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In your opinion, were is the best place to live in the Philippines?
What I have in mind is a city that has either reasonable flight connections to other countries or to Manila, has relatively low crime and hassle factors and access to quality pay for play when it is required.
All suggestions gratefully received!
[QUOTE=Puerto La Cruz]Its 750 php payable at the first checkpoint you get to for international flights. As I always return home with pesos, I take 750 and fold it up and put it in the back of my wallet for the departure tax on the next trip.[/QUOTE]
It is 750 Pesos if you are leaving from Manila. Clark and Cebu has different fees.
[QUOTE=Bob Bowie]sound about right for International flight. Domestic is about
200 peso each flight.[/QUOTE]My post disappeared, hence a re-post
Domestic flight airport tax is airport dependant, and i have paid 20 peso at a remote landing strip, to 40 peso in another domestic terminal
The Philippines Aviation Authority say "The tax is for you to enjoy the previleges of the Terminal and facilities. " whatever that means.
[QUOTE=Simian]In your opinion, were is the best place to live in the Philippines?
What I have in mind is a city that has either reasonable flight connections to other countries or to Manila, has relatively low crime and hassle factors and access to quality pay for play when it is required.
All suggestions gratefully received![/QUOTE]My 2 cents:
Having travelled to many parts of Philippines. Really crime free zones have no P4P, and if you 'import' your stuff, the natives will become enemies. As a doctor who was working in a remote hospital found out.
Choose what you want.comfortable safe life. Manila / Makati, Cheap P4P. Your choice just opened up.
Or retired living. Then you can even look at Anilao Beach and some areas in Batangas, PG.
[QUOTE=Houziwang]I have a much simpler approach that I've been very happy with: I never loan money to a Filipino.
I'll give them a gift, or I will help them in non-monetary ways. But no loans, no headaches, no regrets. Once I hand over money, I count it gone.
But that is just me.[/QUOTE]It's not just you, it's me too, though I made that mistake in the past and lived to regret it. It's money lost, trouble and lost friendship. I can help from time to time (rare) with small gifts of up to 5000 pesos, but loan is useless. When Filipino say loan they really mean gift. Close friends expats are usually no problem, but Filipino, for serious amounts, never. Make that a strict rule, no matter how sincere they look or how sure you are they have the means to reimburse it.
[QUOTE=Simian]In your opinion, were is the best place to live in the Philippines?
What I have in mind is a city that has either reasonable flight connections to other countries or to Manila, has relatively low crime and hassle factors and access to quality pay for play when it is required.
All suggestions gratefully received![/QUOTE]
Davao. No doubt about it for me.
Cebu second
Manila a distant third
[QUOTE=Denom]It's not just you, it's me too, though I made that mistake in the past and lived to regret it.. I can help from time to time (rare) with small gifts of up to 5000 pesos,. When Filipino say loan they really mean gift. Close friends expats are usually no problem, but Filipino, for serious amounts, never. Make that a strict rule, no matter how sincere they look or how sure you are they have the means to reimburse it.[/QUOTE]We all know the rules about this as expertly penned by Mattrick, but sometimes we just like to be heroes I guess.
Cute little ex-virgin who hops in my bed when I'm in Manila was online with me two days back, telling me that she's just started back in school after the break but was short of two text books.
Following Mattricks wise words about getting details I asked what the books were. Quick as a flash she replied Nole Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo which were Rizal's most famous books.
She was only asking for P800 bless her. Western Union and National Bookstore made her happy and for sure she will be making me happy on my next trip!
[QUOTE=FreebieFan]
Following Mattricks wise words about getting details I asked what the books were. Quick as a flash she replied Nole Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo which were Rizal's most famous books.
She was only asking for P800 bless her. Western Union and National Bookstore made her happy and for sure she will be making me happy on my next trip![/QUOTE]
Great advice Freebie.
You can go one step further by actually buying the books for her (if you are in Manila) and sending them to her home address by a local courier (LBC is a good one with coverage door-to-door over most of the Philippines). Cost approx 100php.
It takes the WU out of the equation and removes the possibility that with the 800 php in hand she (or some family leech) might suddenly find that there is a bigger emergency right at that time and Noli and Fili have to wait.
[QUOTE=Red Kilt]Davao. No doubt about it for me.
Cebu second
Manila a distant third[/QUOTE]
I would place Davao and Cebu equal first, Manila well down the list, try north PI around San Fernando La Union/Luzon, I was there recently and I liked the area, sometimes a tad provincial (cant find the right word) but was relaxed. Have a good friend living in the area for many year and he is blissfully happy
For me Cebu is a great place, not a city IMHO but a large town, nice beaches, some nice palces to eat etc and I do like Cebuanas...... Davao is same, and would happily live there but can myself more in Cebu than Davao.....
[QUOTE=Red Kilt]Great advice Freebie.
You can go one step further by actually buying the books for her (if you are in Manila) and sending them to her home address by a local courier (LBC is a good one with coverage door-to-door over most of the Philippines). Cost approx 100php.
It takes the WU out of the equation and removes the possibility that with the 800 php in hand she (or some family leech) might suddenly find that there is a bigger emergency right at that time and Noli and Fili have to wait.[/QUOTE]
FF
I can vouch for Rk's advice as helped out a lady recently in the same predicament...one you also know FF.
Books were there in a day and she was very happy..and RK will be rewarded and thanked trust me, next time he visits the city....:D
But I am very happy to help the lady's education (both sexual :D and no sexual) when I can. Sometimes we lose sight of how easy we had it education-wise with good, free schooling in our home countries and when you are on the ground as RK and FF are, you realise how important education is to many pinays ..hence many will ask for help with school fees.
Issue is to find the genuine ones..and when you do then you will get many brownie points IMHO
[QUOTE=Red Kilt]Great advice Freebie.
You can go one step further by actually buying the books for her (if you are in Manila) and sending them to her home address by a local courier (LBC is a good one with coverage door-to-door over most of the Philippines). Cost approx 100php.
It takes the WU out of the equation and removes the possibility that with the 800 php in hand she (or some family leech) might suddenly find that there is a bigger emergency right at that time and Noli and Fili have to wait.[/QUOTE]Not to offend you RK, but I would not go to that extreme step of going to LBC. And what not.
Thinking about it, once I had a girl who asked me money as she had busted her salary on something and was short of groceries. And baby milk powder. I calmly sent a message saying "PLDT online has this service to send sm shopping pre-paid cards, can I send 1000 Peso worth? "
And there was a deafening silence, followed by "never mind, my aunty just got me the milk. "
One thing. Filipinas are not so enterprising as some other people I have met. If it was a Thai girl or Viet girl, she would have cashed the 1000 peso into merchandise and sold them to her neighbours and made the money.
While the 1000 peso cards when ordering online cost more than the equilavent in US$, it sort of stops them from doing other things with the money
Bottom line. For me. I don't bother if it is small amount. As long as it stays as small amount. Considering I live in Singapore, where a mug of beer costs equivalent of 300 peso, sending 500 peso or 1000 peso never hurt me.
BTW, I am not a descendent of the Rockerfeller Family. Nor am I as rich as Bill Gates.
[QUOTE=Wicked Roger]FF,
I can vouch for Rk's advice as helped out a lady recently in the same predicament...one you also know FF.
Books were there in a day and she was very happy..and RK will be rewarded and thanked trust me, next time he visits the city....:D
But I am very happy to help the lady's education (both sexual :D and no sexual) when I can. Sometimes we lose sight of how easy we had it education-wise with good, free schooling in our home countries and when you are on the ground as RK and FF are, you realise how important education is to many pinays ..hence many will ask for help with school fees.
Issue is to find the genuine ones..and when you do then you will get many brownie points IMHO[/QUOTE]IMHO, do not loan money unless you are a bank.
[QUOTE=FreebieFan]We all know the rules about this as expertly penned by Mattrick, but sometimes we just like to be heroes I guess.
Cute little ex-virgin who hops in my bed when I'm in Manila was online with me two days back, telling me that she's just started back in school after the break but was short of two text books.
Following Mattricks wise words about getting details I asked what the books were. Quick as a flash she replied Nole Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo which were Rizal's most famous books.
She was only asking for P800 bless her. Western Union and National Bookstore made her happy and for sure she will be making me happy on my next trip![/QUOTE]
you might direct your little lovely to
[url]www.archive.org[/url]
type on the left the name of the author, reduce the search on the right to "texts"
She will find a color pdf scan (high resolution) of the first edition.
This piece of info might not qualify you for the next bj but might be of use to her. Many other books there, usually older classics.
[QUOTE=Wicked Roger]FF
I can vouch for Rk's advice as helped out a lady recently in the same predicament...one you also know FF.
Books were there in a day and she was very happy..and RK will be rewarded and thanked trust me, next time he visits the city....:D
But I am very happy to help the lady's education (both sexual :D and no sexual) when I can. Sometimes we lose sight of how easy we had it education-wise with good, free schooling in our home countries and when you are on the ground as RK and FF are, you realise how important education is to many pinays ..hence many will ask for help with school fees.
Issue is to find the genuine ones..and when you do then you will get many brownie points IMHO[/QUOTE]
Not all girls are interested in studying. I had a GF from BAYBAY, LEYTE for 4 years. She went to the university there. I supported her through school. Initially she wanted to study to be a veterinarian but changed her mind to be a nurse. Initially she would send me her report cards or show it to me when I went and stayed stayed there in a Hotel but later when I asked she was evasive.
Sometimes what they say is not what they do. I gave up on the girl after four years of support. After I stopped my support she kept on begging me and told me that she will behave and will study and will always listen to my advice. But once I have no confidence in her I let her go.
My advice is if you want to support in studies make sure they follow your advice and give you transcripts of their scores. These girls are easily sidetracked from their goals.
[QUOTE=Econo Tech]Not to offend you RK, but I would not go to that extreme step of going to LBC. And what not.
[/QUOTE]
I don't understand what you are saying.
I am not saying ANYTHING about sending money with LBC.
I am talking about buying 2 college books in Manila for a girl and then sending them to her in her Visayan province by LBC so she can have them for her study rather than sending her the money to buy them.
She is a bona fide student.