Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS) About How To Travel, Retire, Work or Start a Business and Live in the Philippines
Articles about how cheaply one can live in the Philippines are always popular here. Also, particularly if you are an older, retired guy like me. you’re whole news article, magazine and Internet reading world is likely to be saturated with “Save Money”, “Live Cheap”, “Economize Now” and an infinite number of other articles, all yammering on and on, ad infinitum about “How To Pinch a Penny”. Now there is nothing at all wrong with saving a buck as well as avoiding some of the … [Read more...]
In a recent post here at PhilFAQS, where I try to answer everyone’s questions about Living in the Philippines, Customer Service — Getting Your Way , I used a headline I didn’t like very much, after I saw it in print. I said “Don’t Talk To Underlings”. My meaning (which I did explain) was to avoid the useless agitation and even hurt feelings involved in asking, for instance, a gasoline station pump attendant for help in fixing a problem with the station owner’s business rules … [Read more...]
Help For Philippine Wannabes and a Rant: Here's a pretty typical sort of comment I get on a frequent basis. The gentleman asks some good questions and I am going to answer them in some detail, bit I would like to address the last part of his comment first ... especially for those who may be new here: I quote: ... If you can provide some information we will be grateful; it may also help others. ... I find this request perhaps a little frustrating. I have been writing, … [Read more...]
Some of my readers are US Military retirees living here in the Philippines. Others are not. If you are not a retired member of the US military then probably this article is not for you. If you are a US military retiree, better read and learn. Special thanks to the USMRoP group for the work they are doing here in the Philippines to help US military retirees get the services they are entitled to.. Military Retirees are Extremely Happy with Their TRICARE Benefit in the … [Read more...]
Revised and updated, 09 May, 2013 Recently I wrote Customer Service Philippines Style regarding some of my adventures in Philippine living and the issues you should be thinking about rather than just the perpetual “">">">How Much Do Things Cost in the Philippines?” question. (See also excellent blog on What things cost in the Philippines, from Christian Skoda, his costs are from early 2008 and have not changed much, if you apply today’s slightly less favorable … [Read more...]
It’s good to go back and reflect on older articles sometimes (and correct a few typos now and again). I wrote this article some days ago and looking back now I am surprised by how so little has changed. It’s mainly talking about the “Philippine brand” of customer service, but more importantly how the common question of “How much things cost in the Philippines” is perhaps the last question you need to ask, instead of the first. Enjoy. One of the things people … [Read more...]
Updated and republished a second time because I just listened to an outstanding podcast about living in the Philippines, working in the Philippines and some great niche business ideas for those who want to earn in the Philippines. It comes from my good friends Justin Cook and Joe Magnotti, two Americans who set up and run their own profitable business here in Davao City, and Chris Ducker, a Britisher who operates several highly successful virtual staffing businesses in Cebu City. Highly … [Read more...]
(Edited, updated and re-posted) Happy New year to all ... been a little busy with family things here at the ranch, but I hope everyone had a great holiday season ... I for one am really looking forward to 2008 as I begin my second complete year of living in the Philippines (we moved here to Marilao, Bulacan in November, 2006. Regrets? Yes, that I waited do long before I made the move. Those who know me or are regular readers know what an important person my mother-in-law is in our … [Read more...]
Not too long ago I wrote a little article about how to protect yourself from a lot of hassles regarding taxi riding in the Philippines by using your cell phone creatively. Go read Using Taxis in the Philippines Without the Drama Take your time, I’ll wait. Other Things To Do With That Phone: One: Well my documenting your taxi with the phone id perhaps idea number one. It will save you untold amounts of time and trouble if something goes wrong, and it is cheap (as in free) and … [Read more...]
Newer readers may not be familiar with my There’s a Philippine Pony In There Somewhere articles. If you haven’t read up on them, you should. I’m proud of how many “real” Philippine business ideas I’ve been able to document along the way. Even though I often appear negative on Philippines business, that is soften only my ignorance or over-caution talking. There are a lot of ways to make money in the Philippines .. and a lot of people, Filipinos and … [Read more...]
Here’s a neat podcast I came across a week or so back. As some of you know I have a couple good friends down in Davao City, Philippines who run a business (actually several businesses) here in the Philippines. Their names are Joe Magnotti and Justin Cook. They are both US bred and born fellows (ever wonder why everyone says born and bred? Don’t you have to be bred before you can be born?) Strange that English language of ours ) Anyway, Joe and Justin came here to the Philippines … [Read more...]
How's my grammar there, guys and gals? Not so good? Perhaps not, but nobody reading this has likely earned as much from those words than the fellow who got paid to say them … Gunnery Sergeant Tom Highway (Clint Eastwood) in the movie “Heartbreak Ridge”. Do you think anyone in Gunny Highway’s platoon of malcontents and misfits had any trouble understanding his meaning when they were given this evaluation of their character and conduct? Probably not, although it might make an … [Read more...]
