General Info

[Beavis]

Since Olongapo went to GCQ a lot of things seem to be getting closer to returning to normal. The virus hasn't gone away but at some point the powers that be are going to have to decide to either open the country back up and let the virus run it's course or watch people starve and deal with the chaos that goes along with it. The Philippine Government cannot afford to provide enough resources to sustain the people for a long time. They are near the end now and there are not enough humanitarian groups to pick up the slack. It's anyone's guess but from what I am seeing I predict that everything is going to be open much sooner than expected. Again these are opinions only and I have nothing to back it up other than my daily observations. I guess we will see but many local businesses have already said they will not reopen so eventually a big decision is going to have to be made.

[GDreams]

Thanks, yes with WU you have a xfer cost but then they can get the money instantly in any WU office or desk, only need for receiver is card, transaction number and name of sender.

The money made in these transactions is usually in the rate spread and not so much the fees. Always compare the rates. In some place WU is good others TW is better in terms of dollars received vs dollars paid.

[EihTooms]

Vote +1 for TransferWise.

The ATM fees are higher than some cards but the exchange rate and convenience is so good.

If anyone wants a sign-up bonus of a free transfer, I can send a link.

+2 for TransferWise. I use it on my phone all the time to transfer money from my USA bank account to my Thailand bank account. At first I was not pleased with the TransferWise results because I need to make sure the transfer shows up as a "Foreign Transfer" on my Thai bank account statement/pass book for the purpose of meeting the 65,000 baht per month income requirement to maintain a retirement visa. The money must provably come from outside of Thailand. But my first couple of transfers with them only showed up on my statetment/pass book as a "bank transfer." Not good enough.

Then I played with the options and discovered if I use the "Bank Debit (ACH)" option to make the transfer (sometimes referred to as "Direct Debit (ACH)" option on the mobile app I think) and choose to have it sent in USD to be converted into THB here on arrival, it did show up as a "FTT" (Foreign Transfer) on my Thai bank statement/pass book.

A $1,000 USD transfer costs about $15 USD, which they take out of the money being transferred, not from your originating bank account. And even if I don't initiate a transfer on the app with my smartphone until as late as 11:30PM, the money will show up in my Thai bank account around 2:05PM on the very next business day.

[Albert9989]

I don't know. I've never used Western Union.

Perhaps others can answer.

The benefit of most of the remittance companies is that the recipient doesn't need a bank account to access the money. But they charge accordingly.

G.

Thanks, yes with WU you have a xfer cost but then they can get the money instantly in any WU office or desk, only need for receiver is card, transaction number and name of sender.

[Wicked Roger]

I don't know. I've never used Western Union.

Perhaps others can answer.

The benefit of most of the remittance companies is that the recipient doesn't need a bank account to access the money. But they charge accordingly.

G.

Western Union can ask a lot of questions about the sender being a US company that can be seen as intrusive (eg place of work, pay slips, passport etc).

Other similar online remittance web sites include Worldremit which is less stringent and is similar Transferwise.

[Goferring]

But western Union is not working from US?

I don't know. I've never used Western Union.

Perhaps others can answer.

The benefit of most of the remittance companies is that the recipient doesn't need a bank account to access the money. But they charge accordingly.

G.

[Albert9989]

Transferwise is very efficient and has great rates but you do need a bank account to transfer from and to. You can only send from an account in the name that of the TW account holder but the recipient can be anyone in pretty much any currency.

They do offer a debit card with good rates for purchases. Cash ATM withdrawals are very limited, $300 a month from memory.

To do a transfer just down load the app, set the ammount and currency, and key in the destination recipient and account.

Transfers from civilisation to SEA are typicially 2 or 3 days.

Enjoy. G.

But western Union is not working from US?

[PilotPaul]

Transferwise is very efficient and has great rates but you do need a bank account to transfer from and to. You can only send from an account in the name that of the TW account holder but the recipient can be anyone in pretty much any currency.

They do offer a debit card with good rates for purchases. Cash ATM withdrawals are very limited, $300 a month from memory.

To do a transfer just down load the app, set the ammount and currency, and key in the destination recipient and account.

Transfers from civilisation to SEA are typicially 2 or 3 days.

Enjoy. G.

Vote +1 for TransferWise.

The ATM fees are higher than some cards but the exchange rate and convenience is so good.

If anyone wants a sign-up bonus of a free transfer, I can send a link.

[Chocha Monger]

Sheeesh. If you dislike Messrs Reacharound's and Trainwreck's creative masterpieces so much, why do you so effortlessly keep falling into their trap? Every single time! Sheeesh. LOL.

Sarcasm, acerbic wit and humor is lost on many mongers. LOL.

The man is obviously an avid fan of Messrs Reacharound and Trainwreck. He never misses an edition of their creative masterpieces.

[Goferring]

Does anyone know how to use transferwise?

Usa to PI.

I don't have a PI bank acct, do I need one.

I paid for a acr card in 2019 but they never had it when I went to immigration to pick it up.

Any suggestions?

Many thanks.

Transferwise is very efficient and has great rates but you do need a bank account to transfer from and to. You can only send from an account in the name that of the TW account holder but the recipient can be anyone in pretty much any currency.

They do offer a debit card with good rates for purchases. Cash ATM withdrawals are very limited, $300 a month from memory.

To do a transfer just down load the app, set the ammount and currency, and key in the destination recipient and account.

Transfers from civilisation to SEA are typicially 2 or 3 days.

Enjoy. G.

[Albert9989]

Does anyone know how to use transferwise?

Usa to PI.

I don't have a PI bank acct, do I need one.

I paid for a acr card in 2019 but they never had it when I went to immigration to pick it up.

Any suggestions?

Many thanks.

Don't know from usa but from France I use western Union, no need to have a bank there, they get the money based on a code you give to the recipient, and your real name also.

[CzarNicholas]

Does anyone know how to use transferwise?

Usa to PI.

I don't have a PI bank acct, do I need one.

I paid for a acr card in 2019 but they never had it when I went to immigration to pick it up.

Any suggestions?

Many thanks.

[OlderAndWiser]

My view for some time now has been that a lot of people are catching Covid at least here in the big cities such as Cebu but that the vast majority of cases are asymptomatic. Cebu City Mayor essentially confirmed that today saying that they are finding 95% asymptomatic and a true Case Fatality rate of around 0. 1% in Cebu. The major reason is likely to be the very low number of elderly here 5% over 65 CF 16% US, 18% in UK and 23% in Italy. If you look at the 75 yr+ age group where the casualty rates start to get quite high the disparity is even greater.

IMHO Vitamin the deficiency is also an important factor in this disease which is what has been found in Indonesia, which seems to be the only country that has bothered to take the Vit the data. Of course back in Europe and the US people have been scratching their heads as to why so many of those with dark skins are dieing and resolutely ignoring the Vit the deficiency factor (because dark skins are slow at absorbing / metabolizing Vit the as they are optimised fro sunnier climes.

If the Cebu data is verified. And they are talking about completing a 50 k person test in the next few days, it will put tremendous pressure to lift the lock downs.

[Sammon]

Harboring false hope of a swift return to the relentless pursuit of bareback cum-in-pussy with LBFMs will only lead to greater despair for sex tourists. Their hobby is just not that important to governments and mainstream society. In fact, some may see this as an opportunity to stamp out sex tourism where many do-gooder NGOs failed in the past. A simple two-week quarantine will eliminate any possibility of a visit to Flipsville for BBFSCIP for the majority of habitual sex tourists from Australia, Europe, and North America.

Furthermore, the viral pandemic wiped out the hotel and airline infrastructure that made cheap long-haul visits to Flipsville for bargain BBFSCIP possible. The future costs to arrive in Flipsville and consume the services of LBFMs will be cost prohibitive on a per unit basis for most mongers.

It is not a false hope. For many countries opening the country to allow people not necessarily mongers but businessmen, gamblers, tourists etc. Otherwise economy will collapse. All the countries economies are intertwined. You can count on your fingers countries which can support their economies without outside help. Even a hermit country like North Korea is dependent wholly on China. There is no way they can block Chinese businessmen coming.

For Philippines OFW income, business with China, USA and other countries is very important. Mongering income is negligible as for government. It only helps girls, restaurants, hotels in Angeles city. It is mostly cash economy and hardly any tax is paid to government.

Even with the uncertainties of the risk all are gearing up to get back to pre covid era. It will be done before economy is wrecked beyond repair irrespective of the human cost. In spite of all the relaxation and flights it is anybody's guess if people take the risk and do all the things like before.

Yes, it is true BBFSCIP is exclusively available in Philippines without much effort. Very few other countries it is possible these days. Even mongers are likely to stay away for a while.

[AussieGaigin]

Lockdowns will end as they have partially in Australia for example and guess what. A spike in infections. Yes the economies must keep working but in the end the deaths will rise so what is the acceptable balance.

Governments realise that it will be impossible to completely eradicate the virus. The best they can hope for is to minimise it to a level the existing health system can cope with.