Angeles City

[NamasteParis]

I spent 5 nights in AC last month. Tipped all girls 100 - 200 depending on level of service provided, along with a mandatory Toblerone bar. Barfines set at 3000 - 3500 in bars on Fields.

It's a decade I haven't been to the Phils. Does it mean that when you pay the barfine to the bar, it already includes the FS, and you just need to tip the girl according to her service?

Is it like this in all the Phils?

I don't remember this procedure, and it sounds different from the thai system.

[Eszpresszo]

The Philippines has the highest percentage of their citizens living outside the country - 19% almost. No surprise there.

I have never been able to explain why Thais don't want to get out of their country.

Perhaps the large number of Westerners who want to live in Thailand should provide a clue? By most accounts, and I have heard some Brits discussing the issue in Pattaya, the Thai government is making it more and more difficult to get residency and even some with a foothold already in the country are having issues staying there according to them. If so many foreigners are trying to stay there, I expect that suggests some merit to living in Thailand, especially when you are already a citizen and you speak the language.

But, you asked why Thais don't want to leave their country and here is my explanation. Because they love their country, they love their king and they love their family. And living conditions in Thailand, by most accounts are better than in the PI. Birth control is widely available and it is practiced, resulting in smaller families and better chances of moving ahead. Another factor is that Thais tend to be practicing Buddhists, and Buddhism teaches that wealth is fleeting. Thus, leaving the home of your faith (Theravada Buddhism is centered around Thailand) to chase wealth is going against the grain of their entire culture. Also note the large percentage of males who serve part of their life in poverty as monks.

I don't think that many, if any, of those qualities apply to the Filipinos, except for the love of their family. I have made contact with OFW Filipinos and met some in Malaysia. The often serve their lives toiling away to support their families, who are also taking care of their children back home. Children they rarely get to see and grow up while they are away. And yes, they really want to marry a Westerner and immigrate (and get you to take care of them, their kids and probably their entire family too!) Other than their devotion to family, the PI seems to be the opposite of Thailand in regards to those social factors I've mentioned.

[D Cups]

I have never been able to explain why Thais don't want to get out of their country.

Maybe it's tied to their profound love and honor of their royalty. Strong sense of nationalism.

[Mogwai]

Come on man. The Angeles trike deal is the biggest ripoff in PI.

Yes, I agree the trikes in AC are a rip-off. I never said they were fair. But I think quite a lot of the hotels and restaurants are also a rip-off compared to provincial or other non-touristy parts of the Phils. And that is my point: why is everybody always complaining about the high trike prices and not the other high prices?
I've never been to Boracay but I assume the trike drivers there are also charging much more than the 10 peso they are charging in Dumaguette.

[Blanquiceleste]

Yes, many (most?) Filipinos want to leave their country. There are millions of them in other countries for work or marriage in fact. Thai people on the other hand aren't nearly as likely to want to leave. Guys often seem shocked when they get a Thai girlfriend or even wife and find out that no, she doesn't want to go to Europe or America. She wants to stay in Thailand. Consider why that might be.

The Philippines has the highest percentage of their citizens living outside the country - 19% almost. No surprise there.

I have never been able to explain why Thais don't want to get out of their country.

[Soapy Smith]

I wasn't aware that there had been an intentional devaluation as I've not read anything about it. GE.

Not intentional, just market trend. The change in value of the dollar relative to the piso over the last couple years has been quite striking. I easily recall a few years ago an exchange rate near 40 to 1. It's now well over 50 to 1.

[Soapy Smith]

Having said that I know some girls after being married and moved to other countries become bored and disillusioned and have returned home. Their initial impression is that all westerners are rich and will give them a good life. Only after moving they realize it is not so. They need to toil like everyone else to have a good living.

While poverty, corruption, and inadequate infrastructure are facts of life, I sometimes sense that many Filipinos lack initiative to get themselves out of their own wheel rut. I once had a Barangay Captain in a rural area in the southern Visayas tell me that many Filipinos in his community were just simply lazy. He pointed out the many plots of land where they good till various kinds of vegetables, but, according to him, they lacked the initiative and ambition to do so. It's possible that the hand-to-mouth lifestyle that some rural Filipinos live inhibits their ability to see ways to pile up a little extra (it's called capitalism) to get ahead. Assuming the Barangay Captain is correct, it would be interesting to know whether these returning Filipinas bring with them a changed attitude about self-sufficiency and hard work.

[GoodEnough]

To what extent do you think it's related to devaluation of the piso?

I wasn't aware that there had been an intentional devaluation as I've not read anything about it. For whatever reasons, the peso is weakening week-on-week against the dollar and the Euro and inflation according to the government, is now at over 6 percent, which is inflating the cost of virtually all imported goods.

GE.

[Soapy Smith]

Perhaps the guys who do not live here don't realize it, but inflation here now is the highest it's been in years. Gas prices keep rising as does the price of every other imported good, so the cost of living is rising rapidly. GE.

To what extent do you think it's related to devaluation of the piso?

[Soapy Smith]

Just a simple example: a mug of coffee at Margarita Station is 39 peso and at Kokomos it's 45 peso. A mug of coffee (of about the same size) at Phillies is what, 65 peso? Last time I was in Phillies is years ago so maybe the price is even higher now. However I have never seen anybody complain about this 'rip-off price' at Phillies LOL.

It is capitalism, and consumers are not entirely powerless. Thanks for posting the comparative prices. Thinking folks who know the prices--and the quality of the product--can make informed choices about where to buy coffee.

[Sammon]

Yes, many (most?) Filipinos want to leave their country. There are millions of them in other countries for work or marriage in fact. Thai people on the other hand aren't nearly as likely to want to leave. Guys often seem shocked when they get a Thai girlfriend or even wife and find out that no, she doesn't want to go to Europe or America. She wants to stay in Thailand. Consider why that might be.

Thai girls are more shy in my opinion absorbing western culture. Maybe because of language issue. They are perfectly happy where they are. Thailand over the years has become modern and the girls do not open their legs for anybody. Although other Asian currencies have tanked Thai Baht is holding value. Where else they will get garlicky, spicy food anywhere in the world comparable to Thai?

On the other hand Philippines is still stuck on overpopulation, bad infrastructure, not enough jobs, bad administration etc. Although over the years food situation has improved somewhat Philippines girls like to go to other countries to support their families. They have total western exposure being colony of other countries. Having said that I know some girls after being married and moved to other countries become bored and disillusioned and have returned home. Their initial impression is that all westerners are rich and will give them a good life. Only after moving they realize it is not so. They need to toil like everyone else to have a good living.

[Rick Rock]

She shared me her number and we met the following day and got along really well. In fact, just as most of the girls poured her family issues to me and said she desperately wanted to get out of Philippines and make some money.

Yes, many (most?) Filipinos want to leave their country. There are millions of them in other countries for work or marriage in fact. Thai people on the other hand aren't nearly as likely to want to leave. Guys often seem shocked when they get a Thai girlfriend or even wife and find out that no, she doesn't want to go to Europe or America. She wants to stay in Thailand. Consider why that might be.

[Mr Enternational]

I think it's strange that quite a lot of people are complaining about the trike prices here. I did that too to be honest, until I realized that we are screwed by the bars, the hotels and the restaurants as well. It's a tourist area so what do you expect? I don't blame the trike guys that they want to get as much as possible, when everybody else in AC is doing that too.

Just a simple example: a mug of coffee at Margarita Station is 39 peso and at Kokomos it's 45 peso. A mug of coffee (of about the same size) at Phillies is what, 65 peso? Last time I was in Phillies is years ago so maybe the price is even higher now. However I have never seen anybody complain about this 'rip-off price' at Phillies LOL.

Come on man. The Angeles trike deal is the biggest ripoff in PI. I don't complain about it because I don't take them much and when I do I just hand them 80 pesos and they are fine with that. Seems like nothing. But when you have been other places in PI and see the difference then you realize it is some bullshit.

I was in Dumaguette and a trike ride clear across the city in a large comfortable trike was 10 pesos. In Angeles they charge you 100 pesos to go across the street in a cramped up death box. That is 10X difference! That is comparable to taking a comfortable bus in New Orleans for $2, then going to Orlando Mickey Mouse tourist town and having to pay $20 to ride in the back of a chicken truck.

If not anything else, the trike deal is definitely complaint-worthy. So try making the same argument having your Margarita Starbucks coffee at 39 pesos and your Phillies Shitbean coffee at 390 pesos. That would give a clearer picture of what the trike ripoff is.

[GoodEnough]

What's your point? Yes, it's called capitalism but that applies to the trike drivers as well. So capitalism is a reason to complain about all of them and not just the trike drivers.

Perhaps the guys who do not live here don't realize it, but inflation here now is the highest it's been in years. Gas prices keep rising as does the price of every other imported good, so the cost of living is rising rapidly. I try not to take trikes or jeepneys in A / see or anywhere else, so I don't follow those prices, but as a business owner here depending on European imports, I to know that the price of everything is rising quickly, so it would not be surprising to see trike drivers trying to squeeze as much as they can out of punters.

GE.

[Mogwai]

Is anyone complaining at the friendly prices at Starbucks? If no, then why complain about Phillies charging more than Kokomos or Margarita?

It's called capitalism I believe?

What's your point? Yes, it's called capitalism but that applies to the trike drivers as well. So capitalism is a reason to complain about all of them and not just the trike drivers.