom, are you getting the updates to the eBook? If not, let me know and I’ll add you to the update list, unless you don’t want to be in it.
Also there is a retirement visa for the Philippines with a LOT of benefits. There are some applications to file and a hefty application fee.
Hover your mouse over Immigration in the menu at the top. Then select Retirement Visa or something like that.
It gives you resident status but there is a fee of about P1500 and some other monetary requirements, such as a deposit in a Philippines bank account starting at $10,000 USD. Those funds can be used to purchase a condo but you have to have $50,000 to invest before you can pull the $10K out.
There is more in the manual on it, that’s why i’m wondering if you’ve missed out on the updates. There have been quite a few since you started posting here.
By the way, I’m not much for ‘pimpin’ but BUY RUSTY”S BOOK !
This guy is the only one I know of who busts his a** to bring good, useable information to ignorant heathens such as myself.
Don’t like to admit this but my purchase of Rusty’s book was ……timely. She was lovely……her daughter beautiful….and fourteen. Thanks to a a few lines in subject book ol Tom stepped away. I ran into exactly the same set-up once again- even to the beautiful 14 year old daughter – but moved immediately away from the relationship. (Yes was internet but both knew my plans to re-locate.)
Don’t be a parasite. Help support this place cause we need a central point for information we can trust. Buy Rusty’s book.
`Thanks Tom, I wasn’t aware you bought the book.
Or if I use to be, I forgot. Sorry.
I’ve started working on volume two of the manual. All buyers that optin to the update list get all updates for life. There I go, switching to sales mode. Sorry, hard to resist. I really do think it is a good buy though.
Yeah, Tom… I’m glad Jessie has only boys.
Rusty,
Many thanks for the answer on the tax question.It seems that ole uncle Sam has learned to close all the loop holes. And is still trying to take his pound of flesh!
But there again,That is why I am considering making the move.If my VA disability is increased that will be a huge help. VA benefits are tax free.
But then again they will most likely try to change that!
Marc
Rusty, yes I have been getting updates.
Eugean,
Me thinks thou doth protest to much.
What sent me in the direction of thinking you were not being entirely truthful about your “stories” was the previous comment you made about US Marines being to “chicken” to shoot the gunmen at the bank hostage situation at Subic and that the PI Marines had to do it.
Lets go down memory lane shall we?
It was late December 1977 and two gunmen took over the PNB Bank at the gate. They held hostages for approx two days. The bank was surrounded by US Marines from A Company Marine Barracks at Subic. No Local Marines were involved directly except as supporting elements on standby. There was a meeting for Tactical response planning that was attended by: the OPM for Subic, The XO of MST-3 and a few SEAL officers. Also in attendance was the PC Commander for Zambales and the INP Vice Commander for Subic. It was agreed at that meeting that the best course of action was to wait the situation out and to also to continue to allow the A Company Marines to be the lead group on the situation. At that particular point in time the main anti-terrorism trained folks on base were the US Marines at the two bases, the SEALs and MST-3 folks.
The end result was that the HOSTAGES themselves overpowered the gunmen and then the US Marines came in and cleared the Bank.
How do I know all this? I was standby back-up but did NOT participate directly as I was Stationed at Cubi Point Marine Barracks B Company from 1976-1980. I had several friends and fellow Navy and Marine officers from the Subic side that were directly involved and they performed flawlessly.
So, by your wholesale misstatement of facts, it also set me to thinking about the other tales you told. I knew many of the MST Folks and they had their OWN armorers, their own machine shop and support staff. they did not need visiting ship support for their weapons.
THEN add in the little “story” about how a man was not allowed to graduate BUD/S until he captured a CO on an underway ship. Anyone with any basic knowledge of what it really takes to be a SEAL would know that’s not true at all. BUD/S is and was a first step to getting the Trident. They do not DO missions or exercises with outsiders until WELL AFTER they get the Trident and do some shakedown missions with their assigned Teams.
I wont for the sake of the forum nitpick every little misstated thing that you have said other than those two easily disproved items.
Heck whatever floats your boat is fine by me, but inflating the resume with easily disproved items is just plain weird. Not to mention that it is never OK to put down another branch or rate/MOS. Kidding around in person with other services is cool and you know as well as I that we always did it when we were hanging out with each other, especially the Navy and Marines…hell we had some great drunk fests with the Navy!
I have no doubt that you were in the service, and for THAT alone you should be proud as I think you are. Whatever you really did is more than enough, since many folks do nothing at all.
Take care my friend and please accept my apologies if you still find yourself feeling offended.
Joe, you challenged the guy and he answers your accusations you turn around and say he protest too much?
Dang pc…. I had a note near finished – and it went dead…
to sum it up -MAJOR EDANYO – PHILIPPINE MARINES – gave me the info on the BANK JOB…it happened in the 80′s… EDANYO told me that the MARINES in the Bank did not fire a weapon — thet his MARINES had busted in there and shot the crooks.. I may have my dates wrong ??? I was there over 15 times since the 1950′s..
Anthiny Brewer – who was in my ARMS ROOM – and helped with the SEAL TEAM 1 kid we caught on our SHIP in San Diego …was killed in a DRUG BUST in San Diego – ALL PUBLIC RECORD …..Steve Evans ????…not sure where he is ..but look him up – you might find him….
When I ran the RANGE on SUBIC — MAJOR EDANYO had his MARINES there a lot….shooting our M14 and 1911A1 Pistols….. You see – I was there — and it is all documented….day for day ….I need not prove anything to any horses butt….. Can someone tell me why there are more horses butts – than there are horses…??? Geeezzz….sad indeed…
I did NAVY – and ARMY time…. near 30 years total…more with the Civilian Tech time… and yes….we constantly call SOLDIERS meat balls — or NAVY Personnel SWAB JOCKEY NINNIES….all comes withteh time in Service…we mean nothing by it – it is a form of RESPECT — something you never learned… KMA…… SEMPER FI Folks….time for
a M1 GARAND PARTS SEARCH…….top
For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness.
THE BUZZARD:
If you put a buzzard in a pen that is 6 feet by
8 feet and is entirely open at the top,
the bird, in spite of its ability to fly,
will be an absolute prisoner. The reason is
that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground
with a Run of 10 to 12 feet. Without space
to run, as is its habit, It will not even
attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner
for life in a small jail with no top.
THE BAT:
The ordinary bat that flies around at night,
a remarkable nimble creature in the air,
cannot take off from a level place.
If it is placed on the floor or flat
ground, all it can do is shuffle about
helplessly and, no doubt, painfully, until it
reaches some slight elevation from which it can
throw itself into the air. Then, at once,
it takes off like a flash.
THE BUMBLEBEE:
A bumblebee, if dropped into an open tumbler,
will be there until it dies, unless it is taken out.
It never sees the means of escape at the top,
but persists in trying to find some way out
through the sides near the bottom.
It will seek a way where none exists,
until it completely destroys itself.
PEOPLE:
In many ways, we are like the buzzard, the bat, and
the bumblebee. We struggle about with all our
problems and frustrations, never realizing that
all we have to do is look up! That’s the answer,
the escape route and the solution to any problem!
Just look up.
Sorrow looks back, Worry looks around, But faith looks up!
Live simply, love generously, care deeply, speak kindly and
trust in our Creator who loves us.
SEND THIS TO A FRIEND… I just did. Even though he sends darts……
Sad indeed……….
Looks like your Major gave you a bum story. Never knew a FIlipino that was inclined to embellish a story for effect.
See this link sir.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=JhdSAAAAIBAJ&sjid=XDUNAAAAIBAJ&pg=4054,5565664&dq=on+base+robbery+subic+bay&hl=en
Magadung umaga………….If I remember correctly…
I had to dig….but — found my last 2 Cruise Books…WESTPAC 1979 …and WESTPAC 1981.
So – last time I was there was in 1981. As I remember — the robbery I remember – happened while we were there…which would have to be in ’79 …or ’81..
But …whatever happened — happened…
On the JEEPS………… I ordered a body from MANILA….in ??
probably 1995 or so… It was the WW2 type BODY…complete.. Came here in a wooden crate…. I had a “time” getting it all to line up on an original 1943 ARMY Issue FORD frame… I had to cut and weld a couple of the body mounts…in slightly different places to fit the body braces…..But – when finished – the JEEP was absolutely beautiful.
I have many pictures of it finished… It sold instantly to someone in a Military Vehicle Collector Club… Finding the frames now is tough..BUT — complete JEEPS of the WW2 VINTAGE — sell instantly !!! The demand is unreal. Do you know if the BODY makers — are making FRAMES ???? The Military Vehicle Collector CLubs around the USA are going nuts for Jeep Bodies….
I might just have to go to MANILA and make a deal with one of the JEEP Body outfits..??!! SALAMIT MO…….!!
Joe, you never heard a Filipino embellish a story? I have, many times.
A report in a paper doesn’t prove anything. Have you not seen a story that you witnessed and saw how badly the press fouled it up?
I don’t believe for a moment the marines were afraid to act. I’m sure they would be chomping at the bit to act. Eager to take action.
What would be the reaction in the local papers if they killed they guy? It would likely be horrific resulting in demonstrations. Demonstrations played a major role in the USA closing the base.
It is also illegal for a foreign power to take any type of military offense in the Philippines which I’m sure all the commanders at the base had on their minds.
Rusty,
The comment was sarcasm.
Agreed on the news story issue sometimes as well. The POINT that was made is this: The story as reported was factual because I was in country at the place when it happened and knew folks that were directly involved.
As for the continued insistence of Mr Pan about that it happened only later…well that’s not how he started it out.
I am satisfied that either he got it wrong or is simply repeating an urban legend of sorts.
Now for what it all means? I am done trying to prove with facts what he is most certainly not going to agree with.
if anyone really wants to pursue the issue any further, then pay for the stars and stripes archive access, I do, and guess what NO STORY after 1977 on any base bank robbery. TWO prior to that, but they were in the 60′s. Nuff said.
Again, I made my point and am ready to drop it.
Also in answer to your other question: Doth protest too much was related to the fact that it went straight to name calling and very crude comments from him.
The main purpose of visiting this site is to get information and viewpoints on LIVING in the Philippines and that is how I will approach this forum from now on. Whether someone tells a tale tale is not the issue, it was the insults that came with it that set me off. it wont happen again.
Joe… I have no way to contact you direct….so — I must bore “others” with this meaningless dribble….Sorry all..
But…first off…”???SARCASM?..No clue what you mean..none.. I made a statement — if you consider it sarcasm…you need help… Whether “it” happened in 1975 — or 1925…or who cares when — is totally meaningless..I was repeating what I was told over 30 years ago — who cares now..??
YOU are the one carrying it on…I could care less….and so could everyone else….The point is –IT DID HAPPEN…and it is over — loooong ago….and who cares now. I don’t …
I have no idea where you are from — but my guess is Kalifornia..?? Am I right….?? Were you ever in the Military..?? and if so — were you a “ZERO” ?? Be honest….
Like the comments on the SEAL TEAM gang.. It is all documented –in MILITARY RECORDS…. I worked with them..many — many times.. I was a MARKSMANSHIP INSTRUCTOR — for LONG RANGE AND OPTIC SIGHT USE…SO–Is that so hard to believe..??? I RAN the RANGE at SUBIC !!
Who made the negative comments…?? Stupid – childish remarks..and not needed on an adult site like this. I came on here to look into many intelligent and important things for myself — and other Military retirees…and MILITARY VEHICLE Collectors.. I will find out what they need to know and pass it on…
Anyway….keep it zipped….we are done…
RUSTY — you are a true gentleman…one day we will have some good fried LUMPIA and maybe some Pork bejon?? Not sure how to spell it….been too long — but I miss it…and the monkey on a stick !!!! The PI and I got along well…being a NY WOP … I enjoy a lot of foods that most will not eat…. Got to run…back is killing me……had a bad fall…. GOD BLESS and WATCH you all……… SEMPER FI.. Gene
The sarcasm comment was about ME not you.
Also I am not interested in continuing to argue with you. I AGREE the issue we sparred over has nothing to do with the subject matter of this forum.
SO< if your the man I think you are then lets just call a truce and chalk this all up to two NEW YORK WOPS having a bad couple of days. OK?
I am originally from NYC and I am 100% Italian with Hillbilly influence from when I lived in Tennessee, North and South Carolina, and Virgina. Currently reside in the mountains of the Sierra Nevada just across the border from the peoples Republic of Kalifornia. Take care my new friend. and again, in case you missed it…I apologize for seeming to be a brat.
Who said I was ITALIAN ????
I’m a SICH !! Family is from PALERMO……….. capicia ?
Alright Giuseppi….ciao…I must go….starved…
By the way….ANY race could be a WOP…you do know what it meant ??!! WITH OUT PAPERS …the paper work for the person had been lost – or the person did not have any…they could have been from POLAND…managa….!!
Buona serra..Eugenio
Sparring and off topic messages are just gonna happen.
I created a forum though that is great for off topic stuff.
http://cebuexperience.com/forums/
Rusty,
I am going to try and post a comment that is a little more back on the topic of living in the Philippines. I am married to a lovely woman from Pagadian City and we are talking about retiring in the Philippines. People that are writing about the information being given being biased to only the good things are not reading the same sites as me. My point however is that no matter how much you read about the good and the bad points of living in the Philippines I don’t believe that you will really know if it is right for you until you actually live there. Every acticle can give you someones elses idea of the good and the bad but it is not the same as living it for yourself.
Keep up the good work and I will continue to read and learn from you and others. I am looking forward to the update to your book.
Steve
Hi Steve, thanks for moving in back in that direction. And you are 100% correct, you wont know until you get here. We are all unique, so some will like it and some won’t. Knowing what to expect though can help reduce the total unpreparedness that I experienced.
I am beginning to think that people read according to their inclination. I have people tell me I’m over positive and I have people tell I am over negative. Some of that though is just our super face paced lives, we tend to scan things because so much information is thrown at us these days.
I hope you will stay in touch and let us know how your plans and eventual travel to the Philippines goes.
“Keep up the good work and I will continue to read and learn from you and others. I am looking forward to the update to your book.”
——————
Yup
I think that kind of hacks me off that they are doing that with a copy and past.
I don’t know exactly what that index is but it isn’t good.
Okay, okay work me to death.
I just spent about an hour on it. Adding to the section “Places In The Philippines” for me to get it out by the end of the month is going to be pushing it I’m afraid.
Remind me again tomorrow and I’ll try to spend another hour on it.
Really, I could use the reminder. 
If I spend an hour a day on it until the end of the month, just might get it out.
Okay, I spent another hour on it, I now have a bit more under 30 pages written.I have one more section i want to add.
The places in the Philippines section should be considered a start. I could spend a week probably writing about that. i will add to it later. There is as scam that some money changers are rumored to pull. I want to get that in the eBook. Then I have to compile it into one document and ad a table of contents to Volume II and hotlinks. And it will be ready so it is getting much closer.
I’m going to act like a retired guy now and waste some time playing pacman until I get tired of being killed by a ghost named Clyde.
The release is there Tom, I just have to send out an email to tell people. You can get it here. I hope you have your receipt. I suspect I’m going to be spending a lot of time digging that up for people.
http://expatmanual.com/members/
Rusty:
I am 61 years old. I am thinking about moving to the Philipines when I retire next year. I do have a girl friend there. She lives in Tabtabungao Rosario la Union. I came there last June. I will not be a XP. Only stay there 8 to 9 months a year. I have read so much online about the expences to live there. I hate large cities. I liked Tabtabungao Rosario la Union. I have two questions. 1. How well can I live on 100000 pesos a month? 2. How safe is it for a old american living in Tabtabungao Rosario la Union.
Thanks
Donnie
Many life on much less than that here. It depends on your needs.
http://cebuexperience.com/living-in-the-philippines/expats-in-the-philippines/expat-finances/how-much-money-do-i-need-to-live-in-cebu/
That article provides a lot more information on that.
That is actually a Barangay in the town of Rosario as best as I can tell. I can only speak in general terms. In most places I feel safer in the Philippines that I do in most places in the USA.
Hi Donnie,
Even in manila, your 100,000 pesos a month can live far…trust me….the more in the province…just make it sure that your girlfriend will not give your money to all the family members…lets face it,,,its a fact…even in manila u can have business also using that amount…i am here in manila, living on my own but i dnt have that kind of amount of money but still i was able to live simple but comfortable…if needed my help about infos…here is my contact #…
lucy mahumok
+63 908 455 0379
or email at
[email protected]
I have to add…………that to live in the PI in general …is not a very expensive way to spend a retirement. But , being extravagent is…. To live comfortably…and enjoy your life – is not all that expensive …and can be done under 650 dollars a month.. I spoke with a couple of friends here that married Philippinas…and are headed back to the PI in a year or less… I have a couple more months …and should find out about whether or not my book has been bought for the making of a movie…if it is…I will be looking close to MANILA for a place. !! Wish me luck………..
Wow book into movie? Awesome good luck with that.
Some can do it on $650 a month. I would find that hard. I might need to find a relative in the states if that’s all I had.
But if one doesn’t have that option at all, then $650 will go further here than in the USA. If you had to pay rent in the USA and then try to live on $650 a month, that would be very hard. But if your home and car are paid for, it could be done.
I know someone living here on about $650 a month, has a good woman that he did meet online. Just to prove it can work out. She’s in her early 20′s he is in early 50′s.
He lives in Bogo.
Its true that its not that expensive to live here in manila…500$ is even enough…just not be extravagant or just buying things not needed already…feel free to ask me….ill tell u how…
lucy mahumok
+63 908 455 0379
Fantastic………….!! He made a smart choice Rusty. I have been busy — visiting a familiy I have not seen in over 30 years… The mom and dad are gone…. Always very sad to me – to hear of a friend passing….. Charles Bronson made a movie on their property….and got fresh with a daughter of theirs… Mom — “Silvia”…told Charles – that if he went near her again — she would punch his lights out..and Silvia meant it. I saw her chase a Mountain Lion with a broom……..!!
My book – is about Fur traders…in the 1850′s…. is 100% true story….and — is NOT in history books…. I am hoping !!!! Should it be accepted for a movie – I’ll be home free…BUT ??? today ….nothing can be taken for granted…. I want to search for many “lost” items from WW2 in the PI…… Also …the great big cast iron pot…that had the treasure under it…. MARCOS stole it all…. What became of the BUDA..??? Where is it today ????? Did he have it melted down ????
Does anyone know .????? That was an unreal thing to find –!!! the BEST to ALL…top
Hello,
I have been living in Northern Thailand for the past 6 years, but would like to move somewhere nice and quiet in the Phillipines for a while. Ideally a quiet beach area close to a couple of bars and restuarants with a bookshop near by. Any suggestions? Could you give me an idea of long term rental prices, i don’t need much a bed, a hammock, and a fridge, and a nice view. Any help would be great.
Cheers
Mac
Hi Mac,
Wish u can call me…i can help you when you come here or even tour or show u around…there are so many beaches here in the philippines…not that expensive but world class…feel free to contact me at…+63 908 455 0379….thanks
lucy mahumok
+63 908 455 0379
There are many places like that but subic may be of interest to you.
Personally, I love living out in the province and in Cebu. Nice quite peaceful like, beaches all over, hard to be 30 minutes away from one. i have virtually zero interest in the bars. Now I say that but I do want to go to Anegels City. No way I’d do a early work release because paying a girl to be with me does ZERO for me. But I’d really enjoy seeing the place and I can surely see a few lady drinks, laughs and fun.
Cheers rusty will google it and have a look. any ideas on monthly rental prices. this is a great looking site by the way nice one. cheers
You guys are great, props to Rusty for this great site!, I to have visited the phillipines and fell in love with the culture and people, I am recently divorced and looking to make a life change soon, your site is very informative and I will be ordering your product, thanks. Chris living in a hotel room working as a construction manager!
Hi Christopher, thanks for the kind words. I’m glad you find the site useful! That’s a pretty rare last name you have and it is the last name of my great grand parents. We called the Ma and Pa Hollis. Though I can’t remember and they may have spelled it with only one L. The lived in Mississippi. I don’t know very much about the Hollis’ though. Probably not related but it would be cool to find some Hollis in my family tree.
Sorry about the divorce, I tried it twice. haha Did’t care much for it either time. I wish the only thing I had lost was money. First time I was 30 and it was much harder then. By the second time, I was jaded. The Philippines can be a fantastic choice. I was gone about six days after the X2 became an X.
Now, I’m an island hopper when I have enough cash to hop with. lol
I served in the Marine Corps during the late 80′s and 90′s and was blessed to have spent time in Olangapo, met a local lady and really got to know her family and friends over the next few months, I have to say it was one of the best times I remember about the service. I found the philippen culture to be laid back and very excepting (my experience), anyway I will be planning a trip early next year, still decideing between germany or the P.I., germany simply because I’ve never been to europe!, have a great week! (wishing I was there)
Honestly Rusty….after scouring the far east…..it is hard to beat the PI…. Great people….and once you have made friends — as you know….you have friends for life…. I have company now and then from the PI….folks that are married to GI’s….My plans for a trip over there are on hold at the moment…had another darn seizure.. Need to get this medical stuff under control for the trip….darn it….
The old US Base in SUBIC…..the Japanese are there now ????
Do you know if they have “housing” on Base for “visitors”….???
Being retired Military – I wonder if I could stay there for a visit ????
Anyone know ???? Let me know….. Thanks……
Thanks for your service, I hope those seizures are not a life long result of an injury you picked up while serving. In any case, sorry to hear about that.
I don’t know anything about Subic. That would be truly ironic if the PI sent the US packing from Subic and the Japanese are now there instead. I’m going to have to find out. I don’t think so. I think there is a commercial airport there. I know guys fly into Clark AFB and I think it still uses that name. I’d like to visit Subic. I know we are all friends now but geesh, to put Japan into an American base, that would still be an insult to me. I’d get over it but I don’t like the sound of that.
Cubi Point NAS is now part of the Subic Freeport. The hanger on the east end that was built in the middle ’80′s for VC-5 after they started flying the CH-53E’s as a WestPac helo VOD Squad is now the terminal. I think they have scheduled passenger flights to/from other parts of the PI (including Manila) but, unlike Clark, they do NOT have international flights.
Subic Freeport may have SOME Japanese investment, but Subic Bay, the Philippines’ first free port , continues to be one of the country’s major economic milestones with 700+ investment projects, including the 4th largest shipbuilding facility in the world. (Minority owned by a CHinese Company)
As far as visiting the former base itself, yes that IS possible and IS encouraged. there is several lodging options on base and you can even stay at GRANDE Island. (Former Military folks will ALL remember that place for sure. Civilians and former Military welcome.
find out more here:
http://www.sbma.com/ (Official website of the freeport area)
http://www.mysubic.com/ (Good resource for activities etc)
Hi Rusty, First let me say I truly enjoy your website and I look forward to reading your book… I have a couple questions/concerns for you. I have been to the PI twice, the first time was in the Subic as part of the US Navy for about a year and fell in love with the people, culture and traditions.
The second time was last year for 3 months, I stayed in Makati and visit several areas including Baguio, Olongapo/Subic, Clark and others in Luzon… I retired from the Navy, currently single, own my home here in the states and recieve a good pension from my military retirement… My question is that I have met a filipina lady here in the states, she has been here in the states for about 6 years, most of her family have been here in the states for many years including her parents… I am 59, she is in her early 40s, I have been considering retiring somewhere in the PI, and she said tha she would also come with me if I wanted her too, but she is afraid for my personal safety and health as well. I am really not that concerned about my safety as I try to be aware of my surroundings, and old enough not to be caught up in a moment or a situation that I could find myself in trouble. That said I respect her concern and hope you cold share your thoughts. Also I would like to visit Cebu and the areaas and beaches around there, any recommendations as to where to home base out of or places to go and stay while I am there… Thanks again for your time and for the great service you provide to so many… Be well…
Mark there are of course dangers here but there are more dangers in the USA than the Philippines. Stay out of Mindanao until you’ve researched the place and decide for yourself. Some areas there are fine but i see the region as a potential powder keg. Many love it there too. I don’t have much personal experience with Luzon it has a few more issues. Cebu is considered the safest. I don’t think the safety issue is a big concern. Sounds like you already know that safety is a numbers game and the numbers are far more in your favor here than in the USA. Violent crime is significantly lower here. Of course there are things some do to paint a target on their back.
Thanks for the kind words, hope to see you here often.
Hi Rusty,
Just had my second visit to the Philippines last July. First time for just a week this time for 3 weeks. I really love the Philippines and all the people I have met while I was visiting there. This last visit I stayed at my girlfriends home with here family,,,I cannot begine to tell you how well I was treated by her mother, brother, sisters, etc. etc. etc. I am sure you can see where I am going with this.
This visit was to Butuan City in Mindanao. Now I must tell you the roads in the city were in pretty rough conition, but many were under repair. I have heard so many complaints from expats abou them, but all I can say to these guys are, come back to the US and travel some of the local roads here,,,,same problem.
I had the experience to talk with 3 expats while I was there. the first one was at the mall and he couldn’t say anything good about the Philippines,,after about 5 min I decided this man was a total jerk. #2 was a man who had been there for about 9 months, altho he said he like it there he spent his time drinking every evening, I think he would be happy anywhere there was beer. # 3 seemed to be a little more stable in his las as he had been there for 9 years. But he had a problem with about every phase of the government,,,all I can say about this is, mister you are a visitor in someone elses country so you must abide by their laws and regulations.
So to actually get to the point of my ramblings is to say I had a wonderful time, that I love the country and the people. I was treated very well everywhere I went and you can be sure I will be back.
Keep up the great blog Rusty,
Mike
I understand what you’re saying Mike. Hard not to complain about the complainers. haha
Sometimes I get frustrated over some situation that is different in the Philippines from the USA. Occasionally, I even get mad. But I honestly can’t remember what those are.
I think there is safety in complaining. People just want to talk about something. If you say you like something, that opens the door to be criticized. Just my guess. I can’t say I’ve never complained about something with another foreigner, I’m sure I have. To heck with the problems with the roads. Now it does slow you down and make trips longer and if you’ve made the trip many times, it isn’t much fun. I figure if it is a real problem, it is just another reason to go some place else.
I’m glad you’re enjoying it and I hope that continues. Living in your gf’s home for that long is not something I’ve ever done. I get tense if I’m around too many people and I’d probably melt too.
It is an experience I’m a bit jealous of. I’ve never done that. I’ve always lived in much more comfortable places than most Filipino do but then I must. Someone would be pealing me up off the floor. haha
Thanks for the kind and encouraging words.
“Now I must tell you the roads in the city were in pretty rough conition, but many were under repair. I have heard so many complaints from expats abou them, but all I can say to these guys are, come back to the US and travel some of the local roads here,,,,same problem..”
Here in Oklahoma City we truly have many beautiful medians. However, a few feet from a beautiful median may be a search party trying to locate a tractor and trailer lost in a pot hole !!
Hi Rusty,
Really enjoy your blog and plan on buying your ebook very soon. I have never been to the Philippines but have been studying it for several months now and my life at this point craves a new adventure. I love the asian people, I am not an ugly American and think I could get along well there as I am a happy person. I am 62, getting divorced, finished with american women, the usa and the whole bit. I am not angry or bitter against the US, I am a former marine, vietnam vet. I would not be coming empty handed, a small pension of 3k per month is what I would have, but I would like to do something to keep busy too, work of some kind, teach english, internet marketing, etc. And above all I want to meet and marry a good Filipino woman. I am getting interests sent to me via the filipinocupid site, do you recommend it? I am planning my first visit in April of 2012 and would sure like your advice so I will buy your book first!
If I were looking I’d probably use Filipino Cupid and other such sites. I need to put my ad back up for their site. I did have a paid account there years ago myself. What I found was mostly girls looking for cash. You can find some there though. I’d just keep it light and make contacts myself. Or I would try to do that, I’m not very good at doing it.
I don’t know about the teaching English really. I don’t think I’d spend my time that way personally. I can stay busy on the net and if it is for making money I just don’t want to work for $5 a day and those are good wages here. To legally work that way you’ll either need to be married or spend much more than $5 a day to do it.
I have to stay busy too. I can’t sit and veg in front of a TV all day. 
You’re income will be enough to live a good life here. Not like a king but a good life.
Dick,
regarding Filipino Cupid. As Rusty says many want cash but certainly not all. Another suggestion of Rusty’s is to make your own contacts and I strongly agree.
A couple of things:
Do you know where you want to live in Phils ?? If yes then obviously only search that city.
Decide how you feel about kids. Many of these women are going to have at least one child though may not admit that in the beginning.
Now back to making your own contacts. Get a paid account at Filipino Cupid so standard members can respond to your emails. Then HIDE your profile so you don’t have to deal with 19 year olds who positively love you within five minutes….LOL ! (Unless 19 year olds are your thing of course.) You search the age group and city – if you have a specific city in mind – that interests you and send them a show of interest or better a short email.
This way you only deal with those women who interest you.
Rusty mentions a couple of scary traps in his book so I’m not going to mention those here as you plan to buy the book.
If a woman told me she didn’t have children and later I found out she did, she’d be history. There was a time I would have dealt with it. I wouldn’t now. it is a bad signal.
Another reason to keep it light. Easier said than done.
Hey Rusty,
just stumbled on your site and thought I would say g’day! I met my wife in Baguio and we have been together for about 7and a half years now. We go back every year (currently live in Sydney) to visit my wifes family and always have a great time in the Baguio region. We have visited Puerto Galera,Bohol, Cebu, Segada, Tabook, Palawan , Hundred Islands etc… I have also been to Mindanoa, Malapascao and many other places before I met my wife. i’ve Never got involved with any of the sleaze there and I really love the Philippines. My wife and I plan to move back there when we have enough in the kitty and we’ll see if we can make a go of it. I just prefer the simpler way of life there and I have had a gutful of trying to pay off the big mortgage here and the stressful nature of life here in Sydney. We also have two awesome little boys together and they are adored by their relations in the Philippines.
Hi Anthony, I would love to visit Bagiuo but so far have not been able to do so. Would love to see the wood works from that area. I live near Malpascua but have not visited it. I have always gone to Bantayan Island instead. I suppose I should try that Island soon.
I’m glad you said hello and hope you’ll drop in and share your experiences while you were here and while you prepare for your move to the Philippines.
Rusty: What can you tell me about the town of Rosario in La Union? I was there last June to meet my girl friend. It seemed like a nice little town to retire to next April.
I’m sorry, I don’t know much at all about Rosario. I’ve never been to that province. I haven’t spent much time in Luzon for that matter.
I would have no problem going or living there. But then, I’m just thinking of Luzon in general. Even though not far from Manila (but not close), I wonder how hard it will be to get the things you want. How often the brownouts come and things like that. I just don’t know. That’s what I’d look into.
That area gets smacked by typhoons a lot but unless one just sits over the area, I would let it be a big concern as it is on the west coast and most of the wind damage i see is on the east coast. Flooding could be more of an issue.
Shouldn’t be any significant problem with terrorism but NPA are every where. They generally do not bother civilians.
I was there for 9 days. Only had one brownout. I do understand they get typhooons. Please if you can get more info I would feel better. Everyone was nice to me when I was in Rosario. I only want to find a nice little town to be in and relax. Thanks
The only place I can get info is searching the web. You can do that as well as I.
I’m a long ways from Northern Luzon. I’ve never heard of anything in that area that would encourage me to visit. Nothing to keep me away either.
Lots of expats in Manila, Cebu and Davao. You might want to consider having your girl relocate there.
Mr. Ferguson,
I think this is a wonderful website ^_^ I have been reading a lot of this forum, and I must say that I have already learned a lot. Now it’s my turn to contribute. I’ll start with a brief explanation of my situation, followed by the inevitable question.
I am currently in the military and engaged to a Filipina that is living in Japan. I started a bit too early with her and we already have a daughter. I’ll have to double check with her, but I think her visa expires in Japan sometime around May. Thanks to the nature of my job in the military, I can’t just run to the town hall and get married. It’s a hugely complex ordeal for me involving background checks for me and her, and there would possibly be negative implications for my career if I just said, “screw it” and marry her immediately. I wish I didn’t have to have permission from someone else to marry another woman. Afterall, I’m a grown man!
So, anyway, because of the amount of time it may take to complete the process for immigration, as well as the paperwork for my command allowing her to stay in Japan with me as a dependent, on paper, it shows that we’d be done with all of that BEYOND her visa’s expiration date…thus, she’d be forced by the G.O.J. to go back to the Philippines. I’m proud of my service, but I’m honestly tired of being on a leash and being treated like a child, so I want to finish my tour, and then move to the Philippines and possibly live there with her and my family.
I have already been to and seen the Philippines multiple times, as well as many other places that may not be so well off. In other words, it’s not culture shock to me, and I understand. I guess what I mean is that for all the things that your friend Nelson was talking about back in May (check the forums if you don’t remember…foreigner’s with guns…), I can look past it. In fact, I already do. I find my self defending the Filipino people from other sailors that speak poorly about the situation, putting themselves on a pedestal.
Time for the question: It may be difficult for me to find the best job, but I love teaching, and I want to teach English. Do those jobs pay decently? Don’t worry, I’m not asking for a $60K a year teaching job, but does teaching English in Davao (where the fiancee is from) pay the bills, put food on the table, and a roof over our heads? After all, I am proud to say that I am quite the savant of the English language ^_^
Are there any places I can go that specifically post job openings for foreigners? Also, I read somewhere on this forum that you can set up the job and the visas before you even arrive on land…can you further expound on that? Thanks for giving everyone great information, and keep up the good work Mr. Ferguson.
-M.C. USN
Hi Micheal, thanks for your service!
That’s good information for other military people. I have been asked the question by military personal and surprised they don’t know the answer. I knew there was red tape and that it involved making sure she wasn’t a spy or something.
I don’t know about the teaching job. In some countries, like Japan it can pay very well. I’ve known two people that worked in this field. One was an expat, he got room and board and P5000 a month but he never saw that, it had to pay off a lot of fees. I don’t know what happened to him, I don’t think he was doing it legally. Said he was but look like legal double speak to me.
The other was a Filipina, very bright girl and a leader in the school. Not management but paid much more than her co-workers. She earned P30,000 a month and that’s very good pay here. I was surprised to see that she was making that much. Well that is what she told me. I don’t know of any place to go for expat jobs. I wrote an article on that subject this week? You’re best bet is to learn how to make money online. I’ve seen one well paid expat, he was managing a mining site. Sorry, but I’m just not real hopeful about being able for you to land a job. That doesn’t mean you can’t, you may very well be able too. I’m sure your background will help. These schools are usually low cost and high profit. I am just afraid this is not the right country. BUT if you find out something different, please come back and let us know.
I can only give you generalities. I looked into jobs here for about 5 minutes and saw that was not likely to be productive. I think I was looking for curiosity. I’ll never work for someone else again.
PS, call my Rusty please.
Mr. Fer…oh, I mean Rusty ^_^
I appreciate you being a realist. I’ll have to do some research on it. I honestly don’t think that I would live there permanently, but I’d be there for a number of years while immigration work is being figured out. Who knows, maybe we won’t have to go there afterall, but I’m just planning for any situation.
I’ll do some research, and I’ll be sure to post my results here to keep everyone informed. I’d like to start my own business in the hopes that the start up cost would be much less than that of the costs in the U.S. but that’s just thinking out in left field.
P.S., marrying a foreign national isn’t really that hard in the military, but because of my specific job, it requires a ridiculous background check that takes four months to complete.
-M.C.
Awww, I see. I know military have to go through their personal office. So it usually isn’t a big headache? I take it you are not close to retirement then.
A business could be good if you get int he right one. Selling something Filipino would be interested in likely means everyone else is already selling it. There are a few exceptions. The competition is excessive in most cases.
You’re start up cost will likely be very low, lots of red tape. Unless you have hordes of cash you’ll have ot set it up so that it is owned 60% by Filipino. I haven’t closely studied it all and most of what I did do was three years ago. To take out a lease in a resort area to setup a resort requires a $5 million USD investment in the property. There is bound to be ways around that, like putting it in your wife’s name. Sometimes the authorities have spoken of “dummies” though when referring to businesses. Lawyers here are very inexpensive and I wouldn’t go into a “real” business here without using one.
Most of the things I’d be interested in only a Filipino can do. Real estate and tour guide. I’m a little unclear on the tour guide. Lots of expats do that but not on a formal basis for the most part. Let us know!
MC, Rusty,
maybe find something to export from the Phils ?? I understand much competition but with a lot of research…who knows ??
……………
“P.S., marrying a foreign national isn’t really that hard in the military, but because of my specific job, it requires a ridiculous background check that takes four months to complete.”
……………
M.C.,
take the time and do your paper work properly. You will be well compensated for your time and effort with the marriage pay you’ll receive from the military.
Take the time and do things…right. Protect your woman and your child.
Tom
Yes Tom, I meant to mention exports, I guess I left it out.
Hi Rusty
Couldn’t agree more with your comments, I’m a Brit working all over Asia and married a Filipina, their true character is shown by all the hassle they get at embassies when trying to make visas and just take it in their stride where as, me, the stupid Kanu would be throwing chairs around, and the extended family do adapt to you and make exceptions most of the time for our lack of understanding, Get the San Mig out, we’re coming home for christmas,
Geoff
You have a point, people complain about BI but try getting into the USA or the UK and you’ll find what red tape really is.
Hi
Its people like Nelson that get us Brits a bad name he should try being a foreigner going to the states,if he thinks hassle from government agencies is racism then there is no where worse, but I suspect everyone that came across Nelson was sick to death of his whinging he was never going to get any respect or treated as normal and therefore ripped off as a reward.
Yup…correct folks… WHile living in the PI – I never — had a problem..never.
Coming from NYC – I know that to get anywhere – you must “pay the piper”… GRAFT is a way of life in the PI… I gained more in 6 months there — than folks I knew who had been there for over 10 years.
I love it there…always will – because – I understand the workings of their mixed government…
Aussies and Brits were always having a good time — but not really fitting in…until — they were enlightened to the “pay the piper” rule..
Then – things changed dramatically… I still have friends down under…
Keep the faith all…. everything works out…..
I have never had to pay anyone off to enter the country. I get many people that come in thinking they had to pay off BI officials only to find out that the payments were required in the first place.
Though one BI official did manage to get some chocolate out of a friend of mine. He too thought he was being scammed but he just didn’t know he had to have an exit ticket.
Those that see the Philippines in a positive way as you do, usually don’t take themselves at the center of the universe, learn to roll with the flow. Glad you enjoyed it despite the issue with BI you had or think you had.
Now if one wants to do business, from what I can gather then you can run into “miscellaneous payments.” I myself have paid highly questionable custom duties.
Did I miss something here..??? Negative way ??
Where…?/ How..?? I simply stated how I got along in the PI ..I made NO
negative comments….nor did I complain about doing business with officials..My best buddy was a Chief of Police….It is a way of life there Rusty..I have been back and forth to the PI since 1956 Rusty … When were you born..???
I am at the center of NO universe…anywhere… Your comments make me think you are far too familiar with San Miguel…. Got an extra ??
Miss it…. top… Do you know what “top” means..???
Yeah, I think you did miss something. I complimented you, I thought, on your way of staying positive even though you had some issues with BI.
I rarely drink.
Nor do I and almost never alone.
I use to have an SM once a day or two. But with diabetes back in my life now, it isn’t a good idea. I never drank much as I get addicted to everything I touch and I knew how it would end up.
But that night I drank too many Long Island Ice Teas at someone’s house, oh man that was misery. I never drank heavy again and that was in the late 80′s. 
Jessie bought some stuff to make a drink for me the other night. She came in this morning and asked if I had been drinking it. No. She said it is almost gone. I suspect the maid got into it.
I think this maid needs to go. Just afraid I’ll get someone worse.
I’m back on Prednisone, I didn’t go to sleep last night.
It is now 9:30AM. It can be one of the side effects but I didn’t have this problem last time. I hate being tired while wide awake. 
And I just ate and I’m starving. I’m beginning to wonder if the Pharmacy doubled my dose. 
I took two Effexor, half a Xanax and two Benadryl. Grrrr, guess I shouldn’t have taken the Prednisone at 6pm. Hands are flaring up again. 
Darn Rusty..
I guess I am super lucky… Not o/weight — just a bit on the high side with blood pressure..But not bad at all..
BUT — I had a darn fall — and hit my temple on the corner of a coffee table…and — went into a coma and a damn seizure. Have had 3 more seizures…and am on some sort of pills… Ticks me off…I am in great shape ..but a lousy fall has kicked my butt. The doc says it will go away after 2 years or so.. Must me a bit of a blood clot in the brain.?? Wife saye…what brain..?? Yeah…for sure — living here in the US …makes a guy wonder…
I understand there are silly things that will help you a lot…like tomatoe juice…and other natural fruit and vegatable juices…. Have a look on the web — for natural juices to help with diabetes… Just recently I heard of many new ways to treat it…and blood pressure….
Check it out….
Gene
dang Rusty…I’m going to have to come over and whup you back in shape when I hit Cebu…you got some bad stuff goin on…
and them long island teas are bad news…fun when they are goin down but the next day us old farts cant take the pain any more..I have dialed Waaaayyyyy back on the hard stuff…two SM’s ought to be plenty for me…
Those long island ice teas were a long time ago. I was too old for those at 32 as I found out that night. I think I was close to death.
I’m not kidding. Blacked out. Think I nearly chocked to death by the way my esophagus hurt for about a month afterwards. I’m not sure I ever had another one. 
That was more than 20 years ago.
Ahhh…gotcha..
Bad day …lost my baby Wolf… Lousy Coyote got him…sad day for sure… He was a doll…. (really was a young Wolf)
Anyway…I loved the trips to the San Miguel Factory…..!!!
Not much of a drinker either..but — I really anjoy a very cold one late in the afternoon….. There is soooo much to see and enjoy over there…and I’m stuck here until my book is bought for a movie..
I have a company working on it…and !! is looking good….Then….so long……… and HI !!!
This guy Top39 is an interesting character…I think he pops more than one SM at a time…don’t worry about it Rusty…you were a diplomat all along…
??
Have not had one in several years….. What are you sniffing ???
Rusty is always a good guy…and we have been chatting a long time…
But …Dick..?????? Is taht a hint ?? Last name Head…???
Be more careful — until you know WHO you are talking to/with. I am a retired US ARMY SERGEANT MAJOR… Any clue what that is ??? I give no quarter….just 5 from a 14.. Capicia..???
Yeah…when I was stationed over there .. many times….with several commands… We did no favors for anyone…. The locals took care of all mistakes… Was great duty…and time that will never be forgotton – and lessons learned that will last forever… I have passed many on to the kids I taught to be Soldiers.. One is a Bird Colonel today..So I know I did my duty – and earned my Rank…thanks to duties in the PI…. Major Edanyo — wherever you are — GOD Bless….!!
Hey no offense there Top…just thought Rusty was in the right on this particular topic…and by the way, just so you know…this [edit] is a decorated combat marine…no slouch himself…ok?
Glad to hear it !! SEMPER FI…..!!
No b/s — my cousin Bill … landed on IWO..
You can look him up — Bill Antonelli…
He was a CPT w/the NY Fire Dept…retired and living in Florida now..Not doing too well..his wife is in bad shape also.. When he goes – the MARINES will lose another great Veteran..!! He took down many Japs – bare handed….and has all the proof to this day….their swords…. Great MARINE .
.
Hey thanks Top, great to hear it…a big semper fi to Bill from me in Arizona…sorry to hear he is not doing well..my prayers go out to him and his wife…
Thank you !!
Ever run into a GUNNY named KWIATKOWSKI ??!!
He and I were good buddies…in the 70′s..
By hte way …I was US NAVY..and US ARMY — went in in 1956 …and stayed until 1992. I was a turncoat — was about 1973?? I went ARMY. Seems they liked the way I shot. I was a MATCH Armorer – and long range shooter…LOVE it.. Have my own Barrett… Familiar with them ???
I h ave had a career that people drea of having — with the Military and Civilian time…Would not trade it for anything…
When were you one of Uncle Sams Misguided Children ?? Could not resist..
By the way — we are neighbors..I’m up in Colorado Springs…..
The Wolf I just lost to a Coyote — came from down in AZ…. Have a great one !!!! I need a cup of Joe…
Top:
Did you ever know a Fort Benning AMU armorer named Bruce Bennett?
I first ran into him in CT in the late ’80′s when he was working as a local gunsmith; he later moved to Maine and bought Woodman’s gun store in Norway (ME), which is where I grew up. I had picked up a NM M-1 with other mod’s from a pawn shop here in CT and when I showed it to him, he said that it was one he’d worked on in the AMU.
That is unbelievable !!!! I had a Gun Shop in Freyberg Maine…and knew several gun folks in the area.. One was a retired AirForce ??Major..Stan something..
He had a bunch of kids and a Gun Shop ..in the area..Norway — South paris ..?? Somewhere…I did meet Bennett….I do remember a guy who was a Armorer…so must have been him.. I was also building Mi MATCH and M14 MATCH Rifles.. Still build the M1A’s…into HEAVY MATCH and Sniper Rifles.. My favorite.. I double lug them also..
I copped the STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SERVICE RIFLE MATCH — with an M14 I built.. Was a M14…not an M1A… Lots of tricks to building one of them babys… I built a few rifles with Don McCoy…Great guy…Sad to lose a great builder like him…. Look him up on the net… In CA…
We shot at Camp Elliott and MCRD Pendelton ..
Got to run….Later…
Top:
When were you in ME? As for great builders, did you ever meet John Seecamp? I had a DA conversion Detonics of his until ParaOrd. came out with the LDA.
I left MAINE ?? in 1971….no — 1972…
When my parents were both killed in a car wreck out here in Colorado… I stayed here… Went back in the NAVY — travelled around the Orient — and then in ?? 90-91 went US ARMY..and WEAPONS TECH as a Govt Technician job.. Retired from it all now…..Miss the shooting…
Just had to say…that on Grande Island….There were hundreds of WW2 Japanese weapons left in the area by the nips from the War….. My God — would I love to have them…even one truck load…. The souvenirs on those Islands would make anyone a rich man…if you could get that stuff to the US….. The collectors go bonkers over that stuff….. JEEPS also….!!! The sell like hotcakes here…. The tunnels are still full of Jap stuff……
That lousy Ferdinand and his darling wife ripped off a great guy we knew there. The man found a BUDA – filled with gold coins…and the Marcos crooks stole it all from the man.
I know the true story well – having know the farmer — and his cast iron kettle…. I rode his Caribou !!!! Long story…but interesting – what a crook Ferdi was — and a liar….. He was not Guerilla Fighter…..
I’d heard that about the Budda, thought it was just urban legend.
Did a lot of diving off Grande and Chiquita when I was over there in the ’80′s, but mostly on the LST’s that were blown ashore in th3 ’47 typhoon. Most of the Jap. wrecks had been dynamited flat to clear the channels, just like the New York. Generally, Lyn would be fishing while I was diving and she ALWAYS snagged her hook on the coral just about the time I came back to the boat with empty tanks so I would have to free dive 30′ to 50′ to free her hook. As for Marcos, I still think she almost got me killed one time. We’d gone down to Manila so she could catch her namesake bus (the Luzviminda Line) to her province (Dinagat/Surigao del Norte) for a trip home. We got to wandering the bars in Emerita the night before. She was for Marcos and got to arguing about him with some B-girls who were for Cory in one bar. They got into it hot & heavy and I thought there were going to be some knives pulled.
Nope — that cast iron kettle was very true.. I saw it many times…and of course – never dreamed what was under it.. Aparently – the farmer was told by the Japanese to never move it — and he plowed around it for many years. Finally … he got hold of some folks ( a couple were US SEABEES )..and they all moved the kettle — which – would not move…..so – it had to be “lifted” — up and over what was inside…. A GOLD BUDA !! filled with gold coins the Japs had stolen.. The BANK of MANILA and other Banks — hid their gold — some in BARRELS…some in the ground.. The GOLD in the Barrels was confiscated by MARCOS …It had belonged to the US GOVERNMENT….and when found in 55 gallon drums….was quickly taken by the crooks in MANILA – and kept quiet. The finders got nothing. As so did th epoor farmer – who found the BUDA… Marcos had it melted down into gold bars. Was a disgrace… That BUDA – should have been returned to JAPAN — no matter what they did in WW2 — that idol was not part of the war ….it was a religious symbol to the Japanese People — and who knows how old it was…. What a shame… Is Imelda still alive — ??? She should be kicked in the pants for what happened there…
Much more went on . but…nuff for now…
Seems to me that a lot of gentlemen love to live in the Philippines but what about a single gal? Do any of the expat women you know enjoy the life and life style of the Philippines? I am a well traveled international teacher thinking about relocating in Cebu for at least 2 years and just wondered what the scene was like.
Thanks!
Angela
Hi Angela, every once in a while a woman express an interest in living in the Philippines but it is not frequent. The women I hear from are usually Filipina that now live overseas and miss their homeland.
I get about one woman a year asking if there are others. I suspect there are more lurking about. If you start asking question, giving your opinion and telling us about your travels they may start posting as well.
Glad you’re here and hope you stick around. As for your question, its just too broad for me to answer.
I love living in the Philippines but most expats living in the Philippines are men. Cebu is one of the safer areas to live in, there’s virtually no political or social unrest except for the occasional spat. We have more in the little jungle city that I live in than most of Cebu but it isn’t bad. The politicians don’t like each other up here in northern Cebu. Most of their fighting is in the courts though. There was a grenade or two around though. 
One got tossed at a small time official but it was out in a corn field.
Read the site, there’s a lot of information about Cebu here. Try this link to home in on Cebu. http://cebuexperience.com/tag/cebu/
Angela,
I’m betting you will be well received
Tom
Down Tom down, bad dog.
I’m the flirt around here. haha
How are you guys doing? I made contact with BPI to open an account there, in the Philippines. So I can buy you some beers maybe a cigar, maybe…..lol. I don’t know about you, but I will sitting around fishing, putting the fish on a fire and drinking some beer, but I got to be careful taking meds from VA……..
yes Angela and since Rusty was too modest to say it buy his Expat Training Manual if you are considering the Philippines as a place to live. And there are plenty of expats around to help you when you are in Cebu…that is where I am going to live…good luck!
Thanks Dick, can use all the support I can get. I do think it is the best expat on the Philippines out there. Comprehensive! I need to make an update or two. Minor stuff.
For one, it is much easier to use credit cards from the West in the Malls these days. When I first got here, that wasn’t true. I need update that in the eBook.
Angela, a lot in the book is geared toward men but I have had a few women buy it and are pleased. There is a lot about dealing with Filipina games you want have that issue in all probability.
There’s still a lot in there for a woman.
Hi cold you give me some advise on geting a job in the Philipines I was there during June and July 2011 loved it; I think it is paradise.
James, this has been addressed in several locations on the site. I suggest you take a look at this article: http://cebuexperience.com/living-in-the-philippines/what-is-a-good-income-for-expats/
It is possible to work here but it is extremely unlikely.
Me work?…..no way Jose, just wake up and go fishing for breakfest,lunch,and dinner…..you mentioned work, now I’m stressed out…….lol.
Eddie, I understand completely.
Angela,
If you do go. I wish you the best of luck.And hope that our paths might cross. As we are doing things a bit out of the norm as well. i am married to an African American. And we are planning on moving to the islands sometime next year if things work out right!
And we are are also looking at Cebu City and Cebu Province as a possible home.
Be Well
Marc
AKA Gator
can i go the Philippines if i had my passport for only 2months
It depends on your country of origin but many can enter the Philippines on a passport alone. How long you’ve had it doesn’t matter.
im from the USA thank you so much i never flew b4 my gf took off there b4 me shes from there i was kind of scared i wouldnt be able to go
You are not likely to have any problems.
Rusty,
Glad to meet you and to find your blog. I was in Subic bay in the military back in 1987 wow! I am 44 yrs old now divorced with two Jack Russels and have been planning to get the hell out of the USA and start a new like overseas. I hope to meet someone special and start a new life with someone. It looks like Cebu is my best pick, would you agree? Would $2000 a month let me live a good life in Cebu and have a nice place and enjoy the social scene for a while? You say I do not need a special visa, i can keep extending mine for 60 days every other month? Thanks Brian
Hi Brian,,
Of course u can have a good life in that 2,000$ here in the philippines…most people just dnt know how to budget…but trust me, u will have on…
lucy mahumok
+63 908 455 0379
Your right, Lucy……I got rid of my credit cards with a debt reduction program, keeping my Randoph-Brooks Credit Union, direct deposit in place, Opening an Account with BPI, for monthy bills……..Cebu here, Retired military Fed up with USA and it’s stress!!!!!!
Hi there people,
I am 29 year filipina, living here in manila, i came from the province of misamis occidental then i transferred here in manila,,,i can give differences between living in big cities and in small one…Philippines has many things to offer, u can never go wrong when u retire here and have a good life…trust me…if anyone out there willing to visit philippines and need a tour guide, feel free to contact me…nothing to worry about, people are nice here.,…easy to deal with and hospitable…thanks
lucy mahumok
+63 908 455 0379
Is there like a reservation to apply for your services? Or call you when I get there…….lol. I’m planning to be there in June 2012, My Birthday June 11, for 7 days……maybe longer!!!! I’m packing personal belongings in storage, in case…..I hope this can happen, so I can kiss my landlord goooooodbye, asta la vista, baby!!!!!! I’ll be working for this to happen…..for sure!!!!!
Hi Eddie, what services are you interested in? Good luck with your plans.
Rusty,
You have been there a while. Your opinion ? Cebu or Davao? Living wise. Safety,pollution etc. Thanks I appreciate it and of course social life!
I don’t know about pollution in Davao. The air quality in Cebu can be quite bad at times. I have not been to Davao, looking forward to a visit when I can go. I doubt it is as bad as Cebu City but I’m uncertain on that. It is pretty large, probably a lot of two stroke engines there churning out the oily smoke. A trip to Cebu City often leaves me with significant chest congestion but my lungs are weakened by all the illnesses I’ve walked around with. I do know that if you smoke in the street in Davao, they’ll give you a ticker or maybe arrest you. When I went to a mountain overlook in Cebu City and looked out at the smog, I thought, why bother stop smoking. haha. Gawd, though I need to quit. If I don’t, I’m going to be switching to electronic cigarettes at the least. They will be worse for my circulation issue but better on my lungs.
Rusty,
Thanks for the quick reply. Do you think I would have the same opportunity to meet a nice girl in Davao or is there better opportunities in Cebu City?
Well, Like getting around to visit some credit unions/Banks there, sight seeing( visits to Bataan, some of the prisoner of war camps, north of Angeles, VA medical center in Manila…….Cebu also. I have a list of places I may staying, space availble, when I find a list, I’ll run it thru you, because, I’ll need a map…….lol.I hate to stay at a hotel(even though the hotel might offer things) and get stuck there, for 7 days…….visit places I may want to live. I don’t party like I used to, easy on the bumps and curves, when driving. I’ve driven in Puerto Rico, and here in San Antonio, where driving on the shoulder is normal….like combat driving is at it’s best, Ho Chi Ming city has not changed much, in Vietnam……the war may be over, but the combat driving, is still there……..lol. I’ll get back to you, with the list, maybe you can help me……lol.
How about some fresh air?????? Do I need to wear a mask to protect the nose and mouth, like they do in places, in China, for pollution or cold weather like in Japan??????.
Hello Eddie, Some people wear a mask in Davao City. Manila is horrible for pollution. However Davao has clean air it can be bad at high noon at times but for the most part it’s good. As far as cold weather goes. At Eden Nature Park and Resort it is high in the mountain of Davao and it can get chilly. I am from Alaska and I got cold their one morning. A light jacket will be just fine. No snow in the Philippines; However Mt. Apo has had snow many years ago. For the most part it is 60 to 95 degrees plus 98 percent humidity. Cebu is a great place but is getting like Manila. Crowded, smoggy. Davao is also a great place cleaner air. You can even hop on a ferry and 20 to 30 minutes you’ll be in Samal Island. Great place to scuba dive and relax. Lots of expats live in Davao as well. Have a great trip Eddie.
More holdups Rusty…
Monday — I go in for a shot in the back…then on the 15th January.. I have back surgery..
L5 is shot… When done… the back should be fine… The pinched nerve to the right leg is the main problem, which will be fixed by the surgery…
The book of mine….being made into a movie…??!!! TOMORROW — I will be finding out more… Have my fingers crossed.. FIRST check — I head to MANILA !!!! Wish me luck !!!!
RUSTY…you okay…???
Too quiet..
Let us know how you are and how was the storm by you ??
God Bless… Gene
I’m fine, between being sick and quitting smoking just not up to writing right now. Brain isn’t working very well.
Looks like I might just pull of quitting this time. I hope so.
Hi I’m from Ireland,I was in the Phillipines during the summer well, I mean wet season but I still loved it so much. I was there for 3 weeks but I didn’t have a visa so I had to come back, could you tell me is there anyway I could get a job over there? I have a friend there in Quezon city. who lived here in Ireland for a few years but went back home. They said they do not know any way I could get a job in the Phillipines, but I don’t think they really are telling me, however I don’t know. Could you help me out I’m crazy to go back all I want day and night is to go back there.
I just don’t know how to stay there because I’ll run out of money with out any income even a small one. Cold give me some advise?
James, I answered this in the other comment you left.
Hi Rusty
Ive been having a good read of your site. Very informative. Im from the UK but living in Dubai with my filipina fiance. In a couple of years I would like to move to Philipines. Her family are in Quezon city, but i would like to be within a 10 minute walk to a beach somewhere. 2 questions. Firsty – can you recommend a good property website to get a feel for prices for a simple house. Secondly, do you have any idea of my employment chances. Im currently 43 and am a sales director for a publishing company. I may not need to be earning very much so would be prepared to turn my hand to just about anything.
Best wishes
Andy
Sorry Rusty, just read some more of the emails and see you have answered the employment question – more than once
Its okay Andy, its hard to find everything here. I just wrote about it again today.
Hello all. Please excuse my spelling.
This is a brilliant mixed bag discussion site about the pros and cons of many issues about living in the Phils. A bit sad tho that the guns issues took up an extraordinary amount of unnecessary space.
Filipino food is generally not classified a “Gourmet”, but it is mostly wholesome, cheap for local fare, but about the same price as in US and Oz for steak and most other imported foods.
Cheapest chilled “Fresh” Beef I found was in the 2 major supermarkets in Colon st, 138/Metro side. Robinson and E-Mall were fractionally more expensive. Tomatoes were probably the most expensive anywhere in the world at about 350PHP a Kilo (180PHP Lb) in October. 1 Litre (litro liter) Fresh milk in the round bottle is about 70PHP and the 1 Litre UHT (not so fresh) carton ranges up to 140PHP. Strange that real fresh milk is cheaper, but true. 750ml Tanduay 80 proof Rum was cheaper @ 65PHP.
Now for little ol’me:-
I would like to know a bit more of the current facts about how to retire in the Phils as an Aussie expat, what collateral and/or marital/residency may be needed for percentage and full property ownership, business employer (hire workers) and other similar issues. And are there any legal alternative arrangements other than marriage to a Filipino to obtain these rights or privileges.
Any facts and associated links (where possible) would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
PS. I love the areas Danao to Daanbantayan and back down to Toledo. The people are amongst the warmest and friendliest I have ever met anywhere.
Don’t worry about spelling here. I don’t take kindly to people fussing at other visitors for that kind of thing. Besides yours is at least as good as mine, not saying too much though. lol
Thanks for the kind words.
I don’t know much about buying land/house here other than only citizen can own land or a corporation which also must be majority owned by Filipino unless you’re super rich and have the funds for a foreign corp. That requires millions if I recall correctly. What I have seen is that there is usually at 25% down payment requirement. Sometimes the way it is worded though is unclear. Sometimes it looks like they give you a year or two to pay that off. I’m not certain. I’ve also seen bankers and people talking of needing collateral equal to that of the loan. With a 25% down payment though that is probably not hard to meet.
I have seen rent to own homes too! With a 25% down payment, that stopped me from buying the one rent to own home I looked at. If you buy it in your wife’s name, you should consider it a gift.
You can own a condo outright though. I just don’t have the funds in the bank to justify my spending the time looking into it. Hopefully someone else will have more solid facts for you.
Yeah, rum and beer is cheap.
Vices are cheap here. 
Thanks Rusty. I think my sweetheart is worth more than a house, but to buy property and not be able to own it is a bit of a downer. I may still buy her a a 1M PHP “Gift” house but the Condo idea is beginning to make more sense now.
Condo Rent-to-buy, or purchase outright, are common in the major areas but it is difficult, if not impossible to find any north of Mandaue in and around Compostela to Carmen areas.
I really wanted to buy several small cheap houses for my new extended family as they are squatting and have been told to leave by this March. Charity has limitations. Ownership in part or full is maybe mine. I await the day when the Filipino Govt relax this antiquated rule.
You can own land if the land is willed to you. That is the only way. One person said he would buy it for his wife but set it up in such a way as she had to will it to him or offer to lease it to him if they split up. I don’t know if that can be accomplished since it is illegal for a husband and wife to enter into any kind of contract. Check with a lawyer, you will need one if you buy land.
And yes it will be next to impossible to find a condo outside of Cebu City. I consider mandaue part of Cebu City. You can’t tell where one stops and the other ends.
Maybe as far south as Talisay but probably not that far south.
You can take out a 50 year lease. Some do that, but I consider that risky as well. You need my eBook or really go over this site to find out why.
You need to go VERY slow with your sweetie and land as a gift. I don’t know her and she may be an angel but I’ve seen these situations go very badly.
Also, you should be careful what you say about the government, it can get you into trouble here. You do not have freedom of speech as a foreigner. Now it is unlikely to get you into any trouble but it could and I’m the cautious type. It is best to not give your opinion on government.
I think the USA still has that rule in place in Hawaii.
Oh and your welcome and you really do need my book.
The government often provides a place for “informal settlers” to go.
Hi my name is joey, my cousin and i are wanting to move to the Philippians, but when we try to inquire information on the subject our family and other resource dont have good or accurate answers (not wanting us to leave the U.S.)
We would like to know the average pay rate, job opportunities, cost of living, how long can we live there, can i use U.S. currency, and some social activities that would keep life interesting.
We are young (20 and 23) and have a long life to live, we would love to spend our time living self sufficient. Maybe even find a few good women to spend our days with.
Hi Joey, you’ve got a couple of options here. Read the articles on this website. Using the search function might help you some. Most of what you want to know is answered more than once in the articles.
reading the comments also help.
Or buy my eBook. I think everything you asked is addressed there and if not, you can email me and I’ll do my best to answer it. that does require buying the eBook, I just do not have the time to answer all the emails I get. Mot of that information is here and public but you’ll have to dig for it.
I bought 2 pieces of land and me and the wife got a solicitor to draw up the papers, I was going to put her name only on the papers but the local judge and solicitor said I should be named on the papers as joint owner,we were told if my wife dies before me I would own the land 100% but only until I died and then it would have to revert to a fili national,which for us is what we intended as she has a 18 year old son, my sons are taken care of by the house in the UK. It seems different areas have different ways, I’m not saying I can garauntee what I am told, not till she snuffs it anyway. but it is registered at the land registery in that way. It depends also on the woman you have and also their familys’ position in the local community/ politics.
That is really surprising to me. I wouldn’t have thought it could be done that way. Land can be willed to you though and I suppose it shows intent. That’s good info. It seems you have a realistic outlook on it too. You seem to understand that any legal document can be challenged.
Yes Rusty,
Any legal document can be challenged, in the main also anything, within reason is possible in the philippines, its called getting along knowing the right people and also being friendly to all the people, then you dont get challenged, my 2nd accussition was a piece of land to build a agriculture supply of which there is none in our area, now the locals dont pay for delivery, they are happy, I installed water pump for my land and in dry times we help everyone at a cost of the diesel, life has improved and I get nothing but good will at the barangay and from everyone,As the old saying is “love thy nieghbour” this is forgotten in the west.
That’s awesome to hear Geoff. You were smart, not competing with the locals too I think. That might be a good way to create resentment.
Very well done, you saw a need that wasn’t being met and you filled it. And giving time of yourself or helpers to deliver water? Wow, that’s going beyond the call of duty!
I hope I can do something to give back someday other than spending my cash here. I don’t have the means to do. Keep up the good work and please stay in touch!!!!!!!!
I have a friend that has a major expat website that goes out into to province at Christmas time delivering gift baskets. Once I too can afford an SUV, maybe I can do something like that. Honestly, I’m kind of shy and so is my partner so it would be hard on us. I’m hoping to go with him one of these days.
When you get organised, and you are in Bicol, give me a call on here and maybe we can arrange something, if its christmas time you’ll also get to meet Santa LOL, something I started but cant stop now
Had my back surgery Rusty..
OUCH… They said that L5 – disc was herniated…so – they rotated it out..trimmed it…cut the bone area bigger in the spine – to give the nerves more room…put the disc back in…and closed me up — took 3 hours. Staples came out yesterday… Was operated on — the 16th..
Not bad….
I am walking ..but can not lift –push…nothing to do any damage – or put weight on the spine… Will take about 4 monthes before I can do much … Sure want to go to Manila…..!!!
Just need to be patient — and stay well…… Best to all…..
Need to take care of my WOLF also …!!
A wolf be cool!!! love them
Hopefully all the pain your going through now will be rewarded with a much improved future. Glad it seems to be going well. Keep getting better!
The little guy was born January 1st….Timber and Tundra Wolf mix…
Will send you pics in a couple of weeks …Need to get him housebroke..and used to everyone….and —- need to get myself able to motivate better… ALL the best …Gene
LOOK HERE..
ALL your questions will be answered.. [Admin Edit] THESE RESULTS APPLY TO FILIPINO ONLY NOT FOREIGNERS.
link
When I was there last …(think I mentioned before) – I carried a 1911A1 .45 Auto.. Had permission from the PC and from the Philippine MARINES. Told you about that
Who took a Philippina to MAINE …?? OUCH ??!! Too cold there.. I lived in Bridgton Maine — and Freyberg…TOO COLD !!! Stay warm everyone….
Gene things have completely changed from those lawless times during civil unrest and martial law too I believe.
I wrote to the PNP and the Chief said no, only citizens can carry a gun.
One of the steps is this: Get neuro tested and drug tested, take the results including the PNP receipt. 600 pesos is the going price for the two tests.
Instead of Gene’s or Top’s link this this LINK.
Hi i plan on moving to manila around june..to be with my future wife..she wants me there she wants to take care of me…housing…food..ect…till we marry and i can work there…i feel wierd about that…but its her culture…it will take time to get use to…i know i need a passport…but is there any cheap way to get there…maybe a sponsor…or is the airline the only way?
Hi Jeff, why would anyone sponsor you? I don’t understand. What do they get out of that?
Your planning on working here? Are you sure you know what your getting into? Are you wiling to work for $10 a day? I’m not. You’d be better off to start an online business that will go with you no matter where you are. Go to the blog home page and read the first article listed there to get some pointers on that.
Yes i am ive happy just to be alive…lol
jeff, where a ‘catch’ such as yourself is concerned, perhaps run an ad in a Manila paper explaining you are available for sponsorship…….that should do it.
thanks
Rusty,
I have been here but a short time and my girlfriend has lots and property for sale in Mindoro, near Abra de Ilog in Occidental Mindoro, near Puerto Galero. This property can be developed into a resort and there is an existing resort for sale there also. I see many articles on expats buying property. You are correct with all regards to owning property, and there are many ways around the way in which the laws are written. I just thought I would throw this out to all your viewers as a free way of advertising that we have land for sale, trying to reach as many people as we can to get this land sold. This property is beachfront as well as unobstructed ocean view parcels. How the hell are you anyway? How is your hand doing? Have you tried Katialis?
Hi Mike! Good to see you here.
This post would be better in the forum http://cebuexperience.com/cebuforums/ People will be better able to reply to you there and swap email information and contact info there. If I didn’t know you, I would have spammed it.
I’ll eventually remove it so just go to the forum and you can post it there. We have a real estate subforum there too.