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About by: Philly
November 24, 2008, 01:41
Hello, I'm your host here, commonly known as Philly. My real name is Dave Starr. I'm a US born man who has always been in love with Asia. I've…
- Terms of Use by: Philly
  February 17, 2008, 03:34
  General Provisions Welcome to the website of www.philfaqs.com. This website is best viewed using a contemporary browser. We recommend FireFox.…
- Disclaimer by: Philly
  February 17, 2008, 07:42
  Editorial Policies: This site maintains the policy of total editorial and intellectual freedom. It is the personal work of David W. Starr along with…
- Privacy Policy by: Philly
  February 18, 2008, 01:27
  Site owner and principle author is David W. Starr. Our postal address is: 2508 East Orman Avenue Pueblo, CO 81004 We can be reached via e-mail…
- Advertising by: Philly
  February 18, 2008, 02:40
  StatCounter.com Overview: Sponsorship Opportunities Thank you for your interest in sponsoring PhilFAQS.com. If you target frequent travelers to Asia,…
- Archives by: Philly
  May 24, 2008, 11:20
  This page lists every article ever published here at PhilFAQS in chronological order PhilFAQS Home Page
- Sitemap by: Philly
  July 1, 2007, 02:29
  Return to the PhilFAQS Home Page
Contact by: Philly
February 18, 2008, 10:34
Return to the Living in the Philippines FAQS site Home Page
Content by: Philly (last 10 posts shown)
May 21, 2008, 00:33
Return to the Living in the Philippines FAQS site Home Page
- Uncategorized (25)
  - US Government Jobs in the Philippines by: Philly
    January 24, 2010, 02:02
    THE EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES IS TRANSMITTING THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION THROUGH THE EMBASSY WARDEN SYSTEM AS A PUBLIC SERVICE TO AMERICAN CITIZENS IN THE…
  - A Philippine Business Resouce You Didn't Know You Had by: Philly
    January 7, 2010, 02:02
    I had a lot of great responses from yesterday's post on learning how to work for yourself. I haven't shared my New Year's resolutions for 2010, and I guess I…
  - Get A Job by: Philly
    December 17, 2009, 01:47
    A significant group of readers who I have been in contact with are still of working age (who said retirement had to be age based, anyway?) and are conflicted…
  - Blessed Are the Meek --- Or Are They? by: Philly
    December 15, 2009, 02:02
    First of all, let me throw in a little disclaimer here. This post isn't really all that much about religion, but I do throw in some Bible teaching and no…
  - All OK, Thanks, But Help Is Certainly Needed by: Philly
    September 28, 2009, 11:14
    I have had a number of messages of concern .. thanks to everyone from me and Mita. We are all ok, likewise Gia and Ina our two 'surrogate daughters' who spent…
  - San Gabriel Market --- Photo Essay -- Part 1 by: Philly
    September 27, 2009, 10:05
    Today I have another treat for us, those interested in sightseeing, learning the countryside and (my kinda folk) those who like to eat. Thomas Glenn, one of…
  - More on Seat Choices by: Philly
    September 10, 2009, 16:23
    Here's another site with some good information on airline seat selection I like this one becuase it clearly shows the "Deluxe" seat space on Eva Air.Â …
  - U.S. FOREIGN SERVICE OFFICER TEST by: Philly
    September 9, 2009, 03:42
    The 2009 Foreign Service Officer Test will be held on Wednesday, October 7, 2009 at the U.S. Embassy in Manila Deadline to register is September 28th Eli…
  - Not Getting Scammed in the Philippines --- Update 1 by: Philly
    January 6, 2009, 10:31
    Here's a little news item I my dear wife pointed out to me this afternoon: The biggest law firm in the country allegedly fell victim to a multi-million-peso…
  - Philippine Business Must Be Doing Very Well by: Philly
    December 16, 2008, 10:16
    Well for those of you who hate posts about making a living in the Philippines, especially making a living in the Philippines on line, or supplemented by the…
- Live There (401)
  - Visit To The Doctor --- Updated by: Philly
    March 15, 2010, 02:02
    My post on visiting my so-called "third-world" car dealer recently turned out so well that I decided to document my last trip to see the doctor. My primary…
  - Live in the Philippines --- Use a Fixer? by: Philly
    December 25, 2009, 02:02
    Here are a few thoughts on a question that comes up frequently here on PhilFAQS where we try to answer the most common questions about living in the Philippines…
  - Christmas Is Upon Us by: Philly
    December 20, 2009, 02:02
    Don't worry, I am still going to continue my "What I learned this Christmas" series, but this is now, officially Christmas week, and things are hectic here. …
  - Take a Look at Your Own House Before You Denigrate The Philippines by: Philly
    October 28, 2009, 04:31
    Pains me to have to write about this, but it is time we stopped ignoring the 8000 pound elephant in the room and started talking about the Philippines in an…
  - San Gabriel Market --- Photo Essay -- Part 1 by: Philly
    September 27, 2009, 10:05
    Today I have another treat for us, those interested in sightseeing, learning the countryside and (my kinda folk) those who like to eat. Thomas Glenn, one of…
  - What is a Typhoon, Anyway by: Philly
    September 26, 2009, 10:05
    We've been a little slow on actual posts from the Philippines lately, as business here in the US has been consuming a lot of time. A fellow whom I've know on…
  - After The Fact and Other Fine Filipino Traits You Need To Learn About by: Philly
    August 21, 2009, 13:28
    I’ve been a bit hesitant about writing this post, the concept of it has been percolating in my mind a long time, and I have so far held off. But not…
  - Living in the Philippines --- How People Find This Site by: Philly
    August 20, 2009, 10:22
    I started to write a completely different article today, but I got interrupted several times and when I finally got back to this open window on my desktop I…
  - Philippine Living --- Bursting the Bubble by: Philly
    July 30, 2009, 10:41
    Over the past few weeks I have been thinking about and researching a lot of what we who earn money online call niche markets. In plain English this means…
  - Living in the Philippines on 0 a Month --- Part 2 by: Philly
    July 28, 2009, 02:09
    An interesting discussion seems to have come up here about living in the Philippines on 0 USD per month. A reader on another venue asked me my opinion…
  - Phils News (12)
    - Working In The Philippines by: Philly
      December 27, 2009, 02:02
      A lot of folks I've met on-line over the past 7 or 8 years want to live in the Philippines. Many are also below normal retirement age and don't have a…
    - Outsourcing Doesn't Cost --- It pays by: Philly
      October 16, 2009, 02:05
      By Ros Krasny Fri Aug 25, 12:03 PM ET JACKSON HOLE, Wyoming (Reuters) - Take that, Lou Dobbs. Despite much handwringing and political posturing, the surge…
    - What is a Typhoon, Anyway by: Philly
      September 26, 2009, 10:05
      We've been a little slow on actual posts from the Philippines lately, as business here in the US has been consuming a lot of time. A fellow whom I've know on…
    - A Big Step Forward by: Philly
      September 1, 2009, 02:27
      Here's some news I picked up over at Yugatech a few minutes ago.It may look a little too 'techy' for some, but believe me, if you travel in the Philippines…
    - Tiny island hires 3,000 Filipinos by: Philly
      August 12, 2009, 09:53
      â€œOnce again, this is a shining testament to the world-class Filipino worker,â€ An interesting story today about the tiny island of New Caledonia.�…
    - Philippine News That Means Something by: Philly
      September 14, 2007, 09:50
      Anyone who runs a blog or website knows that a lot of people send out press releases to let people know about something of interest that is going on.…
    - They're Here. 2007 Nursing Board Exam Passers by: Philly
      August 27, 2007, 08:49
      Here's the List of 2007 Nursing Board Exam Passers. Congrats to all, especially just one of our very special nieces who is on the list.
    - Will There Be a Philippine Housing Boom? by: Philly
      January 4, 2007, 22:43
      One of the shortfalls of the Philippines from the viewpoint of foreign investors and retirees is the difficulty of owning property for an outsider. This issue…
    - Interview with Manny Paez --- TravelPH.Com by: Philly
      January 2, 2007, 20:35
      There are not many of us who have been around the Philippine Living scene for any length of time and not heard of a balik bayan box. For those who haven't,…
    - Cebu Pacific --- A Great Way To Go by: Philly
      October 12, 2006, 21:38
      Cebu Pacific now flies to Kuala Lumpur By Enrico Dee on News Selamat Datang Malaysia! The Philippinesâ€™ leading low-cost airline will commence its…
  - Restaraunt Reviews (5)
    - Living in the Philippines --- Steak by: Philly
      May 19, 2009, 15:59
      A few weeks ago Mita and I had dinner with an old friend, Manny Paez of Manila Forwarder and Mita steered us right to a very satisfying steak experience. …
    - More Philippine Burger Thoughts by: Philly
      September 15, 2008, 14:57
      As many readers already know I keep very close tabs on what people search for here at PhilFAQS, the site for people who want to know the FAQS (Frequently Asked…
    - Filipinos Do Love Burgers by: Philly
      May 30, 2008, 12:13
      I've had a little bit of a tummy problem the past couple days, so I haven't been eating much ... seems much better now, and as I write this it is coming up to…
    - A Little Trip to Davao City by: Philly
      April 1, 2008, 16:33
      I finally got off my butt and did some internal traveling that wasn't just a visit to a relative's home ...hey, what can I say, I'm a boring person. My…
    - Blogging Meetup --- Driving For Fun by: Philly
      July 13, 2007, 05:12
      Yesterday my lovely asawa (wife) Mita (the UnofficialCook) and I went to lunch with a fellow blogger, Yuga, a guy I have been reading for years but had never…
  - Things to Do (22)
    - Tropical Depression Scenery by: Philly
      October 10, 2009, 09:57
      Hi, A little over a week ago the effects of a strong tropical depression heading for the coast of China manifested in my area as unusually large waves. Well,…
    - Life In The Philippines Isn't All Storms by: Philly
      October 4, 2009, 02:10
      Here’s a picture my dear wife , the Unofficial Cook snapped a month or so ago when we were at Clark for lunch. The exact same picture could have been…
    - More Market Posts by: Philly
      September 28, 2009, 10:06
      We've changed server locations and had a few other unavoidable delays. But things should work better from now on. I'm going to post some more of…
    - And some more Market Pictures by: Philly
      September 27, 2009, 11:51
      Courtesy of Thomas Glenn
    - San Gabriel Market --- Photo Essay -- Part 1 by: Philly
      September 27, 2009, 10:05
      Today I have another treat for us, those interested in sightseeing, learning the countryside and (my kinda folk) those who like to eat. Thomas Glenn, one of…
    - Philippine Touring — Beating the Heat by: Philly
      April 7, 2009, 10:16
      A blogging colleague of mine, Tyler Cruz lives up in the far, frozen north of Canada (well. not really that far north, Tyler lives on Vancouver island on the…
    - Philippine Touring --- The Republic Begins by: Philly
      March 31, 2009, 01:00
      Last week I wrote about the beginnings, to the Western mind at least, of the nation of the Philippines down in delightful Cebu. Philippine Touring From The…
    - Philippine Touring From The Beginning by: Philly
      March 24, 2009, 01:18
      I’ve decided that in general on Tuesdays I am going to write more about “going around” to different places in the Philippines. They won’t always…
    - Philippine Things To Do by: Philly
      February 9, 2009, 03:28
      It’s almost that time again. Starting Thursday the 12th of February 2009 the 14th Annual Philippine Balloon fest will kick off at the former “Clark…
    - Philippine Retirement. Where's the Time Off? by: Philly
      January 26, 2009, 10:21
      I get tons of searches here at PhilFAQS, home of the answers to frequently asked questions about living in the Philippines and many emails all on the subject…
  - Weather Reports (5)
    - Help Is Really, Really Needed --- This Is The Opposite Of A “Good Thing” by: Philly
      October 11, 2009, 08:35
      I just 5 minutes ago received this mailing list email from my friend JD, a retired US Marine, who lives in Baguio, Philippines. I’ve know JD for years…
    - "Super typhoon" bears down on flood-ravaged Philippines by: Philly
      October 2, 2009, 10:05
      This afternoon I spent some time depositing my monthly check to myself at the bank (yes, you can write a check to yourself and deposit it in a bank account in…
    - Free Money While You Fill A need by: Philly
      October 1, 2009, 22:59
      I have been a customer of RemitHome for many years now. When I first moved here to live full time, they were our money ‘life line’ who kept us afloat…
    - Storms Aren’t Over Yet --- Just A Part Of Living The Philippines Experience by: Philly
      October 1, 2009, 07:35
      U.S. Embassy Manila Warden Message October 1, 2009 THE EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES IS TRANSMITTING THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION THROUGH THE EMBASSY…
    - What is a Typhoon, Anyway by: Philly
      September 26, 2009, 10:05
      We've been a little slow on actual posts from the Philippines lately, as business here in the US has been consuming a lot of time. A fellow whom I've know on…
  - Phils Business (67)
    - Find Out About Tech in the Philippines by: Philly
      March 2, 2010, 02:02
      It’s always nice to watch friends grow and succeed. One of the first Filipinos who ever spoke with me as a friend … long before I came to live in the…
    - A Lot Depends Upon Whose Ox Is Being Gored by: Philly
      February 19, 2010, 08:20
      I decided to update and republish this post after my article yesterday on outsourcing office work on-line. It's a bit interesting since it looks at the…
    - Business From End To Beginning by: Philly
      January 30, 2010, 02:02
      I just came across this idea in my files. Earning money in the Philippines seems to be a bit like the weather. Everyone seems to want to talk about it, but…
    - All about Franchising Seminar by: Philly
      January 16, 2010, 02:02
      Just a post or so ago, one of my most loyal readers, Laurence, mentioned that I should write more about opening a business in the Philippines. Laurence also…
    - Working In The Philippines by: Philly
      December 27, 2009, 02:02
      A lot of folks I've met on-line over the past 7 or 8 years want to live in the Philippines. Many are also below normal retirement age and don't have a…
    - Just Joking, Lang by: Philly
      December 9, 2009, 02:24
      I was telling someone a funny story that happened to me recently, and I figured why not share it ... I'm too damn serious about a lot of these things anyway,…
    - Customer Service --- Getting Your Way by: Philly
      November 7, 2009, 08:34
      Recently I wrote Customer Service Philippines Style regarding some of my adventures in Philippine living and the issues you should be thinking about rather…
    - Customer Service Philippines Style by: Philly
      November 1, 2009, 03:18
      One of the things people continually come here looking for is some form of the question, “What’s the cost of living in the Philippines.” So, of course,…
    - Butterflies --- Foreign and Filipino by: Philly
      October 22, 2009, 12:53
      This story is either so “corny” as my dear mother-in-law might say, or so sweet that anyone who has to watch their intake of sweets should just move on. …
    - Living in the Philippines by Blogging by: Philly
      August 16, 2009, 07:08
      No, you didn’t just see that blog post a title a couple days ago. You saw Live In The Philippines by Blogging which was a little sort of ‘throw…
  - Phils Education (17)
    - What About School in the Philippines --- Part 4 by: Philly
      January 29, 2010, 03:51
      We had some interesting discussion a couple weeks ago about strategies for schooling children if you were to decide to live in the Philippines. Most of the…
    - What About School in the Philippines — Part 3 by: Philly
      January 15, 2010, 02:02
      Another aspect of childhood education that poses a lot or problems for parents is the issue of where to get help, and how to keep the student (even those…
    - What About School in the Philippines --- Part 2 by: Philly
      January 12, 2010, 02:02
      Today I have a real treat, a long-time blogging colleague and friend Tom Nixon has agreed to do a little guest post here for PhilFAQS. Tom is another of…
    - What About School in the Philippines by: Philly
      January 11, 2010, 02:02
      Many times, I have received queries about how a foreigner or foreigner/Filipino couple would educate their children if the took the big step of moving to the…
    - How Much Is A College Degree In The Philippines? by: Philly
      June 25, 2009, 03:29
      There’s a question I have been asked regarding living here in the Philippines a time or two in the past. The shortest answer is, a heck of a lot less…
    - Philippine Family Matters by: Philly
      June 13, 2009, 02:48
      Some readers may remember the blockbuster HBO series, The Sopranos. Many know I a a certified (certifiable?) Sopranos fan, maybe because so much of the…
    - They Don't Have to be a Nurse or a Jeepney Driver by: Philly
      August 1, 2008, 09:27
      Let me start this post off by stating I surely have nothing against nursing. I have the utmost respect for a man or woman called to that profession and…
    - But My Kids Can't Get an Education in the Philippines by: Philly
      July 23, 2008, 22:53
      One of the issues that stops many families with children from moving to the Philippines is the perception that they can't get a good education for their…
    - Recommended Reading by: Philly
      May 7, 2008, 07:06
      A faithful reader asked my recommendations on some books about the Philippines. I'm not nearly as well-read as I would like to be. What? Me read a book?…
    - Not Yet Another Nursing School by: Philly
      April 13, 2008, 02:37
      If your Philippine experience is anything like mine, you have already been asked for advice on education and likely a time or two been asked to help fund a…
  - Banking (10)
    - Philippine Christmas is Nearly Here --- Don't Get Caught Short by: Philly
      December 7, 2009, 10:53
      Merry Christmas and Happy new Year to all my readers. This post is just a short note to remind everyone that the Christmas Season here in the Philippines is…
    - Is There A Philippine Euro in the Future? by: Philly
      October 27, 2009, 04:51
      Asian leaders ponder common currency By South East Asia correspondent Karen Percy As leaders got together in Thailand to discuss regional…
    - Investing In the Philippines --- RTB’s by: Philly
      May 26, 2009, 02:30
      I’ve written more than once in this journal about some strangely structured and ill-advised investment schemes (scams?) in the Philippines. Sadly some…
    - Philippine Questions --- Thursday, 7 May 2009 by: Philly
      May 7, 2009, 04:30
      Time to revisit another old favorite subject here at PhilFAQS, where we answer your questions about living in the Philippines. This has certainly been…
    - Philippine Questions and Answers — 9 Apr 2009 by: Philly
      April 9, 2009, 00:26
      A little Easter gift. But what is underneath the pretty wrapping? We’ve talked here before about the recent Rural Bank Time deposit scams that…
    - Philippine Currency Trading by: Philly
      December 18, 2008, 00:57
      They say a picture is worth 10,000 words' I'm no expert, but looking at what the major US stock indexes have done this year and what the gain I could…
    - More Philippine Money Answers by: Philly
      October 24, 2008, 04:23
      Yesterday I published one of my regular Question and answers columns regarding a number of issues about getting money to the Philippines, managing your money…
    - Questions, Questions, Questions 6 by: Philly
      October 23, 2008, 10:36
      Thanks to several readers who just sent in questions on thus subject, I’ll try to lump a few of the common interest items together here, please feel free…
    - ForEx Is Not Just A Trader's Game by: Philly
      October 23, 2008, 04:01
      One of the things you learn right away if you are going to live in the Philippines is that ForEx (Foreign Exchange trading) is no longer something you read…
    - When You Need Money Just Write Yourself A Check by: Philly
      February 1, 2008, 03:23
      Just looked at the clock and calendar and realized I have been sitting here blogging and neglected a trip to the bank ... I have to go and fit that in pretty…
  - Driving (17)
    - Live in the Philippines --- Car Prices Philippines by: Philly
      August 5, 2009, 03:07
      One of the more popular posts ever here at PhilFAQS, the site where you get your living in the Philippines questions answered is this one about current year…
    - Visit To The Dealer by: Philly
      April 1, 2009, 01:40
      I'm a bit pressed for time today. On Wednesdays I usually write about prices, cost of living items and such. I had already started a post about taking my car…
    - Driven Crazy in the Philippines by: Philly
      February 23, 2009, 10:00
      When my brother and sister and I were little, like most kids we would watch for my dad to be heading out somewhere and run up to him, hollering, “Where you…
    - Car Prices Philippines by: Philly
      November 28, 2008, 10:42
      I keep a stack of notes and papers next to my computer for background material on future articles. I just noticed a leaflet someone stuck in my hand at the…
    - Still Going Up --- No End In Sight by: Philly
      June 8, 2008, 02:11
      I notice a lot of folks search here at PhilFAQS for information about prices. Both in the Philippines and in the US the price of gas is a hot topic right…
    - Update On The Northern Luzon Toll Roads by: Philly
      May 17, 2008, 01:53
      Update to the Update: Recently my wife and I headed up to Pangasinan province to fetch her sister home for the holidays. Finally the new SCTEX northern…
    - It Ain't All Bad by: Philly
      May 9, 2008, 04:40
      No secret that many roads in the Philippines are bad ... and stories about the traffic can sometimes reach legendary proportions. I wrote one I particulat…
    - The President Ro-Ro's, Will the Country Follow Suit? by: Philly
      April 28, 2008, 13:06
      CAWAYAN PORT, Masbate -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo sent off on Monday the roll-on roll-off (Ro-Ro) ferry that was on its maiden voyage from this…
    - The Three-Lined Street by: Philly
      April 15, 2008, 04:07
      Last night my wife (The Unofficial Cook) and I had a good chuckle at a real estate ad she found on a Philippine newspaper website. It was…
    - Always Popular, Prices --- Current Mitsubishi Products by: Philly
      April 12, 2008, 09:08
      Disclaimer: Prices are F.O.B. Manila, Prices are as of January 2008. Model FSP 2007 Lancer 1.6 GLX M/T…
  - Land Ownership (11)
    - Inherit Propery in the Philippines? "Can" Doesn't Mean "Will" by: Philly
      January 31, 2010, 02:02
      From time to time I receive comments here which seem to indicate people have a lot more faith in my knowledge or judgment than anyone should have. I don't…
    - I Heard A Foreigner Can Inherit Land In The Philippines by: Philly
      January 13, 2010, 02:02
      Indeed, you heard right. This is the "saving grace" for many foreigner/Filipino couples who want to buy property together here in the Philippines and have an…
    - Live in the Philippines --- Use a Fixer? by: Philly
      December 25, 2009, 02:02
      Here are a few thoughts on a question that comes up frequently here on PhilFAQS where we try to answer the most common questions about living in the Philippines…
    - It Can Be Done In The Philippines Continues by: Philly
      February 12, 2009, 02:41
      My friend Bob started this thread, actually, on his Living in the Philippines web magazine site, when he talked about ideas of things he could invest in now…
    - Is a Lease as Good as a Deed? by: Philly
      October 22, 2008, 00:28
      One of the “big things” that many prospective Philippine expats continually complain about regarding living in the Philippines are the property laws. …
    - It Can Be Done ---Part 2 by: Philly
      May 18, 2008, 07:52
      A while back I did an article about how a local entrepreneur took a couple lots with run-down old houses on them and made a very nice apartment complex that…
    - Is This The Sort Of Scene You Imagined? by: Philly
      April 13, 2008, 04:09
      Many of us envisioned life here in the Philippines a little more rural than it has turned out to be for us. My wife, the Unofficial Cook …
    - Why I Don't Own My House --- Part 4 by: Philly
      January 26, 2008, 12:11
      OK I imagine some of my readers may be getting tired of this subject ... but I did need to get this info out. This will be the last post on Philippine…
    - Why I Don't Own My House --- Part 3 by: Philly
      January 25, 2008, 11:02
      Can corporations own Philippine property, even if the corporate investors are foreigners? That's a question I have been asked here on PhilFAQS frequently.…
    - Why I Don't Own My House --- Part 2 by: Philly
      January 25, 2008, 10:10
      From time to time the question of buying property, with or without a home on it comes up in most of the Philippines-related blogs and discussion groups. …
  - Costs (25)
    - How Low Can You Go With Philippine Cost of Living? by: Philly
      March 5, 2010, 09:33
      As I recently posted, yet again, in spite of all the really important issues you need to decide upon for yourself, the number one questions on virtually…
    - Things To Consider Aside From Philippine Cost Of Living by: Philly
      March 4, 2010, 02:02
      Time and time again I meet people, or get emails from people, with questions about living in the Philippines. Without a doubt, the most frequent question I…
    - Economy-Birding in the Philippines by: Philly
      January 3, 2010, 02:02
      A couple days ago I wrote about "snowbirding" in the Philippines and mentioned also that now days there seem to be quite a few of us living here who are as…
    - Philippine Gas Prices Jan 2010 by: Philly
      December 29, 2009, 10:51
      Just a little update here about cost of living/prices. I started to include this info in my last Philippine Cost of Living post but I had an idea that I had…
    - How Much Will That 0 Buy In The Philippines? by: Philly
      October 20, 2009, 01:57
      I wrote an article or two, both here and on my friend Bob’s Living in the Philippines web magazine, that concerned the question “can you live in the…
    - Where to Buy It by: Philly
      September 17, 2009, 04:33
      If you live in the Philippines (or any other country outside the US, for that matter) and you want to buy something you've seen advertised, you often run…
    - Current Philippine Living Costs --- End of August 2009 by: Philly
      September 8, 2009, 14:44
      This is always a popular search subject here. In particular we had a series of articles and some comments during August about living in the Philippines…
    - Can Martha Teach You About Philippine Living? by: Philly
      September 7, 2009, 14:30
      I came across this today in a news letter I receive from my traveling Portable Income folks, Jon and Kathryn’s newsletter. They are the couple with small…
    - Live in the Philippines --- I Can See Clearly Now by: Philly
      August 19, 2009, 03:53
      Remember the old Johnny Nash song, I can see clearly now, the rain is gone, I can see all obstacles in my way Gone are the dark clouds that had…
    - Philippine Questions --- Thursday, 21 May 2009 by: Philly
      May 21, 2009, 03:54
      Once again time to revisit the ever popular, “What does it cost to live in the Philippines” question. I’m the first one to admit I do not do much in…
  - Working (30)
    - Finding a Job in the Phillipines --- Are You Sure? by: Philly
      January 22, 2010, 12:08
      From time to time I get some comments that really deserve a whole article on their own (by the way, any of you who have the urge to pour out some information,…
    - Work From Home --- No Matter Where Home Is by: Philly
      January 6, 2010, 01:00
      Warning: The information contained here-in may lead you, at some point, to a sales pitch, from which I might earn money. However, it may also enhance your…
    - Foreigner IT Jobs in the Philippines by: Philly
      October 22, 2009, 03:47
      OK I am not going to swim upstream any longer. People continually write to me about, and search for, jobs for Americans and jobs for foreigners in…
    - Why Do People Snicker When They Say T-n-T? by: Philly
      October 19, 2009, 01:59
      When I use the abbreviation T-n-T here, in spite of what the ever-watching NSA "Carnivore" guys think, I am not talking about that well-known compound…
    - Make Sure You Know The Security Rules by: Philly
      October 16, 2009, 03:03
      I’ve been doing some research for a legal issue on a subject that isn’t usually too much interest to most readers here … US personal security clearances.�…
    - Another Guy Who gets It … Well Almost by: Philly
      October 6, 2009, 02:02
      Here’s a new online acquaintance who pretty much has his poop grouped as far as what to do with his life and how to earn a living … he is not yet up to…
    - 10 Reasons You Don't Want A Job In The Philippines by: Philly
      September 29, 2009, 02:38
      1. As a guest here it isn't even legal except under specific circumstances. 2. The pay is extremely low in comparison to what you think is 'low' in your…
    - There’s More To Life Than “If Only” by: Philly
      September 22, 2009, 02:00
      This article really has two intended audience segments. The first is that segment of all backgrounds and citizenships who continually pine for a way to earn a…
    - Philippine Living --- Online English Thoughts 4 by: Philly
      September 19, 2009, 02:18
      I hope the last three articles in this series have been of some value. I wanted to acquaint many who have the idea that English teaching is only for the…
    - Philippine Living --- Online English Thoughts 3 by: Philly
      September 18, 2009, 03:14
      When I mention the opportunities in online learning I notice that a lot of people seem to try to make this whole process way, way harder than it has to be. …
  - Medical (24)
    - Just What Is Good Health Care in the Philippines? by: Philly
      March 14, 2010, 02:02
      An American retiree in the Philippines recently asked me a very interesting question about emergency services and medical care in general for retirees in the…
    - Health Insurance Quotes --- Philippines by: Philly
      December 10, 2009, 02:02
      This article was originally written a few months ago. It has been significantly corrected, updated and expanded with new, hands-on information. In addition…
    - I Don't Sell This, But You Might Want To Buy by: Philly
      October 21, 2009, 22:47
      It’s very nearly Open Season for the US Federal Employee (and Retiree) Health Benefits Plan. This is “Fed Speak” for the special time per year when you…
    - So How Much Did It Hurt? by: Philly
      October 5, 2009, 02:02
      As regular readers will recall I have been writing quite a bit about my recent cataract removal/lens insertion operation here in metro Manila, Philippines. I…
    - How Much Is A Cataract Operation In The Philippines by: Philly
      October 3, 2009, 02:08
      As regular readers know I usually try to keep close track of things people are searching for when the find PhilFAQS, the place on line where you learn the FAQS…
    - Blatant Ad Or Life Saving Info by: Philly
      September 30, 2009, 01:49
      Every so often I have a tendency to mention my advertisers/sponsors here at PhilFAQS. I try not to make a habit of this, just as I try never to feature…
    - Accredited Hospitals Philippines by: Philly
      September 23, 2009, 01:50
      I’ve been seeing a lot of searches here on PhilFAQS lately for hospitals in the Philippines who are accredited or approved for TRICARE payment. …
    - Health Care Here and There by: Philly
      September 13, 2009, 00:22
      I've written more than a few articles about heath care and medical issues in the Philippines. Occasionally I compare things with the US and other "Western"…
    - 3900 Marbles and Government Health Care by: Philly
      September 9, 2009, 15:39
      Let me ask you folks a question. I just had a conversation with a lady who wanted to bounce some ideas off me about business. It was a pleasant conversation…
    - Philippine Living --- Eye Surgery and Hidden Assets by: Philly
      September 5, 2009, 04:17
      As many of you have been reading, I’m recovering nicely from having both my eye lenses replaced in cataract surgery here in the Philippines. Suring the…
  - Self Sufficiency (14)
    - In Case You Think 'Recovery' is Just Around the Corner by: Philly
      January 9, 2010, 05:13
      Here's a quote from a columnist I will not name (but of course you can follow the link and see who he is, I don't steal anyone's work intentionally). I just…
    - Making A Soft Landing In The Philippines by: Philly
      September 21, 2009, 08:24
      As I have written before, the Philippines could be a good place for some folks who are nearing the end of their current tether in the US to make a ‘soft…
    - Do You Want To Earn a Living Where You Choose, Or Do You Want To Sit and Watch? by: Philly
      July 12, 2009, 17:01
      Some months ago I recall writing about these folks and getting virtually no feedback at all, good or bad. One gentleman wrote to take me to task for…
    - Philippine (or US) Business You Can Do --- Watch Videos by: Philly
      April 10, 2009, 01:45
      I’ve written quite a few articles about using the combination of the Internet and video to make or expand a business. This can certainly work for you…
    - Philippine Business Resources by: Philly
      March 27, 2009, 01:00
      I write a lot about doing business in the Philippines (or anywhere else you may happen to live) online. The term “online” immediately turns a lot of…
    - Finding A Philippine Pony — Part 3 by: Philly
      March 20, 2009, 01:12
      To review the bidding (previous installments of this article are listed above) we have been talking about how anyone, with or without a TESOL (Teaching English…
    - Send Love to the Philippines by: Philly
      March 13, 2009, 17:25
      This post is a bit commercial in nature. No, I didn’t get paid to write it … there are no ‘paid posts’ here on PhilFAQS where we answer your…
    - Finding A Philippine Pony — Part 2 by: Philly
      March 13, 2009, 02:52
      Today I want to get back on track a little bit on the subject of finding the right way for you to live in the Philippines with an income that will cover your…
    - I Repeat, You Don't Need a "Job" to Make Money in the Philippines by: Philly
      October 9, 2008, 00:17
      There are two main cataegories of people reading this blog who are interested in Living in the Philippines. Thos who are not yet retirement age but would…
    - Big City Self Sufficiency by: Philly
      July 2, 2008, 14:58
      We've talked a number of time here on PhilFAQS about saving energy and living self-efficiently. It's no secret I'm a big fan of The Mother Earth News,…
  - Interviews (1)
    - A New Podcast Is Up by: Philly
      February 25, 2008, 19:13
      I just put up the link for the latest Bob Martin "Far Side of the World" podcast in which Bob and I discuss the rich, the poor and how business can…
  - Real People (3)
    - Who Are The Real Filipinos — Part 7 by: Philly
      June 2, 2008, 05:35
      Had some sad news this morning. Not only because it was the news of the passing of a real pioneer (there are few enough of them left, either in the US or in…
    - My Saturday Alarm Clock by: Philly
      May 3, 2008, 10:12
      Monday through Friday I usually have my alarm set for 0430. I usually get up when it goes off. There are many good reasons for getting up early,…
    - Who Are The Real Filipinos, Anyway? Part 5 by: Philly
      March 2, 2008, 02:45
      Just in case some of you have the idea I am too much of a Pollyanna, always preaching good things about the Filipinos, "This Bud's for You". …
  - Home Building (7)
    - It Can Be Done in the Philippines Continues --- 3 by: Philly
      March 11, 2009, 09:59
      Just a quick update on my “It Can Be Done in the Philippines” investment real estate series. here’s a quick look at the project I have been following…
    - Tanks a Lot, Philippines by: Philly
      March 8, 2009, 02:48
      A few weeks back I wrote a post about local home water supplies, pressure issues and related lore for the Live in the Philippines Web Magazine, Coping With The…
    - Why You Don't Want A Home Sitting Empty by: Philly
      October 7, 2008, 15:54
      Often times I get queries about the advisability of buying a home in the Phlippines now and leaving it sit until retirement comes ... as a hedge against…
    - Questions, Questions, Questions 3 by: Philly
      October 3, 2008, 04:06
      Well, it's Friday again already, time for another installment in my questions series. Better get started: Q & A: 3 October 2008: Housing Inflation …
    - It Can Be Done by: Philly
      May 7, 2008, 05:30
      Most anyone knows that the expression I love to hate about the Philippines is, "If Only". Recently I tried to help a reader of this blog find a home to rent…
    - Not A Lot Of Idle Opinion --- Concrete Facts by: Philly
      April 17, 2008, 16:05
      I've had several concrete projects done at my house and my in-laws over the past 18 months. There is also a lot of construction going on in my neighborhoo…
    - Scenes You Won't See In The Philippines by: Philly
      April 17, 2008, 02:59
      There are many sayings I've heard from folks planning to move to the Philippines that show they just don't understand much about what such a move will…
  - Dangers (3)
    - We Need Better Password Security --- But This Ain’t It! by: Philly
      September 12, 2009, 12:44
      For years now I’ve heard discussions regarding security of online password-protected services and, in particular, how to protect yourself when using common…
    - Why There Is So Much Dust In Pampanga by: Philly
      July 7, 2008, 15:58
      Just came across this video today courtesy of an old friend from the Philippines/US, Ken Rice. he has some others on his site that may be of interest.…
    - Oh, We Don't Get Those Here by: Philly
      April 19, 2008, 05:50
      I watch Discovery Channel a lot here in the central Philippines. In general, Discovery is pretty good, they have quite a few shows worth watching ...…
  - Culture (7)
    - Snowbirding in the Philippines by: Philly
      January 2, 2010, 02:02
      I've written before about "Making a Soft Landing in the Philippines". It's the start of a new year and a new decade and sadly, many of you reading this and…
    - Marriage, Nationality and Divorce by: Philly
      December 22, 2009, 02:02
      By Atty. Rita Linda V. Jimeno The story of Rosanne in my column last week triggered numerous reactions from readers that merit discussion. As a jump-off…
    - Living in the Philippines --- Reading is Different Here by: Philly
      August 21, 2009, 23:59
      I’ve been trying to tell you that there is much more to the decision about living here or not living here than dollars and cents. You have enough money if…
    - Philippine Maps Just Got a Whole Lot Better by: Philly
      March 15, 2009, 08:55
      One of the things that has troubled me for years about living in the Philippines, learning about living in the Philippines, helping people move to the…
    - Can You Disappear In The Philippines? by: Philly
      October 28, 2008, 00:36
      The shortest and most accurate answer to this question is yes. Now, of course, that begs a couple other questions. Do you want to disappear in the…
    - The Ber Months Are Here by: Philly
      September 9, 2008, 02:22
      What in the world is a Ber month? Oh, that's simple. It's a shortcut term for what passes for winter here in the Philippine northland. It's slang for any month…
    - Philippine National Anthem by: Philly
      May 21, 2008, 03:52
      The Philippine National Anthem is something I never expected to see a lot of interest in on this blog. After all, I'm an American and a guest here and…
  - Hotels (8)
    - Philippine Touring From The Beginning by: Philly
      March 24, 2009, 01:18
      I’ve decided that in general on Tuesdays I am going to write more about “going around” to different places in the Philippines. They won’t always…
    - Castle Peak Hotel, Cebu City by: Philly
      July 11, 2008, 22:25
      Castle Peak Hotel, Cebu, Philippines. Here's an interesting, well-recommended destination location I came across recently. Please note that this…
    - Mountain Woods Resort Hotel, Subic Bay by: Philly
      May 27, 2008, 08:23
      This is a hotel which shows up frequently on listings for Subic. Have I stayed there? No, and I'll tell you why. I went to check this place out…
    - Davao City Microtel Inn & Suites by: Philly
      May 25, 2008, 12:01
      Disclaimer. I haven't stayed at the Davao City Microtel Inn and Suites. I thought it was worthy of a mention, though, because it is a US chain and…
    - Montebello Villa Hotel, Cebu City by: Philly
      May 25, 2008, 00:46
      I just did a cursory search here on PhilFAQS and was surprised to see that I seem to have ignored an old friend of mine, the Montebello Villa hotel in…
    - Bayfront Hotel by: Philly
      May 21, 2008, 23:38
      The Bayfront Hotel in the Boardwalk area of the Subic Bay Freeport is a place I have stayed several times. (The hotel also lists themselves as being in…
    - We R Inn Hotel by: Philly
      May 21, 2008, 08:44
      << Note: See updated contact information at the end of this article >> On my last visit to Davao City I stayed at the We R Inn Hotel on JP…
    - Whatever Happened to Subic? -- Report 2 by: Philly
      April 27, 2008, 00:18
      Recently I went to the visit the Subic Bay Metro Area, one of the common names for the former US Navy base on Subic Bay, Olongapo City. I was favorably…
  - Restaraunts (5)
    - We Still Never Cut The Cake by: Philly
      September 15, 2008, 01:56
      Well, actually we did cut the cake, but after we brought it home. Turns out that even after we paid all the fees (the 7200 pesos turned into 9200 Pesos…
    - Almost Time To Cut The Cake by: Philly
      September 12, 2008, 09:51
      Image by glenmcbethlaw via Flickr Today is my birthday. I'm holding off celebrating until tomorrow, the 13th, because my little nephew Mazen is turning 4…
    - Fun Often Comes With Burgers by: Philly
      June 1, 2008, 11:42
      Just had a comment about going to a birthday party at Jollibee in California. This is how we do them at Jollibee here. I'm the one on the right. Or…
    - We R Inn Hotel by: Philly
      May 21, 2008, 08:44
      << Note: See updated contact information at the end of this article >> On my last visit to Davao City I stayed at the We R Inn Hotel on JP…
    - Whatever Happened to Subic? -- Report 2 by: Philly
      April 27, 2008, 00:18
      Recently I went to the visit the Subic Bay Metro Area, one of the common names for the former US Navy base on Subic Bay, Olongapo City. I was favorably…
  - Books (3)
    - Get Your Reading Done ... In Style by: Philly
      January 21, 2010, 02:39
      What do I miss from the US while living in the Philippines? Oh, I could make quite a list. However, no matter how many items I was allowed to list and how…
    - 49 Ways to Make a Living in the Philippines --- Book Review by: Philly
      July 1, 2008, 05:54
      I've been a little busy in the past few weeks. Some of the things I have been busy with have nothing to do with blogging or making money online, but one…
    - Retire Like a King by: Philly
      June 15, 2008, 04:50
      Books are something we have talked about here on PhilFAQS in the past ... I actually have half a dozen or so in my reading list that my readers have graciously…
  - How-To (13)
    - You Don’t Need a "Job” to Work For Other People in the Philippines by: Philly
      September 3, 2009, 08:44
      An astounding number of searches here at PhilFAQS, the site about really living in the Philippines, revolve around jobs … especially jobs for foreigners. In…
    - Earn A Living In The Philippines by: Philly
      July 31, 2009, 01:51
      This is a free announcement for ALL my readers. You certainly don’t need to be an American to participate, or too succeed online. Virtually every…
    - Philippine Questions --- Thursday, 7 May 2009 by: Philly
      May 7, 2009, 04:30
      Time to revisit another old favorite subject here at PhilFAQS, where we answer your questions about living in the Philippines. This has certainly been…
    - Philippine Maps Just Got a Whole Lot Better by: Philly
      March 15, 2009, 08:55
      One of the things that has troubled me for years about living in the Philippines, learning about living in the Philippines, helping people move to the…
    - Free Skills to Become Successful in the Philippines by: Philly
      December 15, 2008, 03:57
      I received feedback from some readers that indicated these posts on making a living in the Philippines are not as popular as my simple, first-person accounts…
    - Saving Energy for Practical People — Part 4 by: Philly
      September 1, 2008, 06:08
      It's about time for an update on this ongoing series, don't you think? I've been having a great discussion on the subject of solar and commercial…
    - Saving Energy for Practical People — Part 3 by: Philly
      August 20, 2008, 04:13
      I wanted to start out today with an advertiser shout out for a couple of important sponsors here at www.philfaqs.com. I promote various products for two…
    - Saving Energy for Practical People — Part 2 by: Philly
      July 31, 2008, 02:44
      I haven living with ADD (or ADHD) isn't as easy as some people think ... nor is living with an Internet Service Provider who thinks that providing little or no…
    - Watt Did He Say? He Said, "If You Aren't Careful This Might Hertz" by: Philly
      July 19, 2008, 16:01
      OK, OK, I know, terrible pun, but it's the start of my weekend, I'm feeling silly and besides, it's all Ellen's fault ... I'm innocent, I swear. Faithful…
    - Saving Energy for Practical People --- Part 1 by: Philly
      July 18, 2008, 01:13
      Electricity Costs Fossil Fuel Costs Water Consumption Waste Production Ok I promised a lot here. trying to organize in my mind how I…
  - Investing There (12)
    - Start an Internet Cafe in the Philippines? by: Philly
      November 13, 2009, 00:49
      This is a very common query that leads folks here to PhilFAQS, the site where you find the answers to frequently asked questions about living in the Philippines…
    - Why is Philippine Retirement Such a Mystery? by: Philly
      August 27, 2009, 21:43
      Someone shoved a printed fly in my hands for this condo project this afternoon. As such projects go it’s not all bad. It will be located on a reasonably…
    - Living in the Philippines --- Recession? What Recession? by: Philly
      July 18, 2009, 00:10
      8 Steps to Recession-Proof Wealth Have your 401K savings vanished? Are you worried about losing your job? Is your…
    - It Can Be Done in the Philippines Continues --- 3 by: Philly
      March 11, 2009, 09:59
      Just a quick update on my “It Can Be Done in the Philippines” investment real estate series. here’s a quick look at the project I have been following…
    - Not Getting Scammed in the Philippines --- Update 2 by: Philly
      February 20, 2009, 11:58
      Those interested in the economy here in the Philippines will note I mentioned a couple weeks back that although noting major seemed to be happening here…
    - It Can Be Done In The Philippines Continues 2 by: Philly
      February 14, 2009, 04:00
      Gosh am I on a Living in the Philippines roll here, or what? I was doing some checking into the fellow who owns the two apartment complexes I wrote about…
    - Never Get Scammed in the Philippines by: Philly
      December 28, 2008, 06:41
      How's that for a guarantee? Think it will hold up? Well I'm not sure, and it's not a guarantee ... I don't offer them ... it's advice only from a lay…
    - Philippine Business You Can Understand --- Three by: Philly
      November 21, 2008, 16:53
      Here’s another answer to that frequently asked about the Philippines question, can I make money with an Internet cafe? Answer: Not only can you but the…
    - Philippine Business You Can Understand --- Two by: Philly
      November 19, 2008, 09:38
      Guess I'm on a real business trip lately. That's OK, many of you who read this blog are too. This morning I had to evacuate my home ... my wife got on a…
    - For Sale (3)
      - For Sale: Brentville, Laguna, Luzon by: Philly
        September 21, 2008, 01:16
        Many queries I've received over the past few years involved finding a house that's more to American or European standards and a place for the children to…
      - FOR SALE IN ILOCOS SUR by: Philly
        August 2, 2008, 09:58
        Blog Reader Roger Mogg asked me to list this property for him. For those who aren't familiar, Ilocos Sur is on the far north-west coast of Luzon, right…
      - For Sale: Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu by: Philly
        July 11, 2008, 05:14
        HOUSE AND LOT FOR SALE 150 Sq Meter house 200 Sq meter lot 3 bedrooms 1 Comfort room 1 Shower room Large…
  - Philippine Jobs (12)
    - About That Philippine Job You Want --- Part 2 by: Philly
      March 3, 2010, 02:02
      Why do people spend 4-5 years at University, but they can’t get a job? That's what my friend Brendon say often on his website and in his great article on…
    - About That Job in the Philippines You Want --- Part 1 by: Philly
      February 28, 2010, 02:02
      As we have said here many times before ... jobs in the Philippines is a very important subject that this site gets found for by search engines ...people,…
    - You've Scored a Job ---- Or Have You? by: Philly
      February 18, 2010, 23:59
      One of the most popular topics ever here on PhilFAQS is the subject of jobs ... especially jobs for foreigners in the Philippines. For example, see my "Ox is…
    - Do You Still Think Things Will Be The Same? by: Philly
      January 23, 2010, 10:09
      Lest you think I have turned anti-American or something equally as vile, let me try to give you a few facts to illustrate why I don't think the US is ever…
    - Foreigner Jobs Philippines Again by: Philly
      January 20, 2010, 02:02
      One of the search terms I always rank high for here at PhilFAQS, where you learn the facts about living in the Philippines is, "Jobs for Foreigners in the…
    - Philippine Business Resources for the Common Man by: Philly
      January 19, 2010, 01:38
      Kind of a funny headline? Well I chose it to make your think a little 'out of the box'. Hundreds of people per day come to this site from Google and the…
    - The Beatings Will Continue Until Morale Improves by: Philly
      January 17, 2010, 10:19
      Some of you may have felt the unmistakable rumblings of the sales pitch recently while I have written (low-key) about this great online profits opportunity…
    - What Can Failure Teach and Why You Should Embrace It by: Philly
      January 8, 2010, 02:02
      OK, I've been hitting pretty hard about building your own independent future, rather than sucking up to people who don't even want to hear from you in order to…
    - Do You Want Fries With That Burger by: Philly
      November 25, 2009, 03:38
      I came across this web page job ad just a moment ago while I was researching another subject I kind of thought it fit in very well with my last post where I…
    - Basics of Working in the Philippines for Foreigners by: Philly
      November 24, 2009, 09:18
      Ok, ok, no matter how many times I tell you, and give concrete examples of how little you will make at a job in the Philippines, you still keep coming back for…
  - Manila (1)
    - Overnight in the Bayview Park --- Manila by: Philly
      May 6, 2009, 01:28
      Recently we attended a trade show and also had a dinner and drinks meeting with an old friend in Manila. Rather than fight the traffic (and what turned…
- Get There (117)
  - Back From the Deep Freeze by: Philly
    February 26, 2010, 01:33
    Well on Wednesday am my dear wife and I arrived back in the Philippines after three weeks in Florida. Broke, happy and COLD. I've been to Florida in the…
  - Why I Left The Philippines by: Philly
    December 2, 2009, 09:58
    Note: this post has been corrected, significantly expanded and re-published. Part of our on-going effort to make PhilFAQS.com your best source for…
  - Reacquire Philippines Citizenship in the US or in the Philippines? by: Philly
    November 28, 2009, 00:04
    (Was formerly Philippines Questions --- Round 11) This is an update or amplification of a post first made back in 2008. I’m going through the…
  - How To Fly To The Philippines VFR by: Philly
    November 10, 2009, 03:40
    I wonder how many of my faithful readers know what the acronym VFR stands for? If you know anything about the world of aviation you probably answered Visual…
  - Philippine Living Cheaper --- Timely News, Read and Act Now If You Can by: Philly
    May 31, 2009, 08:53
    I’ve been away for a couple days (had a lovely trip to Davao City, more will follow) but I came across two items of interest to those who might want to…
  - Philippine Touring — Beating the Heat by: Philly
    April 7, 2009, 10:16
    A blogging colleague of mine, Tyler Cruz lives up in the far, frozen north of Canada (well. not really that far north, Tyler lives on Vancouver island on the…
  - Philippine Questions and Answers --- 19 Mar 2009 by: Philly
    March 19, 2009, 05:07
    It’s Thursday, time yet again for another installment of our regular Questions and Answers segment of PhilFAQS, the place to get the answers about living in…
  - Finding A Philippine Pony — Part 2 by: Philly
    March 13, 2009, 02:52
    Today I want to get back on track a little bit on the subject of finding the right way for you to live in the Philippines with an income that will cover your…
  - Driven Crazy in the Philippines by: Philly
    February 23, 2009, 10:00
    When my brother and sister and I were little, like most kids we would watch for my dad to be heading out somewhere and run up to him, hollering, “Where you…
  - Philippine Travel Tips --- Part 1 by: Philly
    January 31, 2009, 04:11
    I recently received an email query from a fellow planning his first trip to the Philippines. He asked a number of specific questions about how he should…
  - Travel Reviews (26)
    - More Market Posts by: Philly
      September 28, 2009, 10:06
      We've changed server locations and had a few other unavoidable delays. But things should work better from now on. I'm going to post some more of…
    - And some more Market Pictures by: Philly
      September 27, 2009, 11:51
      Courtesy of Thomas Glenn
    - Learning More About Fares by: Philly
      September 24, 2009, 01:50
      Here's some interesting new sites in the world of figuring out air fares.Â I suppose the sites, especially the Fare Compare one would qualify as Web 2.0…
    - Getting there is Half the Fun? Travel Providers 3 by: Philly
      August 29, 2009, 21:45
      I'm going to post a third recommendation here for sources of Philippine air tickets. www.travelph.com is operated by a gentleman I have dealt with many time…
    - Airline scoop from a person whose ass has gone numb on the best of them by: Philly
      August 28, 2009, 21:43
      I'm getting a lot of airline search traffic and readership, thanks. I posted a separate page with some of the lowdown on the different carriers and my…
    - How to Pick your Seat by: Philly
      August 27, 2009, 15:55
      One of the things that doesn't often cross people's minds when until they get to their aircraft, already tired and stressed and not looking forward to a flight…
    - Update on the Trip by: Philly
      August 19, 2009, 02:42
      I mentioned a couple of my favorite Philippines travel sources.Â A few months back, Spouse and I had planned to go to the Philippines about this time for a…
    - Getting there is Half the Fun? Travel Providers 2 by: Philly
      August 18, 2009, 02:41
      Ed Mabunga in the metro Salt Lake City area is an expereinced travel agent who specializes in tickets to and from the Philippines.Â I've personally used Ed…
    - Getting There is Half The Fun? Part 1 by: Philly
      August 15, 2009, 13:44
      Anyone reading this blog knows how ga ga I am about the Philippines. It's a wonderful place in many ways, sort of my adopted country. But it's certainly not…
    - Philippine Touring --- Linmarr Davao City by: Philly
      June 6, 2009, 02:51
      I’ve been busy th4e past couple days with some local travels here on Luzon, but I wanted to make sure I didn’t let the moment slip away to report on a…
  - Airline Reviews (23)
    - Number Two Philippine Marketing Slogan by: Philly
      November 5, 2009, 10:38
      A few days ago I published a post about Cebu Pacific airlines and how cheap they can make air travel here in the Philippines. I love their slogan…
    - Fly to the Philippines for 8 by: Philly
      November 4, 2009, 11:10
      I've been a bit busy running around the past couple days working out some health issues .. not mine, thank God, but my dear mother-in-law. Had some…
    - Number One Philippine Marketing Slogan by: Philly
      November 2, 2009, 08:46
      One of the things we are really blessed with here in the Philippines is cheap domestic travel. One airline I have used extensively since 1999 is Cebu…
    - Learning More About Fares by: Philly
      September 24, 2009, 01:50
      Here's some interesting new sites in the world of figuring out air fares.Â I suppose the sites, especially the Fare Compare one would qualify as Web 2.0…
    - Airline scoop from a person whose ass has gone numb on the best of them by: Philly
      August 28, 2009, 21:43
      I'm getting a lot of airline search traffic and readership, thanks. I posted a separate page with some of the lowdown on the different carriers and my…
    - How to Pick your Seat by: Philly
      August 27, 2009, 15:55
      One of the things that doesn't often cross people's minds when until they get to their aircraft, already tired and stressed and not looking forward to a flight…
    - Update on the Trip by: Philly
      August 19, 2009, 02:42
      I mentioned a couple of my favorite Philippines travel sources.Â A few months back, Spouse and I had planned to go to the Philippines about this time for a…
    - Philippine Living Cheaper --- Timely News, Read and Act Now If You Can by: Philly
      May 31, 2009, 08:53
      I’ve been away for a couple days (had a lovely trip to Davao City, more will follow) but I came across two items of interest to those who might want to…
    - Philippines and the Rest of Asia --- 2009 by: Philly
      December 21, 2008, 00:47
      Sorry I wasn't clear. This promo is for 2009. Full information is here. I only recommend Cathay Pacific, I don't sell air tickets or provide travel…
    - New Airline in Town by: Philly
      May 18, 2008, 11:01
      I was happy to see a write-up in today's news paper that there is a new US-flag airline serving Manila. Hawaiian Airlines, based in Honolulu is now…
    - Domestic (4)
      - Philippines and the Rest of Asia --- 2009 by: Philly
        December 21, 2008, 00:47
        Sorry I wasn't clear. This promo is for 2009. Full information is here. I only recommend Cathay Pacific, I don't sell air tickets or provide travel…
      - Cebu Pacific Update by: Philly
        April 4, 2008, 09:42
        Last week I had occasion to use my old favorite Cebu Pacific for a trip to Davao City from Manila and return. I found that they are still a good airline…
      - A Few Local Airline Updates by: Philly
        February 10, 2008, 01:58
        It's always good to be able to write about our local airlines here in the Philippines ... especially when things just seem to be improving. I learned…
      - Cebu Pacific Update by: Philly
        January 3, 2008, 15:55
        If you've read my Airline Information page you'll know already that Cebu Pacific is my choice for Philippine domestic flights. They always have some sort of…
    - International (4)
      - Philippines and the Rest of Asia --- 2009 by: Philly
        December 21, 2008, 00:47
        Sorry I wasn't clear. This promo is for 2009. Full information is here. I only recommend Cathay Pacific, I don't sell air tickets or provide travel…
      - New Airline in Town by: Philly
        May 18, 2008, 11:01
        I was happy to see a write-up in today's news paper that there is a new US-flag airline serving Manila. Hawaiian Airlines, based in Honolulu is now…
      - Jetstar Airways Update by: Philly
        April 4, 2008, 08:26
        I've written here before about Jetstar Airways, a discount carrier that flies between manila and Singapore ... and from Singapore all over Asia. I'm…
      - Cebu Pacific Update by: Philly
        January 3, 2008, 15:55
        If you've read my Airline Information page you'll know already that Cebu Pacific is my choice for Philippine domestic flights. They always have some sort of…
  - Travel Reports (37)
    - Why I Left The Philippines by: Philly
      December 2, 2009, 09:58
      Note: this post has been corrected, significantly expanded and re-published. Part of our on-going effort to make PhilFAQS.com your best source for…
    - How Things Grow by: Philly
      October 12, 2009, 08:36
      More pics courtesy of Thomas Glenn
    - Tropical Depression Scenery by: Philly
      October 10, 2009, 09:57
      Hi, A little over a week ago the effects of a strong tropical depression heading for the coast of China manifested in my area as unusually large waves. Well,…
    - Fireworks MUCH More Impressive Than Man-made by: Philly
      September 25, 2009, 10:04
      Mount Mayon is one of the world's most perfectly formed volcanoes. It was last active in a major way in 2001. Mayon can put on a show ... or more ... at…
    - Philippine Retirement --- Who Are All Those Foreigners, Anyway? by: Philly
      September 20, 2009, 02:00
      I came across this chart during my research for my Teaching English Online series. It reflects a couple interesting things about the Philippines. I…
    - Live in the Philippines --- In Baguio? by: Philly
      September 1, 2009, 03:20
      Well I guess it was about time it happened. After nearly three years in the Philippines I finally visited Baguio … one of the better known tourist…
    - A Big Step Forward by: Philly
      September 1, 2009, 02:27
      Here's some news I picked up over at Yugatech a few minutes ago.It may look a little too 'techy' for some, but believe me, if you travel in the Philippines…
    - How to Pick your Seat by: Philly
      August 27, 2009, 15:55
      One of the things that doesn't often cross people's minds when until they get to their aircraft, already tired and stressed and not looking forward to a flight…
    - Update on the Trip by: Philly
      August 19, 2009, 02:42
      I mentioned a couple of my favorite Philippines travel sources.Â A few months back, Spouse and I had planned to go to the Philippines about this time for a…
    - Living in the Philippines --- Bits and Bytes by: Philly
      August 3, 2009, 22:27
      Here’s a couple quick items that didn’t seem to fit anywhere else. Some of you know my good friend Tyler Cruz, a real-world Internet entrepreneur from…
  - Travel Tools (5)
    - Philippine Travel Tips --- Part 1 by: Philly
      January 31, 2009, 04:11
      I recently received an email query from a fellow planning his first trip to the Philippines. He asked a number of specific questions about how he should…
    - How To Make A Google Map by: Philly
      September 2, 2007, 06:03
      One of the sad things abut living in the Philippines is there are no good maps available on-line. One can, though, us the overhead imagery…
    - How Much Do Credit cards Really Cost To Use? by: Philly
      August 9, 2007, 01:44
      Here's an interesting little chart I came across courtesy of the Gadling Traveler's blog (seems like a useful read, by the way) It details the fees…
    - Airports In The Philippines by: Philly
      July 31, 2007, 14:25
      In a nation made up of 7107 separate islands those of us used to driving everywhere are going to find ourselves learning to use alternative forms of transport.&…
    - Life Is What Happens When You're Busy Planning Something Else by: Philly
      July 25, 2007, 01:30
      Don't know where that saying came from, it's one of those "oldies but goodies" though that keeps on circulating because it is so true. I was working on a…
  - Visas (17)
    - Do I need a Visa? by: Philly
      March 11, 2010, 02:02
      Since I was just involved in a small way with someone running afoul of Philippine Immigration regulations I though I ought to post some more clarification on…
    - Why I Left The Philippines by: Philly
      December 2, 2009, 09:58
      Note: this post has been corrected, significantly expanded and re-published. Part of our on-going effort to make PhilFAQS.com your best source for…
    - Reacquire Philippines Citizenship in the US or in the Philippines? by: Philly
      November 28, 2009, 00:04
      (Was formerly Philippines Questions --- Round 11) This is an update or amplification of a post first made back in 2008. I’m going through the…
    - Philippine Retirement --- Do They Really Want Us? by: Philly
      August 26, 2009, 15:55
      My lovely wife just pointed this out in today’s news: Investments in retirement industry seen to grow this year By Ma. Elisa P. Osorio (The…
    - Living in the Philippines --- A Green Card is Not a Visitor’s Visa by: Philly
      July 13, 2009, 09:54
      Many of my readers either already have, or plan in the future to become quite well acquainted with the United States Permanent Resident Cara, commonly known as…
    - Earn a Living in the Philippines --- Fulfill a Need by: Philly
      July 11, 2009, 01:41
      It’s a bit amazing to me how many people write we, week after week about what sort of visa they would need in order to live in the Philippines. All the…
    - Can My Philippine Friend Visit Me in the USA? by: Philly
      July 7, 2009, 02:39
      I have received a lot of queries over the years about visitor (B2) visas to the US for Filipinos. How do they work, how much do they cost, can my…
    - For All My Expat Readers --- From Any Country by: Philly
      May 17, 2009, 00:44
      Here’s another important pass along from my colleague JD up in the cool Philippine climes of Baguio. Many people think they can’t get permanent…
    - Philippine Questions and Answers — 23 Apr 2009 by: Philly
      April 23, 2009, 02:11
      Instead of a direct question this week, I am going to address a couple issues that have come up from readers and fellow bloggers in the past few weeks…
    - Philippine Questions and Answers --- 19 Mar 2009 by: Philly
      March 19, 2009, 05:07
      It’s Thursday, time yet again for another installment of our regular Questions and Answers segment of PhilFAQS, the place to get the answers about living in…
    - US Visas (3)
      - Can My Philippine Friend Visit Me in the USA? by: Philly
        July 7, 2009, 02:39
        I have received a lot of queries over the years about visitor (B2) visas to the US for Filipinos. How do they work, how much do they cost, can my…
      - Bringing A Loved One To The US — Fiancee' Visa by: Philly
        September 30, 2007, 05:39
        If you are sure that the Finace(e) Visa is te one for you, then this post will give you a complete overview of what's involved. As always I try to quote from…
      - Bringing A Loved One To The US --- Overview by: Philly
        September 26, 2007, 05:32
        OK, you've met that special someone and you can't wait to bring him/her to the US. So what means are available to you? The system of visas for the…
    - Phils Visas (10)
      - Do I need a Visa? by: Philly
        March 11, 2010, 02:02
        Since I was just involved in a small way with someone running afoul of Philippine Immigration regulations I though I ought to post some more clarification on…
      - Why I Left The Philippines by: Philly
        December 2, 2009, 09:58
        Note: this post has been corrected, significantly expanded and re-published. Part of our on-going effort to make PhilFAQS.com your best source for…
      - When is a Philippine Visa not a Philippine Visa? by: Philly
        November 26, 2009, 04:04
        In years or reading and participating in a lot of Philippine interest groups I think I've seen more misinformation about entry visas than I have seen regarding…
      - Earn a Living in the Philippines --- Fulfill a Need by: Philly
        July 11, 2009, 01:41
        It’s a bit amazing to me how many people write we, week after week about what sort of visa they would need in order to live in the Philippines. All the…
      - For All My Expat Readers --- From Any Country by: Philly
        May 17, 2009, 00:44
        Here’s another important pass along from my colleague JD up in the cool Philippine climes of Baguio. Many people think they can’t get permanent…
      - Philippine Questions and Answers — 23 Apr 2009 by: Philly
        April 23, 2009, 02:11
        Instead of a direct question this week, I am going to address a couple issues that have come up from readers and fellow bloggers in the past few weeks…
      - Philippine Questions and Answers --- 19 Mar 2009 by: Philly
        March 19, 2009, 05:07
        It’s Thursday, time yet again for another installment of our regular Questions and Answers segment of PhilFAQS, the place to get the answers about living in…
      - Philippine Travel Tips --- Part 1 by: Philly
        January 31, 2009, 04:11
        I recently received an email query from a fellow planning his first trip to the Philippines. He asked a number of specific questions about how he should…
      - Embarrassing BI Visit 16 Jan 2008 by: Philly
        January 18, 2008, 05:58
        Even though I've been living full time in the Philippines for more than a year now. I'm still staying here on a Tourist Visa. Yes, I am legal, by the way,…
      - How Much Does It Cost For Visas --- Part 1 Of Many by: Philly
        December 21, 2007, 01:01
        One question everyone asks is the cost for a visa to stay in the Philippines for either a specific length of time or forever. I could make ten blog…
  - Moving There (21)
    - You're Reading This and Yet You Think You Aren't Lucky? by: Philly
      February 16, 2010, 22:45
      So many people visit or write looking for that elusive "job for a foreigner" in the Philippines, or some other elusive 'key' that will unlock the door that is…
    - What About Phones and Mail by: Philly
      January 4, 2010, 02:02
      A lot of questions I get about moving to the Philippines come from folks in the USA who want to know how they can deal with getting mail and phone service…
    - Smells Like America by: Philly
      December 30, 2009, 09:00
      Some readers may have noticed there is a rather lively (lively for this blog, anyway) discussion going on in the comments for this article: http://philfaqs.c…
    - Live by what the rule book doesn't say instead of what it does say. by: Philly
      October 7, 2009, 06:12
      OK, if you’re reading this and you are under the age of 14, go away. We’re both breaking some kind of federal law about making this site ‘child…
    - Living In The Philippines --- The Right Thing For You? by: Philly
      August 30, 2009, 08:55
      My blogging colleague Paul Piotrowski recently wrote am interesting piece about how to decide if making money online was right for his readers. He gets a lot…
    - For All My Expat Readers --- From Any Country by: Philly
      May 17, 2009, 00:44
      Here’s another important pass along from my colleague JD up in the cool Philippine climes of Baguio. Many people think they can’t get permanent…
    - Philippine Questions and Answers — 16 Apr 2009 by: Philly
      April 16, 2009, 09:58
      A few electrical thoughts written as my trusty air conditioner hums away, sucking down that expensive MERALCO power, for which I am very grateful. It’s the…
    - Moving Plans — Shifting Boxes part 2 by: Philly
      June 29, 2008, 13:04
      A few tips I really didn't get to put into my last post on moving. The real key to success in moving is in the details. I made a lot of moves,…
    - Moving Plans — Shifting Boxes by: Philly
      June 15, 2008, 08:49
      OK, you've figures out , how to support yourself, how you are going to communicate via paper, phone and computer, how to work your banking and how to get a…
    - Moving Plans --- Forms and Help by: Philly
      June 14, 2008, 00:35
      It's Saturday morning here in the Philippines as I write this. This has been a short week due to the Independence day holiday on Monday (as if I really…
    - The Move (6)
      - Philippine Questions and Answers — 16 Apr 2009 by: Philly
        April 16, 2009, 09:58
        A few electrical thoughts written as my trusty air conditioner hums away, sucking down that expensive MERALCO power, for which I am very grateful. It’s the…
      - Places in the Philippines That Get No Respect by: Philly
        October 31, 2008, 11:04
        I think a number one take away thought for this post about living in the Philippines today is, things change in 10 or 20 or 30 years … and it may pay to…
      - Questions, Questions, Questions 5 by: Philly
        October 17, 2008, 01:01
        As per request (and I do thank those of you who are sending in questions, about Traveling to, Moving to or Living in the Philippines, please keep it up) here…
      - Why You Are Still Wishing Instead Of Living As You Please by: Philly
        August 14, 2008, 04:16
        OK I am going to take a little risk on this post. It will not apply to everyone who reads this blog. Some of you (statistically, probably very few)…
      - Which Group Are You In? by: Philly
        August 2, 2007, 00:44
        My blogging friend Bob Martin just made an interesting post on the reactions of his friends and family to his decision to pick up and move his whole family to…
      - The Move --- Part One by: Philly
        October 3, 2006, 15:38
        It seemed to me at times that this day would never come, but it has. It's time to start documenting the process of a 61 year-old Colorado cowboy wnanna-be…
  - Car Rental (1)
    - Car Rental Update by: Philly
      August 4, 2008, 01:51
      I get queries about car and van rentals, either self-drive or with a driver very often. It wasn't many tears ago that this sort of information was really hard…
- Editorials (96)
  - How Low Can You Go With Philippine Flights? by: Philly
    March 1, 2010, 02:02
    I may not win a lot of friends with this post … because I perceive an awful lot of fellow Americans who get so angry at the thought of government regulation…
  - There's Meat In Those Noodles by: Philly
    February 20, 2010, 02:02
    Regular readers might get the idea that I am pro-Chinese and anti-American when I point out things like the tremendous economic advantage we, the US, have…
  - Stranger In A Strange Land by: Philly
    February 15, 2010, 14:02
    A few days ago a reader used this expression to describe how he thought he was going to feel when he came to the Philippines to live. Probably an apt choice…
  - Can You Define That Expat Feeling? by: Philly
    February 13, 2010, 14:24
    One of the things that is always difficult for me is to come up with an answer to the question, 'but why would you choose to live in the Philippines'. This…
  - About Time I Got Back To Work by: Philly
    February 12, 2010, 14:26
    You will adjust, or you will go home .... or maybe both. Recently my friend Bob wrote a good article about the adjustments you will have to make if you…
  - Leaving the Philippines Again by: Philly
    February 1, 2010, 02:02
    About a year ago, I first published a post entitled Why I Left the Philippines. It has had a lot of "reads" over the past year, and I updated and republished…
  - Philippine Living Most Popular 2009 by: Philly
    January 14, 2010, 02:02
    This may not look like all that much, but considering that a year or so ago, this blog was lucky to have 3 or for visits a day, I am a pretty happy camper.…
  - It Isn't Paradise --- Trust Me On That by: Philly
    January 5, 2010, 02:02
    I've been reading about, researching, traveling to, touring around and living in the Philippines for nearly 10 years now. Actually, I had a business…
  - It's All a Big Nothing by: Philly
    January 1, 2010, 02:08
    Or so once said Olivia Soprano, played by the extremely talented and deeply missed Nancy Marchand. As I write this, most of you in the USA are in various…
  - Things I Learned So Far This Christmas --- Part 2 by: Philly
    December 19, 2009, 02:25
    Yesterday, give or take a few hours, I promised you some thoughts on the questions: Do you want to retire in the Philippines? Do you want to move to the…
  - Phils Editorals (55)
    - Some Thoughts About Helping The Helpless by: Philly
      January 10, 2010, 02:02
      Panhandlers. Beggars. People who spend their days asking the age-old question “Brother, can you spare a dime.” Every big (and some small) city has them and…
    - Outsourcing Doesn't Cost --- It pays by: Philly
      October 16, 2009, 02:05
      By Ros Krasny Fri Aug 25, 12:03 PM ET JACKSON HOLE, Wyoming (Reuters) - Take that, Lou Dobbs. Despite much handwringing and political posturing, the surge…
    - Should Filipino Blogs Be Classed As Different --- Or Is The Web World-Wide? by: Philly
      October 14, 2009, 04:24
      One of my Filipino bogging acquaintances, Yuga posted this recently, and also spends a lot of time writing about and running sites built around differentiating…
    - Tiny island hires 3,000 Filipinos by: Philly
      August 12, 2009, 09:53
      â€œOnce again, this is a shining testament to the world-class Filipino worker,â€ An interesting story today about the tiny island of New Caledonia.�…
    - Philippine Living – Good News Potpourri by: Philly
      July 15, 2009, 10:32
      A couple “catch up” news items today plus a shout out to a couple Philippine government agencies trying to do a good job in providing useful resources to…
    - 12 Little Things — Rule 8 by: Philly
      June 1, 2009, 03:21
      This is the ninth in this ongoing series for practical people, both Filipino and foreign who care about the country of the Philippines and would like to do…
    - 12 Little Things --- Rule 7 by: Philly
      May 24, 2009, 21:18
      This is the eighth in this ongoing series for practical people, both Filipino and foreign who care about the country of the Philippines and would like to do…
    - Living in The Philippines --- Good News For Alec, Now He Can’t Be Deported by: Philly
      May 23, 2009, 14:23
      One of the actors I don’t hold in very high esteem is a fellow name of Alec Baldwin. You may have heard of him. My wife, who follows such things…
    - 12 Little Things --- Rule 6 by: Philly
      May 18, 2009, 04:54
      This is the seventh in this ongoing series for practical people, both Filipino and foreign who care about the country of the Philippines and would like to do…
    - 12 Little Things --- Rule 5 by: Philly
      May 11, 2009, 03:37
      This is the sixth in this ongoing series for practical people, both Filipino and foreign who care about the country of the Philippines and would like to do…
- Featured (3)
  - Tropical Depression Scenery by: Philly
    October 10, 2009, 09:57
    Hi, A little over a week ago the effects of a strong tropical depression heading for the coast of China manifested in my area as unusually large waves. Well,…
  - Living in the Philippines --- Steak by: Philly
    May 19, 2009, 15:59
    A few weeks ago Mita and I had dinner with an old friend, Manny Paez of Manila Forwarder and Mita steered us right to a very satisfying steak experience. …
  - Foreigner Jobs Philippines by: Philly
    April 17, 2009, 12:01
    I see there have often been searches here on PhilFAQS, the blog that attempts to answer the frequently asked questions (FAQS) about the Philippines regarding…
- Military (1)
  - ID Cards Again Available at the US Embassy by: Philly
    September 15, 2009, 12:51
    Thanks and a tip of the blog hat to faithful reader, Paul Thompson, for passing this on. Philippiine DEERS/RAPIDS ID CARD SUPPORT Department of Defense…
- More...
FAQS by: Philly
January 3, 2010, 03:08
Philippine Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS) About: Pro and Cons of Moving to the Philippines Ways to Support Yourself in the Philippines Visas and Other…
Get There by: Philly
November 25, 2008, 00:25
This is an index page that leads you to every article written under the category of getting to the Philippines, Flying to the Philippines, Air Fare to the…
- Airline Information by: Philly
  August 13, 2009, 09:55
  Here, in alphabetical order are the major ways to get from the US to the Philippines. Some of these airlines serve European destinations as well. Cathay…
Live There by: Philly
November 25, 2008, 00:46
This is an index page that leads you to every article written under the category of living in the Philippines, Buying Property in the Philippines, Renting in…

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