Hi from the Philippines

Hi Lisa,

Welcome to Expat-blog!

I have moved your topic on the Philippines forum for better visibility.

ps: just to inform you that free advertisement is not allowed on the forum. You can register your company in our business directory. Thank you.

All the best,
Christine

Great to hear your experience.

I also read your blog and I laughed at it, as you have confirmed what I was and been whining until now………especially noise control.

I would also differ on the use of bucket. My family never has one and would prefer to keep the washroom dust free and dry.
I am from northern California, arrived in Philippines on April 1st. Every winter I spend time in the high country and imagine what it would like to jump, from snowy wintry weather to Philippines’ April summer.

I have so many complaints about the food and I have made it known to everybody. I tried cooking in Davao and the food in that region, is so much better and tastier than in Manila.

Here's what I found, often than not, fresh produce are sold not fresh ( or has been exposed under the sun too long). As for meat and seafood section, many times it is froze and defroze again and again. In the US and many advanced countries, this practice is never allowed at all. Once meat or seafood is defroze, it must be sold within that day, for fear of bacterial outbreak.

What's appalling, fresh produce and milk has 12.5% vat. There is no country in the world that charges such taxes to basic commodities. Food has always been exempt from taxes, even in Scandinavian countries. The sad thing, many Filipinos do not know about it. So I really wonder, are most Filipinos unaware what is going on?

I made my complaints known to this blog and to fellow co-workers, instead of getting some explanation or at least give you an idea how to survive, the locals branded you as "Brat".

I have lived in few countries. I have never been thus treated with dismissal. When I was in Singapore, the locals assisted me where, what and how to get things done and recommend places and brands. When I was in Australia, people there are so friendly and very accommodating. Australians do not ask personal questions like ‘what is your religion?’.

In the Philippines, its exactly the opposite. Its a shame to know because my mother's ethnicity is Filipino. I am no longer surprised why my cousins, aunts and uncles, hardly ever goes back and often realized that whatever experienced that was shared with me before, is entirely true. When I was in Dubai, many Filipinos do not wish to go back to home country, and are more than willing to risk the penalty of overstaying, rather than going back.

Who would want to put up with traffic, no parks to spend walking, and if you do go out, majority of the populace are not courteous and rude at best ? The list of complaints goes on and on but one would think that the simple answer is - not to go back.

I would make a difference though between people in the north and people in the south. Visayas and Mindanao region are much more sophisticated, cultured, honest and friendly. I guess the obvious answer is, greater Manila has an exploding population, millions of poor people and homeless.

I wish the country is decentralized and has more open skies. I am certain that a lot of people and expats would have chosen to live away from Manila, if only the country has better infrastructure and that regional airports can accommodate more international airlines.

Overall though, Philippines still has a lot to offer, magnificent flora and fauna, tropical forest and abundance in nature. Slowly I noticed its degrading over the years. I hope that the locals would fight for its preservation.

FilAmericanMom wrote:

Hi! I'm Lisa. I was born in the Philippines, and I am also a naturalized American.

In mid 2008, my American husband, my then 1-1/2 year old son, and I, moved to the Philippines, just before the housing market crash / recession / employment downturn. (Whew! It just missed us!)

I now manage a small but successful contracting business installing aluminum windows and doors. (moderated: no free ads) My husband works at a call center. And we now have a new addition to our family: a little girl.

We work here harder here than we ever did in the US. But all that hard work had its rewards. 

I've just started writing a blog, mymovetothephilippines.com about what it's really like living in the Philippines, or at least what to expect.  (The site still needs work. Hoping to polish it soon.) It's not an idyllic place, at least from our situation and point of view.

For fresh meat, try Santees over on Mckinly Avenue.  For fresh produce, still searching. It varies, but Market Market has a poor selection. SM Hypermarkets are reasonable but not great  I really miss fresh fish, which here seems to be local freshwater species of carp. I would like some snapper or sea bass.  Anyone know where outside of wetmarkets that I really dont want to go to?

To female-expat. 

Thank you for supporting my sentiment. Locals also think of me, and my husband too, as whiny "BRATS", complaining about this and that. At worst, they'll think of me as condescending, which is not my intention. I'm Filipino, why would I do that.  I just want changes.  Less karaoke, better traffic enforcement, cleaner surroundings (sometimes neighbors from another subdivision burn their trash and sometimes even plastics and the smell wafts over to our house when it's the weekend and we're taking a nap. yuck.). 

It's easier in the US.  If you have a problem, you can report to local authorities and they'd help you.  Here, they'll keep passing you to another agency or department.  Nothing gets done.

The other day, I was reading to my son Curious George by HA Rey. It's amazing that there was a fire tracking system back in the 1940's in the US. Here in the Philippines, I reported a fire I saw at a distance. The person at the other line asked me what street it was, how far it was, what barangay, etc, because they need that info.  Well, how should I know?  I'm not a map. All I know is I can see it from my office. He hung up on me. It's so backward here.

I think many Filipinos are in denial about the true state of affairs in the Philippines. It's deteriorating.  Flooding, pollution, corruption.  Why did we move here?  I needed to support my family, and I trusted no one else with my son except family. Everybody is busy in the US with their own life and work. My parents were retired. So we went here.  But the truth is if I had a good job in the US, we would not have moved here.

Fresh produce can be found in Divisoria.  That is where most locally grown veges and fruits from around the country are delivered to be distributed to different markets.  That is also near the international seaport so other produce imported from neighboring countries like China and Taiwan are also dropped there to be sold and distributed.  There are also places like the weekend market in Salcedo and Mercato Cenral in the Fort that carry more specialized produce like the organic kind.  Better quality meats like what Mr. Dhnindc said can be found in specialty stores like Santis and Rustans supermarket that cater to the wealthier class.  They will be comparatively be more expensive since they are imported and of the better cuts and breed.  The supplier of these meats rather sell to hotels and fine dining restaurants than common supermarkets for the faster turnover and lesser spoilage loss.  Same goes with seafood.  Exotic seafood are usually frozen since they have to be airfreighted from Europe or the U.S.  Cold Storage offers a lot of imported frozen seafood. Only the local variety can be had fresh and they are available in wet markets all over the metro.  To get them fresh you usually have to be there very early in the morning.

The meats at Santis and Rustan's are ridiculously expensive. A lot cheaper in the US.  I now know what to say when family members from the states ask what I'd like as pasalubong when they visit here.

I keep wondering why the meat is tough here.  Were the cows used as draft animals? Is it the breed, injected hormones, cow feed, weather?  Will have to do some research on it.  Seriously considering raising my own cows.

Santees beef is shipped from Australia, thus the increased price. Santees supplies my commissary so at least I dont pay duties. Of course US is cheaper, but not considering the distance to ship.

Local stores use local beef, so its cheaper but quality is lacking.  Name me one country in SE Asia that has decent local cattle. I just dont think they can thrive here.

-Please note that several messages have been moved due to offensive language.-