Living in the Philippines

[Spam Hog]

Thanks for the advice on the transport, but yes, it was more in renting a place and any decent location.

Getting harder to read the type, sorry about the mistake! If you are looking to rent understand a few things, remember that the same as real estate everywhere Location, location, location, rents get cheaper the further south you go. Manila is of course the highest, I would imagine Angeles is high and Cebu right in there. Cagayan De Oro and Davao are probably the cheapest. There is plenty of easy acces to DIVING in the three later locales.

Now for a few facts, Rents in Cebu run from about P10,000 to P25,000 or MORE for a furnished place, this is a house that would be "foreigner" standard, that means the plumbing works most of the time, the electric box can accomodate your computer and air con at the same time without melting and may even include hot water. You usually have to sign a contract for one year, three months advance up front. In some places you can rent hotel rooms by the three to six month stretch, I understand the Richmond Hotel in Cebu now wants P21,000 for a month, this includes maid service in a rather spacious roof top "penthouse" setting.

Rents in Cagayan de oro are cheaper, P5000 a month gets you a spacious townhouse. Rents in Davao run P7000 to P15000 for a detached home.

You can do a newspaper search and get some idea of rents in the area you want to live in by pulling up philnews or Sunstar newspapers, another media for rentals is "BUY TRADE SELL" periodical, I think they have a website so you can start checking.

Good Luck

Spamhog

[Fenniman]

Good post Spamhog, but I think he was interested in renting a place to live.

X

Thanks for the advice on the transport, but yes, it was more in renting a place and any decent location.

[In Korea]

He also talked about DIVING, not DRIVING.

I really recommend Puerto Galera -- Sabang beach for great diving. There are over 30 dive sites there ranging from novice to advanced.

I really love it there.

[X Man]

Good post Spamhog, but I think he was interested in renting a place to live.

X

After a painful, and costly divorce, I'm looking to come over to the Phillipines for a year to chill out and get a bit of diving in. Any idea's of places to visit and the cost of renting would be appreciated.

[Santa]

Most of this anger towards "americans" is directed at George Bush and his administration. Let's not blame a nation and all of it's people because we don't like the present administration.

[Spam Hog]

After a painful, and costly divorce, I'm looking to come over to the Phillipines for a year to chill out and get a bit of diving in. Any idea's of places to visit and the cost of renting would be appreciated.

By all means come to the Philippines and drown your sorrows in the charms of the darked eyed damsels of the islands...BUT LEAVE THE CAR KEYS HOME!!!
I dont know what corner of the world you hail from, if you are from the USA, have you ever driven in NYC/Wash Dc or LA at the height of rush hour?
Well that is something like the PI except more motorcylces running by like thunderbolts.

Yes you can drive here, there are cars for rent and road 'rules" are much the same as generic USA in that we drive on the "right" side of the road. You can get an international drivers license which entitles you to drive in about fifty countrys including Thailand/Singapore/Malaysia etc. but the point is YOU SHOULD AVOID joy riding here, too many things can go wrong. There is no triple A here, your car breaks down somewhere in the province on some muddy barangay road and a guy shows up with a water buffalo to tow you into town, then you gotta wait three days to three weeks for the part to show up from manila so the mechanic, who works out of a little wooden/nipa hut can wire it together with spit and chicken wire. Always a chance some guy will see a "foreigner" at the wheel and intentionally hit you for the insurance.

You can get around in taxi cabs fine, you can "make tawad" (bargain contract) and get a driver to take you around for the day or the week, expect to get him at P800 to P1000 a day in the City. Better yet you can go from city to city on air conditioned bus, or get into these L300 vans with ten other people going to the same place, you can get on the intercostal ferrys like cebu ferries (they have a website) or transasia and go from Island to island, very scenic and relaxing.

Getting on a motorcycle is a death trap.

regards

Spamhog

[Fenniman]

After a painful, and costly divorce, I'm looking to come over to the Phillipines for a year to chill out and get a bit of diving in. Any idea's of places to visit and the cost of renting would be appreciated.

[LoveAsianWhores]

SD, I agree with everything you say. It is like if Hitler went into a burning building to save a baby. He is still the evil monster that we all know, but a hero for saving the baby. Chavaz is a person that I view in a negative light, but still a hero to me for standing up to the USA. It does nothing for him or his country, but he does it because it the right thing to do.

My enemy's enemy is my friend

[Spam Hog]

Most of you regulars know I dislike fights and flames so I want to say up front Im not flaming anyone personally, but here goes:

Chavez maybe a hero to some people for standing up to the US, but So is Ben Laden and so was Hitler, Khaddaffi, Idi Amin the list goes on and in that list, most started wars, ethnic and political purges and genocides when they "Stood up" to somebody or something. Personally, I dont see how ANY politician can be considered a hero, most of them are *****s, fools and liars on the good side and psychopathic lunatics on the other, truth be told I dont like any of them no matter what country they come from, my own included.

No matter what country they hail from they have a few common traits. Some are better at deceit than others, some are dumber than others, some are able to impress the gullible and the feeble minded.

Reminds me of the district of Columbia where I worked for many years during the "Barry" Administration after all the hijinks and silliness and criminal acts perpetrated by "Hizzoner" he still got elected. Prompting the famous bumper sticker (which I used to display on my car) featuring a caricature of the Mayor smoking crack (at his arrest) which said.

"Stupid is as stupid does."


Nuff said


Spamhog

[LoveAsianWhores]

I am an ex-American living in the Philippines. Lots of pro US posts in this thread for whatever reason. Of course, they are almost all from Americans. All of the expats that I know here from Australia, France, Scandinavia, UK, and many others, are all quite decidely anti-American, at least to a point. For the most part, the only people that like America today are the Americans themselves. Filipinos generally like "Americans", as they are usually viewed as kind, gererous and fair people. But many Filipinos (those that have a basic understanding of world politics anyway) do not like the Bush America of today. All of my friends may like me personaly, but dislike America. The point is, don't confuse Filipinos perceptions of Americans and America.

Personally, I despise America. Besides pussy, I live out here so I don't have to support the place with my taxes. Chavez is a hero, as it takes a true hero to stand up to a powerfull country like the US. I would love to put Citgo gas in my car, but after problems that I have had with bad gas here, I only use Shell. Politics is important, but no quite as important as my car.

[Firedick]

Bingo.

I know this isn't a "political forum". But to anyone who would prefer to not line the pockets of a clear US enemy: Citgo is wholey owned by the Venzuelan Government.

FD

[Bill Buxton]

For all the know all rocket scientists here the trial is far from over.The superior court will here the charges against Smith at a later date.And the other 3 guys are free to go now.So lets not count this deal over and done with just yet.Lets see what the last breath is from the big bench over here.Just remember guys this could be any one of us any time you mope around with a gal here.And the danger here is now they know it works,Just fore a little while anyway.

I have seen worse done to bar galls in the bar than what happened to this chick.Who she foolin anyhow.Its about money and pointing a finger,thats all and why would they let 3 guys in the van go??? It would look bad if they all went free so lets keep at least 1 for the cameras.Why can a pedefile walk around angeles city and have his name published in several local and international papers and still be free.The reason is MONEY MONEY MONEY.Money talks and people here walk and thats the bottom line.Lets make an example of a guy from the strongest country in the world and show everybody what bad people they are.Guys,don't cuss the farmer with your mouth full!



B.B...

Stay sharp play safe and never get in a corner without a window to climb out.

B.B...

[Spam Hog]

i just completed 21 years in the military (still active) and i am tired of seeing/hearing so much negative views about the us. i wish those who protest would understand that maybe the us being involved in their country, is the reason that they have the right to protest.

after reading about the trial (if you do the crime, you should do the time) and visiting the pi after the [CodeWord123], if they want us out (gi's) let's go...it is time that america stopped giving aid and money to countries that protest against us (iraq included).

"about 100 protesters gathered outside the courthouse, chanting and singing "bayan ko," or "my country," a popular nationalist song. they waved a banner that demanded justice for the woman and the scrapping of the visiting forces agreement."

now there is another mudslide, do we send help???

i too agree with you sir and i too am a (combat) veteran of us armed forces and have served my country in local and federal govt service including a stint in e. timor after their independence from indonesia. however, as i now reside in the philippines and see this sorry incident unfolding daily, i would respectfully submit that you are wrong.

i have worked, lived and mongered in many asian and non asian countries. i choose to live in the phils as this country is one of the few places in the world that actually likes americans, something they demonstrate daily when finding out my native origins.

what you see in front of the us embassy and other places regarding this and other us concerns is a cabal of professional protestors, partially financed by a womens rights group called "gabriella" (they have a web site, look 'em up) guess where they hail from??? new york city, i've seen these people in davao hanging "anti" signs and the like when an aussie frigate dropped by a few years back and the lads hit the local places. bottom line, we've got so many jerk off in our own country ala micheal "fatass" moore that stir this stuff up.

look carefully at the protestors and their signs, see any red ones with a yellow star??? they are financed by the cpp (communist party of philippines) see any women wearing the malong head covering of the moro (muslim) people???? (milf) both of those groups have vested reasons in wanting the us military agreement scrapped so they can continue to plant bombs and raid remote villages. this cabal of idiots is paid anywhere between p200 to p350 a day to protest, you don't see your average filipino out there, nor will you.

1, fact, your average filipino thinks that the "[CodeWord123] vicitm" is a "borricutt" (*****) or a bar girl, she has little credibility.

2. the tale is not yet over, the convicted has a right to appeal and there is a move on to transfer him to us custody which is likely to happen after the hoopla dies down, i smell a dodgy deal with maybe a free pass back to the us and a general discharge???? hmmmmmm????

3. i really dont know all the facts of the case, i don;t know if he is guilty or not, but i also know how stupid a 19 yo gi can act with a few beers in him, having been one. whatever, those guys put themselves in a bad position.

i would seriously suggest that those of us good taxpaying americans not direct any venom towards the filipinos over this one. rather we should note some of the real morons in this world like the recycled banana farmer hugo chavez who just got reelected and says he wants to fight the us, yet venezuela imports how many millions of dollars worth of their crappy products to our economy, maybe we should declare them contraband and disallow us investment firms to sink us investor money in venzuelan bonds and securities.

total shit for brains mugabe, the sweetheart of zimbabwe and the retard mandela for that shit about anything less than 100 million in us aide to combat hiv was an insult, we should have sent them $1.99 worth of condoms and called it even.

i could go on and on but i think you get the point.


regards


spamhog

[Robbaf]

i just completed 21 years in the military (still active) and i am tired of seeing/hearing so much negative views about the us. i wish those who protest would understand that maybe the us being involved in their country, is the reason that they have the right to protest.

after reading about the trial (if you do the crime, you should do the time) and visiting the pi after the [CodeWord123], if they want us out (gi's) let's go...it is time that america stopped giving aid and money to countries that protest against us (iraq included).

"about 100 protesters gathered outside the courthouse, chanting and singing "bayan ko," or "my country," a popular nationalist song. they waved a banner that demanded justice for the woman and the scrapping of the visiting forces agreement."

now there is another mudslide, do we send help???

[Buzz00]

Who said you can buy your way out of shit ?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061204/...nes_us_marines