Dave Starr

Yes, A Filipina Needs a Visa to Enter the USA

2019-01-27 by Dave Starr 2 Comments

Yes, A Filipina Needs a Visa to Enter the USA.

(Updated 27 January 2019)

The title above should be authored by our old friend “Captain Obvious”. Everybody knows that Filipinos ALL need some form of US visa to enter the USA. Or at least everybody “should” know that.

But lately, I’ve been getting more and more irritated by at least one website which “does” know that fact, but persists in spreading false information just to try to get cheap traffic (page views) from Google.

Google, You Should Know Better Too!

We all tend to trust Google a lot. In general, this trust is well placed, but sadly in many areas where there are technical issues inviolved and especially where a simple reading of the publically posted laws and the rules and regulations surrounding the laws is involved, Google falls down badly on the job.

Google is great at telling us which Kardashian has the largest ass. (See: Butts Of The Century: Kardashian-Jenner Sisters!).

But when it comes to important, factual issues, such as ones that are important to 1000,000,000 Filipinos and probably an equal number of Americans and citizens of other countries interested in the subject, Google false flat on its own ass.

Sad performance here, Google.

Go to Google search page or the search feature on your phone or tablet and type in the operative question … does a Filipina need a visa to visit the USA?

The result you get back will look something like this:

The number one beside the SERP (Search Engine Results) indicates Google thinks this will be the best answer on the whole Internet to your question.

And I have no argument with that choice. It leads you to a reputable website with correct information and answers the question correctly … Yes, she does.

But Google Returns at Least 10 Results For You To Choose From

And just take a look at what Google consistently chooses for position 2 or position 3.

The first time I ever saw this I was flabbergasted. I figured it was an error which would get sorted out.

Well, it has been almost 5 full years now and Google insists on giving the second most prominent space in its search results t this totally false and misleading article. 5 years is enough to time to get the facts straight, Google.

At least in my opinion, anyway.

Here’s how Google ranks my own site, where I have been writing, faithfully and accurately on this subject for more than 15 years now:

Now Number 9 isn’t so bad … after all, it’s on the first page.

But to have a site with the headline US Announces No Visa Policy For Filipinos

Which is, by the way, a totally false statement, apparently written to confuse people and get them to talk about and “share” the article so high in the search rankings just mystifies me.

There is no such thing as a US Non-visa policy for Filipinos, and there is no credible evidence of any such policy happening any time soon.

Google, Here’s Your Chance To Make Things Better.

You Can’t Say You Haven’t Been Told About It

Yes, A Filipina Needs a Visa to Enter the USA.

Reader Thoughts on Retiring in the Philippines, Jan 2019

2019-01-12 by Dave Starr 4 Comments

Reader Thoughts on Retiring in the Philippines.

(Updated January 11, 2019)

Here’s a great comment I received from a reader. I wanted to make some additional comments and a couple of slight corrections, so I did, marked in blue.

Food is exempt of the 12% sales tax and many stores in the provinces don’t apply it to their sales or services at all. but at the big malls, it is applied, most surely.

Partially correct, but the way you have stated it could be a little misleading.

Food, in the raw, in its natural state is not taxed. Example, if you buy a kilo of rice, even though it may be milled and polished and cleaned, it is not taxed.

A head of cauliflower, as it comes from the field is not subject to taxation.

But something so simple as a basic can of beans is subject to the 12% VAT. When you go to the supermarket as I do at least once a week, you’ll soon see that the taxed items far exceed the tax-free items.

Moving to the Philippines to Retire

2019-01-09 by Dave Starr 2 Comments

Are you thinking of Moving to the Philippines to Retire?

(Updated 8 January 2019)

Are you one of those folks who is thinking about moving to the Philippines to retire?

Perhaps to stretch that ever-shrinking fixed retirement income.

Perhaps to get away from ice and snow and cold forever.

Perhaps just for a change of pace, escaping the treadmill and rat race of the USA to relax in your golden years.

There are many other potential reasons. But the big question in many people’s mind is,

Does Retiring in the Philippine Even Make Sense?

Well, the answer to that question is going to be different for almost everyone who asks it.

First of all, it is important to remember that there s almost never a definite, for sure and positive yes or no answer.

There are only pluses and minuses which will be different for almost everyone.

All an individual can do is to decide if the pluses or the minuses add up in favor of making the move or not … and specifically for that individual only.

A Business For Older Foreigner Men in the Philippines

2019-01-05 by Dave Starr 4 Comments

A Business For Older Foreigner Men in the Philippines.

(Updated 5 Jan 2018)

Did I get your attention with that headline? I thought I might have.

You have heard me rant and rave plenty about why you don’t want a job in the Philippines.

(go ahead, follow the link, I’ll wait for you, right here.)

I’ve also written plenty about why you don’t want to screw around with starting a business in the Philippines as a foreigner. In general, the best business plan is to take all the cash you have in your budget, put it in a fireproof container, splash lighter fluid on it and set it on fire.

Your losses will be the same and it takes a lot less time and effort.

But How About a Business Made For a Foreigner?

Especially one like me. Old, overweight and hates to shave.

It’s ready and waiting for you right now.

You see my friend Bob has been playing Santa for several years now for department storesand other organizations with Christmas Parties and such (which means almost every business in the Philippines is a potential client.)

Well, friend Bob is moving back to the USA, so next year and the years after he won’t be performing as Santa here in the Philippines. he has decided to let the business go, as a going concern, for very reasonable terms.

As a favor to anyone looking to earn money here in the Philippines who may not have seen any of Bob’s articles, here’s his latest post where he talks about the business, what a prospective buyer would need and what’s required to move forward if you’re interested.

I’ve got a business for you. Easy work, big money

Take a look, it doesn’t cost anything to find out the particulars.

Editor’s Note: Bob is a long-time personal friend. I believe him to be honest in any and all respects, but I have no other personal knowledge regarding this offer. I also have no business relationship with Bob and I will not earn any commission or other emoluments if someone buys into the business through my offer here. It jst seemed like a fun thing to do to me.

That’s all I have to say today about A Business For Older Foreigner Men in the Philippines.

Finding Work in the Philippines At 60+

2018-12-31 by Dave Starr 2 Comments

Finding Work in the Philippines At 60+.

(Updated 31 December 2018)

Recently a reader made a comment here on PhilFAQS and asked for help on a couple possible issues people often come here to learn about:

i am a 65 year old Retired teacher and Asst. Principal. I was thinking about moving to Philippines to live Although I have a pension, I was wondering about finding some kind of work and good ,safe place to live. Can you help?

Well, of course, I can help with questions like that, and I did:

Welcome Harold, I’ve written more than 1000 articles here so (I’ve been waiting for the chance to say this to a teacher for years), Do Your Homework

Places to start reading and learning:

Places to Live:

The Best Places to Live in the Philippines

Earning for Teachers:

Online Eraning TODAY for Teachers and Other Smart People Who Aren’t Computer Geeks

Note: I DO NOT recommend Americans come here to the Philippines and try to earn FROM the Philippines.

It’s a terrible idea in many different ways.

But I STRONGLY recommend “learning to earn” even before making a move, and to LIVE in the Philippines but making money from the Rest of the World.

As you can see by Shane and Jocelyn’s story above, teachers are ideally suited for this business model

Well after I posted that answer to Harold I’ve done quite a bit more thinking about it (and also about the typos I made in my original response … hopefully, all fixed in this version ?

Christmas Wishes and Your Gift From Me — Ask Me Anything

2018-12-25 by Dave Starr Leave a Comment

Ask Me Anything

(Updated 25 December 2018)

This post may contain affiliate links. See our affiliate disclaimer above.

Recently my blogging colleagues, Heath & Alyssa hosted an AMA on their website.

If you haven’t heard of it, AMA stands for Ask Me Anything and the trend started long ago on Reddit.

I’ve always wanted to do one, but I don’t use Reddit.

So it wasn’t until I saw Heath and Alyssa’s post that I realized it must be okay for bloggers to host AMAs too!

Ask Me Anything means you can ask me anything.

If you don’t know what to ask, here are a few things we love talking about here on PhilFAQS.com

Full-time Living in the Philippines
Part-time Living in the Philippines
Retiring in the Philippines (at any age)
Ditching the 9 to 5
Starting a business That Will Supplement Your Income
Blogging (for both fun and profit)
Travel
Binge watching Netflix shows

And anything else you can think of.

How To Ask:

Just leave a public comment below. I promise to answer every one.
Send me a spam-free email message using the Contact Form here:
Call me on my US number 1-719-966-4295. You’ll probably have to leave a message, as I don’t sit by the phone here. But if you leave a contact number and tell me what time zone you are in, I promise to call you back.

So Have a Great Christmas and an Even More Wonderful New Year

And ask me anything, the only stupid questions are the ones you don’t ask.

Online Jobs At Home In The Philippines

2018-12-16 by Dave Starr Leave a Comment

Online Jobs At Home In The Philippines.

(Updated 16 December 2018)

I’m well know for being “a bit” anti-jobs. I believe that most jobs are a bit “crooked”. The worker doesn’t get paid anywhere near what s/he is worth to the company’s bottom line.

In fact there some compelling evidence that suggests that if you are still a “wage slave” or trying to become one, whatever your current salary is you are probably earning about three times s much for your employer.

Why would anyone want to get paid only one third what they are worth?

There are other issues I have with J*O*B*’s also. You might want to read this article if you haven’t seen it already. (go ahead, I’ll wait right here for you

10 Reasons You Don’t Want A Job In The Philippines

But Sometimes You Just NEED a Job

And many of you who come here are not interested in entrepreneurial ideas, don’t want to start a business and all that entails, and just want a few extra dollars to close the gap between what you currently have and what you need to retire here in the Philippines.

What if I told you that almost everyone reading this article already has a skill they can put to use, right now, for money being paid right into their bank account (or PayPal account)?

What if I also told you that because you are reading this article you already g=jave everything you need to start this job?

What if I said you can start this job while you are still in the USA (or your home country) and continue working, uninterrupted if (and when) you decide to move to or retire in the Philippines?

And best of all, there is absolutely nothing you need to buy, no investment to make, and no age limits — 18 or 80, you can start this as early as today.

And I guess what is really attractive to many is the fact that you can do this right out of your home, wherever that home may be.

So what’s this magical online, at home job you can do in the USA or the Philippines or anywhere else?

Teaching English

Wow, what a buildup. And then what a letdown. I can hear so many of you out there moaning your “if only’s” already.

Not a teacher?

Doesn’t matter. Let me explain some terminology and define a few things here.

Most people, when they hear “teacher” think of someone with a university degree and often a teaching license or credential from their state or home country.

Nothing wrong with that definition, in the strictest sense it’s absolutely correct. To be a professional teacher a degree and certification is normally a requirement.

But There Is A Huge Market For “Informal” Teaching

By “informal” teaching I am referring to what is often called “Conversational” English, or, by some folks, “English Coaching”.

Just because you don’t have a degree or a teaching credential does NOT mean you can’t coach learners n conversational or business English.

There is a huge market for these services. And there are many, many companies and online schools around the world who will hire you and pay you to coach people.

Here is one source of online teaching jobs you can do from home. (Wherever home may be.) [Read more…] about Online Jobs At Home In The Philippines

Does My Filipino Friend Need A Visa To Visit The USA?

2018-12-04 by Dave Starr 2 Comments

Does My Filipino Friend Need A Visa To Visit The USA?

(Updated 2 December 2018)

Well, as some of you already know, the answer to this question is yes, she or he does.

Looking around at many of the articles I have written and others have as well, it seems many articles are starting at too advanced a level.

I should start at the beginning since a majority of my readers are from the USA and my fellow Americans are among the least traveled and most uneducated in the mechanics of international travel on earth.

Now don’t get your knickers in a knot over that last paragraph. If you are already an expert on passports, visas and international travel, great, more power to you. Feel free to move on to the next article then.

But there are plenty of people reading here who only have a vague concept of passports, visas (not the credit card) and international procedures. [Read more…] about Does My Filipino Friend Need A Visa To Visit The USA?

Guam Divorces for Philippine Marriages

2018-11-24 by Dave Starr 9 Comments

Guam Divorces for Philippine Marriages.

(Updated 24 November 2018)

Recently I’ve published several articles on divorce in the Philippines.

We’ve also mentioned the idea of the foreigners (non-Filipino) member of the marriage going to a country other than the Philippines.

They can obtain a divorce in the foreign country and then their Filipino partner can file a court case in the Philipines for recognition of the foreign divorce.

This process will then free both members of the marriage to be free to marry again, in any country, anywhere.

Now, Why Would An American Go To Guam For A Divorce?

Well, there are a number of possibly good reasons.

Let’s look at a few of them: [Read more…] about Guam Divorces for Philippine Marriages

Divorce in the Philippines

2018-11-16 by Dave Starr Leave a Comment

Divorce in the Philippines.

(Updated 15 November 2018)

Why another article on Philippine divorce so soon?

Well, I can tell by the listing of search terms that show me how people find this site that a great many people are searching for news of what many think is a near-term “loosening” of the laws that prohibit divorce in the Philippines.

Perhaps even divorce itself is soon to be legalized … or at least some rumors say so.

Here’s Some Recent Philippine Divorce News.

Philippines moves closer to allowing divorce

Image copyrightAFP/GETTY

Divorce remains illegal in the Philippines, which has a large Catholic population.

The Philippines’ lower house of Congress has passed a divorce bill on the third reading, moving the country closer to legalisation.

The bill passed despite opposition from President Rodrigo Duterte, who had his own marriage legally annulled.

However, for divorce to become legal the Senate also has to pass a bill in favour, and even then Mr Duterte could still use his veto to strike it down.

Worldwide, divorce is only illegal in the Philippines and Vatican City.

Over 80% of people in the Philippines describe themselves as Catholic, and the church has a powerful influence in the country.

Congresswoman Emmi de Jesus said the bill was filed because of a “clamour of women trapped in abusive relationships”, who need the government to give them a means out of “irreparable marriages”…