General Info

[blue]Gentlemen,

The purpose of this Forum is to provide for the exchange of information between Men on the subject of finding Women for Sex.

Let's get back to the subject.

Thank You,

Jackson[/blue]

It's my first time flying to the Phils. Been to Thailand a few times so.

I'll be flying from SFO to Manila via PAL. My flight is at 10: 30 at night. The reservations agent said to be there 3. 5 hours ahead of time. Is that really necessary?

Also, they are telling me for my domestic flight from Manila to Cebu on Nov. 1 to be there 2. 5 hours ahead of time. Is this correct, also?

I don't mind being to the airport, early. In fact, I prefer it. But especially the 3. 5 hours at SFO seems a bit excessive.

Anyone have good advice for me?

Thanks

Thanks for the info Jazzy Daddy.

What's the deal with all of the deleted reports?

It's been a couple of days since I've checked the board.

Did I miss something?

DSK

Yes Jackson - excellent suggestion - wondered when you would step in and knock errant heads together :).

Back to the real business in hand.

Cheers GH

Hello Redfield,

I would certainly agree that you should be at check in for cebu Pacific well before departure time.

The reason is that if the plane is full, and there are more customers screaming for tickets, and are prpared to pay some tea money, they will sell your ticket.

No matter that you had a reservation.

This happened to me flying from bacolod. The lady and I decided for one last screamer of a fuck, and I was late. Got to the airport 1 hour before departure. Door to cebu pacific office barred by a guard. The fact that I had a reservation was immaterial.

lots of fast smooth talking got me inside the office, and more joking and smooth talk got me one of the hosties jump seats on the plane. barely made it.

So get there in plenty of time.

gangles.

It's no secret that prescription drugs are ridiculously expensive in the Philippines, particularly in Mercury Drug. So its good to report that there is a newish kid on the block that breaks the cartel and charges reasonable prices for pharmaceuticals. This is the Generic Pharmacy and as their name suggests their drugs are all generic, either imported or locally made, but always genuine and approved by the Philippines Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD). They have branches everywhere. Average prices are very low. For example Doxycycline antibiotics are 2 pesos a tablet and Ibuprofen is 1.5 pesos. Don’t know if they do Cialis or Viagra. Better still they will deliver for a minimum purchase (about 1,000 pesos).

They are expanding fast (they are a franchise) and have branches everywhere. In Malate there is one on Pedro Gil corner of Agoncillo. Delivery hotline is 7323333 or 7315555. GH

Has anyone been to Heartbeat KTV?

I went there 2 years ago and had a blast.

I can't seem to find any post on this place.

Well you would think that given the many trips I have taken to Phil I would know this answer but I do not. As we all know Cealis is wildly peddled on the street. I never have bought for I would never injest something from what may be something I not want to begin with. So my question. I know that Ceailis and viagra can be bought in the pharmacies there in in ac or manila. Do you need a precription to get them? Are they over the counter? Do I need to see the local Doc to get presciption. Thanks for any help on this.

This is a copy of my post a few days ago in the Viagra section of the forum.

Last week in Makati I realized I had forgotten my Cialis at home. Mercury Pharmacy near City Garden Makati hotel definitely wanted a prescription and I expect all pharmacies will. I got a prescription by asking the pharmacist where to find a doc. Big medial center within walking distance at 5 pm got me in and out in 15 minutes with a bp check and a chat with a real doctor. He gave me a rx for 10 boxes...(20 tabs)
I only bought 5 boxes for 7500 pesos, so it's not cheap in the pharmacy. The doc visit only cost 300 pesos total. You can buy on the street for 500 pesos or less per box...but i have no idea if it's real.

Now if you go to the viagra section of the forum you will see some interesting followups to my post above. I'm now in my last night in Ermita and am considering returning to the doc for a refill. It just slays me that I forgot to bring my stockpile of Cialis on this trip.

Myself and others hsve confirmed that bar /street sellers have stuff that works.

There have also been some good reports in the past on Chinese herbal med. - and recent science reports seem to confirm same --

Just to make sure that others can find it (because I had a question about where it was), below is a link to the section of the forums where Xdentx's original post on the topic can be found. There are also sections on other enhancers as well.

[url]http://www.internationalsexguide.info/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=272[/url]

Enjoy!
HW

I buy it on the street in Angeles all the time when I'm in the Philippines and the stuff always works great! I have a few friends who do the same, and I have never heard anything negative from them either.

Still SKinning Them Up!

Yella Man

[QUOTE=Yella Man]I buy it on the street in Angeles all the time when I'm in the Philippines and the stuff always works great! I have a few friends who do the same, and I have never heard anything negative from them either.[/QUOTE]

I will say something negative, that I bought from a street seller that a friend who lives in AC told me his friends said this guy sold legit stuff. I bought Cialis from him at a great price, but whatever it was it wasn't Cialis. Maybe it was Viagra I don't know, but it didn't work like Cialis and I threw my box out pretty quickly. I won't buy off the street again, I don't think the risks are worth it. Some of the clubs there sell the stuff for a lot more, and I would bet that there stuff is legit.

[QUOTE=Key Master]I will say something negative, that I bought from a street seller that a friend who lives in AC told me his friends said this guy sold legit stuff. I bought Cialis from him at a great price, but whatever it was it wasn't Cialis. Maybe it was Viagra I don't know, but it didn't work like Cialis and I threw my box out pretty quickly. I won't buy off the street again, I don't think the risks are worth it. Some of the clubs there sell the stuff for a lot more, and I would bet that there stuff is legit.[/QUOTE]Gentlemen,

The next time you go to your doc for a checkup or whatever, just tell him you are going to the PI for some fun and need some help. The PharmaCorps give your doc hundreds of free samples of Cialis/Viagra. Just ask your doc. I get enough for a three week trip no problem, cialis and viagra for free!

MeLuvulooongtime

The two times I bought it from AC bars the price was so low that I doubt that the stuff was from the patent holder (I assume that is what you mean by "legit").

Its always worked for me, but I've never used the real deal so can't really compare how the two versions might differ. The copies come from India I've heard.

X

[QUOTE=Key Master]I will say something negative, that I bought from a street seller that a friend who lives in AC told me his friends said this guy sold legit stuff. I bought Cialis from him at a great price, but whatever it was it wasn't Cialis. Maybe it was Viagra I don't know, but it didn't work like Cialis and I threw my box out pretty quickly. I won't buy off the street again, I don't think the risks are worth it. Some of the clubs there sell the stuff for a lot more, and I would bet that there stuff is legit.[/QUOTE]

I get my viagra from my dad in the US, he sends me the real stuff. I my expirence, the stuff from the pharmacy in AC is hit or miss. I did much comparison over the last couple of months, and the US stuff works 100% of the time. The PH stuff, only works about 30% of the time. This comparison leads me to believe that PH Viagra does not have the same stringent requirements that US (patent) stuff does. I usually only need 50mg for the US stuff, versus 100mg of the PH stuff.

I also have a prescription for Levitra, which I fill at a local pharmacy. Works better for the weekend, however, Viagra is good for just one pop.

Usually don't need it, however by day 3 or 4, it is always nice to have the little blue wingman in my pocket.

Carm

[QUOTE=X Man]The two times I bought it from AC bars the price was so low that I doubt that the stuff was from the patent holder (I assume that is what you mean by "legit").

Its always worked for me, but I've never used the real deal so can't really compare how the two versions might differ. The copies come from India I've heard.

X[/QUOTE]

I did suggest that the clubs are more likely to sell legit stuff. I don't have any experience buying in the clubs but I would ask the managers. I won't buy again on the street because I know it wasn't legit Cialis. Cialis will last for more than a day easily on me, and it only might have given me a couple of hours if any and that is more likely a Viagra type drug. I have read too many negatives about buying from these street vendors and only buy legit stuff now. It's too easy to go to your own doctor and get a real prescription to be worth risking my own well being on street stuff. The one time I bought it without was in Thailand at a pharmacy and it was legit. The price was higher than street price for sure.

Ah, it's good to know that maybe in the clubs it's legit usually. I guess I'll ask other ex pats when I arrive. I doubt my doc is gonna give me any here.

She, that is. Heh.

Only time that I have bought the stuff, I got it from a seller in Harrison Plaza and I can assure you it was genuine. The packaging and blister pack looked the real deal as well. Only trouble is that I don't really need the gear and one tablet turns me into priapic sex monster :D.

Sorry, but I still don't know what you mean by "legit"

You mean the real deal from the patent holder, or something that gives you a place to hang your hat for a while?

I haven't heard anything negative on ISG except for those who proclaim that the stuff is sht and they would never buy it -- which of course is a contradiction. No offense if anyone is in this category, because I used to be.

I responded to a Perimeter bar restroom ad, after being offered same for a couple of years --first time was from an EDSA toilet manager - regulars know what i mean.

I don't know what clubs you are referring to KM, but next time you purchase, ask them about the origin. And what was the price?

I've haggled dpwn to 250 a box of four - and bit off only a half for the desired effect. Never been disappointed except for the time I drank too much.

They sell it in copy boxes too, and the tabs are copy too. If some readers don't know what they look like, just search google images. Please see prev. post from my nemesis, G

Yes, I know the whole thing is pretty dodgy, but if you don't like dodgy, Phillipines might not be for you.

Thanks for the posts KM. If you have confirmed reports of fake sht, please let us know where the purchase was made.

X




[QUOTE=Key Master]I did suggest that the clubs are more likely to sell legit stuff. .[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Carmex]I get my viagra from my dad in the US, he sends me the real stuff. I my expirence, the stuff from the pharmacy in AC is hit or miss. I did much comparison over the last couple of months, and the US stuff works 100% of the time. The PH stuff, only works about 30% of the time. This comparison leads me to believe that PH Viagra does not have the same stringent requirements that US (patent) stuff does. I usually only need 50mg for the US stuff, versus 100mg of the PH stuff.

I also have a prescription for Levitra, which I fill at a local pharmacy. Works better for the weekend, however, Viagra is good for just one pop.

Usually don't need it, however by day 3 or 4, it is always nice to have the little blue wingman in my pocket.

Carm[/QUOTE]

Stuff from Pi whether you buy it in a pharm ors somewhere else its mostly fake stuff or generic with fake brand on it. Most meds are made in india, china, or even mexico. Pi doesn't have the same quality control as in the states. I'm in the medical field and have first hand experience in this regards. But on another note what does viagra do for you if you are a normal male?

[QUOTE=Pimpster]Stuff from Pi whether you buy it in a pharm ors somewhere else its mostly fake stuff or generic with fake brand on it. Most meds are made in india, china, or even mexico. Pi doesn't have the same quality control as in the states. I'm in the medical field and have first hand experience in this regards. But on another note what does viagra do for you if you are a normal male?[/QUOTE]Depends where you are as to what you get.. recently in Malaysia for instance.( same as HK/China/Thailand) you can buy over the counter at all pharmacies including Watsons and Guardian. Safer route ( for those of us who need it owing to prostate probs) is to always ensure you got the Real Deal in your pocket.

[QUOTE=Pimpster]Stuff from Pi whether you buy it in a pharm ors somewhere else its mostly fake stuff or generic with fake brand on it. Most meds are made in india, china, or even mexico. Pi doesn't have the same quality control as in the states. I'm in the medical field and have first hand experience in this regards. But on another note what does viagra do for you if you are a normal male?[/QUOTE]
I'm not a viagra fan but cialis can help me get in two rounds within an hour or two. Also, I tend to cum harder on the juice and waking up in the morning with a woody is also a pleasant side-effect :D I find it best when you take the night before (at least 6 hours) you go hunting. Cialis can last 2-3 days!

Just got back from Thailand today and bought some stuff in the pharm called "Kamagra" while there.

100mg Tablets of Sildenafil Citrate. Stuff worked better than Viagra IMHO. Was ready to go at a moments notice for about 24 hours. Price was 800 baht for 4 tabs which is about 25$ US. Not free, but always nice to have the little blue wingman.

Aloha,

Carmex

P.S. Thai chicks are fucking hot BTW.

[QUOTE=FreebieFan]Depends where you are as to what you get.. recently in Malaysia for instance.( same as HK/China/Thailand) you can buy over the counter at all pharmacies including Watsons and Guardian. Safer route ( for those of us who need it owing to prostate probs) is to always ensure you got the Real Deal in your pocket.[/QUOTE]

So FF, where do you get your Real Deal?

HW

[QUOTE=Hairy Wonder]So FF, where do you get your Real Deal?

HW[/QUOTE]I buy in Watsons in Malaysia, a pharmacy I know in HK and at a pharmacy in Shanghai. I also have a urologist here who lets me buy directly from his receptionsist without need for an exam.

And lastly, I also buy Kamagra ( generic good low cost alternative )from a pharmacy in Bangkok and through a pharmacist friend in KL.

[QUOTE=FreebieFan]I buy in Watsons in Malaysia, a pharmacy I know in HK and at a pharmacy in Shanghai. I also have a urologist here who lets me buy directly from his receptionsist without need for an exam.

And lastly, I also buy Kamagra ( generic good low cost alternative )from a pharmacy in Bangkok and through a pharmacist friend in KL.[/QUOTE]

Damn!

I was hoping you would have a good source in PI to tell me about. Maybe I should just make a side trip to one of your source locations on my way to PI the next time. I have a girl that I have been with before, that just can't get enough. She told me to get plenty of rest before my next visit, because she doesn't plan on letting me rest much while I'm there. I've lasted 3 hours straight with her before. But I'm not sure how I will perform with multiple sessions in quick succession. I want to have a backup plan, just in case things go soft. :)

HW

[QUOTE=Hairy Wonder]Damn!

I was hoping you would have a good source in PI to tell me about. Maybe I should just make a side trip to one of your source locations on my way to PI the next time. I have a girl that I have been with before, that just can't get enough. She told me to get plenty of rest before my next visit, because she doesn't plan on letting me rest much while I'm there. I've lasted 3 hours straight with her before. But I'm not sure how I will perform with multiple sessions in quick succession. I want to have a backup plan, just in case things go soft. :)

HW[/QUOTE]Hi Hairy,

Well I sed to buy from a Guardian or Watsons in the old Greenbelt, but then I had a proper prescription. And had to sign your name and show ID.

Wish I knew a source in PI. But Iv'e learnt to always take my own. Condoms and erectile "help" with me.

One of the joys of having had prostate removed is that I can fuck for hours. Theres an obvious down side of that too!

Hi folks,

I was scheduled to fly to Manila for 16 days beginning next Thursday. However, my father is ill and I most likely will not be able to go. I will decide in the next few days. I want to ask your opinions about other times to go.

Since I bought on the PAL Web site, they won't let me cancel (maybe it was a special fare.... not sure). However, they will let me rebook for $150.

After talking to four different agents and having most of them say something different (man, was this difficult), I think what I heard was this. If I book by Nov. 6 and fly between Jan. 12 and March 15th, I can do it at a similar rate to what I"m getting now. I think there's a $150 rebooking charge.

Anyway, what's the weather like the end of Feb. and through the month of March...as I'm thinking about the timeframe now. Is it a good or acceptable time to go? If not, why not? Also, are there other times later in the year that are good times to go in terms of weather, etc? I think I have to use my ticket by August.

Thanks for the input, folks.

Red

[QUOTE=Redfield10]Hi folks,

I was scheduled to fly to Manila for 16 days beginning next Thursday. However, my father is ill and I most likely will not be able to go. I will decide in the next few days. I want to ask your opinions about other times to go.

Since I bought on the PAL Web site, they won't let me cancel (maybe it was a special fare.... not sure). However, they will let me rebook for $150.

After talking to four different agents and having most of them say something different (man, was this difficult), I think what I heard was this. If I book by Nov. 6 and fly between Jan. 12 and March 15th, I can do it at a similar rate to what I"m getting now. I think there's a $150 rebooking charge.

Anyway, what's the weather like the end of Feb. and through the month of March...as I'm thinking about the timeframe now. Is it a good or acceptable time to go? If not, why not? Also, are there other times later in the year that are good times to go in terms of weather, etc? I think I have to use my ticket by August.

Thanks for the input, folks.

Red[/QUOTE]
This is the hot season. Lots of sunlight and few clouds. Bring sunblock and wear a hat to keep the sun off your head. But you may as well go because the next season up is the rainy season which typically starts in June and goes into September and sometimes October. I didn't mind the rainy season, that is the low season so better pricing on hotels and resorts is often available. Bring your (big) umbrella and don't expect to see much sun then.

[QUOTE=Redfield10] If I book by Nov. 6 and fly between Jan. 12 and March 15th, I can do it at a similar rate to what I"m getting now. I think there's a $150 rebooking charge. Anyway, what's the weather like the end of Feb. and through the month of March...as I'm thinking about the timeframe now. [/QUOTE]

As Fin says, March is the beginning of the hot season, although the beginning of March is not so hot as later. Mid-January and into early February has about the mildest weather that the Phils offer. If you can swing it, that would be the best time of all to travel. But be sure to book lodging well in advance. There are some holidays that bring families from the provinces into the cities and fill up the hotels.

Fyi. For those of you who fly PAL. When I returned from my last trip I checked my frequent flyer miles, nothing posted. I emailed Mabuhay and inquired, and was informed that because I had purchased a "discount" ticket from my travel agent, I would not receive any miles for my HNL-MNL-HON trip! Never happened before. Chose PAL over other airlines because of their own airport (thru immigration in 2 min.) and generous frequent flier program. Anyway, have emailed back to them and still in negotiations.

Anybody else notice this?

[QUOTE=Mr Hawaii]Fyi. For those of you who fly PAL. When I returned from my last trip I checked my frequent flyer miles, nothing posted. I emailed Mabuhay and inquired, and was informed that because I had purchased a "discount" ticket from my travel agent, I would not receive any miles for my HNL-MNL-HON trip! Never happened before. Chose PAL over other airlines because of their own airport (thru immigration in 2 min.) and generous frequent flier program. Anyway, have emailed back to them and still in negotiations.

Anybody else notice this?[/QUOTE]

Yes, this is fairly common. In fact, many major airlines also have discounted fares during certain times during the year and do not give FF miles. China airlines has something that doesn't give miles or let you pick the seat (usually get middle seat) for cheaper price. This applies even if you buy directly from the airline sometimes. If the price is reasonable, then worth asking before purchasing. Singapore is famous for cutting prices during low season, but not giving miles.

[QUOTE=Mr Hawaii]Fyi. For those of you who fly PAL. When I returned from my last trip I checked my frequent flyer miles, nothing posted. I emailed Mabuhay and inquired, and was informed that because I had purchased a "discount" ticket from my travel agent, I would not receive any miles for my HNL-MNL-HON trip! Never happened before. Chose PAL over other airlines because of their own airport (thru immigration in 2 min.) and generous frequent flier program. Anyway, have emailed back to them and still in negotiations.

Anybody else notice this?[/QUOTE]If you buy the low cost web fare for singapore airline, you do not get miles on your travel on certain routes. Many airlines are beginning to do this. I still fly singapore airline due to their great service and beautiful stewardess. A price you just gotta pay sometimes. Chock it up to business expenses. United Airlines gives miles on all flights, they do have some big momma on those flights. If you are in to super bbw. Then that is your airline. It is amazing that some of these momma actually fit through the aisle.

Just my pov.

Yep. I recently booked on their web site. (well, since the web site rejects almost all US credit cards now I had to fax them my credit card, ID, etc. But they gave me the web site rate) and asked if my FF miles were registered and they told me I didn't get any with this "discounted" flight.

I have a hunc they are "all" discoutned now.

BTW, it's been a nightmare dealing with PAL for me. I am having to re-book my flight at a later time because my Dad is very I'll right now. But they are almost no help at all. You can't understand the agent. They have no idea how to put my dilemma in context. They can only answer very concrete questions and usually those are wrong.

I called four different agents and got four different answers regarding refunds, rebooking, time periods to rebook, etc. I've never encountered such horrible service from an airline before, ever. Two hung up on me when they got so frustrated trying to answer my questions that they couldn't handle.

And I'm not a difficult guy to get along with on the phone. But they have no idea how to measure a situation, put themselves in your place, and then give you some understandable options for resolving the issues.

[QUOTE=Mr Hawaii]Fyi. For those of you who fly PAL. When I returned from my last trip I checked my frequent flyer miles, nothing posted. I emailed Mabuhay and inquired, and was informed that because I had purchased a "discount" ticket from my travel agent, I would not receive any miles for my HNL-MNL-HON trip! Never happened before. Chose PAL over other airlines because of their own airport (thru immigration in 2 min.) and generous frequent flier program. Anyway, have emailed back to them and still in negotiations.

Anybody else notice this?[/QUOTE]

Mileage accrual is just one of MANY. Singapore and Asiana (and cathay) will often give 70% of actual mileage on discounted fares BUT YOU MUST CHECK FIRST! PAL's HUGE advantage is if you are immediately connecting to a domestic flight on PAL because it leaves from the same terminal. But now that Cebu Pacific flights are all going out of Terminal 3, that PAL advantage is no longer so big. There is also a new domestic airline I JUST learned about from Manila Star last week called [url]www.zestair. Ph[/url] Be nice if they were more credit card friendly, like Asian Spirit, but have not yet tried to use their services.

Immigration is NOT always faster at Centennial (PAL) terminal; arrive at 430 am (Sf and LA and YVR flights all arrive around same time) and you may get an unwelcome surprise. It IS always faster at Clark (Angeles) and Cebu which are both MUCH better arrival points than NAIA (Manila).

Whilst we might hate that PAL and many other airlines don't give miles for what are normal booked flights, but considered discounted, let me have a morning gripe about Cathay. Off subject I know but just seen DJIA performance last night and lost lots more money so I need a whinge.

Have over 500, 000 miles on Cathay. But can I use them. Naaaahhh. Called them yesterday asking them what dates were available in December for HK London redemption. Answer. No dates free Sir.

Ok. Lets try January. Yeah. We got one date Jan 15th departing. And returning. Hmm we have Jan 16th free Sir. Umm what if I want to spend more than 12 hours in London Misss. Well sir no free dates for redemption seats till February!

Yeah we all have loyalty to airlines when accruing but when yuo try redeeming. Another story.

Ok. Whinge over. Happy days Guys!

(Oh and Cathay is tight with redemption but as its part of One World I can redeem Cathay miles on British Airways who have seats for most dates available! )

[QUOTE=FreebieFan]Whilst we might hate that PAL and many other airlines don't give miles for what are normal booked flights, but considered discounted, let me have a morning gripe about Cathay. Off subject I know but just seen DJIA performance last night and lost lots more money so I need a whinge.

Have over 500, 000 miles on Cathay. But can I use them. Naaaahhh. Called them yesterday asking them what dates were available in December for HK London redemption. Answer. No dates free Sir.

Ok. Lets try January. Yeah. We got one date Jan 15th departing. And returning. Hmm we have Jan 16th free Sir. Umm what if I want to spend more than 12 hours in London Misss. Well sir no free dates for redemption seats till February!

Yeah we all have loyalty to airlines when accruing but when yuo try redeeming. Another story.

Ok. Whinge over. Happy days Guys!

(Oh and Cathay is tight with redemption but as its part of One World I can redeem Cathay miles on British Airways who have seats for most dates available! )[/QUOTE]Freebie,

Yes cathay only have 8 % of their seat each flight for mileage booking ,so if that flight is alway book you need to book 1-2 month ahead of time ,most airline is cutting back on flight high fuel cost is the cause for that .

Fast eddie 48

I will be heading to the Philippines during the Christmas break. I will arrive in Manila at Noon on the 24th and be there until the morning of the 29th. I have some questions, please forgive me if they are stupid:

1. What is Manila like during the 24th and 25th when it comes to mongering? I've read that LA Cafe is open 24 hours a day, but even on December 25th? Also, how is the selection? I'm assuming it's not as good as it usually is.

2. I would like to leave Manila on the 26th and spend the weekend in Angeles. But I've read that is one of the worst times to travel by bus in the PI since everyone is going somewhere. Would there be seats available on the 26th? Or would it be better to go on the 25th? Do buses even run on Xmas day?

3. Do I need to make hotel reservations or can I just show up and find something in Manila? Same in Angeles. I don't need anything fancy, the Executive Plaza looks fine to me.

I guess what I'm asking is; what the hell should I do?? If I were going at any other time I would just follow the great advice on the forum, but going over Xmas, I'm honestly not sure what would be best. Should I line up some girls before I go, through the internet. I have no idea.

Any feedback is appreciated.

[QUOTE=Ezinho]I will be heading to the Philippines during the Christmas break. I will arrive in Manila at Noon on the 24th and be there until the morning of the 29th. I have some questions, please forgive me if they are stupid:

1. What is Manila like during the 24th and 25th when it comes to mongering? I've read that LA Cafe is open 24 hours a day, but even on December 25th? Also, how is the selection? I'm assuming it's not as good as it usually is.

2. I would like to leave Manila on the 26th and spend the weekend in Angeles. But I've read that is one of the worst times to travel by bus in the PI since everyone is going somewhere. Would there be seats available on the 26th? Or would it be better to go on the 25th? Do buses even run on Xmas day?

3. Do I need to make hotel reservations or can I just show up and find something in Manila? Same in Angeles. I don't need anything fancy, the Executive Plaza looks fine to me.

I guess what I'm asking is; what the hell should I do?? If I were going at any other time I would just follow the great advice on the forum, but going over Xmas, I'm honestly not sure what would be best. Should I line up some girls before I go, through the internet. I have no idea.

Any feedback is appreciated.[/QUOTE]Will give you as much feed back as I can. My experiance is that the days leading up to Christmas are pure hell. Traffic will be the worst of the year and everyone's mind is elsewhere. But sometime on the 24th everyone in Manila leaves for the provinces. On the 25th you could play foodball on EDSA. Ghost town.

The hotels can still be busy with forigners so I would book ahead.

[QUOTE=Ezinho]I will be heading to the Philippines during the Christmas break. I will arrive in Manila at Noon on the 24th and be there until the morning of the 29th. I have some questions, please forgive me if they are stupid:

1. What is Manila like during the 24th and 25th when it comes to mongering? I've read that LA Cafe is open 24 hours a day, but even on December 25th? Also, how is the selection? I'm assuming it's not as good as it usually is.

2. I would like to leave Manila on the 26th and spend the weekend in Angeles. But I've read that is one of the worst times to travel by bus in the PI since everyone is going somewhere. Would there be seats available on the 26th? Or would it be better to go on the 25th? Do buses even run on Xmas day?

3. Do I need to make hotel reservations or can I just show up and find something in Manila? Same in Angeles. I don't need anything fancy, the Executive Plaza looks fine to me.

I guess what I'm asking is; what the hell should I do?? If I were going at any other time I would just follow the great advice on the forum, but going over Xmas, I'm honestly not sure what would be best. Should I line up some girls before I go, through the internet. I have no idea.

Any feedback is appreciated.[/QUOTE]Will give you as much feed back as I can. My experiance is that the days leading up to Christmas are pure hell. Traffic will be the worst of the year and everyone's mind is elsewhere. But sometime on the 24th everyone in Manila leaves for the provinces. On the 25th you could play foodball on EDSA. Ghost town.

The hotels can still be busy with forigners so I would book ahead.

For the days after Christmas and before New Year, it is also ligher than normal traffic. Hotels are particulaly full over new year's eve.

As for LA Cafe, I have never seen it empty but you can assume many of the girls will go to their families in the provinces. But also as many are local, they still want spending money and need to eat.

Can't help you with the buses but can guess that if the buses run on the 25th, you will be the only one one them. I can't imagin that they would be crowded on the 26th either. Most likely they will stay in the provinces for the weekend.

Filipinos like to go out on Christmas day so forget about taking a taxi anywhere. Complete gridlock in Manila. I would suggest you get a hotel reservation. A lot of Philippine foreign workers come back to visit family, so hotels and flights will often fill up.

I think LA cafe will be open.

As for transport to AC, use Fly the Bus or the other service (forgot the name). There are more than the usual foreigners in town during that time but those bus runs generally don't get many locals on board. I would think most buses run on Christmas.

In Phil., I found that New Year seems to be a more family oriented holiday and that would be the day when bars would close and bargirls would head off to their hometowns. Christmas tends to be more party oriented and bars and bargirls know that this is a great time to make money.

X

[QUOTE=Ezinho]I will be heading to the Philippines during the Christmas break. I will arrive in Manila at Noon on the 24th and be there until the morning of the 29th. I have some questions, please forgive me if they are stupid:

1. What is Manila like during the 24th and 25th when it comes to mongering? I've read that LA Cafe is open 24 hours a day, but even on December 25th? Also, how is the selection? I'm assuming it's not as good as it usually is.

2. I would like to leave Manila on the 26th and spend the weekend in Angeles. But I've read that is one of the worst times to travel by bus in the PI since everyone is going somewhere. Would there be seats available on the 26th? Or would it be better to go on the 25th? Do buses even run on Xmas day?

3. Do I need to make hotel reservations or can I just show up and find something in Manila? Same in Angeles. I don't need anything fancy, the Executive Plaza looks fine to me.

I guess what I'm asking is; what the hell should I do?? If I were going at any other time I would just follow the great advice on the forum, but going over Xmas, I'm honestly not sure what would be best. Should I line up some girls before I go, through the internet. I have no idea.

Any feedback is appreciated.[/QUOTE]

Do things go back to normal on December 26th?

Does anyone know the easiest way to get from Boracay to Camiguin by plane? Is it best to fly back to Manila and then to Cagayan de Oro, or can I go to Cebu and then on from there?

Thanks

I do not believe there is a ferry to Camiguin from Cebu. You will have to get to CDO, then by car to the ferry terminal across from Camiguin. About 2-3 hr drive.

[QUOTE=Ezinho]I will be heading to the Philippines during the Christmas break. I will arrive in Manila at Noon on the 24th and be there until the morning of the 29th. I have some questions, please forgive me if they are stupid:

1. What is Manila like during the 24th and 25th when it comes to mongering? I've read that LA Cafe is open 24 hours a day, but even on December 25th? Also, how is the selection? I'm assuming it's not as good as it usually is.

2. I would like to leave Manila on the 26th and spend the weekend in Angeles. But I've read that is one of the worst times to travel by bus in the PI since everyone is going somewhere. Would there be seats available on the 26th? Or would it be better to go on the 25th? Do buses even run on Xmas day?

3. Do I need to make hotel reservations or can I just show up and find something in Manila? Same in Angeles. I don't need anything fancy, the Executive Plaza looks fine to me.

I guess what I'm asking is; what the hell should I do?? If I were going at any other time I would just follow the great advice on the forum, but going over Xmas, I'm honestly not sure what would be best. Should I line up some girls before I go, through the internet. I have no idea.

Any feedback is appreciated.[/QUOTE]

Just come here to AC! Like I've said, well maybe not on this site, but most girls run out of money and so many hotties still here in AC.

Xmas eve, about 5 years ago, I had a girl not up to expactions, no problem at 5am as I got an even better one to replace her.

Does anyone have any advice on the relative merits of Camiguin vs Palawan -- in terms of natural beauty and the vibe for traveling? Any nightlife scene or women looking for friends in either place?

Thanks,
WJ

[QUOTE=Warmjan]Does anyone have any advice on the relative merits of Camiguin vs Palawan -- in terms of natural beauty and the vibe for traveling? Any nightlife scene or women looking for friends in either place?
WJ[/QUOTE]

I was in Palawan, but did not go stay in Puerto Princessa. Palawan is good for sight seeing, diving, snorkeling and such. I was in El Nido and Sabang in Palawan and did not see anything for nightlife. Did I see some women looking for whatever, yes. Would I have done them, no. I brought my own, and that would be my recommendation if want company with you in Palawan. But for anytime you take a woman with you, choose wisely. If you go to Palawan, and she's wrong friend to bring. It's not like Angeles or Manila where they are easily replaced. Recommendation for Palawan, go there for the beauty and the outdoor activities and not for mongering.

Manila – Return trip

Did a lot of sight seeing during the day. I got a fairly good map of the city from the Hyatt Hotel in Malate. I guess if you just took a taxi everywhere it would be easy to get around this city but if you’re going to do it on your own like I did, walking free, jeepney 8P and local busses 11P, it’s really hard if it’s your first time here. Everyone was helpful with pointing me in the right direction or telling me which jeepney/bus to take. Talked with a lot of regular girls along the way, they are so sweet, shy and soft spoken. But I still made it everywhere I wanted to go and I had fun and meet some nice people along the way.

SM Mall in Malate – I went here every day/night to hang out, eat or shop and was approached several times every visit. Some were young, some were older and some were TG’s so be careful and ask like I did, “Can I ask you a personal question, are you a girl?” I knew they weren’t and all answered truthfully.
I tried hanging out at the Starbucks looking for FL’er but didn’t have any luck, guess no one wants a 60-year-old guy, but still had fun talking to the regular girls there.
I played it safe and never took a girl from the mall or the street.

Executive Plaza Hotel Malate – I liked this place a lot. Booked my room through Agoda and got the room for $40 US instead of the $57 they advertise.
It’s close to LA Café and seeing that I never got to any other areas to play it was good for me. Internet sucked and was expensive. They make you sigh up for a plan, 1-hour of use for 240 P good for 24 hours, 4-hours of use for 480 P good for 36 hours or 16-hours of use for 960 P good for 48 hours. I tried the 4-hour for 480 P and, because I signed out when I wasn’t using it and I was busy with other things, I only used about 1.5 hours before the 36 hours ran out. Not a good deal at all.

Butterfly Bar – Out walking around one evening and stopped in here just to have a Coke and rest my tired feet. It was quiet and empty, 4 girls/women working behind the bar, 4 young waitress, a couple of older ladies offering massage, 3 20-30 year olds that I took to be working girls and 4 customers, including me, 2 guys were playing pool and 1 guy was sitting with one of the working girls.
I really was tired and didn’t plan on taking anyone but after talking with one, her name started with either C or S, said she was 27, and her coming down to 750 P for a few hours, I agreed. She was fun in bed and we had a nice time together. She stayed for over 3 hours, 2 pops she showered and left. Sorry, no photos because she said she doesn’t do this often. Yea right.

Mike

Christmas Day is VERY different there than here. NOBODY stays home with their family. I was at Mall of Asia last Christmas and the traffic and the crowds were beyond belief. 2 hour + wait to eat, they ran out of Pisos at ATMs and exchange houses (I had JUST arrived and only had dollars) just an absolute mob scene. IF they had a Fire Marshall he would have shut it down.

Not sure about finding girls but EVERYBODY is out and about and traffic is otherworldly. This Pasko I plan to stay in a very remote area (thinking of Batanes).

Getting to Camiguin is a major pain since SEAir flight stopped operating. Ditto Baguio. AsianSpirit recently became Zestair and they stopped the Baguio flight meaning ONLY Laoag (and Tugeraro which is way the F out there away from the coast)has air service now in Northern Luzon.

[QUOTE=Warmjan]Does anyone know the easiest way to get from Boracay to Camiguin by plane? Is it best to fly back to Manila and then to Cagayan de Oro, or can I go to Cebu and then on from there?[/QUOTE]
Zest Airways (formally known as Asian Spirit Airlines) flies to Boracay from MNL and CEB. [url]www.asianspirit.com[/url]

The same airline I thought flew to Camiguin from Cebu but apparently that isn't the case now. Maybe that service is seasonal.

Mattrick: It was SEAIR, not Asian Spirit, that served Camiguin from Cebu. It is not seasonal, it is dead. HOPEFULLY another carrier will fill the void (ditto Baguio service).

Getting to Boracay is easy. The trouble is because it is so easy it is horribly overcrowded (and overpriced).

Internet - I found a fast and cheap, 1 P a minute/60 P an hour, place. It’s called 365 ATTO Internet Café, 328-8816. It’s across from the Robinsons Mall where the Starbucks is, above the massage place, on Admatico Street. They let me hook my MacBook Pro too.

Taxi – There is a guy in front of the Executive Hotel/7-11 named Willie Monton, and 3 of his friends.
I took Willies taxi one time and I’m glad I did. He took me to catch a bus and my camera fell out of my pocket in his car. I had his card with me so I called him, he found the camera and I asked him to turn it in to the hotel for me. I called the hotel and sure enough they had it waiting for me. When I saw Willie again I offered him 500 P as a thank you and he wouldn’t take it.
They are not metered taxis and he says they charge a fair flat rate. At least they are honest and you can trust them to take care of you. I used one of his friends there to take me to the airport, he asked for 500 P but settled for 300 so it doesn’t hurt to ask.
Willie told me he can get girls too but I never got the time to try them. He takes you to an apartment where you get to meet and choose one. Willie said the best time to go to the apartment is between 4 and 6 PM. They stay all night and it’s 1400 P.

Walking around with a backpack – I had an incident at the mall with my backpack on. I was in a crowded line and I thought I felt something/someone pulling/nudging on my backpack, I reached around and everything was OK but there were 3 guys behind me with a look about them. I took it off and carried it over one shoulder in front of me after that. Just be careful.

Mike

Back story that prceded this one reminded me of something.

Some time back I score a lovely girl. Princess something she called herself. Took her for nice lunch then got her to Sogo. Got her in bra and panties and thought, this is Kodak moment.

Reached into my backpack for my Sony digital. Which was full of pics of variou ladies. And no where to be found.

Sadly. Some bastard had removed it from my backpack in Glorietta the day before. Was an old camera and needed replacing, the pics were all ladies which Id already saved anyways, and having stolen it, the guy would have had to buy a battery charger to have any use from it anyways. But backpacks, . Wear them on front or hold them in crowded place is good advice.

[QUOTE=FreebieFan]Back story that prceded this one reminded me of something.

Some time back I score a lovely girl. Princess something she called herself. Took her for nice lunch then got her to Sogo. Got her in bra and panties and thought, this is Kodak moment.

Reached into my backpack for my Sony digital. Which was full of pics of variou ladies. And no where to be found.

Sadly. Some bastard had removed it from my backpack in Glorietta the day before. Was an old camera and needed replacing, the pics were all ladies which Id already saved anyways, and having stolen it, the guy would have had to buy a battery charger to have any use from it anyways. But backpacks, . Wear them on front or hold them in crowded place is good advice.[/QUOTE]

Good advice! My backpack was opened when I had it on my back but this was in a europe. Had my Canon EOS in it, but they didnt take it. Subway.
Anyway where is the most likely place to get robbed or picked in the Philippines? Manila?

[QUOTE=Primo Bolan]Good advice! My backpack was opened when I had it on my back but this was in a europe. Had my Canon EOS in it, but they didnt take it. Subway.
Anyway where is the most likely place to get robbed or picked in the Philippines? Manila?[/QUOTE]
[b]Pickpockets:[/b] escalators, jeepneys, MRT (subway), buses (especially in Manila), anywhere crowded
Keep your wallet in your front pocket.

[b]Robbed:[/b] cops/LTO (especially if you're driving), alone on the streets after dark, etc....

Could anyone give me accurate advice?

I am planning to visit Phils early next year. I usually call my GF in Thailand every second day, however my Phils number appear on her cell phone and she knows I'm in Phils. Is there any way to call her from my cell phone with a Phils SIM card without my number being shown on her cell phone?

Please advise if you are 100% sure.

Thanks in advance,

ACE

[QUOTE=Darth Sushi][b]Pickpockets:[/b] escalators, jeepneys, MRT (subway), buses (especially in Manila), anywhere crowded
Keep your wallet in your front pocket.

[b]Robbed:[/b] cops/LTO (especially if you're driving), alone on the streets after dark, etc....[/QUOTE]

I never use a wallet when Im in these countrys. I keep my stuff in one of my front pockets in my trousers, and if it gets crowded I can always put down my hand in/on it.

The cops? Ok I know they are corrupt but get robbed?

[QUOTE=Primo Bolan]The cops? Ok I know they are corrupt but get robbed?[/QUOTE]
OK, I exaggerated a little but it usually cost me about 500 pesos each time I'm pulled over. A thou for the real greedy ones. AC is not that bad but Manila seems to be the norm.

[QUOTE=AcemanMax]Could anyone give me accurate advice?

I am planning to visit Phils early next year. I usually call my GF in Thailand every second day, however my Phils number appear on her cell phone and she knows I'm in Phils. Is there any way to call her from my cell phone with a Phils SIM card without my number being shown on her cell phone?
Please advise if you are 100% sure.
Thanks in advance,

ACE[/QUOTE]I am 100% sure you cannot call her from a Phils sim card & hide caller your ID. Some Asian countries support caller ID & some don't but bottom line is assume your caller ID will be shown when calling from a Phils sim card. I have tried this I am speaking from experience. You can turn OFF 'show my number' in your cell phone but it will not make any difference - she WILL see your Phils number.

If you are computer savy, have a credit card & willing to put in some effort you CAN make a call that shows a number of your choosing. You must open an account with SKYPE. Use a phone number of your choosing as your User ID when setting up the Skype account. This number will be the one she see's when you call her using skype. I last used this method six months ago & it worked then.

Tips for young cheaters : Be very careful of background noises. If you are supposed to be in Hong Kong but she can hear people/tv's speaking Tagalog it's a dead give away old AcemanMax aint where he says he is... Its amazing how well bloody phones pick up background sound. Best to make calls in the quietest most private place possible like your hotel room etc.. Always have a reason to finish up the phone call. The longer she keeps you on the line the more likely some third party will speak to you & ruin the illusion.

Watch how P4P chicks lie to their mug foreigner BF's with casual ease.. gotta admire a girl who is Cg'ing ya & telling BF on the CP how much she loves him ;)

C'ya
AV

Thanks a lot Amavida. Sounds that you know what you are talking about.

Thanks again,

Ace

[QUOTE=Amavida]I am 100% sure you cannot call her from a Phils sim card & hide caller your ID. Some Asian countries support caller ID & some don't but bottom line is assume your caller ID will be shown when calling from a Phils sim card. I have tried this I am speaking from experience. You can turn OFF 'show my number' in your cell phone but it will not make any difference - she WILL see your Phils number.

If you are computer savy, have a credit card & willing to put in some effort you CAN make a call that shows a number of your choosing. You must open an account with SKYPE. Use a phone number of your choosing as your User ID when setting up the Skype account. This number will be the one she see's when you call her using skype. I last used this method six months ago & it worked then.

Tips for young cheaters : Be very careful of background noises. If you are supposed to be in Hong Kong but she can hear people/tv's speaking Tagalog it's a dead give away old AcemanMax aint where he says he is... Its amazing how well bloody phones pick up background sound. Best to make calls in the quietest most private place possible like your hotel room etc.. Always have a reason to finish up the phone call. The longer she keeps you on the line the more likely some third party will speak to you & ruin the illusion.

Watch how P4P chicks lie to their mug foreigner BF's with casual ease.. gotta admire a girl who is Cg'ing ya & telling BF on the CP how much she loves him ;)

C'ya
AV[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Darth Sushi]OK, I exaggerated a little but it usually cost me about 500 pesos each time I'm pulled over. A thou for the real greedy ones. AC is not that bad but Manila seems to be the norm.[/QUOTE]

And what`s the charges? I remember a U-turn on Sukhumvit BKK 95 and it cost us 500 B.

[QUOTE=Primo Bolan]And what`s the charges? I remember a U-turn on Sukhumvit BKK 95 and it cost us 500 B.[/QUOTE]
No seat belt (even though mine is always buckled)
The light turned red at the last intersection. (his word against mine...guess who's right)

What I don't like is the fact they can take your license and you can get it back in a couple of days at LTO after you pay the fine. This can be a pain if you live in AC and you're ticketed in Manila. Even in AC, you have to go to San Fernando LTO. Or you can say "can I pay the fine now?" and miraculously, they always say yes with the require amount and you don't get a receipt with an early payment. BTW, it's X-mas time so watch out.

If you call a cellphone she WILL see where you are calling from. Few landlines have caller ID so that gives you one option if she has a landline.

Skype is cheaper BUT you must set up an account and have a computer.

The more pricey option is to keep using your US sim when you call her. Yes you will pay almost $2 per minute roaming BUT will avoid suspicion (but DO use it in a PERFECTLY quiet place like a suggested). That way she can call you back on your US number also (in case she is checking).

Savvy travelers carry TWO phones: their US phone with US Sim and a PI phone. Suggest you do the same.

Thanks HornyGeorge for your advise. I'm from Australia by the way not U. S.

Yes you are 100% right and also Amavida. I was actually thinking the same way as you said and I got in touch with Vodafone here in Sydney and they allocated roaming to my number.

I will use this method and also carry 2 cellphones with me just in case she calls my number to check on me.

I believe this will be easier than using Skype. More expensive but easier.

I thank you and also Amavida for your help. You are both are a wealth of information.

Thanks again,

Ace

[QUOTE=HornyGeorge]If you call a cellphone she WILL see where you are calling from. Few landlines have caller ID so that gives you one option if she has a landline.

Skype is cheaper BUT you must set up an account and have a computer.

The more pricey option is to keep using your US sim when you call her. Yes you will pay almost $2 per minute roaming BUT will avoid suspicion (but DO use it in a PERFECTLY quiet place like a suggested). That way she can call you back on your US number also (in case she is checking).

Savvy travelers carry TWO phones: their US phone with US Sim and a PI phone. Suggest you do the same.[/QUOTE]

Are there any good tailors in Manila?

As situation is a bit complex in Thailand I might go to Manila, however I need some suits tailored to start 2009 with fresh ones.

[QUOTE=Escort Fan]Are there any good tailors in Manila?

As situation is a bit complex in Thailand I might go to Manila, however I need some suits tailored to start 2009 with fresh ones.[/QUOTE]
Korea is a better place to buy suits because the barong is formal wear here. It's hard enough to find a shop that sells suits let alone make them.

[QUOTE=AcemanMax]Thanks HornyGeorge for your advise. I'm from Australia by the way not U. S.
Yes you are 100% right and also Amavida. I was actually thinking the same way as you said and I got in touch with Vodafone here in Sydney and they allocated roaming to my number.
I will use this method and also carry 2 cellphones with me just in case she calls my number to check on me.
I believe this will be easier than using Skype. More expensive but easier.
I thank you and also Amavida for your help. You are both are a wealth of information.
Thanks again,

Ace[/QUOTE]You're welcome mate.
The two phone solution has another benefit. If you pick up a honey who wants to keep in touch with txt, put your PI sim card on International Roaming before you return to your home country. She can txt to that for the cost of a local PI sms. You can reply with a sim card from your home country.

The PI telco called SMART requires you to have a minimum balance of P100 & they tell me you cant recharge while out of the PI using a prepaid load card (this may not be correct information from them). Globe International Roaming is presently borked so DON'T waste your money getting a globe sim or load. Most girls have SMART or sometimes SUN sims. Globe has better network in most places, more generous pricing. SUN is small company with dodgy network but very cheap. Im not a big fan of SMART (iffy network & higher prices) but it's probably your best choice overall unfortunately.

One more bit of info, If you are tech savvy and have a reasonably modern phone with a data plan attached you can very easily install a small program on your cell phone called 'Fring'. This is a multiprotocol IM application that lets you IM (ie txt chat) via yahoo, msn, google talk etc through your cell phone. It also allows you to make a skype call through the data connection of your cell phone! Yay! Spoofed phone number! Your speaking through skype by way of Fring on your cell phone but she see's the skpe ID (you use a phone number for this remember).

My point being you no longer need a laptop for eMail, IM, Skype. You can do it all from a modern smart phone. I no longer lug around a laptop or camera. Modern smart phones also have quite decent camera built in.

There was a time when I lugged around a Laptop, Camera, two cell phones, a power board for the 4 chargers, 4 plug adapters & an extension cord. My god! With the airlines getting tough on baggage weight limits it's something to think about..

Only one charger to throw in your bag. No obvious items for theft. No fears of nosy airport/police looking at your.. ahem.. holiday snaps. If you want to be really sure pull the memory card out of your cp & put it in your wallet.

They never look that hard unless you have been a very bad person, in which case nothing will save you.

I realise this may be way too much for many people but I do it & I can tell you it is very easy these days.

Happy cheating! :)
AV

All that Amavida wrote is good and true.... two phones ( even three, is now my norm ) to keep the suspicious hordes at bay)... however if you are trying to escape attention and are in Phils ,ALWAYS remember that if you dont answer your phone or you in a place with low coverage.. the overseas caller wil always get that message that says " subscriber cannot be reached please try later".

Had great fun when a friend had told me he was going to China on business, and I called him and got the "subscriber cant be reached".. he had no idea how I knew where he was when I sent him sms two mins later !

And the way to avoid getting that message... turn off your phone no 1 2 or 3 before you go to Phils and dont turn it on till your back in home country.

Just to add my 2c to the discussion - If you carry a cellphone overseas (roaming), you need to be careful of call progress tones (ringing, busy, unobtainable) and network error messages. Generally the calling party will hear the call progress tones and messages of the (overseas) network you are currently using, and this can be a dead giveaway.

If the calling tone style is more or less the same as wherever you are 'supposed' to be, you should be in the clear, for example it would be hard to tell the difference between a call terminated in UK or Singapore or even Australia. On the other hand an Aus to Thai roaming call will ring with a Thai calling tone, which may cause problems.

You can hear typical calling tones here:

[url]http://www.3amsystems.com/wireline/tone-search.htm[/url]

Another gotcha is network error messages. Again, some voice over girl spouting 'The person you are calling is not available, try later' in Indonesian or Tagalog might raise someones suspicion.

Generally, when I've been in this situation, I leave the roaming phone off, just turning on briefly to get messages and return calls (living with the small risk of an incoming call while I'm doing this). If your roaming phone is switched off, calls should just land in your normal (home country) voicemail service. The other option is just to send all incoming calls to directly voicemail -if anyone asks, the expense of roaming calls and the possibility of calls at unsocial hours are a good excuse.

If this topic is covered elsewhere, please forgive the repetition, but mistakes like this can have serious and long lasting consequences for a monger ;)




[QUOTE=AcemanMax]Thanks HornyGeorge for your advise. I'm from Australia by the way not U. S.

Yes you are 100% right and also Amavida. I was actually thinking the same way as you said and I got in touch with Vodafone here in Sydney and they allocated roaming to my number.

I will use this method and also carry 2 cellphones with me just in case she calls my number to check on me.

I believe this will be easier than using Skype. More expensive but easier.

I thank you and also Amavida for your help. You are both are a wealth of information.

Thanks again,

Ace[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Amavida]The PI telco called SMART requires you to have a minimum balance of P100 & they tell me you cant recharge while out of the PI using a prepaid load card (this may not be correct information from them).[/quote]
You're right, it's not correct. I can and have used Smart load cards while overseas. Texting on a Smart SIM from overseas costs 20 pesos per text and using a load card from overseas will cost 20 pesos for that text message as well. Load cards are normally good for up to 6 months from the date of purchase so I buy a few before I leave the RP. A slightly more expensive online alternative to buying load cards to carry with you is [url]http://www.aryty.com[/url].

[quote=Amavida]One more bit of info, If you are tech savvy and have a reasonably modern phone with a data plan attached you can very easily install a small program on your cell phone called 'Fring'. This is a multiprotocol IM application that lets you IM (ie txt chat) via yahoo, msn, google talk etc through your cell phone. It also allows you to make a skype call through the data connection of your cell phone! Yay! Spoofed phone number! Your speaking through skype by way of Fring on your cell phone but she see's the skpe ID (you use a phone number for this remember).

My point being you no longer need a laptop for eMail, IM, Skype. You can do it all from a modern smart phone. I no longer lug around a laptop or camera. Modern smart phones also have quite decent camera built in.

There was a time when I lugged around a Laptop, Camera, two cell phones, a power board for the 4 chargers, 4 plug adapters & an extension cord. My god! With the airlines getting tough on baggage weight limits it's something to think about..

Only one charger to throw in your bag. No obvious items for theft. No fears of nosy airport/police looking at your.. ahem.. holiday snaps. If you want to be really sure pull the memory card out of your cp & put it in your wallet.

They never look that hard unless you have been a very bad person, in which case nothing will save you.

I realise this may be way too much for many people but I do it & I can tell you it is very easy these days.

Happy cheating! :)
AV[/QUOTE]
Any recommendations from you or other posters regarding such "all-in-one" phones? I normally take laptop with me, but that's because I'm working remotely some of the time. I'm contemplating taking a real vacation trip without the laptop, but internet withdrawal is sorta hard.

Thanks again A.V. Your knowledge is extraordinary for the problem that I had.

Regarding not using a laptop, unfortunatly I do carry one on my trips cause of my profession being a Financial Analyst and I use it constantly.

Regarding using my PI sim in Australia, I didn't know that.

Yes I do have a SMART sim and you are correct : most of the honeys do use SMART sim cards.

Have a good day mate and thanks for the info you and H.G have provided.

Best regards to you and HornyGeorge...........Ace

[QUOTE=Amavida]You're welcome mate.

The two phone solution has another benefit. If you pick up a honey who wants to keep in touch with txt, put your PI sim card on International Roaming before you return to your home country. She can txt to that for the cost of a local PI sms. You can reply with a sim card from your home country.

The PI telco called SMART requires you to have a minimum balance of P100 & they tell me you cant recharge while out of the PI using a prepaid load card (this may not be correct information from them). Globe International Roaming is presently borked so DON'T waste your money getting a globe sim or load. Most girls have SMART or sometimes SUN sims. Globe has better network in most places, more generous pricing. SUN is small company with dodgy network but very cheap. Im not a big fan of SMART (iffy network & higher prices) but it's probably your best choice overall unfortunately.

One more bit of info, If you are tech savvy and have a reasonably modern phone with a data plan attached you can very easily install a small program on your cell phone called 'Fring'. This is a multiprotocol IM application that lets you IM (ie txt chat) via yahoo, msn, google talk etc through your cell phone. It also allows you to make a skype call through the data connection of your cell phone! Yay! Spoofed phone number! Your speaking through skype by way of Fring on your cell phone but she see's the skpe ID (you use a phone number for this remember).

My point being you no longer need a laptop for eMail, IM, Skype. You can do it all from a modern smart phone. I no longer lug around a laptop or camera. Modern smart phones also have quite decent camera built in.

There was a time when I lugged around a Laptop, Camera, two cell phones, a power board for the 4 chargers, 4 plug adapters & an extension cord. My god! With the airlines getting tough on baggage weight limits it's something to think about..

Only one charger to throw in your bag. No obvious items for theft. No fears of nosy airport/police looking at your.. ahem.. holiday snaps. If you want to be really sure pull the memory card out of your cp & put it in your wallet.

They never look that hard unless you have been a very bad person, in which case nothing will save you.

I realise this may be way too much for many people but I do it & I can tell you it is very easy these days.

Happy cheating! :)

AV[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Amavida]The PI telco called SMART requires you to have a minimum balance of P100 & they tell me you cant recharge while out of the PI using a prepaid load card (this may not be correct information from them). [/QUOTE]
About the balance it's correct, but you can reload overseas with such a prepaid reload card.
100%, because I've done it already.

Thank god I'm unmarried and don't have to consider such nonsense, hehe... :D

I carry usually laptop and phone and DSLR.
Sorry, the pics out of a handphone are simply crap.
Personal laptop in hotel room is much more convenient than sitting with dozens of youngsters in a hot internet cafe.
Better carry a cheap simple handphone (call and txt only) in the Phils,
a 1,000$ phone is very attractive for any pickpocket and makes you a target.

Cheers!

And recently I've got a phone here, able to work with two SIM cards.
Functions very well, Chinese brand, MP3 player, video player, touch screen etc.
Not too bad.

Cheers!

Thanks Blair for the info you have provided. yes I do switch off my roaming cell phone but only for about half a day.

Also thanks for the advice regarding the different ring tones for different countries.

Best regards,

Ace

[QUOTE=Blair]Just to add my 2c to the discussion - If you carry a cellphone overseas (roaming), you need to be careful of call progress tones (ringing, busy, unobtainable) and network error messages. Generally the calling party will hear the call progress tones and messages of the (overseas) network you are currently using, and this can be a dead giveaway.

If the calling tone style is more or less the same as wherever you are 'supposed' to be, you should be in the clear, for example it would be hard to tell the difference between a call terminated in UK or Singapore or even Australia. On the other hand an Aus to Thai roaming call will ring with a Thai calling tone, which may cause problems.

You can hear typical calling tones here:

[url]http://www.3amsystems.com/wireline/tone-search.htm[/url]

Another gotcha is network error messages. Again, some voice over girl spouting 'The person you are calling is not available, try later' in Indonesian or Tagalog might raise someones suspicion.

Generally, when I've been in this situation, I leave the roaming phone off, just turning on briefly to get messages and return calls (living with the small risk of an incoming call while I'm doing this). If your roaming phone is switched off, calls should just land in your normal (home country) voicemail service. The other option is just to send all incoming calls to directly voicemail -if anyone asks, the expense of roaming calls and the possibility of calls at unsocial hours are a good excuse.

If this topic is covered elsewhere, please forgive the repetition, but mistakes like this can have serious and long lasting consequences for a monger ;)[/QUOTE]

Using your Paypal account, you can instantly add "eloads" to SMART or GLOBE cellphones in the PI.

You pay a small premium: for example-a 115 Piso load costs $2. 85 CURRENTLY-they do adjust with exchange rate fluctuations whereas at 50 Piso per dollar it should cost about $2. 35). Even with a slight premium being collected, it is WAY better to reload your phone right before arrival so you have load when you arrive at airport. Also for girls you want to be able to text you without sending them money.

[url]www.e-loads.net[/url]

I always make sure I have a spare smart load card in my travel bag.

That way its loaded as soon as plane lands, and already then I'm working phones seeing how quickly I can make a meeting and get laid. The record is 2 hours off the plane having stopped in my condo first.

However. Smart load cards, once loaded only last about 6 weeks I think, so if not used and no return visits to Phils within 6 weeks balance dissapears. Thats why you need to keep spare cards.

I was blown away when I made a visit to China and checked my China sim. I hadnt been there for 18 months. But I still had load. Much better if thats what happened in Phils.

I did try buying once at airport. In that dingy area across from arrivals (down the ramp across the road). I asked for a P300 card and the guy wanted to charge me P350. Bastard. I held out P350 in my hand and let him take the money, but held onto the P50. Walked away.

Thanks HG, excellent site.

Robb

[QUOTE=HornyGeorge]Using your Paypal account, you can instantly add "eloads" to SMART or GLOBE cellphones in the PI.

You pay a small premium: for example-a 115 Piso load costs $2. 85 CURRENTLY-they do adjust with exchange rate fluctuations whereas at 50 Piso per dollar it should cost about $2. 35). Even with a slight premium being collected, it is WAY better to reload your phone right before arrival so you have load when you arrive at airport. Also for girls you want to be able to text you without sending them money.

[url]www.e-loads.net[/url][/QUOTE]

I've been trying to find the answer at the forum first,but it looks like searching a needle in a hayfield.
I got a message from Arizona Hotel that they would pick us (3 guys) by private van at NAIA up at a fare of 4,500P. It is just at a convenient time somewhere afternoon.
Are there cheaper ways to get a decent transport to reach hotel ? Is this a normal rate ?
We don't like to waste lots of time by looking for a bus that make stops on its way, but rather wanna get to the hotel quick. I guess the hotel's van would be our only option ? How about taxi ?
Sorry folks, it will be our first time to Subic - we gotta learn the ways.
Thanks for all your input.

Considering your requirements, and assuming the fee is per three people, it sounds reasonable. You could easily inquire at other hotels just to see if there is a better fee. I'll assume you've already read about the MNL - AC - Subic buses for horntoads.

Taxi might be a better option. The airport taxis are usually newer, ride is more comfortable, and drivers have some smarts (could be good or bad). You probably would want to ask for a nearby hotel / destination and then negotiate from there. Maybe another member could give you contact info to save you the airport runaround.

Have fun,

X









[QUOTE=Asianatic]I've been trying to find the answer at the forum first,but it looks like searching a needle in a hayfield.
I got a message from Arizona Hotel that they would pick us (3 guys) by private van at NAIA up at a fare of 4,500P. It is just at a convenient time somewhere afternoon.
Are there cheaper ways to get a decent transport to reach hotel ? Is this a normal rate ?
We don't like to waste lots of time by looking for a bus that make stops on its way, but rather wanna get to the hotel quick. I guess the hotel's van would be our only option ? How about taxi ?
Sorry folks, it will be our first time to Subic - we gotta learn the ways.
Thanks for all your input.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Asianatic]Are there cheaper ways to get a decent transport to reach hotel ? Is this a normal rate ?[/QUOTE]
Would have to agree with X Man in that it is reasonable. The horntoad shuttles would be in the neighborhood of 1200 php each but you would have to stay in AC for the night. You could of course take a cramped taxi.

The Arizona just acquired a brand new Toyota HiAce 14 person passenger van. So you guys should have plenty of room to spread out. In fact if you want to really go all out, they will get a few of their girls from Score Bar to accompany you guys back to Barretto for a price! Btw, are you staying at Arizona?

Get AWAY from the airport first, or get a departing taxi with no passengers and agree on price before getting in. I bet if you told your hotel only 1 passenger price is more like 2500.

Bigger questions is WHY Subic? If mongering is the priority, Angeles is 100 times better. If going for the beach, LOADS of places are 100 times better.

Thanks for the info brothers. Alright, we have made the reservation for the pick-up van. We really does'nt matter to spend a peso more or less. We just want to make sure that we are not being fooled so now with your info, we feel alright with the fare anyhow.
Yes, we're staying at the Arizona untill Christmas day. After dozens of visits to the region (mainly Phuket), we want to get into something new and check out Subic before we're heading to Boracay and later back to Phuket again.
Mattrick, do you mean the hotel can send ladies to the airport to give us company during the ride back to Barretto ? That's would be nice add to start off our holidays.
Again, thanks for the replies and we can't wait to dive into the Subic nights...

[QUOTE=Asianatic]Mattrick, do you mean the hotel can send ladies to the airport to give us company during the ride back to Barretto ?[/QUOTE]
Yes thats exactly what I mean! But I believe you will have to pay their BF. Either way I'm sure you will enjoy this up and coming destination which now boasts close to 30 bars! Please file a FR upon your return!

Barrio Barretto now has "close to 30" gogo bars? It was closer to 3 when I was there in early 90s). Might have to take a look some time as the drive on the Expressway is so quick nowadays.

That's great news ! We'll try to check out as much as possible and post a FR. Is there any popular nightclub (discotheque type) in town ? We like to rave and party till sunrise and then get home with a couple of chicks.

I just hope that it'll be fine during christmas eve as well. On Christmas day (25th) we'll checking out from Arizona and proceed to Manila. I guess the only option there would be LA Cafe during that night as I read at another thread on this great forum ?

[QUOTE=HornyGeorge]Barrio Barretto now has "close to 30" gogo bars? It was closer to 3 when I was there in early 90s).[/QUOTE]
Well I'm also including the bars in Subic City (Calapandayan) just 2 km up the road. Five new ones have opened in BB the last six months including two owned by 'Mo' of Angeles fame. Yeah you should give it a try. Good mix of beach and bars!

[u]Asianatic[/u]: Check the Olongapo thread.

Guys,

Genuine problem here. Last trip- had fun with a friend of a friend. She is pregnant. Usual story. Quite likely to be mine. What is the cost of an abortion in Manila these days?

Anyone have advice?

Don't need lecturing about condoms or "is it really yours? " just need some accurate info about potential costs.

Thanks and Happy mongering

Don't know in Manila, but a friend of mine recently paid Php25,000 here in Davao, but that was to an actual doctor and for the post-treatment work as well.

My gf was pregnant . She lives in Zamboanga. Total cost of abortion is arpund 3500 pesos.
If you are interested in the breakdown of charges pm me and I will forward her e mail to you.
Never pay 25000 pesos. it is way too much. Maybe he meant 2500 pesos.

[QUOTE=Catswhiskers]Guys,

Genuine problem here. Last trip- had fun with a friend of a friend. She is pregnant. Usual story. Quite likely to be mine. What is the cost of an abortion in Manila these days? [/QUOTE]Another way is to have a medical abortion through pills you can get them at the local pharmacies. BUT never use if she is more than 9weeks into pregnancy. There are 2 pills she can take Mifepristone and Misoprostol together they have a success rate of 97%. Dont remember the prices but shouldnt be that expensive maybe. But 1st of all make sure that she really is pregnant. By using pregnancy tests the costs 25$ (if i remember correctly) so its very expensive for ordniary filipinas.

I can relate to ur situation ive had a smiliar experience with my filipina wife we had unnprotected sex twice and she got pregnant. She had only 6months until graduation but her school had a policy which meant she cant graduate if she is pregnant.

She only used 1 of them pills i think it was Misoprostol which has a 80% success rate and it worked. She used this pill 3 weeks into pregnancy.

But you and her have to know about the risks. My wife bled a lot after using this pill and she fainted due to the blood loss. This can be deadly if nobody is there for her. Having said this medical abortion such as this is used a lot in western countries as here in sweden.

Here is a link about everything u NEED/MUST know about these abortion pills and risks. Dont USE anything until u have read this website.

[url]http://www.womenonwaves.org/set-274-en.html[/url]

[QUOTE=Sammon]My gf was pregnant . She lives in Zamboanga. Total cost of abortion is arpund 3500 pesos.

If you are interested in the breakdown of charges pm me and I will forward her e mail to you.

Never pay 25000 pesos. it is way too much. Maybe he meant 2500 pesos.[/QUOTE]Thanks guys - keep it coming ... I would like to try and get a ball park figure - and then at least I can talk it thru with her.

Good thing was - it was one hell of a shag !

Guys,

I have notice some of you using smiley codes in your reports, but have not been able to find a reference for the codes. I know just a few basic ones, like wink ;) and big grin :D. Can anybody point me in the right direction for finding the reference list of these codes. I saw a new member on another part of the forum mention that they were not able to use smileys, and I want to offer them the reference list also.

Thanks for the help!

Happy Mongering!
HW

[QUOTE=Hairy Wonder]I have notice some of you using smiley codes in your reports, but have not been able to find a reference for the codes.[/QUOTE]
Hello HW,

Go to the bottom left hand corner of this page and you will see the link in the 'Posting Limitations box'. :cool:

[QUOTE=Hairy Wonder]Guys,

I have notice some of you using smiley codes in your reports, but have not been able to find a reference for the codes. I know just a few basic ones, like wink ;) and big grin :D. Can anybody point me in the right direction for finding the reference list of these codes. I saw a new member on another part of the forum mention that they were not able to use smileys, and I want to offer them the reference list also.

Thanks for the help!

Happy Mongering!
HW[/QUOTE]

Try the link below for a listing of smiley codes.

[url]http://www.internationalsexguide.info/forum/misc.php?do=showsmilies[/url]

There's also a FAQ, search, etc located above for those who don't know.

[QUOTE=Mattrick]Hello HW,

Go to the bottom left hand corner of this page and you will see the link in the 'Posting Limitations box'. :cool:[/QUOTE]

:eek: Go figure! It was hiding in plain site! :o I guess I should have tried to look a little harder. :rolleyes:

Thanks Mattrick! :cool:

I have found a list of common smiley codes at
[url]www.msfn.org/board/index.php?act=legends&CODE=emoticons[/url]

Happy Mongering! :w00t: (don't know if this works or not on ISG)
HW

[QUOTE=Blade1]Another way is to have a medical abortion through pills you can get them at the local pharmacies. BUT never use if she is more than 9weeks into pregnancy. There are 2 pills she can take Mifepristone and Misoprostol together they have a success rate of 97%. Dont remember the prices but shouldnt be that expensive maybe. But 1st of all make sure that she really is pregnant. By using pregnancy tests the costs 25$ (if i remember correctly) so its very expensive for ordniary filipinas.

I can relate to ur situation ive had a smiliar experience with my filipina wife we had unnprotected sex twice and she got pregnant. She had only 6months until graduation but her school had a policy which meant she cant graduate if she is pregnant.

She only used 1 of them pills i think it was Misoprostol which has a 80% success rate and it worked. She used this pill 3 weeks into pregnancy.

But you and her have to know about the risks. My wife bled a lot after using this pill and she fainted due to the blood loss. This can be deadly if nobody is there for her. Having said this medical abortion such as this is used a lot in western countries as here in sweden.

Here is a link about everything u NEED/MUST know about these abortion pills and risks. Dont USE anything until u have read this website.

[url]http://www.womenonwaves.org/set-274-en.html[/url][/QUOTE]Excellent report Blade 1. I have sent this to her. And she is looking at the pill option. If she was a little older and I was a little younger I'd probably "do the right thing" and take a gamble on a new wife but this is best for us both.

Thanks again. Fingers crossed now.

[QUOTE=GoodEnough]Don't know in Manila, but a friend of mine recently paid Php25,000 here in Davao, but that was to an actual doctor and for the post-treatment work as well.[/QUOTE]I concur on costs in Manila GE. Cant comment on other areas.

Since abortion is illegal in Phils the girl must procure the drug from just inside the church in Quiapo. One cannot bowl up to a drug store & buy it over the counter (in my experience).

IF the abortion drug works the girl WILL very likely need to have a medical procedure called a Dilatation & Curettage ( D 'n C in popular parlance).

In Manila the cost of the drugs + a good doc + a decent hospital + post op pain killers & iron tablets will cost the punter all of 25,000+

AV

[QUOTE=Finrod]Any recommendations from you or other posters regarding such "all-in-one" phones? I normally take laptop with me, but that's because I'm working remotely some of the time. I'm contemplating taking a real vacation trip without the laptop, but internet withdrawal is sorta hard.[/QUOTE]Returning briefly to the cell phone topic, it depends on your needs.

For me ease of use/stability of the phone operating system is my number one priority. Nothing worse than having a gee wiz smartphone that freezes in the middle of use requiring you to rip rip the back off & yank the battery out just to restart the thing.

Built in camera's typically range from 2 megapixel to 8 these days. The photography nerds will scoff but I have found a 2mpx camera is good enough for happy snaps & (ahem) more intimate pics. 5 or even 8 mpx camera's will give excellent results but not vital. Some camera's have no flash, a draw back in the boudoir, some have LED flashes which are ok for close up work & some have true xenon flashes which drain the battery but give the best results in low light.

I find the high end Sony Ericsson phones have decent operating system & very nice cameras eg K850i etc. I carried one of these around for a year & found it good.

High end Nokia's are well spec'ed but choose carefully as there are many models to choose from and many of those have dreadful operating system problems. N95 8gb model has good battery life, fast operation, good camera. Many of the other 'N' series phones have problems. I had a 6120c Nokia that was surprisingly good but the screen was much too small for me.

These days I use an Apple iPhone 3G because of the superb ease of use & excellent synching of contacts/calendars/music/photos etc to my Mac. I cant tell you how frustrating it is to use a smart phone heavily & then find your info is marooned on it because of synching incompatibilities. iPhone is not for everyone but I don't think I could ever go back to an old fashioned cell phone now after owning one..
AV

Happy holidays to all and may there finally be peace on earth.

Slim

[QUOTE=Amavida]I concur on costs in Manila GE. Cant comment on other areas.

Since abortion is illegal in Phils the girl must procure the drug from just inside the church in Quiapo. One cannot bowl up to a drug store & buy it over the counter (in my experience).

IF the abortion drug works the girl WILL very likely need to have a medical procedure called a Dilatation & Curettage ( D 'n C in popular parlance).

In Manila the cost of the drugs + a good doc + a decent hospital + post op pain killers & iron tablets will cost the punter all of 25,000+

AV[/QUOTE]Ok I should have been much clearer about this abortion pill option. Since its illegal it takes a little effort to get hold of.

To whom it may concern

About this pill "Misoprostol" its used to prevents gastric ulcers but its also used as an abortion pill. '''Cytotec and Cyprostol and Mibetec or Misotrol', Prostokos'' are brand names for Misoprostol. In the Philippines you have Cytotec thats what my wife used to end her pregnancy successfully.

You have to get a prescription from a doctor in order to get it (my wife got her prescription from a doctor who was friend with one of her girlfriends that was probabley very helpfull) offcourse she had to lie about her pregnancy. You can get the pills in local Pharmacies but its kind of rare but she got it there. The major Pharmacies will be more difficault becos they gonna interrogate you over that pill.

With a little effort you should be able to get a prescription and get hold of Cytotec if she can't get it maybe a friend or a relative can get it or maybe you can get it. Just be creative make something up, I have a hard time to see how you would not get it if one really tries because this is a medicine to treat ulcers people do use if for that.

There are a lot of vendors in Quaipo Manila who sells abortion pills illegally and abortion herbal medicine also. But you don't always know what you get so we didn't explore that option

Again this website is actually really good because its an organization dedicated to help women all over the world with unwanted pregnancies you get all the info you need about this and help too if needed. Don't do any abortion pills until reading this website. If you should not be successfull in getting your drug I think you can get help from this website. But its probabley faster to do it on you own.

[url]http://www.womenonwaves.org/set-274-en.html[/url]

About the costs of abortion 25000PHP+ sound to me a little expensive but I cannot disagree because each cases are diffrent it depends on what you do and where you do it and if there is complications etc etc.

For us the cost was much less and we were lucky I think because no complications and maybe becos we did this at an early stage that probabley helped: the cost of drug was 3000PHP, the examination fee after abortion 2500PHP, no painkillers (her choice I wanted to buy but she declined for some reasons) if your girl wants painkillers you buy it. But it took a little time for her to recover from this. This was in Manila last year.

Catswhiskers I keep my fingers crossed for you and your girl

Typo? Did you mean just outside the church?

Photo attached. I've heard from at least one person that it didn't work.

X

[QUOTE=Amavida]I concur on costs in Manila GE. Cant comment on other areas.

Since abortion is illegal in Phils the girl must procure the drug from just inside the church in Quiapo. One cannot bowl up to a drug store & buy it over the counter (in my experience).

IF the abortion drug works the girl WILL very likely need to have a medical procedure called a Dilatation & Curettage ( D 'n C in popular parlance).

In Manila the cost of the drugs + a good doc + a decent hospital + post op pain killers & iron tablets will cost the punter all of 25,000+

AV[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=X Man]Typo? Did you mean just outside the church?

Photo attached. I've heard from at least one person that it didn't work.

X[/QUOTE]Do a search & read my post from exactly 12 months ago on this subject or google cytotek. Its an abortificient used legally in other countries by doctors & illegally by desperate women in the phils. Like all things medical it has side effects & is not 100% guaranteed (close enough).

As of 12 months ago one of the many politically inspired moral outrage 'crackdowns' had driven the vendors INSIDE the church with the unspoken but tacit approval of the church.

You want my girlfriend's phone number so you can quiz her too?
AV

It's not necessary to be rude and it's not necessary for me to go back and read your posts from six months ago. The picture I took was from outside Quiapo church. I didn't go inside because they wouldn't allow me inside with a camera. If I had been inside, my post might have had a different tone. But I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt.

Your post in the last 48 hours said "inside" the church.

For the record, Amavida says abortion medicine (snake oil) is being sold inside a Catholic church. I should go back six months and look at his other post, but there is such a consistency of inaccurate information (in my opinion), that I really don't want to bother

Oh, and thank you for your unprovoked and unnecessary personal attack on the Manila thread. I've been rather impressed with most of your posts recently, but too bad you still carry this grudge.

I can't reply to rudeness or insults from AV, but if he has something factual to say I will be happy to reaccess. I've been wrong before and I've apologized before.

x








[QUOTE=Amavida]Do a search & read my post from exactly 12 months ago on this subject or google cytotek. Its an abortificient used legally in other countries by doctors & illegally by desperate women in the phils. Like all things medical it has side effects & is not 100% guaranteed (close enough).

As of 12 months ago one of the many politically inspired moral outrage 'crackdowns' had driven the vendors INSIDE the church with the unspoken but tacit approval of the church.

You want my girlfriend's phone number so you can quiz her too?
AV[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Blade1]Ok I should have been much clearer about this abortion pill option. Since its illegal it takes a little effort to get hold of.[/QUOTE]

Yes, but it's also possible to use regular birth control pills in lieu of this pill. Feminal used to be the strongest BC pill available on the Phil mkt, but it has been withdrawn (outdated). The ones on the market now should suffice though, if taken in appropriate amounts and intervals. This is best done under medical supervison, of course!

How and when does a SIM card expire?

I have one card that I forgot to bring on my last trip, so it hasn't had a load in about a year.

X

[QUOTE=X Man]How and when does a SIM card expire?

I have one card that I forgot to bring on my last trip, so it hasn't had a load in about a year.

X[/QUOTE]I would guess about a year, but you don't have to worry about that. If the card expires you can easily replace it and typically the cost of the new SIM card includes enough minutes so that the cost of the SIM card becomes neglible.

I myself usually buy a 100p reload card before leaving the country so that I can recharge my phone upon landing on the next trip. That way I can have a roommate without barhopping on the first night.

[QUOTE=X Man]How and when does a SIM card expire?

I have one card that I forgot to bring on my last trip, so it hasn't had a load in about a year.

X[/QUOTE]They have an initial expiry date for FIRST USE. After that they stay active for a long time. Just add some load to it when you arrive X. Then again they are so ridiculously cheap why fret? Toss it & get a new one when you arrive unless you think people still want to contact you on that old number..
AV

[QUOTE=Pute Nut]Yes, but it's also possible to use regular birth control pills in lieu of this pill. Feminal used to be the strongest BC pill available on the Phil mkt, but it has been withdrawn (outdated). The ones on the market now should suffice though, if taken in appropriate amounts and intervals. This is best done under medical supervison, of course![/QUOTE]The 'Morning after pill' works likes this ok if taken within a short time of the sex act but is NOT appropriate for someone knocked up for a month or more. Abortificient's are the way to go. Read up on this.
AV

[quote=pute nut]yes, but it's also possible to use regular birth control pills in lieu of this pill. feminal used to be the strongest bc pill available on the phil mkt, but it has been withdrawn (outdated). the ones on the market now should suffice though, if taken in appropriate amounts and intervals. this is best done under medical supervison, of course![/quote]i've actually heard about that too. sounds like an interesting option because now i've just found out from a source within the philippines saying: " the authority has been confirep001ing the use of the drug" i'm not exactley sure what this would mean (i can only assume).

[QUOTE=Amavida]The 'Morning after pill' works likes this ok if taken within a short time of the sex act but is NOT appropriate for someone knocked up for a month or more. Abortificient's are the way to go. Read up on this.
AV[/QUOTE]

You are absolutely correct, it should read "in lieu of Morning After Pill". I read the previous posts sloppily, thanks for pointing this out.

That said, this regimen is useful directly after, and as Mercury et al won't sell you MAP, this is the way to go [b]in those cases[/b]..

[quote=blade1]i've actually heard about that too. sounds like an interesting option because now i've just found out from a source within the philippines saying: " the authority has been confirep001ing the use of the drug" i'm not exactley sure what this would mean (i can only assume).[/quote]i was too fast in typing and sending. the drug i was referring to with this satement was cytotec : " the authority has been confirep001ing the use of the drug".

[QUOTE=Urban Lowlife]Gee, after 1680 posts I thought you could answer that one yourself. As far as the "when", look at the expiration date on the card.[/QUOTE]We all know its just trolling for recognition but its Christmas so we give him the benefit of the doubt... 1680 times... ;)
AV

[quote=blade1]i've actually heard about that too. sounds like an interesting option because now i've just found out from a source within the philippines saying: " the authority has been confirep001ing the use of the drug" i'm not exactley sure what this would mean (i can only assume).[/quote]please go back & read the thread! there are links to clear information on web sites about pregnancy termination options.

overdosing your girlfriend on oral contraceptive pill is not a safe option for early pregnancy termination.

i am reposting this link in the hope that interested parties will get a clue.

[url]http://www.womenonwaves.org/set-274-en.html[/url]

since we are talking about the phils where abortion is illegal the unhappy couple must take matters into their own hands by acquiring the abortifiicient drug & then seeking medical treatment for the girl after the fetus has been expelled.

ending a pregnancy by chemical can lead to serious medical complications for the girl. be prepared for medical expenses.

i shudder to think anyone would base their decisions solely on what is posted here. all the best.
av

[QUOTE=Amavida]Overdosing your girlfriend on Oral Contraceptive pill is NOT a safe option for early pregnancy termination.[/QUOTE]

Of course there is not such a thing as zero risk. Terminating a pregnancy carries a risk, so does giving birth to the child (usually a higher one to boot!).

For instance the oral contracive pill Nordette, widely available in PI pharmacies, contains the very same stuff (Levonorgestrel) as the ECP, but in lower dose.

[QUOTE=Amavida]
I shudder to think anyone would base their decisions solely on what is posted here. All the best.
AV[/QUOTE]

As posted before, proper medical advice should be sought.

[QUOTE=Amavida]
Overdosing your girlfriend on Oral Contraceptive pill is NOT a safe option for early pregnancy termination.

AV[/QUOTE]Offcourse you should not try to end an abortion by overdosing with Oral Contraceptive pill. You should not do anything you dont know about I think i have made it very clear. You must get the poper info and a very good source is that webpage u just gave the link to thats why ive posted that link 2 times allready.

[QUOTE=X Man]How and when does a SIM card expire?

I have one card that I forgot to bring on my last trip, so it hasn't had a load in about a year.[/QUOTE]
Most SIM cards expire after six months but I have had them expire after only a few months so your old card is probably history.
It is very important for me to keep the same number so after a month or two I will reload it using Chikka or Pasaload.
A while back, I used an old Nokia which only had room for thirty text messages. Before I left the Phi. I would load the memory up so there would not be any room for incoming texts and have a text in limbo. Upon my return more then six months later the SIM card still worked!

[QUOTE=Mattrick]Most SIM cards expire after six months[/QUOTE]Dont know why this varies, i have had sims last much longer than this.
AV

[QUOTE=Mattrick]It is very important for me to keep the same number so after a month or two I will reload it using Chikka..[/QUOTE] Um, how on earth do you reload a smart sim from chikka? I understand what chikka is.
I know there is a paid version requiring funds to operate but that money is to operate chikka. Im confused.
AV

[QUOTE=Mattrick]Most SIM cards expire after six months but I have had them expire after only a few months so your old card is probably history.

It is very important for me to keep the same number so after a month or two I will reload it using Chikka or Pasaload.

A while back, I used an old Nokia which only had room for thirty text messages. Before I left the Phi. I would load the memory up so there would not be any room for incoming texts and have a text in limbo. Upon my return more then six months later the SIM card still worked![/QUOTE]Mattrick,

I think it is 3 month now.

Global changed it.

If most phone companies in Asia, if you don't charge your phone in 3 months it will be cancel.

SIM cards are so cheap, just buy a new one.

I go to Manila 2 times a year, and china 4 times a year.

I just buy a new one every time with a new number.

No big deal, just a monger phone to call the old girl friend and ISG members.

Fast eddie 48

[QUOTE=Amavida]Dont know why this varies, i have had sims last much longer than this.[/QUOTE]
What I meant was that they will expire if there is no activity.


[QUOTE=Amavida]Um, how on earth do you reload a smart sim from chikka? I understand what chikka is.[/QUOTE]
You can send a load to any cp through Chikka Messenger.
Just set up an i$end e-wallet with payment via PayPal.

[QUOTE=Amavida]Dont know why this varies, i have had sims last much longer than this.
AV[/QUOTE]
Regarding Smart, if you don't reload when your load expires, you then have 120 days to reload and keep the number active, otherwise you lose the number. So practically speaking, if you get a Smart sim, put 300 pesos of load on it and don't reload it again, the load will last 60 days and you get to keep the number going for another 120 days so in effect that sim is good for at least 180 days from purchase.

If you go overseas and turn on text roaming, you have to keep a minimum balance of 100 pesos in your sim in order to keep sending and receiving, in addition to the above parameters of activity.

Smart reload cards expire in about 6 months. Their expiration is printed on the back. When you use a sim card, the length of time the load will last depends on the amount purchased.

[QUOTE=Mattrick]You can send a load to any cp through Chikka Messenger.
Just set up an i$end e-wallet with payment via PayPal.[/QUOTE]Cool! thanks for the info! I will file away for future reference!
AV

[QUOTE=Finrod]Regarding Smart, if you don't reload when your load expires, you then have 120 days to reload and keep the number active, otherwise you lose the number. So practically speaking, if you get a Smart sim, put 300 pesos of load on it and don't reload it again, the load will last 60 days and you get to keep the number going for another 120 days so in effect that sim is good for at least 180 days from purchase.[/QUOTE]

What smart tell you is not always correct in my experience. I have had smart sims last much longer.

[QUOTE=Finrod]If you go overseas and turn on text roaming, you have to keep a minimum balance of 100 pesos in your sim in order to keep sending and receiving, in addition to the above parameters of activity.[/QUOTE]

I am overseas this week. I have a smart sim on roaming with 10 pesos load on it & am receiving txt's no problem.

[QUOTE=Finrod]Smart reload cards expire in about 6 months. Their expiration is printed on the back. When you use a sim card, the length of time the load will last depends on the amount purchased.[/QUOTE]

The expiration on the sim card is for FIRST USE typically 12 months from purchase. If it is not activated by that date then its kaput. That is different to expiring in use. Yes load cards have finite periods just like prepaid cards all over the world, but the question was how long do sim cards last.
AV

Pill taken

Passed out - heavy bleeding

Now in hospital

Am waiting for god news

Cross your fingers for her guys - please

[QUOTE=Catswhiskers]Pill taken

Passed out - heavy bleeding

Now in hospital

Am waiting for god news

Cross your fingers for her guys - please[/QUOTE]I feel ya and im crossing my fingers

I relly hope you will get good news.

[quote=catswhiskers]pill taken

passed out - heavy bleeding

now in hospital

am waiting for god news

cross your fingers for her guys - please[/quote]

godspeed :(

[QUOTE=Amavida]What smart tell you is not always correct in my experience. I have had smart sims last much longer.[/quote]
OK point taken, their website doesn't correlate with your field experience.

[quote=Amavida]I am overseas this week. I have a smart sim on roaming with 10 pesos load on it & am receiving txt's no problem.[/quote]
Sorry I should have made clear that a balance of 100 pesos was required for both sending and receiving during international roaming. At 10 pesos of load, yes you can still receive, but you cannot send until you get back into the Phils. Try it, you won't be able to. That I know for sure.

[quote=Amavida]The expiration on the sim card is for FIRST USE typically 12 months from purchase. If it is not activated by that date then its kaput. That is different to expiring in use. Yes load cards have finite periods just like prepaid cards all over the world, but the question was how long do sim cards last.
AV[/QUOTE]
ok. I was thinking of expirations on reload cards.

[QUOTE=Catswhiskers]Pill taken
Passed out - heavy bleeding
Now in hospital
Am waiting for god news
Cross your fingers for her guys - please[/QUOTE]My prayers are with you both.
You will need to stand by her for the medical expenses which are beyond the average pinay's ability to pay & make sure to give her money to buy pain killers & iron supplements. She will be in pain & anaemic after she gets out of hospital. Their rice & a scrap of fish diet does not help anaemia.
All the best.
AV

Have had a SMART number for past 7 years. Sometimes its up to 3-4 months before I go back to Phils. Number has always been fine.

Did notice in HK tho if my HK sim, can't remember brand, isn't used in 4 months then number is dead.

I might be in Manile ou AC during the holy week in april (9-12 april-).
Does anyone know how is the situating regarding the number of ladies available in both cities?

Have been there two times during holy week. Plenty of women available. If they do leave town to go to the province, its only for a couple of days. Caution though because if you are planning to go to any of the resorts, book well in advance as they fill up for that holiday. Room prices at the resorts will go up by 50% from Good Friday to Easter Sunday as alot of people are trying to get out of Manila. Room prices in Manila will stay the same.

I would be grateful for some advice and help. I usually do my mongering in Hong Kong and have met a very nice girl that I have now known for nearly a year and have met her twice - the last time she spent 2 weeks with me recently in HK and we had a fabulous time - my reports are in the HK forum. She wants to take me to Manila to visit her family after we meet again in HK next March and I can just about manage a 2/3 day visit without raising anybody's eyebrows at my absence. She lives in City of San Jose Delmonte, Bulacan, Manila and rents a town house there where she lives with her son and niece. (when she is not "working" in HK). She wants me to meet her family and show me how she lives in Manila.

She is not a gold digger - she has never asked me for any money in the year I have known her and the 2 weeks we spent together were a freebie although I obviously gave her something.

My question is - it it safe? What would I need to look out for other than the normal visitor precautions. I have never been in Phil before but have read plenty about it. Any guidance/advice would be most welcome. She is a mature 32 year old - I am double her age!

Hi Jack,
Manila and Northern Philippines is very safe. Besides you have a local friend with you. Bulacan is not too far from Manila.
I have gone to more remote areas in PHI and never felt threatened. Phi people are very much used to foreigners.
Phi girls are generally very friendly and wants you to meet their family if they like you. As to your relationship with her you are on your own. Phi girls in HK are not as naieve as you think. They want to make as much money as possible to send home. Maybe she thinks you will marry her.
As to me meeting the girls family is like being in a party with lots of strangers. There is nothing common to talk about.
But make a trip to experience yourself.

[QUOTE=Jackthelad2] She lives in City of San Jose Delmonte, Bulacan, Manila and rents a town house there where she lives with her son and niece. (when she is not "working" in HK). She wants me to meet her family and show me how she lives in Manila.

[/QUOTE]

I wouldn't worry too much. You do not mention how you met the lady and what she does for a living? I assume that you feel that she is trustworthy?

One thing I would say is for you not to expect too much as regards luxuries etc, if you do opt to go stay with her. Filipino's are proud people and live as well as they able but most are only able to maintain, what to affluent western eyes, is a very basic standard of living. But, believe me, if you can put up for a little while without luxuries and can endure cold showers etc, then her estimation of you will rise tenfold. Consider it, a couple of days roughing it (like a weekend camping holiday), and keep a smile on your face and she will be so made up. She will no doubt, also get loads of kudos in showing you off to her friends and family.

San Jose Delmonte itself is hardly out in the sticks. It is in the northern Metro Manila area adjoining Quezon City, about 1-2 hours from central Manila, depending on the traffic. Its in a fast developing area and is fairly affluent by Manilan standards. The area probably boasts fairly low crime stats compared to other parts of the metropolitan area. You will be fine.

As long as you don't act like a fool you shouldn't have any problems.

[QUOTE=Sammon]Hi Jack,

Manila and Northern Philippines is very safe. Besides you have a local friend with you. Bulacan is not too far from Manila.

I have gone to more remote areas in PHI and never felt threatened. Phi people are very much used to foreigners.

Phi girls are generally very friendly and wants you to meet their family if they like you. As to your relationship with her you are on your own. Phi girls in HK are not as naieve as you think. They want to make as much money as possible to send home. Maybe she thinks you will marry her.

As to me meeting the girls family is like being in a party with lots of strangers. There is nothing common to talk about.

But make a trip to experience yourself.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Jackthelad2]My question is - it it safe? What would I need to look out for other than the normal visitor precautions. I have never been in Phil before but have read plenty about it. Any guidance/advice would be most welcome. She is a mature 32 year old - I am double her age![/QUOTE]
Just remember, "visiting the family" in the Philippines means your intentions are serious and sincere towards the gal.

[QUOTE=Darth Sushi]Just remember, "visiting the family" in the Philippines means your intentions are serious and sincere towards the gal.[/QUOTE]True, its one of those formalities of courting observed in PI.
Did she bring home all the horny little pinoy guys she went with in high school & after? No way!
Meeting the family implies you're husband material.
Some girls are more strict about this than others.
Some may just want to show you off & get second opinions about you :D

Root & run merchants take note, many girls feel a tremendous loss of face if you go through with this & then [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord140][CodeWord140][/url] off. Better to be up front & don't hurt her.

I have used dating web sites to meet & root chicks who have become long term GF's. I feel if guys gonna meet chicks that way for root & run they need to be up front that they DONT want relationship IMHO. There are plenty that will agree to a root & run. Leave the other girls alone.
AV

Maligayang Pasko

at

Manigong Bagong Taon

May the Dollar continue to rise and the price of pussy go down in the new year.

Slim

I have always been concerned that when I wire money to my GF in Philippines, how do I know she is where she is suppose to be. Example: You send GF money to Samar so she won't have to work in AC.

Money you send to Samar, can actually be picked up ANYWHERE in the Philippines. Did you know this? Same w/ Russia too. Allows for girls easily cheating and other frauds.

Resolution: WU can tell you where the money was picked up. So you can catch the little cheaters if they cheat.

Filipinas and Thank you.

I see them quick to ask for money and don't like saying Thank You after you give it to them.

In any problem. Quick to tell you what you did wrong. Seldom acknowledge that they they did anything wrong, even if 80% of the problem was their fault.

What have you seen? What can I expect

I know this is a Sex Site, but I think the Philippines a unique country where you can have a GF and others for sex too.

BTW are there any other countries where it is easy like this to get a GF and others on the side?

[QUOTE=Big Johnson2]I know this is a Sex Site, but I think the Philippines a unique country where you can have a GF and others for sex too.

BTW are there any other countries where it is easy like this to get a GF and others on the side?[/QUOTE]

BJ2,

I don't know about doing this in the Philippines or any other country. But I do know that a pissed off Filipina is not something I want to tangle with. And if your Filipina GF finds out about you fucking other Filipinas (or any other nationality) she will be highly pissed off! I have heard about guys, whose gf likes to pick other girls for him to fuck. I thought I had a gf like that once, but it turned out to not be true. All Filipinas that I know, are very jealous, and protective of their "property" (meaning you, your wallet, and your bank accounts).

HW

[quote="big johnson2"]i know this is a sex site, but i think the philippines a unique country where you can have a gf and others for sex too.[/quote]

this discussion really belongs in the "filipinas - opinions and advice" thread, but i'll chime in here. first, if you're playing, it is best to be honest with the girls, that is, let them know you are seeing other girls. i found that they always ask if you have a gf and i would answer that way. that seems to tamp down the jealousy as they realize right away they do not have an exclusive nor can they be sure of getting that from you. sometimes they'll try harder or be clingier.

but once you settle on a gf, her jealousy and possessiveness kick in big time: the one who allows you to play would be very rare so ge's advice here is very sensible: never play in the local area. the filipina grapevine is something else.

thank your for the advice. i agree 100% about the jealousy. which you can't blame them. i will always go away on business and play in a different city.

my real question was: what other countries are good for getting attractive girl friends. i know that eastern europe has gotten too rich to easily find girls that want a foreign boy friend.

[quote=finrod]this discussion really belongs in the "filipinas - opinions and advice" thread, but i'll chime in here. first, if you're playing, it is best to be honest with the girls, that is, let them know you are seeing other girls. i found that they always ask if you have a gf and i would answer that way. that seems to tamp down the jealousy as they realize right away they do not have an exclusive nor can they be sure of getting that from you. sometimes they'll try harder or be clingier.

but once you settle on a gf, her jealousy and possessiveness kick in big time: the one who allows you to play would be very rare so ge's advice here is very sensible: never play in the local area. the filipina grapevine is something else.[/quote]

[QUOTE=Big Johnson2]I have always been concerned that when I wire money to my GF in Philippines, how do I know she is where she is suppose to be. Example: You send GF money to Samar so she won't have to work in AC.

Money you send to Samar, can actually be picked up ANYWHERE in the Philippines. Did you know this? Same w/ Russia too. Allows for girls easily cheating and other frauds.

Resolution: WU can tell you where the money was picked up. So you can catch the little cheaters if they cheat.[/QUOTE]

Also important: Can she tell from WU where you sent the money from?

[QUOTE=Cbea20]Also important: Can she tell from WU where you sent the money from?[/QUOTE]Yes she can. All she has to do is ask the attendant. Most girls lead simple lives but they are used to pinoy guy's cheating. Its second nature for them to double check 'details'. Watch your back players! ;)
AV

Posted under the Chat Rooms & Pen Pals forum (cuz I didn't know where else to post it) is a recent pinay scammer for those interested.

[url]http://www.internationalsexguide.info/forum/showpost.php?p=829332&postcount=1308[/url]

[url]http://www.internationalsexguide.info/forum/showpost.php?p=829518&postcount=1317[/url]

I don't think she can tell. The sheet that is produced does not have my address on it only my name, etc.

[QUOTE=Cbea20]Also important: Can she tell from WU where you sent the money from?[/QUOTE]

Rgbburn, thanks for the honesty and willing to share with all of us. I'm sorry for the pain this must have caused you, and I wish you could disseminate this to every board on the Internet on which guys post who are committed to ladies they met on the Internet. I belong to another (non sex) board that involves posts from guys planning to move and/or retire here. Many of them are coming to marry women that they've never met, and they believe none of the warnings that those of us to live here send them. The argument is always the same: "Yes, but this one is different." They never listen. Maybe reading the recap of your story might shock some of them into rationality.

I've now been here for more than five years, and I've seen it all. It's terribly unfortunate that stories like yours are not uncommon. Thankfully, you did not get as far as some of the guys, who walk off the plane, besotted with the idea that someone half their age loves them and will screw them to death, and promptly get married.

Thanks again.

GE

Rgbburn,

Thanks for posting your story. I think everyone here should see the real lesson; although rgbburn feels badly, he came out the best.

Every guy who sat at home and sent money, who never got off his @ss to come to the Philippines, got taken.

By not making excuses, and actually taking action to travel to the PI, rgbburn came off better than than the armchair fantasizers.

I think a key to measuring a woman's character is to look at her friends and family. What kind of people are they? Although nothing in life is sure, I think it helps to take the focus off of her and to look at those around her.

My girlfriend and I would like to spend a month living on the beach somewhere. We would also like a bisexual girl or two to live with us to share our fantasy of having a harem to have fun with. A non-stop feast of pleasure with good food, good wine and great sex.

Any advice on location, how to find the girls, prices and so on would be greatly appreciated.

Spanish
You and your girl living on the beach for a month is no problem. But the other fantasy would be best kept as a fantasy. There is a huge difference between what you see in porn and reality. You usually ended up losing your girl in the process

[QUOTE=Columpuss]Spanish
You and your girl living on the beach for a month is no problem. But the other fantasy would be best kept as a fantasy. There is a huge difference between what you see in porn and reality. You usually ended up losing your girl in the process[/QUOTE]

I second that comment. Whether they get along or fight all day, they will be speaking in their native language, leaving you outside.

Hello All- I've been a member on here for nearly a year, and have found the boards to be very informative. By nature, I'm not so much a mongerer as a traveler, but I find the quality of information to be far superior on here.

My question and the reason I'm posting is this: I'm a 34, American living in Japan. I'm single, in decent shape and make a fair income. I've been to PI once last August for a few weeks, and completely loved it and I'm going back in late Feb/Early March again. I'm interested in meeting a Pinay on one of these trips, someone that could be family material someday. So, I'm looking for advice on where I should go location wise, and any tactics that can help weed out the bad ones. I've tried meeting people online prior (DIA) and have had the same experience as most on here. I noticed quite a bit of ptential at the various malls, but seems everyone thought I was there to monger. Or "ohh you must have a girlfriend" etc. So what should I do and where should I go folks?

I'll be in country for 2 weeks this time, and am planning on hitting Bora again maybe and perhaps Palawan but haven't firmed anything up yet.

[quote]We would also like a bisexual girl or two to live with us [/quote]I had an experience like this some years ago. I met a pinay through Yahoo members. She was an OFW and coming home to Manila on her break. She had a good job in the restaurant business in Europe. Very smart girl, dressed well, did not need money. She was approaching 30 and probably wanted to find a husband.

Anyway, she told me she was bi. She was very aggressive sexually--more like a European girl in attitude. We played some Dominant/submissive games. I would text her things like, "want to come over and fuck?". She wanted to try another girl with me. We picked up a girl in a casa and shared her, but it was not so fun. At the casa the pro she said she would have sex with my girl, but in the hotel, she did not want to eat her pussy, which is what my bi gf especially wanted. Also, I wore a condom, and my gf got nervous about the casa girl, and would make me change the condom after I was in her.

So we needed a fresh girl we could trust. I was working on an innocent "virgin" I had also met on Yahoo. We never hooked up, but the plan was to bring her over, and then have my bi gf come up and join us. The idea being the innocent girl would be obedient enough to accept another, whether she liked it or not. An evil thing I know...

Even better would be if the bi gf had a friend...or a sister lol

One of my fantasies is to marry a girl with 2-3 younger sisters. I would sponsor a new sister to the states each year, but they must serve me as a wife for 1-2 years as payment. (just a fantasy ok?) I actually knew a girl with 2 younger sisters, which it what got me thinking of that!

Oh btw, a place you can enjoy a harem fantasy in a safe and legal way is in the online community "Second Life". I have been there several months. There are a lot of lonely women looking for virtual partners (and some guys posing as girls). But be warned, its a real time killer!

What board would I search to look for information on Puerto Galera?

I've read on the diving and beaches there and would like to check it out. Where would I find information on any available bars or women there? Any ideas?

SeargentRay, GoodEnough, thanks for the comments. I've put the girl on two scammer websites. Enough bloodletting for the pain she has clearly caused to all she admitted scamming.

Gents, say it with me: IF YOU HAVEN'T MET/SLEPT WITH HER, DON'T SEND HER MONEY. Of all the men that I'm aware that she was scamming (at least 7 I've emailed or IM'ed), I was the only one who had spent time with her, and the only one who had been to RP (in my case several times) at all. One of those 7 is also a member of this board (we have since spoken on the IM). These gents have shared emails and IM's directly with me, and they have forwarded the scamming girl's emails and IM's to me. A very clear pattern began to show up in her communications with all of them (not just excuses for needing money), and after she got caught I asked her about this pattern and she confirmed it. The pattern was this: She wants man to come meet her, when he starts looking for airline tickets she asks for money. He sends. He tells her an approximate month/week for visit, she says yes, he reserves/buys ticket. As date approaches, she finds excuse she can't make it at that time (friend in Butuan is getting married that week and she's maid of honor, she's promised aunt in Cebu province to travel there to take care of her small son so aunt can go look for work, etc.). Can he postpone? She knows after a few of these how difficult it is to re-arrange vacation time. This is always followed by more requests for money, after all a girl has needs. This puts him off for another month or two or more, she's stringing him along. She said eventually they drop her and look elsewhere, and she will find another. She's only with them 6-8-10 months; its a clear pattern.

The only other man that she seems to have wanted to clearly meet (briefly) was the one who had not sent her a penny!! She was trying to get me there at Xmas desperately (from Easter), and I sent her only small amounts on 2 occasions ($30, $50). Don't you think it interesting, that the more money the men sent, the more often, the less she wanted to meet them? This is the lesson? If you find yourself regularly loading the phone or sending $, she sees you as an ATM. DONT send it and if she's still talking, you, you are part of her life.

Along the same line, in emailing the man mentioned above who never sent her money, he has sent me some interesting rules he uses in dealing with women he's met online. Here is one of his rules that seems good advice. Several men on this board have said that they dont know what to say when a woman asks for money, especially early in the relationship, only a few chats in. The rule is simple:

If she asks for money, break the relationship immeadiately. Never speak to her again. Or... to head it off, tell her that you dont send money to someone you have not spent time with in person, and if she asks again, you'll break the relationship completely. Maybe even explain the cultural difference; in our culture when a woman we dont personally know in real life asks for money, we view her as a prostitute, and you don't want that kind of relationship (does she?).

I know this is harsh, but it eliminates scammers. If she wants a relationship, she'll persue it. If she drops offline, she's scamming. There are soooooooooo many other women out there.....

Thoughts?

Also, if you dont think there are a lot of guys out there getting scammed (and women also):

[url]http://www.internet-love-scams.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=155[/url]

[url]http://dragonladies.org/viewforum.php?f=9[/url]

rgbburn

[QUOTE=Rgbburn]SeargentRay, GoodEnough, thanks for the comments. I've put the girl on two scammer websites. Enough bloodletting for the pain she has clearly caused to all she admitted scamming.

Gents, say it with me: IF YOU HAVEN'T MET/SLEPT WITH HER, DON'T SEND HER MONEY. .............
rgbburn[/QUOTE]

good feedback for all who indulge in the game of virtuality and ending up in some reality too
With no offence (and you paid alraedy in real for having been fooled, not meaning you are a fool), it looks to me that despite warning, facts, proofs, there is still some sort of affection to this money taker.
Why?
Pity? ehmm did she have any pity in milking money to you?
anyhow, these are jsut side and somehow irrelevant comments.
The whole story is a lesson that nothing is for free for foreigners!:)

I had purchased my tickets once and the excuses started coming as to why she could not hook up. Having spent the money on tickets and bouncing my work schedule around, it would have been too much trouble to reschedule. No problem. I went anyway without any plans whatsoever and only a hotel reservation near LA Cafe. Did some girls from LA Cafe over a couple of days while I adjusted to the time change. Found one that I liked who liked me and we took off to the beach for a week. End of story. Another great trip.

Lesson learned. There is far too much willing poontang there to cancel a trip over one girl.

[QUOTE=James In Japan]Hello All- I've been a member on here for nearly a year, and have found the boards to be very informative. By nature, I'm not so much a mongerer as a traveler, but I find the quality of information to be far superior on here.

My question and the reason I'm posting is this: I'm a 34, American living in Japan. I'm single, in decent shape and make a fair income. I've been to PI once last August for a few weeks, and completely loved it and I'm going back in late Feb/Early March again. I'm interested in meeting a Pinay on one of these trips, someone that could be family material someday. So, I'm looking for advice on where I should go location wise, and any tactics that can help weed out the bad ones. I've tried meeting people online prior (DIA) and have had the same experience as most on here. I noticed quite a bit of ptential at the various malls, but seems everyone thought I was there to monger. Or "ohh you must have a girlfriend" etc. So what should I do and where should I go folks?

I'll be in country for 2 weeks this time, and am planning on hitting Bora again maybe and perhaps Palawan but haven't firmed anything up yet.[/QUOTE]

Whats wrong with malls? Great place IMHO. The country is FILLED with wife material. Just circulate :) Nothing wrong with dating sites either. But the rules of engagement so to speak for those (when youre looking for wife material) is not subject for THIS board.

[QUOTE=Spanish Main]My girlfriend and I would like to spend a month living on the beach somewhere. We would also like a bisexual girl or two to live with us to share our fantasy of having a harem to have fun with. A non-stop feast of pleasure with good food, good wine and great sex.

Any advice on location, how to find the girls, prices and so on would be greatly appreciated.[/QUOTE]

Head to Burgos or AC and talk with the mama/papasans. They will tell you which ones are girl friendly, and go from there.

[QUOTE=James In Japan]

My question and the reason I'm posting is this: I'm a 34, American living in Japan. I'm single, in decent shape and make a fair income. I've been to PI once last August for a few weeks, and completely loved it and I'm going back in late Feb/Early March again. I'm interested in meeting a Pinay on one of these trips, someone that could be family material someday. So, I'm looking for advice on where I should go location wise, and any tactics that can help weed out the bad ones. I've tried meeting people online prior (DIA) and have had the same experience as most on here. I noticed quite a bit of ptential at the various malls, but seems everyone thought I was there to monger. Or "ohh you must have a girlfriend" etc. So what should I do and where should I go folks?[/QUOTE]If you have "yellow fever " and live in Japan, why don't you find some wife material in Japan? You can come to Phils to enjoy the local delights without the strings attached. Just curious.

[QUOTE=Big Johnson2]I don't think she can tell. The sheet that is produced does not have my address on it only my name, etc.[/QUOTE]Its not whats on the paper, its what's the computer. if she ask's they will tell her. I know this from field experience. Trust me I have the scars to prove it! hehehehehehe ;)
AV

I've been here a year (japan that is) and just never took to the women. I've tried, but the interest isn't there. But I really enjoyed the PI.

My apologies if I am indeed posting on the wrong site. I have found the people on this site to be far more honest than others, and less judgmental. I didn't realize that a non sex based question would be put of line. Again, my apologies.

I love New Year in the Philippines but does anyone else get tired of the sheer number and volume of fucking fireworks that are set off in the days (starting about mid-December) leading up to New Year and lasting until now (I've just shit myself yet again as yet another delayed bomb went off outside my house gates). Plus, I was nearly blown up by an artillery shell size firework whilst out on New Years Eve.

No wonder the Philippines are so poor - I reckon about half their GNP goes up in smoke each year but no doubt the health services people laugh all the way to the bank as a long procession of freshly limbless and third degree burns cases stagger to their doors.

So this year, for a change, I played the miserable, tight fisted old bastard and was the only household down our road not to buy and use munitions and contribute to the stinking, smoke filled war zone that the place becomes between 1130pm - 0030am each New Year. I just took a glass of fine cognac, put Auld Lang Syne on repeat, and took a seat in the front garden and watched all my Pinoy and Korean neighbors try to blow their families and themselves to kingdom come! A salutatory experience and much less hassle than joining the melee.

WINGE OVER :D

P.S - Sorry guys - I maybe should have put this in the 'Living in the Phippines' thread. Apologies but I cannot be arsed to figure out how to shift it.

Excellent advice. Of course one major attraction is that Filipinos often speak English. Even a high school dropout speaks better English than most Japanese.

I agree with Q, I get the good stuff in Japan, and play in the Philippines. I haven't ruled out a serious partner from the Philippines, but increasingly see the advantages of sticking with what I got.

X

[QUOTE=Quasarus]If you have "yellow fever " and live in Japan, why don't you find some wife material in Japan? You can come to Phils to enjoy the local delights without the strings attached. Just curious.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Gamahucher]I love New Year in the Philippines but does anyone else get tired of the sheer number and volume of fucking fireworks that are set off in the days (starting about mid-December) leading up to New Year and lasting until now (I've just shit myself yet again as yet another delayed bomb went off outside my house gates).

No wonder the Philippines are so poor - I reckon about half their GNP goes up in smoke each year but no doubt the health services people laugh all the way to the bank as a long procession of freshly limbless and third degree burns cases stagger to their doors.

So this year, for a change, I played the miserable, tight fisted old bastard and was the only household down our road not to buy and use munitions and contribute to the stinking, smoke filled war zone that the place becomes between 1130pm - 0030am each New Year. I just took a glass of fine cognac, put Auld Lang Syne on repeat, and took a seat in the front garden and watched all my Pinoy and Korean neighbors try to blow their families and themselves to kingdom come! A

it.[/QUOTE]Loved this. Its all so true. I remember one New Years Eve staying in top floor of Renaissance hotel. Must be 30th floor. Looking down all I could see was thick smoke. That went up to the 25th floor. Could see the glow of rockets being fired from San Lorenzo behind the hotel, but the rockets barely made it thru the smoky murk. God knows what people were passively inhaling that night. Ah the joys of New Year in Bedlam.

[QUOTE=James In Japan]I've been here a year (japan that is) and just never took to the women. I've tried, but the interest isn't there. But I really enjoyed the PI.

My apologies if I am indeed posting on the wrong site. I have found the people on this site to be far more honest than others, and less judgmental. I didn't realize that a non sex based question would be put of line. Again, my apologies.[/QUOTE]

No need to apologize, it's just that most of the participants here are not interested in Filipinas in the way you are. I have known a few Filipinas as good friends, including several whom I found very attractive, but mostly I have made acquaintance with Filipinas by grinding my loins into theirs in exchange for money. But I can imagine that if I had first visited the Phils as a younger and unmarried man, I might have followed an inclination like the one you describe.

Three suggestions: 1. Check into forums and theads about online dating contacts; 2. Do some background reading in the thread here labeled: "Filipinas: Advice and Opinions"; 3. Try to figure out some way to develop some friendships in the Phils so that you can get those friends to introduce you to eligible Filipinas who might be long-term relationship material.

Good luck. Skip

I posted this a few minutes ago in the general ISG forum about AIDS, but I thought folks here might also be interested.

I've nearly completed reading a great book on HIV and AIDS. The book, entitled **The Wisdom of *****s: Bureaucrats, Brothels, and the Business of AIDS**, came out about six months ago. It is written by Elizabeth Pisani, a Ph.D. epidemiologist trained in Great Britain. Although the implications of the book are global in scope, most of the details are drawn from illustrations in the Third World. It was written to be accessible by most anyone rather than in stuffy academic language. Pisani has extensive experience studying HIV/AIDS in the field in Southeast Asia and Africa. The upshot, hinted at in the title, is that we can learn most about how the disease is transmitted by talking to people in settings where it gets transmitted, i.e., from prostitutes and those who inject drugs. It's very down to earth and avoids condemning either prostitutes or their clients for their behavior. She explodes numerous myths and takes careful aim at American policy under George Bush that tied HIV/AIDS funding to abstinence only programs and discouraged distribution and active education about condom use. She also sheds skepticism on the recent outpouring of reports about the international transportation of sex slaves, arguing that most of the Third World prostitutes she has studied had entered the business willingly because it paid much better than factory work or department store retail sales.

Although Pisani anchors her claims in a mountain of existing research, the book is actually kind of a page-turner because it tells the nitty gritty of what happens out on the streets of the developing world. I learned a lot about the real details of HIV transmission simply because Pisani explains things in street language rather than in the muted political correctness that’s usually found on government information websites. Although much of her most active field work was done in Indonesia, she offers up lots of examples from Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, and the Philippines. I highly recommend this book.

Skip

[QUOTE=Skip Kost]I posted this a few minutes ago in the general ISG forum about AIDS, but I thought folks here might also be interested.

I've nearly completed reading a great book on HIV and AIDS. The book, entitled **The Wisdom of *****s: Bureaucrats, Brothels, and the Business of AIDS**, came out about six months ago. It is written by Elizabeth Pisani, a Ph.D. epidemiologist trained in Great Britain. Although the implications of the book are global in scope, most of the details are drawn from illustrations in the Third World. It was written to be accessible by most anyone rather than in stuffy academic language. Pisani has extensive experience studying HIV/AIDS in the field in Southeast Asia and Africa. The upshot, hinted at in the title, is that we can learn most about how the disease is transmitted by talking to people in settings where it gets transmitted, i.e., from prostitutes and those who inject drugs. It's very down to earth and avoids condemning either prostitutes or their clients for their behavior. She explodes numerous myths and takes careful aim at American policy under George Bush that tied HIV/AIDS funding to abstinence only programs and discouraged distribution and active education about condom use. She also sheds skepticism on the recent outpouring of reports about the international transportation of sex slaves, arguing that most of the Third World prostitutes she has studied had entered the business willingly because it paid much better than factory work or department store retail sales.

Although Pisani anchors her claims in a mountain of existing research, the book is actually kind of a page-turner because it tells the nitty gritty of what happens out on the streets of the developing world. I learned a lot about the real details of HIV transmission simply because Pisani explains things in street language rather than in the muted political correctness that’s usually found on government information websites. Although much of her most active field work was done in Indonesia, she offers up lots of examples from Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, and the Philippines. I highly recommend this book.

Skip[/QUOTE]Did you buy the book in PI?

Ever wondered what the requirement is for a waitress job at LA Cafe? Came across this online job ad.

[url]http://ph.jobstreet.com/jobs/2008/9/default/20/1969096.htm?fr=J[/url]

HRM = Hotel Restaurant Management? Anyone know?

In any case, WTF? GH

Shit! those are the exact requirements for a US congressman

I'm surprised they want college educated gal to work as a waitress!!! wtf?

However, I do like the 'must be pretty' on line 4. That sure wouldn't fly here in the USA, lol.

[QUOTE=Gamahucher]
HRM =
[/QUOTE]
Human Resource Management?

[QUOTE=Gamahucher]Ever wondered what the requirement is for a waitress job at LA Cafe? Came across this online job ad.

[url]http://ph.jobstreet.com/jobs/2008/9/default/20/1969096.htm?fr=J[/url]

HRM = Hotel Restaurant Management? Anyone know?

In any case, WTF? GH[/QUOTE]


You are correct, HRM is Hotel Restaurant Management. Very popular major in PI for those who plan to work overseas.

[QUOTE=Sleepy Floyd]You are correct, HRM is Hotel Restaurant Management. Very popular major in PI for those who plan to work overseas.[/QUOTE]

Or maybe hospitality and restaurant management?

On the surface it almost seems like either the system of stated qualifications is inflated beyond belief or that they're looking for overqualified employees. After all, what kind of "management" skills are needed to be able to: a) carry a pad of paper on which you write down either SM, SM light, coke, or iced tea and the price (ah yes, different prices at different times of day), then tear it off and stick it in each customer's little wooden block; b) deliver drinks back to the people who ordered them; c) collect from customers before they leave; and, d) carry the change back to paying customers. At least downstairs at LA the actual money calculations are done by a cashier back in the little window under the stairs (perhaps because they don't trust the barmaids to run their own tabs?), so it's not like they need high-powered math skills. There may be a few customers who try to cut out without paying, but it's usually the freelancer who has just struck a deal for ST or LT who tracks down the barmaid to collect on the tab -- because she wants to get the hell out of the smoky bar, get on with the main event, and collect her own money. So it's not like the barmaids need major law enforcement skills or much understanding of human psychology.

Okay, so maybe it comes down to a little quirk in Filipino culture. I have a friend in one of the resort provinces who runs a school that trains Filipinos/Filipinas for the service industry jobs that are in demand for Overseas Foreign Workers (OFWs) -- basic computer and secretarial skills, hospitality workers, maids and housecleaners, and so on. He gets very frustrated with them because, as he puts it, "they all have the mentality that they're going to be 'employees' for the rest of their lives, always taking orders from other people who do the thinking." None of them have any sense of entrepreneurship or the initiative to think for themselves and learn how to take charge. Given this sort of mentality, perhaps the meaning of "management" as used in "HRM" and other kinds of vocational training really means obedient "followership" without a shred of leadership skills or real management implied.

So in a global economy that turns on brain power rather than muscle power, many Filipinos are destined to live in poverty for ever. At the same time, I've also interacted with some shrewd young Filipinos -- college educated, of course -- who have good heads for business. The problem, I think, is that there's too few of the latter, and their innovative capabilities can't do enough for the country as a whole, since all the systems are bogged down in entrenched expectations for bribery and sustaining the wealth and positions of the 40 (or 50 or 60) ruling families.

How's that for optimism? Just my $.03.

Skip

[QUOTE=Cansx]Did you buy the book in PI?[/QUOTE]

Amazon. They will ship to Phils at international shipping rates and prompt delivery that will make you long for the Pony Express. The book is published by W.W. Norton, a reputable New York and London publisher, so you might get National BookStore or Mirandas Books to order it for you.

[QUOTE=Skip Kost]So in a global economy that turns on brain power rather than muscle power, many Filipinos are destined to live in poverty for ever. At the same time, I've also interacted with some shrewd young Filipinos -- college educated, of course -- who have good heads for business. The problem, I think, is that there's too few of the latter, and their innovative capabilities can't do enough for the country as a whole, since all the systems are bogged down in entrenched expectations for bribery and sustaining the wealth and positions of the 40 (or 50 or 60) ruling families.

How's that for optimism? Just my $.03.

Skip[/QUOTE]Hi SK,

Working with people in Phils, I basically agree with your opinion, but I would like to add some food for thought:

I have a "chat friend" in Samar (Phils) who has started a sari-sari store, and at least once a week she comes up with a new idea for business (buy a trike and offer taxi services, buy table & chairs and rent party equipment, buy a fridge and sell meat and fish.).

Basically she has good ideas very often, but not the money she needs to realize them. I'm teaching her financial management, how to save money, how to use money for investments, make the distinction between investment expenses and operational expenses etc and basically she's smart enough to understand things and she learns fast.

But each time she talks about her ideas with local people, they treat her as "ambitious" and that is seen as very negative. According to local customs & values, Philippinos should not be ambitious, should not try to improve the quality of their lives, and should not try to set a goal and work hard to reach it. I think this is also a part of the reasons why they remain in poverty. "God will take care of us" is what they say.

Fredje

[QUOTE=Fredje1961]But each time she talks about her ideas with local people, they treat her as "ambitious" and that is seen as very negative. According to local customs & values, Philippinos should not be ambitious, should not try to improve the quality of their lives, and should not try to set a goal and work hard to reach it. I think this is also a part of the reasons why they remain in poverty. "God will take care of us" is what they say.

Fredje[/QUOTE]
The locals use crabs as a metaphor to describe this mindset: when one crab tries to get out of the pot, the others pull it back in. Which is often how it is in real life: when a filipino (or filipina) tries to do better, that person gets deluged with negativity, and then if they're actually successful, they get deluged with requests for money. Those are the kind of people who, if they get out of the country, will not want to return.

Considering its the LA cafe, HRM probably refers to 'ho resource management' given the hundreds of young flipas willing to put out for cash that are there at any hour of day or night.

[QUOTE=Dashing Don]Considering its the LA cafe, HRM probably refers to 'ho resource management' given the hundreds of young flipas willing to put out for cash that are there at any hour of day or night.[/QUOTE]

Or Helper for Randy Mongers ... lol::).

Did you get a little chuckle over the bit about Honesty and Integrity. I did. More that once I have had a waitress bring me back change for P500 when I gave P1000 and then try to brazen it out. I know this has happened to other guys as well.

Funny how the waitresses are rapidly corrupted after working there for a little while. I think it is more by the girls than by the male customers, although I know its most guys ambition to bed one of the cuter ones. Twice I have managed it but only after they have finished their contract (6 months, I think) and come over to the other side of the bar, as it were. Many obviously quickly realize that the grass is greener and the picking much healthier as a 'working' girl than as an abysmally poorly paid, overworked waitress.

Never met anyone who has managed to trap one whilst in post, although no doubt this often happens. Would be nice as their kit is cute and I have been recently outed as a uniform fetishist :D.

[QUOTE=Fredje1961] "God will take care of us" is what they say.Fredje[/QUOTE]

Where do you suppose they learned that?

One of my most eye-opening experiences in the Phils was when I was invited to the home of a well to do older man, very politically connected, for a rosary celebrating his 78th birthday. This was in one of the gated communities in San Juan where the wealthy families wall themselves off from the masses. I thought I'd been invited to dinner, only to find the house and attached garden packed with people and a priest carrying on in front of them. The priest was fairly young and going on in English, so I pretty quickly figured out what the occasion was. He built his sermon around some biblical passage that says it's easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to pass into Heaven. Clearly the audience was full of rich people, so the priest was telling them that the passage didn't literally mean that rich people couldn't get into Heaven. What he told them instead was that he was sure it meant that it matters what rich people do with their money on earth. That is, as long as they treat other people nicely, surely they too can get into Heaven. I can sometimes be a boor, so I had to fight down my impulse to laugh aloud. It's just that it struck me as very disingenuous for a Catholic priest to try to curry favor with the rich and powerful by giving them twisted biblical interpretation just to please them. But since I'm pretty much a sinner myself, I didn't mind digging into the great spread of food they served after the rosary.

My point is that it's not an accident that the one country in the Pacific rim that continues to fall behind all the others economically is the one that considers itself a Christian nation.

[QUOTE=Skip Kost]Where do you suppose they learned that?

My point is that it's not an accident that the one country in the Pacific rim that continues to fall behind all the others economically is the one that considers itself a Christian nation.[/QUOTE]I fully agree.

[QUOTE=Skip Kost]He built his sermon around some biblical passage that says it's easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to pass into Heaven. Clearly the audience was full of rich people, so the priest was telling them that the passage didn't literally mean that rich people couldn't get into Heaven. What he told them instead was that he was sure it meant that it matters what rich people do with their money on earth. That is, as long as they treat other people nicely, surely they too can get into Heaven.

My point is that it's not an accident that the one country in the Pacific rim that continues to fall behind all the others economically is the one that considers itself a Christian nation.[/QUOTE]He was what we can call the new generation of priest as he did not implicitly said that you can buy your way to heaven as to donate or put the church on our will as it will buy your way to heaven.

Skip Kost links poverty to Christianity in an earlier post.

This is a dangerous assertion, and I need to make it clear that there is no linkage between christianity and poverty.

There are three primary drivers of poverty in any nation state.

The first is endemic corruption. In a corrupt state, decisions on the use of the nation's resources are not based on benefit, but on the option which gives the greatest return to the decision maker. Hence national resources are misused.

The second is political instability. Investors will not invest in a country where the political system createsm a high level of uncerainty.

The third is an ineffective land titling system. This means that ownership of land is not clear and guaranteed, hence banks will not lend money which is secured by land, hence land cannot be leveraged to create wealth.

If one of these three exist in a nation state, then the people are consigned to a state of poverty. Forget religion, forget farm subsidies. These are not drivers of poverty.

I appreciate Gangles' post, though I'm not sure that the three criteria cited are the sole causes to the poverty which is endemic here. Certainly this country meets each of these criteria. There are however, at least in my opinion, other causes as well and, while there's no direct correlation between the church and sustained poverty, the catholic church here does contribute indirectly to the maintenance of inter-generational poverty.

There are two reasons for this assertion. First, the church is intimately tied to the political structure here in a relationship that would be unthinkable in most Western countries. It influences directly, not only not only those who frequent the churches, but is also inextricably linked with the powerful politicians. It's an unhealthy relationship.

Second, and perhaps more importantly, through its adamant refusal to allow the teaching of family planning in any public education facility it contributes directly to the unchecked population explosion here which is one of the major causes the poverty. Runaway population growth coupled with an egregiously poor education system and an economy that simply does not produce enough good, stable jobs is a sure recipe for economic stagnation, and the church plays a big role in this.

Unfortunately, the church's influence on the behavior of its congregants extends mainly to the poor and uneducated. Middle class, better education Filipinos have the sense to ignore the church's dicta on this subject and hence limit family size.

GE

Well, I look at it this way. Any place settled by the Spanish seems to be a shithole. I think the whole planet is more or less of a study in racial profiling. Certainly there are exceptions to the rule. But the bell curve prevails.

Here in Asia for example, I map it out like this. (in terms of values, decision making capacity, general wants, desires, attitudes and economy)

Japanese = Germans
Chinese = Americans
Koreans = Dutch
Thai = French
Filipinos = Mexicans / Spaniards
Singaporeans = Swiss

Granted, there are plenty of shitholes that are packed with white people. Red states for example, or much of eastern Europe. There are exceptionally nice places packed with Spaniards such as Santiago Chile. But in general. To assert that race, ethnic background (culture, ascendant values), and religion have nothing to do with poverty is putting a desire to be politically correct above any minimal common sense one may possess.

I agree that education is key. Here in the Philippines any lost cab driver with no change can speak better English than most Japanese executives. But in spite of relatively good education (and a system that values it. Just read the back of a p500 note); and more Jesus then you can shake a stick at. They still fuck like bunnies and make, well, bunny-like decisions.

On the other hand. Thank Jesus that there is a place a bunch of old, white, out of shape guys can go fuck the girls we use to jack off to in the pages of Penthouse and Hustler magazine! That, and Viagra is proof there is a god, and that he is a middle aged white man.

Do not forget the ongoing and insidious effects of that scary bogeyman of recent Philippine history, otherwise known as Ferdinand Marcos. In the 50’s and early 60's, before he came to power, the country was relatively wealthy, measured in terms of GDP, and in comparison with other Asian countries, ahead of Japan and South Korea and well ahead of Thailand and Indonesia. And then along came Marcos with his inimitable brand of robber baron leadership, systematically stripping the country of much of its wealth and assets and impoverishing the masses, eschewing traditional Filipino democratic systems of politics and installing himself as the all powerful ‘apo’ or godfather to his people. I don’t think that the place has ever really recovered, especially as the political leadership since his overthrow has either been weak and insipid or, taking up the baton from Marcos, corrupt and avaricious, maintaining power through systems of patronage and cronyism. This has stymied foreign investment so the national growth figures has lagged behind its neighbours and in all likelihood will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

And yet, despite his legacy of wrongdoing and the proof of his multi-billion dollar theft, Marcos is still revered to this day by many Filipino’s, particularly in North Luzon where he in viewed as a kind of national hero. I well remember visiting his home town of Sarrat near Laog, in the early 90’s, His birthplace there was (and probably still is) maintained as a shrine to his memory. Gruesomely his dead mother was then still on open display in the house. Her corpse had been badly preserved and stunk to high heaven! Apparently, she had stipulated before her death, that her remains were not to be interred until her son’s body was allowed to be repatriated to his homeland.

Well whilst we may not agree or may agree to disagree over the myriad reasons for the enduring poverty (and the family planning is at the top of my list as to reasons for continuation of poverty), the low income levels, the poor housing and lack of puruable income earning opportunities do allow us to play our games. On a rare non mongering night recently I sat in an outdoors mall and had 6 san mig light for the princely sum of US2. 50.

My friends in other countries can't believe a beer this good could be sold for so little. Same with pussy. Same with all things.

Because one things for sure, if the price of playing in Manila was the same as it is in Seoul or Tokyo none of us would be as committed as we to the place.

We would all have to go further south to Indonesia. Which has some great " playgrounds"

Exactly my point, endemic corruption created widespread poverty.

But Marcos did maintain political stability.

[QUOTE=GoodEnough]Unfortunately, the church's influence on the behavior of its congregants extends mainly to the poor and uneducated. Middle class, better education Filipinos have the sense to ignore the church's dicta on this subject and hence limit family size.

GE[/QUOTE]My initial endorsment of Skip Kosts' posting lacked maybe a bit of nuance, I think it's indeed rather the local Catholic Church (as being an organisation created by people) rather than the Christian beliefs (as a religion) that are among the causes of poverty.

[QUOTE=Gamahucher] In the 50’s and early 60's, before he came to power, the country was relatively wealthy, measured in terms of GDP, and in comparison with other Asian countries, ahead of Japan and South Korea and well ahead of Thailand and Indonesia.[/QUOTE]

Japan had almost 50% higher GDP than Phils, already in 1950.

[QUOTE=Pute Nut]Japan had almost 50% higher GDP than Phils, already in 1950.[/QUOTE]

Yep, you are right. Meant GNP and not GDP anyway but a check on the economic figures of The Philippines viz a vis other Asian countries will demonstrate its steady decline from the 1950's to the present day.

[QUOTE=Gangles]

But Marcos did maintain political stability.[/QUOTE]

If Marcos did maintain political stability (that is debatable), it might have been because he imprisoned, tortured and sometimes killed his political opponents.

[QUOTE=Urban Lowlife]Whoa, this sounds like one of the gals I met at LA Cafe![/QUOTE]

Yes, some girls mysteriously turn into 'corpses' when you get them back to the hotel room:( Hope your recent trip went well? Where is the promised trip report/photo's? Did you meet 'the girl'?

[QUOTE=Gangles]Exactly my point, endemic corruption created widespread poverty. But Marcos did maintain political stability.[/QUOTE]

I think it would be difficult to pin down corrupt practices as preceding poverty. It seems to me that the Spanish colonialists created class differences, in large part by asserting European land ownership practices (fee simple title) where the indigenous people's land ownership practices assumed that land was collectively or communally owned. When they figured out to support village leaders and assist them to "own" land in the European sense, the Spanish facilitated the erection of class distinctions that served their own purposes as colonialists. Christianizing the people subsequently reinforced Spain's colonializing interests.

I have never argued that Christianity caused the poverty, merely that it reinforces it. The points that GE makes are in a similar vein. But if you want to take an informative look at Philippine history, check out the biography of Jose Rizal, their major national hero. Rizal was educated in Spain as an opthalmologist, but became involved in Europe with other Filipinos who were arguing for Philippine independence. When he returned to the Philippines he was exiled to one of the islands in the Visayas. Part of what made him a visible threat was that he wrote about Philippine independence. Others, such as Bonifacio, were actually organizing armed insurrections. Although Rizal had denounced these violent actions, the Spanish rulers arrested Rizal, charging him with causing violent insurrection, largely because of his visible nationalistic writing. The Spanish governor concluded that Rizal was not guilty as charged, but the Catholic Archbishop (a Cardinal) arranged behind the scenes to have the governor replaced with a new governor who would follow through with orders to execute Rizal. Rizal was executed (1895, I think), and his execution inflamed other Filipinos, such that the Philippines was engaged in a large scale war for independence within three years. The U.S. hoodwinked them and subsequently stomped out their nationalistic passions in taking control of them as an American colony until after WWII.

My point is that the Catholic church continues to reinforce the class inequalities. Remember that the bottom line of Christianity is that, no matter what our circumstances are in the present, everything will be made right in the hereafter. The repeated assertion that "God will take care of us," a quote from an earlier monger's post, goes to this point.

[QUOTE=Columpuss]Spanish
You and your girl living on the beach for a month is no problem. But the other fantasy would be best kept as a fantasy. There is a huge difference between what you see in porn and reality. You usually ended up losing your girl in the process[/QUOTE]



Thank you for your concern, but there is no danger of me losing my girl.

We have done this in Europe and enjoyed it immensely. We only want to find the ideal location and get an idea of where to find a girl (or two) and how much it will cost.

The ideal is a small villa in a pretty location where we can enjoy some fine food, fine wine and lots of party sex.

We will be there in June, incidentally, to celebrate my bisexy´s 40th birthday.

So, I would still appreciate some local knowledge and advice.

hello all,

longtime lurker, thank you to all for your very many informative posts! heading over in feb for my second trip to the pi, a six week trip, on a budget, spending some time in manila as well as ac, but most of the time will be spent on the beach down south, sabang, boracay, guimaras, siquijor, malapusca, baytan, etc. besides sabang and boracay any other places in those general areas that have an active night life scene?

gamahucher, will be checking out harrisons plaza, love the hunt! i am lousy at gauging pinays age. a question concerning age and ids. have read about many scams, harry the horse, etc, about the **** scam, extortion. have read here, that posters and security at hotels have "checked their ids. " is there one piece of id which all pinays should have, which you can check to protect yourself from this scam?

not a first time traveller, will use common sense, but is there any other scams, that you would advise people to be aware of?

will be hitting la cafe, g point, amazonia, harrisons plaza, love the freelancers, will also check out p. burgos st, edsa entertainment complex, any other spots you would recommend?

thanks for any help and advice you can offer! will post a detailed report on this trip later if there is any interest in a budget themed adventure in the pi!

dameon

[quote=dameon]i am lousy at gauging pinays age. a question concerning age and ids. have read about many scams, harry the horse, etc, about the **** scam, extortion. have read here, that posters and security at hotels have "checked their ids. " is there one piece of id which all pinays should have, which you can check to protect yourself from this scam?[/quote]

no there isn't. they can show you a fake id just as easily as they show the hotel. a good rule of thumb is to pass on those who say they're 18 or 19, especially if they look young; you can do it this way until you feel comfortable guessing their real ages. or maybe you have enough game to get them to admit it. good luck and stay safe...

[quote=finrod]no there isn't. they can show you a fake id just as easily as they show the hotel. a good rule of thumb is to pass on those who say they're 18 or 19, especially if they look young; you can do it this way until you feel comfortable guessing their real ages. or maybe you have enough game to get them to admit it. good luck and stay safe...[/quote]

a trick i use is if she looks young, randomly in the middle of a conversation ask what year she was born in. they will blurt it out, and if the are **** probably havent worked that out. then just do the math.

[quote=dameon]
gamahucher, will be checking out harrisons plaza, love the hunt! i am lousy at gauging pinays age. a question concerning age and ids. have read about many scams, harry the horse, etc, about the **** scam, extortion. have read here, that posters and security at hotels have "checked their ids. " is there one piece of id which all pinays should have, which you can check to protect yourself from this scam?

[/quote]

checking id in the philippines is a pointless exercise anyway, as there is no such thing as a national id card here. if a girl shows you an id, it will be one of 5 things. either:

1. a passport
2. a drivers license.
3. a voters registration id.
4. a postal id.
5. an employee's id

all are photo id's but obviously only the first 2 can be relied upon, but not completely, as relatives and friends often share their id's anyway if they think they look sufficiently alike to get away with it. and, without being accused of racial stereotyping, they also know that they all look like peas in a pod to the untrained eyes of a foreigner. this is a fact as a relative has in my certain knowledge frequently used her sisters passport to travel overseas and never yet encountered a problem.

the **** scam exists but is rare and is apparently a particular problem in the malls, particularly in robinsons ermita. have never yet met anyone who has been caught by it or knows somebody who has. but it sounds too much of a golden extortion opportunity for it not to be tried. best to never take a fl from a mall if you have the slightest doubt as to her being of legal age and/or checked her available id very carefully. as you say this can be a problem so you have to use good sense and not be swayed what little head tells you.

blackangst's checking system is one i also use. casually ask their year of birth and if they stumble or hesitate, don't risk it. being brought up using calculators, most are incapable of doing mental arithmetic anyway.

Thank you for the info and advice gentlemen, appreciate it. Never occured to me, the what year were you born strategy, brillant!

Gentlemen,

I was thinking about this last night while reading my PI guidebook again and preping for my second trip in country, and I wanted to ask all of you expierces folks here.

In your opinion, what city or area of PI is the best for picking up non p4p? What I mean is, what area would produce the most his by just being out and about? To me the least would be a place like BOra, where there are very few single girls.

So of all the places you've been in PI, where do you get approached and hit on the most from normal girls? Cebu? Davao? GSC?

Looking forward to your replies.

Does anyone have a istorical perspective on the kidnapping that are taking place in the PI right now. It's starting to sound like Colombia. As a world traveller, I'm always a little shy about going to places where I might be preceived as a target. Has anyone felt the same?

I am an Aussie and haven't been to to the Phils for 22 years and am thinking of going in May. Can any punters tell me if there are bars in Angeles that show NRL or Super 14s live? Sorry but not interested in Soccer or NFL.

Any replies much appreciated!

[QUOTE=Chicochulo]Does anyone have a istorical perspective on the kidnapping that are taking place in the PI right now. It's starting to sound like Colombia. As a world traveller, I'm always a little shy about going to places where I might be preceived as a target. Has anyone felt the same?[/QUOTE]
There's not time or space enough here to present an historical synopsis of the conflicts in Mindanao which began in earnest when Marcos encouraged Christian migration to what was then a largely Muslim region, and which is now a region in which Muslims account for less than 15% of the population.

What's important to note is that the kidnappings (and most of the problems) occurred in Sulu, which is not an area to which anyone interested in our hobby would venture even if there were no conflicts. If you do come to Mindanao, and you stay in and around the large cities--Davao, CDO, Zamboanga--you'll be fine and you will find relaxed places with no sense of danger. I've said before, and I will reiterate now that Davao is probably the safest place I've ever lived, and I have lived in a lot of places and a lot of countries.

The victims of kidnapping in and around metro Manila, on the rare occasions they occur, typically target Chinese Filipinos and they are, in general, perceived as being far wealthier than the average Filipino.

While I find it appalling that three members of a humanitarian organization were kidnapped, the fact is that they had no business traveling alone in that area. They were offered protection from the AFP and they refused it, I suppose wanting to preserve their stance of total neutrality. Any foreigners traveling alone in and around Jolo, Sulu run significant risks.

GE

As far as I can recall from my 25 years of living in or being in close contact with Phils. Theres hardly ever been a case of a non Chinese foreigner been kidnapped by normal KFR gangs ("kidnap for ransom " gangs). Yes theres been Abu Sayyaf which were quite different.

And yes the Koreans have a thriving kidnapping community amongst themselves, but Johnny WhiteBoy can happily fly to Phils and have no fear whatsoever of being kidnapped. It just doesn't happen.

[QUOTE=FreebieFan]And yes the Koreans have a thriving kidnapping community amongst themselves, but Johnny WhiteBoy can happily fly to Phils and have no fear whatsoever of being kidnapped. It just doesn't happen.[/QUOTE]
The two missionaries (yes "Johnny WhiteBoy" and his wife) who were held for ransom for more than a year and a half, were kidnapped on the island of Palawan and taken by boat to Basilan and Palawan is considered a safe and rural area. There was a 3rd whiteguy taken but the kidnappers chopped his head off. Personally, since many locals view most foreigners as wealthy, I would never assume a certain race or color is safe from kidnapping. Although FF is correct on the very low occurrence of this crime, you never know whats around the corner.

Just my 2 cents.

[QUOTE=Mr Enforcer]I am an Aussie and haven't been to to the Phils for 22 years and am thinking of going in May. Can any punters tell me if there are bars in Angeles that show NRL or Super 14s live? Sorry but not interested in Soccer or NFL.

Any replies much appreciated![/QUOTE]

Hi,

Have a look here:

[url]http://shanosirishpub.com/home.html[/url]

You could contact them direct just to check if they have your particular code there or not. (Aussie rules man meself).

[QUOTE=FreebieFan]As far as I can recall from my 25 years of living in or being in close contact with Phils. Theres hardly ever been a case of a non Chinese foreigner been kidnapped by normal KFR gangs ("kidnap for ransom " gangs). Yes theres been Abu Sayyaf which were quite different.

And yes the Koreans have a thriving kidnapping community amongst themselves, but Johnny WhiteBoy can happily fly to Phils and have no fear whatsoever of being kidnapped. It just doesn't happen.[/QUOTE]

Well, that's correct for the most part, but again, it depends on where you are. As to whether it's the KFR gangs or the Abu Sayyaf, does it really matter. Getting kidnapped is getting kidnapped. Two of the three Red Cross workers just kidnapped in Sulu were white, though anyone who travels without an official, heavily armed escort there is slightly crazy.

I would say that FF is correct if you're planning to go to the most frequent destinations mentioned on this site, but as the economy declines further and further, and an increasing proportion of the population starts to feel the pinch, the situation may change, so it's always wise to be prudent as it is in any third world country.

GE

The Church is the primary culprit for the root cause of most poverty in the Philippines, overpopulation. Thailand is corrupt as hell too and has no history of democracy, but look at the higher standard of living. Two main reasons: no Catholic opposition to birth control and tourism revenue.

The Philippines was much less populated in the 60s hence less poverty. The growth rate of over 3% per year is among the World's highest, but the Church continues to threaten and terrorize any filipino politicians who dare support the Reproductive Health Bill being debated in the Congress (but stymied for years by the Church).

[QUOTE=Rubberyman]Hi,

Have a look here:

[url]http://shanosirishpub.com/home.html[/url]

You could contact them direct just to check if they have your particular code there or not. (Aussie rules man meself).[/QUOTE]Many thanks Rubberyman. They say on their website NRL and Super 14s. So Angeles. Here we come! And cum again!

Hey guys,

I'm heading over to Manila next week and I'm just wondering - is it possible to exchange Chinese currency (RMB) to PHP in Manila (either at the airport or the banks)?

I know that there are ATMs and that I should bring US dollars, but mainland China uses its own card system and it's kind of hard to buy more than 500 USD in local Chinese banks, if you're an expat who is paid in RMB. It's not a live-or-die situation, as I still have my western credit card, but using RMB will make things hell lot easier for me.

Thanks a lot.

Hey EU Expat,
I'm 99% sure that you can change RMB to Pesos at the airport in Manila. They have pretty wide currency exchange options. I've exchanged Hong Kong dollars for PHP several times. I also came to Manila once via HK after being in Shanghai and I am pretty sure I changed the rest of my RMB to PHP at the airport as I wasn't headed back to mainland China for quite a while.

Exchange rate might not be the best. To the extent you can, you'll get a more favorable rate with US or HK dollars.

[QUOTE=Cebu Steve]Hey EU Expat,

I'm 99% sure that you can change RMB to Pesos at the airport in Manila. They have pretty wide currency exchange options. I've exchanged Hong Kong dollars for PHP several times. I also came to Manila once via HK after being in Shanghai and I am pretty sure I changed the rest of my RMB to PHP at the airport as I wasn't headed back to mainland China for quite a while.

Exchange rate might not be the best. To the extent you can, you'll get a more favorable rate with US or HK dollars.[/QUOTE]Thanks a lot, this really helps. In fact, I happen to live and work as an executive in Shanghai, so I think Manila will be a nice change for a few days. Hope the place is not entirely set up for older guys, as I am still in my late 20's. Definitely younger than many of the girls people on this forum meet.

Hi,

I plan to meet my GF from Samar's parents for the first time. She said we should bring food over. Is there something that I should get in the US to bring? What is appropriate?

Anyone ever wonder why there is so little literature written for or about The Phiilippines? I mean there really is not alot out there. From what I've gathered, the best resource out there is the Lonely Planet guide, which even seemed to me to be outdated.

Is this an untouched market, or do people just not care? God knows theres a ton of info out there for Thailand.

What to bring when meet the parents?

Ya gotta be kidding!

They will be welcoming people who will not require you to being anything from the States other than................

1. ATM machine
2. Cash
3. Gold Bullion
4. Your generous nature
5. A willingness to share

Good luck

Rosco

On a more serious note, you might bring for her parents:

1. Playing cards (especially Bicycle high quality plastic, since humidity is hard on cards)

2. Chocolates Put them in the freezer before you travel

3. Sunglasses Raybans is overdoing it. I get inexpensive pairs and give them as gifts.

4. Perfumes, cologne. Ditch all of the extra packaging.

5. Scented Body Powder. It comes in handy in the tropics, and it's light to pack.

Johnson, if you want to be casual with the first encounter it should be done in this manner. You need not buy anything from the U.S. there are duty free shops at the airport and you can buy the following:

A) Imported alchohol and cigarettes if you know some of the family members smokes or drink.
B) Chocolates and candy if you think theres a lot of female and kids in the family.
C) As your girlfriend suggest you may bring a cake or sweets to the occassion.

This are the things appropriate for a first encounter meeting the parents. I would say this is a decent or above average things to do. Trust me I am a local and knows this things.

Ciao

I blame the food. Which is horrible. Locals eat like raccoons and the diet is almost entirely pork fat, skin and other nasty byproducts; local fruit (mango), local vegetables (ochre), chicken feet, fish that is soaked in oil and burned. There is just nothing positive to say about the local cuisine. So no one comes here for the food.

The local culture is defined by the modern shopping mall and a unhealthy surplus of Jesus, there is absolutely nothing interesting about the monuments, sights or history of the place. There is no sense of national identity. The locals see themselves as failures; the solution to any problem is prayer. Anything worth looking at has been destroyed by war, or simply fallen into a state of ruined neglect. The government is hopelessly corrupt, the cities are not tourist friendly and the whole country needs a bath. Locals take no pride in anything but their car, trike, or motorcycle. The jeepney will be all spit and Polish, but the house will look like something out of National Geographic. It is OK to steal from white people. The language is useless and hard to learn. You get about six weeks of nice weather every year. Most areas are poor and depressing; the wealthy areas you probably can't afford to play in. Even as a westerner.

I have been living here now for four years. The location is convenient and most people speak English; good conveniences however most people visit the Philippines for the same reason they cross the boarder and hang out in Tijuana. It's a cheap place to party with plenty of incredible pussy.

The Philippines is a place with so much potential. Which is why idiots like myself fall in love with the it. Sadly, like so many of my self-saboteur ex-girlfriends (unemployable, never thought anything through, irrational, bit*h, or just crazy) the locals will never realize their potential. Near as I can tell the whole population is an economic hostage to about 10 wealthy families who conspire to keep things exactly as they are. The whole country is a pretty poor girl with bad habits; she's an amazing and uninhibited lay, you can fall for her and try your hardest but she will never change.

Nothing to see here, move along.

Greetings all. Just got back from 2 weeks in the Phils (AC, Boracay and Manila) Nothing noteworthy to report in AC or Manila. Just wanted to write a quick Report/Commentary on Boracay.

I had read several reports from other members regarding the merits of taking a date to Boracay. Some lamented taking a date with them, because there seemed to be plenty of available girls there on the island. Others still took a date with them, and thought it was a wonderful experience.

After talking with the travel desk at Pacific Breeze and reading the reports I decided to go solo. BIG MISTAKE!

Prices (For 1 person) was 16, 000 pesos ($350 USD) for airfair and hotel for 2 nights at the La Carmela hotel or 13, 000 Pesos each for 2 people.

The Carmela is on the beach. About a 2 or 3 star hotel around station#2.

Read all the posts about the action and abundent woman at Bamboo bar, Summer place, Hey Jude, and Cocomangas.

What I found. Mostly Euro/ North American couples in Boracay, and VERY touristy! (think Pattaya minus the woman, but better beaches) There was a fair share of youngish guys (early 20 something) on the hunt just looking for single tourist girls to hook up with.

As far as the Freelance scene goes. It was IMHO MUCH WORSE than advertised! That is of course unless you were willing to comprimise yourself considerably! The best place I found was Cocomangas (not directly on the beach) mostly pairs of girls at this place. I would guess on any night there were six to ten freelanacers there. Only one rating above a 5 in the looks department. (this girl was quickly swooped up and was gone within 20 minutes) leaving her unattractive older chainsmoking friends behind.

I took a trike down to D-Mall and then walked to Hey Jude which was absolutly dead. Then a stroll to Summer Place (this was on the trike drivers suggestion for best place to go) and Bamboo Bar, both of which were dead also.

There was a few girls lurking in the shadows on the footpath on the walk back to La Carmela offering "special message" for 1500 p however they was just soo unattractive. In the end. I could not comprimise myself to go with the extreme uglies. So I went home alone.

In retrospect I wish I would have brought my AC hottie with me. Yes it would have cost me an extra 10, 000 p ($220 USD) but it would have been better than scouring Boracay for the dregs that were available.

The weather there was VERY WINDY! And cold too (low 70s) Did a bit of Diving with Victory Divers (A german outfit) who I can thouroghly recomend- (1700 p for a dive and rental)

All in all I'm glad I went to Boracay, but I was SOO happy when we touched back down in Clark!

Perhaps my sampling group was to small (2 nights, midweek) or there is some "secret" place I don't know about. But.

IMHO Boracay is a great place to take a date or do some diving, but don't plan on finding some great freelance scene there!

A Note for you pilots and Aviation buffs. The Caticlan airport is a single strip runway less than 3000 ft long! The Dornier 328 needed every inch to get off the ground. In fact the day before we arrived a Z AIR went long and crashed at the end of the runway. The wreckage was simply pushed to the side, and the show went on.

INGAT!

[size=-2][b][u]EDITOR'S NOTE[/u]:[/b] [blue]I would suggest that the author or another Forum Member consider posting a link to this report in the Reports of Distinction thread. Please [url=http://www.internationalsexguide.info/forum/announcement-reportsofdistinction.php?]Click Here[/url] for more information.[/blue][/size]

I suppose you'd have to expect fewer books about travel considering the huge difference in visitors. In 2007, Thailand got about 1.2 million foreign tourists a month, Indonesia averaged 442,000 and the Philippines about 285,000.

That being said, I've found books on culture, character, diving and even bicycling.

Maybe now would be a good time for people to recommend their favorite books and/or web sites on the Philippines.

X

[QUOTE=James In Japan]Anyone ever wonder why there is so little literature written for or about The Phiilippines? I mean there really is not alot out there. From what I've gathered, the best resource out there is the Lonely Planet guide, which even seemed to me to be outdated.

Is this an untouched market, or do people just not care? God knows theres a ton of info out there for Thailand.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Big Johnson2]Hi,

I plan to meet my GF from Samar's parents for the first time. She said we should bring food over. Is there something that I should get in the US to bring? What is appropriate?[/QUOTE]

I always bring my Father in Law a bottle of Chivas from duty free. From what i can tell it is a real status symbol and makes him very proud to offer his best guests a drink. My mother in law is on medication so I alwats bring her 3 - 4 months supply. SHows I am thinking of her. Wife I bring Large blocks of cadbury, If you wrap them in about 5 sheets of newspaper they dont get melted. I normally bring a couple of barbie dolls as on your travels you will always meet some cute youngster, cousins daughter etc and they love having a barbie doll. For the younger boys I just make sure i have plenty of 5 and 1 peso coins. they very happily run off to the sari sari store.

[QUOTE=X Man]I suppose you'd have to expect fewer books about travel considering the huge difference in visitors. In 2007, Thailand got about 1.2 million foreign tourists a month, Indonesia averaged 442,000 and the Philippines about 285,000.

That being said, I've found books on culture, character, diving and even bicycling.

Maybe now would be a good time for people to recommend their favorite books and/or web sites on the Philippines.

X[/QUOTE]
One of the reasons accounting for the dismal failure of Philippine tourism is the lack of tourist infrastructure here, as compared to Thailand say, or Vietnam. There are several reasons for this, but the two most important are the massive corruption that permeates all ministries, which means that money allocated in theory for infrastructure that might lead to tourism investment, is stolen, and siphoned off into the pockets of the politicians. Another key reason is the lack of foreign investment; an area in which this country lags far, far behind it's neighbors. Again, the reason may be related to corruption, as those who might invest recognize the utter lack of legal protection, the inability to actually own anything, and the necessity to establish relationships with local "partners."

In a country in which nothing is protected, including the rights of foreign investors, who would bother to invest?

GE

Man your report was perfect, and I concur however there are a percentge of wonderful people there. I have been ripped off lied to (NOTE it is normal for a Phil to lie all of the time) but slowly but surely I am connecting with the right group of people there.

Go there and expect little and focus on the amazing pussy, I had more good sex with more different amateur woman in the first 11 days in January that I will for the next 354 here in Canada and thats the facts Jack.

The Phils has hidden treasures and jewels and it is the people but mostly they are a you describe.

When they leave the country however everythign changes and they grow a brain and get focused, sadly there they are affected by thir friends and lack the character to rise above, I mena how easy would it be to stand out in ts crowd.

Then the ones that do get ahead are usually the worst people to hang with as their arrogance dominates and they look down on all who are beneath them.

I prefer and feast on wonderful single moms, they usually work hard and fuck harder!

Just Jim

Where ever I go, I buy the Culture Shock! books.

It is not about places to visit, but about the people and culture in the countries I visit. I find the serie very valuable when travelling to new places.

I can not recall any good webpages with info right now, but there are a lot of info out there, which is relevant.

What are you actually looking for?

[QUOTE=James In Japan]Anyone ever wonder why there is so little literature written for or about The Phiilippines? I mean there really is not alot out there. From what I've gathered, the best resource out there is the Lonely Planet guide, which even seemed to me to be outdated.

Is this an untouched market, or do people just not care? God knows theres a ton of info out there for Thailand.[/QUOTE]

I think ShadowAxis hit some home-runs about why the lack of tourism in the PIs.
There are only two local dishes to eat there: Balut and chicken adobo. They made an attempt to import a foreign cuisine but chose the worst country on this planet, US.
I think it is the only country in Asia that doesn't feel and look like Asia. People don't want to fly thousands of miles to visit a country that looks like a poor Spanish neighborhood in Los Angeles .

[QUOTE=Columpuss]I think ShadowAxis hit some home-runs about why the lack of tourism in the PIs.
There are only two local dishes to eat there: Balut and chicken adobo. They made an attempt to import a foreign cuisine but chose the worst country on this planet, US.
I think it is the only country in Asia that doesn't feel and look like Asia. People don't want to fly thousands of miles to visit a country that looks like a poor Spanish neighborhood in Los Angeles .[/QUOTE]

LOL! Quite racist but spot on. Endearing as Filipinos can be (especially the hot nubile ones), they are a confused culture. I know many Japanese who know the Phils only by reputation but won't visit there because they have heard the awful truth about the food.

There's a lot of truth in Lenience's post, particularly about the food, which is the worst I've ever tasted in Asia, it's sort of like the UK of Asia since, in my opinion British food is about the worst in the Western world, though I will admit that the US stuff comes in a close second. It's not only the food though, it's everything else--like the lack of infrastructure--plus the food and the fact that the culture itself--unlike Vietnam and Thailand and Malaysia--is just not terribly interesting.

GE

[QUOTE=GoodEnough]There's a lot of truth in Lenience's post, particularly about the food, which is the worst I've ever tasted in Asia, it's sort of like the UK of Asia since, in my opinion British food is about the worst in the Western world, though I will admit that the US stuff comes in a close second.

GE[/QUOTE]GE

How can you say that - have you never eaten good fish and chips with mushy peas, or black sausage and haggis, or fried Mars bars.....

The British cuisine has so much to offer and such diveristy from US cuisine :D

As for you FR and others, I am not a fan of Filipino food, but the pork belly can be tasty if not great on the waistline. The country does offer a lot but the problems and hassles to get to some nice places coupled with the lack basics at times will never put it poeple's top 10 for tourist destinations

Now am off to try a decent liver and bacon with mashed potoes - yummy :D

Well, maybe I'm biased but having spent one month in US last summer (and having visited the place every year for past ten years) every menu in Us looks same. It all has burgers. All has fried chicken. In many out of way places has meatloaf (yuck! ). Has ribs etc. All menus are same and all lack vegetables and salads. Except the standard caesar salad and cobb salad.

US food is dull. Tasteless. And the portions are too much for most invividuals, except of corse for the real fatties. Of which there are plenty.

UK food isn't streets ahead, but does have a greater sense of variety including pies, roasts, fish dishes etc.

One mans meat. Etc.

[QUOTE=GoodEnough]There's a lot of truth in Lenience's post, particularly about the food, which is the worst I've ever tasted in Asia, it's sort of like the UK of Asia since, in my opinion British food is about the worst in the Western world, though I will admit that the US stuff comes in a close second. It's not only the food though, it's everything else--like the lack of infrastructure--plus the food and the fact that the culture itself--unlike Vietnam and Thailand and Malaysia--is just not terribly interesting.

GE[/QUOTE]

What, do you not like fish n’ chips or Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding? And I cannot believe that you would turn your nose up at a bit of spotted dick!

Seriously though, food in Britain (as opposed to British food) has undergone something of a renaissance in the past few years. If you take the Michelin Guide as an arbiter of excellence (as most do), then Britain comes third on the list of European countries with restaurants with 1*, 2* or the much vaunted 3 star category. Only France and Italy have more listed places. Admittedly there are only 3 restaurants with the magic 3 stars but that is more than Switzerland, or Belgium or Holland.

Now I do agree with your comments regarding Filipino food. It can be truly and momentously awful. Their national dish Adobo is an, admittedly tasty, but fundamentally simple dish (even I can cook it) of pork, vinegar, garlic and black pepper. Some dishes are disgusting to the point of inedibility, such as dinuguan which is a mixture of liver, pork blood and vinegar, rather like liquid black pudding! It makes me feel ill just to watch it being eaten. And has anyone tried Balut, the semi-formed duck embryo that you are supposed to swallow whole, like an oyster. I have but was plastered at the time and regretted it later. And don’t leave your beloved pet pooch with Filipino relatives in the provinces. I kid you not. If it barks too much and annoys the neighbors, it is liable to end up as dog stew pulatan – Pinoy late night drinking food.

For the best food in the Philippines try Bicol food. This is from south Luzon and is very tasty. It is similar to Thai food in that they use a lot of coconut milk and chilies in their recipes. Their signature dish is Bicol Express, which as the name implies is pretty hot and spicy and might have you chugging along to the CR the next day.

About three years ago, while spending a night in Ermita, I was surprised when I saw the Manila bay transformed from place full of vendors and beggars into a entertainment strip full of music and food. So I looked forward to coming to Ermita every year while transiting to other locations. Until last year when they killed the whole thing. This is just another example of the Philipinos shooting themselves in the foot. Was there another legitimate reason that i didn't know about?

[QUOTE=Columpuss]About three years ago, while spending a night in Ermita, I was surprised when I saw the Manila bay transformed from place full of vendors and beggars into a entertainment strip full of music and food. So I looked forward to coming to Ermita every year while transiting to other locations. Until last year when they killed the whole thing. This is just another example of the Philipinos shooting themselves in the foot. Was there another legitimate reason that i didn't know about?[/QUOTE]

Yes - me too. I used to really enjoy an occasional evening down there, have a meal, a few beers and take in a live band. It used to be a real tourist magnet.

Then the asshole otherwise known as Mayor Lim intervened and shut the whole thing down. This was apparently in response to a few complaints about noise, from foreign visitors to the ASEAN meeting held in Manila in mid-2007. They were staying at the Diamond and were apparently missing a little beauty sleep in between their visits to KTV and Hostess Bars.

If you ever require proof of the inept, short sighted, fuck the people policies of the rich and all powerful in the Philippines, this might be a good example to use.

P.S There are still a few lively, open-air bars across Roxas Boulevard, near Remedios.

[QUOTE=ShadowAxis]Locals eat like raccoons [/QUOTE]No matter how many time I read this it still make me laugh.

I will be flying from SFO to Manila. Arriving 5:40 am Feb 21. Then Feb 23 I'm flying PAL to Cebu and I'm flying a girl from Tacloban to Cebu on Feb 24.

However, since I had to change the girl's flight I still owe some penalty money which I apparently have to pay in the Phils. I am wondering if it's easiest to pay this at a PAL ticket office upon my arrival in Manila early on the 21st. Or to wait until I take my domestic flight to Cebu. And the either pay then at the Manila airport or upon arrival at Cebu (for the girl's flight the next day).

Sorry. This is my first time in the Phils. So I don't know.

Thanks!

Hi Guys,

I'm from America and was wondering in other countries do they have American Restaurants and what do they serve as American dishes? In USA most of the time we are going out to a type of Restaurant: fish, vegetarian, burgers, steak, or maybe a southern cooking with fried chicken, or breakfast food. Usually though we would go out for Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Indian, Italian, etc. I'm asking what is considered American dishes? Please tell me are their unique Australian or New Zealand dishes also?

Thanks

[QUOTE=Big Johnson2]Hi Guys,
I'm from America and was wondering in other countries do they have American Restaurants and what do they serve as American dishes? In USA most of the time we are going out to a type of Restaurant: fish, vegetarian, burgers, steak, or maybe a southern cooking with fried chicken, or breakfast food. Usually though we would go out for Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Indian, Italian, etc. I'm asking what is considered American dishes? Please tell me are their unique Australian or New Zealand dishes also?

Thanks[/QUOTE]


Kenny Rogers, Shakey's Pizza, McDonalds, etc. Just walk around any mall and you will see the so called "American Restaurants." In my experience though, the quality sucks except for McDonalds. McDonalds cheeseburger in Manila tastes exactly like one from Chi-Town. And you can get rice rather than fries. There are a bunch of others doing business there, mostly fast food franchises. Nothing comes to mind outside of the malls and fast food franchises.

There is a PAL office in Centennial 2, between the international and domestic departure entrances and you pull a ticket and wait for an hour or more to talk to a rep, but if it was me, I would wait until I landed in Cebu and work it out there.

Robb


[QUOTE=Redfield10]I will be flying from SFO to Manila. Arriving 5:40 am Feb 21. Then Feb 23 I'm flying PAL to Cebu and I'm flying a girl from Tacloban to Cebu on Feb 24.

However, since I had to change the girl's flight I still owe some penalty money which I apparently have to pay in the Phils. I am wondering if it's easiest to pay this at a PAL ticket office upon my arrival in Manila early on the 21st. Or to wait until I take my domestic flight to Cebu. And the either pay then at the Manila airport or upon arrival at Cebu (for the girl's flight the next day).

Sorry. This is my first time in the Phils. So I don't know.

Thanks![/QUOTE]

I have one night in Manila soon. Where is a good place to go for some action. What do the girls at EDSA cost? I've been to L. A. Cafe before but never been anywhere else. Nothing in Makati. I am from America so prefer that is not geared to Asians and used to "foreign" customers. What can I expect for BF price.

Thanks for the help.

I'm only seeing 9 Threads for the Philippine section of the site. I had thought there were other threads for the site with other locations besides Angeles. I am correct or just imagining things?

Thanks

OK, so the consensus is that we do not go to the Philippines to eat great food. I have been there many times, but I am looking forward to being in Manila soon for a longer spell than usual, unaccompanied, and free on weekends. My question is - where can I go for weekends to enjoy a clean beach, reasonable hotels, good snorkeling, and a good selection of freelancers?

Seems like a simple question!

There are also Chili's, Friday's, (insert generic American mid-tier food chain), Bubba Gumps, Hard Rock. List goes on an on. Here in Manila, the best "american" place I have been to is probably the Filling Station on Burgeos St. (smack in the middle of pussytown) Sadly, I don't eat there often because even by San Francisco standards the place is extremely expensive. Panama Jacks. In the same area is also pretty good. They serve Apple Pie which passes the test!

Generally, as mentioned in a previous post. The food sucks. The local foodstuffs tend to be a lower quality and often. The 100% all beef patty is usually more like a meatloaf. (the locals just can't resist the urge to break anything done right) The burgers at Chili's and Friday's tend to be "grey all the way through, " which leads me to suspect they are microwaved.

Best steak in Manila would be at the Handlebar on Polaris St. Walking distance from Burgeos St. On Fri, Sat and Sun they have a BBQ (steak, chicken, other things) with baked potato, corn, cole slaw, baked beans and other fixens. I think this is the best steak deal. The quality ranges from a 6 to a 10. And the price is about $12. 00 US for a big rib-eye. Not bad.

In reality the best American food is had at home. I have a nice BBQ on the terrace, and make my own burgers. It's breakfast now, and I hear the housekeeper making scrambled eggs. And I can smell the corned beef hash (not the local crap, but the American crap. Hormell, from a can) in the fry pan.

In a pinch, the Jollibee Chili Cheese Dog with fries and coke is edible. But bring your own mustard. Avoid anything "philippino style, " that means they dumped about a cup of sugar into it. It's a miracle any of the locals have teeth.

[QUOTE=Puerto La Cruz]Kenny Rogers, Shakey's Pizza, McDonalds, etc. Just walk around any mall and you will see the so called "American Restaurants." In my experience though, the quality sucks except for McDonalds. McDonalds cheeseburger in Manila tastes exactly like one from Chi-Town. And you can get rice rather than fries. There are a bunch of others doing business there, mostly fast food franchises. Nothing comes to mind outside of the malls and fast food franchises.[/QUOTE]

HI Lenience

I have spent 12 of the last 20 weeks in the Phils and recommend 3 spots that I have been to and have heard of 2 others.

Boracay is nice, bring your own pussy.

Bohol is nice, Bring your own Pussy.

Dumagette is nice, bring your own Pussy.

Palawan is reportedly magnificient, bring your own pussy.

Surigao is reportedly magnificient, bring your own pussy

I hope to have been to both places by June this year.

Just Jim

[QUOTE=Big Johnson2]I'm from America and was wondering in other countries do they have American Restaurants and what do they serve as American dishes?[/QUOTE]
Nothing more American than Hooters! :cool:

Whilst all you guys are putting down Filipino foods, and some if it is crap, lets not forget the delights of sinigang, a sour soup featuring tamarind thats not found anywhere else in Asia. This is what I always have to remind me I'm in Phils. A great kinilaw, freshly made will also hit the spot in the way that ceviche does in Europe. For those in Davao and tuna fishing territory, BBQ tuna jaw really is a meal to remember. Theres a number of other ddelights but they get lost as we tend to see kare-kare and other items that are unappealing, left to stew.

But there are some good dishes as in all countries.

IMO the best food is to be found in Malaysia and Singapore,
since there everything is available in excellent quality.
Indian, Chinese and Malay food, in the northern areas Thai food.

Even as Westerner I don't go for Western food.
No way with such variety!

Cheers!

Hey Guys,

I know this subject comes up on occasion but maybe this can help some guys. I was recently successful at booking with my credit card on Cebu Pacific. They had a great deal from Clark to Bangkok so knowing that it wouldn’t go through I thought "what the hell, I’ll try anyway". I wasn’t sure if I had tried this card before but thought I would try it again because it was the only card I could get to work with Air Asia. It is a Citibank Mastercard, issued in the US. It happens to be a debit card but I don’t think it matters. Well, the card went through and I got an instant confirmation number! Whoo Hooo! I tried it again two days later on another fare and it worked again. This is soooo much better than going to a Cebu Pacific ticket office, waiting for 45 minutes, having to pay cash and being stuck with a higher fare for a last minute flight not to mention the service fee. So this is the only card I ever got to work with Cebu Pacific or Air Asia. Maybe they changed their reservations system? With PAL I never had any problem using my Capital One Visa.

Southbound69

[QUOTE=ShadowAxis]not the local crap, but the American crap.[/QUOTE]

This is another line from SA that keeps me laughing! :D

My fellow mongers,

While there are lots of suggestions in the forum to buyin' a SIM card and getting money from ATMs, I didnot see a posting on where this can be done. After arriving at the international terminal, where is the best place to buy a SIM card and get pesos for the taxi? I'll be staying at the Hyatt so any suggestions for that area would also be apprciated.

A few weeks ago someone posted about a driver with a car in the Philippines. I can't seem to find it now. I think he was in Cavite. Can you help? I will be there the first of March. Have not been in the Philippines since 1979.

[QUOTE=Bkkbob40]A few weeks ago someone posted about a driver with a car in the Philippines. I can't seem to find it now. I think he was in Cavite. Can you help? I will be there the first of March. Have not been in the Philippines since 1979.[/QUOTE]
The report on the driver in Cavite can be found here.
[post]805981[/post]

Robb

I'd like to stay in the Philippines for 3 months(preferably Makati City) and would like to know the best choice of staying in condo/apartment.

1. Would it be best to search online?
2. would it be better for a local to book the condo, avoiding the so-called skin tax?

It seems many places want 1st two months and last 2 months deposit for a total of 4 months!

Also, are these places open for negotiation?

[QUOTE=Danahaste]My fellow mongers,

While there are lots of suggestions in the forum to buyin' a SIM card and getting money from ATMs, I didnot see a posting on where this can be done. After arriving at the international terminal, where is the best place to buy a SIM card and get pesos for the taxi? I'll be staying at the Hyatt so any suggestions for that area would also be apprciated.[/QUOTE]

As soon as you get your luggage and clear customers, there are a bunch of money changers straight ahead. The bank on the far right always seems to give the best rate. There is a machine outside customs that sells phone and sim cards. If you can wait until you get to the Hyatt, just buy one at the closest 7/11.

[QUOTE=Danahaste]My fellow mongers,

While there are lots of suggestions in the forum to buyin' a SIM card and getting money from ATMs, I didnot see a posting on where this can be done. After arriving at the international terminal, where is the best place to buy a SIM card and get pesos for the taxi? I'll be staying at the Hyatt so any suggestions for that area would also be apprciated.[/QUOTE]With regards to your phone be sure its a gsm triband or quadband phone. It's best to have it unlocked before you go but if you don't have time you can have it done there. If you do it there the term is to "open line" it instead of unlock it. You're probably in the loop on this but I thought I would mention it for those that may not be.

[QUOTE=Big Johnson2]I have one night in Manila soon. Where is a good place to go for some action. What do the girls at EDSA cost? I've been to L. A. Cafe before but never been anywhere else. Nothing in Makati. I am from America so prefer that is not geared to Asians and used to "foreign" customers. What can I expect for BF price.

Thanks for the help.[/QUOTE]If you've never been to EDSA it's definitely worth a visit. There are 2 hotels across the street from there. One is the Copacabana, medium quality and medium price, and the Heritage, higher quality, higher price. I have stayed at the Copacabana a couple of times and the quality was fine for what I needed. I don't have current info on the barfines but it's available in the Manila thread. The last time I was there the bars didnt open until 6 pm. If you need an earlier warmup then LA Cafe is only a p70 or so taxi ride away.

[QUOTE=Tony Hoeprano]I'd like to stay in the Philippines for 3 months(preferably Makati City) and would like to know the best choice of staying in condo/apartment.

1. Would it be best to search online?
2. would it be better for a local to book the condo, avoiding the so-called skin tax?

Also, are these places open for negotiation?[/QUOTE]Hi Tony,

This has been discussed before but here is what I know about it. These sites seem to have pretty good deals:

[url]http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals/region/asia/philippines#7247[/url]
[url]http://www.pearlslettingagency.com/#[/url]
[url]http://www.buyandsellph.com/[/url]

Also, I can personally recommend the Somerset Salcedo in Makati. It is an apartment with maid service everyday. I would compare it to a 4star hotel. It is nice but expensive depending on your budget. Just google somerset salcedo and you will find it. There are a couple of somerset apartments. The olympia is a dump, the other is nice also.

As far as these 3 sites I have not used them but the prices seem to be good. I would probably book into a hotel for 2-3 days that you know will be decent. Then I would go and look at these apartments before I book one to make sure of their quality. Also, if you decide on one to stay in make sure to view the apartment you will be staying in instead of the "model. "

Also, I would recommend only booking/paying for a month/2 weeks at a time. That way if you find a better deal/get sick of the filipinos or any one of a thousand reasons I can think of you decide to leave you are not fighting to get your money back.

[size=-2][b][u]EDITOR'S NOTE[/u]:[/b] [blue]I would suggest that the author or another Forum Member consider posting a link to this report in the Reports of Distinction thread. Please [url=http://www.internationalsexguide.info/forum/announcement-reportsofdistinction.php?]Click Here[/url] for more information.[/blue][/size]

[QUOTE=Robbaf]The report on the driver in Cavite can be found here.
[post]805981[/post]

Robb[/QUOTE]Thanks for the info.

Bob

Horntoad and Dan 357,

Thanks for the info.

Dana

Are there any places that will rent me a cellphone in Manila? I don't have one and usually just get a pay-as-you-go cheapie or a rental when I am overseas if I need one. Any suggestions will be welcome!

Lenience

I will be bringing an old G3 phone with me and will be traveling around the Philippines and need the best coverage.

[QUOTE=Lenience]Are there any places that will rent me a cellphone in Manila? I don't have one and usually just get a pay-as-you-go cheapie or a rental when I am overseas if I need one. Any suggestions will be welcome![/QUOTE]
Some cp shops will rent but for around 1500 php or less, you can purchase a good used phone!

[QUOTE=Azmodeus Fl]I will be bringing an old G3 phone with me and will be traveling around the Philippines and need the best coverage.[/QUOTE]
Smart usually has the best coverage, at least where I hang.
More and more women are using Smart these days!

Hi guys

Never been to the Phils before and I have a chance of 3 nights there at the end of a work trip. I will be in Manila. Would the experts/expats suggest staying in Manila for that time or would going to Angeles City be worth the effort? Thanks in advance.

Whizzkid

Manila
______
1. Better food and accomodation although more expensive.
2. Better looking girls.
3. Girls are expensive.
4. Freelancers are plenty.
5. Big congested city.
6. Many choices for mongering venues.
7. Scam city-watch out.
8. Not very safe at night except some areas.

Angeles city
___________
1. Food is not good.
2. Plenty of girls to choose from.
3. Not many freelancers.
4. Girls tend to be more GFE.
5. Girls are cheaper in the sense barfine includes everything.
6. Quiet laid back atmosphere.


So I would say spend two nights in manila and two nights in AC.

although i generally agree with sammon, if youre smart manila can be about the same price as ac. if you go the FL route youre looking at 1500php overnight, and if youre patient you can find an 8+ pretty easily. thats less than ac if you include tip. hotel same...$50-$60/night about the same as what you get in ac for same price. if youre using edsa then it will cost a bit more but the quality is better. an ac 8 is a manila 5. ymmv of course but ive never found manila to be THAT much more.

If you only have 3 nights, and this is your first time in P.I., I would just stay in Manila. Book a hotel in advance by phone, stay where you think is good after reading the forum, and relax. Scout around and find out the best way to go to A.C. the next time, not this time. Learn from the reports here, you will be plenty busy for your 3 nights.

I would agree. Depending on the time of day it can take 2 (midnight through 7 AM) to 5 hours (weekly rush) to get to Angeles. Find a nice place in Malate near Robinsons. And make excursions to Makati and EDSA. The biggest problem you'll likely have is to ditch one girl so you can go bag another.

[QUOTE=Mr Hawaii]If you only have 3 nights, and this is your first time in P.I., I would just stay in Manila. Book a hotel in advance by phone, stay where you think is good after reading the forum, and relax. Scout around and find out the best way to go to A.C. the next time, not this time. Learn from the reports here, you will be plenty busy for your 3 nights.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=WhizzKid]Hi guys

Never been to the Phils before and I have a chance of 3 nights there at the end of a work trip. I will be in Manila. Would the experts/expats suggest staying in Manila for that time or would going to Angeles City be worth the effort? Thanks in advance.

Whizzkid[/QUOTE]Personally I think you should go to AC first time in PI rather spending your time learning the ropes in manila you can be in AC where the action is concentrated into a small area easy pickings. IMHO

Just been sent this and had to share
Apologies if been done before.

"PHRASE" (TRANSLATION) ----------------------------------------------------------------
"Hello, Honeyko!" (Hello, Moneybag!)
"Kumasta Ka Na?" (How are you, future boyfriend?)
"You Boboy!" (You're a fat pig!)
"Miss na miss kita!" (I miss your money!)
"Mahal na mahal kita!" (I love your money!)
"I come!" (Would you hurry up and come, I'm tired and I want to watch TV.)
"We go boom boom?" (I'd like to watch TV.)
"Where you staying?" (Where am I staying tonight? Does it have aircon, minibar, and nice pool?)
"Where you from?" (Where will you move me and my family?)
"What your job?" (I have a large family, so you better be able to support them!)
"Will you support me?" (Will you support me, my Filipino boyfriend, our two children, and sixteen relatives?)
"You buy me ladies drink?" (May I have 50 pesos, please?)
"You pay my barfine?" (May I have 500 pesos, please?)
"You barfine my friend?" (May I have 1000 pesos, please?)
"You cute!" (I'm cute, you're an ugly, bald slob)
"You handsome!" (You have some hair left, how nice!)
"You healthy!" (You're fat and your breath smells!)
"You kind man!" (You're a stupid fool who pays me too much!)
"You barfine me tomorrow?" (Are you my gravy train?)
"You butterfly?" (Are you smart?)
"I'm 18" (I'm 16.)
"I'm 21" (I'm 32.)
"I work here four months only" (I've been here for four years.)
"I work at [another bar] before" (I was kicked out of [another bar] for showing up drunk and late every day.)
"I'm bangith" (You're bangith [ugly]).
"We go barhop?" (We need to stop at my friends bars so I can show off.)
"We go dance?" (I want to dance with my friends while you make a fool of yourself.)
"I have one baby" (I've got stretchmarks under my shorts.)
"I have two babies" (My vagina looks like a train tunnel.)
"I have no babies" (I have two babies but no stretch marks.)
"I don't like blowjob" (Quiet, my friends will hear. Of course I'll give you a blowjob.)
"I don't like Filipino men" (I like Filipino boys.)
"I don't like German/American/Italian/etc. men"
(My last boyfriend was German/American/Italian/etc. He dumped me.)
"Up to you [regarding tip]" (As much as you can afford)
"Up to you [regarding what to go do]" (Take me dancing. Now, fat boy!)
"I Cherry Girl." (I haven't been fucked up the ass or in my ears or nose yet.)
"I Cherry Girl (alternate 1)." (My Filipino boyfriend won't let me spend the night with a foreigner...yet. How much money do you have again?)
"I Cherry Girl (alternate 2)". (I haven't screwed for a whole week...and we used a condom.)
"I'm good girl" (I only go with other men for money)
"You're my only boyfriend" (One more and I'll have a dozen)
"You hard on puuusey" (The 2" X 4" strapped to your ass chafed my thighs)
"I have menstruation" (Buy me drinks then get lost elephant man)
"I'm shy to you!" Basically, it's what the girl often says when you say to her "Take off your damned clothes" or "Lemme see those breasts, baby" or "Leave the light on while we do the nasty thing because I want to see my *** go in your ***!"

Apologies again if been posted before but wanted to share

In 2002 someone of the Angeles City question and message board fired back with another funny post to describe what is in a bar-girl's mind. Here comes this intelligent, funny and last but not least very true fictitious dialog which shows you that bargirls are not only victims of their poverty but also they are very smart business-women !

Others have posted funny translation guides to bargirlese. I thought I'd add to this by translating what is going through a girl's mind after you agree to pay her barfine. Her real thoughts are in parentheses (). ***

You: "....Well....okay, I'll barfine you."

BARGIRL: "I go get changed." (Well, sucker, you coughed up money for my barfine! Oh happy day. Since I don't want to ruin a good dress on a jerk like you, let me go change into some ratty jeans.)

You: "You look nice!"

BARGIRL: "You nice man. You very handsome." (I know I look nice.)

You: "So, where do you want to go?"

BARGIRL: "Up to you, honeyko." (I'd like to go home but I guess I have to go with you, what's-your-name)

You: "Come on, this night's for you, babe."

BARGIRL: "Ok. We go barhop?" (Come on, gravytrain, let's go see if we can part you from those precious pesos by buying my friends ladies' drinks. Or if I'm really lucky, maybe you'll get drunk and just fall asleep later!).

You: "Do you like Cleopatra bar?"

BARGIRL: "No" (No.)

You: "Why not?"

BARGIRL: "Music Box, ha ha ha!" (E=MC2)

You: "No, seriously, you don't like Cleopatra?"
BARGIRL: "Huh? No. I mad at girl there." (Huh? Did you say something? Sorry, I was busy solving quantum physics problems in my head.)
You: "Ok, how about Gspot?"
BARGIRL: "Ok. I've never been there." (Ok. My best friend works there and I was there with another guy last night.)
You: "I like this bar. You like it?"
BARGIRL: [ignoring your question] "Look that girl there my sister, Drusilla! Oy, Drusilla!" (I vaguely know that girl up there, I'll call her Drusilla! Hey, Drusilla!).
You: "You didn't tell me your sister works here!"
BARGIRL: "We buy her ladies drink?" (Maybe if I throw some cash her way, she'll do the same for me sometime.)
You: "Sure!"
BARGIRL: [talking to her 'sister' in Tagalog] "Blah blah blah, Drusilla! Blah blah blah, Drusilla, Drusilla!" (Pretend you know me, Drusilla. By the way, your name is Drusilla, Drusilla.)
DRUSILLA: "Blah blah blah!" (Okay! Ha ha, gave him the old Sister story, huh?)
DRUSILLA: "Blah blah blah!" (Ok. What's your name, anyway?)
You: "What's your sister saying?"
BARGIRL: "She say maybe my mother sick." (I need to get my jewelry out of hock.)
You: "Aw, that's a shame. Jeez, you and your sister Drusilla sure don't look alike."
BARGIRL: "Same father, different mother." (The moon is made of cheese. La dee da dee dum! Hmm, I think the Filipino DJ is staring at me!)

You: [to the waitress who just arrived] "I'd like a San Miguel. What about you, honey?"
BARGIRL: "Margarita. I go to CR." (He IS staring at me. I'll go meet him in the CR!)
You: "Ok."
BARGIRL: [returning 20 minutes later from the CR] "I sick! We go na?" (Mission accomplished, time to go before I make my new DJ boyfriend jealous.)
You: "Oh, sorry to hear that. Are you hungry?"
BARGIRL: "No." (Of course I'm hungry, but you'd probably take me to some stupid foreigner restaurant instead of getting me balut and bagoong, so fuck it!)
You: "What would you like to do?"
BARGIRL: "Up to you." (I'd like to go boom boom my new Filipino DJ boyfriend but I don't suppose you'd give me a tip, so let's just get this over with, shall we?)
You: "You want to go to my hotel now?"
BARGIRL: "Ok." (No.)
You: "Well, here we are. Nice room, huh?"
BARGIRL: "Oh oh." (Ah, good old room 2B. Wonder if my gum is still stuck under the left side of the bed?)
You: "Well, uh, let's get comfortable."
BARGIRL: "I take shower first." (You groped me in the bar. I need to wash.)
You: "Sure, there's a towel in there, go ahead."
BARGIRL: "I finish shower. Turn off light!" (I can't bear to see your big white ass crawling on top of me. Turn off the light!)
You: "Okay. Do you need anything?"
BARGIRL: "You turn on TV?" (Turn on the TV: if I'm lucky, maybe you'll want doggy style so I can watch Viva while you're busy.)
You: [in the heat of passion]. "Oh, baby, does that feel good?"
BARGIRL: "Moan!" (Groan!)
You: "Oh, I'm coming!"
BARGIRL: "Moan?" (Are you done yet?)
You: "That was good. How was it for you?"
BARGIRL: "I come." (I go.)
You: "What are you doing?"
BARGIRL: "I text my roommate. I tell her I meet nice man." (I'm texting my roommate to tell her it's time to call me and pretend she's my mother so I can leave.)
You: "Someone's calling you."
BARGIRL: [talking on her cellphone] "Blah blah blah, Nanay, blah blah blah!" (Thank heavens you're getting me out of here, Buffy, this guy doesn't brush his teeth!)
You: "Who was that?"
BARGIRL: "My mother. She sick. I go!"
You: "Oh. Ok. Sorry your mom is sick. Here's something for you."
BARGIRL: "Thanks!" (My new boyfriend says thanks!)
You: "Maybe I'll stop by the bar tomorrow."
BARGIRL: "You pay my barfine?" (Are you as dumb as you look?)
You: "Uh. Maybe. Bye."
BARGIRL: "Bye!" (Gotta run. Raul needs some of this cash to buy his drugs. See ya!)

Hi everyone,

I'm making a first time trip to the PI for about a week. I've been to Thailand several times, and am very fond of using American Express Travelers checks to get Thai baht. From the reports here it seems that Amex is not well looked upon in the PI, so I have to adjust and bring more cash and rely more on ATMs. Could anyone comment in general on what distribution they typically bring? (e.g. 30% of their budget in cash, the rest relying on the ATM machines) I'm reluctant to bring anymore cash than I have to, but I don't want to get caught short if there's a problem with my cards.

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

It really depends on how long youre staying. If a week, i would say 80% cash. If 3 weeks maybe 30%. I typically get a pre-paid visa/ATM in the states (credit card works too but i dont use credit...i prefer paygo) for things like hotel, maybe a small shopping trip when i get there. The rest is cash. Try to find a place with in room safes. Also visit almost any office supply store and pick up a lockable zip bank bag to keep spare cash in. As with everything if someone REALLY wants to rob you...they will. But if they happen to find a locked zipper bag they probably wont bother. Filipinos *in general* are opportunists and generally wont try anything unless its easy. For me what I have done is keep maybe $400-800 USD, and keep it locked up except maybe $100-$150 worth of pesos or so. ive had many trips and its always worked for me. Also keep in mind *generally speaking* ATMs will give close to the best exchange rate. When ive stayed in Manila I carry less cash and just hit the ATM every other day or so since theyre everywhere.

Hope that helps

[QUOTE=Kogal_Lover]Hi everyone,

I'm making a first time trip to the PI for about a week. I've been to Thailand several times, and am very fond of using American Express Travelers checks to get Thai baht. From the reports here it seems that Amex is not well looked upon in the PI, so I have to adjust and bring more cash and rely more on ATMs. Could anyone comment in general on what distribution they typically bring? (e.g. 30% of their budget in cash, the rest relying on the ATM machines) I'm reluctant to bring anymore cash than I have to, but I don't want to get caught short if there's a problem with my cards.

Thanks for taking the time to read this.[/QUOTE]
In the five+ years I've lived here I have developed the habit of never carrying very much cash. I use, for the most part, a Visa/debit card for almost everything. I get my cash from the ATMs as needed and use it as a Visa the rest of the time. Travelers checks are not the means of choice here. Though you can cash them, you will get a lousy exchange rate, and yu might have to look around for a place to change your money. Why bother? I use a regular Visa occasionally, but prefer the debit card since there is no bill at the end of the month.

GE

"I use, for the most part, a Visa/debit card for almost everything. I get my cash from the ATMs as needed and use it as a Visa the rest of the time."

In Colombia this would be a bad idea, because if you get kidnapped, they will hold you so you can keep using the card in the money machine. I guess that is not a problem in Davao.

By the way, I am planning to visit Davao in late June.

Are traveler's checks a good idea?

Are they easy to cash in Manila or Angeles?

[quote=shadowaxis]i would agree. depending on the time of day it can take 2 (midnight through 7 am) to 5 hours (weekly rush) to get to angeles. find a nice place in malate near robinsons. and make excursions to makati and edsa. the biggest problem you'll likely have is to ditch one girl so you can go bag another.[/quote]many thanks for everyones advice. i have booked into executive plaza. i will endeavour to post a report. if anyone else is around 12-15 march and wants to hook up, let me know.

whilst researching this trip, i was looking at some information on a national park and found a hotel listed called the [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord101][CodeWord101][/url] hotel - now that is what i call service! looking forward to my first trip there.

whizzkid.

[QUOTE=Cuba Tourist]"I use, for the most part, a Visa/debit card for almost everything. I get my cash from the ATMs as needed and use it as a Visa the rest of the time."

In Colombia this would be a bad idea, because if you get kidnapped, they will hold you so you can keep using the card in the money machine. I guess that is not a problem in Davao.[/QUOTE]
Nope. It's not a problem in Davao.

sign outside of this hotel in seoul.

"first class bj hotel" - i shit u not.

[url]http://www.agoda.com/asia/south_korea/seoul/b_j_hotel.html[/url]

[quote=whizzkid]many thanks for everyones advice. i have booked into executive plaza. i will endeavour to post a report. if anyone else is around 12-15 march and wants to hook up, let me know.

whilst researching this trip, i was looking at some information on a national park and found a hotel listed called the [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord101][CodeWord101][/url] hotel - now that is what i call service! looking forward to my first trip there.

whizzkid.[/quote]

[QUOTE=Kycuriosity]Are traveler's checks a good idea?

Are they easy to cash in Manila or Angeles?[/QUOTE]Travelers checks are more headache than worth in the Philippines

Cash is the best way. Take large bills in good condition. Cash some at the airport, and if you are ariving they generaly hava prettyy decent rate tha the airport. Depending on where you are going, anywhere around the tourist area is generally going to have multiple places to exchange funds with a commision. Shop and find the best one.

Otherwise you will spend fruitless hours of your vacation time finding a place and getting a awefull exchange rate from the hotle you are in etc.

Good Luck and Have Fun. Watch them exchange the funds and relax so you don't appear to be a first timer. As always keep your personal info private and do not tell girls to much as they can kill you with the " I lub you " line but usually just want to lub your money out of your wallet and will stop at nothing if they think they can scam you.

If you are being treated well. Ask the girls is they want to have sex, pretty easy, if you want to hang tell her I will barfine you but going to have a few drinks first. Buy a few drinks and have a few laughs but make sure you check your tab and get charged whatyou are told.

Often you will ask how much for a lady drink and be chqrged tripple being told she ordered a special. Make this a non issue up front by saying no special drinks

If you have a overcharge don't be shy to call over the manger or mammasan, expalin the overcharge, ask them to take it off so you can continue to enjoy yourself.

Have a blast

Having travelled throughout SE Asia & other places, I can only suggest that ATM's are your best bet.

Sure, bring some cash (preferably small $US notes) just in case you have trouble finding an ATM at the airport before you get into a taxi to your hotel. Make sure you know the approximate exchange rate before your first withdrawal so you don't get too much or (usually) too little!

Reception will gladly exchange big $USnotes at their rate if you need more cash. And if you feel the need to bring some travellers checks for added security then go ahead (never needed to use 'them myself, AND they cost you to cash them in as well as when you buy them! ).

Blackangst is correct in that ATM's generally give you the best exchange rates, just be aware of any ATM fees/foreign 'handling' charges your bank may charge. Usually I get enough each time to avoid too many trips to the "hole-in-the-wall" so as to reduce these charges then if necessary put any excess in the room/reception safe along with my passport/extra cards, etc.

I have always carried at least two different ATM cards and a few debit/credit cards from different banks covering Cirrus, Maestro, Mcard, Visa networks, and because of this I have never been caught out unable to get cash.

So as not to ripped off it's not a bad idea to keep a nominal balance on your debit cards 'cause you can always top them up from your main account using internet banking.

You won't have any problems getting cash from ATM's unless you plan to "get off the beaten track" and go countryside.

Also when you go out to play, only take what you think will be sufficient and maybe one debit/ATM card just in case you find that "something special" and need extra funds.

Enjoy, P.

Here are a few tips known to work:

Bringing US$100 bills for exchange - these must be series 2000 or later; money changers will generally not accept older $100's as they were reputedly too easy to forge. Also the bills must be in good condition, do not accept torn or defaced bills from your bank.

Changing money - I can recommend Edzen's on Mabini St in Ermita. Not remembering the cross street, but it's easy walking distance from Robinson's. Even the locals know this place. If you're in Makati, Sanry's in Greenbelt is known to be good as well. Both have reputations for honesty and competitive rates. Stay away from touts on the streets. I would only change my first $100 at the airport as their rates aren't that good, but at least you have some pesos to pay the taxi and get something to eat when you arrive.

ATMs - the ones on the streets generally have a limit of only 4000 or 5000 pesos in a single transaction. If you find yourself needing more, you can always do more transactions up to your dailly limit, but gotta watch your bank fees. The ones inside the malls are usually better for more pesos in a single transaction. I've seen up to 20000 pesos possible and have heard reports of up to 40000 pesos. Not remembering where so consider that unverified. Also, it's worth considering whether you have a relationship with your bank that gets some or all of your ATM fees rebated.

Travelers' cheques - stay away, hardly anyone handles these.

[QUOTE=Finrod]Here are a few tips known to work:

Bringing US$100 bills for exchange - these must be series 2000 or later; money changers will generally not accept older $100's as they were reputedly too easy to forge. Also the bills must be in good condition, do not accept torn or defaced bills from your bank.

Changing money - Stay away from touts on the streets. [/QUOTE]Totally agree! Been scammed by a tout who offered great exchange rates on Mabini. Once inside, I was distracted when they (exchange booth attendant and the tout) count and recount and converse with you to the point where I got confuse and frustrated, while they do a "slight of hand" and short changed me. Just happy to get out of there and didn't notice till a little later when I recounted. Fortunately I only exchange $200. 00 US and was shorted a couple thousand pesos. That has happen to me once. Never again. So beware!

Gentlemen,

I wil be in Phils fopr about 6 weeks. For the first 24 days, I am a free agent, and I have organised some ladies to meet me for the usual activities in Angeles City.

However after that, I will be burdened with SWMBO - she who must be obeyed.

We have not planned where we will go in the Phils, so I am looking for advice.

Usually I can get to slip off by myself every now and then.

So, I am looking for names and places where I can go into a place like the bars on Santos St in Angeles, pay the money, get a quick bj, and walk out, depleted and refreshed in 10 minutes.

Any advice?

Anywhere in the Phils?

Thanks in advance,

Gangles

Thank you everyone for the great advice. When I get back from my trip I will contribute back to the forum.

Thank you again!

Is it true that Dvd players sold in Philippines is region free or fixed to be region free? The story goes like this I was in the Philippines I took my small Dvd player with me and power converter adapter to my gf house that damn thing poofed on me. It was a cheap player, so I popped the dvd movies I took with me from the US, I was surprised her dvd player played my movies. If that is true next time when I go back to philippine I will get me a Dvd player so I can watch any region movies!

I met my girl friends parents from Samar. I gave USA tee shirts to boys, mother chocolate, father bottle of Chevis Regal, baby. Clothes and brought food because they are poor.

My findisngs: I would have done better bringing a cheap bottle of liquor, because they drank it all in one sitting like it was one.

And to Rosco. Who said bring the ATM, I think he was right. Everytime I go out with her family and friends I end up picking up the tab for the beer and food. I always have a group of friends, because it seems nobody has any money here, because it is very poor.

I also tend to bring quite a bit of food over to family.

A cousin "borrowed" 2200P from me for her daughter in college to take her tests/ buy books or something. "Loan" of course.

Her father wants to borrow. 3000 P to buy a small pig to raise. "Loan" of course.

Is all this normal when dealing with a Filipino family where you are seriously dating the daughter? What is normal and what is being taken advantage of?

Hi,

I am only a few days away from first trip to the Phils. I was planning on taking a substantial amount of cash, a credit card, and a visa debit check card (I can use this as an ATM), but I just discovered my visa debit check card isn't working as an ATM card for some reason (it worked a few days ago). Anyway, I'll try and see my bank tomorrow when it's not a holiday and see if I can find out why.

However, assuming that it's a magnetic strip problem or some problem that won't allow me to get another one in time, does anyone have suggestions for how to handle the money situation in the Phils.

I was planning on taking a substantial amount of cash and then using my visa debit card and credit card also. Now, should I take cash, travellers checks and the credit cards? Also, I do have a couple of Chase Cards that I know I can do cash advances with, but I'd have to find a bank willing to do that transaction (I would use this as a backup in case I didn't take enough cash and the cash combined with using credit cards wasn't meeting my demand for money). Would I have a problem finding a bank (Chase or otherwise) that would do a cash advance if I needed to.

Can any of you pros give me some advice?

Thanks

[QUOTE=Big Johnson2]I met my girl friends parents from Samar. I gave USA tee shirts to boys, mother chocolate, father bottle of Chevis Regal, baby. Clothes and brought food because they are poor.

My findisngs: I would have done better bringing a cheap bottle of liquor, because they drank it all in one sitting like it was one.

And to Rosco. Who said bring the ATM, I think he was right. Everytime I go out with her family and friends I end up picking up the tab for the beer and food. I always have a group of friends, because it seems nobody has any money here, because it is very poor.

I also tend to bring quite a bit of food over to family.

A cousin "borrowed" 2200P from me for her daughter in college to take her tests/ buy books or something. "Loan" of course.

Her father wants to borrow. 3000 P to buy a small pig to raise. "Loan" of course.

Is all this normal when dealing with a Filipino family where you are seriously dating the daughter? What is normal and what is being taken advantage of?[/QUOTE]There is no end to the demands. As far as they are concerned, if you want to be part of the family then you are to share your wealth with the family. There is no such thing as too much.

[QUOTE=Bumbo]Is it true that Dvd players sold in Philippines is region free or fixed to be region free? The story goes like this I was in the Philippines I took my small Dvd player with me and power converter adapter to my gf house that damn thing poofed on me. It was a cheap player, so I popped the dvd movies I took with me from the US, I was surprised her dvd player played my movies. If that is true next time when I go back to philippine I will get me a Dvd player so I can watch any region movies![/QUOTE]Dvd players that I have here play US movies, but I have a friend who uses Netflix (on-line movie rentals) and when he receives some movies, they are blocked and will not play on his Philippine Dvd player. Maybe due to copyright concerns????
Robb

Is it normal for relatives to ask for money?? You bet. Now, once you refuse to help relatives, and give ONLY to your gf, see how long she stays your gf. You have read many times on the posts here - what did they do before you came along? How did they survive? Well, they did. Just say you don't have the money, whatever excuse you want, and see if your gf stays with you. Up to you, but you can't support the whole (extended) family, can you? Do you want to?

[QUOTE=Bumbo]Is it true that Dvd players sold in Philippines is region free or fixed to be region free? The story goes like this I was in the Philippines I took my small Dvd player with me and power converter adapter to my gf house that damn thing poofed on me. It was a cheap player, so I popped the dvd movies I took with me from the US, I was surprised her dvd player played my movies. If that is true next time when I go back to philippine I will get me a Dvd player so I can watch any region movies![/QUOTE]Not sure it PI fixes all there dvd player region free but there are a few website that tell you how to turn certain dvd players region free (not all dvd player can be programed region free) the alternative is to buy a copied (or burn one yourself) dvd and set it as region free.

Basically you copy a dvd and remove the region thus making it playable with any dvd play regardless of the region. Most copied dvd's I have purchase removes the region for you because it is just as easy to burn a dvd region free as it is to burn it with the region but I think some people that sell these movies just may not know how to remove it thus sometime you get a copied dvd that is set on a region.

[QUOTE=Robbaf]Dvd players that I have here play US movies, but I have a friend who uses Netflix (on-line movie rentals) and when he receives some movies, they are blocked and will not play on his Philippine Dvd player. Maybe due to copyright concerns?

Robb[/QUOTE]Not all DVD players in PH are regionless. If they weren't careful they might have bought an asian region dvd player instead of us (region 1).

[QUOTE=Professional]Not sure it PI fixes all there dvd player region free but there are a few website that tell you how to turn certain dvd players region free (not all dvd player can be programed region free) the alternative is to buy a copied (or burn one yourself) dvd and set it as region free.

Basically you copy a dvd and remove the region thus making it playable with any dvd play regardless of the region. Most copied dvd's I have purchase removes the region for you because it is just as easy to burn a dvd region free as it is to burn it with the region but I think some people that sell these movies just may not know how to remove it thus sometime you get a copied dvd that is set on a region.[/QUOTE]When I go back within a year or so hopefully the US dollar won't shrink so bad due to the mess the US is in, Well anyways when I do come back and when I want to buy a DVD player, I will bring my US copy DVD and have sales clerk put my region 1 DVD to see if the player will play it and I will have him put region 3 DVD movie and play it, if the player plays both DVD's then i'll buy it! so I can watch any region DVD movies, one thing when I was there some DVD players the sales clerk showed me it work on 120V - 240 just like my shaver!

[QUOTE=Robbaf] Maybe due to copyright concerns????
Robb[/QUOTE]

Maybe more to do with trying to gouge customers with polygopolistic tiered pricing.

[QUOTE=Blunderer]Maybe more to do with trying to gouge customers with polygopolistic tiered pricing.[/QUOTE]

polygopolistic - that is a lovely sounding word. But what on earth does it mean? Did you mean oligopolistic which works and according to the free dictionary means market conditions in which sellers are so few that the actions of any one of them will materially affect price and have a measurable impact on competitors. Sounds right.

Has anyone come across authentic X Box 360 games in the Philippines, preferably in a Pal UK format? Most of the games (even in the malls) seem to be pirated. Surprised that Microsoft have not tried to crack the whip, same as they did about illegal copies of Windows, some years back, and Sony did regarding pirated Playstation games.

[QUOTE=Redfield10]Hi,

I am only a few days away from first trip to the Phils. I was planning on taking a substantial amount of cash, a credit card, and a visa debit check card (I can use this as an ATM), but I just discovered my visa debit check card isn't working as an ATM card for some reason (it worked a few days ago). Anyway, I'll try and see my bank tomorrow when it's not a holiday and see if I can find out why.

However, assuming that it's a magnetic strip problem or some problem that won't allow me to get another one in time, does anyone have suggestions for how to handle the money situation in the Phils.

I was planning on taking a substantial amount of cash and then using my visa debit card and credit card also. Now, should I take cash, travellers checks and the credit cards? Also, I do have a couple of Chase Cards that I know I can do cash advances with, but I'd have to find a bank willing to do that transaction (I would use this as a backup in case I didn't take enough cash and the cash combined with using credit cards wasn't meeting my demand for money). Would I have a problem finding a bank (Chase or otherwise) that would do a cash advance if I needed to.

Can any of you pros give me some advice?

Thanks[/QUOTE]

I prefer 50/50 cash and card, I have never found an ATM that does not work but am with HSBC/Citi so that helps I suppose but check with Chase if it can work in the Philippines as it will klnow which banks you can go to. Als most of the international banks IMHO will let you use your ATM card in nther machines but maybe for a small fee.

Travellers cheques - IMHO dont take as unlikely you will find many who will cash and if so maybe a large fee.

Cash advance - use the ATM if you can but best ask Chase first as it will have correspndent banks in Philippines. But if you are going into the provinces cash is better but keep it safe

I never had issues but I dont walk aoprund with a wallet (and mobile) in my hand, I use a tatty plastic bag :D small one but no one ever thinks to try and steal that. A wallet in back pocket is another matter

Hope this helps

(Originally Posted by Redfield10
Hi,

I am only a few days away from first trip to the Phils. I was planning on taking a substantial amount of cash, a credit card, and a visa debit check card (I can use this as an ATM), but I just discovered my visa debit check card isn't working as an ATM card for some reason (it worked a few days ago). Anyway, I'll try and see my bank tomorrow when it's not a holiday and see if I can find out why.

However, assuming that it's a magnetic strip problem or some problem that won't allow me to get another one in time, does anyone have suggestions for how to handle the money situation in the Phils.

I was planning on taking a substantial amount of cash and then using my visa debit card and credit card also. Now, should I take cash, travellers checks and the credit cards? Also, I do have a couple of Chase Cards that I know I can do cash advances with, but I'd have to find a bank willing to do that transaction (I would use this as a backup in case I didn't take enough cash and the cash combined with using credit cards wasn't meeting my demand for money). Would I have a problem finding a bank (Chase or otherwise) that would do a cash advance if I needed to.

Can any of you pros give me some advice?

Thanks )

1. Only international bank ATM machines take all cards.
2. If you try to take out too much money at one time or repeat cash
withdrawal often the card issuing bank freezes your card.
you need to call them and verify these withdrawals are correct.
3. The fee is minimal, most often $3 to the machine bank + $3 charge from
your bank.
4. Every card has withdrawal limits per day. If you try to get more
the card will be frozen or will say max is reached.
5. Before going abroad let your bank know how you are going to use
the card, how much money you are going to withdraw etc so that
you will not have any problems.

[QUOTE=Sammon]1. Only international bank ATM machines take all cards.
2. If you try to take out too much money at one time or repeat cash
withdrawal often the card issuing bank freezes your card.
you need to call them and verify these withdrawals are correct.
3. The fee is minimal, most often $3 to the machine bank + $3 charge from
your bank.
4. Every card has withdrawal limits per day. If you try to get more
the card will be frozen or will say max is reached.
5. Before going abroad let your bank know how you are going to use
the card, how much money you are going to withdraw etc so that
you will not have any problems.[/QUOTE]
The last tip is most important: let your bank know where you're going to be. Also know your daily withdrawal limit. That should minimize problems with your bank.

There are worldwide ATM networks: look on the back of your ATM/debit card, there should be some logos for the ATM networks that your issuing bank is affiliated with. Then go look for an ATM that has a matching logo. Examples of networks found in the Philippines include (but are not limited to) Cirrus and Maestro.

DO NOT take traveler's checks. I generally take $1500 cash in new $100 bills. Nobody in P.I. takes bills minted/printed in 1996, so make it 2000 and newer. I take one credit card and one debit card. I use the credit card to pay for hotel bills, cash for everything else. Use the debit card to withdraw 10K pesos at a crack, always have plenty of cash available.

Call your credit card co. and let them know you will be in P.I. and the dates, same with your bank debit card. DO NOT get cash advances from you credit card if you can help it, cause they just cost too much!

Keep your money..where? That's a tough one. I keep mine in a pouch, and I iron my 100$ bills before I go, keeping them crisp and new looking. I have another small pouch for extra peso notes, and when out walking around I keep my money in my front pocket, no wallet. Take only what I plan to spend. Put spending money in right pocket, reserve 1000p notes in left pocket. I don't know if that's the best way, just the way I have found convenient. Have on occasion put money in my sock also.

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. The one thing about the Executive Plaza, as I recall reading, is that it doesn't have inroom safes for cash. Which bothers me.

When you have a hotel that has a safe at the front desk, but not the lobby. What do you guys normally do with a sizeable amount of cash you may have?

[QUOTE=Mr Hawaii]DO NOT take traveler's checks. I generally take $1500 cash in new $100 bills. Nobody in P.I. takes bills minted/printed in 1996, so make it 2000 and newer. I take one credit card and one debit card. I use the credit card to pay for hotel bills, cash for everything else. Use the debit card to withdraw 10K pesos at a crack, always have plenty of cash available.

Call your credit card co. and let them know you will be in P.I. and the dates, same with your bank debit card. DO NOT get cash advances from you credit card if you can help it, cause they just cost too much!

Keep your money..where? That's a tough one. I keep mine in a pouch, and I iron my 100$ bills before I go, keeping them crisp and new looking. I have another small pouch for extra peso notes, and when out walking around I keep my money in my front pocket, no wallet. Take only what I plan to spend. Put spending money in right pocket, reserve 1000p notes in left pocket. I don't know if that's the best way, just the way I have found convenient. Have on occasion put money in my sock also.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Mr Hawaii]
Keep your money..where? That's a tough one.... [/QUOTE]

A seasoned world traveler once showed me a tried and trusted method for securing valuable on your body, which is much safer and more secure than using a money belt., and which I often use when traveling. Simply go into any decent pharmacy and buy a length of elasticated sports bandage (called Tubigrip, I think). Folded over this will hold any valuables tucked safely, comfortably and invisibly against your upper calf. Of course, this is useful only for those items you don’t need to access frequently and if you wear long trousers.

As someone who lives here and travels quite a bit within the country, I cannot understand this conversation about carrying cash and where to hide it. I rarely carry more than Php20,000 and I use a Visa debit card for almost everything. Keep the card--if you're worried about losing it--in the room safe and just carry as much local cash as you think you will need. There are ATMs all over the place and they provide much better rates than money changers, and there's never a hassle about trying to find one. By all means use a standard Visa card for hotels, and for any larger purchases you might want to make in department stores.

GE

Gamahucher - good idea. Might try that on next trip. Have just been leaving all the cash in the room, even without safes. Room has never been robbed, never had maids take anything.

GE - why all the cash? I guess if you live there you have your cash in banks, right? I always think that what ATMs charge for withdrawls is too much, so just withdraw the money here and take it with you. Then, if you need more, use the ATM. Always willing to try other ideas though, esp. from you two guys. Love your reports and pics. (I can barely understand digital cameras.)

[QUOTE=Mr Hawaii]Gamahucher - good idea. Might try that on next trip. Have just been leaving all the cash in the room, even without safes. Room has never been robbed, never had maids take anything.

GE - why all the cash? I guess if you live there you have your cash in banks, right? I always think that what ATMs charge for withdrawls is too much, so just withdraw the money here and take it with you. Then, if you need more, use the ATM. Always willing to try other ideas though, esp. from you two guys. Love your reports and pics. (I can barely understand digital cameras.)[/QUOTE]
Thanks for the nice words but you must have me confused with someone else. I have never posted a picture and probably never will. First, I do not know how and second, I never take any.

Though I do live here and I have an account here, I keep my money in the US and barely use the local account except to pay local credit card bills. I think my bank in the US charges $3.50 every time I use the ATM, but I take out maybe Php20,000 at a time so the costs do not add up to very much each month. I think if you add the convenience of being able to change money anywhere, plus the lousy rates from the money changers and the inconvenience of looking for one, plus the worries over being robbed, the equation comes out clearly on the plus side for the use of ATMs; at least it does for me.

GE

[QUOTE=GoodEnough]I think my bank in the US charges $3.50 every time I use the ATM, but I take out maybe Php20,000 at a time so the costs do not add up to very much each month.[/QUOTE]
If you have enough cash on deposit at your bank, you could be at a relationship level where they will rebate some or all of your ATM fees to you, even overseas ATM fees so that you would only pay the 1% Visa transaction fee. Find out if your bank has some sort of relationship program depending on your balance(s) there.

There are some words of caution.

First of all, banks are constantly changing their fees and charges. So what may be $3.50 per transaction today can be 3.5% tomorrow. (I have at least one bank that charges that amount). Similarly, last week they give a great conversion rate - next week it is not so good.

Also, not all ATMs work with all cards. (I went to several ATMs including the one in the casino with one card...and no way could I get $$ - I had to walk to SM to find one that did - panicking that I might have to miss out on my dose of pussy for a couple of days while my bank back home sorted it out).

As others have said. Travellers checks are pretty useless. On my first trip years ago, I tried to cash some USD Amex Tchecks and neither my hotel, nor Wild Orchid would touch them - recommending I went to some obscure travel agency miles away. I don't see that improving.

I now do the following:

1). Check the bank charges before I go.
2). Take two types of ATM card and two credit cards
3). I take about a week's worth of expenses in my home currency cash to change at money changers - IF their rates are good enough.
4). I keep a few thou pisos in various denominations from previous trips (don't ever buy Pisos at home though folks - that is not cheap) so that I can hit the streets immediately I get there (No point in wasting pussy time, eh fellas)?

That way I can make a decision whether to use money changers (or keep the $$ to use back home) or the ATM for the first week, and then ATM for the rest.

There is a website that has low fees for getting cash to phil. It can be setup to take money from your bank account for around $3. 99 per transaction. Your recipient can then pickup pesos in phil. Was going to see what happens if I send money to myself while in phil. I have sent small amounts of cash to friends and have had no problems

Pretty easy. Open account. Enter recipient info. Recipient goes to nearest pickup location. You don't need to worry about the pickup location. 2 ids and transaction number to pickup cash. Neat that you can get status of the transaction.

Wells Fargo also has a service to do money transfer that can be picked up at any PNB branch for $3 per transaction whatever the dollar amount. ive used this as its cheaper than a foreign ATM fee.

[QUOTE=Gamahucher]polygopolistic - that is a lovely sounding word. But what on earth does it mean? Did you mean oligopolistic which works and according to the free dictionary means market conditions in which sellers are so few that the actions of any one of them will materially affect price and have a measurable impact on competitors. Sounds right.[/QUOTE]Well, I could have sworn that was a word, but google disagrees with me.

Let me define it now:

Polygopoly: A (small) group of companies acting in concert in such a manner as to affect the market in a similar fashion to a monopoly.

Polygopoly' (pronounced pol - i - gop - o - ly) is an economic term coined by John Whelan of Chicago, IL in 2007. A polygopoly is a highly efficient market that exhibits the following characteristics:

1) All participants have equal and direct access.

2) Low (or no) cost of participation.

3) Full transparency of both the buy side and the sell side (depth and breadth).

4) Feedback loops to improve quality of information.

5) The infrastructure is open to improvement and refinement by the participants.

Which is apparently the opposite of monopoly.

No offense Robert, but I don't think it's wise to believe everything you read on the Internet. I would suggest you exercise even more caution when searching for the definition of polygopoly and getting the definition from polygopoly.com

Who is John WHelan -- other than the guy who coined the word polygopoly (according to the website)? And, is he the author of the polygopoly website?

X

[QUOTE=Robertxxx]Polygopoly' (pronounced pol - i - gop - o - ly) is an economic term coined by John Whelan of Chicago, IL in 2007. A polygopoly is a highly efficient market that exhibits the following characteristics:

1) All participants have equal and direct access.

2) Low (or no) cost of participation.

3) Full transparency of both the buy side and the sell side (depth and breadth).

4) Feedback loops to improve quality of information.

5) The infrastructure is open to improvement and refinement by the participants.[/QUOTE]

I have used xoom.com many times for several years without a problem. Fees are exponentially lower than Western Union.

Since then I bought a pig for her father for 3000P. I will play the I don't have money and see what happens. The way I look at it is, if she wants to leave, because she doesn't like something, I'd rather have it sooner than later. If she tells me I'm Cheap Charlie she can go back to work as a BG.

I already know spending lots of money doesn't buy you love here. I've heard about the guy that gave $1000, the girl told the guy all the time she was in love but really wasn't. It was OK because she "needed" the money. The 65 yr. old foreigner that pays for the house and supports his 25 year old wife while she has a couple of Filipina boyfriends. I see this frequently, that there are overseas sugar daddies, and the cheating going on behind his back. I also see them justify this behavior, by any number of reasons: he's too old, he doesn't come see her enough, she's horney. They are great at justifing any "lie". I think if you are not here, getting your benefit daily from the situation, you probably won't get any benefit at all.

I'm getting "thank you" now for the things I buy, but for a long time I seldom heard a thank you for any thing. Does it make them fell "little" to say Thank you?



[QUOTE=Mr Hawaii]Is it normal for relatives to ask for money?? You bet. Now, once you refuse to help relatives, and give ONLY to your gf, see how long she stays your gf. You have read many times on the posts here - what did they do before you came along? How did they survive? Well, they did. Just say you don't have the money, whatever excuse you want, and see if your gf stays with you. Up to you, but you can't support the whole (extended) family, can you? Do you want to?[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Robertxxx]Polygopoly' (pronounced pol - i - gop - o - ly) is an economic term coined by John Whelan of Chicago, IL in 2007. A polygopoly is a highly efficient market that exhibits the following characteristics:

1) All participants have equal and direct access.

2) Low (or no) cost of participation.

3) Full transparency of both the buy side and the sell side (depth and breadth).

4) Feedback loops to improve quality of information.

5) The infrastructure is open to improvement and refinement by the participants.[/QUOTE]

Then he created a new Greek word.

That is because Monopoly and Oligopoly are Greek words. Polygopoly I never heard of it before.

My perspective on this issue is that we shouldn't flatter ouselves too much; we are what we are and helping the family 'substantially' is a significant part of our 'value' as an overall valuable prospect in respect of the culture of this country. I used to be happy in eastern europe but for what I'm now looking for (18 year old virgin loving WIFE), extended analysis online brought me to the Philippines rather than Thailand or other places. After a hit and miss effort of a couple of months learning the people and its values, I now found my special girl and I'm in the huge effort/battle of obtaining her visa to marry me.

So, regarding the family support issue, I beleive unlike others that it is a key 'positive' to the relationship. The problem I encountered was to fit this support into something workable and productive/affordable. The lessons of my learning curve:

1) be open about it to your girl very early. Have an honest conversation and agreement as to what her expectations are. This will benefit you as you will avoid the stress later by having an early agreement on this important issue. Cause if you don't, needs are endless and it would never be 'enough'. If it is really too high an expectation for your budget, you can move on early and not waste each other's time. As far as my goals and situation are concrened, time is quite expensive too.

2) do NOT get involved into the budget allocation decisions and so.

3) don't hand out larger monthly allowances but spread it out in smaller weekly installments. THEY CAN NOT MANAGE A LARGER BUDGET. They will waste it on futile items and then be 'hit' by emergencies like a birth child (last I hear of, one has a full nine month to plan). They can also not manage their overal life (e. G. They keep making a huge number of babies with no family planning), but then again, this is a key positive to the overall picture. Suppose they could manage a budget or their lives on a Net Present Value based analysis: they would have moved up the world ladder by now in such a way that all of these girls would be horrible feministic b*tches instead of loving angels whom we can count on. Keep the budget to 'normal' expenses and plan for an 'emergencies' budget on top of the agreement. (20K php monthly + 150k php yearly)

4) don't expect thank you's. It is degrading to them to acknowledge you represent 85% of the family budget and acknowledging they are screwing up on a structural basis (unable to cope with the monthly installments)

5) Keep the family help HIGH. Make sure you are vital to their survival/way of living. This is maybe a more controversial theme, but it's my view. The girl is 'indebted' to her family (Utang na loob). It is 'normal' that she will sacrifice for the sake of saving the entire family if she has that chance. She will be HAPPY in her life and proud to succesfully repay this moral debt to her family by her long-term relation to you. This means you can count on an enormous amount of effort and devotion towards you (day and night), unthinkable by any western 'female' standard. At the start of the relationship, it is the family who may even push her your way as she 'doesn't know what to do as she has not had any previous relationship, but wants to do the right thing overall'. I prefer to forego a two weeks ski holiday and have her family entirely depend on my goodwill (=her efforts towards me). Also, suppose the word gets out that you can afford that type of holiday, 'needs' immediately shoot higher and you create bad will if you allocate to that type of holiday instead of their more basic needs. This happy equilibrum will last until she gets 'sick/westernised' and you have to activate your pre-nup to divorce (5-15 years).

6) This analysis is only for those willing to 'invest' into a girl they are 'sure' about. There's a lot of up-front costs (support, documents, visa, travelling) before the 'value' kicks in on a daily basis in your home country later on. If you are seasoned enough AND control (e-mail, chat and friendster access), you can be comfortable pretty quickly about your girl being genuine.

To each his own objective and horizon; good luck to all

Ua Freak

[QUOTE=Big Johnson2]Since then I bought a pig for her father for 3000P. I will play the I don't have money and see what happens. The way I look at it is, if she wants to leave, because she doesn't like something, I'd rather have it sooner than later. If she tells me I'm Cheap Charlie she can go back to work as a BG.

I already know spending lots of money doesn't buy you love here. I've heard about the guy that gave $1000, the girl told the guy all the time she was in love but really wasn't. It was OK because she "needed" the money. The 65 yr. old foreigner that pays for the house and supports his 25 year old wife while she has a couple of Filipina boyfriends. I see this frequently, that there are overseas sugar daddies, and the cheating going on behind his back. I also see them justify this behavior, by any number of reasons: he's too old, he doesn't come see her enough, she's horney. They are great at justifing any "lie". I think if you are not here, getting your benefit daily from the situation, you probably won't get any benefit at all.

I'm getting "thank you" now for the things I buy, but for a long time I seldom heard a thank you for any thing. Does it make them fell "little" to say Thank you?[/QUOTE]

Hi guys!

Been lurking around for some time. Previously in the Phils (Edsa only) in 2001 and had a nice gfe experience. Went back a month later. She is still there, now with a child by a Pinay guy and has indicated that I may get another round. Though she has a pretty good job now.

Anyway after that I will fly to Cebu, already set to hook up with a friend from Leyte. Got some amazing pussy pics already to be posted soon.

Arrive 28th next from Canada. Only got a week.

Now. Would like some advice on the latest 'rules'. To book CEB from Manila to Cebu which is preferred: Book from home or walk up to the desk when I arrive at NAIA?

Again, what is the advisability of taking some 'purple performance' pills (I'm now 60! ) with me. Any Customs issues? Toys? Can you get these items in Manila? Prescriptions required?

Great reading here re carrying $ and bringing gifts, etc. Been through all the scam issues. All I try to find out is if they are lying or not.

Best advice from me is to immerse oneself in Phils culture and traditions. Everyone knows what is going on but ya have to watch our fot the extended family and for anyone from the Church. Very powerful influences, esp. In the Provinces.

Thanks to all who reply. And keep an eye for my photo Reports.

Bry

Am I missing something or am I just a product of the public schools?

Neither word has relevance to the economic system of the Philippines, which is based on the "closed kleptocracy" model, the major attributes of which are inaccessibility by all but a select few, and subject to expropriation by those who do have access. Succinctly, an oligarchy that steals all that isn't nailed down. A model that is truly elegant in its simplicity.

GE

[QUOTE=GoodEnough]...subject to expropriation by those who do have access.[/QUOTE]
I can speak for the expropriation part. During my last visit to Manila earlier this month, my taxi once took Aguilar Ave back from Las Pinas toward Manila rather than use the Coastal Road (too much traffic there). This turns into another street and eventually hits Sucat Ave in Paranaque City where one would turn left and eventually end up on Roxas Ave after some more turns. Well that "another street" is in the process of being widened in order to provide another access route to Las Pinas. This widening is being done rather forcibly. And I mean forcibly. Literally they are demolishing portions of the buildings until they get the new width of the street. If it wasn't so straight through, it would have looked like a bomb hit those buildings. Had me wondering if those poor people got any compensation. The companions I was with could not answer that question...

When to buy your Cebu ticket. I always stay one week in Manila before going to Cebu and buy my ticket in Manila. Good deals can be had. Even if you are connecting the same day to Cebu, it might make more sense to wait till you are in Manila before you buy for 2 reasons. One-it is cheaper, and two you never know when your plane will land. you might buy ticket for 4pm to Cebu and your plane is delayed and you are late. The planes to Cebu are generally not sold out, except on Fridays and Saturday. Cebu Pacific offers tickets for 288p on occasion.

back home now and back to reality. it sucks! going from 90 degree sunny weather, scuba diving, beaches, thai food, daily massages, and so many girls, to the daily grind is a tough adjustment.

the trip was great! i was in manila, angeles, and subic bay, then went diving in palau for a week, then bangkok and finally pattaya. it was a lot of travel, but i wanted to cover all the places. then were all fun in one way or another.

in manila, went to la cafe. i love that place. got hammered on smls, hung out upstairs with the band and a bunch of girls and of course took one home. stayed til i kicked her out the next day.

angeles was well, angeles (-; stayed at the pacific breeze. overpriced but a great pool area. did find one really fun 20 yo girl. went to the disco all night, then back to the hotel of course.

subic bay was great. i love beach towns, and they had a great floating bar. about 10 angeles style bars on the main road. more in barretto but i didn't make it there. had fun, did some wreck dives, got some massages with extras and of course got drunk and partook in the bar bitches each night.

then went to palau for the diving. amazing diving. thought i would have a break from the women, but this british guy about my age i was diving with kept finding these chinese girls, so we'd go out with them every night and brought a couple back. chinese ktv bars are very weird. private rooms and all. not really my thing but had fun.

got to bangkok and stayed near nana plaza. that was fun, and found some fun drunk chicks. taking a full viagra then having a half naked drunk chick dacing on my lap was a bad idea. had trouble walking out of that bar with her, though she got a kick out of it! loved [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord900][CodeWord900][/url]? that place had some serious bj talents. i can't imagine if i had a place like that nearby home for $20. the baht did not have a great exchange rate (36/dollar) so thailand was a little more expensive all around. went to see the grand palace and some other temples. very nice!

finally got to pattaya. wow! that place was way bigger than i expected. its 20 times the size of angeles. i loved pattaya. got a place on soi 8 near all the beer bars, and rented a scooter to get around. i liked the beach there, and great massages. go-go bars were very fun. beer bars and pool tables were a blast. drunk girls are way more fun than sober ones! not so many native english speaking people there, so didn't find too many guys to hang out with and drink with, so just stuck to the girls. soi six had some hotties during the day light. only place that did. want to go back and spend more time in pattaya.

but alas, i fell in love with my (legit) massage girl there. not that any girl in pattaya is particularly innocent, but this one was a non-working girl. so i took her out, had a great time and did eventually get her back to the room. it was fun to try some "game" rather than just paying a barfine. she never asked for a dime, but did give her a gift at the end. still in contact and need to go back to see her. so cute, great body, and spoke good english!

[size=-2][b][u]editor's note[/u]:[/b] [blue]i would suggest that the author or another forum member consider posting a link to this report in the reports of distinction thread. please [url=http://www.internationalsexguide.info/forum/announcement-reportsofdistinction.php?]click here[/url] for more information.[/blue][/size]

Thanks, Mr Hawaii for the flight booking tips. Though I DO land on a Sat morning. And CEB is quoting 1541P for a return to Mactan. Take my chances, can book from Inchone during the layover and see how the land lies.

Wish me luck! BTW, any trobule having purple pills in your kit when landing?

CB

you should read private dancer by stephen leather immediately. take it from one english teacher who has enough mistakes under his belt to make this recommend. it's an enjoyable read, though harsh in the sense that you will probably see a lot of yourself in the book. other great books are bangkok eight. you'll never understand the thai people (and by extension. many se asian countries) until you completely grok the whole social / family obligation thing. here in the philippines it's called "being practical"; my experience is the better the girls english the more poon she spent on lessons starting with "oh yes, oh god, oh shit, and we make boom boom" to "fuck me hard, yes. oh, you like when i grind down like that. i am your porn start baby. " lol i crack myself up!

seriously, at a minimum private dancer will be worth your time and you'll return with a much higher degree of situational awareness.

[quote=spivey24]back home now and back to reality. it sucks! going from 90 degree sunny weather, scuba diving, beaches, thai food, daily massages, and so many girls, to the daily grind is a tough adjustment.

the trip was great! i was in manila, angeles, and subic bay, then went diving in palau for a week, then bangkok and finally pattaya. it was a lot of travel, but i wanted to cover all the places. then were all fun in one way or another.

in manila, went to la cafe. i love that place. got hammered on smls, hung out upstairs with the band and a bunch of girls and of course took one home. stayed til i kicked her out the next day.

angeles was well, angeles (-; stayed at the pacific breeze. overpriced but a great pool area. did find one really fun 20 yo girl. went to the disco all night, then back to the hotel of course.

subic bay was great. i love beach towns, and they had a great floating bar. about 10 angeles style bars on the main road. more in barretto but i didn't make it there. had fun, did some wreck dives, got some massages with extras and of course got drunk and partook in the bar bitches each night.

then went to palau for the diving. amazing diving. thought i would have a break from the women, but this british guy about my age i was diving with kept finding these chinese girls, so we'd go out with them every night and brought a couple back. chinese ktv bars are very weird. private rooms and all. not really my thing but had fun.

got to bangkok and stayed near nana plaza. that was fun, and found some fun drunk chicks. taking a full viagra then having a half naked drunk chick dacing on my lap was a bad idea. had trouble walking out of that bar with her, though she got a kick out of it! loved [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord900][CodeWord900][/url]? that place had some serious bj talents. i can't imagine if i had a place like that nearby home for $20. the baht did not have a great exchange rate (36/dollar) so thailand was a little more expensive all around. went to see the grand palace and some other temples. very nice!

finally got to pattaya. wow! that place was way bigger than i expected. its 20 times the size of angeles. i loved pattaya. got a place on soi 8 near all the beer bars, and rented a scooter to get around. i liked the beach there, and great massages. go-go bars were very fun. beer bars and pool tables were a blast. drunk girls are way more fun than sober ones! not so many native english speaking people there, so didn't find too many guys to hang out with and drink with, so just stuck to the girls. soi six had some hotties during the day light. only place that did. want to go back and spend more time in pattaya.

but alas, i fell in love with my (legit) massage girl there. not that any girl in pattaya is particularly innocent, but this one was a non-working girl. so i took her out, had a great time and did eventually get her back to the room. it was fun to try some "game" rather than just paying a barfine. she never asked for a dime, but did give her a gift at the end. still in contact and need to go back to see her. so cute, great body, and spoke good english!

[size=-2][b][u]editor's note[/u]:[/b] [blue]i would suggest that the author or another forum member consider posting a link to this report in the reports of distinction thread. please [url=http://www.internationalsexguide.info/forum/announcement-reportsofdistinction.php?]click here[/url] for more information.[/blue][/size][/quote]

[QUOTE=Str Krtr]Thanks, Mr Hawaii for the flight booking tips. Though I DO land on a Sat morning. And CEB is quoting 1541P for a return to Mactan. Take my chances, can book from Inchone during the layover and see how the land lies.

Wish me luck! BTW, any trobule having purple pills in your kit when landing?

CB[/QUOTE]

As long as you have a prescription you're fine :)

[QUOTE=Str Krtr]Thanks, Mr Hawaii for the flight booking tips. Though I DO land on a Sat morning. And CEB is quoting 1541P for a return to Mactan. Take my chances, can book from Inchone during the layover and see how the land lies.

Wish me luck! BTW, any trobule having purple pills in your kit when landing?

CB[/QUOTE]

Been flying to Asia, mostly P.I. since 1988, and NEVER, knock on wood, have had my bags checked when entering or exiting any Asian nation. Only problems are when entering my own country, USA. Hope I didn't jinx myself!
What you can do is put the pills in your pocket, or into your checked luggage, since they usually only check carryon by hand. Have fun.

[QUOTE=Str Krtr]Thanks, Mr Hawaii for the flight booking tips. Though I DO land on a Sat morning. And CEB is quoting 1541P for a return to Mactan. Take my chances, can book from Inchone during the layover and see how the land lies.

Wish me luck! BTW, any trobule having purple pills in your kit when landing?

CB[/QUOTE]Rarely had my checked bags examined by more than a cursory search, if at all when entering lately.

I carry a small pouch marked 'Travel Medicine' containing a few commonly prescribed legit travel medicines (usually with a few out of date prescriptions for some of the drugs). If I am carrying any performance enhancing medicines i just put the box in there with all the other stuff. No customs officer takes any notice. Technically you are supposed to have prescriptions for everything but its not really a big deal unless you are entering a country with very harsh laws & treatment of visitors.

If they did go searching thoroughly its more because they are just doing a random audit or maybe because you are under real suspicion. Assuming you like 99.9% of folks and not a wrong doer then dont sweat it ok?

AV

Does anyone happen to know if there's any work for English/Spanish language teachers in Manila or Cebu?

Obviously alot of people speak English, but not all?

I'm a white guy from Wisconsin who just happens to speak excellent Spanish.
50% of my appointments at work are in Spanish. Tagalog is perhaps 10% Spanish, mostly nouns. The farther south you go in the Phils, it seems as if I hear more Spanish verbs. I have come across a few women on the net that work in Spain but for an income teaching Spanish in Phils I just don't see it happening. Maybe somebody else can enlighten both of us.

Why would a pinay or anyone in the PI want to learn spanish.

Let alone pay to learn.

[quote=royal blue]does anyone happen to know if there's any work for english/spanish language teachers in manila or cebu?

obviously alot of people speak english, but not all?[/quote]i dont have detailed knowledge of cebu as i have only visited briefly a couple of times.

in regards to manila, i have several 18 & 19 year old university student gf's there so my info is based on conversations with them & discussions with friends & contacts. yes there is work for english teachers.

spanish i'm less sure of. probably yes but only small number of teachers needed for this i guess. understand that in the past spanish was once the language of the upper classes. rarely so now. there are pockets of spanish speaking communities here & there in pi.

the two offiical languages are english & tagalog. every kid gets an opportunity to learn these when they are at school. university students continue to have english as part of their curriculums. getting a job as an english teacher in a university would most likely be much easier & have the added benefit of easy access to 18 - 22yr pussy. the work is poorly paid.

i often wondered if the foreigner teachers in the universities were there for the pussy. in my silly westerner way i have stupidly asked my gf's directly if the teachers mixed with the students. i always got the inscrutable asian non informative reply. i changed tacks & casually mentioned to each girl that i was thinking of becoming an english teacher at uni. bingo! hit a nerve! every girl said no! no! no!. when asked why they all said 'i get very jealous if you do that!' a little tactful digging elicited the admission that some (many?) uni girls have liaisons with their teachers for favour & fun.

if you are considering 'going native' then you must understand that pi is a closed cronyist economy. you cant buy a house here. you can buy a condo. you cant get a job here. you can obtain permanent residency if you are married to a local. this will legally entitle you to work.

guys do come on tourist visa's, stay & get jobs as english teachers without the paperwork. flying under the radar like this carries the real risk of deportation if/when your are discovered.

some guys get here on legit academic arrangements.

others board members may have corrections/more info.

i include an example of the quality of pussy you will be exposed to as an english teacher in a manila uni.

one pic shows a teacher aquaintance (not me) from a manila uni sitting amongst 18yr old students at a party. he's no oil painting right? he gets pussy.

this girl went on a dirty week-end with me to tagaytay. i really enjoyed fucking this chick. like most cherries i encounter in pi she was very tight but keen & loosened up well after a couple of rounds. so shy, got into the bath clothed the way the bathe at the village pump back in the province..
i later introduced her to the pleasures of fucking standing up in the shower... ahh memories. no nudes she was too shy.
hard to keep your liaisons secret though, these girls gossip at the speed of light ;)

sorry this kinda turned into a field report more than answer! ooops!

cheers!
av

mmmm masarap! :)

I wondered how the hotel would react to me turning up with a very obvious 19yr student... No problemo! The women were looking at her with that 'you lucky girl!' look & the guys were giving me that 'i wish i were you' smile.

Guys if your sick of Manila & have some time on your hands take ur LT BF's or GF's there. its nice to be in a place where you are not entering a hotel in a conga line of fat old foreigners with tiny young Pinays.
Its a nice change!
AV

[QUOTE=Amavida]mmmm masarap!

I wondered how the hotel would react to me turning up with a very obvious 19yr student... No problemo! The women were looking at her with that 'you lucky girl!' look & the guys were giving me that 'i wish i were you' smile.

AV[/QUOTE]She is truly a cutey AV something you don’t see much of around here.

Thanks for blessing the board with her.

[QUOTE=Illogic]She is truly a cutely AV something you don’t see much of around here. Thanks for blessing the board with her....[/QUOTE]Your welcome & thanks for the complimemt man. She's a keeper (for now). Chicks like this you can only get & keep by serial monogamy. They are VERY used to cheating pinoy BF's & will find you out in no time at all.
I encourage hunters to raise their sights a little higher. :D
AV

[QUOTE=Royal Blue]Does anyone happen to know if there's any work for English/Spanish language teachers in Manila or Cebu?

Obviously alot of people speak English, but not all? [/QUOTE]There are many English schools in Cebu. I stayed with My GF from Leyte in one of the hotels close to Lapu Lapu on Mactan island for a week.

It is like a campus hotel with many rooms. The students are mostly from Korea studying english. The hotel and the school is run by an American with Philippino wife who owns the whole compound. To tell you the truth I forgot the name. I am sure you will find it if you search for the hotels in the area.

I was friendly with him. He said there are many such places teaching english to students from Korea, Japan, China, Indonesia. The place is like dormitory including lodging and buffet food for the students.

Students were very friendly and invited me and my Gf to out partying to local clubs at night. My GF got really jealous and I had to drop the idea. As for teachers there most of the teachers were Philippinos. Although there were couple of caucasians.

I do not know what the salary structure is like. I believe not much. But if you are single and they provide lodging and food you are already set. Socializing with visiting students may not be a good idea. But local Phi girls are fair game.

Amavida,

Wow I'm in love with your girl toy good job.

[QUOTE=Amavida]

One pic shows a teacher aquaintance (NOT ME) from a manila Uni sitting amongst 18yr old students at a party. He's no oil painting right? He gets pussy.

AV[/QUOTE]

No flame intended but I'd suggest you either delete the teacher pix or at least block his face. I don't think he'd appreciate it circulating on ISG.

Gentlemen

I have been to philliphines for the first time 3 weeks ago. I face an unique situation, would appreciate some insight form you experience mongers. I met a girl on line, she works at the apple store in manila, which I actually confirmed during my visit. She claimed to be virgin, however when we got to act she was so loose that it was unbelievable. I mentioned it to her and she said that is fine it will be good when I have baby. The delima Iiface is that is she wants to get serious. From her demenor and character and where she works I like to beleive her, but form the physical side it makes me highly suspecious unless. It is possible a girl can be like that and be virgin. I am too embaradsed to ask the doctor here, adn hopefuly was hoping some of you her can help me out by sharing your opinions. My main concern is not if she is a virgin or not. But is she lying. If the later then I am setting myself up for serious problems.

On a seperate note does any body have suggestions as to what is the best bus service to take from manila to banaue and places to stay and other recommendations at banaue and bataad. I could find any info on the forum. Or limited on the web.

Thank you so much in advance.

Turning on a lezzie show for us.
This was in the middle of a public pool...
amazing what alcohol can do ;)
AV

How would you like me sir?
Semi conscious... or really comatose?
AV

A couple of random pics of Uni girls at the party.
There's some yummy stuff just begging to be taken!
AV

I dont know if any one is interested but since i'm diging around in my pic collection thought I may as well show you guys another one of my honey's.

This one is not quite as photogenic but I can assure you she turns heads when we go out & she's fantastic in bed! ;)
AV

If you're getting bored, tell me to stop.

This one LOVES wearing lingerie under her street clothes & doing strip shows for me. Rather delightfully these were HER ideas NOT my suggestions. :)
AV

[QUOTE=Traveler1234]No flame intended but I'd suggest you either delete the teacher pix or at least block his face. I don't think he'd appreciate it circulating on ISG.[/QUOTE]Good call. Pic modified. AV

[QUOTE=Amavida]I dont know if any one is interested but since i'm diging around in my pic collection thought I may as well show you guys another one of my honey's.

This one is not quite as photogenic but I can assure you she turns heads when we go out & she's fantastic in bed! ;)
AV[/QUOTE]

AV please stop this. With each posting of these gorgeous girls all board members are suffering a painful, slow death :D

[QUOTE=Amavida]If you're getting bored, tell me to stop.[/QUOTE]

You are jesting of course:D. Particularly like the look of this girl. Just love that smouldering, large mouthed look in a Pinay. Is she a Manila girl?... hint, hint;).

BTW - why the general thread?

[QUOTE=Gamahucher]You are jesting of course:D. Particularly like the look of this girl. Just love that smouldering, large mouthed look in a Pinay. Is she a Manila girl?... hint, hint;).

BTW - why the general thread?[/QUOTE]G'day cobber! I was wondering when someone would notice her - I certainly did! ;) Unfortunately one of my GF's was present at the party (on the left).

Luscious lips is already squired by a generous non-resident BF (there's hope yet). Yep she's a Manila girl. Her BF takes her off to LOS for 'vacations'. The logic of this escapes me (coals to new castle) but she loves it. I know this because I asked about the pendant...

These posts started out as answer to someones question with a few supporting pics & spilled over into a rambling series of pic posts.

Im always leery of posting anything but full frontal nudity in the photo gallery lest i be tarred & feathered by the hard core cognoscente! If Jackson wants to move them its ok with me. Im too bloody lazy :)
Cheers!
AV

Yep, I love the lucious lips as well.

Not the photo thread.....

I've posted a few interesting pics under the guise of hotel reviews. I don't think there is any rule in that regard. I do it because a lot of people hitting the photo threads are lurking master- baters who add nothing to the board.

Thanks for the pics av.

X
[QUOTE=Amavida]G'day cobber! I was wondering when someone would notice her - I certainly did! ;) Unfortunately one of my GF's was present at the party (on the left).

Luscious lips is already squired by a generous non-resident BF (there's hope yet). Yep she's a Manila girl. Her BF takes her off to LOS for 'vacations'. The logic of this escapes me (coals to new castle) but she loves it. I know this because I asked about the pendant...

These posts started out as answer to someones question with a few supporting pics & spilled over into a rambling series of pic posts.

Im always leery of posting anything but full frontal nudity in the photo gallery lest i be tarred & feathered by the hard core cognoscente! If Jackson wants to move them its ok with me. Im too bloody lazy :)
Cheers!
AV[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=X Man]Yep, I love the lucious lips as well.

Thanks for the pics av.

X[/QUOTE]Ah! Another fan of hers.
You cant have her I saw her first!
Just kidding! :)
Seriously though, that mouth was MADE for fellatio eh?
AV

[QUOTE=X Man]
I've posted a few interesting pics under the guise of hotel reviews. I don't think there is any rule in that regard. I do it because a lot of people hitting the photo threads are lurking master- baters who add nothing to the board.
[/QUOTE]

Fair point - recall you squirreling away one of your more interesting risque photos on the Photo Gallery Chit Chat thread where it has been viewed 1200+ times. On the Photo Gallery thread it would have reached 4 times that audience. Proof that many lurkers tune into the naughty pix thread alone.

However most of us start life here as lurkers and if my photos (or those of other regular contributors) encourage one lurker to start contributing or showing photos, then it will be worthwhile for the health of the forum. I initially started posting after seeing some of Asian Rain's stuff and thinking that I had similar that I might show.

[QUOTE=Amavida]Luscious lips is already squired by a generous non-resident BF (there's hope yet). Yep she's a Manila girl. Her BF takes her off to LOS for 'vacations'. The logic of this escapes me (coals to new castle) but she loves it. I know this because I asked about the pendant...
[/QUOTE]

Wonder what she does for fun when her non-resident BF is out of country? I took a Pinay on holiday to LOS once, when I lived in Honkers. What a silly thing to do but I was much younger then. I recall it was amusing as most Thai's assumed she was a local and jabbered away at her in Thai and then looked at her as though stupid when she was unable to reply. Poor girl was really flummoxed.

I'm always surprised how many filipinas go/get taken to Thailand. One of the hottest girls on ABC actually lives and works (on ABC) from Thailand and a lot of the filipinas go there for a holiday. To me, Philippines and Thailand are so similar - beaches etc - there's not much point in a filipina going there.

But the filipinas seem to like Thailand and I've heard them say how friendly the Thais are to the filipinas (I'm not sure if that's the Thai guys trying to get into their pants (for the obvious or the wallet in their pants pocket) or if the Thais and filipinas are pretty similar and genuinely get on well.

Obviously one of the attractions is it's easy for a filipina to get a visa in Asian countries such as Thailand, HK and Singapore. I think maybe also Korea and Malaysia.

I wish Australia (where I live) would be smarter and offer 12 month working visas for filipinas such as domestic helpers. I used to work in Hong Kong and the domestic helpers in HK really help the economy there. The filipinas are great with the kids and allow the parents to work long hours; a great and often unrecognised contribution to the economy.

If Australia did allow domestic helpers here, then a lot of people would have them. It would be great for the filipinas (make decent money in relatively good jobs) and great for the Aussies (including me!). Let's get all the ISG Aussies to form a lobby group for the govt here :)

Anyone have any thoughts on why Western economies are so restrictive on visas, both tourist and working visas? I really think the overstay concern is exaggerated. The Aussie govt is very tough in issuing tourist visas (e.g. to the Chinese or filipinas) and the main reason quoted is overstay risk. But the "cost" to Australia of overseas is dwarfed by the contribution that tourists and domestic helpers would bring to Australia.




[QUOTE=Gamahucher]Wonder what she does for fun when her non-resident BF is out of country? I took a Pinay on holiday to LOS once, when I lived in Honkers. What a silly thing to do but I was much younger then. I recall it was amusing as most Thai's assumed she was a local and jabbered away at her in Thai and then looked at her as though stupid when she was unable to reply. Poor girl was really flummoxed.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Shanghai Lover]Gentlemen

I have been to philliphines for the first time 3 weeks ago. I face an unique situation, would appreciate some insight form you experience mongers. I met a girl on line, she works at the apple store in manila, which I actually confirmed during my visit. She claimed to be virgin, however when we got to act she was so loose that it was unbelievable. I mentioned it to her and she said that is fine it will be good when I have baby. The delima Iiface is that is she wants to get serious. From her demenor and character and where she works I like to beleive her, but form the physical side it makes me highly suspecious unless. It is possible a girl can be like that and be virgin. I am too embaradsed to ask the doctor here, adn hopefuly was hoping some of you her can help me out by sharing your opinions. My main concern is not if she is a virgin or not. But is she lying. If the later then I am setting myself up for serious problems.

On a seperate note does any body have suggestions as to what is the best bus service to take from manila to banaue and places to stay and other recommendations at banaue and bataad. I could find any info on the forum. Or limited on the web.

Thank you so much in advance.[/QUOTE]Are you joking? Zero chance that she is a virgin. I think one has to accept that 95% of philly gorls will just say what they think you want to hear.

[QUOTE=Victorian]I'm always surprised how many filipinas go/get taken to Thailand. One of the hottest girls on ABC actually lives and works (on ABC) from Thailand and a lot of the filipinas go there for a holiday. To me, Philippines and Thailand are so similar - beaches etc - there's not much point in a filipina going there.

But the filipinas seem to like Thailand and I've heard them say how friendly the Thais are to the filipinas (I'm not sure if that's the Thai guys trying to get into their pants (for the obvious or the wallet in their pants pocket) or if the Thais and filipinas are pretty similar and genuinely get on well.

Obviously one of the attractions is it's easy for a filipina to get a visa in Asian countries such as Thailand, HK and Singapore. I think maybe also Korea and Malaysia.[/QUOTE] Thais dont own half the friggin PI like the Chinese & Koreans do. That may explain a lot...

[QUOTE=Victorian]I wish Australia (where I live) would be smarter and offer 12 month working visas for filipinas such as domestic helpers. I used to work in Hong Kong and the domestic helpers in HK really help the economy there. The filipinas are great with the kids and allow the parents to work long hours; a great and often unrecognised contribution to the economy.[/QUOTE]Me to, but it ain't gonna happen.

[QUOTE=Victorian]If Australia did allow domestic helpers here, then a lot of people would have them. It would be great for the filipinas (make decent money in relatively good jobs) and great for the Aussies (including me!). [/QUOTE]Agreed.

[QUOTE=Victorian]Anyone have any thoughts on why Western economies are so restrictive on visas, both tourist and working visas? I really think the overstay concern is exaggerated. The Aussie govt is very tough in issuing tourist visas (e.g. to the Chinese or filipinas) and the main reason quoted is overstay risk. But the "cost" to Australia of overseas is dwarfed by the contribution that tourists and domestic helpers would bring to Australia.[/QUOTE]Historically Australia had an explicit 'White Australia Policy". Australia is politically deeply conservative. Populations demographics are severely skewed toward an aging population. It is governed by gerontocracy sympathetic politicians.

There is a severe skills shortage of 'Trades' people & there has been some loosening of the restrictions to get them there in Oz but opening the flood gates to the teeming hoards of Asia would be political suicide no matter how much sense it makes to you & me.
AV

I'm off to Phils tomorrow. Got alot of tel nos from DIA contacts most of whom claim they are hot p trot. Just wondering what people's expereiences are in terms of whether most of the girls expect tobe paid if take and to bed and what is regarded as a reasonabl level?

[QUOTE=Gamahucher]Wonder what she does for fun when her non-resident BF is out of country?[/QUOTE]She does plenty mate! hehehe.. She's a goer alright! These Uni chicks with overseas BF's love to party in their abscence.

Have'nt had the pleasure myself .. yet.. but i remain ever hopeful :)

If I do manage to get her number I will happily pass it on GH.
I should'nt be greedy right? :D
AV

Just tossing out some pics of another party for your drooling pleasure.
They were all doable but the taller chick in the leopard skin bikini really got my blood rushing.
Life is fun!

AV

[QUOTE=Amavida]
If I do manage to get her number I will happily pass it on GH.
I should'nt be greedy right? :D
AV[/QUOTE]

What a cutey like that and you haven't got her CP No yet? Bloody hell - I'm disappointed in you AV;).

Would appreciate it but I won't hold my breath - I imagine if you were to get it then you would naturally be in dipsies like a rat up a drainpipe :D.

I had 6 nights in Angeles 7 in La Union and 4 in Subic so I will split the report into bite size chunks. I will attempt to put a humourous slant on the trip. There are no photos which may disappoint the one handed keyboard specialists.

Days 1 and 2 Orchid Inn Angeles

Arrived about 1 am and after a rapid 3 S's I was out on the town. I immeadiately fell into the Angeles trap - there will be something better in the next club. Failed completely and went to bed pissed and alone.

The next morning I set off on Fields and to my surprise (and his) I bumped into an old mate Ken Tuckey who I thought was living in Cambodia but was in the process of moving to Angeles. We immeadiately agreed to meet up at 8pm in Bodyshop for a session that night.

I wandered down towards Perimeter and checked out the daytime haunts. No real changes from last time although the midget with the fat arse was absent from the Gentlemans Club!

That night Ken kept introducing me to various cherry girls including one who put a price of 100,000 pesos on it. That price had stood for a year but at least no inflation on it. I tried to explain that if she lowered the price a year ago she could have collected the 100,000 and had some fun in the meantime. She did not see the business opportunity so I asked if I could be second at the normal price.

That night I felt in need of a bed warmer and whilst in Pasha I told a posse of waitresses that I was looking for a girl with big nipples and one of them showed me a couple of bullets and the deal was done. A great deal too as she turned out to be a blow job specialist. She had to leave early so she had the foresight to set the alarm on her mobile to do the deed all over again before she left.

The next morning I caught a bus from Dau to La Union.

Days 9 to 12 Angeles Phoenix Hotel

Popped into the Royal Amsterdam to leave a message for Ken so we could cause more havoc that night. I went into one afternoon bar a was attacked by a small lady who said she was very shy and would not show me her tits but she did tell me she would suck me dry, swallow and of course lick my arse. God knows what she would do if she overcomes the shyness.

The afternoons were spent on Perimeter with sample BJ's and a longer one cost 3 drinks (450 pesos). It was fairly strange to hear that the pricing had changed. The trip upstairs had been reduced by 200 peso and the 450 service had gone along with the free samples. I asked when the changes were made and was told last month. I said that was funny because they were on offer last week!!!!!!!!!!!!
It was at this time I encountered an honest bar girl she told the bar next door was better than hers and she was right!!!!!!!!!!!!

At nights I went out with Ken always starting at Bodyshop. I had good fun reading fortunes and often had a queue 6 or 7 deep. One girls wanted to know how I did it and what did I see. The only explanation I could give was that I looked at the hand and then saw a picture in my mind. I tried it in one bar and Mummy joined the queue. I naturally said she was the best Mummy in town who always bought customers a drink and of course I read that one 100% correct. At one place I got a sever pain in the wallet when I found to my cost the ladies drink I bought was 250 peso. The showgirls were 3000 EWR and we kept calling for the cheaper goods to be on display.

I found an absolute doll in one bar and she woke up with me twice making me a very happy man. At least once I slept alone having had a ball draining exercise in the afternoon.

Last day Angeles Phoenix Hotel

I came back to Angeles feeling rough as a badgers bum and went to bed having had only 3 drinks. Sorry if you were in the next room I must have kept you awake with my coughing all night. During the afternoon I did buy a few DVDs and when I was looking at the blue coloured ones with the vendor a motorbike roared up with a uniformed guy on board. I immeadiately thought I had been set up and my last pesos would be donated to the Policeman's Ball. Fortune favoured the brave and he turned out to be a Security Guard who wanted a free look at the covers!

My last afternoon I recovered enough to have a short time with a girl from Thi Hi ( just love stockings and suspenders).


Days 3 to 9 La Union

I caught a bus from Dau Bus Station. I had to wait only a couple of minutes for an aircon bus to arrive. Good value 256 peso for a hour ride. The bus dropped me off out side Bali Hai Resort where I always stay. My plan was to have a relaxing time at Bali Hai and catch up with old friends.

That night after an absence of 5 years I went into Tramps , Ocean Breeze and Footlights the local clubs. I each one someone called me by name. I must have a great customer or they have great staff ( I favour the latter). I read a few palms in Tramps and was describing to one girls that she would meet a tall Aussie with big balls. She then said "That's my late husband" I nearly shit myself I must be getting good at this. That night I took a small lady from Tarlac who gave me a good seeing to. Another night I took a waitress who again showed dedication to duty. I went into Ocean Breeze and was acosted by a waitress who previously worked in another establishment. She had the reputation of the best blow job on the beach. She remembered me but not the previous blow job.

On the Wednesday I went to the PT Trip which I love to go to especially when it is at a new bar /location for me. Great planning saw the PT at the VFW across the road from Bali Hai. I duly got my attendance mark and sneeked out of the back door to go the bar at Bali Hai East along with a few others. A steady afternoon of drinking saw me sink a few in Finnegans and the Footlights. In Footlights I tried to stand up and caught my foot in the footrest of the stool and went arse over tit backwards. I felt fine when I got up but the next morning I had a real pain in my kidney area and a distinct inability to get out of the bed. That persisted for a good few days.

One night I went to the Casino which has been built at Poro Point since my last visit. It was awful and I didn't stay long. The only good point was seeing Cathy (ex Bali Hai) who is a cashier superviser there. That brought back memories when I ask a waitress out fro Bali Hai. As a good girl she couldn't come without a chaperone. As the day progressed more and more asked if they could come. I ended up taking out 8 of the staff to a couple of Discos and back to Bali Hai to eat. Talk about feeling like a dog with 2 dicks I must have had six or seven dicks that night! I paid the tab for the lot and it was well worth it.

One night I had a liaison with a waitress who confessed she had had horizontal pleasures for 10 months. She had some time to make up and just kept coming and coming. I was so good I did the deal for a second night with a bonus payment system in place. She gives me 100 peso every time she comes and I pay her 500 every time I came. In the morning I made my payment and she gave me the full amount back!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Naturally I insisted she keep the whole sum.

The trip back to Angeles was interesting! After stopping several buses on the highway I realised very few went via Dau. I eventually opted for one going to Mabalacat as most were heading that way and then on to the new expressway. A couple of passengers got the bus to stop at a wet and dry fish stall and I noticed the conductor place the purchased items in the luggage bay. Thank goodness no fish smell for the next few hours. What I didn't realise was that he had placed them next to my canvas holdall. I had to scrub it clean and take all my stinking clothes to the laundry. I caught a trike up through Dau to my hotel.

Days 13/16 Baloy Beach Subic

I booked a room at Blue Rock with Ken Tuckey who had never been out of Angeles before. What a pleasant ride it is on the Expressway now. Sure beats going over the lahar fields in the dry season and a long way round in the wet. The bus driver appeared to have a problem with the hand brake and at one time I thought we would be overtaken by an oxen cart!

Early the first evening we tried a few drinks at the bars on the highway. I got on particularly well with a waitress at Midnight Rambler and we were overwhelmed with attention at Alleycats Bar.

For 3 of the afternoons we spent time at the Floating Bar at Blue Rock which was much better than the one further down the beach. On the first visit the dress code was explained to us. White uniform waitress, red uniform GRO and pink uniform GRO with period! Naturally we wanted to see a bit of wildlife and when one in pink went passed us I asked if she would mind going for a swim as we would like to see a shark or too. We offered to pull her onboard before being eaten. Sadly she was not impressed. That was the last day any of the GRO's turned up in pink. One day I lost a 100 peso bet on how many would be in pink.

On the second evening we ventured out to Subic and first hit Players Bar. Lots of fine looking bosoms were shown as each girl did a bit of a dance and strip. We moved on to Kinkys but not before I warned Ken that we would not be the only blokes in there. He was a little intimidated by being massage by what turned out to be a Billy Boy. I asked another Billy Boy if the toilets had been cleaned in the last 5 years since I was in last. After a slight pause he said I think so! A bit disappointing in there as they did not do blow jobs in the bar anymore or was I there on a bad night!

We tried a locals bar where the girls did a full strip. We only wanted to stop for one and we sent the waiter away when he brought us a second round. That was a mistake as it turned out it was a two drink minimum. The crafty bastards had a sign on the door and whisked it open so quick before you get chance to read it. We negotiated a 1 drink policy after that. It was pretty much dead so we had one last visit to Players which was like going to the cinema years ago when they looped the A and B movies. We just got in for the second showing of the girls we had seen earlier. A 15 peso jeepney ride to us back to Barrio Barreto and more suitable entertainment.

On our second afternoon at the floating bar I bought a few pairs of knickers (new) from the one of the staff. That night we went out doing a few deals. I gave a couple of pairs to girls I really liked and then offered a new for old policy for others. I ended up with 3 second hand pairs still warm! One had a rather strong odour and one girl in Club 1 thoughtfully sprayed hers with perfume before she gave them to me. Club 1 was quite the liveliest place for being attacked by the girls. At one stage I had 3 giving me trial blow jobs. The knickers were such a hit they were telling me where to buy more in Olongapo. It then developed into wanting me to buy bras too. Naturally I couldn't do that without knowing sizes. 34a 32b were called out along with lots of other sizes. Of course I did not believe them and had to have a look for size confirmation. So instead of queuing for palm reading I had a queue showing me their tits. Oh happy days.

I never got to Olongapo next day so I had a look around Barrio. I found a stall that had clothing so I asked the girl for knickers. The conversation went something like this:

Me -Do you sell knickers ?
Girl - What size?
Me - Small
Girl - No
Me - Where can I buy some?
Girl - Don't know
Me - Where do you buy yours?
Girl - no answer
Me - I guess you don't wear them then.

I went in another shop. They didn't sell them as it was a second hand shop with clothes from the USA. I was at a loss to think that the larger size ladies in the States could clothe the 32a's from the PI.

Generally speaking the bars in Barrio were a welcome change from Angeles with quite a few diamonds to be found. For the curious reader I will set you a challenge - Find the lady with 3 nipples in one of the Barrio Bars.

The food was excellent at Blue Rock and it again proved to be a great base.

We had a VIP ride back to Angeles as the only 2 customers on the bus.

[size=-2][b][u]EDITOR'S NOTE[/u]:[/b] [blue]I would suggest that the author or another Forum Member consider posting a link to this report in the Reports of Distinction thread. Please [url=http://www.internationalsexguide.info/forum/announcement-reportsofdistinction.php?]Click Here[/url] for more information.[/blue][/size]

uh, why would you pay a DIA girl? Has she told you she P4P? Dont assume....the worst thing you can do is try to treat a normal girl like a hooker. Seriously. Treat it like a normal date...dinner, maybe a movie....but unless SHE brings up $ (in which case I would move on) dont do it. Not every girl in the PI is a hooker...

I'm still making plans to visit the PI, but I've heard you guys talk about a Filipina network that the ladies use to keep track of mongers. It concerned me enough to change my plans earlier this year and go to Europe instead. The problem is that I work with a lot of Filipinas and I don't want them to know that I'm over there bonking their cousins and sisters. Is this really something to be concerned about?

I still plan to go .... but I'm not going to tell ANYONE at work where I'm going. I'm lie and say I'm going to someplace like Indonesia instead.

- DSK

I agree 100% not to treat a DIA girl like a hooker, but they sure do appreciate a nice gift. And most of them do need money, so it's quite easy to give them some cash with a bit of bola bola about here's some money for the taxi for this time and also for next time or to buy themself a little present :)


[QUOTE=Blackangst]uh, why would you pay a DIA girl? Has she told you she P4P? Dont assume....the worst thing you can do is try to treat a normal girl like a hooker. Seriously. Treat it like a normal date...dinner, maybe a movie....but unless SHE brings up $ (in which case I would move on) dont do it. Not every girl in the PI is a hooker...[/QUOTE]

I don't think you meant that literally, but if you tell them you are visiting the Philippines they may give you some phone numbers and ....you may very well be "boinking their cousins and sisters".

I doubt that the working girls in the bars will have any connection with the people you work with. So, are you just worried about the gossip?

If you have a girlfriend or wife who is among these people you work with, there may be some risk that they will suspect you are on a sx tour.

If they are just friends/ colleagues, tell them you are going hiking or diving or something. Offer to buy someone on this list a beer and then you can say you have an "old friend" who lives in the Philippines. Take a camera and take some photos of the tourist spots so that you have an alibi.

If you lie and get caught out, then you will look foolish (and guilty).

I don't think you should be concerned. I think you should be asking them about the Philippines. Then when you book your flight you can thank them for giving you the idea of going to their beautiful country.

Travel photo attached.

X



[QUOTE=Devilspinkick]I'm still making plans to visit the PI, but I've heard you guys talk about a Filipina network that the ladies use to keep track of mongers. It concerned me enough to change my plans earlier this year and go to Europe instead. The problem is that I work with a lot of Filipinas and I don't want them to know that I'm over there bonking their cousins and sisters. Is this really something to be concerned about?

I still plan to go .... but I'm not going to tell ANYONE at work where I'm going. I'm lie and say I'm going to someplace like Indonesia instead.

- DSK[/QUOTE]

Shayman,

Great post: travel information, adventure, humour, sex, drunkeness, falling-down drunkeness --- I think there is a little bit of everything there.

It's been a quarter century since I visited San Fernando, La Union. Was it worth the trip?

Thanks for the great post.

X Man

[QUOTE=Devilspinkick]I'm still making plans to visit the PI, but I've heard you guys talk about a Filipina network that the ladies use to keep track of mongers. It concerned me enough to change my plans earlier this year and go to Europe instead. The problem is that I work with a lot of Filipinas and I don't want them to know that I'm over there bonking their cousins and sisters. Is this really something to be concerned about?

I still plan to go .... but I'm not going to tell ANYONE at work where I'm going. I'm lie and say I'm going to someplace like Indonesia instead.

- DSK[/QUOTE]What they are referring to is the way Filipinos have close family/social networks. Its not uncommon in other nationalities also. Expat filipinas rely on it just like any expat.

I wouldn't let it stop you coming here, in fact I encourage you to visit at least once if you like asian women & you like having sex with lots of beautiful young women at a fraction of the cost of western countries. You'll probably enjoy it a lot.

Don't be embarrassed about your flip work mates knowing you came here for a holiday. Big deal? Tell them as much or as little as you want. Sure maybe they will rib you about it but just smile, ignore them & remember the good times you had... ;)
AV

Thanks for your input X-man but I must say that I'm going to lie my ass off. I have a good gig that allows me to travel and chase chicks fairly often. I'm not going to mess up a good thing by having to explain myself to co-workers. Granted that I'm single and it's already well known that I'm a horn-dog; I just don't want to take the chance of losing my job because some femi-nazi accuses me of being a sex tourist.

I have actually come up with a decent plan. I'll fly to Indonesia and spend a few days there taking pictures and stuff (I've always wanted to visit Borobudur anyway). Then I could catch a flight to Manila and spend a week hitting the Go-Gos there and at Angeles. I'll have nice photos to show of Indonesia and I might mention that I happened to have an unplanned layover in Manila for a few hours (heh, hehe, heh). If only I can pull this off.

It will be my first time visiting the PI and hope it is a step up from Thailand (which I've been to 5 times). Maybe I'll get to visit Lake Taal - seems to be a beautiful place.

Thanks - DSK

Hi X Man

I treat San Fernando as a chill out place. There is entertainment if you want it. I never made it to Poro this trip only passing through of a trike. It looked busy with locals. I used to enjoy the Intercon Disco.

Shayman

Sounds like a good plan. And the way you've explained it, you're not lying at all -- just witholding information!

I'm not sure what you would consider a "step up" from Thailand. The big advantage of PI in my opinion is that the ladies speak English and you can get "girl-friend expierience" (gfe) from p4p girls, and better yet you can get gfe from regular ladies. The latter option is easier once you've learned a bit about the society and culture, but not impossible in your one week time frame -- especially from a horndog like you.

When it comes to food, hotels, exotic culture and history, and stunning p4p, Thailand has many advantages.

Have fun, X


[QUOTE=Devilspinkick]

I have actually come up with a decent plan. I'll fly to Indonesia and ...SNIP

Thanks - DSK[/QUOTE]

Where to concentrate your efforts depends, as others have implied, on what you want from your trip. If it's gorgeous and available women everywhere, great food, a fascinating culture and an extremely interesting country, then head for Thailand. If you're looking for endlessly available women, many of whom will give you GFE and you do not care about the food or the culture, and if the ability to communicate in English is important to you, then choose the Philippines. For me, it would be Thailand every time.

So for a person who speaks Thai like myself then Thailand would be perfect? I keep hearing the women in Thailand don't give GFE but since I speak Thai would I get good GFE no problem or is this unrelated to being able to speak their language? I've been to the PI and I really liked Angeles. I hated the fact that there was not one bar that had drop-dead stunners ONLY. I don't know if your exaggerating about there being gorgeous women everywhere but that would be nice though. I will visit Davao and Makati though first before I go to Thailand. Since Makati supposedly has the hottest working women in PI and Davao is the best place to pick up hot non-working "regular" locals in the PI. That way I can do the same in Thailand and compare.

I'm thinking of venturing to Thailand on a side trip to experience it for the first time.

P.S.. Yes, for those wondering. I do speak a number of languages Thai and Tagalog/Ilocano being three of them. I was a CTI in the Navy for the retired hands amongst us.

[QUOTE=Laylow3]So for a person who speaks Thai like myself then Thailand would be perfect? I keep hearing the women in Thailand don't give GFE but since I speak Thai would I get good GFE no problem or is this unrelated to being able to speak their language? I've been to the PI and I really liked Angeles. I hated the fact that there was not one bar that had drop-dead stunners ONLY. I don't know if your exaggerating about there being gorgeous women everywhere but that would be nice though. I will visit Davao and Makati though first before I go to Thailand. Since Makati supposedly has the hottest working women in PI and Davao is the best place to pick up hot non-working "regular" locals in the PI. That way I can do the same in Thailand and compare.

I'm thinking of venturing to Thailand on a side trip to experience it for the first time.

P.S.. Yes, for those wondering. I do speak a number of languages Thai and Tagalog/Ilocano being three of them. I was a CTI in the Navy for the retired hands amongst us.[/QUOTE]

I would third GE and X. If you were to choose a perfect place for a vacation, I don’t think you could top Thailand. Lovely people, scenery, beaches, food, history and culture. Efficient transport network and great hotels at reasonable prices. Does it get any better? And all this and the best organised p4p scene in Asia.

Admittedly, it is difficult to get a great GFE there anymore, but not impossible, particularly in the more laid back Pattaya.

Lets me get this right. You have never been to Thailand and have only visited The Philippines as a tourist but khun poot pah sah Thai and magsalita ng Tagalog. Khun ben matalinong lalaki!

[QUOTE=Laylow3] Since Makati supposedly has the hottest working women in PI and Davao is the best place to pick up hot non-working "regular" locals in the PI. [/QUOTE]

I'm not so sure that the hottest women working in PI are in Makati anymore. It wasn't very good this last March in my opinion.

[QUOTE=Key Master]I'm not so sure that the hottest women working in PI are in Makati anymore. It wasn't very good this last March in my opinion.[/QUOTE]I dont think this was true for a long time. I will say that the women in the makati bars tend to be presented better. On average I would say they are no better than anywhere else in PI (bars) in fact. people tell me that the KTV bars in Manila that cater for cashed up Asians have the cream of the crop. I've been dragged to them by clients & agree that there is mighty fine eye candy in those places but whether or not they are P4P in the same way as AC & Burgos is a question to be answered.
AV

When I spoke of hoping that the Philippines was an improvement from the LOS I guess I am generally speaking of the attractiveness of the ladies and hopefully that the women are better in the sack. Thai women are OK, but after spending so much time in Europe and South America I'm used to having a wide choice of women of all skin tones and hair colors and when I returned to Bangkok a couple of years ago I simply found Thai women to be rather plain. Also ..... Latin and European women tend to be more aggresive in the sack in my experience and I can get the PSE that I greatly prefer over the "yawn" GFE.

Since I've had the pleasure to work with a lot of Filipinas I already know that there has to be some smoking babes in the PI. Only thing I don't no for sure is whether Filipinas are aggressive in the sack - or if they are shy starfishes. I've beeen told that Filipinas can be nymphos in bed and this is what I'm hoping for. None-the-less, my favorite hunting grounds will continue to be South America and Europe. I just like to visit Asia from time to time.

- DSK

[QUOTE=Gamahucher]Admittedly, it is difficult to get a great GFE there anymore, but not impossible, particularly in the more laid back Pattaya.[/QUOTE]GH, when you say 'difficult', let's keep this in perspective: it's harder than in the Philippines. In absolute terms, it's still pretty easy, if that's your aim. Take a girl out a few times, treat her well, and suddenly, more often than not, you may be surprised with just how GF-like she becomes. The only real difference, as I see it, is that in the PI it happens more often on the first, er, date, while in Thailand you kind of have to prove yourself by going back a couple times.

[QUOTE=Betong]GH, when you say 'difficult', let's keep this in perspective: it's harder than in the Philippines. In absolute terms, it's still pretty easy, if that's your aim. Take a girl out a few times, treat her well, and suddenly, more often than not, you may be surprised with just how GF-like she becomes. The only real difference, as I see it, is that in the PI it happens more often on the first, er, date, while in Thailand you kind of have to prove yourself by going back a couple times.[/QUOTE]

Yes, I know its still far from being difficult, but the great days of the impromptu GFE in LOS are gone. Pull up a sandbag and swing that light - but I remember, in the old days, bar fining girls and spending days with them. Or, on one memorable instance, 1 month down on a beach in Samui. Girls didn't used to be so materialistic and businesslike and there was no such thing as a ST (unless at your preference). I can understand the motivation as, like pro sports players, their careers are short and precarious and they need to make as much possible in as short a time as possible. But it doesn't mean that I have to like it.

In The Philippines, the girls are still of course looking after Number 1 and the main chance. But they are much more willing to enter into a relationship with the punter and at least attempt to give the satisfying illusion of intimacy rather than a cold, calculating business deal. This is why, if you enjoy the GFE over the PSE, the Philippines is the better bet.

[QUOTE=Devilspinkick]When I spoke of hoping that the Philippines was an improvement from the LOS I guess I am generally speaking of the attractiveness of the ladies and hopefully that the women are better in the sack. Thai women are OK, but after spending so much time in Europe and South America I'm used to having a wide choice of women of all skin tones and hair colors and when I returned to Bangkok a couple of years ago I simply found Thai women to be rather plain.[/QUOTE]Well if asian women dont float your boat then you have your answer already DSK.
[QUOTE=Devilspinkick]Also ..... Latin and European women tend to be more aggresive in the sack in my experience and I can get the PSE that I greatly prefer over the "yawn" GFE.[/QUOTE]You can get PSE anywhere in the world if you look for it. LOS is cold commercial no holes barred PSE sex. PI is not noted for it but you can find it. 'Point & fuck' is more of a LOS thing. Pinays can converse in english hence the potential to develop a rapport. They tend to be shyer & less worldly than other asians initially.[QUOTE=Devilspinkick]Since I've had the pleasure to work with a lot of Filipinas I already know that there has to be some smoking babes in the PI. Only thing I don't no for sure is whether Filipinas are aggressive in the sack - or if they are shy starfishes. I've beeen told that Filipinas can be nymphos in bed and this is what I'm hoping for.[/QUOTE]Like I said they tend to be shy & less worldly on average particularly in the poorer levels of their society. In the P4P scene let it be know what you prefer & you will find it. Amongst the non P4P move up the social strata & you start to come across some more confident & adventurous women. They may take a little time to develop trust in you but when they do the result can be very satisfying not to mention exhausting. I personally feel Pinays are warmer. Pinays love westerners & foreigners in general. Thais are more insular. Indonesians tend to be less comfortable with foreigners.[QUOTE=Devilspinkick]None-the-less, my favorite hunting grounds will continue to be South America and Europe. I just like to visit Asia from time to time. - DSK[/QUOTE]Thats cool. So if you have a less than stellar experience you can remember its not your cup of tea to start with.
Cheers & hope you have a great time whatever you choose to do DSK.
AV

A few questions to guy's who have gone to Philippines for work.

If the stay is less than 90 day's do i need a visa ? What happends if my stay is extended after the 90 days ?

I will have a work cell phone on location but i want a personal one. Where do i get a cell phone in Manila (name , address and website would be nice). What are the charger for the cell phone , air time and charges to call to canada ?

Food and entertainement :

On average how much can 3 descent meals cost in a city like Manila ? What are the good local restaurants and the best places to visit ?

Amavida,

Yes, I generally prefer Europeans & Latinas. However I do find Asian women attractive also .... just in a different way. As far a PSE vs. GFE goes it appears we have different definitions of what those terms implies. I have found ample opportunities for GFE in Thailand; but take two Thai women back to your hotel and see how many times one of them locks herself in the bathroom (definitely not PSE friendly). I'm not saying that I want to do threesomes all the time - I just like women that are more "expressive & aggressive" in the sack. That's all. I have met some genuine nymphomaniacs during my time in the LOS but I find it to be a rarity. None-the-less, my yellow fever flares up from time to time and what Mr. Happy wants Mr. Happy gets.

On a side note: 6 months ago I had to contact Orbitz customer care and have my flight to Brazil push up by a week and got to talking with the representative. It turned out that she was calling from the PI. When I told her that I hadn't gotten around to visiting her country yet she replied, "Well when you decide to come, give me a call and I'll pick you up at the airport". Wow! Now that's customer service!

Love life - DSK

[QUOTE=John Jr]A few questions to guy's who have gone to Philippines for work.

If the stay is less than 90 day's do i need a visa ? What happends if my stay is extended after the 90 days ?

I will have a work cell phone on location but i want a personal one. Where do i get a cell phone in Manila (name , address and website would be nice). What are the charger for the cell phone , air time and charges to call to canada ?

Food and entertainement :

On average how much can 3 descent meals cost in a city like Manila ? What are the good local restaurants and the best places to visit ?[/QUOTE]
Unless you arrange otherwise beforehand, you will get a 21 day visitor's visa on arrival. You can extend it at one of the local immigration offices or just pay the accumulated fine on departure.

You can buy cell phones anywhere. There are stores all over the city and you can by used phones at pawn shops. A prepaid sim card will cost you a dollar or two and you can purchase cell time, (called "loads" here) almost anywhere in any amount you like. Calls to N. American are typically about Php15 ($.30) per minute, so you're far better off with Skype Out or one of the other VOIP services. I think I pay slightly over $.01 per minute to the US with Skype Out.

Manila is an enormous city of about 11 million people, and it's impossible to give you the names of all the good restaurants. I suggest you stick to Makati, where good places abound. Try restaurant row in Greenbelt. Italianis, among others, serves very nice food and the prices are not cheap. Assuming you have wine, you can expect to pay $25-$30 a person. On the other hand, the cheaper chain restaurants like Outback are all over the place as well, and there's a TGI Fridays near Greenbelt and also one in Mall of Asia. Hard Rock Cafe is in the same building at TGI Fridays in Makati.

GE

dpk: for the porn star experience you seek, brasileras are the bomb. of course you can find the occasional asian who can be as slutty as a rebecca linares for example, but the odds are much better that brasileras in particular, and latinas in general, will meet your needs.

filipinas, "the most occidental of the orientals", are much more latin like than their se asian sisters. in looks, in attitude, in everything. most are very horny, but they are also very catholic so there is this faustian conflict going on inside most the heads of most filipinas. for example, they love to dance sexy and look in the mirror or do it with other girls, but often if they dance sexy for a guy it will be about 10 seconds followed by giggles and an embarrassed smile. once you get one to get over "hiya" (literally "shame" but more accurately described as the filipino sense of being a "good" or "simple" girl), they can be the best xxx models imaginable.

this is part of why i believe that you need to be with a filipina more than a few hours to truly get the best out of her. you will find that second and third times together with the same girl often result in less inhibitions. many also are fascinated by the idea of watching porn, though few will admit it. fire up a porn dvd in the laptop and she will turn away. but leave it running while you go to the restroom and 90% of the time they will be watching enraptured (peek out from the corner to see rather than letting them know you are returning as they will not want you to see how interested they really are!

Hi I'm in Angeles now and wil o down to Cebu on Friday. I was thinking of going from there to CDO and then overland to Davao and then back from there. There seem to be huge numbers of ready and willing chics online from these places. However a couple of long term viistors here have suggested that Dumaguete is a much more pleasant city to visit. I've looked in the guidebooks and it seems nice. The problem is that there are vey few chics online frommthere so I don't know whether it wilmbe a good hunting ground for GFE types. I understand that its a colege tow but not sure whether people wil be around at Easter. Another possibilityis to find a Cebu girl and take her with me to Dumaguete. Any thoughts from those who have viisted these places?

Yes Surfer, I know Brasil well and I visit that wonderful country frequently - in fact I'll head to Rio again in a couple of weeks. So I get to enjoy good PSE there (and in Europe) on a regular basis. Yet I like variety and as I said before sometimes my "yellow fever" flares up. I prefer short-time to long-term commitments. In between chasing women I like to do cultural stuff and hit the gym ..... during that time chicks tend to slow me down too much.

Is there any particular venue in Manila or AC where they is a good selection of hot and naughty filipinas? Any Charmaine Star look-a-likes? What are the best clubs. After reading stuff on the "Wrong Info" forum I'm thinking twice about visit the PI at all.

We shall see. I appreciate the input none-the-less.

- DSK

[QUOTE=Devilspinkick]Yes Surfer, I know Brasil well and I visit that wonderful country frequently - in fact I'll head to Rio again in a couple of weeks. So I get to enjoy good PSE there (and in Europe) on a regular basis. Yet I like variety and as I said before sometimes my "yellow fever" flares up. I prefer short-time to long-term commitments. In between chasing women I like to do cultural stuff and hit the gym ..... during that time chicks tend to slow me down too much.

Is there any particular venue in Manila or AC where they is a good selection of hot and naughty filipinas? Any Charmaine Star look-a-likes? What are the best clubs. After reading stuff on the "Wrong Info" forum I'm thinking twice about visit the PI at all.

We shall see. I appreciate the input none-the-less.

- DSK[/QUOTE]

I was in two minds about whether to come to PI or not too. Mainly because I remember how wretched the food was 5 years ago. I'm nogt here in AC and the food seems to be a bit better now, thought still the worst in SE Asia.

The clubs in AC seem rather tame and aftera spell in Thailand not worth visiting. The girls on average are a notch down in terms of looks from Thai or other SEA girls, however there is a large number available and not too many punters and with a little effort you can certainly find some great looking ones.

I personally don't like the bar fine system here and in AC its not so easy to pick girls up in the street as the bars fine them if they are caught doing a "sneak out".

I went to Manila 5 years ago and thoughgt it was just too big and chaotic for my liking. Where the PI really scores is with GFE. In contrast to most of Thailand many of the girls here will be willing to hang out with you as long as you like and have an "all you can eat" attitude to sex, with many of them really enjoying it. The other aspect of PI that differentiates it from is the net dating scene. As almost all the girls speak passable English and are looking for foreign bfs the dating sites such as Dateinasia are 80% ful of Filipinas. There are plenty of scmaters amongst them but it makes it very easy to find non of semi pro girls (at least outside places such as AC.

I will be visiting both Manila and Cebu over the next few weeks. I know that this is not a mongering topic, but I am wondering about the tailors there. I bought some suits in China, a few years ago, and they were very good. Are Philippine tailors good? How about the prices?

Any recommendations?

Well you guys have definitely given me a bit to mull over. I'll need to do some further research.

[QUOTE=Devilspinkick]Yes Surfer, I know Brasil well and I visit that wonderful country frequently - in fact I'll head to Rio again in a couple of weeks. So I get to enjoy good PSE there (and in Europe) on a regular basis. Yet I like variety and as I said before sometimes my "yellow fever" flares up. I prefer short-time to long-term commitments. In between chasing women I like to do cultural stuff and hit the gym ..... during that time chicks tend to slow me down too much.

Is there any particular venue in Manila or AC where they is a good selection of hot and naughty filipinas? Any Charmaine Star look-a-likes? What are the best clubs. After reading stuff on the "Wrong Info" forum I'm thinking twice about visit the PI at all.

We shall see. I appreciate the input none-the-less.

- DSK[/QUOTE]

You need to take WI thread with a grain of salt. A large one at that. You can see most guys pretty much think he's FOS.

[QUOTE=Frank Hank]I will be visiting both Manila and Cebu over the next few weeks. I know that this is not a mongering topic, but I am wondering about the tailors there. I bought some suits in China, a few years ago, and they were very good. Are Philippine tailors good? How about the prices?

Any recommendations?[/QUOTE]Umm Frank. Most Filipinos will never wear a suit in their life. Never mind a tie. Except perhaps when they are being buried. As such. Don't bother trying to get suits made in Phils. Thailand is ok. But Shanghai is stilll best.

[QUOTE=Frank Hank]I will be visiting both Manila and Cebu over the next few weeks. I know that this is not a mongering topic, but I am wondering about the tailors there. I bought some suits in China, a few years ago, and they were very good. Are Philippine tailors good? How about the prices?

Any recommendations?[/QUOTE]The "barong" is the formal wear of choice here so suits are not in big demand. China and Korea are good places if you want plenty of choices.

[QUOTE=Frank Hank]I will be visiting both Manila and Cebu over the next few weeks. I know that this is not a mongering topic, but I am wondering about the tailors there. I bought some suits in China, a few years ago, and they were very good. Are Philippine tailors good? How about the prices?

Any recommendations?[/QUOTE]Yes they can be good. Yes they can be cheap. BUT western style suits are less in demand here. The traditional 'Barong' formal wear is still favoured. This is a pair of suit pants over which a funny lookin (to us) shirt type thing is worn. Local tailors outside of Manila can be very very cheap. Tailors in Manila are more familiar with western style suits becuase they are more in demand there.
AV

Go to Byrons in Harrison Plaza, 2nd floor. The owner is a dependable guy, has a number of stores, and does business with a lot of Americans. He travels frequently to California. Prices aren't the best - but they'll get it right.

[QUOTE=Amavida]Yes they can be good. Yes they can be cheap. BUT western style suits are less in demand here. The traditional 'Barong' formal wear is still favoured. This is a pair of suit pants over which a funny lookin (to us) shirt type thing is worn. Local tailors outside of Manila can be very very cheap. Tailors in Manila are more familiar with western style suits becuase they are more in demand there.
AV[/QUOTE]

There's an excellent tailor here called Chardin, around the corner from the Apo View Hotel. This place has made me more than two dozen shirts, as well as pants and a suit and a few barongs, all beautifully done. The prices are quite reasonable, though it's probably the most expensive such shop in Davao. They have a wide selection of excellent cloth as well.

GE

[QUOTE=Amavida] This is a pair of suit pants over which a funny lookin (to us) shirt type thing is worn.
AV[/QUOTE]

They are odd looking to western eyes. A typical Barong is see through and is therefore worn over a white vest or t-shirt. It looks fine on a dark Filipino but not so good on a pale skinned westerner. I have some rather embarrassing photo evidence of the only time that I was talked into wearing one at a formal event. It was back to the boring old short sleeve shirt and tie after I saw the result:D.

[QUOTE=Gamahucher]They are odd looking to western eyes. A typical Barong is see through and is therefore worn over a white vest or t-shirt. It looks fine on a dark Filipino but not so good on a pale skinned westerner. I have some rather embarrassing photo evidence of the only time that I was talked into wearing one at a formal event. It was back to the boring old short sleeve shirt and tie after I saw the result: D.[/QUOTE]Suggest instead of using the barong made from Pina (the semi transparent one) try the linen one. It looks MUCH better on the Western man.

I've worn to a few formal functions and always get good looks, except for the fact tha linen creases easilly.

This is a SEX forum and were talking about shirts. Having a good morning laugh right now.

[QUOTE=FreebieFan]Suggest instead of using the barong made from Pina (the semi transparent one) try the linen one. It looks MUCH better on the Western man.

I've worn to a few formal functions and always get good looks, except for the fact tha linen creases easilly.

This is a SEX forum and were talking about shirts. Having a good morning laugh right now.[/QUOTE]Yeah FF Im having a chuckle too :)
Oh well just to add a little more trivia before returning you to your regular program... The most formal Barong, that which is worn to a wedding, is the semi transparent type made of fibres of pineapple plant. It has special symbolic significance to the locals.
AV

Please forgive me if this has been spoken of before, but I've been searching all over the forums for this kind of information and couldn't find it (about 6 hours).

My question is. Where oh where would I keep an adequate amount of cash in safekeeping? I plan to go to the Philippines in October and want to have enough cash to handle hotels, drinking, girls, and travelling that will tide me over for a month.

At first, I was considering opening a bank account in the Philippines with one of their local banks, deposit cash, get an ATM card from them and withdraw when necessary. However, I had heard that setting up an account was not an easy thing to do.

So, my second option, was only to bring enough cash to last me for my first week and then withdraw as necessary through an international credit card, but I'd heard that using international credit cards was not such a hot idea because of fraud, scams, and so forth. Not to mention the availability of machines in which to withdraw money.

Finally, my third option, was bringing enough cash, keeping it in the hotel safes and taking out as necessary (which would frankly make me paranoid as it is. Since I plan on travelling around the Philippines).

Could any of you Philippines vets please give me some info. On this? What's the best course of action to take?

[QUOTE=Gamahucher]They are odd looking to western eyes. A typical Barong is see through and is therefore worn over a white vest or t-shirt. It looks fine on a dark Filipino but not so good on a pale skinned westerner. I have some rather embarrassing photo evidence of the only time that I was talked into wearing one at a formal event. It was back to the boring old short sleeve shirt and tie after I saw the result:D.[/QUOTE]I did the same thing. I paid 1000P for mine and when I put it with a white t-shirt, it was like I was glowing. After veiwing the pictures, I won't be wearing that again:(

Zackary,

I like to take two ATM cards and store them separately, in case one gets lost, stolen or malfunctions. (I have two different accounts with two different banks that I can withdraw funds from). ATM charges are reasonable, especially considering the fact that you don't have to risk having large amounts of cash stolen. ATM's are more and more common.

If I am going to withdraw money, I'll often ask the hotel security guard to keep any eye on me. They're armed, and happy to do so, particularly if you tip them, like I do.

Hotel safes can be dicey. I've heard stories of guys who have lost money in safes, and it's your word against theirs. There is nothing wrong, though, with keeping a moderate amount of cash in a hotel safe. Withdraw a couple of hundred from the ATM, keep a hundred, and keep the rest in the safe.

I also bought a wire mesh bag that is a portable safe. It has a wire that can be looped around a pipe or item of furniture, and secured with a padlock. This is also good if you have female company that you might not trust around your valuables. This comes in handy for those beach resorts, and many hotels don't have safes.

I prefer to divide up my cash among several pockets, perhaps a waistband under-the-clothes belt, the hotel safe, and my portable safe. The idea is to keep from losing a large bundle of cash --especially because flashing a huge wad of bills can invite trouble.

[QUOTE=Zackary Kr]Please forgive me if this has been spoken of before, but I've been searching all over the forums for this kind of information and couldn't find it (about 6 hours).

My question is. Where oh where would I keep an adequate amount of cash in safekeeping? I plan to go to the Philippines in October and want to have enough cash to handle hotels, drinking, girls, and travelling that will tide me over for a month.

At first, I was considering opening a bank account in the Philippines with one of their local banks, deposit cash, get an ATM card from them and withdraw when necessary. However, I had heard that setting up an account was not an easy thing to do.

So, my second option, was only to bring enough cash to last me for my first week and then withdraw as necessary through an international credit card, but I'd heard that using international credit cards was not such a hot idea because of fraud, scams, and so forth. Not to mention the availability of machines in which to withdraw money.

Finally, my third option, was bringing enough cash, keeping it in the hotel safes and taking out as necessary (which would frankly make me paranoid as it is. Since I plan on travelling around the Philippines).

Could any of you Philippines vets please give me some info. On this? What's the best course of action to take?[/QUOTE]


Just bring a little emergency cash and for the rest just use your ATM from your local bank. The ATM will give you local currency which is what you want and it sure beats exchanging your cash for pesos. I actually bring an ATM card from two different banks just in case something goes wrong. I also notify my banks that I will be overseas.

Sergeant and Southbound,

Thanks for the info. ! I'm now looking into getting 2 different ATM cards to use overseas. Also, the info. About the portable mesh pouch was intriguing. What brand and model are you using?

Unfortunately, where I'm living now (South Korea), I haven't been able to locate that kind of pouch in any of the internet shopping malls yet but it's a great idea for security and would put my mind at ease knowing I'd have that extra safety precaution.

Just as a side note: Excluding the hotel fees.- would about 1000 US in cash sound reasonable as back up? Too much? Too little? (expecting to do some hardcore mongering. Hehe). What amount do you usually feel comfortable handling? Also, how much would be a typical night for hanging out and possibly hooking up in the Manila area? Does about 100 US sound right?

[QUOTE=Zackary Kr]
So, my second option, was only to bring enough cash to last me for my first week and then withdraw as necessary through an international credit card, but I'd heard that using international credit cards was not such a hot idea because of fraud, scams, and so forth. Not to mention the availability of machines in which to withdraw money.
[/QUOTE]

As mentioned earlier, I'd just use your ATM card from your bank and take your withdrawals. I also have two accounts, just in case I can't get enough cash. Not all ATM cards will work in all ATM's there. Some there have different networks than the Plus and Cirrus and aren't accepted. You sometimes have to look for another ATM at another bank. Usually though in the big cities, there is another one very close by. I think you are crazy thinking about taking that much cash with you. Bring some for emergencies and some exchange though. Compared to using your credit card and the charges they most likely charge you, I'd rather pay bank fees for using the ATM card.

I generally go to P.I. for 2 weeks at a time. What works for me is this: I take my ATM card and charge card. My hotel room charges go on my charge card. When I run low on cash (I take about $1500 in crisp $100bills) I use my ATM card and withdraw 10,000p at a time. Sometimes the ATMs will not work, out of service, etc., so don't run completely out of cash. Let your bank know you are traveling to the P.I. so they don't block your card when they see the charges. I put my "big money" in my left pocket, my spending money in my right pocket. My wallet and ID I leave in my room. If you are robbed you try to throw the money from your right pocket one way and run the other way...that's what I've read, never had it happen, knock on wood.

Do what feels comfortable, have a backup plan..a friend at home you can call for $$$ if the worst happens.

In the six years that I have lived here, I've never experienced a time that I could not withdraw money from my US bank using an ATM. True, not all ATMs take all cards, but Metro Banks, which have branches all over the places work fine with most US networks as does HSBC and many of the others. In my opinion, it's nuts to bring lots of cash and then having to worry about it. Better to withdraw 10-20k at a time. As to international credit cards, I use mine sometimes for the larger stores and for hotels. I've never been ripped off, though I cannot say it never happens.

GE

Thanks again to everyone for the useful advice. I posted earlier but my posts seem to be taking forever to get posted. I posted my last message like 7 hours ago and it has yet to be posted on the forum.

[QUOTE=Zackary Kr]
So, my second option, was only to bring enough cash to last me for my first week and then withdraw as necessary through an international credit card, but I'd heard that using international credit cards was not such a hot idea because of fraud, scams, and so forth. Not to mention the availability of machines in which to withdraw money.[/QUOTE]
One item that is not mentioned in previous responses is that using your credit card instead of your debit/ATM card to get cash will usually be treated by your credit card issuer as a cash advance and therefore subject to high interest rates (typically at least 2% per month) from the first day. No grace period like there is for ordinary purchases. In my case, I know the PIN for my credit card so I keep that option as a very last resort, short of having to call a friend back home.

Further, regarding using your credit cards, receipts in the Phils still mostly print your entire card number along with your name (and possibly the expiration date as well). It's not obscured like it would be in the US or the UK. So I only use my credit card for airlines, hotels in the big cities and higher-end retailers, and my debit/ATM card is only used at ATMs.

Nope I do not have a problem but I have a friend that recently ran into a problem while trying to clear immigration while coming back into the States. Obviously as many of us do we take pictures and some of us take video. For me I take my pictures and send them all to my e mail before I leave the Philippines and delete what is downloaded on my computer. I then wipe my SD card clean and upload photo's once I am back home to my computer and transfer to my external hard drive. Thats me being Mr. Safety. However, many go back into States and have photos left in SD card (if you do this your crazy) But my friend left his pics in his hardrive in computer.

Ok my question. He was serriously question due to the fact he went to Cambodia, Thailand, Philippines and China on his trip. I guess thats monger advertisement there. Thats a t shirt in waiting saying Hey check out my bags. Ok they looked at his pics and obviously they enjoyed the pics where they wanted to see more. (probable cause? ). They check out his computer asked for passwords and bingo pics, pics, pics. They really gave him hard time but eventually let him go. I am sure his passport has been red flagged for future searches as well. Here is the question. Does immigration have right to look at your SD card if you do NOT give permission (4th amendment rights) I would ask the same as do they have a right to to search and look at information in hard drive with out our permission? Due we carry Constitutional Rights at customs? Obviously they have a right to look for a degree of illegal narcotics, and items that have security breach. I am interested in what our legal rights would be once being at customs.

[QUOTE=GoodEnough]In the six years that I have lived here, I've never experienced a time that I could not withdraw money from my US bank using an ATM. True, not all ATMs take all cards, but Metro Banks, which have branches all over the places work fine with most US networks as does HSBC and many of the others.

GE[/QUOTE]
The best deal I found was HSBC at in Davao, near Swiss Deli.I felt very safe there with a lot of High End restaurants in the area. It let me take out 20,000 peso at a time, compared to some ATM that had limits as low as 4, 000.

With the Wells Fargo charge of $5 each shot, HSBC saved me a lot of money over a long vacation and I did not have to deal with any of the currency dealers.

Can anyone tell me how difficult it actually is to open a bank account in PI?

Are they familiar with internet banking there at all?

Grateful for all tips.

[QUOTE=Zackary Kr]At first, I was considering opening a bank account in the Philippines with one of their local banks, deposit cash, get an ATM card from them and withdraw when necessary. However, I had heard that setting up an account was not an easy thing to do.[/QUOTE]I have heard the same thing and then I went into BPI last week and I opened a dollar account. I only needed my passport and one more picture ID. I went back yesterday and picked up my ATM card and changed my PIN at the ATM. The ATM card can be used at Cirrus or Maesto ATM worldwide. It takes checks 21 days to clear, but if you put cash, you can withdraw ASAP. For a dollar account you must maintain a $500 balance. And you can bank on line:)

Robb

I have a BPI bank account myself. I opened it 2 years ago and they let me open it with $200. Sounds like minimum changed to $500. Before going to this bank I went to China Bank and PNP. All wanted 2 I. D. S and proof I could stay in Philippines or had legal status. However I have a feeling if I walked into the bank with substantial money I think they would turn a blind eye and say "Yes sir, we will be glad to hold your money, Sign write here on the signature card" and then " you want to deposit "only"$20, 000.

Side Note: Ever notice when money is involved whether at store, resturaunt, shopping or buying anything its always "sir thats P______ ONLY. Only meaning wow what a bargain for me! Imagine buying a piece of crap car. Sir thats ONLY P 250, 000. I feel like I am getting a great deal at an ONLY PRICE! Ha ha just something to laugh at.

[QUOTE=Bob Bowie]The best deal I found was HSBC at in Davao, near Swiss Deli. I felt very safe there with a lot of High End restaurants in the area. It let me take out 20, 000 peso at a time, compared to some ATM that had limits as low as 4, 000.

With the Wells Fargo charge of $5 each shot, HSBC saved me a lot of money over a long vacation and I did not have to deal with any of the currency dealers.[/QUOTE]Ok funny story. I use the HSBC ATM in Global city Manila. Went there to withdraw recently and there's a restaurant opposite ATM entrance. Waitress was cleaning the windows. Got my money exited. Saw her, looked up and smiled. She smiled. We smiled. "Hello, how are you etc". Phone numbers, and lo and behold some few hours later shes in my car. And my digit is getting inserted in that warm fuzzy place we like. Etc.

Sadly next trip when I went to that ATM she wasnt there anymore.

Robb, If I'm not mistaken, you passport would have a differnet visa than those of us who come as tourists. Maybe that is why you could easily open up an account.

X

[QUOTE=Robbaf]I have heard the same thing and then I went into BPI last week and I opened a dollar account. I only needed my passport and one more picture ID. I went back yesterday and picked up my ATM card and changed my PIN at the ATM. The ATM card can be used at Cirrus or Maesto ATM worldwide. It takes checks 21 days to clear, but if you put cash, you can withdraw ASAP. For a dollar account you must maintain a $500 balance. And you can bank on line:)

Robb[/QUOTE]

[quote=dcand4]nope i do not have a problem but i have a friend that recently ran into a problem while trying to clear immigration while coming back into the states. obviously as many of us do we take pictures and some of us take video. for me i take my pictures and send them all to my e mail before i leave the philippines and delete what is downloaded on my computer. i then wipe my sd card clean and upload photo's once i am back home to my computer and transfer to my external hard drive. thats me being mr. safety. however, many go back into states and have photos left in sd card (if you do this your crazy) but my friend left his pics in his hardrive in computer.

ok my question. he was serriously question due to the fact he went to cambodia, thailand, philippines and china on his trip. i guess thats monger advertisement there. thats a t shirt in waiting saying hey check out my bags. ok they looked at his pics and obviously they enjoyed the pics where they wanted to see more. (probable cause? ). they check out his computer asked for passwords and bingo pics, pics, pics. they really gave him hard time but eventually let him go. i am sure his passport has been red flagged for future searches as well. here is the question. does immigration have right to look at your sd card if you do not give permission (4th amendment rights) i would ask the same as do they have a right to to search and look at information in hard drive with out our permission? due we carry constitutional rights at customs? obviously they have a right to look for a degree of illegal narcotics, and items that have security breach. i am interested in what our legal rights would be once being at customs.[/quote]in the usa, customs definitely have the right to search your laptop, camera, sd cards, whatever. just think about it. ****s would be able to export their wares easy if they couldn't.

Zackary,

My safe is a Pacsafe TravelSafe 100, available via this link:
[url]http://www.corporatetravelsafety.com/catalog/pacsafe-travel-safe-p-310.html[/url]

I was very pleased with my purchase.

I knew a couple of Dutch guys who would stay for a month and put everything on a credit card. So they charged the room, most or many of their meals, and their laundry. There is no need to carry huge amounts of cash or to exchange money, and once these expenses are paid, you won't need a ton of cash. I just prefer to pay as I go.

I also forgot to mention that you have to watch that Filipinos don't try to stick you with an additional fee for a credit card, including American Express. They're not supposed to do it, but the SOB's commonly do this in the Philippines.

I'll also take a couple of hundred in US 100$ notes. This is a backup in case the ATM's are down, and come in handy if you're out in the boonies and are out of pesos.

By the way, a common problem is having too much money. I've cashed US hundred dollar bills and have had the changer try to give me all 1000 Peso notes! Outside of your hotel, the casino, or major stores, you simply can't change big peso notes.

This is even worse in the province. I was in the Camotes, and the whole economy seemed to run on nickels and dimes. A hundred Peso note was like a $10,000 bill.

So I buy a coin purse and keep all of my coins and small notes (20's and 50's). Otherwise, the taxi driver is going to pretend like he doesn't have change for a 100 Peso note.

It's appalling how many stores don't have change. Here in America we take it for granted that a cashier starts with a change/cash drawer.

So hoard your small bills and coins.

[QUOTE=SergeantRay]Zackary,

My safe is a Pacsafe TravelSafe 100, available via this link:
[url]http://www.corporatetravelsafety.com/catalog/pacsafe-travel-safe-p-310.html[/url]
I was very pleased with my purchase.


I also purchased a Pacsafe a few years ago. Mine was the one that looks like a net that you can put a backpack inside it. My advice is to not be overly confident in it. They use hardened steel cables in it's construction. One day I was curious as to just how tough and secure this divice is. I grabbed a good set of standard wire cutters (side cutters). With some effort I was able to cut clean through one of the cables. Yes, it is a tough cable but it is fairly easily compromised. It is good for keeping the honest guys out of your stuff but if someone has the right tools they can easily get in. I no longer use mine.

Southbound69

[quote=dcand4]nope i do not have a problem but i have a friend that recently ran into a problem while trying to clear immigration while coming back into the states. obviously as many of us do we take pictures and some of us take video. for me i take my pictures and send them all to my e mail before i leave the philippines and delete what is downloaded on my computer. i then wipe my sd card clean and upload photo's once i am back home to my computer and transfer to my external hard drive. thats me being mr. safety. however, many go back into states and have photos left in sd card (if you do this your crazy) but my friend left his pics in his hardrive in computer.

ok my question. he was serriously question due to the fact he went to cambodia, thailand, philippines and china on his trip. i guess thats monger advertisement there. thats a t shirt in waiting saying hey check out my bags. ok they looked at his pics and obviously they enjoyed the pics where they wanted to see more. (probable cause? ). they check out his computer asked for passwords and bingo pics, pics, pics. they really gave him hard time but eventually let him go. i am sure his passport has been red flagged for future searches as well. here is the question. does immigration have right to look at your sd card if you do not give permission (4th amendment rights) i would ask the same as do they have a right to to search and look at information in hard drive with out our permission? due we carry constitutional rights at customs? obviously they have a right to look for a degree of illegal narcotics, and items that have security breach. i am interested in what our legal rights would be once being at customs.[/quote]


yes they have the right and they can confirep001e your pc and tear it apart and also confirep001e all your software if they want. you have no rights to privacy upon entry. i am not a lawyer but this shit is public knowledge located all over the internet.

[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/border_search_exception[/url]
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/united_states_v._arnold[/url]

back in 06’ i was stopped at lax. they saw the multiple visa stamps from thailand etc…and so they went looking. found no nudy photos of my own but did find some photos from lbfm.net (that i forgot about) and some iraq beheading videos (from now defunct orgish.com.) they gave me the third degree asking me how did i get my job etc, "do you have college degree?" when i told him i wanted to see a lawyer they told me they can hold me there indefinitely until i answer their questions.

i was about start “showing my black ass” but then i thought about my ex-wife who was waiting on me and just complied with their stupid and pointless demands.

the whole ordeal had racial overtones. the whole thing went downhill when the luggage inspector asked “wow your job must pay a lot”….and i told him if it didn’t i wouldn’t be able to travel. all white screeners and pocket full of money black 20 something year old soooooo…..

then the mother fucker had the nerve to tell me he expects better behavior from someone who works for the government.

i was beside myself with anger and even till this day it pisses me off when i think about it but in retrospect if i got to be inconvenienced so they can catch bin laden “wanna bes” and ****s then i guess it is cool.

[url]http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=showin%20naked%20ass[/url]

[QUOTE=Piet Riet]Can anyone tell me how difficult it actually is to open a bank account in PI?

Are they familiar with internet banking there at all?

Grateful for all tips.[/QUOTE]

You need a permanent resident visa. You can also have a Filipino that you "trust" open a joint with you.

[QUOTE=Robbaf]I have heard the same thing and then I went into BPI last week and I opened a dollar account. I only needed my passport and one more picture ID. I went back yesterday and picked up my ATM card and changed my PIN at the ATM. The ATM card can be used at Cirrus or Maesto ATM worldwide. It takes checks 21 days to clear, but if you put cash, you can withdraw ASAP. For a dollar account you must maintain a $500 balance. And you can bank on line:)

Robb[/QUOTE]Hey Robb,

That information sounds hopeful. Anyone else tried this recently? I read some article (can't remember where I saw it) that the Philippine banks were changing their policies for foreigners and only requiring about 2 forms when there were a ton of forms required before.

It sounds like it's a newer policy nowadays. Can anyone else confirm this?

I actually to the opposite of what was suggested. I bring enough cash to get me out of an emergency and do not spend it until the last few days of my trip that way I have don't have to carry large amounts of cash I just my atm card throughout my entire trip and just keep around 7 to 8 hundred hidden in my bags, pockets, hotel safe and any combination of those hiding places. That way I don't have to carry large amounts of cash and just live off my atm I usually spend a few hundred dollars a couple of days before I leave so I can save on the atm fees and bring home the rest.

This is sooooo true! If you get off the beaten track you would be surprised at how hard it is to use big bills!

In Ormoc Leyte, at the largest hotel in town, I paid for a few days in cash (early evening so maybe the cashier was gone) and they didn't have the 60 pesos in change. I suggested they just pay me back later. That night when I got back to the hotel, they handed me a plastic bag with 60 pesos in coin.

X

[QUOTE=SergeantRay]By the way, a common problem is having too much money. I've cashed US hundred dollar bills and have had the changer try to give me all 1000 Peso notes! Outside of your hotel, the casino, or major stores, you simply can't change big peso notes.

This is even worse in the province. I was in the Camotes, and the whole economy seemed to run on nickels and dimes. A hundred Peso note was like a $10,000 bill.

So I buy a coin purse and keep all of my coins and small notes (20's and 50's). Otherwise, the taxi driver is going to pretend like he doesn't have change for a 100 Peso note.

It's appalling how many stores don't have change. Here in America we take it for granted that a cashier starts with a change/cash drawer.

So hoard your small bills and coins.[/QUOTE]

I went to a suburb of Manila in '94 (can't remember the name) and the entire town ground to a halt when I tried to change $10 worth of Peso. It was as if someone rose from the dead!

If had told anyone this, they would never have believed it.

[QUOTE=Bob Bowie]The best deal I found was HSBC at in Davao, near Swiss Deli.I felt very safe there with a lot of High End restaurants in the area. It let me take out 20,000 peso at a time, compared to some ATM that had limits as low as 4, 000.

With the Wells Fargo charge of $5 each shot, HSBC saved me a lot of money over a long vacation and I did not have to deal with any of the currency dealers.[/QUOTE]
It's true that HSBC is the best deal in town, but it's nowhere near Swiss Deli. It's about 100 meters from the Venue, across the street from the National Bank building and diagonally across from Bigby's. It's also the only HSBC branch in the city.

GE

What's with the guys who travel with cash? I don't get it. I've been traveling across Asia since 2000 and have brought nothing but my ATM and $500 for emergency. My bank statement showed a deduction of $2 for whatever amount i withdrew and i find it quite a bargain for the convenience of not bringing cash.
Bringing cash involves asking for perfect bills from your bank at home, which is not always possible, and involves keeping them in good conditions on the trip. When you loose them, you loose everything. With my ATM, I just loose a piece of plastic.

[QUOTE=Columpuss]What's with the guys who travel with cash? I don't get it. I've been traveling across Asia since 2000 and have brought nothing but my ATM and $500 for emergency. [/QUOTE]

Sometimes ATM cards don't work.

I have had cards rejected in AC for example and had to hunt out other ATMs. This is often because of ATM malfunction. I always bring enough cash to enable me to get by for a week or so and never had a problem.

If you have not had any problems in the Phils then you are lucky basically.

However with your $500 you are covered anyhow.

[QUOTE=X Man]Robb, If I'm not mistaken, you passport would have a differnet visa than those of us who come as tourists. Maybe that is why you could easily open up an account. X[/QUOTE]They just looked at my passport for identification, never looked at my visa status. I dropped $2500 cash, so maybe they just said never mind and took it. I really didn't think there was any requirements on living in the PI.

Funny story is that I went to BPI on-line and registered for on-line banking. I received an email stating that they received my request and they would call me. Sure enough, today I received a car to verify that it was me who was trying to access my account on-line. Goodshit.philippines:)

Robb

GE, I guess I have the name, wrong. If you leave Swiss Deli and take the large pedestrian bridge to cross the busy street you will exit the bridge near a corner pharmacy. If you walk past the pharmacy toward Microtell Hotel/ McDonald's, it should be the first or second business from the pharmacy. I may have the name wrong, but I remember going there at least twice because it was convenient and allowed the largest withdraw amount I could find.

Also the area was nice, I ate at a few of the restaurants near the bank and enjoyed the late night bakeries.


I also bought the pacsafe for my last trip. I ended up not using it once because it just was not worth the hasle for me. The only concern I had was someone stealing my laptop, and I always looked for a place in the room to hide it. I should have used the pacsafe more, but I was just lazy and useally just wanted to get out the room and find some P*****.


As far as the customs, I got red flagged my first 2 times and had my stuff checked and my digital camera searched when I arrived home from Manila. The last trip, when they asked where I was comming from, I said Hong Kong, since that is where I changed planes for the flight home. No problems that time, I was just some middled aged white guy on a businees trip.

BB: Homeland security already KNOWS where you are coming from before you answer. You are VERY lucky that answering HK (your transit point) did not get you flagged for secondary. If you failed to list the Philippines on your customs form you have committed a Federal Felony. In sum, you didgeed a bullet but i would NOT make a habit of it.

On the form where you list countries visited you could list HK first but omitting a country you visited (and they can tell without looking at your passport stamps) is a dangerous game indeed. Out of almost 40 trips to the PI I have gotten flagged upon return a total of twice (and once because I listed the generic viagra I was bringing back as you are REQUIRED TO DO).

If you have racy pictures better to send them home electronically then delete from memory stick or at least hide the memory stick (and have another stick with touristy pics in the camera).

Also be aware that pornograpy is illegal in the PI (and they are more prudish that CBP here at home) so you don't want to get caught there either.

Many tks to all for the info.

I'll give it a go.

Happy Hunting!

PR

Hi ,

I am planning to visit Banaue in the first week of June. Is autobus the only bus service to gat up there. Do they have assigned seating or free seating . Could anyone suggest a good clean hotel to stay there. Any recoomendations on Bataad

[QUOTE=X Man]This is sooooo true! If you get off the beaten track you would be surprised at how hard it is to use big bills!

X[/QUOTE]Yes very true and you notice the ATM's will only give you 1000 or 500 peso notes.

The way to beat this is always get foreign currency from your own bank before you leave. I usually request 200 US dollars worth of pesos but i request it all in small bills. This way you have plenty of 20 - 200 peso notes for things like taxis and tipping.

If you have ever had the frustration of trying to pay a 60 peso taxi fare with a 500 or 1000 peso bill this will save you a huge headache.

[QUOTE=Rubberyman]Sometimes ATM cards don't work.

I have had cards rejected in AC for example and had to hunt out other ATMs. This is often because of ATM malfunction. I always bring enough cash to enable me to get by for a week or so and never had a problem.

If you have not had any problems in the Phils then you are lucky basically.

However with your $500 you are covered anyhow.[/QUOTE]I would have agreed with bringing little cash until a few years back when the earthquake destroyed the cable carrying communications from Asia to the western nations. There was a huge line at checkout at my hotel. People getting their credit/debit cards refused for no reason. Even calls to Visa, Mastercard etc were of no help. I was able to get away with cash. And get to my plane. Left about 60 people to miss their flights. And probably had to stay another day or late departure. A few hours later it was discovered what happened. And I was thankful I had that cash. Remember Asia is not the safest as far as earthquakes. Floods. Etc. And other things that could make your life hell for a short time.

[QUOTE=Surfer]Homeland security already KNOWS where you are coming from before you answer.... If you failed to list the Philippines on your customs form you have committed a Federal Felony. In sum, you didgeed a bullet but i would NOT make a habit of it ... but omitting a country you visited (and they can tell without looking at your passport stamps) is a dangerous game indeed.[/QUOTE]

Surfer, thanks for sharing this info, but how to you know this? How does Homeland Security know what countries you've been to? (Because they get copies of flight logs?) Omitting a country you visited is a felony? What if you forget one?

[QUOTE=One Eyed Man]... how to you know this? How does Homeland Security know what countries you've been to?[/QUOTE]Hey OEM, one of my business's is in the security industry. Our travel movements are logged trust me. In my home country (Australia) the government is phasing in Passports with a chip in them. Its all stored & available to officials. Airlines log your details. Airports log your details. etc etc. These day's there is no horseing around when dealing with officials in airports. Answer all questions truthfully & don't carry anything you should'nt be carrying because its all deadly serious now.

Im recent years, on return to Australian airports, I have been pulled aside many times & put through the 'third degree' with questions, thorough x-ray & bag search down to the last detail. My crime? Im flagged because Im a frequent traveller to Asia (I live in PI) thats all... Some of the bitches who work in Australian customs are real sneering ball breaking smart arses. I dont let them get to me, when they are doing their little act i just tune out & think of the last wonderful session I had with a chick before getting on the plane. :)

These day's, before travel, I 'sterilise' my electronic devices of any pics/info that could give these goons in customs something to annoy me with.
AV

[QUOTE=Amavida]Hey OEM, one of my business's is in the security industry. Our travel movements are logged trust me. In my home country (Australia) the government is phasing in Passports with a chip in them. Its all stored & available to officials. Airlines log your details. Airports log your details. etc etc. These day's there is no horseing around when dealing with officials in airports. Answer all questions truthfully & don't carry anything you should'nt be carrying because its all deadly serious now.

Im recent years, on return to Australian airports, I have been pulled aside many times & put through the 'third degree' with questions, thorough x-ray & bag search down to the last detail. My crime? Im flagged because Im a frequent traveller to Asia (I live in PI) thats all... Some of the bitches who work in Australian customs are real sneering ball breaking smart arses. I dont let them get to me, when they are doing their little act i just tune out & think of the last wonderful session I had with a chick before getting on the plane. :)

These day's, before travel, I 'sterilise' my electronic devices of any pics/info that could give these goons in customs something to annoy me with.
AV[/QUOTE]

Well AV at least in our arrival card you only need to put down where you spent the longest amount of time in so in my case its always HK or China which is 100% accurate.

I agree with your view that the airport security has changed for the worse especialy the USA ports of entry, not as bad in Australia yet but that may change as well..

So my advice is the same as AV be nice smile a lot and dont leave any electronic evidence of what you have been doing, I am not a photo guy in the bedroom type so my memory cards are always wholesome and so is my lptop etc....

Enjoy

Wizard

[QUOTE=Devils 1]The way to beat this is always get foreign currency from your own bank before you leave. I usually request 200 US dollars worth of pesos but i request it all in small bills. This way you have plenty of 20 - 200 peso notes for things like taxis and tipping.[/QUOTE]
What do you get for a exchange rate?

[quote=piet riet]can anyone tell me how difficult it actually is to open a bank account in pi?

are they familiar with internet banking there at all?

grateful for all tips.[/quote]i have an hsbc account in a couple of countries, so when i went to open one in pi i had no problem. their internet transfer system between banks works fairly well. at the time i did not have a permanent resident visa, only a tourist stamp. i now do, and there are some restrictions on moving money between accounts unless you have a permanent residence visa, but that just meant writing my rep in the manila branch and she made all the moves. around the same time, i also opened an account in a pi bank, one of the biggest. had no problem opening the account, but managing it became very difficult, standing in line, transfers "lost" etc. might mention, if you are a u. s. citizen, you are required by law to file an annual disclosure with the irs on holding a foreign bank account with more than $10k u. s. nothing to do with reporting interest income on your return, separate filing with the treasury department, failure to do so is big in fines and confirep001ions.

matius

[QUOTE=Robbaf]What do you get for a exchange rate?[/QUOTE]It is always moving with the current exchange rates. They will give you the rate when you request it. If memory serves it is close to the going rate, but it is only roughly $200 you are exchanging. But the amount lost in the exchange rate is made up 10XX in the amount of headaches saved.

[quote=surfer]bb: homeland security already knows where you are coming from before you answer. you are very lucky that answering hk (your transit point) did not get you flagged for secondary. if you failed to list the philippines on your customs form you have committed a federal felony. in sum, you didgeed a bullet but i would not make a habit of it.

on the form where you list countries visited you could list hk first but omitting a country you visited (and they can tell without looking at your passport stamps) is a dangerous game indeed. out of almost 40 trips to the pi i have gotten flagged upon return a total of twice (and once because i listed the generic viagra i was bringing back as you are required to do).

if you have racy pictures better to send them home electronically then delete from memory stick or at least hide the memory stick (and have another stick with touristy pics in the camera).

also be aware that pornograpy is illegal in the pi (and they are more prudish that cbp here at home) so you don't want to get caught there either.[/quote]alright so let me play "devils advocate" here. if what you all are saying is correct. it is illegal for some reason for me to have naked pictures/videos on my laptop or in my camera/camcorder? or have we gotten a bit ahead of ourselves here and made some kind of an assumption that these women are ****?

because from the tone of these postings you are giving the impression that either customs makes the assumption that every naked person recorded is either **** or that they were paid to have sex. in either case how could they prove either of these things without tracking all of the "naked people" down and verifying this info?

also, how do they know these images were made in there country on this voyage rather than some other country or in fact made in the "western" world and taken along on the vacation for our viewing pleasure.

i am just trying to get some clarification here rather than a climate of fear which seems to be starting from this topic.

good points devil.

other questions for those that were stopped and let go -- did they require you to delete your pictures? did they explain what the problem was?

x




[quote=devils 1]alright so let me play "devils advocate" here. if what you all are saying is correct. it is illegal for some reason for me to have naked pictures/videos on my laptop or in my camera/camcorder? or have we gotten a bit ahead of ourselves here and made some kind of an assumption that these women are ****?

because from the tone of these postings you are giving the impression that either customs makes the assumption that every naked person recorded is either **** or that they were paid to have sex. in either case how could they prove either of these things without tracking all of the "naked people" down and verifying this info?

also, how do they know these images were made in there country on this voyage rather than some other country or in fact made in the "western" world and taken along on the vacation for our viewing pleasure.

i am just trying to get some clarification here rather than a climate of fear which seems to be starting from this topic.[/quote]

[quote=devils 1]alright so let me play "devils advocate" here...
i am just trying to get some clarification here rather than a climate of fear which seems to be starting from this topic.[/quote]commercial pornography is certainly not legal in some places, asian women often look young for their age & could be mistaken for **** etc etc..
as one travels from country to country it becomes problematic remembering what is legal from one place to another.
the point of the warnings about not to carry naughty pics on your device is to avoid potential problems with officials. at the end of a long tiring flight standing in front of some bloody customs/immigration goon with sweeping powers you're not gonna be in a position to play perry mason old son.
i've read reports in the past from us mongers getting a pretty hard time of it about such things returning to their own country.
research the posts on isg. you may be surprised. ymmv.
take care.
av

[quote=devils 1]alright so let me play "devils advocate" here. if what you all are saying is correct. it is illegal for some reason for me to have naked pictures/videos on my laptop or in my camera/camcorder? or have we gotten a bit ahead of ourselves here and made some kind of an assumption that these women are ****? [/quote]

no it is not illegal to have porn or naked “adult” women. as in my case when they spotted the photos on my laptop from lbfm.net that just made them look harder ("he's been to thailand, philippines he has images" )so it’s best not to have none of that shit in the first place.

i mean if you don’t have anything “illegal” you have nothing to worry about but who wants to be held up, questioned and embarrassed as assholes go through your porn stash and personal photos?

[quote=devils 1]because from the tone of these postings you are giving the impression that either customs makes the assumption that every naked person recorded is either **** or that they were paid to have sex. in either case how could they prove either of these things without tracking all of the "naked people" down and verifying this info? [/quote]

they don’t care if you paid for sex. they do care if you paid for sex with children. they will look long and hard at those photos and if they look like kids to them then you are fucked. your shit will be seized and you will possibly be jailed on the spot or have a court date given to you.

[quote=devils 1]also, how do they know these images were made in there country on this voyage rather than some other country or in fact made in the "western" world and taken along on the vacation for our viewing pleasure. [/quote]

again. they are looking for naked or deviant acts by or with children and osama-bin ladenesque activities. they don’t care when, where or how the images were taken.

[quote=devils 1]i am just trying to get some clarification here rather than a climate of fear which seems to be starting from this topic. [/quote]

hope this helped.

my only problem was with the questioning. they made an issue of the iraq beheading videos from orgish.com ("why do you have this on your pc?") they found my answer unsatisfactory.

i was repeatedly asked “how did you get your job?” “do you have a college degree?” these questions had nothing to do with me being a **** or terrorist. they were simply jealous and just wanted to give me a hard time but i must admit i was being a bit arrogant. but just a year before that i was broke as hell financially so…..new money.

[url]http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=new+money[/url]


[quote=x man]good points devil.

other questions for those that were stopped and let go -- did they require you to delete your pictures? [/quote]

no i did not have to delete my photos as they came from a well known site.


[quote=x man]did they explain what the problem was? [/quote]

yep. they asked why i didn’t put a us address down on my immigration card since i am a citizen. my job requires me to travel frequently so i had no permanent address at that time in the states but i was using a p.o. box. the p.o. is what caused the red flag.

now i just use dear old mom’s address even though i have not lived in that city since 05’ but since then everything is kosher.

Also with nude pics of sex acts or just women in particular, if they suspect (since asian women do look younger than they really are) but can't prove.

They can always add your name to the "Always check" list. Where each and every time you travel abroad you will be hassled and searched. So why give them reason.

They are already suspicious of any single older men traveling to SEA, so why add to it. But do as you like, it will be you who has to live with the consequences.

just remember. when you enter the us they can seize whatever they wish and are not required to provide you with anything other than a receipt for the items confirep001ed. they are not at all obligated to tell you if it's your massive collection of beaver shots, your mp3's, or the leaked box office release they found on your hard disk.

the typical customs agent starts at gs-5 ($29k to $38k) or gs-7 ($34k to $43k). this is a underpaid guy who puts up with the insecurities of having a shitty job. playing fetch with the drug dogs and busting tourists are the only highs they get. these underpaid sophisticates also have unlimited power to f**k with you. right there, and far into the future. one keystroke puts you into the suspicious persons category and at that point you might as well travel by horse.

the best thing you can do is find some online service that's not hosted in the us and upload your files. i know it's tough to go half a day without your collection of beaver snaps or pirated music. but it might mean you get to keep your notebook.

[QUOTE=ShadowAxis]One keystroke puts you into the suspicious persons category and at that point you might as well travel by horse.[/QUOTE]I apparently got put onto one of these lists about 15 years ago and it was no fun at all. Special treatment *every* time I entered the US. They even knew me by name. They never showed much interest in my computer -- that wasn't a big thing back then -- but they went through everything else with a fine-toothed comb. Looking for drugs, I suppose, on the basis that I lived in Thailand and therefore HAD to be doing something dubious.

The good news is that you can eventually fall off these lists. At least I did, either because they figured out that I wasn't an international drugs kingpin after all, or else that after 9/11 they had bigger things to worry about. But now I guess things are getting back to normal, because they seem to have plenty of time to snoop into the computers of ordinary innocent travelers.

[QUOTE=Thatguy865]Also with nude pics of sex acts or just women in particular, if they suspect (since asian women do look younger than they really are) but can't prove.

They can always add your name to the "Always check" list. Where each and every time you travel abroad you will be hassled and searched. So why give them reason.

They are already suspicious of any single older men traveling to SEA, so why add to it. But do as you like, it will be you who has to live with the consequences.[/QUOTE]

This does seem to have become a serious issue recently and is an outrageous extension of the police state. An Ozzie friend returned from 2 weeks in th Phils yesterday and was stoped by customs and they spent 40 mins searching his camera and phone. They claim its random, but obviously they are profiling middle aged guys travelling alone to SEA.

He had deleted all naughty pics so was fine.

I'm from the UK does anyone have any feedback on whether UK customs have started to take a similar policy?

Friend, but then you go on to describe what a few people have described already.

WHat is missing is details.

Did your friend ask what they were looking for?

X

[QUOTE=GregLondon]This does seem to have become a serious issue recently and is an outrageous extension of the police state. An Ozzie friend returned from 2 weeks in th Phils yesterday and was stoped by customs and they spent 40 mins searching his camera and phone. They claim its random, but obviously they are profiling middle aged guys travelling alone to SEA.

He had deleted all naughty pics so was fine.

I'm from the UK does anyone have any feedback on whether UK customs have started to take a similar policy?[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=X Man]Friend, but then you go on to describe what a few people have described already.

WHat is missing is details.

Did your friend ask what they were looking for?

X[/QUOTE]
I just came back from 6 weeks in Philippines and have been there 12 times now.The last 4 entries into the USA I have had my luggage searched. This time as I was waiting for my bag at the carousel the agent comes up to me and asks where i traveled to and how long I stayed and how many times I have been to Philippines. After I told him he patiently waited with me for my bag and told me to follow him. He checked my camera pics and did a quick hand search of my luggage but to me if I was actually hiding something in there he would not have found it. Makes me wonder why he bothered. I did ask him what red flags I brought up and he said the 3 things you answered are all red flags.. He also said in my demeaner I acted nervous ( whatever that means )..lol.. i said i think its natural to act nervous when your being questioned by any officer of the law. Anyway I did'nt have anything anyway not even naked filapina pics as i had sent them to my e-mail before I left Cebu. I am going back again in August so i will be expecting another trip to the luggage inspection table when i get back

[QUOTE=GregLondon]This does seem to have become a serious issue recently and is an outrageous extension of the police state. An Ozzie friend returned from 2 weeks in th Phils yesterday and was stoped by customs and they spent 40 mins searching his camera and phone. They claim its random, but obviously they are profiling middle aged guys travelling alone to SEA.

He had deleted all naughty pics so was fine.

I'm from the UK does anyone have any feedback on whether UK customs have started to take a similar policy?[/QUOTE]Im an Ozzie living PI. I can confirm that almost every time I re-enter Australia in the last 4 years I have been dragged off to the separate search area & put through this crap of extensive bagged search & in depth questioning. I actually build in the delay to my time-table these days. It seems to be even worse at smaller air ports such as Coolangatta/Gold coast. I think these goons are just doing it out of boredom. They never answer my question as to why I am targeted.
AV

[QUOTE=Amavida]Im an Ozzie living PI. I can confirm that almost every time I re-enter Australia in the last 4 years I have been dragged off to the separate search area & put through this crap of extensive bagged search & in depth questioning. I actually build in the delay to my time-table these days. It seems to be even worse at smaller air ports such as Coolangatta/Gold coast. I think these goons are just doing it out of boredom. They never answer my question as to why I am targeted.
AV[/QUOTE]Wow.. theres a lot of learning going on here about stuff I never imagined happened. Thankfully my trips are generally within Asia..ocassionally Europe, and have never been searched. Good job as theres lots of bad stuff on phones and camera!

[QUOTE=FreebieFan]Wow.. theres a lot of learning going on here about stuff I never imagined happened. Thankfully my trips are generally within Asia..ocassionally Europe, and have never been searched. Good job as theres lots of bad stuff on phones and camera![/QUOTE]

Adding my bit to the learning. Try to vary your destinations and go to a few countries that are not what they call a "source country". I used to get hit all the time coming back to New Zealand from Asia, mainly Hong Kong and Thailand. I once asked a customs ape during the search what profile I matched and he said single male traveller, returning from a "source country" (drugs, taxable goods, contraband etc), purchased ticket on-line, and purchased ticket recently (I'd be suspicious, too). The next trip I returned from China and in response to my polite query the ape said "we get lots of hits from Asia". The searches stopped once I'd done a few trips to Japan and South Korea which are respectable enough tourist destinations. I didn't get pulled for several trips after that, until my most recent to Thailand and Taiwan, an odd combination which sparked the interest of the passport desk ape who wrote a long electronic report for the search chimps in the baggage area. Sure enough I got pulled and interrogated by the rudest public servant I've ever encountered. Interesting thing was that I never got searched. The reason being frequent travel to a wide number of destinations, no customs intelligence file on me and no criminal record. I don't seem to fit their profile any more, so they didn't bother searching.

It also helps if you have a good cover story. I got into trouble with the passport desk simian because I couldn't think of anything to say when he asked what the highlight of the trip was. I was a bit tired after the 12 hour flight for quick thinking and am too bashful to be honest about the highlight. I recovered for the later interrogation. It helps to be sarcastic with them. It shows your not nervous. Also be familiar with your country's customs officer code of conduct etc that they sign along with their employment contract, relevant legislation etc. The one I had was wrong on a point of legislation, incorrectly altered a document and was rude. If I hadn't been so tired I would have had her. Remember that everything is video and audio recorded so if they are out of line there is evidence. If you know your complaints procedures and have a lot of time on your hands, then you can make a little trouble for them. It help sometimes to remind them that they are servants not masters. And their boss hates having to deal with complaints. These are not people who did well in school.

I also never have anything but the most innocuous stuff on my laptop. There are dozens of free photo upload and storage services available. Use them.

When I started traveling I would go all over Asia, now I go to only P.I., but I go 2x a year. One time, about 3 yrs. ago, a customs gal went thru my things and looked at every picture. I don't know why I developed them in P.I. (I think to give a girl copies), I usually develop the film back home in U.S. There was nothing close to nudity or porn in my possession, but - Ever since then I've stopped taking pictures period!

When they ask me about my trips I just say "visiting friends" or "looking for someplace to buy for retirement".

[QUOTE=Mr Hawaii]When I started traveling I would go all over Asia, now I go to only P.I., but I go 2x a year. One time, about 3 yrs. ago, a customs gal went thru my things and looked at every picture. I don't know why I developed them in P.I. (I think to give a girl copies), I usually develop the film back home in U.S. There was nothing close to nudity or porn in my possession, but - Ever since then I've stopped taking pictures period!

When they ask me about my trips I just say "visiting friends" or "looking for someplace to buy for retirement".[/QUOTE]And what would happen if they did find some pics of naked gals on your phone/ cam / SD card. Can't be a crime to have naked pics otherwise how is Hustler etc sold.

I'm assuming they are checking to sure there no paedophilia etc. But having pics of naked girls can't be a crime. Can it?

I think the airport guys are just jealous that you guys can travel in and out of dream lands and they are just stuck at the airport .....

so close to destination and yet so far from boarding it :) it must suck to screen the guys who just been to places where they would love to go..

On my way back to the States from my recent Philippines, Thailand and Cambodia trip passing first through Honolulu I had the pleasure of another “random” questioning and search by our wonderful customs agents. I don’t know what “where do you work?”, “what do you do?” and similar questions has to do with securing the “Land of the Free”. When asked what I was doing there I tell them that my girlfriend lives there and that we traveled together. I find it strange that the only country that ever hassles me when I enter is my own country. I’ve only been hassled in LAX and MIA and now HNL. I will especially try to avoid Honolulu from now on as a first port of entry. Every time I fly directly into Las Vegas it is a breeze. Of course they never find anything as I have nothing to hide.

Southbound69

Your experience is not uncommon. I've found the best way to handle it is be polite, answer their questions without getting tooooo specific. (No sense saying "well, I had a threesome with three young women every night I was there and sometimes a foursome in the afternoon, etc. And man, that mother daughter thing was great and man, was it cheap. You should try it sir. ")

I've been hassled numerous times. I don't have any "nude pics" on my camera, I don't carry even anything at all suspicous and except for this last travel, I even get rid of my condoms.

Maybe we should be taking notes in our diary and then read it off to them.

Day 1: Awoke and discovered that I forgot my toothpaste. Walked down to the corner store and bought some. Stopped in at athe 7-11 and went wild. I bought a frosted donut. Hell, I never do that at home!

Best to just be courteous and endure the grilling. If anyone else has any ideas, I'd love to hear them.

[QUOTE=Southbound69]On my way back to the States from my recent Philippines, Thailand and Cambodia trip passing first through Honolulu I had the pleasure of another “random” questioning and search by our wonderful customs agents. I don’t know what “where do you work?”, “what do you do?” and similar questions has to do with securing the “Land of the Free”. When asked what I was doing there I tell them that my girlfriend lives there and that we traveled together. I find it strange that the only country that ever hassles me when I enter is my own country. I’ve only been hassled in LAX and MIA and now HNL. I will especially try to avoid Honolulu from now on as a first port of entry. Every time I fly directly into Las Vegas it is a breeze. Of course they never find anything as I have nothing to hide.

Southbound69[/QUOTE]

[quote=jack sheet]you can expect this kind of treatment more and more in the future. after 911, george w. threw billions of dollars to hire tons of these goons to help catch terrorists coming into the country. to my knowledge, they have not found any terrorists but they still have to justify their inflated head count of officers. as a result, they have nothing else to do but shake down countless innocent americans coming into their own country.[/quote]it has very little to do with terrorist and more to do with ****files. especially since they have recently found a few news making ****files in thailand. first was the guy who claimed he killed the ramsey girl, (which really brought it to the attention of heartland america) and then another recently. the u. s. has stepped up the interrogations/searchs of all adult males which they deem fit the profile and single adult males traveling to sea is the first of several criteria.

[QUOTE=Southbound69]On my way back to the States from my recent Philippines, Thailand and Cambodia trip passing first through Honolulu I had the pleasure of another “random” questioning and search by our wonderful customs agents. I don’t know what “where do you work?”, “what do you do?” and similar questions has to do with securing the “Land of the Free”. When asked what I was doing there I tell them that my girlfriend lives there and that we traveled together. I find it strange that the only country that ever hassles me when I enter is my own country. I’ve only been hassled in LAX and MIA and now HNL. I will especially try to avoid Honolulu from now on as a first port of entry. Every time I fly directly into Las Vegas it is a breeze. Of course they never find anything as I have nothing to hide.

Southbound69[/QUOTE]Southbound 69,

If you travel to most country in Europe ,they do ask you questions as you enter what is your Business here and what company do you work for ,they don't ask or check your baggage in asia but I did got random check once in Singapore .

Fast eddie 48

[QUOTE=FreebieFan]And what would happen if they did find some pics of naked gals on your phone/ cam / SD card. Can't be a crime to have naked pics otherwise how is Hustler etc sold.

I'm assuming they are checking to sure there no paedophilia etc. But having pics of naked girls can't be a crime. Can it?[/QUOTE]

No, it is not a crime to have pictures of naked ladies. I don't think that is the point..to me the point is..."Hmmm, if this guy is doing this overseas, what else is he doing? Let's flag his passport". I don't know, maybe I am paranoid, and I know there are ways to take digital pix and send them to your home computer and erase your camera, etc., so that you can post them for the forum..but I would rather have them think I am seeing my friends or looking at property..or fucking every girl in the P.I. They can think what they want, but cannot "prove" anything. Yes, they should be looking for terrorists and not bothering us, but it seems rather easy to deal with.

Can someone with accurate knowledge or "connections" set us straight on this? Thanks.

[QUOTE=Mr Hawaii]No, it is not a crime to have pictures of naked ladies. I don't think that is the point..to me the point is..."Hmmm, if this guy is doing this overseas, what else is he doing? Let's flag his passport". I don't know, maybe I am paranoid, and I know there are ways to take digital pix and send them to your home computer and erase your camera, etc., so that you can post them for the forum..but I would rather have them think I am seeing my friends or looking at property..or fucking every girl in the P.I. They can think what they want, but cannot "prove" anything. Yes, they should be looking for terrorists and not bothering us, but it seems rather easy to deal with.

Can someone with accurate knowledge or "connections" set us straight on this? Thanks.[/QUOTE]
I have just posted two extensive posts on this subject. Right after my detention I called a lawyer and got my ex-wife involved who is a cop. I work for “Uncle Sam.” Have Gov credentials the whole nine so no one is protected when it comes to this.

( I got stopped in Bangkok for questioning at the airport and when I whipped out the Gov ID I was promptly sent on my way as in the US they don’t give a shit.) There is nothing you can do about it.

Illogic over and out.

Interesting. When I was robbed they took the money out of my left pocket. That's the pocket where all I had was about 20 USD. Even in my right pocket I "only" had about $100 USD. I think they key is not to carry any amount more than you could feel "reasonably ok" about losing. $120 bucks for me. I could afford. After all, I can pay the girl back in the hotel room with cash I have there.

[QUOTE=Mr Hawaii]I generally go to P.I. for 2 weeks at a time. What works for me is this: I take my ATM card and charge card. My hotel room charges go on my charge card. When I run low on cash (I take about $1500 in crisp $100bills) I use my ATM card and withdraw 10,000p at a time. Sometimes the ATMs will not work, out of service, etc., so don't run completely out of cash. Let your bank know you are traveling to the P.I. so they don't block your card when they see the charges. I put my "big money" in my left pocket, my spending money in my right pocket. My wallet and ID I leave in my room. If you are robbed you try to throw the money from your right pocket one way and run the other way...that's what I've read, never had it happen, knock on wood.

Do what feels comfortable, have a backup plan..a friend at home you can call for $$$ if the worst happens.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Redfield10]Best to just be courteous and endure the grilling.[/QUOTE]After going through their drill literally dozens of times, and trying all kinds of approaches, I absolutely agree. No cover stories, no sarcasm, no joking around. Just a kind of world-weary politeness -- it comes easily now.

That said, if one of these sad little men asked me something like 'What was the highlight of your trip?', I'd be very tempted to tell him. It's not like shagging a consenting adult is against either local or US law. Not yet anyway.

Fellow Mongers

I will post this in a few threads as not quite where to post this – apologies if you read it more than once

A quick note to say Nikki (Miss N) from the UAE threads is now in the Philippines and is looking for some fun guys.

Her reputation is well known in the UAE where she gave the best ever BBBJ and ‘full menu’ shagging including Greek, sex toys, bisexual (she even picked the girl a couple times for me), loves a good threesome...some guys that took her LT could only manage ST as she shagged them to exhaustion. There many guys here in the UAE asking if/when she will return so if you see her please ask her....;)

The nearest that you could say she resembles sexually (but not in her figure) is Ana. She has the same desire to enjoy shagging. She met me long time back and had never done a threesome but as always Professor WR did his best with lovely results :D

A few pictures are in the Photo Gallery in this forum but much more can be found from 2007 etc in the UAE thread where there a number of FRs on her abilities in the bedroom and everywhere else. I have been given a HJ by this lady in club in the UAE, she has been banned from one in Abu Dhabi as her mini skirt was too mini :D and I fondly remember being in Wild West and Flamingo with her while she chose a girl for a night of pussy licking while I watched and later joined in...

She is now in the provinces and will come to you as long as the bus fare is paid which is not that much (1000 pesos return). Also she will ask for a load so she can call you and chat.

One guy is seeing her soon as he contacted me to ask if she was around in the Philippines as he is visiting the country this weekend and if she was ‘working’. Others will be seeing her sometime next month – the same guy who flew to the UAE a while back to spend his birthday with her (she was his present so to speak) and is now based in Asia so easier to get to Manila.

She has not been knocking off pinoys etc, she does not like them, she has been sorting some bad karma in her family (including the death of 2 family members last year which somewhat rattled her badly). But now she is OK and called me ask if I had ‘friends’. She does not know of ISG and I will not post face pictures here but for those who PM and contact her I have some – well I have a serious large GB external drive full of N pictures...

If you would like to see her and experience her ‘menu’ then PM me please – she is not a young girls she is 29, slim not hanging rack like Ana, always in good shape. Pictures can tell you. But if fancy some variety with a guaranteed naughty edge then she is fun to be with.

Keep hard and horny

By sharing Nikki he has created a win win: win for ISGer who see her and a win for her (by helping her find a better breed of clients). BRAVO!

While 29 is on the older end of the spectrum in the PI for my taste, her attitude certainly seems to more than make up for the advanced years. And 30YO females have MUCH more libido than 18YOs, that is for sure.

Re Reentry to the US: when you seek the PRIVILEGE of reentering the US (not a right even for citizens), you surrender your constitutional rights at the border. When CBP asks you those questions THEY ALREADY KNOW THE ANSWERS! They are just verifying if it is really you.

Give them attitude and you will have the pleasure of secondary EVERY time. Be polite, and you may find you were merely selected randomly. I have not gotten any grief at all the last year or so, after a very invasive search at SFO (HNL does have the reputation as the worst, along with MIA). But I was never nasty or impolite during the search (which included going through my wallet and grilling me about the pictures of my Filipina GF in the wallet).

While it may be annoying, EVERY COUNTRY gives stricter scrutiny to returning citizens than to foreign tourists.

this has been an utter shame for the philippines until the recent appeal court decision. an american condemned to 40 years in prison for an unproved and baseless accusation of [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord123][CodeWord123][/url] coming from a bar girl who agreed to follow the americans in their van! the only people who will be unhappy with the verdict are the religious fanatical "militant groups". the damage they did to the philippines, however, will be hard to undo.

[url]http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/04/24/09/us-embassy-smith-has-left-rp[/url]

"[...]

court of appeals decision

in a 71-page decision written by ca associate justice monina arevalo zenarosa, and concurred with by justice remedios s. fernando, chairman of the special 11th division and associate justice myrna dimaranan-vidal, the ca said the alleged [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord123][CodeWord123][/url] was in fact a "spontaneous, unplanned romantic episode" between the two parties.

the ca said smith should be released immediately unless he is being held for any other lawful cause.

"no evidence was presented to show force, threat and intimidation applied by the accused upon nicole," read the ruling, referring to the alias of the victim.

"wherefore, on reasonable ground, the accused lance corporal daniel smith is hereby acquitted of the crime of [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord123][CodeWord123][/url] as alleged in the information. he is ordered released immediately unless held for other lawful cause," the ca said.

the appellate court’s decision said it believes the two parties were "carried away" by their passions on the night of the incident, and that there was no forced sexual intercourse.

the court said there is also no evidence that the victim was threatened so that she was forced to have sex with smith, saying her only defense was that she was intoxicated that night.

"this court finds it deceptively posturing nicole's portrayal of herself as a demure provinciana lass... on hindsight, we see this protestation of decency as a protective shield against her own indecorous behavior," the decision said.

the court added that the degree of nicole's supposed intoxication was not clearly established, and that her resistance to smith's actions by word of mouth does not suffice to establish that she indeed did not give her consent to the sexual intercourse.

resistance by words

"resistance by words of mouth does not suffice to establish that she indeed did not give her consent to the sexual intercourse," the court said.

"what we see was the unfolding of a spontaneous, unplanned romantic episode with both parties carried away by their passions and stirred up by the urgency of the moment caused probably by the alcoholic drinks they took," it added.

the decision stated that it was not influenced by the sworn statement released more than a month ago by the victim, which stated she doubts if she was really raped.

the court said it reviewed the evidence presented before the makati regional trial court, and decided that [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord123][CodeWord123][/url] was not proven to be "beyond reasonable doubt."

"a careful and judicious perusal of the evidence on record does not convince the prudent mind about the moral certainty of the guilt of the accused, hence, we must acquit," the decision stated.

the court also attacked the victim's credibility, saying her statements had numerous inconsistencies.

the ca decision is final and executory and can no longer be appealed."

[QUOTE=Surfer]By sharing Nikki he has created a win win: win for ISGer who see her and a win for her (by helping her find a better breed of clients). BRAVO!

While 29 is on the older end of the spectrum in the PI for my taste, her attitude certainly seems to more than make up for the advanced years. And 30YO females have MUCH more libido than 18YOs, that is for sure.

[/QUOTE]
Surfer

You are right, I tend to go for girls younger (19-23) but she is the only one at that age I would keep going back for as her libido is high...as a few ISG guys will hopefully find out :D.

She wants to get back to UAE, find a real job etc as well but if anyone says here is a good job in the Philippines (something I truly dont think is possible the majority of people) she may stay and keep you horny guys happy on her off days :D

[quote=denom]this has been an utter shame for the philippines until the recent appeal court decision. an american condemned to 40 years in prison for an unproved and baseless accusation of [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord123][CodeWord123][/url] coming from a bar girl who agreed to follow the americans in their van! [/quote]while i don't think smith was guilty of [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord123][CodeWord123][/url], he wasn't exactly blameless in all this. after the "deed" in the van, he dumped her at the pier with her pants down, a used condom still stuck in her clothing, because he had to make it back to his ship by cerfew. it is not unexpected that this girl, faced with humilation in front of other filipinos at the dock, would claim she had been raped.

i'm glad smith won't face jail time in the philippines. but his crass actions did significant damage to the image of us serviceman in the philippines, and was a huge un-needed distraction to our diplomats there. had he simply let her compose herself, get dressed, and treat her with a bit of respect, i don't think this would have been an incident.

[quote=street hound]while i don't think smith was guilty of [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord123][CodeWord123][/url], he wasn't exactly blameless in all this. after the "deed" in the van, he dumped her at the pier with her pants down, a used condom still stuck in her clothing, because he had to make it back to his ship by cerfew. it is not unexpected that this girl, faced with humilation in front of other filipinos at the dock, would claim she had been raped.

i'm glad smith won't face jail time in the philippines. but his crass actions did significant damage to the image of us serviceman in the philippines, and was a huge un-needed distraction to our diplomats there. had he simply let her compose herself, get dressed, and treat her with a bit of respect, i don't think this would have been an incident.[/quote]he's not off the hook yet .... this was published a couple of days ago

[quote]by abigail kwok, veronica uy
inquirer.net
first posted 12:57:00 04/24/2009

manila, philippines—(update 2) the us marine acquitted on appeal in a high-profile [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord123][CodeWord123][/url] case has left the philippines, but he could face court martial in the us, officials said.

"following the decision of the philippine court of appeals, daniel smith departed the philippines under the authority of united states military officials," the us embassy said in a statement.

calling the [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord123][CodeWord123][/url] case "long and difficult," the us embassy said smith was detained for more than three years in its premises in compliance with the visiting forces agreement, which governs the conduct of us troops in the philippines.

the mission served as smith's custodian while the case went on appeal.

the appellate court on thursday found lance corporal daniel smith not guilty of [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord125][CodeWord125][/url] a filipina in the subic bay freeport in november 2005, overturning a sentence of life imprisonment handed down by a lower court in december 2006.

"this has been a difficult and emotional case for all involved, especially their families and loved ones. we hope that the parties can now move on with their lives," the embassy said.

in a statement, dilg undersecretary marius corpus said smith could still face court martial just like his three co-accused, who were all subsequently acquitted by the makati regional trial court.

"smith may soon be a free man, but his legal ordeal may not be over yet since he may still have to deal with the court martial," corpus said.[/quote]

[quote=street hound]while i don't think smith was guilty of [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord123][CodeWord123][/url], he wasn't exactly blameless in all this. after the "deed" in the van, he dumped her at the pier with her pants down, a used condom still stuck in her clothing, because he had to make it back to his ship by cerfew. it is not unexpected that this girl, faced with humilation in front of other filipinos at the dock, would claim she had been raped.

i'm glad smith won't face jail time in the philippines. but his crass actions did significant damage to the image of us serviceman in the philippines, and was a huge un-needed distraction to our diplomats there. had he simply let her compose herself, get dressed, and treat her with a bit of respect, i don't think this would have been an incident.[/quote]
agreed. he was guilty of gross stupidity and conduct unbecoming, which may, and probably will get him court martialed, but should not get him thrown in jail on trumped up charges.

just as an aside, two swiss guys in cebu were thrown in jail recently for allegedly operating a cybersex site!

the justice system (or the lack thereof) is incredible! murderers, [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord127][CodeWord127][/url], thieves, are either never caught or bribe their way out of trouble, and few are ever prosecuted, and yet guys who commit minor offenses and who present no danger to the society at large are treated like serial killers.

ge

[quote=goodenough]the justice system (or the lack thereof) is incredible! murderers, [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord127][CodeWord127][/url], thieves, are either never caught or bribe their way out of trouble, and few are ever prosecuted, and yet guys who commit minor offenses and who present no danger to the society at large are treated like serial killers. [/quote]

smith's case was obviously political, that's why it has been blown out of proportion. people like legarda are still using it to try and trumpet their own petty agenda, even though the case has been dismissed. once the media and special interest groups get hold of cases like these there are not many ways out. their next move will be to use the very dismissal to attack the visiting forces agreement itself.

I am currently using vonage and skype that cost me around $0.18 (landline) and $0.23 (cell phones) per minutes. Is there any cheaper way to call from USA to Philippines (manila, AC, cebu, etc.), especially the mobile numbers?

I saw couple of web sites (fastphonecard.com, etc.) selling calling cards (2 NAYPINOY, etc.) claiming $0.06/min. Anyone has any experience and/or recommendations for a good/cheap VoIP, calling card, pin-less calling, etc. from USA to Philippines especially the mobile numbers?

[QUOTE=Denom]Smith's case was obviously political, that's why it has been blown out of proportion. People like Legarda are still using it to try and trumpet their own petty agenda, even though the case has been dismissed. Once the media and special interest groups get hold of cases like these there are not many ways out. Their next move will be to use the very dismissal to attack the Visiting Forces Agreement itself.[/QUOTE]
Of course it was political, but then everything here is political, with someone trying to take advantage of any given situation for his or her own advantage. The attack on the VFA has been going on for months, but I think it's mainly empty rhetoric, and all that the Smith dismissal has done is to increase the volume and frequency of the rhetoric.

GE

Ge is right on the money and well understands the PI.

Re Calling services, pennytalk and the others that advertise less than 18Cents seem to all have hidden fees, connection charges etc. IMHO it is because the PHILIPPINE carriers charge outrageous fees due to no competition. For example. Skype to Thailand or China or US or most anywhere else is 5 Cents or so, 25% of charge to PI.

In use [url]www.idphonecard.com[/url] whose rates are the same as quoted (18 to landline, 23 to cell).

[quote=goodenough]of course it was political, but then everything here is political, with someone trying to take advantage of any given situation for his or her own advantage. the attack on the vfa has been going on for months, but i think it's mainly empty rhetoric, and all that the smith dismissal has done is to increase the volume and frequency of the rhetoric.

ge[/quote]



some time ago i had a lot of discussion on this board over this fact. my opinion is and always has been that this entire incident was blown out of proportion by those "special interest" groups who are anti us and anti us military, chief among them is gabriella, ny city based who don't have a very kind opinion of mongering in general and mongering by us soldiers in foreign countries in particular.

having been a gi i know how stupid a 19 yo private can act, but i doubted from the begining forced [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord123][CodeWord123][/url]. who in the hell needs to [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord123][CodeWord123][/url] in this country
when they are willing to give it away or sell it?

spamhog

Trial court's Smith decision was not based on the facts or evidence. It was a horrible decision that I remember stunk of something when I read about it. That was awhile back and it stayed in the back of my Phils memory.

It was Friday or Saturday when the decision was reversed. I was in downtown Manila all weekend and Nobody and I really mean NOBODY (sorry Jackson, capitalized for emphasis as I have no idea of how to write in itallics), on the street has any knowledge about this case whatsoever. Seems to be very newsworthy for purposes of those who might have an agenda, but if you interviewed 1,000 people in the square block I was in, 50% would not know what one was talking about. Many wouldn't care. Others would be bribed for opinions which leaves that small segment with an agenda as the squeaky wheel.

Not sure what your point is, but almost everyone in the Philippines knows about this case.

How many people "on the street" did you interview that weekend?

No offense, but me thinks you are talking out your arse hole.

X

[QUOTE=Puerto La Cruz]Trial court's Smith decision was not based on the facts or evidence. It was a horrible decision that I remember stunk of something when I read about it. That was awhile back and it stayed in the back of my Phils memory.

It was Friday or Saturday when the decision was reversed. I was in downtown Manila all weekend and Nobody and I really mean NOBODY (sorry Jackson, capitalized for emphasis as I have no idea of how to write in itallics), on the street has any knowledge about this case whatsoever. Seems to be very newsworthy for purposes of those who might have an agenda, but if you interviewed 1,000 people in the square block I was in, 50% would not know what one was talking about. Many wouldn't care. Others would be bribed for opinions which leaves that small segment with an agenda as the squeaky wheel.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=X Man]Not sure what your point is, but almost everyone in the Philippines knows about this case.

How many people "on the street" did you interview that weekend?

No offense, but me thinks you are talking out your arse hole.

X[/QUOTE]Definitely talkng out his ass. when i was there in march it was on the front page of every newspaper for the whole week!

Maybe typical Pinay way of being overly non-insulting, they just pretended like they didnt know about it rather than give an opinion that might offend someone?

Stupid question X. Maybe you are inquiring out of yours. So tell us what they know about this case.

[QUOTE=Puerto La Cruz]Stupid question X. Maybe you are inquiring out of yours. So tell us what they know about this case.[/QUOTE]
True, the case was all over the newspapers and all over the TV, which means that those who read the papers and/or watch TV could not have helped but know about it. However, there's probably an enormous percentage of the population that doesn't read newspapers and doesn't have TVs, so it's not beyond the realm of possibility at all that large swatches of the population know little or nothing about the case.

GE

Good point GE. Nevertheless, this case generated a huge amount of gossip and small talk far beyond the media reporting.

X


[QUOTE=GoodEnough]True, the case was all over the newspapers and all over the TV, which means that those who read the papers and/or watch TV could not have helped but know about it. However, there's probably an enormous percentage of the population that doesn't read newspapers and doesn't have TVs, so it's not beyond the realm of possibility at all that large swatches of the population know little or nothing about the case.

GE[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=X Man]Not sure what your point is, but almost everyone in the Philippines knows about this case.

How many people "on the street" did you interview that weekend?

X[/QUOTE]I think you are correct X. Just because they were not talking about it to you, doesn't mean that they don't know about it.

Every night I would guess millions watch ABS/CBN TV Patrol!

I was told that the protesters in Manila are paid employees. Always on call to protest when needed.

Robb

[QUOTE=Gringoguy]I am currently using vonage and skype that cost me around $0.18 (landline) and $0.23 (cell phones) per minutes. Is there any cheaper way to call from USA to Philippines (manila, AC, cebu, etc.), especially the mobile numbers?

I saw couple of web sites (fastphonecard.com, etc.) selling calling cards (2 NAYPINOY, etc.) claiming $0.06/min. Anyone has any experience and/or recommendations for a good/cheap VoIP, calling card, pin-less calling, etc. from USA to Philippines especially the mobile numbers?[/QUOTE]


I've tried several different calling cards that advertise low rates. Every one of them was a rip off. There is a lot of fine print with these things. After I would dial the number (whether it was the PI or Cambodia or Thailand from the US) and before it would connect the call it would always tell me I had a LOT less minutes than I should have had. For example, I remember buying 60 minutes worth of phone time on one of these cards. So I dial the number and it tells me I have 37 minutes of call time. WTF? Then, after a ten minute call I would call the next day and it would say I have 11 minutes of calling time. All the cards were pretty much like that.

So, I just use Skype. I also use another service out of the UK called Callserve. You can Google them. Their rates are lower than Skype but the quality varies. You can also text message using Skype but they can not text you back.

Southbound69

[quote=goodenough]agreed. he was guilty of gross stupidity and conduct unbecoming, which may, and probably will get him court martialed, but should not get him thrown in jail on trumped up charges.

just as an aside, two swiss guys in cebu were thrown in jail recently for allegedly operating a cybersex site!

the justice system (or the lack thereof) is incredible! murderers, [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord127][CodeWord127][/url], thieves, are either never caught or bribe their way out of trouble, and few are ever prosecuted, and yet guys who commit minor offenses and who present no danger to the society at large are treated like serial killers. ge[/quote]they don't want foreigners exploiting the women. thats the bottom line. i can understand it somewhat. if they didn't. there would be thousands of foreigners setting up shop and turning the entire country into a tourist sex stop.

no country wants the same reputation as thailand especially a traditional catholic country.

[QUOTE=GoodEnough]Of course it was political, but then everything here is political, with someone trying to take advantage of any given situation for his or her own advantage. The attack on the VFA has been going on for months, but I think it's mainly empty rhetoric, and all that the Smith dismissal has done is to increase the volume and frequency of the rhetoric.

GE[/QUOTE]The tv patrol is only 12 hrs behind over in the states. The bamboo hot line has a long reach!

The relatives can tune in 2 times every day and see whats up, and at the moment they have a comment call home.

She got a deal of a lifetime, free visa and go stateside. Best part is when she gets there she will have culture shock big time. She will find out quick about what 1 peso will buy there.

This was a put up deal from day one.

B. B.

[QUOTE=Thatguy865]They don't want foreigners exploiting the women. Thats the bottom line.[/QUOTE]Aint that the truth! Its ok for them to mercilessly exploit there own kind in every field of business but if a foreigner does they will be crucified.

[QUOTE=Thatguy865]No country wants the same reputation as Thailand especially a traditional Catholic country.[/QUOTE]Yeah, instead it has the reputation of being the most hypocritical & corrupt in Asia.

AV

[QUOTE=Amavida]Aint that the truth! Its ok for them to mercilessly exploit there own kind in every field of business but if a foreigner does they will be crucified.

AV[/QUOTE]isn't it funny that its the foreigners who always corrupt these young lasses.

Take the report recently about a sex den being uncovered, run and owned by two Swedish guys in CDO, who forced the girls to do " lurid and despicable" acts on cam for other foreigners.

Welll, the few web cam girls I have known were generally happy to get their kit off. The few who I have known have also gone into the line of work as a easy way to make money. And finally the few who I have known who did this reckoned it was way better than standing in an SM cashiers counter all day.

Ah well, get rid of the foreigners and the Philippines should have no problems at all. Right. LOL

[QUOTE=FreebieFan]isn't it funny that its the foreigners who always corrupt these young lasses.

Take the report recently about a sex den being uncovered, run and owned by two Swedish guys in CDO, who forced the girls to do " lurid and despicable" acts on cam for other foreigners.

Welll, the few web cam girls I have known were generally happy to get their kit off. The few who I have known have also gone into the line of work as a easy way to make money. And finally the few who I have known who did this reckoned it was way better than standing in an SM cashiers counter all day.

Ah well, get rid of the foreigners and the Philippines should have no problems at all. Right. LOL[/QUOTE]




Interesting that you should mention this, I was in CDO when this happened, the premises was roughly three blocks away from Mrs Spamhogs relatives. Of course the old bamboo telegraph was chattering. Heres what I got:

This "sex Den" was exposed when one of the girls complained about a discrepancy in her 'pay check', then all of a sudden all those lurid sex acts became dispicable. Since the police didn't know about it's existence, therefore were not receiving their fair share of the loot, of course they had to make a raid in order to teach the wicked foreigner who is really in charge.

That is how things work in this country, you can get away with whatever you want as long as the conga line of officials and police get their nick. If not, expect lights, cameras and TV patrol to decend upon you in their righteous indignation.

Spamhog

If a girl becomes your GF and leaves the bar and goes back to her island to live, What is a reasonable amount of money to support her? How much more if they have a baby?

[QUOTE=Big Johnson2]If a girl becomes your GF and leaves the bar and goes back to her island to live, What is a reasonable amount of money to support her? How much more if they have a baby?[/QUOTE]



Pray tell why do you want to do this? :confused:

I'm new to the Philippines but not new to the p4p scene. I've learned the game from clubs in S. Korea while I was stationed at Camp Casey. I miss the LBFM's so its time to take a trip to AC.

How do the bars in the Philippines compare to bars catering to GI's in Korea? I know there will be many differences, wondering what they are.

I'm curious to wether my age will matter to the ladies? Not that it's going to stop me from going but I'm in my early 20's. I never had any problems in the past but again that wasn't in the Philippines. Most of the Ladies in Korea preferred the younger guys due to them being "Young, Dumb and Full of Cum". Guess it was easier to get the younger guys to part with their hard earned tax payer money. I'm starting to think most mongers are senior citizens living in the Phils (No Offense) just trying to educate on what to expect.

Any idea what the climate would be like during July and August?

I have hrd PI is a place that has one of the most rains and typhoons.

Any info on this would be appreciated.

Rgds,

Max

[QUOTE=Gravel Kicker]I'm new to the Philippines but not new to the p4p scene. I've learned the game from clubs in S. Korea while I was stationed at Camp Casey. I miss the LBFM's so its time to take a trip to AC.

How do the bars in the Philippines compare to bars catering to GI's in Korea? I know there will be many differences, wondering what they are.

I'm curious to wether my age will matter to the ladies? Not that it's going to stop me from going but I'm in my early 20's. I never had any problems in the past but again that wasn't in the Philippines. Most of the Ladies in Korea preferred the younger guys due to them being "Young, Dumb and Full of Cum". Guess it was easier to get the younger guys to part with their hard earned tax payer money. I'm starting to think most mongers are senior citizens living in the Phils (No Offense) just trying to educate on what to expect.[/QUOTE]

I think the average customer in AC is 40+. There are guys all ages though. They mostly judge you on how much you spend. Better looking guys can get better looking girls easier.

What does it cost in Korea? Is it LT or ST. I have a friend moving there soon, so would like to tell him there is some opportunity there.

[QUOTE=Gravel Kicker]I'm new to the Philippines but not new to the p4p scene. I've learned the game from clubs in S. Korea while I was stationed at Camp Casey. I miss the LBFM's so its time to take a trip to AC.

How do the bars in the Philippines compare to bars catering to GI's in Korea? I know there will be many differences, wondering what they are.

I'm curious to wether my age will matter to the ladies? Not that it's going to stop me from going but I'm in my early 20's. I never had any problems in the past but again that wasn't in the Philippines. Most of the Ladies in Korea preferred the younger guys due to them being "Young, Dumb and Full of Cum". Guess it was easier to get the younger guys to part with their hard earned tax payer money. I'm starting to think most mongers are senior citizens living in the Phils (No Offense) just trying to educate on what to expect.[/QUOTE]Looks, age, makes no difference in the Philippines. I have been going for 20 yrs. The girls will date anything with 2 legs. The bottom line in the PI, can you better their existence for that day. They don't think past that. I've seen 70 yr old alcoholic drunks, blind guys, cripple guys, Obesely fat 60 yr olds all with 18 yr old models. The younger you are the better. At 20 you will feel like a rock star. Man you better get yourself over to PI.

I can't speak to the whole scene in Korea – but Hooker Hill in Itaewon was sort of a cross between a drink hustling experience, the Dutch red-light booth thing, with hot Asian girls at higher prices. Granted, I was lucky having scored consecutive private sessions with a stunning little spinner the first night, and then a stacked girl who could have easily been a model for Playboy the second. If I recall, the encounters set me back around $60. 00 to $80. 00. Just a curtained off area with a couch for about 20 minutes of attention. Not really a good value – but far better than jacking off to hotel porn.

Here in the PI – you can get any girl out of just about any bar just by being patient, obtaining a cell phone number and meeting her the next day. They all speak English, and filipinas love to fuck. If she returns your call, you will get laid and probably have a hard time getting rid of her. I rarely gift more than p2000 ($40. 00). I generally prefer places like Don Pedro, Roman Suites (both in Makati) – essentially brothels. Just last week I had a private room, hot shower (bathroom stocked with hotel amenities), stunning girl, very good massage and some great sex – followed by another hot shower. Total cash outlay $62. 00. No mess, no fuss – don't have to worry about being stalked or my stuff being taken. A great stress-buster.

Sometimes I just go for the mid-afternoon shower and massage, pick the girl without much regards to looks and in a couple of cases have been mighty surprised! The general rule in a fishbowl establishment is you should tip the girl at least as much as you paid for the room – and perhaps a little extra.

[url]http://donpedro. Ktvphil.com/main. Asp[/url]

[QUOTE=Gravel Kicker]I'm new to the Philippines but not new to the p4p scene. I've learned the game from clubs in S. Korea while I was stationed at Camp Casey. I miss the LBFM's so its time to take a trip to AC.

How do the bars in the Philippines compare to bars catering to GI's in Korea? I know there will be many differences, wondering what they are.

I'm curious to wether my age will matter to the ladies? Not that it's going to stop me from going but I'm in my early 20's. I never had any problems in the past but again that wasn't in the Philippines. Most of the Ladies in Korea preferred the younger guys due to them being "Young, Dumb and Full of Cum". Guess it was easier to get the younger guys to part with their hard earned tax payer money. I'm starting to think most mongers are senior citizens living in the Phils (No Offense) just trying to educate on what to expect.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Big Johnson2]If a girl becomes your GF and leaves the bar and goes back to her island to live, What is a reasonable amount of money to support her? How much more if they have a baby?[/QUOTE]



If we can't talk you out of such thing then I guess all we can say is it depends....depends on how you are going to be seeing her, will you return to the US or where ever and support her from afar only to team up with her when you come to the Phils or do you live in phils and want her stashed in some faraway love nest. Don't answer, just speculate.

Most (rich) Filipino's keep a mistress, some as little as P10,000 a month, so much depends on how they get together, that might include rent on a room, travel back and forth to a rondevouz point. I know of one kept lady who lives in a 3 million Peso house, she gets P20K a month from her very wealthy filipino chinese patron, they have two children together. Back in the day when the Spamhog had his mistresses I was paying about 10K to 12K, plus cell phones and occassional gifts.

I would use the P10,000 to 12,000 as a yard stick, giving over more will just cause the father of the child to come for his nick and maybe a new boyfriends cell phone and money for chicken fights. Of course she will ALWAYS badger you for more, somebody will constantly be sick, in need of funds for travel etc ad naseum.

These things ALWAYS end in tragedy (for you), don;t forget you will have to pay the bar for what she owes, expect P20K and upwards.

Good luck

SH

[QUOTE=Max Njoy]Any idea what the climate would be like during July and August?

I have hrd PI is a place that has one of the most rains and typhoons.

Any info on this would be appreciated.

Rgds,

Max[/QUOTE]



Depends on where you go, climate can vary. Mindanao (Davao to CDO)is always a little rainyier. Typhoon season is Sept to Oct, again depends on where you are. The Eastern Visayas get hammered Sept, Oct, Nov, it bounces up thru the flat lands and heads for Manila. Cebu gets mild rain, CDO gets clobbered.

Right now is the hot season, hot and dry in Cebu, lot of rain in CDO (i was just there) typhoon in Manila. July the weather starts to change.


Spamhog

[QUOTE=Spam Hog]If we can't talk you out of such thing then I guess all we can say is it depends....[/QUOTE]
Agree, it depends.... Depends on his financial situation.
Lets assume his monthly income is 10,000 USD a month.

No debts, no loans, no ex-wife to support or whatsoever,
then sending 500 USD a month to PI, who cares?

IMHO.
Cheers!

Have any of you guys ventured to Palawan? The guidebooks say it has some of the most impressive natural scenery. I'm presuming that its difficult to find girls there given that there are few large cities and I gues it's kind of conservative. I'm not too concerned about that as I have been lucky enough to hook up with a beautiful and very sexy nursing student from Cebu who I will take along. However she is as keen as me on threesomes so it would be nice to think there maybe an opportunity to find some open minded girls there too.

[QUOTE=GregLondon]Have any of you guys ventured to Palawan? The guidebooks say it has some of the most impressive natural scenery. I'm presuming that its difficult to find girls there given that there are few large cities and I gues it's kind of conservative. I'm not too concerned about that as I have been lucky enough to hook up with a beautiful and very sexy nursing student from Cebu who I will take along. However she is as keen as me on threesomes so it would be nice to think there maybe an opportunity to find some open minded girls there too.[/QUOTE]

That's unusual. Most by my experience are shocked about the thought of threesome. When I tell in Europe we have wife-swapping and gang-bang clubs they just don't believe me.

Finding a threesome partner in Palawan? Good luck!

This is a repeat question. And yes I have RTFF! I'm just checking to see if anybody has an update on money changer. Any locations but I'm looking for something in the NCR or AC as I will be in those place soon.

Last trip I changed my $1000 USD cash in the airport exhange booth. The exchange counter is located immediatly after immagration/customs check point to the right of the exit doors. I realized later it wasn't the best idea if one is looking to get max pesos for the dollar.

This next trip I'm planning to use Bank of Americas money exchange service. All you need is a credit card or bank account and they will deduct the amount you want exchange and send you actual pesos in the mail. Yeah I know it's awesome. So now when I hit airport I can just jump in a taxi and look for a good rate else where. The exchange rate is horrible with Bank of America (43. 20PHP-1. 00USD) but sure is going to be nice walking off that plane with a few pesos in my pocket. Might be easier dealing with the taxi now that I don't have to flip him a $5 dollar bill.

Whats the change rate right now want to compare it to XE's rates they are at 47. 90PHP. 1. 00USD

I just change $200.00 at the airport and then change more in the city. That $200.00 is enough for taxi, hotel and a girl the first night, with money remaininng. The banks at Mall of Asia were at 48.20 a week ago today. The exchange joints in Ermita were at 48.00.

I never tried their services but I was often proposed changes in Binondo (Manila), on the back of Quiapo, the plaza near Santa Cruz Church and the LRT Carriedo station. I seem to remember something about them having the best rates, better than in Ermita, but not sure it really is true.

Try this map:

[url]http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Carriedo+Station+Manila&sourceid=navclient-ff&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1B3GGGL_enPH252PH252[/url]

[QUOTE=Denom]I never tried their services but I was often proposed changes in Binondo (Manila), on the back of Quiapo, the plaza near Santa Cruz Church and the LRT Carriedo station. I seem to remember something about them having the best rates, better than in Ermita, but not sure it really is true.][/QUOTE]

By the way in the evening under the LRT line of this street you can sample the girls too. Many are ugly old bitches but sometimes, surprisingly, a gem appears! They have cheap rooms (100 pesos short time) on the back street paralleling this one. The going rate is 300 pesos for the girl. If she looks better she may try 500.

For money changers, I can definitely recommend Edzen's on Mabini St in Ermita. Easy walking distance from Robinson's. Reliable, the locals know this place.

In Makati, Sanry's in Glorietta is competitive and reliable.

The banks in the Mall of Asia are a new one to me. Thanks to Puerto La Cruz for this tip. Banks are not normally known for being as competitive as the money changer businesses. I'll check them out next time.

I'd be careful in Binondo (and in Ermita) with touts who promise really good exchange rates. You could be a victim of a scam. Check the rates on Bloomberg or XE.com the day you go.

[QUOTE=Denom]By the way in the evening under the LRT line of this street you can sample the girls too. Many are ugly old bitches but sometimes, surprisingly, a gem appears! They have cheap rooms (100 pesos short time) on the back street paralleling this one. The going rate is 300 pesos for the girl. If she looks better she may try 500.[/QUOTE]300 pesos? ! Why so cheap? I've never heard of or seen a SW offering any service for less than 1000pesos. If I can pay those rates, I might just extend my trip to a full 3 weeks. Sounds to cheap to be true. What would I tip her 50pesos

[QUOTE=Joe Island]This next trip I'm planning to use Bank of Americas money exchange service. All you need is a credit card or bank account and they will deduct the amount you want exchange and send you actual pesos in the mail. Yeah I know it's awesome. So now when I hit airport I can just jump in a taxi and look for a good rate else where. The exchange rate is horrible with Bank of America (43. 20PHP-1. 00USD) but sure is going to be nice walking off that plane with a few pesos in my pocket. Might be easier dealing with the taxi now that I don't have to flip him a $5 dollar bill.[/QUOTE]The best way to do this Joe is get about $100 of Philippino currency from your bank before you leave the US. But the trick is to get it all in small bills. You can get money from any ATM in the PI. The problem is they only dispense 500 and 1000 php notes. If you have ever gone thru the frustration of trying to pay a cab fare of php 150 with a 1000 note it will drive you crazy. Tell your bank you want all of the money in bills smaller than php 200.

I have found the money changer in the airport is not that bad of a deal. Any place to exchange currency is better than a hotel!

[QUOTE=Max Njoy]Any idea what the climate would be like during July and August?

I have hrd PI is a place that has one of the most rains and typhoons.

Max[/QUOTE]I was there this time of year two yrs ago. Think of someone pointing a fire hose at you and turning it on. This happens about 3 times per day. So the rest of the time it is reallly humid. Everything floods and screws up the already terrible traffic. The good news is it mostly rains during the day and at night it is clear for pussy chasing!

[QUOTE=Devils 1]I was there this time of year two yrs ago. Think of someone pointing a fire hose at you and turning it on. This happens about 3 times per day. So the rest of the time it is reallly humid. Everything floods and screws up the already terrible traffic. The good news is it mostly rains during the day and at night it is clear for pussy chasing![/QUOTE]

It really depends on where you are and at what time of year. Mindanao, for example does not experience typhoons and we have not had any rain to speak of here in Davao for a couple of weeks. This is the beginning of typhoon season, so you can expect the island of Luzon -- where Manila is situated-- to get hit fairly frequently.

GE

[QUOTE=Joe Island]
Last trip I changed my $1000 USD cash in the airport exhange booth. The exchange counter is located immediatly after immagration/customs check point to the right of the exit doors. I realized later it wasn't the best idea if one is looking to get max pesos for the dollar.

This next trip I'm planning to use Bank of Americas money exchange service. All you need is a credit card or bank account and they will deduct the amount you want exchange and send you actual pesos in the mail. Yeah I know it's awesome. So now when I hit airport I can just jump in a taxi and look for a good rate else where. The exchange rate is horrible with Bank of America (43. 20PHP-1. 00USD) but sure is going to be nice walking off that plane with a few pesos in my pocket. Might be easier dealing with the taxi now that I don't have to flip him a $5 dollar bill.
[/QUOTE]

Why bother with doing this BofA thing if you are going to get ripped off by them? You changed money at the airport before, I seriously doubt that BofA's exchange is even close to as good as the airport exchange.

Also a side note. For me, when I know I'm coming back to a country, I keep small denomination bills in the currency for future usage so if I want to skip changing currency or getting money at the airport, I can just hop a taxi and then get money after I'm settled at a better exchange rate. Personally, I don't think the exchanges at the airport are all that bad in the PI. It's not going to kill you to change $100-200 if you need it along with being comfortable.

The best rates and safest places to exchange your $ to Pesos are these banks, who are all over town: Metrobank, Banco De Oro, Bank of the Philippine Islands (#1/2/3 respectively). Or you can go to the Foreign Exchange counter of SM Malls all over town. They are owned by the same owner of Banco De Oro / Equitable Bank (merged). Bank hours are 9-3 while mall hours are till 9pm. Best rates too.

I actually welcome the coming of the rainy season and particularly the approach of the odd typhoon (as long as it doesn't get too close). March and April are too hot and being shaved by a typhoon or tropical storm lops 10 degrees off the temperature, and makes the air seem deliciously fresh and cool in comparison to the hot summer days. And my garden needs the water...!

Friends,

I've also had the pleasure of some great sessions with Miss N (go read the Abu Dhabi thread). If you are in Manila/Makati etc then I recommend you see her. Treat her kindly and with respect and you will be rewarded with a great and unforgettable time. She deserves a break and you will not regret it.

Have fun

WM

(also posted in other threads like WR)



[QUOTE=Wicked Roger]Fellow Mongers

I will post this in a few threads as not quite where to post this – apologies if you read it more than once

A quick note to say Nikki (Miss N) from the UAE threads is now in the Philippines and is looking for some fun guys.

Her reputation is well known in the UAE where she gave the best ever BBBJ and ‘full menu’ shagging including Greek, sex toys, bisexual (she even picked the girl a couple times for me), loves a good threesome...some guys that took her LT could only manage ST as she shagged them to exhaustion. There many guys here in the UAE asking if/when she will return so if you see her please ask her....;)

The nearest that you could say she resembles sexually (but not in her figure) is Ana. She has the same desire to enjoy shagging. She met me long time back and had never done a threesome but as always Professor WR did his best with lovely results :D

A few pictures are in the Photo Gallery in this forum but much more can be found from 2007 etc in the UAE thread where there a number of FRs on her abilities in the bedroom and everywhere else. I have been given a HJ by this lady in club in the UAE, she has been banned from one in Abu Dhabi as her mini skirt was too mini :D and I fondly remember being in Wild West and Flamingo with her while she chose a girl for a night of pussy licking while I watched and later joined in...

She is now in the provinces and will come to you as long as the bus fare is paid which is not that much (1000 pesos return). Also she will ask for a load so she can call you and chat.

One guy is seeing her soon as he contacted me to ask if she was around in the Philippines as he is visiting the country this weekend and if she was ‘working’. Others will be seeing her sometime next month – the same guy who flew to the UAE a while back to spend his birthday with her (she was his present so to speak) and is now based in Asia so easier to get to Manila.

She has not been knocking off pinoys etc, she does not like them, she has been sorting some bad karma in her family (including the death of 2 family members last year which somewhat rattled her badly). But now she is OK and called me ask if I had ‘friends’. She does not know of ISG and I will not post face pictures here but for those who PM and contact her I have some – well I have a serious large GB external drive full of N pictures...

If you would like to see her and experience her ‘menu’ then PM me please – she is not a young girls she is 29, slim not hanging rack like Ana, always in good shape. Pictures can tell you. But if fancy some variety with a guaranteed naughty edge then she is fun to be with.

Keep hard and horny[/QUOTE]

I'm planning on spending six weeks in the Phils this summer, and wondered if any of you guys who have experienced a long holiday like this would care to offer any advice about where is the best place to go?

I was thinking I might go somewhere other than Manila/AC this time (because I'd like to try somewhere different. And possibly cheaper. I'm budgeting around 7500 US).

And yes, I have RTFF'd religiously, but I am still seeking an 'informed opinion' before I put together an itinerary, e. G. What is the best place to stay, what to do, what NOT to do, etc.

Many thanks in anticipation. And if anybody is going to be out and about in June please let me know, maybe we can meet up for a beer!

[quote=altered ego]i'm planning on spending six weeks in the phils this summer, and wondered if any of you guys who have experienced a long holiday like this would care to offer any advice about where is the best place to go?
![/quote]
first, 6 weeks of pleasure, how did you pull that off? congrats, i hope to take a long vacation there again.

last summer i went for 3 months and spent about $7500 also. price vary by a lot in each city. manila i found a pinay couple that owns 2 high rise condos and i paid about 38 usd a night, with high speed internet in the condo. i found a hotel on taft street via asiarooms.com for 35usd that was ok.

i spent about 1 month in manila, a month in cebu, and a month in davao, give or take a few days. both cebu and davao have decent pension houses and hotels for around 900-1200 peso.

i like the diplomat hotel in cebu, it is a large hotel with a variety of rooms for decent rates. also has fast internet so you can hit the dating sites during your rest time.

i preferred davao of the big 3 cities. it was very safe, especially for foreigners. i would not venture past the city, but it is huge so you should not have to leave it.

the most important thing for me was flexibility. i could decide to fly to any other city and find a safe place to stay with very little notice. you can find flights for around 30-60 usd, to just about any city you want to visit.

you can pm if you have any exact advice.

If you're planning to spend any length of time in Davao, I suggest you think about an apartment. You can get a studio at Red Knight Garden for about $18 a night, and the place has a small but very clean pool, a small restaurant, and decent service. It's very convenient to the Lanang area, which has become a sort of second city center, and about 15 minutes from the traditional center of town around Rizal St. You might also want to consider Rose's Pension House on which several people from this board have commented.

GE

Bob and GE,

Many thanks for your excellent advice, you've almost convinced me already to try Davao!

Bob, I intend to take up your kind offer and ask a couple of specific questions via PM, but I need to wait a day till my new membership kicks in (it had expired).

If anyone else has any other ideas I would be most pleased to hear them.

Feel free to PM me as well if you have an specific questions. If you do PM, I'll send you an email address for longer messages. Having lived in Davao for almost six years now, I've concluded that it's one of the better places that I've ever lived, and I'm always glad when someone decides to spend some of his hard-earned money here.

GE

Bob Bowie and GoodEnough, could you also recommend a short term apartment or condo in Manila and/or Cebu? I'll be staying in each of those cities for about a week very soon with a couple of nights in Angeles tacked on for good measure. I just really dislike the hassle of checking my girl in at the desk and us being eyed up and down when passing through a lobby full of porters which seems to be the case at most hotels. Thanks in advance! GG

Thanks GE,

I've already PM'd Bob, but I may take you up later on your kind offer (which you're probably regretting already!)

[QUOTE=GoodEnough]Feel free to PM me as well if you have an specific questions. If you do PM, I'll send you an email address for longer messages. Having lived in Davao for almost six years now, I've concluded that it's one of the better places that I've ever lived, and I'm always glad when someone decides to spend some of his hard-earned money here.

GE[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Gaijin Gigolo]Bob Bowie and GoodEnough, could you also recommend a short term apartment or condo in Manila and/or Cebu? I'll be staying in each of those cities for about a week very soon with a couple of nights in Angeles tacked on for good measure. I just really dislike the hassle of checking my girl in at the desk and us being eyed up and down when passing through a lobby full of porters which seems to be the case at most hotels. Thanks in advance! GG[/QUOTE]
Sorry GG but I cannot help. I live in Davao so I know the city pretty well, and I stay in hotels when I'm in Manila and Cebu. However I'm sure there are other guys on this board who know these cities and would be able to help you.

GE

[QUOTE=Gaijin Gigolo]Bob Bowie and GoodEnough, could you also recommend a short term apartment or condo in Manila and/or Cebu? I'll be staying in each of those cities for about a week very soon with a couple of nights in Angeles tacked on for good measure. I just really dislike the hassle of checking my girl in at the desk and us being eyed up and down when passing through a lobby full of porters which seems to be the case at most hotels. Thanks in advance! GG[/QUOTE]

Go to buyandsellph.com/ and they have short term condo or apartment rentals available.

[QUOTE=Puerto La Cruz]Go to buyandsellph.com/ and they have short term condo or apartment rentals available.[/QUOTE]

Thanks much for the site...am checking it out right now. :-)

[QUOTE=GoodEnough]Sorry GG but I cannot help. I live in Davao so I know the city pretty well, and I stay in hotels when I'm in Manila and Cebu. However I'm sure there are other guys on this board who know these cities and would be able to help you.

GE[/QUOTE]

No worries at all...thanks anyway.

Hello,

Did you guys ever had troubles with online booking of tickets at the website of Philippine Airlines? After choosing the fligths and filling in everything what's needed, I always receive an error message that says that they have problems validating my credit card.

I've contacted my bank already and everything's OK with my credit card. Also online booking on the website of Cebu Pacific does not work.

Do any of you guys know what could've been wrong or why it is online bookings can't be made?

Thanks,

Mike Bel

[QUOTE=Mike Bel]Hello,

Did you guys ever had troubles with online booking of tickets at the website of Philippine Airlines? After choosing the fligths and filling in everything what's needed, I always receive an error message that says that they have problems validating my credit card.

I've contacted my bank already and everything's OK with my credit card. Also online booking on the website of Cebu Pacific does not work.

Do any of you guys know what could've been wrong or why it is online bookings can't be made?

Thanks,

Mike Bel[/QUOTE]Yes, Mike it happens almost everytime you book with them. you have to call their reservation number and they will fax/email you a form to fill out with all of the information. sometimes they try to charge you a higher fair because you are not paying online so just firmly remind them that it is there problem and not yours.

again a girl alleges a service man raped her. this was on today's news broadcast. she said she wants nothing done about the incident. i am happy i am out of this game now.got 1 good one and who needs the added worries about this kinda thing.

b.b.

I've spent the last 10 day or so in Palawan. As there is not much info on this island inthis site, i thought I should drop a line.

Palawan is not the place to go if your only interest in the Phils is the pussy. You would be better of in any of the big cities such as Manilla, Cebu, Davao etc. However if you want to mix sexy fun with the most stunning scenery in the Philippines (and amongst the most stunning in the whole of SE Asia), it could be of interest.

I am here with a girl I met in Cebu on DIA and have been travelling around with for a month now, however as she is keen on threesomes so we have been checking out other girls.

Most people will fly into Puerto Princesa, the capital of the island. This is a small town with a few Karaoke bars but little sign of western oriented commercial sex. There are relatively few Palawan girls on DIA but quite a few on Tagged. A fair few of these would have been available for 1-1- sex, but we could only find four (young and atractive ones) receptive to threesomes.

Around PP the main thing to do is o island hoping on the breathtakingly beautiful islands of Honda Bay ( about 17km out ofv town (300-500P by tric (return) + 1200-1500 P for a boat for the day good for 6.

From PP mot people set off for El Nido the small tourists village from which to organise trips around the Bacuit Archipelgo. El Nido doesnt have that great accomodation options, and the electricity runs from 2pm - 6am. Boat trip to and around the islands are 500-900P a day and the scenery is spectacular. (Similar to the khast limestone around Halong bay in Vietnam and Krabi in Thailand but much les touristy.) InEl Nido there are a few local girls hanging around the small clubs awho are apparently available, but you are probably better off bring inga girl from Puerto Princesa or anoter island for a holiday. El Nido is not that well known in the Philipinnes, but if ou googel for pics and show her she will probably jump at the chance of accompanying you and fuck for free (if you pay the holiday expenses.)

Thanks for the report GL. Nice to know for my future escapades.

Keep up the good work and give us more nice reports, like this one.

Just LIVE the dream. Cause many people can only dream about these places.

Many regards.

SS

[QUOTE=GregLondon]I've spent the last 10 day or so in Palawan. As there is not much info on this island inthis site, i thought I should drop a line.

Palawan is not the place to go if your only interest in the Phils is the pussy. You would be better of in any of the big cities such as Manilla, Cebu, Davao etc. However if you want to mix sexy fun with the most stunning scenery in the Philippines (and amongst the most stunning in the whole of SE Asia), it could be of interest.

I am here with a girl I met in Cebu on DIA and have been travelling around with for a month now, however as she is keen on threesomes so we have been checking out other girls.

Most people will fly into Puerto Princesa, the capital of the island. This is a small town with a few Karaoke bars but little sign of western oriented commercial sex. There are relatively few Palawan girls on DIA but quite a few on Tagged. A fair few of these would have been available for 1-1- sex, but we could only find four (young and atractive ones) receptive to threesomes.

Around PP the main thing to do is o island hoping on the breathtakingly beautiful islands of Honda Bay ( about 17km out ofv town (300-500P by tric (return) + 1200-1500 P for a boat for the day good for 6.

From PP mot people set off for El Nido the small tourists village from which to organise trips around the Bacuit Archipelgo. El Nido doesnt have that great accomodation options, and the electricity runs from 2pm - 6am. Boat trip to and around the islands are 500-900P a day and the scenery is spectacular. (Similar to the khast limestone around Halong bay in Vietnam and Krabi in Thailand but much les touristy.) InEl Nido there are a few local girls hanging around the small clubs awho are apparently available, but you are probably better off bring inga girl from Puerto Princesa or anoter island for a holiday. El Nido is not that well known in the Philipinnes, but if ou googel for pics and show her she will probably jump at the chance of accompanying you and fuck for free (if you pay the holiday expenses.)[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=GregLondon]I've spent the last 10 day or so in Palawan. As there is not much info on this island inthis site, I thought I should drop a line.[/QUOTE]Thanks for the very informative report. I would love to hear more info if you can remember. I have been meaning to go on a "love trip" with a special girl to Palawan for years and I have never gotten around to it.

Could you talk about hotels, restaurants, bars. Any info with prices and level of service would be much appreciated.

Thanks

I should have noted that Palawan is not an ideal destination if you on a tightly scheduled trip. The road from Puerto Princesa to El Nido where the most stunning is an arduous 7 hour minivan (650P) 10 hour bus (350P) ride.
In the wet season the road is sometimes too muddy for the minivans to get through.


[QUOTE=Samar 2009]Thanks for the report GL. Nice to know for my future escapades.

Keep up the good work and give us more nice reports, like this one.

Just LIVE the dream. Cause many people can only dream about these places.

Many regards.

SS[/QUOTE]

Thanks again for elaborating more on your trip GL. I don't have any problems staying longer in Phils, cause I took early retirement from my work as an airline employee. However the 7 hour trip, when the wet season is on, looks like is not my cup of tea. I will just have to go there one day, maybe towards the end of the year when the wet season is over.

Thanks again.

Regards,

SS

[QUOTE=GregLondon]I should have noted that Palawan is not an ideal destination if you on a tightly scheduled trip. The road from Puerto Princesa to El Nido where the most stunning is an arduous 7 hour minivan (650P) 10 hour bus (350P) ride.
In the wet season the road is sometimes too muddy for the minivans to get through.[/QUOTE]

Will be in Makati this week, any suggestions on the best place near by with quality V and or C and appox prices?

Many thanks in advance!

[QUOTE=Arrigoa]Will be in Makati this week, any suggestions on the best place near by with quality V and or C and appox prices?

Many thanks in advance![/QUOTE]I think the best place is P.Burgos, either day or night. Don't pay more than 300 pesos for a 4 pack. I think they ask for 1500 pesos. It works as good as the real stuff. For all I know, it is. It sure beats the cost of $10-15 dollars per pill back in Shitville, USA.

[QUOTE=Arrigoa]Will be in Makati this week, any suggestions on the best place near by with quality V and or C and appox prices?

Many thanks in advance![/QUOTE]
Some ISG members but V and C from the guys outside Oxford Suites on Burgos, genuine I am told, prices cheap but have forgotten, maybe someone else can provide.

[QUOTE=Arrigoa]Will be in Makati this week, any suggestions on the best place near by with quality V and or C and appox prices?

Many thanks in advance! [/QUOTE]A lot of guys are selling V & C outside Oxford suites and Pallagio hotels. I personally didn't buy any cause I had my own supply from Angeles.

They were selling 5 packets for 1000, but I told them that I was buying 10 packets for 1000 in Angeles.

A Canadian guy I met there bought 10 packets for the price that I told him. He tried the C and V (he bought 5 V and 5 C) and he said to me that the tablets worked like the real McCoy.

Regards,

SS

if you come I suggest staying in the Hibiscus Garden hotel in Puerto Princesa.

Rooms are P1500-2500 very spacious and nicely apointed. wifi in the rooms. Its a couple of minutes form the airport and 10 minutes from the centre but you nede to book ahead because it gets top rating sfrom variousonline guides so gets booked early. Another mid price option is puerto pension (1000-1800P inc breakfast) a boutique hotel more than a pension, the basic rooms are a bit small, but the double beds in the larger rooms are really comfortable. That more in the centre of town. Both places in theory ask an extra 400-500P for a third joiner, but u should be able to sneak one in. The big advertised attractiin in Puerto is the Underground river/cave in Sabang, but it gets somewhat underwhelmed reviews from most foreigners who have been there.

Honda Bay (15kms (200P by tric each way) is fantastic. The islands you viist island hopinbg a ja droppingly beautiful on a blue sky day.

After that most people head north to El Nido and do a few days osf island hoping up there amongst som of the most beautiful scenry in Asia. if you have a cutie or two with you, you can take fantastic tropical paradise type shots.


[QUOTE=Samar 2009]Thanks again for elaborating more on your trip GL. I don't have any problems staying longer in Phils, cause I took early retirement from my work as an airline employee. However the 7 hour trip, when the wet season is on, looks like is not my cup of tea. I will just have to go there one day, maybe towards the end of the year when the wet season is over.

Thanks again.

Regards,

SS[/QUOTE]

Thanks again GL. Enjoy life and Live the dream. Regards. SS

[QUOTE=GregLondon]if you come I suggest staying in the Hibiscus Garden hotel in Puerto Princesa.

Rooms are P1500-2500 very spacious and nicely apointed. WiFi in the rooms. Its a couple of minutes form the airport and 10 minutes from the centre but you nede to book ahead because it gets top rating sfrom variousonline guides so gets booked early. Another mid price option is puerto pension (1000-1800P inc breakfast) a boutique hotel more than a pension, the basic rooms are a bit small, but the double beds in the larger rooms are really comfortable. That more in the centre of town. Both places in theory ask an extra 400-500P for a third joiner, but you should be able to sneak one in. The big advertised attractiin in Puerto is the Underground river/cave in Sabang, but it gets somewhat underwhelmed reviews from most foreigners who have been there.

Honda Bay (15kms (200P by tric each way) is fantastic. The islands you viist island hopinbg a ja droppingly beautiful on a blue sky day.

After that most people head north to El Nido and do a few days osf island hoping up there amongst som of the most beautiful scenry in Asia. If you have a cutie or two with you, you can take fantastic tropical paradise type shots.[/QUOTE]

Anybody on the board with a Metro Manila area address? It is worth a few thousand pesos if I can use it temporarily as a mail drop. Give me a PM for details, nothing illegal.


Spamhog

I thought the V & C on the streets of AC and other places is Fake. I bought some Viagra in AC once and it did nothing. What do you guys regularly find?

Commando 6, a bangka owned by Iligan Shipping Lines turtled in the water yesterday on its way from Batangas to Puerto Galera. Maximum capacity for the boat was 42. As many as 65 people including crew were on board. 12 are known dead and another 8 missing. There were two different reports detailing cause of the boat rolling over. One was that its engine quit and waves caused the hull to break up. Another was that an outrigger broke causing it to turn over.

License of Iligan Shipping Lines has been suspended and three coast guard personnel in Batangas have been relieved. These bangkas are the only way to get to and from PG from Batangas. So what will come of this tragedy? Given the thousands of islands traveled to and from by boat, probably nothing. Life jackets are required to be either worn or held by all on the trip to and from PG. In the six passages I have made, I have never seen a life jacket leave the overhead storage area and my impression is that the majority of filipinos can't swim. As they had time to make a distress call, maybe some of the people were able to get to the life jackets.

[QUOTE=Big Johnson2]I thought the V & C on the streets of AC and other places is Fake. I bought some Viagra in AC once and it did nothing. What do you guys regularly find?[/QUOTE]Most of it in Burgos is fake. Theres a post few months back when I was so bored with these tossers harassing me that I showed them what they sold was fake..

1. Box.. printing color incorrect
2. Absence of a hologram
3. No printed instructions/medical date inside
4. Blister pack incorrect
5. Color of tablet wrong blue
6. Taste.. theirs was sweet.. ( its Sugar country.. what do you expect..)...not bitter as V normally is.

I've had fairly good luck with C which I've purchased on different occasions in AC, MNL, and Cebu. The times it let me down I'd been drinking, so who knows.

Ask inside the bars. Sometimes they have it and maybe they know the best source for legit stuff.

X

[QUOTE=Big Johnson2]I thought the V & C on the streets of AC and other places is Fake. I bought some Viagra in AC once and it did nothing. What do you guys regularly find?[/QUOTE]

I'm going to make a first trip to the Philippines in July. I am thinking about renting a car at the Manila airport and exploring Luzon. Haven't read much here about people renting a car. Anybody have some experience and advice?

[QUOTE=Jak]I'm going to make a first trip to the Philippines in July. I am thinking about renting a car at the Manila airport and exploring Luzon. Haven't read much here about people renting a car. Anybody have some experience and advice?[/QUOTE]

If you are within the city, it is a nice to have a car. But with so much traffic I'd go with public transportation and taxi. If you are not familiar with city I'd go for a rent a driver for a day. ($50 plus gas and tolls)

Just FYI. When people are stuck in traffic everybody will pretty much go in to every space possible to get ahead of everybody.

If you are planning to go from AC to Manila to Laguna. I'd rent a car.

My Girlfriend in Samar says her neighbor is selling an inexpensive motorcycle which is 2 years old and hardly used. I think about $500. I'm not sure if I want to buy it because I'm happy w/ public transportation 90% of the time. Not to mention the roads are horrible and people drive crazy, thus I see it as dangerous.

I know why she wants it, because it would be a status symbol in her village (and of course you could use it to go places). And her family would have this means of transportation when I'm not in the country. Thus the use of and status symbol, that their daughter has a rich foreign BF.

Can I buy it in my name? What are my liabilities as a foreigner? What happens if I'm in a wreck, can I get sued? She and no one in her family has a drivers license. What happens if someone uses it when I'm not there and has a wreck? Am I responsible? Are they frequently stolen? Am I exposed? What are the downsides?

[QUOTE=Jak]I'm going to make a first trip to the Philippines in July. I am thinking about renting a car at the Manila airport and exploring Luzon. Haven't read much here about people renting a car. Anybody have some experience and advice?[/QUOTE]

Not sure where your experience is, but you might want to get adjusted first by just chilling first in the PI before committing to driving anywhere there. In my opinion, these are probably some of the worst if not the worst Asian drivers. It's probably not that bad, but I recommend you get oriented somewhat there to learn some of how things work there.

[QUOTE=Big Johnson2]My Girlfriend in Samar says her neighbor is selling an inexpensive motorcycle which is 2 years old and hardly used. I think about $500. I'm not sure if I want to buy it because I'm happy w/ public transportation 90% of the time. Not to mention the roads are horrible and people drive crazy, thus I see it as dangerous.

I know why she wants it, because it would be a status symbol in her village (and of course you could use it to go places). And her family would have this means of transportation when I'm not in the country. Thus the use of and status symbol, that their daughter has a rich foreign BF.

Can I buy it in my name? What are my liabilities as a foreigner? What happens if I'm in a wreck, can I get sued? She and no one in her family has a drivers license. What happens if someone uses it when I'm not there and has a wreck? Am I responsible? Are they frequently stolen? Am I exposed? What are the downsides?[/QUOTE]

Yes, you can purchase the bike in your name, and you can get insurance immediately from any one of dozens of brokers, many of which will be located around the LTO. If you're buying a used bike you will need a notarized deed of sale and then you will have to pay for a transfer of ownership.

Driving without benefit of license is a definite no-no, and unless you can claim that the bike was stolen from you, then you might be liable in the case of an accident with the bike, since you loaned it to someone who had no legal right to drive it. On the other hand, getting a license for most locals involves, in many cases, a bribe and no requirement to demonstrate driving skills or knowledge.

My advice would be not to purchase it at all, given that you have no idea what will happen to it in your absence except that you can be reasonably sure that no one will maintain it, so there's an excellent chance that when you return it will be inoperable.

GE

[QUOTE=Jak]I'm going to make a first trip to the Philippines in July. I am thinking about renting a car at the Manila airport and exploring Luzon. Haven't read much here about people renting a car. Anybody have some experience and advice?[/QUOTE]

I have been to Phil 12 times and the only time I rent is a motorbike in Bhl or Camiguin. At least I have a chance of surviving in those places cause not much traffic. NO WAY i would rent a car in manila. Just too much traffic. I think taxies are the only way to go or hire a driver for day trips. JMHO

[QUOTE=GoodEnough]
My advice would be not to purchase it at all, given that you have no idea what will happen to it in your absence except that you can be reasonably sure that no one will maintain it, so there's an excellent chance that when you return it will be inoperable.

GE[/QUOTE]
Or be sold again when the family run out of cash and put pressure on her if you dont cough up more cash..........this is something I am aware of (no, I did not buy, but I do know of 2 guys who did)

But GE's comments about maintenance is very true...and very likely in this case as am sure you able to help the girlfriend etc

Saw this, am sure they maybe more to the story but sometimes we should be careful who the drinking companions are especially if they have a very jealous, obsessvie pinoy boyfriend?

[url]http://news.ph.msn.com/regional/article.aspx?cp-documentid=3338526[/url]

[QUOTE=Big Johnson2]My Girlfriend in Samar says her neighbor is selling an inexpensive motorcycle which is 2 years old and hardly used. I think about $500. I'm not sure if I want to buy it because I'm happy w/ public transportation 90% of the time. Not to mention the roads are horrible and people drive crazy, thus I see it as dangerous.

I know why she wants it, because it would be a status symbol in her village (and of course you could use it to go places). And her family would have this means of transportation when I'm not in the country. Thus the use of and status symbol, that their daughter has a rich foreign BF.

Can I buy it in my name? What are my liabilities as a foreigner? What happens if I'm in a wreck, can I get sued? She and no one in her family has a drivers license. What happens if someone uses it when I'm not there and has a wreck? Am I responsible? Are they frequently stolen? Am I exposed? What are the downsides?[/QUOTE]

My GF had a moped in her name. It was very usefull whenever I visited her in BAY BAY, Leyte. I do not think she had a license either.
You should buy and put in her name. However the price of almost 20,000 pesos does seem high for a used bike. When you put in her name there would be no problems for you and whever you visit you can drive it. In my case My GF would ride it and I sit in the back and play around. There is no reason to put anything in PHI and thus bearing legal responsibility.
In small provinces it is always better to have your own transportation.

[QUOTE=Jak]I'm going to make a first trip to the Philippines in July. I am thinking about renting a car at the Manila airport and exploring Luzon. Haven't read much here about people renting a car. Anybody have some experience and advice?[/QUOTE]
I have rented a car twice in Cebu and once in Angeles to go to Luzon. If you want to explore Luzon I recommend renting a car in Angeles and start from there.

Robb

[QUOTE=Nightrider1]I have been to Phil 12 times and the only time I rent is a motorbike in Bhl or Camiguin. At least I have a chance of surviving in those places cause not much traffic. NO WAY I would rent a car in manila. Just too much traffic. I think taxies are the only way to go or hire a driver for day trips. JMHO[/QUOTE]I drove in Phils for 5 years when I lived there and I keep a car there for my monthly trips. IFor me its same as driving in China / Thailand and Indonesia where there are no rules.

Just remember in Manila there are very few signs that are useful or in the right place except in Edsa.

The sign for the main road to the North, the North Luzon Tollway is hidden behind a tree and if you don't see it. Your out of luck.

And yes, whilst traffic is a prob. But parking can be the bigger problem.

Thanks for all the responses - especially to a "new guy" on this thread.

1. Don't rent a car around Manila - the traffic and drivers will be brutal. Better to do taxis and hire a car and driver for the day.

2. If you want to explore, rent outside the city - when you are in Angeles City, for example.

I want to explore the island when I need a mongering break. Anybody have experience going around the island by car? A Philippine lady at my local optometrist told me that it's no problem renting cars for $30 something per day. How are the roads around the island? Decent shape? Safe in the rural areas up north?

I've been reading the Philippine threads for awhile, and I haven't read anything about this. I like to mix mongering with some exploration of a region. Thanks.

[quote=jak]i'm going to make a first trip to the philippines in july. i am thinking about renting a car at the manila airport and exploring luzon. haven't read much here about people renting a car. anybody have some experience and advice?[/quote]




i own and have driven cars in davao, cdo and now cebu. my advice would be do not rent a car and drive it in the phils. no need to, plenty of transportation here. i can;t imagine driving in manila, the traffic is so bad, besides, you as a foreigner might be a target for every swat and swipe scam since they figure you have insudrance and the wallet to pay for medical bills and to "fix my car since it is your fault".

you can get an international drivers license which is good in the phils for vehicle or motorbike.

if you plan on staying in the phils for some time and driving, getting a license for motobike or car is easy, you just go to lto, stop in the dozens of places they have for a drug free test then present your valid us license and pay someone a bribe to speedily process it for you in one day instead of the one month it normally takes. they give you a temp license and that is good, you need insurance for any vehilce you register, insurance is as cheap as p2,000 a year for a car, less for a motor.


spamhog

[QUOTE=GregLondon]I've spent the last 10 day or so in Palawan. As there is not much info on this island inthis site, i thought I should drop a line.

Palawan is not the place to go if your only interest in the Phils is the pussy. You would be better of in any of the big cities such as Manilla, Cebu, Davao etc. However if you want to mix sexy fun with the most stunning scenery in the Philippines (and amongst the most stunning in the whole of SE Asia), it could be of interest.

Most people will fly into Puerto Princesa, the capital of the island. This is a small town with a few Karaoke bars but little sign of western oriented commercial sex. There are relatively few Palawan girls on DIA but quite a few on Tagged. A fair few of these would have been available for 1-1- sex, but we could only find four (young and atractive ones) receptive to threesomes.
[/QUOTE]

I've spent a little time in Puerto Princesa and agree that it's a gorgeous place to visit. I did like the underground river, perhaps simply because it's the longest river of this type in the world, and the only one that empties directly into salt water.

Although I was escorted around by locals and did not want to have them see me in mongering mode, one of my local friends reports that SWs actually hang out at night in the center of town at the intersection adjacent to the Provincial government capitol building.

On another board I read a reliable series of reports about a club called Phoneix near the airport. A local reported that they have about 40 girls doing "fashion shows," but mamasan will help you make connections. Barfine was 2500 PhP about a year ago. They apparently exploit the reality that they are a limited market. Here's the location as I understood it: The airport has separate entrance and exit driveways coming in off the main street. The Phoenix is on a short side street that turns off the main street across from the airport, and approximately half way between the airport's entrance and exit driveways.

Another monger reported taking a p4p into the downtown hotel named the "starlighter" (or something similar). I stayed there once but can't remember the name.

Greg, if you read this, can you tell me if you saw any signs of strip mining in the rural areas that locals seem otherwise to want to protect for their biodiversity? Strange question for this forum, right? Sorry guys; it's my tradeoff for providing information.

Skip

Even my friends who live in Manila and own cars drive them only on week ends or fairly late in the evening when the traffic has slowed. It's a truly awful place to drive and, even if you survive the scams, the traffic, the lousy signage and the general anarchy, where will you park your car?

I own and drive cars in Davao where the whole problem of parking is lots less severe though the locals are still insane when behind the wheel. The insanity of the other drivers is the basic reason I sold my bike, figuring I had pushed my luck and my aging body far enough. The additional problems for newbies is that they have no idea where they're going, and, given the irrational street systems and the absence of grids, it can be tough to figure out.

My advice? Take taxis.

GE

If I recall correctly there is a coding system in Manila. It's basically ODDS and EVENS of the cars license plate. If your license plate ends in an ODD number, you get to drive your car MWF and vise-versa on EVENs. So it does not get too congested in the city and probably minimizes in the pollution. Just something to think / ask about before renting a car in Manila.

If you are renting a car, you better know where you are going. Otherwise, I would just hire a driver or get a taxi.

You remember right TT and gave excellent advice. Never, ever, ever drive around Manila unless one must. Get a taxi or a driver. And a book to read during the ride.

driving in manila is not for the nervous or timid but it is doable. i’ve driven in far worse places i.e indonesia and india. i’ve driven in manila for 5 years and in that time had only two minor scrapes. the traffic is usually moving far too slowly to be a viable danger to each other but the things to look out for are the kamikaze motorcyclists weaving in and out of traffic and slow moving vehicles such as pedicabs and tricies. and watch out when driving behind jeepneys or buses as they tend to make sudden rapid diversions as they spot potential passengers.

as far as i am aware, the colour coding system is supposed to keep you off the road for one day a week but i have often ignored it (becoming a scofflaw like the average filipino:d) and only once been caught which a 200 pesos bribe soon put to rights.

[QUOTE=Gamahucher]As far as I am aware, the colour coding system is supposed to keep you off the road for one day a week but I have often ignored it (becoming a scofflaw like the average Filipino:D) and only once been caught which a 200 pesos bribe soon put to rights.[/QUOTE]Yes beware the one eyed jeepney. What I mean is at night theres often a single bright light from jeepneys. They don't follow the side light system. They have one. In the middle of radiator. Very confusing after several smbs.

Gamahucher. You know the locals only pay P100 for color coding violations. Active discrimination against the foreigners in Epxecting us to pay more. LOL

Has anyone been to the new, revamped immigration visa office recently? Was quite astonished at the most un-Philippine like efficiency of their service now. Instead of wasting half a day, the turnaround time is now 1 hour and they seem to stick to it. Amazing.

The same cannot be said of the new Cebu Pacific ticketing office at Robinsons Mall (where Robinsons Department Store used to be). Got a queue ticket on entry and was allocated No 32. They were presently dealing with No 08. Went away for a spot of lunch and a wander around the new Robinsons Store. Went back about an hour later and they were now seeing No 12. WTF – four customers dealt with in an hour. At that rate I would have been got to the head of the queue in 5 hours!! Gave up and went off mumbling to myself. Would be interested to know what percentage of their lives, an average Filipino wastes in queues?

[quote=gamahucher]has anyone been to the new, revamped immigration visa office recently? was quite astonished at the most un-philippine like efficiency of their service now. instead of wasting half a day, the turnaround time is now 1 hour and they seem to stick to it. amazing.

the same cannot be said of the new cebu pacific ticketing office at robinsons mall (where robinsons department store used to be). got a queue ticket on entry and was allocated no 32. they were presently dealing with no 08. went away for a spot of lunch and a wander around the new robinsons store. went back about an hour later and they were now seeing no 12. wtf – four customers dealt with in an hour. at that rate i would have been got to the head of the queue in 5 hours!! gave up and went off mumbling to myself. would be interested to know what percentage of their lives, an average filipino wastes in queues?[/quote]




dunno which immegration office you are refering to, but the one in cebu (lapu lapu city) was much improved. they now have a computer system which i beleives speeds matters along. all of us "registered aliens" now have a card which can be swiped rather than the yearly paperwork we needed to fill out....easier.

as for cebu pacific, i've always had trouble with them, i never book online as they will invariably screw up so i go direct. lines and queues are always a problem, most of them pay no attention to it, they get to the clerk and ask a million questions, then the clerks aren't all that efficient, expect a power outage or a computer system shut down at least once a day.


spamhog

I just noticed that Filipine air has cut one of its 2 daily flights between Manila and Los Angeles.

If anyone has upcoming flights you should definitely check because they made no effort to contact me to let me know of the change!

I am assuming they have cut others because LAX-Manila is one of their busiest routes.

[QUOTE=Gamahucher] Would be interested to know what percentage of their lives, an average Filipino wastes in queues?[/QUOTE]

I would argue that Filipinos waste a lot of time at various (slow) service counters, but few of these settings actually resemble a queue. I get a kick out of the signs that invariably read "fall in line." Obviously the English is a little contorted. "Form a line" or "line up" would seem like better word usage options. I have asked a few older Filipinos if they can recall where the expression came from. Mostly they remember it from their childhoods, but can't pin down how the expression started. I have suggested to them that it may have been used by American military after WWII in giving instructions to Filipinos for various sorts of handouts. "Fall in" is a common military command for getting into formation, so it seems plausible that this may be its Philippine origin. Having suggested it to several locals, I have not yet had one discount this explanation.

But the major point about the "fall in line" signs is that most Filipinos don't follow them. They'll try various different maneuvers/manipulations to try to buck the line. One place where I've experienced it regularly is at Mercury drug stores. Typically there will be three or four clerks waiting on customers at the prescription counter. So, "falling in line" should be a fairly straight-forward deal: just line up on one of the clerks. But what invariably happens is that some new customer, often as not a woman (not because they're less courteous than men, but because they do the family shopping), will belly up to the counter in between two of the clerks. The new customer waits for either of the clerks to return to the counter after retrieving the previous customer's medications or receipt and change. Then she leans across the counter and starts babbling in the local dialect to the clerk, presumably with some excuse about why she can't stand in line. The clerks are as bad as the line-cutters, because they typically go ahead and wait on the line-cutter, ignoring me or whoever was otherwise next in line. In a country that's so comfortable with bribes, it should not be a surprise that customers and clerks become acclimatized to line-bucking behavior.

So the sign is really a laughable thing, precisely because nobody follows or enforces the sign.

They didn't contact me either, nor did I expect them to.

Do you mean you had a reservation on a discontinued flight and they didn't tell you?

WOW!

X

[QUOTE=Devils 1]I just noticed that Filipine air has cut one of its 2 daily flights between Manila and Los Angeles.

If anyone has upcoming flights you should definitely check because they made no effort to contact me to let me know of the change!

I am assuming they have cut others because LAX-Manila is one of their busiest routes.[/QUOTE]

On the AC thread there is a discussion mostly on how the Philippines falls short on cultural attractions compared to most, if not all, of its neighbors.

I moved here because this seems more appropriate than the AC thread.

I don't disagree with what GE has written, but for the benefits of newcomers who may want to experience some culture, what do the old timers recommend? Here is my list -- maybe some others can add to it.

1) countryside visit: nipa huts, water buffalo, coconuts, simple living.

2) Catholic church or cathedral: Cathedral in MNL Intramuros, Quiapo Church(MNL) and St. Nina in Cebu are worth a visit. I still haven't figured out what I think of the black monstrosity in Davao! Wander thru the after-mass street markets.

3) Market: sometimes colorful, sometimes surprising. Lots of fish usually. Once let my eye wander too long at a young lass working in the market, and the older woman next to her smiled and asked, "Hey, you want my daughter?"

4) Get a ride on a banca boat

5) Festival. You have to plan carefully, but seeing one of the festivals is good fun.

[QUOTE=Skip Kost] ..But what invariably happens is that some new customer, often as not a woman (not because they're less courteous than men, but because they do the family shopping), will belly up to the counter in between two of the clerks...[/QUOTE]

I think that you are being charitable. It always amuses or annoys me (depending on in how much of a hurry I am in or which side of the bed I arose from that morning), how it always seem to be unattractive menopausal or post menopausal women who assume that queues does not apply to them and try and jump in front of the feckless foreigner as he is being served. Never men or young hotties, which I would not mind in the slightest:D.

Another thing that winds me up is when you are being served and someone distracts the attention of the salesperson with a question, and instead of being asked to wait until they have finished serving you, are immediately answered, all the time ignoring you as if you have suddenly disappeared. Once again matronly types are the worst culprits. I’ve largely given up on the snappish remarks, either to the saleperson or the intruder, as neither are particularly effective, and usually restrict myself to staring fixedly at the pushy old bag, until they invariably feel uncomfortable and hurry their query. Works every time :D.

[QUOTE=X Man]
I moved here because this seems more appropriate than the AC thread.[/QUOTE]

Agreed that the AC thread is probably not appropriate to discuss the cultural merits of The Philippines:eek:.

Why not the 'Living in The Philippine' thread?

I imagine anybody traveling thousands of miles purely to enjoy the cultural life of The Philippine would, within 10 minutes of landing, wish they had rerouted to Benidorm or Las Vegas!!

[QUOTE=Timber Tree]It's basically ODDS and EVENS of the cars license plate. If your license plate ends in an ODD number, you get to drive your car MWF and vise-versa on EVENs.[/QUOTE]Not quite. I believe it is plates ending in 1 or 2 don't drive Mondays, 3 or 4 don't drive Tuesdays, all the way to 9 or 0 not driving on Fridays. Not the whole day, just during certain times of the day.

I just turn to the person doing the interrupting, and say something like: "Excuse me, but I'm being waited on now and you will have to wait your turn like everyone else." It always works.

GE

[QUOTE=X Man]
Do you mean you had a reservation on a discontinued flight and they didn't tell you?

X[/QUOTE]Yes, this is an important point to understand, if you have a reservation on a flight that no longer exists they will not contact you!

I'll be going to the philippines in July for the first time in 32 years. Last time I was there the exchange rate was 7 peso to the US dollar. What I would like to know is what is the going prices to tip the girl for special attention. By what I can tell the barfines are 1000 peso to 1500 peso which seems a little high and does the girls get a cut of the fine.

[QUOTE=Azmodeus Fl]I'll be going to the philippines in July for the first time in 32 years. Last time I was there the exchange rate was 7 peso to the US dollar. What I would like to know is what is the going prices to tip the girl for special attention. By what I can tell the barfines are 1000 peso to 1500 peso which seems a little high and does the girls get a cut of the fine.[/QUOTE]My god, if I don't go there for 3 months I start going crazy. All I can say is you might see some changes. But then again, maybe not that many LOL.

[QUOTE=Azmodeus Fl]I'll be going to the philippines in July for the first time in 32 years. Last time I was there the exchange rate was 7 peso to the US dollar. What I would like to know is what is the going prices to tip the girl for special attention. By what I can tell the barfines are 1000 peso to 1500 peso which seems a little high and does the girls get a cut of the fine.[/QUOTE]




Check on the daily price converter, the Peso is something like 47.30 to the dollar as we speak, just a reminder, bring 100 Bills to be exchanged, make sure they are unfolded, unblemished and new right out of the bank, these command a higher exchange rate premium than smaller, soiled and well used bills. Better to go in the malls than use the "govt" or bank exchanges, better rate....

I used to tip the girls based on performance,(Usually P1000) some of the bars do it differently, most give her a cut (albeit a small one) some do not. Depends on where you are.


Spamhog

[QUOTE=Azmodeus Fl]I'll be going to the philippines in July for the first time in 32 years. Last time I was there the exchange rate was 7 peso to the US dollar. What I would like to know is what is the going prices to tip the girl for special attention. By what I can tell the barfines are 1000 peso to 1500 peso which seems a little high and does the girls get a cut of the fine.[/QUOTE]

Be sure to send me a PM if you get to Angeles City. I'm moving there permanently in a week or so. We'll have a beer.

This is one of the articles in the latest MARGARITA STATION NEWS for June 2009.

[url]http://www.margarita-station.com/newsletters/june09/index.html[/url]

Thought it was of interest.

"The Philippines is not a *****house for US soldiers

By Maila Ager INQUIRER.net
First Posted 13:58:00 04/02/2009

MANILA, Philippines Senator Francis Pangilinan on Thursday called for an investigation into reports US soldiers joining the Balikatan military exercises in the Bicol Region are being given sex workers every night. This needs to be investigated and exposed. This is condemnable, said Pangilinan, who initiated a resolution in the Senate calling for a review of the US-RP Visiting Force Agreement.

During his recent visit in the region, Pangilinan said he was approached by concerned citizens, claiming that at least two batches of eight to 10 women were being sent nightly to US soldiers, checking in at 10 p.m. and are out by 4 a.m. the following morning. Every time a owners/manager brings in 10 women, all will be taken. Then they’ll bring another batch of 10, Pangilinan, quoting the locals, said. The service US servicemen were also allegedly seen by the residents in hotels and bars with very young women.

We worked so hard to get rid of prostitution and cleaning our reputation when the US military bases finally left our shores, Pangilinan said. The Philippines is not a *****house for US soldiers."

Damn, I don't remember delivery service when I was in the US military in the 80s.

Slim

Slim, US Navy put me into a port in Luzon (not the usual places) and at some point in the evening I found myself in a bar with some cute ladies. I assumed it was the same program as Subic. I asked about bar fine, but no one knew what I was talking about. I asked the girl if she would like to go and she said "yes, but, my friend..." I took the both of them and there was no bar fine.

My "friend" gave me whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted for the next two days. The other one I introduced to a friend and he got what he wanted too.

It wasn't exactly delivery service, but the girls didn't work at the bar. They were just there because the ship was there. Whether someone organized this or the ladies just used their own ingenuity, I don't know.

X

[QUOTE=Nvslim]

SNIP OF NEWSPAPER ARTICLE

Damn, I don't remember delivery service when I was in the US military in the 80s.

Slim[/QUOTE]

there's a discussion on the photo gallery now about taking pics through customs, particularly in the us. rather than continuing the discussion there (which x-man points out is for photos only), i thought i would post here.

in addition to taking your digital pics through your home country customs, another thing to be careful of is buying a heap of pirate dvds. i once had half a suitcase full and i got caught when the philippines customs (at the pal international terminal) x-rayed my case on the way into the airport.

i was polite and innocent to them and they just took all the porn ones.

when they asked me if the non-porn ones were pirate, i said i didn't know but i had bought them from a good shop. they were nice enough to let me keep those.

however they also took my passport details down. so since then i haven't bought too many dvds there (max 10) and, tempting as they are, i haven't bought any porn ones.

the philippines has laws against porn and i can imagine the penalties for getting caught could be worse than the us.

so if you have some "private" pics on your memory stick, be sure to be careful at philippines customs too.

i also got "caught" once on the way into jakarta airport. the customs guy at the x-ray machine there took me into a small room next to the x-ray machine and asked me directly for a bribe or he would confirep001e the lot.

sometimes i wonder if i had nicely asked when i was stopped in the philippines if there was a fine i could pay, i could have kept all the dvds.

does anyone have a view on the philippines' customs guys? do they also angle for bribes, or is it best to only bribe if requested. some aussies in bangkok recently got into trouble partly because they aggressively offered bribes to some police there. definitely it's better not to bribe at all than bribe the wrong person or in the wrong way.

[QUOTE=Victorian]Does anyone have a view on the Philippines' customs guys? Do they also angle for bribes, or is it best to only bribe if requested. Some Aussies in Bangkok recently got into trouble partly because they aggressively offered bribes to some police there. Definitely it's better not to bribe at all than bribe the wrong person or in the wrong way.[/QUOTE] It depends on the customs agent. The younger ones are less likely to angle for one. Try to pick a agent who is alone if you want to try a bribe. Be discrete. Put a bill folded neatly in your passport where the visa stamps are located. If the agent has a problem, just say you forgot you had money there. There are cameras all over the airport so pulling out your wallet is just plain stupid.

Thanks. Good point about the cameras and it being better if the agent is by themself. As I mentioned, the customs guy in Jakarta told me to come into a small office right next to the x-ray machine where he asked for a bribe. I guess away from other people and cameras. :) It pissed me off, but at least I got to keep all the DVDs.

I've heard before about putting money into your passport, but I would have thought that's a clear bribe and could be used against you (offering a bribe is I'm sure an offense that could be used againt you).

The tactic I was thinking I should have used is being innocent and quietly asking if there was any fine I could pay that would allow me to keep the DVDs. That would avoid getting me into further trouble and avoid potentially upsetting the customs guy.


[QUOTE=Darth Sushi]It depends on the customs agent. The younger ones are less likely to angle for one. Try to pick a agent who is alone if you want to try a bribe. Be discrete. Put a bill folded neatly in your passport where the visa stamps are located. If the agent has a problem, just say you forgot you had money there. There are cameras all over the airport so pulling out your wallet is just plain stupid.[/QUOTE]

I have been told that Karaoke bars have girls that you can pay to have sex with. Is this true? Is it at most of the bigger karaoke bars? Is it take out or in the VIP room? If this is true, what experiences have any of you had with girls from these bars?

Are either of these books good and worth buying?

The Philippines Travel Guide - Jens Peters

A Man's Guide to Life and Love In the Philippines - Larry Elterman

Thanks.

Greetings

Any of you have tried to ask a girl to leave for a week the philippines? Is it even possible to wait for her in Honolulu and pay for her roundtrip? What are the risk?

[QUOTE=Manicure]Greetings

Any of you have tried to ask a girl to leave for a week the philippines? Is it even possible to wait for her in Honolulu and pay for her roundtrip? What are the risk?[/QUOTE]Most are going to have visa problems with the US.

Your best bet would be meeting them in SE Asia or HK if you don't want to go to ph.

[QUOTE=Manicure]Greetings

Any of you have tried to ask a girl to leave for a week the philippines? Is it even possible to wait for her in Honolulu and pay for her roundtrip? What are the risk?[/QUOTE]

The main issue would be getting hera visa for the US (or Europe). They can get visas for other poor Asian countries relatively easy but its expensive and a big hassle to get 1st world visas.

Thanks for the info, How expensive is a visa you think? and how long it takes? I am planning for Jan 2010 and hoping to advertise for the "position" Where should I advertise? Thank you for your time guys

[QUOTE=GregLondon]The main issue would be getting hera visa for the US (or Europe). They can get visas for other poor Asian countries relatively easy but its expensive and a big hassle to get 1st world visas.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Manicure]Greetings

Any of you have tried to ask a girl to leave for a week the philippines? Is it even possible to wait for her in Honolulu and pay for her roundtrip? What are the risk?[/QUOTE]

She can apply for a tourist visa at the U.S. embassy with documents including your sponsorship letter. Visa is no way guaranteed but you never know. Depends entirely on the person who interviews her. It is better if you give a letter stating that you are interested in marrying her rather than as a friend.
Frankly what is the point in taking her to Hawaii ?
Philippino girls do not make good travelloing companions except sex. They do not like western food and not used to the high lifestyle. Ofcourse I am not talking about girls from wealthy families who take vacations all the time.

[QUOTE=Manicure]Thanks for the info, How expensive is a visa you think? and how long it takes? I am planning for Jan 2010 and hoping to advertise for the "position" Where should I advertise? Thank you for your time guys[/QUOTE]
The odds on your obtaining a visa for some girl whom you barely know are between slim and none, and I would advise you not to waste your time and especially your money trying this route. First, you will have to demonstrate the longevity of your relationship and its stability, neither of which you will be able to do. Second, the young lady in question will have to demonstrate not only strong local ties, but financial resources, and it's doubtful that she will be able to accomplish the latter. Thirdly, no matter who interviews her the first time, eventually, she's going to get interviewed by an American consular official, and these folks are tough to fool; they've heard it all before countless times. There is simply zero chance that you will be able to get a tourist visa for some lady you don't really know.

GE

In going down this road, you will learn the reality of the USA Government abroad. They are not very helpful, in any way. Oh, maybe if you are surrounded by a boat load of pirates. But then they get to use their guns. The primary criteria the USA Embassy or consulate will seek is a compelling reason why the girl would return to the Philippines. Does she own land, or assets, does she have a job of significant stature that she would return. Not to disagree with another member, but a letter of sponsorship by you, might work to your disadvantage. As resident in the USA, in your letter, you would be giving a compelling reason for her not to return--ie. Be with you. It in fact states on the USA Immigration website, that officers are not to take such letters as evidence of her willingness to return. Read the USA Consulate in the Philippines website, it is very straighforward on your chances.

Let's take the example of a young girl, early twenties at most, no assets, no job, no money, no education, never left the Philippines before (or worse shows a history of Singapore, Hongkong, Thailand and/or China), and sole reason is to meet her BF, who she has seen in person only a couple of times, met in a bar or on the internet, huge age difference. Any one of these items is likely to result in a rejection. The USA Embassy looks for a reason to reject, its their starting point, thus must be presented with compelling evidence to the contrary. I know Asians working for fortune 500 companies, with sponsorship letters from their companies to attend training or meetings, on their first attempt get rejected.

I agree with one member that it is better to take her to one of the Asian countries. Maybe it might be easier to get into Australia, the beaches there are as good or better than Hawaii anyway.

Good luck

[QUOTE=Manicure]Greetings

Any of you have tried to ask a girl to leave for a week the philippines? Is it even possible to wait for her in Honolulu and pay for her roundtrip? What are the risk?[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=GoodEnough]The odds on your obtaining a visa for some girl whom you barely know are between slim and none, and I would advise you not to waste your time and especially your money trying this route. First, you will have to demonstrate the longevity of your relationship and its stability, neither of which you will be able to do. Second, the young lady in question will have to demonstrate not only strong local ties, but financial resources, and it's doubtful that she will be able to accomplish the latter. Thirdly, no matter who interviews her the first time, eventually, she's going to get interviewed by an American consular official, and these folks are tough to fool; they've heard it all before countless times. There is simply zero chance that you will be able to get a tourist visa for some lady you don't really know.

GE[/QUOTE]Well said. I have a former colleague that works in US Embassy and their stats this year is that they have rejected almost 90% of all visa applicants ( all those poor souls that stand on Roxas under the sun daily).

Lasy year rejection rate was approx 86%.

Thanks all for the info, it makes sense... I will not go forward but will consider perhaps local travelling instead when I will be in the Philippines! It is always good to think with your head

[QUOTE=FreebieFan]Well said. I have a former colleague that works in US Embassy and their stats this year is that they have rejected almost 90% of all visa applicants ( all those poor souls that stand on Roxas under the sun daily).

Lasy year rejection rate was approx 86%.[/QUOTE]Wow, that's a lot! My neighbor was denied a visa to visit her mother stateside because her passport was empty. Basically, you should have at least 4 or 5 visa stamps to other countries as proof you're not going to overstay your visa in the US. Also, owning property or a business in the Philippines will boost your chances since you'll have a reason to return to the PI.

have been chatting with several filipinas, some for a long time.

they have invited me to stay with them at their houses as i am trying to avoid spending alot of money on hotels since i am there for the long haul.

have any of you done this-i.e.-met a filipina on chat and stayed at her place or her parents? i already know i can expect no air cond. and primitive conditions; probably a lack of privacy, although a private room has been offered.

i am usually a pretty good judge of character, but what worries me is if i error and get someone who is going to try to run some scam, maybe with the cops help against me? phil. cops have a reputation for doing this sort of thing to tourists. maybe i need to get them to sign a prenup before staying with the, but i wonder if even that would offer any protections.

i would be great if some filipina falsely accuses me of abuse or [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord123][CodeWord123][/url] or they try to steal from me. i am willing to give a little in return for a room, help with groceries, etc. but not sure if this is a good idea. i won't be doing manila, so the worst place is off my agenda, but not sure cebu or davao is much different.

what do you guys think?

after searching the board and reading a few threads, i realize now this was kind of a dumb post, sorry. i dont' think i'm going to have much worries since i am staying out of manila. there's alot of good info on this board, but unfortunately my sometimes slow connection makes it hard to search for exactly what i'm looking for.

[quote=turdycurdyone]have been chatting with several filipinas, some for a long time.

they have invited me to stay with them at their houses as i am trying to avoid spending alot of money on hotels since i am there for the long haul.

have any of you done this-i.e.-met a filipina on chat and stayed at her place or her parents? i already know i can expect no air cond. and primitive conditions; probably a lack of privacy, although a private room has been offered.

i am usually a pretty good judge of character, but what worries me is if i error and get someone who is going to try to run some scam, maybe with the cops help against me? phil. cops have a reputation for doing this sort of thing to tourists. maybe i need to get them to sign a prenup before staying with the, but i wonder if even that would offer any protections.

i would be great if some filipina falsely accuses me of abuse or [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord123][CodeWord123][/url] or they try to steal from me. i am willing to give a little in return for a room, help with groceries, etc. but not sure if this is a good idea. i won't be doing manila, so the worst place is off my agenda, but not sure cebu or davao is much different.

what do you guys think?[/quote]

[quote=turdycurdyone]have been chatting with several filipinas, some for a long time.

they have invited me to stay with them at their houses as i am trying to avoid spending alot of money on hotels since i am there for the long haul.

have any of you done this-i.e.-met a filipina on chat and stayed at her place or her parents? i already know i can expect no air cond. and primitive conditions; probably a lack of privacy, although a private room has been offered.

i am usually a pretty good judge of character, but what worries me is if i error and get someone who is going to try to run some scam, maybe with the cops help against me? phil. cops have a reputation for doing this sort of thing to tourists. maybe i need to get them to sign a prenup before staying with the, but i wonder if even that would offer any protections.

i would be great if some filipina falsely accuses me of abuse or [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord123][CodeWord123][/url] or they try to steal from me. i am willing to give a little in return for a room, help with groceries, etc. but not sure if this is a good idea. i won't be doing manila, so the worst place is off my agenda, but not sure cebu or davao is much different.

what do you guys think?[/quote]
i think your concerns are legitimate. you know neither the country or the women to whom you have been speaking and it's wise to be cautious. though you have described a worse case scenario, and it's not likely to happen, it is possible and easily avoided by refusing the invitations and taking a hotel room--at least until you get to know the ladies a little. also of course if you accept an invitation to stay with one family, it does pretty much limit your ability to meet additional women, so if you choose badly, you could wind up stuck. staying in a hotel and choosing the "wrong" one however, will not have the same negative consequences.

i do not know very much about cebu, but if you are coming to davao, one alternative to might want to consider is to rent an apartment. though there are a few choices, i would suggest red knight garden, where you can rent a studio apartment for around $20 a night, and will have access to a pool and a small restaurant.

ge