General Info

[ImAGuy]

RK / GE,

Thanks for the detailed responses and no worries -- I kinda figured as much. I pretty much don't trust anyone here, anymore, but was willing to take a risk since I have some spare cash lying around. But you guys probably told me what I needed to hear. I'd probably have better luck in the stock market.

So business here is the same as China then, huh? Possibly worse?

DG -- nothing special, a Starbucks clone with similar coffee, more seating, different food. In my area, pretty much every coffee shop is at max capacity at almost any given time / day. Not exaggerating. People practically fight for seats around here. I'm not even near Manila, either. Common to see 40 something ladies with LV bags dropping 2 k on trays for family / friends. (When did this stop being a third world country, exactly?

[Dg8787]

Is anyone here running a coffee shop here? I've been considering it.

Can you give more details of what you are considering? Does it include food? Sandwiches? Sit down hot plated menu?

Also where in Philippines?

[GoodEnough]

Is anyone here running a coffee shop here? I've been considering it.

I'd go with RK's excellent advice. First, because you cannot open a business on your own. You don't know the system, have no idea how to get the myriad permits needed, and second because as a foreigner, you're not allowed to operate a business that isn't controlled by a Filipino. Even if you were somehow able to open a business under your control, you would find so many hurdles placed in your path that it simply would not be worth your while. I've had two businesses here, both of which were, at least on paper, controlled by Filipinos and it was they who took care of all of the endless paperwork and compliance issues. Believe me, you do not want to get involved with any of it.

As RK points out, there are hundreds of coffee shops in every major city here, and the first question you might want to ask yourself is what would distinguish your's from any of the others? There's Starbucks, there's Seattle's Best, and there are literally hundreds of other boutique operations all competing for the same customers willing to pay for "designer" coffee. Not sure what you could do to distinguish yourself from all the rest.

As strongly implied in RK's post, this is essentially a "closed" economy, and it doesn't welcome foreigners. So, unless you've got a wife / girlfriend / other friends whom you trust 100% with your investment capital, I'd advise you to invest elsewhere.

GE.

[Red Kilt]

Is anyone here running a coffee shop here? I've been considering it.

I have discussed this proposition at length.

Never ever try to open a business on your own of any type, and a coffee shop fits that bill. You definitely need a filipino partner (wife, family member, good friend, lawyer etc) and you need to be able to trust them implicitly. The registration process (and all that is involved) is a minefield. Been there. Done that. Decided no thanks.

The biggest problem with a coffee shop is how to distinguish your business from the 100's of other "start-up" coffee shops or even those that are part of a franchise.

For a foreigner, if you find a niche, very quickly filipinos will follow you into the same niche. If you are successful, they will find all sorts of ways to pull you down.

Sorry to be so negative, but there are very few foreigners who succeed here (and I am discounting the Chinese taipans (Sy, Tan, Gokongkwei et al) because they don't count in this equation).

[ImAGuy]

Is anyone here running a coffee shop here? I've been considering it.

[Wicked Roger]

The Philippines is a breeding ground for the next strain of superbugs because the locals, with the assistance of unscrupulous pharmacy assistants who allow locals to buy pissy little numbers of antibiotics, Watsons are getting stricter now selling the full sealed box of required treatment to prescription holders only but just yesterday in Mercury I stood next to a woman buying 3 pieces of Amoxycillin (co-amoxyclav). That's one day's treatment, not 7.

The best solution is to live here for an extended period and build up your own resistance..

Good observations RK, I travel a lot sa you know and I can count on one hand the number of times I have had serious illnesses in the last 25-30 years (almost all occur in 'western' countries not the developed world oddly enough).

Many pinays I know and speak with are always advised by me to buy a full regimen but many don't and wonder why the UTI etc returns worse than before and take more tablets to remove the next time.

Cost is one reason (and a major one IMHO) and a lack of education and advice from the pharmacist / doctor at the time of purchase is another (some don't care as long as long as get the sale.

Perhaps).

UTI is a common problem with the amount of sugar they take each day via sodas and junk food and by changing their diet as advised by Dr WR (ie more water less junk) plus remembering to buy 7 days has helped a few cuties and the UTIs etc don't reappear 4 days after they think it has gone (as they only took 3 days medication).

But this is only a very few cuties who listen or can afford at times.

[Slippery]

Twice in Manila I bought a 7 day regimen at a small local "pharmacy. " Both times they asked what it was for, and I told them that I just flew in and I get ear infections on long flights.

[Red Kilt]

The bugs and infections you will be exposed to in AC & Philippines are likely to just laugh at natural solutions. The number of lost days of productivity in our local staff due to dysentery and water quality is significant. Travel often to here and it is only a matter of time until a good bug bites.

BD is correct.

The Philippines is a breeding ground for the next strain of superbugs because the locals, with the assistance of unscrupulous pharmacy assistants who allow locals to buy pissy little numbers of antibiotics, are merely building up the resistance within the bug populations. Most people cannot afford to buy the full regime of treatment so they get just 3 to 6 capsules of antibiotics and assume they wil work. Watsons are getting stricter now selling the full sealed box of required treatment to prescription holders only but just yesterday in Mercury I stood next to a woman buying 3 pieces of Amoxycillin (co-amoxyclav). That's one day's treatment, not 7.

The best solution is to live here for an extended period and build up your own resistance.

After my 20 years of residence I can count on one hand the number of times I have had diarrhoea or any stomach bug but I am also careful in what I eat etc even if I stay for extended periods in the provinces and also travel a lot. I guess I am flaunting with karma in saying this but it's true. Nevertheless, I carry an array of tabs for the day when I am inevitably stricken.

[GoodEnough]

The bugs and infections you will be exposed to in AC & Philippines are likely to just laugh at natural solutions. The number of lost days of productivity in our local staff due to dysentery and water quality is significant. Travel often to here and it is only a matter of time until a good bug bites.

I'm with Omega regarding the efficacy of Priobiotic pills. I've been taking them for about 6 months, every day, and they appear to have made a difference for me. True, you probably cannot escape nasty bacteria but the addition of several million "good" bacteria every day to the digestive tract surely can't hurt.

I've also assumed that, over the years, I've become somewhat acclimated to bacteria that might make others sick. Though I remain extremely careful, I don't seem to suffer from gastric-related afflictions nearly as often as I first did when I started working here. In Davao, I even use the tap water for my coffee, although it's boiled for a few seconds before I pour it over the grinds, and to my knowledge, I've never gotten sick from it.

GE.

[BrainDrain]

Used to have stomach issues when traveling, but have found that daily supplements of digestive probiotics really help to maintain beneficial intestinal flora and minimize stomach issues. Plus, daily supplements of zinc to help support immune system.

The bugs and infections you will be exposed to in AC & Philippines are likely to just laugh at natural solutions. The number of lost days of productivity in our local staff due to dysentery and water quality is significant. Travel often to here and it is only a matter of time until a good bug bites.

[Buko Max]

Have found a simple preventive of three drops of oil of oregano in a bottle of water to drink daily or as needed to be very helpful in preventing or controlling this crud.

Have to agree that oregano oil will not only help with crud but will kill most harmful bacteria anywhere in the body! Always carry it when I travel.

[Hutsori]

I just go 24 hrs drinking warm water and flush the bugs out until basically you are farting water LOL

Toss a big handful of peeled fresh ginger in the pot of water, simmer for a few hours, and drink continuously. Ginger is quite good fighting stomach bugs. Activated charcoal too.

[Omega 3]

I remember a discussion I once had with a Gastroenterologist immediately prior to beginning the first of many sojourns to Africa for work. He told me that periods of gastric distress would be inevitable, and suggested that I carry with me both Imodium and Cipro 500 MG pills, for which he promptly wrote me a prescription. His advice was to take the Imodium immediately after an outbreak of diarrhea, wait a couple of hours, and then if the Imodium proved ineffective, assume I had a form of dysentery and begin the Cipro regime: two 500 MG tablets to start, and then one every 6 hours thereafter for 5 days. It's a routine that's worked well for me over the years and I never travel without both medications. I find that Cipro effectively wipes out the diarrhea in a few hours.

GE.

Thanks for the useful information, will buy a small inventory to keep on hand.

Used to have stomach issues when traveling, but have found that daily supplements of digestive probiotics really help to maintain beneficial intestinal flora and minimize stomach issues. Plus, daily supplements of zinc to help support immune system.

Also after long flights used to come down with respiratory crud (docs called it sinusitis because they really didn't know what it was, kind of like a very bad cold or flu, but with abnormally low body temps which felt like fever). Have found a simple preventive of three drops of oil of oregano in a bottle of water to drink daily or as needed to be very helpful in preventing or controlling this crud.

Hope this may be of some help to fellow travelers.

YMMV.

OM.

[GoodEnough]

Without wishing to drag this thread into lots of chit chat on our medical conditions and how to help ourselves maximise the time we have I would say / suggest never try immodium first as this just keeps the nasty bugs at bay and when the meds wear off IMHO you still have the problems. I just go 24 hrs drinking warm water and flush the bugs out until basically you are farting water LOL Then toast and maybe a banana and you feel OK, you may not be hungry for food much but am sure the pecker is LOL.

Or I was told boil rice, throw the rice away and drink the rice water, great to calm and bind the stomach.

Old recipes sometimes work better than modern medicines.

I remember a discussion I once had with a Gastroenterologist immediately prior to beginning the first of many sojourns to Africa for work. He told me that periods of gastric distress would be inevitable, and suggested that I carry with me both Imodium and Cipro 500 MG pills, for which he promptly wrote me a prescription. His advice was to take the Imodium immediately after an outbreak of diarrhea, wait a couple of hours, and then if the Imodium proved ineffective, assume I had a form of dysentery and begin the Cipro regime: two 500 MG tablets to start, and then one every 6 hours thereafter for 5 days. It's a routine that's worked well for me over the years and I never travel without both medications. I find that Cipro effectively wipes out the diarrhea in a few hours.

GE.

[Wicked Roger]

I once got so sick, feverish, diarrhea, that I was stuck in bed with the chills. So now I take a simple first aid kit with aspirin, immodium, and band aids. Chewable Pepto Bismol comes in handy too--upset stomach or diarrhea.

Without wishing to drag this thread into lots of chit chat on our medical conditions and how to help ourselves maximise the time we have I would say / suggest never try immodium first as this just keeps the nasty bugs at bay and when the meds wear off IMHO you still have the problems. I just go 24 hrs drinking warm water and flush the bugs out until basically you are farting water LOL Then toast and maybe a banana and you feel OK, you may not be hungry for food much but am sure the pecker is LOL.

Or I was told boil rice, throw the rice away and drink the rice water, great to calm and bind the stomach.

Old recipes sometimes work better than modern medicines.