Makati

[Turgid]

...Being labelled a monger is the worst label you can get.....

If that's what you think of yourself then so be it. If one makes positive contributions to the world and treats the ladies with respect I think such a characterization would be inappropriate.

[Chocha Monger]

Yes and no.

1. The social stigma associated with being in the Philippines or Thailand is huge. It's negative and it's not going to improve your credibility. Everyone in your office will know why a single person is based in the Philippines (and it's not for doing charity work for poor people in your spare time). Being labelled a monger is the worst label you can get.

Do you want to maintain a pristine veneer of respectability in your homeland? Is your social standing and reputation as a man of good morals important to you in the West? Well, nothing screams "monger" louder than recreational travel and expat status in the Philippines. Everyone will know that you are there for the cheap and easy access to sex with nubile natives. People will brand you as a perverted monger even if they do not say it to your face. Your reputation and social status will suffer and never recover. You need to consider whether becoming a social outcast is worth having your marshmallow sucked on the cheap in the Philippines. Of course, if you do not have much of a reputation to begin with at home, you might not have much more to lose as an expat monger.

[Mr Enternational]

The social stigma associated with being in the Philippines or Thailand is huge. It's negative and it's not going to improve your credibility. Everyone in your office will know why a single person is based in the Philippines (and it's not for doing charity work for poor people in your spare time). Being labelled a monger is the worst label you can get.

Nothing in this bullet point is true. You only say that because you are on the inside. To most normal people they are just places and are not associated with debauchery. And even if you are a known debaucherer nobody gives a fuck. Mongers are always thinking they are going to get some kind of scarlet letter.

[Engine Driver]

Anyway, something for me to think about. I'm relatively young, so I suspect that ultimately I will just sell my home here and 'retire' overseas around age 55 with a million or two in the bank and freelance as it comes along.

That sounds like a good plan. A million or two invested in your home country would allow you to live a good life in the Philippines. Assuming at the age of 55, your viagra infused marshmallow will only need to root three chicks a week, what would you do for the rest of the time? Sure you can get five massages a week, but that only uses up ten hours. Hahaha.

Workout at the gym, read, grocery shopping, resolving domestic issues with LBFMs, visiting the relatives in province, mediating disputes over a sack of rice? Sounds like an exciting life. Hahahaha.

[Goferring]

Anyway, something for me to think about. I'm relatively young, so I suspect that ultimately I will just sell my home here and 'retire' overseas around age 55 with a million or two in the bank and freelance as it comes along.

If you are young, qualified and skilled, just get an expat role. This brings with it a whole raft of allowances and perks that you will not get as a freelance or remote office employee. Remember the role does not have to be in PI or LOS for you to have your fun. In fact, the Holy Grail would be a high paid, socially acceptable, gig in SG or HK combined with $30 flights to weekends away.

Enjoy. G.

[FuriousGeorge]

Good points, #1 being the most compelling. I did think 'working from home' was a scam before covid, and the few times I worked from home before this, I was definitely less effective. But now that it's the norm, solid metrics are in place to track productivity. In the tech sector, jobs are competitive, and new hires are superstars. We've fired and hired plenty of people in the last year. But if you aren't performing, you're out, just like before. The government is different. I can't imagine how bad the scam is running rampant there.

Anyway, something for me to think about. I'm relatively young, so I suspect that ultimately I will just sell my home here and 'retire' overseas around age 55 with a million or two in the bank and freelance as it comes along.

Yes and no.

1. The social stigma associated with being in the Philippines or Thailand is huge. It's negative and it's not going to improve your credibility. Everyone in your office will know why a single person is based in the Philippines (and it's not for doing charity work for poor people in your spare time). Being labelled a monger is the worst label you can get.

2. Time difference is a killer. The 3-hour gap between the Philippines and eastern Australia is probably manageable, but the gap is virtually impossible to bridge if your office is in the US or UK.

3. Remote working is suited to low level IT help desk, code cutting, web design or graphic design type work where you can work solo and as an independent contractor. Ongoing marketing and business development will be hard. Are new clients going to give you work if you're in the Philippines? I wouldn't. Any client facing, managerial or executive positions need real face time.

4. The COVID work from home experiment has had a mixed success rate. The novelty has worn out and most people want the social interaction a real office can provide. Productivity has dropped in many sectors as people need more supervision and better time management skills. No promotion prospects for the young as they can't really prove their worth behind a Zoom screen. Government employees have just abused the system as their jobs are protected.

[BrizLad]

Yes and no.

1. The social stigma associated with being in the Philippines or Thailand is huge. It's negative and it's not going to improve your credibility. Everyone in your office will know why a single person is based in the Philippines (and it's not for doing charity work for poor people in your spare time). Being labelled a monger is the worst label you can get.

2. Time difference is a killer. The 3-hour gap between the Philippines and eastern Australia is probably manageable, but the gap is virtually impossible to bridge if your office is in the US or UK.

3. Remote working is suited to low level IT help desk, code cutting, web design or graphic design type work where you can work solo and as an independent contractor. Ongoing marketing and business development will be hard. Are new clients going to give you work if you're in the Philippines? I wouldn't. Any client facing, managerial or executive positions need real face time.

4. The COVID work from home experiment has had a mixed success rate. The novelty has worn out and most people want the social interaction a real office can provide. Productivity has dropped in many sectors as people need more supervision and better time management skills. No promotion prospects for the young as they can't really prove their worth behind a Zoom screen. Government employees have just abused the system as their jobs are protected.

Have you based this on actual experience? I can point / introduce you to a number of people based in Angeles doing high end IT work. They do not compete with the low end work. This group of people are not frequenting the entertainment precinct.

[Engine Driver]

More and more companies and jobs don't care where an employee is physically. Covid has just improved that. Lots of westerners are working in grey jobs I. Asia.

Yes and no.

1. The social stigma associated with being in the Philippines or Thailand is huge. It's negative and it's not going to improve your credibility. Everyone in your office will know why a single person is based in the Philippines (and it's not for doing charity work for poor people in your spare time). Being labelled a monger is the worst label you can get.

2. Time difference is a killer. The 3-hour gap between the Philippines and eastern Australia is probably manageable, but the gap is virtually impossible to bridge if your office is in the US or UK.

3. Remote working is suited to low level IT help desk, code cutting, web design or graphic design type work where you can work solo and as an independent contractor. Ongoing marketing and business development will be hard. Are new clients going to give you work if you're in the Philippines? I wouldn't. Any client facing, managerial or executive positions need real face time.

4. The COVID work from home experiment has had a mixed success rate. The novelty has worn out and most people want the social interaction a real office can provide. Productivity has dropped in many sectors as people need more supervision and better time management skills. No promotion prospects for the young as they can't really prove their worth behind a Zoom screen. Government employees have just abused the system as their jobs are protected.

[Kabul Guy]

.....
The main thing is just don't give people or bureaucrats a reason to make a fuss.

Under the radar is my favourite place.

[Dg8787]

Excellent points. If you are an American, and thinking about marriage, remember to tell them that the social security benefit for spouses starts out small and goes up slowly for each year you are married. Gives them an excellent reason to keep you alive. I think it maxes out after 10 years but they don't need to know that. LOL.

I believe for Americans the wife can't collect even if she is eligible if she resides outside of US, unless she is a US citizen.

[AggieDad1]

BM,

No offense but I find people pouring effort into counter surveillance and asset protection laughable. If someone has transferred significant immovable assets into the country and the girl, family or business partners want him gone then he is gone. If they want to find true identities again that's quick and easy. It's only the guy that thinks otherwise.

The ONLY way to protect residency, assets and life is to be worth more to those people in country than gone (or dead!

Monthly funding of a nice lifestyle from western investments is good. A wad of cash brought into country to buy fixed assets is bad. 😁.

Cheers. G.

Excellent points. If you are an American, and thinking about marriage, remember to tell them that the social security benefit for spouses starts out small and goes up slowly for each year you are married. Gives them an excellent reason to keep you alive. I think it maxes out after 10 years but they don't need to know that. LOL.

[Goferring]

How about this scenario. I work for a large company in the US. Remote work has become the norm, and when things are back to normal, remote work will be much more common. I've thought maybe I could convince them to let me work remotely from PI. Maybe I do a year, maybe two, who knows. Money goes straight into my US bank account. Second scenario. Maybe I quit my job and work there remotely doing freelance. For American companies. I have a tech job where this is a possibility. Not as much money and not as stable an income. But. Things I have thought about. Not even sure about the legality of it but I may look into it.

More and more companies and jobs don't care where an employee is physically. Covid has just improved that. Lots of westerners are working in grey jobs I. Asia.

Technically you would need local work permits, tax declaration yada yada yada. However, stay below the radar, don't advertise what you are getting away with locally and you should be ok.

The main thing is just don't give people or bureaucrats a reason to make a fuss.

[Goferring]

Wasn't there a tale here about a guy sending his girl cash to build a house, she'd send photos of the build, ask for more cash. And when he finally arrived the girl was gone so he went to the house only to find out it was a strangers house she had been taking photos of and he was out all of his cash.

I'd even go so far as to change the password on your laptop frequently so the GF doesn't catch on to it. Install a guest account for her to use on your laptop if she wants to go online as well. Have a hiding place for your passport as well, hard to jump ship if you can't leave the country in a hurry. I watched a youtube video and the guy suggested if you want the girl to move out you take her out to dinner and a movie. And your friends pack up her things and change the locks. You then ditch her and get back to the room before she does. She will most likely call the cops if she thinks she's losing her nest egg, if she's inside the apartment she can claim you hit her and you being the foreigner go to jail.

BM,

No offense but I find people pouring effort into counter surveillance and asset protection laughable. If someone has transferred significant immovable assets into the country and the girl, family or business partners want him gone then he is gone. If they want to find true identities again that's quick and easy. It's only the guy that thinks otherwise.

The ONLY way to protect residency, assets and life is to be worth more to those people in country than gone (or dead!

Monthly funding of a nice lifestyle from western investments is good. A wad of cash brought into country to buy fixed assets is bad. 😁.

Cheers. G.

[Engine Driver]

How about this scenario. I work for a large company in the US. Remote work has become the norm, and when things are back to normal, remote work will be much more common. I've thought maybe I could convince them to let me work remotely from PI. Maybe I do a year, maybe two, who knows. Money goes straight into my US bank account. Second scenario. Maybe I quit my job and work there remotely doing freelance. For American companies. I have a tech job where this is a possibility. Not as much money and not as stable an income. But. Things I have thought about. Not even sure about the legality of it but I may look into it.

Only you will know if that's possible. Quitting your job to chase Pinay pussy full time never makes any sense.

[FuriousGeorge]

How about this scenario. I work for a large company in the US. Remote work has become the norm, and when things are back to normal, remote work will be much more common. I've thought maybe I could convince them to let me work remotely from PI. Maybe I do a year, maybe two, who knows. Money goes straight into my US bank account. Second scenario. Maybe I quit my job and work there remotely doing freelance. For American companies. I have a tech job where this is a possibility. Not as much money and not as stable an income. But. Things I have thought about. Not even sure about the legality of it but I may look into it.