Republic of the Philippines Not as it Seems

[Rock]

In Mindanao I pay:

Housekeeper full tiime- $75 month plus meals
50 Kilos of rice - $35
Perfect haircut with tip $1.50
gardener full time $130 month
Property taxes on decent
middle class level house $80 year.
Doctors office visit $8
Locally produced coffee
roasted whole bean $1.70 lb
taxi ride 2 miles $1.15
Ready to roast Chicken $2.15

However, if you are doing a first visit and you are around Manila, you are getting hosed at every turn.

That is still expensive for China, and not everyone is paid or thinking in USDollars.

$75 a month is 475 CNY rmb per month! A housekeeper costs 30 rmb X 4 times a month. Not 120 CNY each week! You are overpaying or the RP is MUCH more expensive than China.

Taxi ride 2 miles. $1.15 is 7 rmb. I pay 5 rmb for the same. So the RP, a much poorer country, costs more.

Haircut with tip. $1.50 USD is 9.5 rmb. I pay 10.

===============

Buses.

a 4 hour trip in China is 45 CNY or 308 php. My two hour bus ride this week cost 700 php!!!

Really, guys. I feel that I have been lied to, mislead, and told a distorted version of 'the truth'. This has been a truly disappointing experience. A tremendous let down in nearly every way except that the country is very beautiful and warm. I cannot over-emphasize how disappointed I am at this moment.

The housekeeper is working 6 days a week. I suppose I could get one for less, but I am not interested. there are some housekeepers near us that are being paid about $40 a month for full time, 6 days a week service.The taxi fare includes a small tip as well...

Prices are translated to USD because most here think in dollars vs Philippines pesos..( 1 USD = about 42 pesos now)

The Philipines is NOT nirvana, but there is a lot better experience to be had than what you have had so far.


Outwest

OK, certain things would be considered cheap by US or even developed NE Asian standards. I would say the main ones are maid/servants and taxis. But about everything else sucks.

I stayed out in Cagayan de Oro and even spent some time a couple hours out in the sticks of Mindanao. I had to suffer terrible air (they cook with some sort of charcoal which burns my eyes badly), crappy roads and vehicles, turtle slow Internet, horrible food, constant racket from roosters, often overpriced supplements (melatonin and vitamin E for example) and limited options in pharmacies, lack of good air-con, lack of entertainment options, etc. When you take V-hires out province areas in the hills, you are stuffed into the vehicle like chickens and many drivers barrel down steep wet roads like they are on suicide missions. I could go on and on. Suffice it to say that you can live in PI (ex Manila or Cebu) for less than US$1,500, US$1,000, or even much less. But in all cases, your life quality will totally suck if you are used to anything which remotely resembles basic standards available in the west or even NE Asia. If you want anything close, you will either pay dearly for them like some VIP or just not get them.

Rural and urban Thailand, though far from perfect, is so much better in regards to life quality than anything I've ever seen or read about in PI. Re-read some of what Mr. S has written on this topic to get a better sense. He's spent considerable time in both places.

KEY RULE: POOR DOES NOT EQUAL CHEAP! Some examples which bear this out: PI, Kenya, Nigeria, DR, and Haiti.

[ph_visitor]

OK, certain things would be considered cheap by US or even developed NE Asian standards. I would say the main ones are maid/servants and taxis. But about everything else sucks.

I stayed out in Cagayan de Oro and even spent some time a couple hours out in the sticks of Mindanao. I had to suffer terrible air (they cook with some sort of charcoal which burns my eyes badly), crappy roads and vehicles, turtle slow Internet, horrible food, constant racket from roosters, often overpriced supplements (melatonin and vitamin E for example) and limited options in pharmacies, lack of good air-con, lack of entertainment options, etc. When you take V-hires out province areas in the hills, you are stuffed into the vehicle like chickens and many drivers barrel down steep wet roads like they are on suicide missions. I could go on and on. Suffice it to say that you can live in PI (ex Manila or Cebu) for less than US$1,500, US$1,000, or even much less. But in all cases, your life quality will totally suck if you are used to anything which remotely resembles basic standards available in the west or even NE Asia. If you want anything close, you will either pay dearly for them like some VIP or just not get them.

Rural and urban Thailand, though far from perfect, is so much better in regards to life quality than anything I've ever seen or read about in PI. Re-read some of what Mr. S has written on this topic to get a better sense. He's spent considerable time in both places.

KEY RULE: POOR DOES NOT EQUAL CHEAP! Some examples which bear this out: PI, Kenya, Nigeria, DR, and Haiti.

You guys are replying to something else in your mind, not what I wrote.

I don't mind this:

terrible air (they cook with some sort of charcoal which burns my eyes badly), crappy roads and vehicles, turtle slow Internet, horrible food, constant racket from roosters, often overpriced supplements (melatonin and vitamin E for example) and limited options in pharmacies, lack of good air-con, lack of entertainment options, etc. When you take V-hires out province areas in the hills, you are stuffed into the vehicle like chickens and many drivers barrel down steep wet roads like they are on suicide missions. I could go on and on.

That is all non-developed country culture and I know it from China.

What surprised me was that the RP is 1) Expensive and 2) Has ugly women.

These two points were/are the main benefits listed by guys who go there or live there and since I live in China I am surprised that the RP, a nation with a GDP 1/2 to 1/4th of China's, is more, and sometimes MUCH more expensive than China and in some instances even Hong Kong - a nation/state/city with a GDP PPP of 48k USD per capita vs the RP's 2k to 4k.

If things are cheaper in Hong Kong, then the RP has no comparative value-added that would provide any benefit to someone traveling there. Why not just go to Hong Kong, or get modest hotel room in HK and holiday there if the costs are the same?

Those are my two points. Not the dust or that the RP is 'a shithole'. It's the cost and the women.

Truly, this has been the most disappointing event of my life.

It's as though you guys just happened to forget to tell everyone, and I do extensive and thorough research when I travel. I have been reading up on the RP for 5+ years and NOTHING mentioned that the actual, real costs on the ground were 8X what all of you mentioned.

This entire holiday in the RP has been one massive, disappointing shock.

[Repatriate]

Just curious but did you not look at the pics posted of the Philippines? That combined with some real life inquiries about prices would give you something close to the real story. Nearly all of the guys who talk up the Philippines never post pics of these "gorgeous asian women" falling over them that they always talk about. Then when you can finally pry some pics out from somewhere it turns out they are screwing splay toed hillbilly looking farm girls who look like the toilet maids in Hong Kong.

[Banano]

Maid 40 bucks a month? Holy crap...is it better to stay home then work for 40 bucks? you can buy 5 Big mac meals or 2 buckets of chicken in KFC

[xiongmao]

Good to see somebody actually getting their boots on the ground, I got fed up with idiots flaming me on another board... most of them had never been outside the USA.

Filipinas not being that attractive, well I saw 10,000 of them in HK and I didn't find any of them attractive. Not like my time in China where there were pretty girls absolutely everywhere.

For what it's worth, I never found China particularly cheap. Food, travel and CD's/DVD's yes they're cheap, but clothes and shoes, a lot of that kind of stuff seemed cheaper back in the UK.

[davewe]

Not to be overly critical of the OP. His experience is his experience and we all respect the fact that he actually went there. But I am surprised at several trip reports from people who researched the Philippines, then decided to go to Manila! This is like going to NYC and then complaining that the buildings are too tall. Manila is crowded, polluted and expensive. Not even lovers of RP recommend Manila for girls or for a cheap life.

As to whether the girls are attractive enough, while that is highly subjective, for many of us going online gives the opportunity in advance to determine whether the girls in any given country look and have an attitude that is attractive. It also gives us the opportunity to determine which areas in a country seem best suited for us. For me the only value to Manila is it has an international airport. Even then, the next time I return I will fly into Cebu.

[davewe]

Just curious but did you not look at the pics posted of the Philippines? That combined with some real life inquiries about prices would give you something close to the real story. Nearly all of the guys who talk up the Philippines never post pics of these "gorgeous asian women" falling over them that they always talk about. Then when you can finally pry some pics out from somewhere it turns out they are screwing splay toed hillbilly looking farm girls who look like the toilet maids in Hong Kong.

This is sort of a legit complaint, but only sort of. I personally had to make this decision in my recent trip report. It's harmless to post pics of bar girls or girls you meet on the street but to subject girls you like, are dating, are sleeping with to some of the characters here? I chose not to. Considering Thr number of clowns you recently banned, I would think you would understand why.

Beside, what's wrong with hillbilly looking farm girls?

[Repatriate]

Beside, what's wrong with hillbilly looking farm girls?

Nothing at all. Like I said beauty varies for everyone. Some guys want a warm hole to stick it in. Some enjoy fat chicks. Some enjoy chicks with short hair and tats. Whatever floats your boat. However, when people talk it up like they are humping supermodels over the balconies of5 star hotels for $50 U.S. you know it's expat bullshit that needs confirmation.

[Rock]

Just curious but did you not look at the pics posted of the Philippines? That combined with some real life inquiries about prices would give you something close to the real story. Nearly all of the guys who talk up the Philippines never post pics of these "gorgeous asian women" falling over them that they always talk about. Then when you can finally pry some pics out from somewhere it turns out they are screwing splay toed hillbilly looking farm girls who look like the toilet maids in Hong Kong.

This is sort of a legit complaint, but only sort of. I personally had to make this decision in my recent trip report. It's harmless to post pics of bar girls or girls you meet on the street but to subject girls you like, are dating, are sleeping with to some of the characters here? I chose not to. Considering Thr number of clowns you recently banned, I would think you would understand why.

Beside, what's wrong with hillbilly looking farm girls?

Davewe, consider yourself very lucky. Based on yr posts, u seem to be fine with short, dark, thin, and plain peasants. U gotta know, these types of girls, in the eyes of locals and around the region in general, are Asian equivalent of the ghetto black girls or white trailer trash we so loath back home. If you had a serious corporate position in Thailand for example, and dated one of these types, you would probably face serious social pressure not to ever bring her to company functions or be seen with her around the office. Doing otherwise might even be a fireable offense in some firms.

As long as u r attracted to such types, u will face minimal competition from qualified locals as well as many of the more presentable expats (yes, some expats do go for the more popular gals).

Now u may argue that I too have bad taste. But actually, my types often seem to be pretty popular with a lot of locals and/or more presentable expats. So they tend to be very difficult to get. Yours are not. Count yr blessings and live it up in the likes of PI and Kenya.

[Repatriate]

Now u may argue that I too have bad taste. But actually, my types often seem to be pretty popular with a lot of locals and/or more presentable expats. So they tend to be very difficult to get. Yours are not. Count yr blessings and live it up in the likes of PI and Kenya.

What's interesting about your taste Rock is that it's pretty far from mine yet you seem to have hit a special niche that encompasses both lower class, middle class, and the rare upper class men. I don't like the chubby curvy miss piggy type women much but it's interesting to see how many men from all class backgrounds are after just that. I guess it's true that variety is the spice of life.

[Seeker]

I agree with you completely that the PI is a rip off compared to other places in the region, I would never want to live there on a permanent basis. Having said that you did overestimate the cost of living there by some margin and I don't know how you managed to spend 700 on a 2 hour bus fare?

As for the the women well, I don't think they're as attractive as Thai or Japanese, but they're better looking than Korean, Hong Kong and definitely Anglosphere women. Short? No problem, most men don't give a damn about height. Skin colour? No problem, I like a lot of skin colours including the very darkest, skin quality is more important than colour. Thin? I don't even like slight chubbiness on a woman. Having said that, Manila doesn't have as many good looking women as Bangkok or Japan that's for damn sure but there are still plenty of cute, pretty girls around.

[Rock]

OK, certain things would be considered cheap by US or even developed NE Asian standards. I would say the main ones are maid/servants and taxis. But about everything else sucks.

I stayed out in Cagayan de Oro and even spent some time a couple hours out in the sticks of Mindanao. I had to suffer terrible air (they cook with some sort of charcoal which burns my eyes badly), crappy roads and vehicles, turtle slow Internet, horrible food, constant racket from roosters, often overpriced supplements (melatonin and vitamin E for example) and limited options in pharmacies, lack of good air-con, lack of entertainment options, etc. When you take V-hires out province areas in the hills, you are stuffed into the vehicle like chickens and many drivers barrel down steep wet roads like they are on suicide missions. I could go on and on. Suffice it to say that you can live in PI (ex Manila or Cebu) for less than US$1,500, US$1,000, or even much less. But in all cases, your life quality will totally suck if you are used to anything which remotely resembles basic standards available in the west or even NE Asia. If you want anything close, you will either pay dearly for them like some VIP or just not get them.

Rural and urban Thailand, though far from perfect, is so much better in regards to life quality than anything I've ever seen or read about in PI. Re-read some of what Mr. S has written on this topic to get a better sense. He's spent considerable time in both places.

KEY RULE: POOR DOES NOT EQUAL CHEAP! Some examples which bear this out: PI, Kenya, Nigeria, DR, and Haiti.

You guys are replying to something else in your mind, not what I wrote.

I don't mind this:

terrible air (they cook with some sort of charcoal which burns my eyes badly), crappy roads and vehicles, turtle slow Internet, horrible food, constant racket from roosters, often overpriced supplements (melatonin and vitamin E for example) and limited options in pharmacies, lack of good air-con, lack of entertainment options, etc. When you take V-hires out province areas in the hills, you are stuffed into the vehicle like chickens and many drivers barrel down steep wet roads like they are on suicide missions. I could go on and on.

That is all non-developed country culture and I know it from China.

What surprised me was that the RP is 1) Expensive and 2) Has ugly women.

These two points were/are the main benefits listed by guys who go there or live there and since I live in China I am surprised that the RP, a nation with a GDP 1/2 to 1/4th of China's, is more, and sometimes MUCH more expensive than China and in some instances even Hong Kong - a nation/state/city with a GDP PPP of 48k USD per capita vs the RP's 2k to 4k.

If things are cheaper in Hong Kong, then the RP has no comparative value-added that would provide any benefit to someone traveling there. Why not just go to Hong Kong, or get modest hotel room in HK and holiday there if the costs are the same?

Those are my two points. Not the dust or that the RP is 'a shithole'. It's the cost and the women.

Truly, this has been the most disappointing event of my life.

It's as though you guys just happened to forget to tell everyone, and I do extensive and thorough research when I travel. I have been reading up on the RP for 5+ years and NOTHING mentioned that the actual, real costs on the ground were 8X what all of you mentioned.

This entire holiday in the RP has been one massive, disappointing shock.

1. If u had bothered to read my posts and take them to heart, perhaps u wouldn't have gone there full of delusions about the attractiveness of typical Filipinas. I've been very outspoken here on the negative physical aspects of PI women for a long time. Some others here have written similar things. Sounds like u only believed what u hoped was true and ignored the more realistic posts.

2. As for costs, posters like Terrance have made it very clear that PI is not as cheap as Shanghai or S. Korea for decent quality living (he's lived in all 3 places). I believe Mr. S. has made similar posts about PI costs vs. Thai. So don't pretend all the info here is to blame for your incorrect perception. U didn't do sufficient homework or did not put the most positive PI related posts in proper perspective (ie balance them out with the negative ones). Some of the stuff which was poster here about PI in deep past was utter hype.

3. I've been to most of the poorer Asian countries so when I write things like the way they cook hurts my eyes, or the food is crappy, I'm using this as my benchmark, not developed countries. In many ways, PI seems noticeably worse to me than countries like Cambodia, Vietnam, or Indonesia, and also the poorer areas of China.

[pete98146]

Not to be overly critical of the OP. His experience is his experience and we all respect the fact that he actually went there. But I am surprised at several trip reports from people who researched the Philippines, then decided to go to Manila! This is like going to NYC and then complaining that the buildings are too tall. Manila is crowded, polluted and expensive. Not even lovers of RP recommend Manila for girls or for a cheap life.

As to whether the girls are attractive enough, while that is highly subjective, for many of us going online gives the opportunity in advance to determine whether the girls in any given country look and have an attitude that is attractive. It also gives us the opportunity to determine which areas in a country seem best suited for us. For me the only value to Manila is it has an international airport. Even then, the next time I return I will fly into Cebu.

I've gotta agree with Dave on this topic. I've been to Phils a half dozen times. The Philippines IS a dive (especially Manila). But saying the women are unattractive is nuts. Sure there are a TON of shorter, darker, peasant like women but why would you ever choose one? I also agree with Outwest that the farther south you go the prettier the women become (must be a higher degree of Spanish blood in the south).

My wife is also a Mindinao girl (that's her seated in the chair for your new guys). Nobody has ever called my wife ugly. It's quite the opposite in fact. Don't mean to brag, but there are thousands and thousands of equally pretty girls there to meet. I've seen them with my own eyes. So even if the vast majority of them are dark short and ugly, there are enough stunning ones to make the trek worth it.

Even if you find a woman in Phils doesn't necessarily mean you have to live there. I myself would love to retire in Chaing Mai Thailand. It's not as expensive as Phils, they have better food and better infrastructure etc. It would be perfect for my wife Cathy as well because she still gets her asian foods and fun bazaars. Yet she's a four hours away via a plane ride from her family back in Phils.

[Rock]

My wife is also a Mindinao girl (that's her seated in the chair for your new guys). Nobody has ever called my wife ugly. It's quite the opposite in fact. Don't mean to brag, but there are thousands and thousands of equally pretty girls there to meet. I've seen them with my own eyes. So even if the vast majority of them are dark short and ugly, there are enough stunning ones to make the trek worth it.

I remember she's tall too, like 5'7", right? Would u mind sharing a larger and clearer photo so we can gauge what there are thousands and thousands of somewhere in PI?

[Rock]

Just curious but did you not look at the pics posted of the Philippines? That combined with some real life inquiries about prices would give you something close to the real story. Nearly all of the guys who talk up the Philippines never post pics of these "gorgeous asian women" falling over them that they always talk about. Then when you can finally pry some pics out from somewhere it turns out they are screwing splay toed hillbilly looking farm girls who look like the toilet maids in Hong Kong.

This is sort of a legit complaint, but only sort of. I personally had to make this decision in my recent trip report. It's harmless to post pics of bar girls or girls you meet on the street but to subject girls you like, are dating, are sleeping with to some of the characters here? I chose not to. Considering Thr number of clowns you recently banned, I would think you would understand why.

Perhaps u cld post online profiles of some girls u think r attractive (that's public) or blot out identities of girls u met or correspond with and like. Otherwise u cld. post some publicly available photos of girls with very similar look to ones u refer too. And u can always just ask their permission. Some may actually give it.

I'm thinking of doing something along similar lines to the above myself.