Angeles City

[QUOTE=Kazeu;2476236]Unfortunately the mods decided in your favor and removed my original post as well as my explanation, but your quote of my original post still remains. As long as that remains, I believe I deserve to explain it, that it was not meant sincerely. I don't want war just so I can go mongering. But I do believe that the koreans changed angeles city permanently and I do not hide my opinion that it was not for the better. In the same fashion I do believe that the chinese have really hurt the experience of tourism. Travelling is completely different than it was 10 years ago.[/QUOTE]Koreans and Chinese have changed AC. You say the change is not for the better? For who? Western tourist, which are the minority now. To the Koreans and Chinese change has been good.

When I speak I speak only for myself but I imagine I'm not the only one that thinks this way. If I am, I stand alone and corrected, I'm happy its much better for all you out there. But in my opinion Its crap compared to what it used to be. I don't know how the Koreans or the Chinese feel about it. I imagine its better than what they got back in Korea, but it could have been better for everyone. Instead they decided to come to angeles and make it just like Korea.

Obviously there are winners and losers to all changes. Things change over time. I know that. Doesn't mean I have to be happy about it and praise the way it is now.

[QUOTE=Dg8787;2476241]Koreans and Chinese have changed AC. You say the change is not for the better? For who? Western tourist, which are the minority now. To the Koreans and Chinese change has been good.[/QUOTE]

I don't know about you, but bars are the one thing that seem to be on the decline. Over the past 10 years or so, I've seen many bars close but only seen new hotels / condos and restaurants open up in angeles. I feel like for every bar that closes, there have been new 3 hotels and 3 restaurants built. Obviously this is not the direction that I had hoped for.

[QUOTE=Dg8787;2476235]Congrats on first post.

Whether anyone agrees or disagree doesn't matter. Respectfully your opinion doesn't matter. Presently there are no Covid19 economic recovery experts around. Unless mongers here put their money where their mouth is, their opinions mean nothing. Including mine.

Fields will recover or it will not recover. Time will tell. Fields alway had to have one ingredient to survive. Bargirls. Without bargirls there would be no tourist. No tourist no need for hotels. Every business there relied on bar girls. No one would like to believe or acknowledge that Fields would be nothing without bargirls. Most people looked down on the BGs without realizing that they exist because of them. Police lived high off of the payoffs.

No one respected the bar girls. Bargirls kept many mouths fed there. Now it is gone. Hopefully it is temporarily. Just like everywhere else we have not seen the economic fall out. Give 6 months and we will see a horrendous amount of bankruptcies. Fortunately we will see risk takers opening places back up.

My fear is the corrupt hands out from city hall and police units will kill any initial recovery, not the lack of bargirls and tourist.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Kazeu;2476246]I don't know about you, but bars are the one thing that seem to be on the decline. Over the past 10 years or so, I've seen many bars close but only seen new hotels / condos and restaurants open up in angeles. I feel like for every bar that closes, there have been new 3 hotels and 3 restaurants built. Obviously this is not the direction that I had hoped for.[/QUOTE]First time I visited there was 13 years ago. 30% of the bars have closed since then. Seems like 2 bars close each year for the last 10 years. 70% of the ST bars are gone. God knows how many more will close because the virus. The Koreans have killed AC. They bring clients / customers on budget airlines and splash so much money trying to impress them. Business expense using their Hyundai, LG, or Samsung credit card. Other major issue is the human trafficking thing. Mamasans used to recruit in Samar. 13 years ago 70%+ girls were from Samar. Now most are from Pampanga and Manila who know the game and are not GFE like the rural farm girls from Samar. 10 years ago I had plans to retire in PH. Now just visit for 2-3 months and dropping. I am afraid after the virus takes its toll on the bar scene that I may not return after my next trip. Crying in my Fruit Loops right now.

[QUOTE=Dg8787;2476235]
Fields will recover or it will not recover. Time will tell. Fields alway had to have one ingredient to survive. Bargirls. Without bargirls there would be no tourist. No tourist no need for hotels. Every business there relied on bar girls. [/QUOTE]We had a chicken and the egg discussion here before about whether girls are needed first to attract mongers or if girls will appear where ever there are cashed up guys.

Personally, I think military bases, foreign mine startups etc show that where ever monied guys are then girls will naturally arrive. That then feeds an ever expanding loop as more guys, girls and tourists are attracted.

I guess that the opposite is also the case: when guys cease arriving the girls and business infrastructure soon collapses in on itself.

Cheers. G.

To me what is happening in Angeles is rather like what happened in Ermita many years ago.

The causes were very different, the results the same.

In Ermita, it was booming with bars, restaurants and hotels all running at capacity.

Along came a politician who closed it all down to 'improve' the area.

What followed was Ermita becoming a squatter area dangerous at night over many decades.

Empty bars were taken over by squatters.

Even after several decades and the moving on of the 'enlightened' politician, it is very slowly improving but still a really miserable dirty area.

Now switch to 2020 and the virus replaces the politician.

Same process.

Bars close, hotels built go, restaurants close and like Ermita the low life move in as things go dilapidated.

Ermita taught us that after a close-down shock, recovery is virtually impossible.

[QUOTE=Fastpiston;2476298]To me what is happening in Angeles is rather like what happened in Ermita many years ago.

The causes were very different, the results the same.

In Ermita, it was booming with bars, restaurants and hotels all running at capacity.

Along came a politician who closed it all down to 'improve' the area.

What followed was Ermita becoming a squatter area dangerous at night over many decades.

Empty bars were taken over by squatters.

Even after several decades and the moving on of the 'enlightened' politician, it is very slowly improving but still a really miserable dirty area.

Now switch to 2020 and the virus replaces the politician.

Same process.

Bars close, hotels built go, restaurants close and like Ermita the low life move in as things go dilapidated.

Ermita taught us that after a close-down shock, recovery is virtually impossible.[/QUOTE]Who knows but everywhere you look in AC there are new condos being built. Not one or two but probably about 50 new condo-plexes being built all over the city. Granted the ones there now are half empty but many new ones going up. That is quite different so the result will probably not be the same. All we can do is speculate now.

[QUOTE=Beavis;2476352]Who knows but everywhere you look in AC there are new condos being built. Not one or two but probably about 50 new condo-plexes being built all over the city. Granted the ones there now are half empty but many new ones going up. That is quite different so the result will probably not be the same. All we can do is speculate now.[/QUOTE]In this case, I hope AC goes the same way as Pattaya. After too many condos were built, and less people coming, they will become cheaper. Right now you pay in Kandi Tower or La Grande 30 k+ monthly, just for a studio.

Of course, I would love it if bars will open again, but I'm sure we can be glad if half of them open again. As you said, all we can do is speculate.

[QUOTE=BambooPete;2476390]In this case, I hope AC goes the same way as Pattaya. After too many condos were built, and less people coming, they will become cheaper. Right now you pay in Kandi Tower or La Grande 30 k+ monthly, just for a studio.

Of course, I would love it if bars will open again, but I'm sure we can be glad if half of them open again. As you said, all we can do is speculate.[/QUOTE]Economically you would think they would be cheaper but to many business minds here it is better to sit vacant than to reduce the price. There are some 1 BR Kandi units now that can be had for 20 K as many are vacant with the absence of the Koreans. The house next door to me has been for rent for a year and a half. Owner wants 30 K, is a big house with additional maids house but nobody wants to spend that much for it. They had an offer of 20 K for a 2 year lease and they turned it down. Meanwhile it continues to sit, one would think things will get cheaper but until it happens who knows. Without the appeal of Walking Street many of the places for rent will remain uninhabited, prices seem to be staying where they were with a couple of exceptions.

[QUOTE=Goferring;2476274]
Personally, I think military bases, foreign mine startups etc show that where ever monied guys are then girls will naturally arrive. That then feeds an ever expanding loop as more guys, girls and tourists are attracted.

Cheers. G.[/QUOTE]Agreed. Wonder how Pattaya started. Was it because of an Army base? One counter example that I would give is Medellin. I don't think there were many foriegners to being with. But the fame of Paisas spread wide and far and then more mongers started coming to that magical city.

There is a tendency to prefer to have no business than accept a discounted price for rental. Could be face or pride or just zero business sense.

In such cases, just move on and look again, but leave your number and offer just in case second thoughts open up reality.

On selling it may be that the seller would rather leave a property or land as inheritance rather than leave money which is difficult to handle and taxed.

I am not sure Pattaya can be compared with Angeles for condos. Pattaya in in a different league.

With condos in Philippines, just make sure they were built properly, never take a sales person assurance. Most are poorly built with contractors often secretly taking shortcuts on materials. Remember also. Philippines is in an earthquake zone and Angeles is at the foot of Pinatubo.

[QUOTE=KilledSoul;2476599]Agreed. Wonder how Pattaya started. Was it because of an Army base?[/QUOTE]During the Vietnam War US troops were close by at Utapao Air Base. They would come to Pattaya to relax and drink. Chicks came. No different than it still is today. Word that a Navy ship is coming into port and the place fills up with chicks. My shipmates used to say that when they pulled in to Australia there was a bulletin board up where chicks had left their info for guys to contact them.

[QUOTE=KilledSoul;2476599]One counter example that I would give is Medellin. I don't think there were many foriegners to being with. But the fame of Paisas spread wide and far and then more mongers started coming to that magical city.[/QUOTE]That is a totally different scenario. Medellin was already a big city with millions of people living there. The chicks in Medellin are from there and go home to their families at night.

Pattaya was a fishing village with 1 dirt road. The chicks here mostly come from farms in the rural eastern part of the country and room up together while they are in town. They put money in the bank for their family to draw out back home. Last night I was at the machine making a deposit and the chick at the machine next to me was depositing a mere 200 baht ($6). Every little bit helps and it goes a long way back where they are from.

[QUOTE=Beavis;2476591]Economically you would think they would be cheaper but to many business minds here it is better to sit vacant than to reduce the price. There are some 1 BR Kandi units now that can be had for 20 K as many are vacant with the absence of the Koreans....[/QUOTE]20 K for 1 BR condo is a discount of 4 K. Official base rate is 24 K + 8 K service fee + electricity + reservation fee + security.

Even if 20 K sound better as 24 K, you will still pay more as 30 K per month (if you want cable TV and internet).

My ex-girlfriend hit me up a couple of days ago and told me her place of employment, Reign Spa, has officially shut its doors. Not looking good for AC.

[QUOTE=MrEnternational;2477228]My ex-girlfriend hit me up a couple of days ago and told me her place of employment, Reign Spa, has officially shut its doors. Not looking good for AC.[/QUOTE]Many landlords are demanding full rent during the lock downs instead of working out and or reducing the rent. Thus losing the existing tenant.

Many businesses like a spa has very few built in tenant improvements that they can't take with them. This spa will probably relocate to a cheaper rent and better location.

A girl I know worked for a Korean Spa in Korea Town. They shut down too and are doing on calls. She said the business is slow but is the same with on call. The owner is much happier shedding his overhead.