General Info

[Member #4297]

Hello fellow mongers.

I wrote many reports in the German partytreffs section and helped many mongers there but never been to Philippines so I am not really proud that my first comment here is a question, I did RTFF but my situation is a bit special and a direct help from Filipino society experts will be very much appreciated .

Basically I am in my 20s and got bored from life in Europe so I decided to use my savings to spend a year in Philippines (Davao city) , unlike most of you I am not rich which means that I won't be able to spend much on girls, during this year I want to depend only on DIA girls and other dating websites girls. Since I am staying a year so time and taking things slowly with girls is not a problem. If I end up with many sex partners / experiences that will be great and if I end up with 1 sweet / suitable girlfriend that will not be bad either.

So how my 1 year experience will most likely be based on your knowledge / experience in the Filipino society? . Are the odds with me or against me to have a good year with girls in Davao?

Any advices will be really appreciated.

Happy mongers everybody and will surly start to report in the forum once I arrived to Davao.

[Pip Jaeger]

For the second or third consecutive year, it appears that no license plate stickers or windscreen tags are available. How, one might ask, is this possible? The answer, I'm told, is that the Government of the Philippines owed so much money to the company printing the stickers and tags, that the company simply refused to print any more until payment was received.

GE

Funny you should post this now, just last night a girl I date, an accountant, came over and we got to talking about her job. She told me she now has to buy her own pens, pencils and miscellaneous office supplies for work because the supplier hasn't been paid for several months, and they now refuse to provide office supplies until payment is rendered. Care to guess where she works? The Bureau of Finance!

[GoodEnough]

I recently had to re-register my car for the year, which takes about a week, given my refusal to hang around LTO for an entire day wasting my time. For the second or third consecutive year, it appears that no license plate stickers or windscreen tags are available. Thus, the cops have no way of knowing, short of stopping every car, which are registered and which are not, since there's no visible exterior evidence either way. How, one might ask, is this possible? The answer, I'm told, is that the Government of the Philippines owed so much money to the company printing the stickers and tags, that the company simply refused to print any more until payment was received. This hasn't happened and the government, inept and indifferent to public safety, never bothered to solve the problem, ergo no tags or stickers.

This place has become the avatar of a third-rate banana republic.

GE

[GoodEnough]

Yes to most of that but I don't think it is all correct.

I have not paid 13 month and will not do it, I don't think that is a law? Do you have something that says otherwise? I would like to know.

I also don't pay double time on Sunday or have heard of that. Again do you have something that shows it is a law?

I ask this because I want to know, I have never been forced or told I have to do this. It is up to the employer on these two things (I have been told by my accountant). Do you have other info?

100% true about how hard to fire a Filipino, holly shit!

It's all in the Labor Code, copies of which are readily available. Everything I said in my post is, in fact, the law.

[OneIpole]

Another reason that businesses avoid issuing anything but short-term contracts is that the labor code here is absurdly restrictive, and any employee who works for the same employer for more than six months is covered by the code. So the propensity for the issuance of short-term contracts isn't solely the fault of the employer. I keep a copy of the labor code in my office. It's about the size of "War and Peace," complicated and, in parts, self-contradictory and highly ambiguous. The rights provided to full-time employees include: vacation and sick leave, maternity and paternity leave, contributions to the national housing fund, social security, health insurance, a 13th month pay, time and a half pay for work on Saturdays, double pay for work on Sundays and holidays, and more that I don't remember. Also, termination of an employee, for any reason becomes extremely difficult and very easy for an employee to challenge. For an employer, just filing all of the endless paperwork that proves compliance-and the paperwork must be filed twice per month-is onerous. Thus the costs of compliance are high. The fact that the government can capriciously declare national holidays whenever the president decides it would be fun to do so also exacerbate the problem.

It's as if, as with so many other aspects of government systems here, the government designed systems to discourage job creation, much like the permitting and tax compliance systems which seem designed to make it as difficult as possible to incorporate businesses. This is not a fun context in which to operate commercial enterprises.

GE

Yes to most of that but I don't think it is all correct.

I have not paid 13 month and will not do it, I don't think that is a law? Do you have something that says otherwise? I would like to know.

I also don't pay double time on Sunday or have heard of that. Again do you have something that shows it is a law?

I ask this because I want to know, I have never been forced or told I have to do this. It is up to the employer on these two things (I have been told by my accountant). Do you have other info?

100% true about how hard to fire a Filipino, holly shit!

[Wicked Roger]

The laws are totally stacked in favour of the employee, simply because each employee has a vote come election time and employers don't. Another new benefit for the employee may be seen in a favourable light by the employee.

Someone may have reading some of the FRs on this page as this editorial was a good read and yet the senators want an enquiry.

http://www.philstar.com/opinion/2014...rial-lost-jobs

I liked the comment about the country is not attractive for investment. Again someone has been reading ISG given all the comments on that subject also.

[FreebieFan]

," are. Also, termination of an employee, for any reason becomes extremely difficult and very easy for an employee to challenge. For an employer, just filing all of the endless paperwork that proves compliance-and the paperwork must be filed twice per month-is onerous. It's as if, as with so many other aspects of government systems here, the government designed systems to discourage job creation,

GE

The laws are totally stacked in favour of the employee, simply because each employee has a vote come election time and employers don't. Another new benefit for the employee may be seen in a favourable light by the employee.

An employee has in theory a 3 to 6 month probation. However there are labour bureaus in various cities that will side with the employee, if his probation is terminated. They state " you hired him, hes now yours from the date you hired him, not the date probation ends "

Further, an employee who resigns of his own acord will sign a release stating he has been paid in full, has no further claims against the employer. Etc. However under the labour law he has 4 weeks to go to to Labour to file a case.

A filed case will invariably prompt a resonse from Labour to "settle " the case. So the useless employee who you were so happy to lose, may get 3 months release salary just to settle the case.

A case may drag on for years and years eating up time money and HR resources. My name is still on 3 cases of unfair dismissal, and I stopped working there over 10 years ago.

[GoodEnough]

Another reason that businesses avoid issuing anything but short-term contracts is that the labor code here is absurdly restrictive, and any employee who works for the same employer for more than six months is covered by the code. So the propensity for the issuance of short-term contracts isn't solely the fault of the employer. I keep a copy of the labor code in my office. It's about the size of "War and Peace," complicated and, in parts, self-contradictory and highly ambiguous. The rights provided to full-time employees include: vacation and sick leave, maternity and paternity leave, contributions to the national housing fund, social security, health insurance, a 13th month pay, time and a half pay for work on Saturdays, double pay for work on Sundays and holidays, and more that I don't remember. Also, termination of an employee, for any reason becomes extremely difficult and very easy for an employee to challenge. For an employer, just filing all of the endless paperwork that proves compliance-and the paperwork must be filed twice per month-is onerous. Thus the costs of compliance are high. The fact that the government can capriciously declare national holidays whenever the president decides it would be fun to do so also exacerbate the problem.

It's as if, as with so many other aspects of government systems here, the government designed systems to discourage job creation, much like the permitting and tax compliance systems which seem designed to make it as difficult as possible to incorporate businesses. This is not a fun context in which to operate commercial enterprises.

GE

[Econo Tech]

Look in an SM and they are over. Employed, meaning they employ twice as many people as required, however the Sy's keep them all on short term contracts to prevent any unions forming, and once these girls finish their 5 month jobs they often take a holiday and are slow to re-enter the work force.

27% seems very low to me given the prevailing environment.

Plus the liberal anti discrimination laws in place ensure job description with minimum height, maximum age etc are allowed. LOL.

Anyone above 35 will find it next to impossible to find a job, unless they are really really qualified, . And forget casual jobs once above 40.

Half the country is unemployed. Says me.

So many unemployed the daily TV shows like showtime, wowowee, Gandang gabi vice have long lines of people waiting to spend a day cheering the silly talk shows. And occasionally get to see senators or congressman there.

The oligarchy running the country will make sure Philippines is like this for the next 100 years. So the rich can thrive.

Poor folks are only allowed to run sari sari shops or coffee machine business, food cart business or load business and nothing more threatening and all is well in the meantime.

PS, last month a guy didn't allow my taxi to leave unless the fellow got booking fee. I gave him 5 peso just to spite him and damn happy he was. A local friend of mine quipped that my 5 peso means in govt statistics the fellow has become employed.

[FreebieFan]

The definition of unemployment, much like literacy, is stipulated by the government. I believe that here, anyone who might a sold a mango on the street last week is counted as employed. The fact is, no one knows the true unemployment rate here, but with about 1. 9 new citizens being born every year, and maybe a million new job seekers a year, coupled with an economy that cannot begin to create enough jobs, and a third of the population living on less than $2 a day, my guess is that's its way over the 27% figure that "shocked" these senators. .

GE

Totally agree GE. Drive through any barangay anywhere in the country, and the local lads, the ones who should be employed, are there sitting on the street, playing a desultory game of hoops or home made pool. They are bored, listless and totally jobless. The employable girl just hang around the sari sari stores or do endless " housework".

However go through the special economic zones and there are many 1, 000s of filipinos gainfully and fuly employed.

Look in an SM and they are over.employed, meaning they employ twice as many people as required, however the Sy's keep them all on short term contracts to prevent any unions forming, and once these girls finish their 5 month jobs they often take a holiday and are slow to re-enter the work force.

27% seems very low to me given the prevailing environment.

[Cbea20]

I was recently in an immigration office for a routine renewal. Next to me a man was asking on behalf of a friend what costs the overstaying friend would be assessed. He was getting good and detailed answers. So I suggest that you likewise visit immigration on behalf of your friend. It's no big deal if you have a few thousand pesos for the fees.

My American friend of 50 years from the same small city as me has overstayed his visa. Fortunately the dumb ass extended his ticket and he's due to leave a week from tomorrow. He paid for the day visa extension in USA but will be overstaying for 29-30 days depending on how one calculates. In any event, he's broke, sleeping in my guest room and needs my help to get properly processed out by Immigration. I know the ACR fee and other attendant fees have to be paid and I'm going to have to front that money. What kind of penalty must be paid?

[Wicked Roger]

The definition of unemployment, much like literacy, is stipulated by the government. I believe that here, anyone who might a sold a mango on the street last week is counted as employed. The fact is, no one knows the true unemployment rate here, but with about 1. 9 new citizens being born every year, and maybe a million new job seekers a year, coupled with an economy that cannot begin to create enough jobs, and a third of the population living on less than $2 a day, my guess is that's its way over the 27% figure that "shocked" these senators. It's the same with literacy. The government brags that 97. 5% of the populations is literate. But if literacy is defined more stringently than the ability to write one's name, it's difficult to see how this could be true, given school drop out rates and the wretched quality of education.

GE

Good points GE and yet the newspapers will boast about the Philippines being the Asian 'tiger' economy as its GDP is showing high growth (someone else commented on his a while back). I think it was RK who did an FR on the population growth outstripping the bare essentials to survive (ie the growth is so great the Philippines has no way to sustain the population) and still the RH bill remains 'stalled'

Shame your comments will not be read by the senators as I was surprised they were shocked (but maybe living in a glass bubble for so long means they can't see reality). What you said are the main issues so why debate it just find ways to create more jobs etc, improve the standards, but then by doing that the indians may get restless?

[GoodEnough]

Interesting piece on unemployment. See the last paragraph for what will likely be the main reasons that a committee will say are the overwhelming causes. Nothing to do with inability to create jobs. Lack of investment etc.

I just found this amusing as I thought I could answer the question on a post, others may have a different view of course.

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/20...mployment-rate

The definition of unemployment, much like literacy, is stipulated by the government. I believe that here, anyone who might a sold a mango on the street last week is counted as employed. The fact is, no one knows the true unemployment rate here, but with about 1. 9 new citizens being born every year, and maybe a million new job seekers a year, coupled with an economy that cannot begin to create enough jobs, and a third of the population living on less than $2 a day, my guess is that's its way over the 27% figure that "shocked" these senators. It's the same with literacy. The government brags that 97. 5% of the populations is literate. But if literacy is defined more stringently than the ability to write one's name, it's difficult to see how this could be true, given school drop out rates and the wretched quality of education.

GE

[Streetlooker]

My American friend of 50 years from the same small city as me has overstayed his visa. Fortunately the dumb ass extended his ticket and he's due to leave a week from tomorrow. He paid for the day visa extension in USA but will be overstaying for 29-30 days depending on how one calculates. In any event, he's broke, sleeping in my guest room and needs my help to get properly processed out by Immigration. I know the ACR fee and other attendant fees have to be paid and I'm going to have to front that money. What kind of penalty must be paid?

Being that I have often questioned my own ability to cope with life's problems and confidence that I am doing things right. Its refreshing to me that people like your friend exist in this world (More then we think) and I can feel pretty good about myself that I would never find myself in this guys situation. Overstaying my visa worry is in my top 2-5 worries when I finally make my move to live in the PHILIPPINES. Trust me I will NOT OVERSTAY or have improper paper work to worry about. Thanks for the boost. Now If I could just get my financial situation stable and I be living in paradise with the hot brown honeys

[GregLondon]

A British friend of mine is hoping to meet a Filipina chat mate of his in Tokyo where he wil have a business trip later this summer.

Does anyone have experience of getting Filipinas a Japanese tourist visa. The trip will be just 4 days. He does not have time to meet her in Phils first. She doesn't have a passport right now is in early 20s without a real job or degree etc. Therefore the passport will be brand new. He is prepared to put some money in her bank account if necessary. I know the girl in question and believe she can be trusted to refund the money and actually buy the ticket (which I know is the normal problem here!).

So questions are:

1. Does she have to go through an Agency? Anyone got an agency in Cebu they have found good?

2. Does she have a real chance to get a visa?

3. How much will she have to show is in her bank account? Will they be looking for a statement over a period of time. (She just opened the account last week and so far almost nothing in it).

4. Will he have to provide a letter of guarantee etc and if so what format does it have to be notarised?

5. Does she have to book the return air ticket in advance or wait till after she has the visa?

6. How long does visa process take?

7. Does she have to boo accommodation in advance? In reality she will stay in his busienss hotel but I think he wants to keep his business engagements separate.

Thanks in advance fro any information you might have.