is tourist flights open in february 2021 ?

I would check daily, due to COVID, things keep on changing.

Edit: friends have changed their flights 4 times in Europe. Stay at home, stay safe.

No tourist visas yet. Flights for spouse of Filipino citizen only. Probably not anytime soon with the new Covid strains emerging and no vaccine in Philippines yet.

Those of us who are not married to our Filipinas cannot yet get back.

pnwcyclist wrote:

No tourist visas yet. Flights for spouse of Filipino citizen only. Probably not anytime soon with the new Covid strains emerging and no vaccine in Philippines yet.

Those of us who are not married to our Filipinas cannot yet get back.

yes.  I agree.  Not anytime soon.

mauovernet wrote:

is tourist flights open in february 2021 ?
someone insid philipines toldme that flight are open this year
is that true to travel from LATIN AMERICA ?
central america ?
thanks

Country is still closed to arriving foreigners.   You must have a visa upon arrival

I had been checking PAL for flights to MNL. There's none even for future dated flights in 2021.

Jackson4 wrote:

I had been checking PAL for flights to MNL. There's none even for future dated flights in 2021.

some people think the country will open up for tourism by March.....In my humble opinion i think it will remain closed till next year..I hope i'm wrong

A glimmer of hope:

https://www.bworldonline.com/govt-loose … assengers/

As much as I would like to go the Philippines this year for a visit, I would hesitate to travel.
The risks are higher than I can tolerate. If in case both the US & the Philippines will be able vaccinate over 60 of their respective population, I still would NOT go. Why? I would avoid all the crazy travellers with pent up emotions due to being confined in their house for the last year. Just like me, I am giddy and angry, and there's free beer in the airplane. Bad combination.
It is probably the same reason there is a halfway house for prisoners who was let out after long prison sentences.

No. Jeez are you kidding me?
They couldn’t even run a hotdog stand there. Let  alone organize a successful effort to acquire and distribute enough vaccine to immunize 60% of it’s population. (Herd immunity).
They are under the illusion a low number of covid tests is the same thing as low numbers of covid cases so they’re most
likely going to want to keep it closed this year too.

I honestly believe it won’t reopen at least until the 2022 elections.

Vannder wrote:

No. Jeez are you kidding me?
They couldn’t even run a hotdog stand there. Let  alone organize a successful effort to acquire and distribute enough vaccine to immunize 60% of it’s population. (Herd immunity).
They are under the illusion a low number of covid tests is the same thing as low numbers of covid cases so they’re most
likely going to want to keep it closed this year too.

I honestly believe it won’t reopen at least until the 2022 elections.

Only open to long term visa holders and spouses of citizens....all countries that were prohibited are now open

Vannder wrote:

No. Jeez are you kidding me?
They couldn’t even run a hotdog stand there. Let  alone organize a successful effort to acquire and distribute enough vaccine to immunize 60% of it’s population. (Herd immunity).
They are under the illusion a low number of covid tests is the same thing as low numbers of covid cases so they’re most likely going to want to keep it closed this year too.

I honestly believe it won’t reopen at least until the 2022 elections.

Have you heard about Herd Immunity in Sweden for Covid? It has failed, not only in Sweden but everywhere.

The only guaranteed 100% success rate is catch it and live or for the small percentage that had caught it and died.

Tbh, if they keep this closed border, the economy will collaps anytime soon, however they are unable controlling the virus spread, so yea it might remain closed till next year.

Herd immunity by exposure failed yes.
But herd immunity by vaccination would factually happen if 60-70% of the population were immunized.

Or close enough to herd immunity. Even when the vaccine fails (which is rare) and they contract covid after the vaccine, they  are usually mild cases of covid for a short period of time.
But not severe covid

What if I want to enter the Philippines, to marry a Filipina?
.
We have been delaying the marriage for a year, since the pandemic began.

It’s impossible.
I had been trying to do that for a year.
Enter to see my girlfriend and probably get married. 
But you have to enter on a tourist visa to get married. And they have not been allowing tourist visas for a year now.

They are terrified of travelers carrying covid even though it is a documented fact travelers are the least likely to have coronavirus. Especially with the pre-screening that has been going on and with some people even having a vaccine now.

But you can’t tell them anything...they refuse to listen to reason in any form.

Example is nearly every island in the Caribbean is already open to travelers who have a negative covid test. Including tourists.  But no, not the Philippines.

uhm.. correct me if i'm wrong, but you still can get married outside philippines rite? it is just from what i heard: they stop issuing the 13A spouse visa for now

If you want to pony up the money for  a Maldives or Brazil meeting and wedding you probably can yes.

You’ll probably be spending in the realm of $7000, $10000 USD just to meet for a short time and have a civil marriage (no family) and then both of you go back home right after though.

He could probably get married in Hong Kong or Thailand.

thanks ....
I have thought that .....
but .... could she leave the Philippines to marry in another country?

no
i need to go inside philipines ....get marry, star a new small store bussiness
and have a family and live there for ever

yes a filipino can leave country, get married outside and return home.

but also no, from the last info i got, they stop issuing 13A spouse visa for now, this will still prevent u entering PH for now.

That was my plan too. Sort of an early retirement.
I’ll tell you straight  what happened because it really doesn’t matter anymore. I don’t trust that place now.
I’m probably not going back because I believe it will just happen again if I do.

I lived there in the Philippines for a year.
Dumped tens of thousands of US dollars, 10 years worth of savings on permanently renting a house for me and my fiancé, immigration fees and medical costs. A precursor to permanent purchase.

Came back to the US for a few months because of my parents deaths and had plans to go back to my fiancé’s hometown and have our wedding.
The wedding we had been planning for the last 5 years and boom.
Travel ban.
It’s been more than a year and a half now and I still can’t go back.
Can’t go back to my house, can’t go back to my fiancé, can’t go back to my new family and we can’t afford to live in two different countries at the same time for years anymore so we’re going to lose the house and my fiancé has to find a job in another country.

Oh I’m sure good ol Pilipinas will open up again one day, just not for many years. So if you do plan on going there...make a plan to never leave again...or you’ll get screwed.
Most probably.

Vannder wrote:

That was my plan too. Sort of an early retirement.
I’ll tell you straight  what happened because it really doesn’t matter anymore. I don’t trust that place now.
I’m probably not going back because I believe it will just happen again if I do.

I lived there in the Philippines for a year.
Dumped tens of thousands of US dollars, 10 years worth of savings on permanently renting a house for me and my fiancé, immigration fees and medical costs. A precursor to permanent purchase.

Came back to the US for a few months because of my parents deaths and had plans to go back to my fiancé’s hometown and have our wedding.
The wedding we had been planning for the last 5 years and boom.
Travel ban.
It’s been more than a year and a half now and I still can’t go back.
Can’t go back to my house, can’t go back to my fiancé, can’t go back to my new family and we can’t afford to live in two different countries at the same time for years anymore so we’re going to lose the house and my fiancé has to find a job in another country.

Oh I’m sure good ol Pilipinas will open up again one day, just not for many years. So if you do plan on going there...make a plan to never leave again...or you’ll get screwed.
Most probably.

Not trying to be flip about your problem, as I can tell you are hurt over the whole ordeal. 

I have a couple of questions if you don't mind.

You spent tens of thousand of dollars and you were only in the country for a year?  Tens of thousands is a lot of money for what you describe as a permanent rental house.  What kind of agreement would take that kind of money and still be a rental? 

If you were here for a year, what kept you from marrying your fiancé, especially if you'd been planning the wedding for 5 years? 

Just as recently as this week, the govt has begun allowing SRRV visa and some 9a visa holders back into the country to reunite separated families.  Why it took so long is beyond me, as long as the person is or has been tested negative for the virus.

I hope for your sake and others in the same situation that things do change soon. 

Best regards.

No it’s not really. The idea that the Philippines is very cheap is sort of a myth. And it’s something that needs to be debunked sometimes.
Unless you live out in the province where it’s dirt cheap with no air conditioning and no health problems...and just eat bulad and rice every day.

But you try living somewhere like Manila, Dumaguete, Cebu City or Davao and shouldering all of the expenses on your own..it can easily cost as much as 40,000 pesos per month. And that’s just to start. It doesn’t even include immigration fees.
Or medical expenses if you have health problems.
And then if someone in the family gets sick you can either help or just watch them die basically. Also if you have to travel a lot...that’ll put a big dent your budget.
Add investing in to building the place up or renovating and improving it....yeah it can easily reach thousands.
Even tens of thousands.

About the marriage...
1. She was on a work contract for a few years. So it was decided to wait until that was over than just whisking her back to her hometown and breaking her contract and future employment eligibility. Also it takes money. We both had to save for awhile.
2. At first we wanted both of our families to be present for the marriage. Hire a caterer and so there was some dispute over WHERE we should actually get married. The Philippines or the US.
I wanted it in the US...she wanted it in the Philippines. Because her family couldn’t be here if we had a wedding here.
3. There were other complications in my personal life and in my own family that delayed the wedding.
Life just doesn't always go as planned but I won’t go in to that.
It still COULD have happened in 2020...but we’re both broke now anyway and have kind of given up on the idea. I doubt I'll go back.

But yeah...I do wish we had just gone and gotten married now.

Vannder,

We live on between 40 to 50 thousand pesos per month.  So on that I do agree with you about the cost.  For us, and we keep detailed records of monthly expenses,  the cost in the RP is much less than the U.S., and in either place we did not live extravagantly, though by Philippine standards some may disagree.

We live near Tagaytay and built a house for a fraction of what it would have cost us for a similar home in the U.S.  If I were younger at the time, it most likely would have cost even less, as I would have done a lot of the work myself. 

Healthcare is a no win argument, so suffice it to say we are satisfied to this point with the care provided, as well as the cost.

New vehicle costs and electronics are generally higher in the RP, though deals can be found in both categories. 

I wish you all the best in the future.

Yeah that sounds about right.
Thank you and best regards to you too.

One piece of advice I always offer expats is get medical insurance. If they can. Even if it's just PhilHealth.
It's normally cheaper than the US...but it's not the US.
There's no Medicare there. No Medicaid. And something like a heart surgery in a private hospital can easily run the bill up to around $10,000 USD.

My veteran friend just passed away in Tagatay. I had always wanted to see it.
My best you as well.

mauovernet wrote:

no
i need to go inside philipines ....get marry, star a new small store bussiness
and have a family and live there for ever

If you can raise enough money, it's possible to get in at a SIRV VISA   (="Investors VISA.)    Aproval at individual level though, so you can need to both deposit minimum 75 000 USD and perhaps make them believe you are a serious investor too. The deposit is allowed to INVEST, it just need to stay at approved bank a while so the VISA handlet see you have them.  A change was announced recently. Perhaps you need to get approval from DTI or such by presenting your business idea for them.*

Better start some OTHER business than small shop or foodcart anyway, because there are far to many such allready so almost all earn very litle or lose money...

Small store would just "tale" money from poor sarisari store owners, it wouldn't add any money, so better ffor the regiion and better chance for yourself to start some PRODUCTION*  Such both add value to the region and if it's copied "to close" the products are sold elsewhere anyway so the production don't need to move..

*I'm doing something like that. Starting a production and just a few days ago I wrote a document to try to get approval from officials.   (I had written documents earlier, but I needed to adjust it some because of a so ridicilous rule, so I hadn't even thought of checking that because I thought it couldn't be that ridicious           No big hurry, one of the permits we will need to start the earning fully will take around a year to get they said anyway.     
It's allways fun in the Philippines   

Vannder wrote:

The idea that the Philippines is very cheap is sort of a myth. And it’s something that needs to be debunked sometimes.
Unless you live out in the province where it’s dirt cheap with no air conditioning and no health problems...and just eat bulad and rice every day.

Why don't you live where it's cheap then? 
Even if needing healthcare the living can be a bit away from city and get lower costs.
And there are aircons in provinces too     although it can be shortage of electricity now and then.
Some food are available much cheaper in province.

That’s a reasonable idea.
If I ever do go back I might try that.
But there ain’t  no way I would invest or deposit $75,000 USD there though...

Vannder wrote:

That’s a reasonable idea.
If I ever do go back I might try that.
But there ain’t  no way I would invest or deposit $75,000 USD there though...

I don't know if it's possible to deposit, visit, marry and chose to NOT invest, geting out of Phils and get back the deposit.  But even if it's possible, perhaps such would make it harder to get other visa later.

As known Phils economy has big problems, specialy tourism, so perhaps they will get "forced" to open for foreigner tourists.

FindlayMacD wrote:

He could probably get married in Hong Kong or Thailand.

Or Las Vegas.

The whole concept is ridiculous. Someone could immigrate to 1st world countries like the US or Japan for equal to or less than that.
Also from a business standpoint you’d have  a much bigger return if you invested it here than in the Philippines.
There are some nice things about the Philippines... but it just ain’t worth sinking $75,000 USD in just to live there.
Not now and probably never will be.
Hell it wasn’t even worth all of thousands I already spent there. It just got wasted.

They’re looking for suckers with that idea but people don’t acquire large amounts of money by being stupid.

Vannder wrote:

The whole concept is ridiculous. Someone could immigrate to 1st world countries like the US or Japan for equal to or less than that.
Also from a business standpoint you’d have  a much bigger return if you invested it here than in the Philippines..

In what? The stock markett was much overvalued before covid too and now it's totaly NUTS.  (First a realistic drop, but doubled since then!!!. 
I have predicted two of the big falls since 1985 a half year before they happened. Now I claim it's a huge bubble, but it can continue as long as more succers join this "chain letter"       More beginners have joined trading the stock market because of covid demanding distancing and such can be dine through internet. This has added more buyers  than sellers, which has pushed up the prices to crazy levels, worsened by "success methods" which all basicly are TA  (=Technical Analyse) old method, which is only looking at trades, without bothering of what the companies are worth!!!   In know how these TA systems "think" so in shares with low trade litle I can make such triggers if I want to in a calm market...  But as it is now these suckers fool themselves, by follow the far to high trend they make themselves...

While in Phils:
Some harder now , but before covid I know two Fiipinas, who almost doubled the investment in 4 months the best such cycles, and two Swedes were kind an took smaller shares than the normal but earned 10-20 % anyway in 4-5 months.  I know it¨s true because I know about such deals.  (=Money back plus 25-33 % of the rest to the financiere. The rest to the farmer, who do all work or pay himself for work assistance.)
An other Filipina was good at finding opportunities, but terrible at judging risks. Some years ago she called me and was very sad because she had lost 46 000p , which was very much for her back then, at customers had disapeared not paying  So I tought her a simple risk judgement at that type of business by just ask herself a question about each possible customer. She unerstood direct. Then I gave her a hint which client group suit her busines better.  Before covid she had found different types of projects, which she financed and others did the work. She had changed it so good and grown her business, so she had quit her office employment and needed to work only 2-4 days per month to collect her shares, plus when she needed to look for new projects.  She spend her time travelling around visiting family and friends at different islands. Once she called me from Negros at Tuesday, home to Cebu to collect at Wednesday.  Sunday she called me again and told she had bought an orchard financed with a bank loan. (She put in some extra collateral to get full financing.) She had figuered out in 10 years it will be fully paid from her shares of the harvests.  (The other half go to a relative being used to hamdle such orchards.)

I'm close to financing a buying of a wrong handled business, which I know how to solve., but sellers don't, that's why they sell cheap.  This missing knowledge is common in Phils, I have only found 2 such will handled such businesses there but a lot wrong handled.  There were some less assets than the seller said, but in 4-5 years my income will be 9 million at the first  2 million investment, after all are paid except taxes at my earning, and having the business still..  (Then I have counted with 20 % lower price when selling the products than before covid.)  Plan is for the future profits buy up more such wrong handled businesses in that region so same team can handle the recovering and hamdling of them too. 

Hard to find such bargain possibilities in North America and West Europe.

Vannder wrote:

There are some nice things about the Philippines... but it just ain’t worth sinking $75,000 USD in just to live there.
Not now and probably never will be.
Hell it wasn’t even worth all of thousands I already spent there. It just got wasted.
They’re looking for suckers with that idea but people don’t acquire large amounts of money by being stupid.

Well. If wice invested, you get something for the money.

Don't do as the most common failures though:
/start bar business just becuase being a frequent bar customer   
/start things as your Filipina want, because almost all are narrowminded concerning business ideas, most of them wanting to start something which are far to many allready  (There are good exceptions though, Filipinas with good ideas. As e g them I described above.)

I know some foreigners, who have started businesses with ok results, and some good.
/My friend from back in Elementary school. His bussiness don't have good income result, but he is lucky the location oof his orchard make they have for a very high offer for the land   
/Two have got rich, one by big well handled pigery and the other by a manufactory.  (Both retired now.)

I would have thought stocks were a good idea before but with the increase in dividends and capital gains taxes...I wouldn’t be so sure now. It’s always risky yes but we don’t know when the pandemic will really end and we don’t know when the economy will truly open up again. Unless you’ve had stock in Apple, Amazon or Pfizer... I don’t know what kind of year they think they’ll have.

I’m always hearing expats say “You’ll spend $2 million USD in the Philippines to make $1 million USD”.
From what I’ve already seen that certainly seems to be true.

But here someone could invest $75,000 USD and at least triple it in the next 10 years.
Even during a sluggish economy. There’s just more money moving around and a more reliable safety net. 
It’s practically assured. The only exception I can remember in my lifetime...was the GFC. And even then, it was sort of a short lived exception.

The point is you could go to the Philippines and open your own Jolibee or McDonalds franchise  or something...and it could be lucrative...but it is wholly dependent on people’s ability to travel or move around. Right now that is virtually non-existent.

As for wanting to turn the Philippines in to some kind of manufacturing hub...well I hope that is successful for them. I really do. I just don’t think it’s going do to the kind of wonders for the economy they hope it will. Not until there’s a real increase in the education levels of people there at least. 
I think it’ll help...but even that comes with it’s own set of risks and problems. Yes workers wages aren’t as high and you probably  don’t have to deal with the same kind of EPA and OSHA constraints we do...but you still have to deal with potential LGU problems, corruption and very little or no government support if this kind of thing happens again. Or lasts for many years.

I hope so though.

Vannder wrote:

I would have thought stocks were a good idea before but with the increase in dividends and capital gains taxes...I wouldn’t be so sure now. It’s always risky yes but we don’t know when the pandemic will really end and we don’t know when the economy will truly open up again. .

Yes. (II'm talking in general for the syock market. There can be exceptions.) So it don't make sence to buy now, except if the price is LOWERED much by covid. In USA Nasdaq index has gone UP much!!!  So definitly not a time to buy...

During the years the stock markets have droped 30-50 % several times for the index, much worse for "hyped" stocks.  (E g 1929, 1987, 2000 (IT bubble) and 2008.) It's an obvious bubble now too.  An important difference is these earlier were just economics, which sure will recover, it was just a matter of fime. For this pandemic we don't know the future.

Vannder wrote:

I’m always hearing expats say “You’ll spend $2 million USD in the Philippines to make $1 million USD”.
From what I’ve already seen that certainly seems to be true..

Well. Sure there are many things which can be screwed up even for experienced businessmen, but the odds are much better for us businessmen anyway, than for a frequent bar guest who start a bar or others with no experience and no knowledge of even Basic business.

Vannder wrote:

But here someone could invest $75,000 USD and at least triple it in the next 10 years.
Even during a sluggish economy. There’s just more money moving around and a more reliable safety net. 
It’s practically assured. The only exception I can remember in my lifetime...was the GFC. And even then, it was sort of a short lived exception..

Sure possible IF have the knowledge.
What type oof investment do you have in mind? 
Most at the stock market are valued much to high allready. Houses we can't know because of covid we don't know if history will be repeeted.

Vannder wrote:

The point is you could go to the Philippines and open your own Jolibee or McDonalds franchise  or something...and it could be lucrative...but it is wholly dependent on people’s ability to travel or move around. Right now that is virtually non-existent.

Yes. The competition in eating businesses was fierce in Phils even before covid, because that's oine of the most common dreams to start for Filipinos. (And sarisari, tricycle or piggery.)
So that's not for me.

Vannder wrote:

As for wanting to turn the Philippines in to some kind of manufacturing hub...well I hope that is successful for them. I really do. I just don’t think it’s going do to the kind of wonders for the economy they hope it will. Not until there’s a real increase in the education levels of people there at least.

I don't expect to solve all the economical problems in Phils      just improve it a litle bit in the few close to each other baranggays I aim at.

Some big companies as e g Mitsubichi have manufacturies in Phils allready.  I suppouser to get low production costs and I suppouse to get inside the Asia7 market to avoid high custom fees.

Vannder wrote:

I think it’ll help...but even that comes with it’s own set of risks and problems. Yes workers wages aren’t as high and you probably  don’t have to deal with the same kind of EPA and OSHA constraints we do...but you still have to deal with potential LGU problems, corruption and very little or no government support if this kind of thing happens again. Or lasts for many years. .

We will get LGU aprovals before we buy, if we don't get we will start elsewhere         (Tribe approval is started and liked but we haven't made formal application yet.  Baranbggay application we are discussing how to write it.  Need to get approval from the seller to be allowed to apply mensioning the real estate he is selling. Expect to get that approval from seller within a few days, now when we are ready with the draft to the contract with the seller. A conditioned contract, we are not buying if we don't get all approved including from neighbours.  We have got verbal approval from all close neighbours allready but want to get signed when we get a document from officials where it suit to sign by neighbours too.)
i suppouse everyone will approve because it's gopd for them too. We are prepared to contribute some to the community e g pay some of road constructon cost for a road they had planned allready to pass where we aim at starting. Left to see if they expect more than we are prepared to pay. An important factor too is when they expect the contribution. We are short of money in startup    until we have solved the wriong handled problem and start earning more than the costs. If they wait 5 years, I can contribute more from profits 
Left to see if other officials stationed far away will screw up with the permits. I suppouse they don't have the motivation the locals have to get us chosing their barangays... 
It's remarkable they have put the different development centres for different regions in Metro Manila instead of in each province!

coach53 wrote:

Vannder wrote:

I would have thought stocks were a good idea before but with the increase in dividends and capital gains taxes...I wouldn’t be so sure now. It’s always risky yes but we don’t know when the pandemic will really end and we don’t know when the economy will truly open up again. .

Yes. (II'm talking in general for the syock market. There can be exceptions.) So it don't make sence to buy now, except if the price is LOWERED much by covid. In USA Nasdaq index has gone UP much!!!  So definitly not a time to buy...

During the years the stock markets have droped 30-50 % several times for the index, much worse for "hyped" stocks.  (E g 1929, 1987, 2000 (IT bubble) and 2008.) It's an obvious bubble now too.  An important difference is these earlier were just economics, which sure will recover, it was just a matter of fime. For this pandemic we don't know the future.

Vannder wrote:

I’m always hearing expats say “You’ll spend $2 million USD in the Philippines to make $1 million USD”.
From what I’ve already seen that certainly seems to be true..

Well. Sure there are many things which can be screwed up even for experienced businessmen, but the odds are much better for us businessmen anyway, than for a frequent bar guest who start a bar or others with no experience and no knowledge of even Basic business.

Vannder wrote:

But here someone could invest $75,000 USD and at least triple it in the next 10 years.
Even during a sluggish economy. There’s just more money moving around and a more reliable safety net. 
It’s practically assured. The only exception I can remember in my lifetime...was the GFC. And even then, it was sort of a short lived exception..

Sure possible IF have the knowledge.
What type oof investment do you have in mind? 
Most at the stock market are valued much to high allready. Houses we can't know because of covid we don't know if history will be repeeted.

Vannder wrote:

The point is you could go to the Philippines and open your own Jolibee or McDonalds franchise  or something...and it could be lucrative...but it is wholly dependent on people’s ability to travel or move around. Right now that is virtually non-existent.

Yes. The competition in eating businesses was fierce in Phils even before covid, because that's oine of the most common dreams to start for Filipinos. (And sarisari, tricycle or piggery.)
So that's not for me.

Vannder wrote:

As for wanting to turn the Philippines in to some kind of manufacturing hub...well I hope that is successful for them. I really do. I just don’t think it’s going do to the kind of wonders for the economy they hope it will. Not until there’s a real increase in the education levels of people there at least.

I don't expect to solve all the economical problems in Phils      just improve it a litle bit in the few close to each other baranggays I aim at.

Some big companies as e g Mitsubichi have manufacturies in Phils allready.  I suppouser to get low production costs and I suppouse to get inside the Asia7 market to avoid high custom fees.

Vannder wrote:

I think it’ll help...but even that comes with it’s own set of risks and problems. Yes workers wages aren’t as high and you probably  don’t have to deal with the same kind of EPA and OSHA constraints we do...but you still have to deal with potential LGU problems, corruption and very little or no government support if this kind of thing happens again. Or lasts for many years. .

We will get LGU aprovals before we buy, if we don't get we will start elsewhere         (Tribe approval is started and liked but we haven't made formal application yet.  Baranbggay application we are discussing how to write it.  Need to get approval from the seller to be allowed to apply mensioning the real estate he is selling. Expect to get that approval from seller within a few days, now when we are ready with the draft to the contract with the seller. A conditioned contract, we are not buying if we don't get all approved including from neighbours.  We have got verbal approval from all close neighbours allready but want to get signed when we get a document from officials where it suit to sign by neighbours too.)
i suppouse everyone will approve because it's gopd for them too. We are prepared to contribute some to the community e g pay some of road constructon cost for a road they had planned allready to pass where we aim at starting. Left to see if they expect more than we are prepared to pay. An important factor too is when they expect the contribution. We are short of money in startup    until we have solved the wriong handled problem and start earning more than the costs. If they wait 5 years, I can contribute more from profits 
Left to see if other officials stationed far away will screw up with the permits. I suppouse they don't have the motivation the locals have to get us chosing their barangays... 
It's remarkable they have put the different development centres for different regions in Metro Manila instead of in each province!

Good to know you have an investment plan...I guess you have it all figured out.
Just my 2 cents worth....the Philippines has no choice but to make this place more Foreign Investment friendly not just for small businesses like yours but mainly for foreign MNC's to take notice & invest willingly. (Thats my hope too)
For that to happen huge/massive changes need to be made so as to be more of a safe investment hub and then be able to create thousands of jobs for the now desperate locals (Tourism & OFW's remittances are just not enough & the feel that the locals have just been short changed)....my friend for that to happen huge/massive improvements in infrastructure and foreign investment laws/local educational systems need to be tweeked/changed big time....or once again only to be left far behind other developing SEA countries whom are also chasing tooth & nail to be the next potential Foreign Investment Hub.
Just look at Vietnam/Thailand for example they too appear very or even more 'hungry' for FTA's.
Sorry to deviate fm OP post but just needed to give my 2 cents reply.
Omho

manwonder wrote:

Good to know you have an investment plan...I guess you have it all figured out.

Well. The plan is done, but I can't know if (central) officials will screw up   

manwonder wrote:

.the Philippines has no choice but to make this place more Foreign Investment friendly not just for small businesses like yours but mainly for foreign MNC's to take notice & invest willingly. (Thats my hope too)
For that to happen huge/massive changes need to be made so as to be more of a safe investment hub and then be able to create thousands of jobs for the now desperate locals (Tourism & OFW's remittances are just not enough & the world will change)....my friend for that to happen huge/massive improvements in infrastructure and foreign investment laws need to be tweeked/changed big time....or once again only to be left far behind other developing SEA countries whom are also chasing tooth & nail to be the next pottential Foreign Investment Hub.
Just look at Vietnam/Thailand for example they too appear very or even more 'hungry' for FTA's.
Omho

Yes.  The Philippines have fallen far behind Thaiand, South Korea and VietNam...  It don't seem them in top power even want to make it good, because they have a law saying foreigners aren't allowed to have the majority power in a business and not allowed to be lead by foreigner's knowledge!!!   (Except when it's "export business" then it's allowed.)   By not make so many jobs get added by foreigners, the rich Filipinos can hold the salaries down for their own businesses. OR it depend of thinking very short ahead, I don't know which reason.

Although foreigners are allowed to do more in Phils than in Thailand      that's why I changed my mind to Phils.

Back in say 40 years ago, business in Makati was run by Filipinos with Spanish ancestry. (Zobel, Ayala). If I am not mistaken, some land in the business district are still on lease from private citizens. I would be sitting pretty retired on a beach if it was I. 🌴 Then the Chinese came in the scene (i.e. Henry Sy/SM, Lucio Tan, Andre Tan, John Gocongwei Jr., etc.). I believe the Chinese and/or Filipinos with Chinese ancestry/connections now control a good majority of the small/med/large businesses there. I would think they are good business people with consideration on how to do business over there. Even the local pawnshop and money changer! You cannot apply the same practices as you would in the 1st world countries.
I am sure you know there are possibilities of dealing with corrupt people when setting up your business.
.
.
On the original post......😁
I think tourism to the Philippines will not be open in Feb. 2021. If you have seen the news about Dubai, they are blaming tourism for the surge in Covid cases. There is a good chance the Philippine health care system will not able to address a large surge of Covid cases if/when it happens.

Jackson4 wrote:

Makat.

(If ment to me.) 
I hope the big guys don't bother about the boondogs I go for 

Jackson4 wrote:

I believe the Chinese and/or Filipinos with Chinese ancestry/connections now control a good majority of the small/med/large businesses there. I would think they are good business people with consideration on how to do business over there.

I believe it has to do with what I say to some Filipinos to give thema hint how to rethink
Average Filipinos think ahead to tomrrow
Swedes think ahead to their yearly long vacation
while Chinese think generations ahead...   

Just an example A lot of land in Phils are not in use by many owners don't bother to plant land suiting for forests, I suppouse because they don't bother to think about they can earn by it 10-25 years later!!!  (While almost all not used land in Sweden have got planted even with the 50+ years it take until forest harvests in Sweden...)

Jackson4 wrote:

I am sure you know there are possibilities of dealing with corrupt people when setting up your business.

Correct. Although I will try to find business partners and employees thinking ahead enough to nake a Swedish flat type effective business "island" there in the boondogs anyway    because if it functions, it will be much more effective. And it's boring to spend time controlling people    Goal is to just do it in startups to see if they have understood.  Although my business partner will work with them "at the field" often anyway.
(("Everyone" said it was impossible to build a flat  (="Freedom under responcibility" NOT controlling the employees other than see if they get enough done and perhaps make a few random checks.) But I managed to do it anyway       

Jackson4 wrote:

You cannot apply the same practices as you would in the 1st world countries.
I am sure you know there are possibilities of dealing with corrupt people when setting up your business.

We will offer to support the barangay a bit with costs for a new road construction passing our location,
but if someone try to get more than a small bribe direct from me, then I would joke style trying to get away from it by saying "Bribes are illegal     "
but I would soon lose patience at such crap and tell them to go  f*** themselves,
so I better leave handling of such to my business partner