Manila

My sense of geography in Manila is not great, but I have seen the proposed route map, and it's quite extensive. Again, I'm not positive this will ever happen, as the governments here have a collective, long history of grandiose plans that never come to fruition. However, I think in this case the odds are fairly good, given the major players involved and the fact that the project as planned, isn't going to require massive investment of public funds. I think it's finally gotten through to the political and business powers here that Manila is slowly turning into another Calcutta in terms of its inability to handle traffic and that a "Bangkok solution" of light rail overhead, and underground will alleviate a significant percentage of the growing congestion. Of course, actually enforcing traffic laws would also go a long way, but I doubt that's going to happen any time soon.

GE.

[QUOTE=Devils 1;1227480]This is a really fascinating subject to me. Since I have been spending alot of time in Manila sitting in traffic wondering how to fix the problem. When I compare it to other places that have great subway systems like Hong Kong, Boston and London it seems that it can be done. But when I think about just one small piece it completely escapes me. If you take Makati ave, it is only about 1 mile from Greenbelt to say Burgos. If you had some type of train here you would have to make 2-3 stops to even make it useful. My reasoning is that it is so hot and humid most of the year that it is impossible to walk that distance. Let alone the thought that you would have to close Makati Ave for more than a year to build it. If you close Makati Ave you may as well close Makati![/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=GoodEnough; 1227590]My sense of geography in Manila is not great, but I have seen the proposed route map, and it's quite extensive. Again, I'm not positive this will ever happen, as the governments here have a collective, long history of grandiose plans that never come to fruition. However, I think in this case the odds are fairly good, given the major players involved and the fact that the project as planned, isn't going to require massive investment of public funds. I think it's finally gotten through to the political and business powers here that Manila is slowly turning into another Calcutta in terms of its inability to handle traffic and that a "Bangkok solution" of light rail overhead, and underground will alleviate a significant percentage of the growing congestion. .

GE.[/QUOTE]Jakarta and Manila have many comparisons I think in terms of overcrowded, corrupt cities etc. The subject of a mass transit raiwlay system was first proposed in Jakarta in 1980, studies done by ADB etc. And now 31 years later Jakarta has not made a single millimetre of progress from the proposal. I suspect Manila would be and will be exactly the same.

[QUOTE=GoodEnough; 1227590]My sense of geography in Manila is not great, but I have seen the proposed route map, and it's quite extensive. Again, I'm not positive this will ever happen, as the governments here have a collective, long history of grandiose plans that never come to fruition. However, I think in this case the odds are fairly good, given the major players involved and the fact that the project as planned, isn't going to require massive investment of public funds. I think it's finally gotten through to the political and business powers here that Manila is slowly turning into another Calcutta in terms of its inability to handle traffic and that a "Bangkok solution" of light rail overhead, and underground will alleviate a significant percentage of the growing congestion. Of course, actually enforcing traffic laws would also go a long way, but I doubt that's going to happen any time soon.

GE.[/QUOTE]To GE.

There will be Coruption for sure look at the new Bangkok airport and airlink system delay after delay and way over budget an now the airlink train have been open for over a year now and no one is riding it no sure why, there been foreign investment for a new Manila airport too from Quatar but you all know where did all the money when.

Fast Eddie 48

As frequent readers of these exchanges may remember, I'm not a large fan of the government here, and have commented frequently on the massive, stultifying corruption in the country. However, this time, it's a private sector-led initiative, so maybe something will actually happen. Or maybe not. One of the problems for the Philippines is that it gets so little foreign direct investment compared to Indonesia or even Vietnam, and it's so cash-starved, that I think even the slowest witted politician recognizes that something has to be done, as the lack of transport infrastructure is one of the constraints often cited by potential foreign investors.

GE.

[QUOTE=Fast Eddie 48; 1227643]To GE.

There will be Coruption for sure look at the new Bangkok airport and airlink system delay after delay and way over budget an now the airlink train have been open for over a year now and no one is riding it no sure why, there been foreign investment for a new Manila airport too from Quatar but you all know where did all the money when.

Fast Eddie 48[/QUOTE]

Let us live the politics to the Filipinos and focus on pussies instead.

[QUOTE=Nolz7;1227750]Let us live the politics to the Filipinos and focus on pussies instead.[/QUOTE]Perhaps you have never been to metro Manila or have never tried to get from Bacoor to Malate at 2:00 pm or even at 8:00 pm

[QUOTE=Slippery;1227872]Perhaps you have never been to metro Manila or have never tried to get from Bacoor to Malate at 2:00 pm or even at 8:00 pm[/QUOTE]The place most likely will not change in our lifetimes, so we may as well just deal with it.

Besides, if the country ever does ever change, prices will likely rise and it will no longer be the mongering destination we all enjoy.

[QUOTE=Mahaba; 1227885]The place most likely will not change in our lifetimes, so we may as well just deal with it.

Besides, if the country ever does ever change, prices will likely rise and it will no longer be the mongering destination we all enjoy.[/QUOTE]I don't agree that prices will rise if there are positive changes in the country. If something could be done about the very high growth in population and the economy could be developed enough to provide employment to the poor, crime would drop and the cost of security would fall. This would reduce prices for consumers. Much crime (kidnapping, mugging at gunpoint, robbing of businesses, hijacking of trucks etc) are done out of desperation for the basics in life.

Added to that, if changes could be implemented in Manila so that people and goods could be easily and quickly moved around, this would also reduce prices and relieve the downward pressure on wages as suppliers try to keep prices down and the only input they can save on is wages.

An example of this occurred yesterday. I received a delivery of goods in the early afternoon. The supplier is based on the outskirts of Manila. His truck took about 10 hours to deliver and get back to his depot. One delivery for one truck in one day when he should be able to effect about 10 deliveries. One supplier told me that he puts 5% extra onto the price of a consignment because of the liklihood of hijacking or theft of the truck. When I asked whether he had lost or damaged goods in one delivery in 20, he smiled and said no but that when someone steals the consignment the truck is often damaged or destroyed or not available to be used for months. The cost of doing business in the Philippines is very high, esp in certain parts of the country

[QUOTE=Simian;1227942]I don't agree that prices will rise if there are positive changes in the country.[/QUOTE]If there's economic growth, of course prices will rise. It's simple supply and demand.

Higher economic growth = girls have other employment options.

Girls have other employment options = less will become hookers (you think they enjoy sucking dicks and fucking old fat guys?)

Less hookers = remaining hookers, being rarer, can command higher prices.

It is hardly surprising that, the higher a country's GDP per capita, the costlier it is to monger there. Nobody's talking about how cheap it is to monger in Japan or South Korea.

But we're getting way ahead of ourselves. The fact is, none of us will live long enough to see the Philippines even match Thailand's standard of living. It would require two decades of miraculous economic growth that is simply unprecedented. So it's all a moot point worrying about whether prices of mongering in the Philippines will rise.

Believe it or not, in absolute terms, things are getting better here. However, the pace of progress is glacial, while in the "tiger" and would-be tiger economies it's rapid and in some cases visionary. That's why in relative terms, this place falls further behind its neighbors every year. There's no readily apparent national vision in the country, just a lurching slightly forward, in fits and starts, and there's no political will to carry through on much of anything, just empty rhetoric; and endless soap opera in which form trumps substance almost every time. What's slightly encouraging though is the the mega-firms like San Miguel, SM and Ayala are starting to fret about the lack of infrastructure and seem determined to actually do something about it.

GE

I have worked there for 10 years till my company closed shop. Unless you are a Filipino which I am not, there is nothing we can do. We should just enjoy the cheap pussy, that's I', saying.

Where is the best place to exchange money in Manilia? Is the airport okay or are there combo type place around in the city?

[QUOTE=JayHighFive;1228469]Where is the best place to exchange money in Manilia? Is the airport okay or are there combo type place around in the city?[/QUOTE]My experience is that the money changers in the Airport are OK. There's about 3 money changers there just outside Baggage Claim on NAIA Terminal 1. Be sure to compare the 3 rates, but the best of the 3 tends to be pretty competitive. I normally get about $200 or $300 worth of pesos as soon as I arrive as "walking around money", then shop for the best rates the next day.

My favorite Money Changer is directly across from the Matrix on P. Burgos, then down about another 50-75 feet, next to that Jewelry Store\Pawn Shop. The owner of that Jewelry Store\Pawn Shop also owns the money changer. I like her rates, and use her rates as a baseline to compare to all other money changers. But there are thousands upon thousands of money changers in Manila. Shop on rates.

Be very careful of the Money changers in Malate.

[QUOTE=JayHighFive;1228469]Where is the best place to exchange money in Manilia? Is the airport okay or are there combo type place around in the city?[/QUOTE]As a general rule, airports in all cities are generally not very good places to change money. Rates are generally always higher than that obtained downtown. The best place to change money is the atm, (except in Thailand where there is a service charge, and its reported also in some but not all Philippines banks atm's.)

FF is right. Airports are known for having the worst rates. Just check your home airport when you go back and compare the rates to what you exchanged at in the Philippines.

Sanry's is usually the best place with the best rates. In the P. Burgos area, there is one at the top of the street next to the Andok's chicken by Pussycats and there is one in A. Venue mall.

There is also one outside of Park Square 1 across the street from Dusit, one in Glorietta mall and even one on Pasay Road across the street from New World.

There is also one in Greenbelt 1 behind the flower store. 2 in Market Market. 1 or 2 in Robinson's Galleria in Ortigas, etc.

They are a large chain of places and I have exchanged hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years and have never had a problem.

Another option is Czarina. I've exchanged a lot with them also without issue but usually stick with Sanry's. There's a Czarina across the street from Greenbelt 5 drop off and one in Glorietta also as well as other branches around the metro.