Opening a checking account in the phils
One thing that may cause problems is using a cashiers check to open your account.
I deposited a similar check from an Australian bank into a Phils bank account, and it took about one month for the check to clear and the funds to be available to me.
Also, consider whether you want a peso account, a US dollar account, or whatever is your currency.
There are advantages and disadvantages in al three options.
G
[QUOTE=FreebieFan;1312484]Welcome the world of intitials. Top of yourl ist should be BPI (bank phil islands) BNP, UCPB, ABC (allied bank) RCBC, BDO etcetc. All have good coverage but I think BPI works best and easiest. As for opening an acount, go into a branch and see what they want.[/QUOTE]
Discussion from the Manila thread about Luzon's Northeast coast
This discussion is moved here from the Manila thread.
LukeSkywalker asked about what appear to be flooded crop lands along the Northeast coast of Luzon. I responded with this:
'One way you could sleuth this is to install Google Earth and then zoom to Manila. Then pull away, scroll to the East until you see the Pacific, bear down on the coast, and start scrolling North or South depending on your likely flight route. Most of the East coast from the latitude of Manila northward is pretty rugged terrain, with little flat land for farming. There are a few exceptions where rivers flow to the sea and leave alluvial silt deposits. '
Red Kilt replied to me:
'Ummm Skip I think you have erred a little in your prognostications.
From Manila latitude and northwards out to the east you have the Rice and Corn basket of the Philippines. All through Nueva Ecija, Nueva Viscaya, Isabela and Cagayan these are the prime producing lands of Northern Luzon. I have around 10 hectares of my own ricefields farmed by my wife's family.
I am not sure what boundaries you are putting on your statement that "most of the East coast from the latitude of Manila northward is pretty rugged terrain, with little flat land for farming", but for me most of the eastern side of the Cordilleras as far north to Aparri and across to the Pacific is very much flat and fertile. '
I am responding here to RK:
I think 'for me' is the operational term in your reply. You have probably been in many of the areas you describe many times, and I have never been further north than Baguio. So your input is appreciated. But I would not say I was engaging in prognostication, which implies forecasting something about which I have no knowledge.
In fact I surveyed the area I was describing using topographic maps and Google Earth. I have posted a link to a topographic map below. You can raise the magnification of the map by clicking on it, and the scroll bar moves you to various parts of the country, including northern Luzon.
I wrote the following: 'Most of the East coast from the latitude of Manila northward is pretty rugged terrain, with little flat land for farming. There are a few exceptions where rivers flow to the sea and leave alluvial silt deposits. ' Google Earth and the topographic map confirm what I wrote.
The principal geographic feature of the east coast of Luzon, from Aurora province up through Isabella and Cagayan provinces is the Sierra Madre mountain range. The mountains are punctuated in a few places by rivers that flow, mostly from West to East and create narrow alluvial plains at the coast. Examples are at Baler, Dinalungan and Casiguran in Aurora province and Palanan, Divilican, and Maconanon in Isabella. But most of these are narrow swaths cutting through the main geographic feature, the mountains.
I agree that the northern provinces you name are a bread basket for Luzon, but the vast majority of cultivated land is inland. Both Nueva Ecija and Nueva Viscaya are landlocked; neither touches the Pacific Ocean. And the principal agricultural areas of Isabella and Cagayan are along the Cagayan River watershed, which is to the West of the Sierra Madre mountains, not at the coast.
The surprising thing to me is that, with your extensive knowledge from living in the Philippines for nearly 15 years, you did not offer feedback to LukeSkywalker in the first place, rather than wait to nit-pick my posting.
[url]http://www.vidiani.com/maps/maps_of_asia/maps_of_philippines/large_detailed_road_and_topographical_map_of_philippines.jpg[/url]
The New Request for Money
I was chatting what appeared to be a gorgeous young thing from Davao today. She says no cam. But she could use a cam at an internet cafe if she pays the "license fee." Aaahhhhaaaa! So what's the license fee cost in Davao for you to use a cam in an internet cafe? Ummmmm. 2,400 php but that doesn't include transportation to city hall. Or, you could just buy me a cam. Well, how much is that? Ummmmmmm about the same price. Got to give her credit because its one I never heard of before.
