What are the "Pro's & Con's" of living in Philippines?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

5 hours ago, andre47 said:

They are fining foreigners for not do their 90 day reports and this is ok because they don't obey the rules. They are not jailing them for that.
 

 

Tell that to those who are being arrested for being late on their 90-day reports or not having up-to-date TM30 residence forms.

 

Quote

 

Immigration police carried out their latest nationwide search for foreigners living illegally in Thailand and made several hundred more arrests on Thursday.
 

Itthitpol said the operation focused on 238 areas around the country and resulted in the arrest of 730 foreigners.

 

...83 for not doing their 90-day residential reports to immigration officials, 62 for staying in places other than the one reported to the immigration...

 

 

 

Edited November 4, 2018 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[BobBKK]

5 hours ago, andre47 said:

GDP growth: 3.0% (2015), 3.3% (2016), 3.9% (2017e), 4.1% (2018f)

Is this stagnating?

My understanding about people like you is zero!

You believe that BS?  do you speak to any Thais?  (doubtful I know). You are WAY off-topic.

[andre47]

5 hours ago, BobBKK said:

You believe that BS?  do you speak to any Thais?  (doubtful I know). You are WAY off-topic.

Yes, I believe these figures. Just take a look to the highway between Pattaya and Bangkok. Compare the companies at the right and left side now with 2 or 5 years ago. Its growing fast. Take a look at Suvarnabhumi Airport now and 5 years ago and look what they are planing for the next 10 years. Then compare Thailand with their neighbors. Thailand is developing very fast. Of cause not everybody is a winner in this process. Some businesses are declining (beer bars) and other are growing. So if you ask some people on the street it is not sure that you will get a representative answer. Look how many cars are driving now at the streets and how many were 10 years ago. I know that many of them are bought by bank loan but anyway the people can afford them.

Thailand is changing. The old 'sanuk-culture' is slowly disappearing. Some of the old 'beer-bar-farang' will not like that and some of the uneducated Thai also don't like it because they have to start thinking and working.

[andre47]

6 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Tell that to those who are being arrested for being late on their 90-day reports or not having up-to-date TM30 residence forms.

 

You can be arrested for overstay but not for being late on 90-day reports or TM30. You can be fined for that. Of cause if you are overstaying you will also not make a 90-day report or TM30 ???? 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

9 minutes ago, andre47 said:

You can be arrested for overstay but not for being late on 90-day reports or TM30. You can be fined for that. Of cause if you are overstaying you will also not make a 90-day report or TM30 ???? 

 

If you don't like or believe the news, that's your choice.

 

But don't try to mangle or mis-state what was clearly reported -- dozens of foreigners each were arrested for not having current 90-day report status and for not having current TM30 filings. You and everyone else here can clearly read the news report I linked to above, which was clear and unambiguous.

 

Supposedly, all these people being caught up in the Immigration raids are being blacklisted and slated for deportation. Whether that's in fact occurring with these arrests, AFAIK, the local news media have never followed up with those specific kinds of details/outcomes.

 

If the folks arrested in this particular raid were being arrested for overstay, then they would have been reported in the overstay category, which was separately listed

 

Quote

He said 42 of them were arrested for overstaying their visas, 277 for sneaking into the country without a visa, 83 for not doing their 90-day residential reports to immigration officials, 62 for staying in places other than the one reported to the immigration, 69 for working in professions reserved for Thais and 76 for various other offences.

 

Edited November 4, 2018 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Thainess]

Pros: None.
Cons: Everything.
If Thailand is to be considered "third world", then the Philippines is truly "fourth world".
You'd be mad to go and live there.

[tropo]

On 11/1/2018 at 1:33 PM, watcharacters said:

 

I honestly believe it's always OK to post a topic such as this no matter how many times it's been previously posted.

 

One thing I've come to learn for certain since living in SEA is the changes that happen are far more rapid fire than those in my home country.

 

Information posted two months ago may already be stale for some or even many  topics.

 

Let's welcome the interest and concern shown by posters to simple inquire..

 

3

I have no idea why anyone would complain about repeats of this topic. Things are constantly changing in both countries and NOW is perfect timing as many expats (myself included) are starting to explore the idea of relocating. I've spent about 5 years full time over there and 12 years in Thailand.

 

Here's last months comparison of electricity pricing. I pay 2 bills every month, one here and one over there in PI.

 

PI: 245 kWh = 3,200 PHP (13 PHP per kWh) (Provincial - Visaya region)

TH: 845 kWh = 3,653 THB (4.32 THB per KWh)

 

At the current exchange rate of about 1 THB = 1.62 PHP that makes the price of electricity in PI about 63% more expensive than Thailand. Fortunately, we don't use aircon in PI.

Edited November 4, 2018 by tropo

[tropo]

1 hour ago, Thainess said:

Pros: None.
Cons: Everything.
If Thailand is to be considered "third world", then the Philippines is truly "fourth world".
You'd be mad to go and live there.

These 3rd and 4th world terms are meaningless and worthless.

 

There's no point discussing this topic with a person who calls themselves "Thainess". Thai people generally consider themselves superior to Filipinos and look down on them. I've noticed this time and time again as my wife is Filipino. There are many pros and many cons that can be discussed here, but an open and balanced mind is required, which is probably something you don't possess.

 

Here's one big plus to consider. If a foreigner is married to a Filipino, you can stay in the Philippines forever without a scrap of paperwork or even a single visit to immigration. To do that you need to exit once a year with your wife, and when you return you're stamped in for one year, no questions asked. In fact, if you are married to a Filipino they are extremely welcoming and friendly toward you at the airport. Contrast that to the unfriendly attitude Foreigners need to endure from Immigration Officers when married to Thais... and all the hoops they have to jump through, and all the financial requirements.

Edited November 4, 2018 by tropo

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

7 minutes ago, tropo said:

These 3rd and 4th world terms are meaningless and worthless.

 

There's no point discussing this topic with a person who calls themselves "Thainess". Thai people generally consider themselves superior to Filipinos and look down on them. I've noticed this time and time again as my wife is Filipino. There are many pros and many cons that can be discussed here, but an open and balanced mind is required, which is probably something you don't possess.

 

Tropo, so you have a Filipina wife and apparently are living in Pattaya?

 

So does that mean you've reached some personal conclusion about the merits of living in TH vs the PH???

[tropo]

20 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Tropo, so you have a Filipina wife and apparently are living in Pattaya?

 

So does that mean you've reached some personal conclusion about the merits of living in TH vs the PH???

 

That's a very good question....

 

I know for sure I can't equal my quality of life anywhere in the Philipines to match what I have in Pattaya (for the same money). I would move back only if my visa situation becomes unworkable. Bear in mind we BOTH need visas, so it's not as simple as for just one. As it is we virtually live in both countries as we are in constant Skype contact with my wife's family and involved in their day to day life AND expenses and we own farmland and a house there too.

 

... and there's another reason why we're still stuck here. One year becomes two becomes 10 and so on. Once I've been living somewhere for too long it's harder to relocate. I become embedded and it takes a huge incentive to get up and leave. It's a question we've mulled over many times - if we go back to PI where would we want to live - and I constantly draw a blank. As I've spent 5 years over there full time and travelled all over, I'm quite familiar with most areas and what kind of lifestyle to expect. Bear in mind I wouldn't be going over as a sexpat. If I was a sexpat, I wouldn't be in Thailand. There's no comparison - PI wins hands down for "sexpattery".

Edited November 4, 2018 by tropo

[tropo]

On 11/3/2018 at 11:56 AM, KittenKong said:

For you it probably would not be much of an issue in either country due to dual-taxation agreements, but some people have foreign income that is paid tax-free due to non-residency. Depending on where they live they may or may not be taxed on it there.

I've had a bank account for over 15 years in PI. If I have a large deposit come in they may ask about its source, and that's it. As a foreigner, you just tell them it's from your home country and that's the end of it. You're only taxed on interest (they withhold it). Bear in mind that foreign remittances are a huge percentage of the PI GDP, so they love seeing money come in.

[andre47]

By the way...

The President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte is commanding killer groups and he treats the law with his feet. He is not far of being a dictator.

 

Think twice before moving to such a country.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

20 minutes ago, tropo said:

That's a very good question....

I know for sure I can't equal my quality of life anywhere in the Philipines to match what I have in Pattaya (for the same money).

 

So you've voted for Thailand with your tuchus! 

Edited November 4, 2018 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[tropo]

Just now, andre47 said:

By the way...

The President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte is commanding killer groups and he treats the law with his feet. He is not far of being a dictator.

 

Think twice before moving to such a country.

This is total nonsense. Just about everything has improved since Duterte took power, unless you're a corrupt cop or drug dealer. Poor people get more aid, hospitals are forced to treat people they used to turn away to die. Less young people are using drugs. Public offices are working better to serve people. The economy is growing too. He is not power hungry at all - he loves his people and he is very popular. He is not after money or power.

I first heard of Duterte in November 2013, when he visited Tacloban City, where 7000 people we killed by Typhoon Yolanda. He was the mayor of Davao back then and he visited another province due to concern for the people there. He wasn't even considering a run for president back then. I still remember his words: "where was God that day...". His war on drugs may be misguided, but it HAS taken a lot of drug pushers and users off the streets. 

 

On the contrary, you should be more concerned about power hungry people in Thailand and unelected military governments.

[tropo]

7 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

So you've voted for Thailand with your tuchus! 

Let me make this clear. I first came here in 2005 and decided to try it out. That was a 2005 version of Thailand that has changed quite a bit since... all for the worse. If I had first come to Thailand in 2018, I wouldn't have stayed long. The 2018 version of Thailand and the 2018 version of PI are a lot closer. That's the reason I have been considering moving back for quite a few years. A few visa problems are all it will take to tip the scale. I've always predicted that at some time in the future I will end up back there.

[andre47]

10 minutes ago, tropo said:

This is total nonsense. Just about everything has improved since Duterte took power, unless you're a corrupt cop or drug dealer. Poor people get more aid, hospitals are forced to treat people they used to turn away to die. Less young people are using drugs. Public offices are working better to serve people. The economy is growing too. He is not power hungry at all - he loves his people and he is very popular. He is not after money or power.

Do you really want to tell us that it is ok if a president of a country is murdering people for a good cause?

 

Even if his victims are drug dealers (all of them? who knows...), they should get a fair trial at court. 

[marcusarelus]

11 minutes ago, tropo said:

Let me make this clear. I first came here in 2005 and decided to try it out. That was a 2005 version of Thailand that has changed quite a bit since... all for the worse. If I had first come to Thailand in 2018, I wouldn't have stayed long. The 2018 version of Thailand and the 2018 version of PI are a lot closer. That's the reason I have been considering moving back for quite a few years. A few visa problems are all it will take to tip the scale. I've always predicted that at some time in the future I will end up back there.

Health care has gotten better and they direct bill American VA.  Good quality Brie has become easier to find.  The women seem to have gotten younger looking.  I'm doing a heck of a lot better now than when I moved here 20 years ago.  Restaurants have improved 100%.  Beer has improved even more.  A lot less drunk chavs staggering around.  I much better class of fat drunk expats than were here when I arrived.  I used to live in a one room cold water no AC walk up apt in Bangkok and now I have a large home with all the modern conveniences/wife/dog and AC, big TV and sound system.  Internet has increased in speed 500 times.  Movies on TV netflix are awsome now. There are hundreds of people posting on Thai Visa now crying their eyes out because they may have to leave.  What's not to like?  If you wanted bad government you should have been here in the late 60's early 70's.  Now is great by comparison. 

Edited November 4, 2018 by marcusarelus

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

23 minutes ago, tropo said:

This is total nonsense. Just about everything has improved since Duterte took power, unless you're a corrupt cop or drug dealer.

 

I'm not sure I'd go that far... Here's the most recent U.S. human rights report on the Philippines, with a summary excerpt below:

 

https://www.state.gov/documents/organization/277355.pdf

 

Quote

Extrajudicial killings have been the chief human rights concern in the country for many years and, after a sharp rise with the onset of the antidrug campaign in 2016, they continued in 2017. From January to the end of September, media reports chronicled more than 900 fatalities in police operations suspected to be connected with the government’s antidrug campaign. Police claimed to have begun investigations of all reports of extrajudicial killings. As of August, police claimed to have resolved 1,889 cases, and 4,373 remained under investigation.

The most significant human rights issues included: killings by security forces, vigilantes and others allegedly connected to the government, and by insurgents; torture and abuse of prisoners and detainees by security forces; often harsh and life threatening prison conditions; warrantless arrests by security forces and cases of apparent government disregard for legal rights and due process; political prisoners; killings of and threats against journalists; official corruption and abuse of power; threats of violence against human rights activists; violence against women; and forced labor.

 

Actually, now that I read this summary, it happens to sound a whole lot like another country we're all familiar with in almost all of those categories -- although the extrajudicial killings part is not so voluminous here, fortunately.

 

Edited November 4, 2018 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[tropo]

9 minutes ago, andre47 said:

Do you really want to tell us that it is ok if a president of a country is murdering people for a good cause?

 

Even if his victims are drug dealers (all of them? who knows...), they should get a fair trial at court. 

Most of what you've read is merely anti-Duterte propaganda. He rejected the high and mighty USA in favour of local neighbours, the most noteworthy being China. He's definitely going to cop a lot of flak from Western countries he has rejected. Did the US help to secure PI rights to the Spratly Islands? NO! They did nothing. They just let China continue their island building and military fortification. They just got upset when he called their president a son of a bitch and that's all they could focus on. Trump met with Duterte and didn't even mention a "war on drugs".

 

Now, among his SE Asian counterparts, he's considered a rock star. He gets a lot of positive attention when he visits SE Asian countries.

 

As far as living in the PI is concerned, everything has improved under the Duterte Administration. It certainly hasn't got any worse. I have 3 brothers-in-law that were all using drugs they could buy at the local sari-sari store. They have been clean for 2 years now since Dutertu took power. Indirectly I was paying for their drug habits. Duterte helped me directly LOL.

 

You have no idea how bad the drug problem was when Duterte came to power.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Here, btw, is the comparable 2017 summary for Thailand:

 

https://www.state.gov/documents/organization/277365.pdf

 

 

Quote

Numerous NCPO decrees limiting civil liberties, including restrictions on freedoms of speech, assembly, and the press, remained in effect during the year. NCPO Order No. 3/2015, which replaced martial law in March 2015, grants the military government sweeping power to curb “acts deemed harmful to national peace and stability.”

In addition to limitations on civil liberties imposed by the NCPO, the other most significant human rights issues included: excessive use of force by government security forces, including harassing or abusing criminal suspects, detainees, and prisoners; arbitrary arrests and detention by government authorities; abuses by government security forces confronting the continuing ethnic Malay-Muslim insurgency in the southernmost provinces of Yala, Narathiwat, Pattani, and parts of Songkhla; corruption; sexual exploitation of children; and trafficking in persons.

Authorities took some steps to investigate and punish officials who committed human rights abuses. Official impunity, however, continued to be a problem...

 

It's interesting that the Thailand summary from 2017, at least in the summary section, doesn't mention anything about prison conditions per se, nothing about detainee deaths under suspicious circumstances while in custody, doesn't use the term "political prisoners" as was used in the PH summary even though they clearly are occurring, doesn't mention "official corruption and abuse of power," doesn't mention violence against woman and human rights activists.

 

Although, the TH report does get into some of those details once you get beyond the summary:

 

Quote

Reports continued that security forces at times used excessive and lethal force against criminal suspects and committed or were involved in extrajudicial, arbitrary, and unlawful killings. According to the Ministry of Interior’s Investigation and Legal Affairs Bureau, from October 2016 to September, security forces--including police, military, and other agencies--killed 16 suspects during the arrest process, double the number killed in the previous year.

 

Still, on the last subject, TH remains far short of the heights that the PH has achieved when it comes to extrajudicial killings.

 

Edited November 4, 2018 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[tropo]

21 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

Health care has gotten better and they direct bill American VA.  Good quality Brie has become easier to find.  The women seem to have gotten younger looking.  I'm doing a heck of a lot better now than when I moved here 20 years ago.  Restaurants have improved 100%.  Beer has improved even more.  A lot less drunk chavs staggering around.  I much better class of fat drunk expats than were here when I arrived.  I used to live in a one room cold water no AC walk up apt in Bangkok and now I have a large home with all the modern conveniences/wife/dog and AC, big TV and sound system.  Internet has increased in speed 500 times.  Movies on TV netflix are awsome now. There are hundreds of people posting on Thai Visa now crying their eyes out because they may have to leave.  What's not to like?  If you wanted bad government you should have been here in the late 60's early 70's.  Now is great by comparison. 

I moved here in 2005, and nothing has improved. My accommodation was just as comfortable in 2005 as it is now.

 

Internet improvement is the same world over - this is an irrelevant measure. It has improved a lot in PI too and you can get very fast services in the big cities now.

 

This is a comparison thread. Pros and Cons.

[tropo]

25 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

47 minutes ago, tropo said:

This is total nonsense. Just about everything has improved since Duterte took power, unless you're a corrupt cop or drug dealer.

 

I'm not sure I'd go that far... Here's the most recent U.S. human rights report on the Philippines, with a summary excerpt below:

I actually mentioned, "unless you're a corrupt cop or drug dealer".

 

As far as an expat is concerned, they won't notice much difference from before Duterte came to power. If you're dealing drugs - watch your back!

 

If you're a poor Filipino, you will have improved welfare. He has done quite a bit to help the poor.

 

Of course, an expat won't likely see this aspect of the Duterte Administration. I don't associate with PI expats, but I see improvements in the Filipino community.

[marcusarelus]

10 minutes ago, tropo said:

I moved here in 2005, and nothing has improved. My accommodation was just as comfortable in 2005 as it is now.

 

Internet improvement is the same world over - this is an irrelevant measure. It has improved a lot in PI too and you can get very fast services in the big cities now.

 

This is a comparison thread. Pros and Cons.

Health care has gotten better in Thailand not in PI.  Food is much better here than in 2005.  I know.  I was here.  Beer is much better (sure it's expensive but the choice is here now).   

In terms of mobile internet speeds, the Philippines ranks 96th, down from 95th place last month. Mobile download speeds are now at 14.01 Megabits per second (Mbps) and upload speeds are at 5.99 Mbps.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1 hour ago, tropo said:

This is total nonsense. Just about everything has improved since Duterte took power, unless you're a corrupt cop or drug dealer.

 

Tropo, these groups listed below as targets for abuse in the PH aren't corrupt cops or drug dealers:

 

Quote

...political prisoners; killings of and threats against journalists; official corruption and abuse of power; threats of violence against human rights activists; violence against women; and forced labor.

 

Though I would concur, most of the above is not likely to fall upon the typical expat...  But it does reflect the character of the place.

Edited November 4, 2018 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[tropo]

8 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

Health care has gotten better in Thailand not in PI.  Food is much better here than in 2005.  I know.  I was here.  Beer is much better (sure it's expensive but the choice is here now).   

In terms of mobile internet speeds, the Philippines ranks 96th, down from 95th place last month. Mobile download speeds are now at 14.01 Megabits per second (Mbps) and upload speeds are at 5.99 Mbps.

That's only because most Filipinos using the Internet are quite poor compared to Thai users, and buy the cheapest services, but the fast services are as good or better than they are in Thailand. I can get 1 Gbps services in the big cities now. You'll also get better international speed to the USA than you will in Thailand.

 

Healthcare has improved for the average Filipino.

[tropo]

4 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Tropo, these groups listed below as targets for abuse in the PH aren't corrupt cops or drug dealers:

 

 

You're focusing on unsubstantiated reports from outside the Philippines, offered by anti-Duterte groups, including political rivals, from within the Philippines. It's not worth the paper it's written on.

 

But I'm mainly focusing on life in the Philippines in general - it has improved.

 

[marcusarelus]

22 minutes ago, tropo said:

That's only because most Filipinos using the Internet are quite poor compared to Thai users, and buy the cheapest services, but the fast services are as good or better than they are in Thailand. I can get 1 Gbps services in the big cities now. You'll also get better international speed to the USA than you will in Thailand.

 

Healthcare has improved for the average Filipino.

My internet is 3 times as fast as my kids in America.  I get 250 mbps with no outages 3bb.  Like you said the people in PI are poor and all want to leave the country.  Thailand is rich in comparison and everybody wants to stay (see the 3 threads running now).  A good example is you are in Thailand even when you have a PI wife.  BTW is health care free in the PI when you have a job like it is in Thailand? Everyone tells me no.

Edited November 4, 2018 by marcusarelus

[rhodie]

On 11/1/2018 at 3:30 PM, whaleboneman said:

I’m on my third visit to PI and I really like it. But then I’m a beach bum and like to swim everyday. I’m really tired of the filthy Thai beaches.

 I’m not a big fan of the food as I’m a semi-vegetarian and they love their pork and beef here. Not to mention the psychedelic hotdogs...

I really love the people and it’s so nice to be able to converse with almost everyone. They seem to be genuinely friendly and very happy.

 I’m with a new gf on Mindanao and unlike my previous Thai gfs, she’s not after money. In fact, I keep encouraging her to shop for new clothes and she says she doesn’t need anything.

This morning I left 50 pesos on the bed for the maid and it was still there when I returned - on the newly made bed???

i tip the taxi drivers (who always use the meter) and they always look at me with surprise.

i have been to Cebu, Dumaguete, Siquijor and Palawan. Palawan was the only island I didn’t like.

i haven’t explored much of Mindanao yet but have a feeling it’s the island for me.

 

”building homes in SEA for one woman at a time”

Has she got a sister? 

[rhodie]

1 hour ago, andre47 said:

By the way...

The President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte is commanding killer groups and he treats the law with his feet. He is not far of being a dictator.

 

Think twice before moving to such a country.

Did it ever occur to you that Thailand is a military dictatorship! 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

20 minutes ago, tropo said:

You're focusing on unsubstantiated reports from outside the Philippines, offered by anti-Duterte groups, including political rivals, from within the Philippines. It's not worth the paper it's written on.

 

That content I quoted to you is from the official U.S. State Department human rights report on the PH. You may not like the U.S., but their annual human rights reports are generally a fair barometer of what's going on country by country.