I want to open a bank account in AC when I arrive. What info do they require? Can I open a dollar account? Can I get a atm card on the spot? What banks do you recommend?
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I want to open a bank account in AC when I arrive. What info do they require? Can I open a dollar account? Can I get a atm card on the spot? What banks do you recommend?
[quote=red kilt; 1228225]yes frenzy. getting others to line up for me is a possible solution but it misses the point i was making. any manager with ability to plan and organize (manage) would have rostered additional staff to work on the busiest day of the year. there were 2 overworked staff; he was doing nothing and the line of people waiting stretched out side his shop. it was the sheer indifference to it that was so bewildering to me.
note that i also love living here too because the positives outweigh the negatives, but occasionally some of these negatives are so frustrating because they can be very very very easily improved by the simplest of solutions.
btw, you should use pinoys and pinays when you are referring to filipinos and filipinas (and not pinos and pinas).
pinas are actually "pineapples". pinos are probably a variety of grape although usually spelled "pinot".[/quote]yeah i do abbreviate the two words pinoys and pinays i am sure people reading do not think about pineapples or grapes. as for management i lived here long enough to know that it will never improve as that is one business culture thing that can not change is the longer you work for a company the more you get paid and moved up the chain, even i have to do it in my own business as the longer a staff is with you the more the new staff respect them and you. did the staff complain only 2 of them where working? do they like the boss? who cares what the customer satisfaction is this is pi at least some one has a job.
[QUOTE=Amjeck;1228239]I want to open a bank account in AC when I arrive. What info do they require? Can I open a dollar account? Can I get a atm card on the spot? What banks do you recommend?[/QUOTE]How long you plan to stay. It can take a week to get a atm card some banks, and dollar account may not have atm card so you need to contact the bank to withdraw dollars
[QUOTE=Amjeck;1228239]I want to open a bank account in AC when I arrive. What info do they require? Can I open a dollar account? Can I get a atm card on the spot? What banks do you recommend?[/QUOTE]I recommend Bank of the Philippines Islands. They have branches and ATMs everywhere. They also have a simple version of internet banking but I would advise making sure that you understand it before leaving the bank. Best to start with one of the largest branches as they have more personnel in customer service.
Of course, no bank is as safe as we thought they were just a few years ago! But from what I have been able to find out in my own amateur way, it would appear that BPI is ok. But don't take my word for it. I just maintain relatively small balances with the bank and so if it goes bust I won't cry too much!
Yes, they do dollar accounts. But remember that when you withdraw at an ATM you can only get Pesos and you have no control over the exchange rate when they take money out of the dollar account. Many folks maintain a peso account as well which they use for ATMs and checking and top it up on the web from their dollar account.
You won't be able to get an ATM card on the spot. If memory serves me right, I was able to get an ATM card within about 5 working days (much quicker than Western countries).
I was able to do all of this with just a foreign passport. You will need to provide a secure address in the Philippines for them to send stuff to you. I used the office of a friend and they did not mind.
You will wait may weeks or even months before you will have your account set up with at least some of the foreign banks. That is even if you have an account with that foreign bank in your own country, as a friend of mine experienced!
Most banks will insist on a minimum balance at least on dollar accounts. I cannot remember how much but I think it is a few hundred dollars. If you break the condition you incur account charges.
The conditions above only apply to personal accounts. I don't know business accounts conditions.
[QUOTE=Frenzy3;1228255]How long you plan to stay. It can take a week to get a atm card some banks, and dollar account may not have atm card so you need to contact the bank to withdraw dollars[/QUOTE]A month or longer. I want to bring cash and deposit in bank then withdrawl as I travel around. I think its better than carrying cash with me everywhere. I could do atm withdrawls with my foreign bank, but the fees are to high and the minimum pesos I can pull is like 10-15k (Too small) I think.
No banks can issue an atm card on the spot?
Guys,
I do not wish, IN ANY WAY, to downplay the enormity of the terrible floods in Northern Mindanao (specifically CdO and Iligan City) , but be careful with the number of requests proliferating on the internet for assistance following the tragic floods.
The floods were dreadful and no doubt many of the girls on DIA and even many of the b/gs in AC, Cebu and Manila will have family there, so if you know the girl and that her needs are real then by all means help in any way you can BUT watch out for the scammers, since I have had 2 examples already.
Example 1. A girl hits me up on YM with an offline message obviously sent to all her contacts asking to please help her and her family who have been wiped out by the floods. She had forgotten that we had met in Manila around 3 weeks ago when her whole family had moved from CdO to Caloocan because of her father's work. Her DIA still shows her living in CdO.
SPRUNG!
I waited until she was online and asked her which lie was the real one. Her now living in Caloocan or the family losing everything in the floods in Cdo.
She told me I was an asshole and then blocked me.
Example 2. Another girl from CdO on YM who has been online all day for 3 days soliciting funds, and sending out offline requests saying she is desperate and has no clothes and no money for food as their house was destroyed.
This girl lives in a community a long way from the river in an elevated area and I know she cannot be flooded out. I also know they have a computer at home.
I sent her an email saying I was really glad she was safe and that she and her family must also be OK if she can be away from them all day chatting and can afford to use an internet cafe all day.
She replied with "I cannot get to internet cafe because of floods. I am using my computer at home".
I responded "But you said your house was destroyed"
Silence. Followed by disconnection.
[QUOTE=Red Kilt; 1228576]Guys,
I do not wish, IN ANY WAY, to downplay the enormity of the terrible floods in Northern Mindanao (specifically CdO and Iligan City) , but be careful with the number of requests proliferating on the internet for assistance following the tragic floods.
The floods were dreadful and no doubt many of the girls on DIA and even many of the be / gs in AC, Cebu and Manila will have family there, so if you know the girl and that her needs are real then by all means help in any way you can BUT watch out for the scammers, since I have had 2 examples already.
Example 1. A girl hits me up on YM with an offline message obviously sent to all her contacts asking to please help her and her family who have been wiped out by the floods. She had forgotten that we had met in Manila around 3 weeks ago when her whole family had moved from CdO to Caloocan because of her father's work. Her DIA still shows her living in CdO.
SPRUNG!
I waited until she was online and asked her which lie was the real one. Her now living in Caloocan or the family losing everything in the floods in Cdo.
She told me I was an asshole and then blocked me.
Example 2. Another girl from CdO on YM who has been online all day for 3 days soliciting funds, and sending out offline requests saying she is desperate and has no clothes and no money for food as their house was destroyed.
This girl lives in a community a long way from the river in an elevated area and I know she cannot be flooded out. I also know they have a computer at home.
I sent her an email saying I was really glad she was safe and that she and her family must also be OK if she can be away from them all day chatting and can afford to use an internet cafe all day.
She replied with "I cannot get to internet cafe because of floods. I am using my computer at home".
I responded "But you said your house was destroyed"
Silence. Followed by disconnection.[/QUOTE]Red Kilt,
I am sure that any aid money from mongers will come attached to a dog collar, chain and a standing Hampton high on Viagra. The victims of the flood scam will most likely come from dating sites and are unlikely to have mongered. Mongering seems to imbue its practitioners with a healthy dose of skepticism.
[QUOTE=Amjeck; 1228286]A month or longer. I want to bring cash and deposit in bank then withdrawl as I travel around. I think its better than carrying cash with me everywhere. I could do atm withdrawls with my foreign bank, but the fees are to high and the minimum pesos I can pull is like 10-15k (Too small) I think.
No banks can issue an atm card on the spot?[/QUOTE]You can take out 40k a day depending on your bank at home just 10k lots (citi does 15k hsbc 20k)
Some bpi will offer you ATM card but only peso account my dollar account has a $750 min bal. And I have to call the bank days before to get aud so I can take money out.
For a short stay of only one month just use your home ATM card. The ques in banks can be long PI has no customer service it just you learn to be patient.
[quote=frenzy3; 1228652]you can take out 40k a day depending on your bank at home just 10k lots (citi does 15k hsbc 20k)
some bpi will offer you atm card but only peso account my dollar account has a $750 min bal. And i have to call the bank days before to get aud so i can take money out.
For a short stay of only one month just use your home atm card. The ques in banks can be long pi has no customer service it just you learn to be patient.[/quote]the hsbc is 45000, at 1 time.
If you are going to give, donate to Red Cross. They are pretty active down there, and really need help right now.
I already got hit with scams. Do not give, if you do not kow the girl intimately. I agree with redkilt here.
But help out if and when you can.
Best regards to all.
CT
[QUOTE=Chocha Monger; 1228640]Red Kilt,
I am sure that any aid money from mongers will come attached to a dog collar, chain and a standing Hampton high on Viagra. The victims of the flood scam will most likely come from dating sites and are unlikely to have mongered. Mongering seems to imbue its practitioners with a healthy dose of skepticism.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Frenzy3; 1228652]You can take out 40k a day depending on your bank at home just 10k lots (citi does 15k hsbc 20k)
Some bpi will offer you ATM card but only peso account my dollar account has a $750 min bal. And I have to call the bank days before to get aud so I can take money out.
For a short stay of only one month just use your home ATM card. The ques in banks can be long PI has no customer service it just you learn to be patient.[/QUOTE]To Frenzy
I don't like to bring too much cash also and my US atm card with chase and Citibank been increasing their fee for oversea ATM withdraw, I also bring Amex traveller check and only use ATM card in emergency only.
Fast Eddie 48
[QUOTE=Cool Traveler; 1228721]If you are going to give, donate to Red Cross. They are pretty active down there, and really need help right now.
I already got hit with scams. Do not give, if you do not kow the girl intimately. I agree with redkilt here.
But help out if and when you can.
Best regards to all.
CT[/QUOTE]A lot of 'charities' in the Philippines are scams. Be very very careful, money rarely gets to the needy. Local Filipinos will confirm this. They laugh when one talks about charities and say they would never give money to them. Foreign governments try and give goods rather than money to try and get round the theft and corruption.
[QUOTE=Frenzy3;1228652]You can take out 40k a day depending on your bank at home just 10k lots (citi does 15k hsbc 20k)[/QUOTE]So every time you pull a 10k you get whacked with at least $5. To get roughly $1k out you'd have to spend $20 or 2. I think that's a bit expensive. Also, are there better exchange rates with cash conversion at exchange booths or with ATM withdrawls?
[QUOTE=Amjeck;1229069]So every time you pull a 10k you get whacked with at least $5. To get roughly $1k out you'd have to spend $20 or 2. I think that's a bit expensive. Also, are there better exchange rates with cash conversion at exchange booths or with ATM withdrawls?[/QUOTE]Okay, let me put it this way. Is there any place where you must pay to get a job, even in restaurants?
In Philippines, yes, you must pay something like 5, 000 peso or more, to get 'short listed' and that is NOT BRIBE. It is payment levied by the employers to stop time-wasters, or so they say and no, the 5, 000 don't get returned whether you get selected or not.
So in essence, Filipinos put up with this kind of crap, and the banks, almost all, are privately owned. So they think they are doing the right thing paying to withdraw money.
So, smart people like us, keep cash (carefully hidden and disbursed) and minimse ATM withdrawal, (oh, not to forget that at more than a few ATMs, guys loiter around to whack you off. And it is more scary when the bank security is walking with the trigger finger ready.) of course. Use credit cards to pay for anything major. And when doing ATM withdrawal, withdraw max, whether needed or not.
Not sure where to post this. This is from a newb (he has one post in a thread in the middle-east). I get about one a month like this in PM:
[I]I was thinking to go philipien 14th of January for 21 days maybe more, I would love to ask a few quiestion and if you would give me advice I will be very happy. I like to know which part philipien I should go for party? Do you know any hotel you can tell me or people you might know? It's would be great any info you could give me. Thank you[/I]
I think its in bad form for newbs (even long-time lurkers) to hit us up for information before going there. Really, go get a travel guide. Before contacting us here for info about the country, please do the following:
1. Take a trip there.
2. Post at least one full Field Report (include hotel review, chica review, food review).
This goes for any newb to the country. You need to give something to the thread first (a FR would be nice). THEN feel free to ask me where the laundromats are located near G-Point. Also, it is not possible to give specific answers to broad-based questions:
"Where is best place for party?" I don't know, as I don't attend parties. Party with locals? Party with expats?
"Where is best hotel?" Best hotel in what category: price, ambiance, location, pool, bar? My idea of a good hotel is different than yours.
"Where is best place to meet girls in Filipines?" EVERYWHERE, but its a stupid question that's not really answerable.
Other gents?