The Philippines: Ever live there or work there recently? Have questions

[scho63]

One of my former Chinese business colleagues from Hong Kong has reconnected with me as he is in the US for 2 weeks on business. He owns some properties in Philly and was in NYC/Philly for a week and now in LA/SFO for another 10 days.

We did business together from 1994-1997 in China/Hong Kong and the US. It was a good relationship and I was treated great and did very well.

Eerily his 29 yr old daughter committed on April 22nd and it was a shock, so all these recent suicides have resonated with me.

He has some partners and they are doing a LOT of investing in the Philippines around Manila, specifically Makati City. He is wondering if I would be interested to work together again and potentially be based over there to help sell Philippines development properties for him as a partner to all his contacts in China/Hong Kong/Canada and the US. My housing would be free and I would be paid a salary.

I've been to Asia but never the Philippines. It is a very English speaking country, good ties with US and they are making a HUGE push to catch up to China.

My question is there anyone here who in the last 5-7 years spent time in the Philippines, specifically around Manilla?

What can you share?
Business?
Quality of life?
Costs?
Food?
Weather?

It would be a RADICAL change from Scottsdale AZ but the opportunity is very intriguing compared to the very slow start I'm having here with a tech company.

Any REAL feedback greatly appreciated.......

[Rain Man]

If you get sent to prison, go to the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center. They have an excellent dance program.

[MahiMike]

Women are hot.

[Bewbies]

Originally Posted by Pestilence

Always check to see if she has a dick.

How do you do this?

Pretty sure to confirm you're going to have to commit, which lands after check on the scale...

[JohnnyV13]

Scho63, I am in a company that has a call center in the Philippines. All of the founders, including me, are either immigrants from the Philippines or are a child of a Philippine immigrant.

As for costs, the effective buying power of a dollar is approximately 7 to 1, while the exchange rate is a soft peg that hovers around 50 pesos to the dollar. However, this isn’t uniform. Cars and electronics might cost even more in the Philippines due to lack of a strong distribution channels, while food, clothes, housing, and personal services are dirt cheap. If you like seafood, Manila is heaven. You can get vast quantifies of fresh seafood at dirt cheap prices.

Makati is an elite area. It’s pretty much the Wall Street of the Philippines and is part of Metro Manila. You will be able to get around quite easily speaking English. Not only are street signs in English, store sale signs are in English. College courses are taught in English, so most managers and educated professionals will be fluent. In fact, in business meetings, you will see people speaking Tagalog before the meeting, when the meeting starts they switch to English, and after the meeting they switch back to Tagalog. English is the language of business and official documents are recorded in BOTH English and Tagalog versions. Given the wealth of Makati, almost everyone will speak American. Heck, all kinds of businessmen will want to exchange cards with u bc everyone wants to make American contacts.

You can hire a full time maid for less than $50 a week, who will cook and clean your place. If you're getting housing paid for, it should also come with at least one (preferrably two) maids. The maids will shop for you too. However, it’s very close to the equator, so it’s hot and humid as hell. December is the best time to go as it is relatively cool. But it’s soon followed by monsoon season which can have very heavy rain.

Makati is on the main island of Luzon, and there are beautiful beaches all over the Philippines (7,000 islands). It’s a heavily catholic country with around 89% identifying themselves that way. Thus, it’s a place where abortion is illegal and the Catholic church is still fighting any public programs to teach use of birth control. BE VERY CAREFUL if you decide to travel between islands. Inter-island ferries can be really risky. There are way too frequent accidents where these things sink and thousands of people die. Typically, this occurs when people bribe the low level attendants to get aboard, and they get overloaded.

The place is endemically corrupt. Locals will typically bribe police to get out of tickets, or will bribe the tax man. You will often have to pay bribes to low level regulators to just do their jobs. One typical scam is for customs officials to plant a bullet in your baggage, and you have to pay a bribe to avoid charges for attempting to bring in contraband. This trick is often pulled on Filipino guest workers returning from well paid jobs abroad.

However, your Chinese friend should have all of that figured out if he’s regularly doing business there. For example, my first cousin runs 14 casinos for the company that holds the gaming license in the Philippines. He has concierges meet any high roller at the airport to help them get through customs (I don't know, but I presume this includes a standing bribe to customs officials).

However, American tourists and American businessmen are pretty much immune from customs scams bc the government doesn’t tolerate it.

As for your business, the Philippines doesn’t allow foreign ownership of real property. However, you can own condos where the overall property is held by a Philippine citizen. To do the business you’re talking about, you will need a local (Filipino) partner. The law might have changed, that was the rule cited to me by the sales staff of a condominium in Tagaytay (a nice area in the mountains with an average daily temperature of 67 degrees year round).

Manila is a cosmopolitan city with all the amenities available (presuming u have $$$), but the Philippines is a shockingly poor country. It has roughly the same population as Mexico with only 1/3 the gdp. Though Manila does a pretty good job of hiding them from view while driving along the main thoroughfares, the poor live in shantytowns.

Traffic in metro Manila is horrendous. Though, if you’ve been to Hong Kong it won’t be anything you don’t expect. Heck, Hong Kong traffic is worse than Manila. However, if I were to live there, I would just take cabs, "tricycles" (a form of hired local transport that are motorcycles with a covered sidecar), or hire a local driver. I wouldn't want to deal with that crazy traffic, plus you'd be a target for a lawsuit if you got in an accident.

[EPodolak]

Some co-workers traveled there a couple of years ago to help launch a new site. Ended up coming home prematurely because of terrorist attacks.

Things may be more settled there now - don't know. They seemed to enjoy themselves while it lasted.

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by JohnnyV13

Scho63, I am in a company that has a call center in the Philippines. All of the founders, including me, are either immigrants from the Philippines or are a child of a Philippine immigrant.

As for costs, the effective buying power of a dollar is approximately 7 to 1, while the exchange rate is a soft peg that hovers around 50 pesos to the dollar. However, this isn’t uniform. Cars and electronics might cost even more in the Philippines due to lack of a strong ddistribution channels, while food, clothes, housing, and personal services are dirt cheap.

Makati is an elite area. It’s pretty much the Wall Street of the Philippines and is part of Metro Manila. You will be able to get around quite easily speaking English. Not only are street signs in English, store sale signs are in English. College courses are taught in English, so most managers and educated professionals will be fluent. In fact, in business meetings, you will see people speaking Tagalog before the meeting, when the meeting starts they switch to English, and after the meeting they switch to Tagalog. Given the wealth of makati, almost everyone will speak American. Heck, all kinds of businessmen will want to exchange cards with u bc everyone wants to make American contacts.

You can hire a full time maid for less than $50 a week, who will cook and clean your place. However, it’s very close to the equator, so it’s hot and humid as hell. December is the best time to go as it is relatively cool. But it’s soon followed by monsoon season which can have very heavy rain.

Makati is on the main island of Luzon, and there are beautiful beaches all over the Philippines (7,000 islands). It’s a heavily catholic country with around 89% identifying themselves that way. Thus, it’s a place where abortion and s illegal and the Catholic c church is still fighting any public programs to teach use of birth control.

The place is endemically corrupt. Locals will typically bribe police to get out of tickets, or will bribe the tax man. You will often have to pay bribes to low level regulators to just do their jobs. One typical scam is for customs officials to plant a bullet in your baggage, and you have to pay a bribe to avoid charges for attempting to bring in contraband. This trick is often pulled on Filipino guest workers returning from well paid jobs abroad.

However, your Chinese friend should have all of that figured out if he’s regularly doing business there. For example, my first cousin runs 14 casinos for the company that holds the gaming license in the Philippines. He has concierges meet any high roller at the airport to help them get through customs (I do not know, but I presume this includes a standing bribe to customs officials).

However, American tourists and American businessmen are pretty much immune from customs scams bc the government doesn’t tolerate it.

As for your business, the Philippines doesn’t allow foreign ownership of real property. However, you can own condos where the overall property is held by a Philippine citizen. To do the business you’re talking about, you will need a local (Filipino) partner. The law might have changed, that was the rule cited to me by the sales staff of a condominium in Tagaytay (a nice area in the mountains with an average daily temperature of 67 degrees year round).

Manila is a cosmopolitan city with all the amenities available (presuming u have $$$), but the Philippines is a shockingly poor country. It has roughly the same population as Mexico with only 1/3 the gdp. Though Manila does a pretty good job of hiding them from view while driving along the main thoroughfares, the poor live in shantytowns.

Traffic in metro Manila is horrendous. Though, if you’ve been to Hong Kong it won’t be anything you don’t expect. Heck, Hong Kong traffic is worse than Manila.

Well Scho you got a jackpot of a reply here.

[bdj23]

Asians with Mexican names who are Muslims? I'll pass.

[JohnnyV13]

Originally Posted by BDj23

Asians with Mexican names who are Muslims? I'll pass.

You don't have many Muslims outside of Mindanao, which is a big island way the f south of where schmo is talking about living.

[bdj23]

Originally Posted by JohnnyV13

You don't have many Muslims outside of Mindanao, which is a big island way the f south of where schmo is talking about living.

I was just joking anyway. I don't know anything about the Philippines.

[scho63]

Originally Posted by Jewish Rabbi

I hear the hookers there are cheaper so you can brag about how many women you paid to have sex with.

You try to be a mensch but your really a meshuggeneh putz.

[scho63]

Originally Posted by Eureka

Sometimes doors just open! After your life change last year (which was inspiring) you should jump at this next adventure. Heck you could be talking to us at CP about a wife and kids there soon enough haha. Life is a trip.

SLOW YOUR ROLL THERE BUDDY! Don't jinx me!

Originally Posted by Pestilence

Always check to see if she has a dick.

Things have been VERY slow lately, beggars can't be choosers and what happens in Manila stays in Manila! She/he love me long time!

Originally Posted by Halfcan

They have some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. I plan on traveling there very soon.

If I wind up going, Palawan will be one of the first places I go during a long weekend.

Originally Posted by GloucesterChief

Speaking as a Navy brat in the 80s and 90s. I love Filipino food. Adobo, lumpia, and pancit of any kind are delicious.

Me too on the food.

Originally Posted by SuperBowl4

Too HOT and Too Humid

I live in 122 degrees in the summer Scottsdale. It ain't humid but it's ****ing hot!

Originally Posted by vailpass

Bullshit, you don't get to move here then leave before summer is done. You have to spend at least one full summer here in the hot-as-hell.

I was here from March of LAST year 2017. I spent 4 months during the dead of summer outside of retail stores and restaurants all around the Valley working for a Tempe based charity raising money for Foster Kids, including days with NO SHADE for 6 hours. I know how hot it gets and I've dealt with the monsoons.

Originally Posted by BigBeauford

Duarte is ****ing insane.

Yes but so is Trump according to most.

Originally Posted by Rain Man

If you get sent to prison, go to the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center. They have an excellent dance program.

I'm a pretty nimble dancer so I'll do my best to avoid prison.

Originally Posted by MahiMike

Women are hot.

So I've heard but honestly, of all the Asian woman they are near the bottom. Japanese, Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, Korean and Philipino. The rest like Cambodian and Laos are all lumped together.

[scho63]

Originally Posted by JohnnyV13

You don't have many Muslims outside of Mindanao, which is a big island way the f south of where schmo is talking about living.

POS REP sent for your long answer.

I know that there are TONS of call centers and BPO offices now all over the Manila Metro area and Makati is leading the way.

Many Chinese, about 100,000 have been buying properties all over the area. It's heating up big time as it's still cheap overall.

The secondary market however is lacking transparency and any real statistics. Opportunity there for sure as well.

I'll decide in the next 30 days. I may also be going to Philly to help him as well.

It may be a LOT of traveling, which I did for these guys before.....16 times to China and 14 times to Hong Kong. I have a love for Asia and Asian food-culture-people.

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

My biggest factor would be my ability to watch the chiefs and the beginning of the PMII era. I'd want to know if satellite is available . If I couldn't watch I'd have to turn the offer down.

[banecat]

I don't know that much just a little that I learned from working with a few guys from there while I was living in Houston in 2017. Basketball if really big there. Like as much or more than soccer for some reason. The women, the coasts, and the food are all supposed to be great. May want to have a gun on you with how bad crime can be there. Especially in the cities, and even more so in Manila. And the people there are pretty traditional like in most Eastern Nations

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Hog's Gone Fishin

My biggest factor would be my ability to watch the chiefs and the beginning of the PMII era. I'd want to know if satellite is available . If I couldn't watch I'd have to turn the offer down.

Due to cultural differences, Monday Night Football is on Tuesday morning.