Living Costs in the Philippines

[Edwin]

I heard someone suggests to always have enough for an airplane ticket out of the Philippines. Also someone said not to run out of money in the Philippines, because I don't think foreigners are allowed to do anything for money in the Philppines.

I heard that you can get visas and extentions to stay longer at Philippines Embassies in the USA, and they don't charge you a fee for fast processing. That is just what I heard anyway. Maybe that is why they cost more in some places than others in the Philippines because of that fast processing fee.

That sounds like a wonderful idea to retire in the Philippines, especially where you can get all those wonderful foods. I can't get Carol to agree to fly as she is afraid of it, so for now anyway, all I can do is visit. It makes a wonderful dream anyway, thinking about retiring in the Philippines!

[Smiley]

You bet. To go ANYWHERE without a plan 'B' is about as stupid as jumping off of a boat without making sure there is a ladder to get back on.Every now and again I hear of yet another expat that needs help to go home because he did not think things through well enough.
It is very hard for a Kano to get a job there, Usually what happens is that A person working for a company will be transferred there,usually for a fixed term.
Some people I know export used clothing to South East Asia and Africa. They asked me if I would be interested in working for them in the Philippines. It does not look now like they are going to establish an operation there now after all. I`m not even sure what area the operation would be in but There are some areas where foreign businesses can operate with certain advantages. I think one is near Subic and I know of the big zone in the Cebu area.I think that there are a few others as well.

[Smiley]

Edwin: A good hypnotist would probably convince her that she LOVES flying

[red]

You bet. To go ANYWHERE without a plan 'B' is about as stupid as jumping off of a boat without making sure there is a ladder to get back on.Every now and again I hear of yet another expat that needs help to go home because he did not think things through well enough.
It is very hard for a Kano to get a job there, Usually what happens is that A person working for a company will be transferred there,usually for a fixed term.
Some people I know export used clothing to South East Asia and Africa. They asked me if I would be interested in working for them in the Philippines. It does not look now like they are going to establish an operation there now after all. I`m not even sure what area the operation would be in but There are some areas where foreign businesses can operate with certain advantages. I think one is near Subic and I know of the big zone in the Cebu area.I think that there are a few others as well.

That is very familiar. It is nice to retire in Phils. The only disadvantage is foreigners rarely get a job here. But the embassy sometimes hires for jobs but have to qualify. I still want my husband to retire here. And it would be my turn to dig and shovel some golds, God's will pohon.

[Edwin]

Edwin: A good hypnotist would probably convince her that she LOVES flying

Actually that was discussed, she didn't think that would work. Also, don't care medication was discussed as well, but she thought that she would care anyway. Certain medications were discussed, but she didn't want to go that route. Someone suggested alcohol, but she was not interested in that either. She lived in Alaska before we were married, and she flew then, but something happened since them to give her this phobea. I learned to pilot airplanes and flew them for a very short time, and she would never ride with me in an airplane. Our kids flew with me and that was fine with them and her, but she wouldn't. She flew to the Philippines in 2006 with our friends to be with them and also to spend a couple of weeks with her brother who is now deceased, but at that time lived on Guimaras Island. She told me that she was uncomfortable all the way, and I think that was because she was tense from being afraid. Their airplane also dropped about 1000 feet, food trays and utensils flew up to the ceiling, and a lot of them were praying. That was a bad experience for her, since she already was afraid of flying. I kind of like it when the airplane bounces around in the air as long as it doesn't crash!

[Edwin]

So, it sounds like a job is not impossible for an American living in the Philippines, but he might be unlikely to find one, a good one anyway. The other thing this person said was that he talked about how low the wages are in the Philippines, so if you needed to fly out, and had to get a job to earn a ticket, it might be a long time before getting enough money to make a trip out from the Philippines. I would need to be careful not to get myself stuck in the Philippines without a way out, but then maybe that wouldn't be all bad either! I would tell them all, "Sorry, I can't leave, see you in ten years!"

[red]

Ha ha! Thats right sir ed thats reality. Actually, here its nice to stay for vacation have investments but gotta have some back up plans dont rely everything in phils or get stuck forever.

[Edwin]

Yes, unless someone wants to be stuck forever, and that might not be all bad either! I really had a great time when I was in the Philippines for 2 weeks in 2010, and I have wanted to return since, but things have not worked out that well, but maybe in the near future, I can figure out a way. I had a chance to go to the Philippines last November, but that was a really bad time for me. I am still thinking and dreaming about that. Backup plans are always a good idea!

[wantingmore]

I know of many filipinos who live on much less than that. Most share a room in a boarding house to cut expenses, or live with relatives. These people live on as little as 6,000 php per month.
I think that he standard rate of pay in the Phlippines is 230 php per day. But many jobs pay less than that. If you calculate the standard rate, not including any deductions, for six days per week, then 27 work days per month times 230 php equals 6,210 php per month. That is barely a subsistence level, but most filipinos are happy to get that because jobs are scarce and hard to find, especially for those with little education.

The farmers and field hands who work in the provinces earn less than the standard rates. The normal rate of pay for those jobs is 150 to 200 php per day.

The salesladies that I met in Biliran were paid 1500 php per month for a six day work week, ten hours per day.
The people who I know who work in a bakery in Biliran were also paid 1500 php per month.
The teachers I know who work at private schools are paid about 10,000 php per month.
Very few jobs are going to pay above 10,000 php per month, so a budget of 14,000 php per month is unrealistic for most filipinos.

This sounds good idea. I always wanted to help but I am not sure if someone is totally truthful about their lives in the Philippines.

[Edwin]

Get to know the person as well as possible and build some trust. Detective agencies have been used to follow people and meet people, interview people to figure out if they are on the level. I have stories about this being done, and in some cases these people have been found to be the best, honest, and living the right kind of life. In other cases the people have been found to be living a lie and scamming many people. I like to think that a detective agency shouldn't need to be used to check up on people, but in some cases it has been needed.

Find a person who has faith in God, and is a committed Christian, and of course you have to be that yourself, if you are going to find someone like that. I think that a committed Christian who has faith in God, and is living for him will not scam and mistreat other people, and you should be able to have faith in that kind of a person.

Get to know that person's family, relatives, and friends, and then question them, after which you draw your own conclusions. Taking enough time to get to know the person is important, because someone might fool you in the short haul, but over the long haul, you should be able to get a good feel about whether or not the person is trust worthy.