THANKS!

[griffin 7]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hafasJg0VZ8&feature=grec_index

[Steve&Fe 13]

Awesome..your Philippines sure sounds like a paradise on earth!..but I don't know what your smoking because it has very little to do with reality. I don't know where to start!

I also live here,,much too long BUT finally I'll be soon leaving..WHY you ask...............

.. If your a foreigner, you'll be looked at like a walking ATM..were all rich ya know...

..you will be stared at wherever you go..remarks will be made, but you don't understand Tagalog, so you just smile..LEARN Tagalog before you come!!! You'll soon find out the meaning of "kuripot tanga puti lalaki" when you don't deposit pesos into every outstretched hand! And the price of virtually everything will suddenly rise when they see your white skin.

..The Educational system here is a joke (my wife, until recently worked in a major college so I know what I'm talking about)The colleges are all about making a profit and NOTHING about education. Next time you go into a SM department store and scratch your head wondering why there are 200 sales people when 5 would be more than enough,,,know this..they ALL have college degrees..there are NO jobs short of state sanctioned slavery! When polled..80% of Filipinos ask said they would leave the country if they could only acquire that GOLDEN TICKET..The VISA! But they all have "Pinoy Pride".

Out of a population of 91,000,000..about the only thing that they have given the world is Manny Pacquiao who beats up people and raises fighting roosters. (something the rest of the world has overwhelming condemned!) You think corruption is bad where your at? Here, its the way of life. Incompetence is rampant (I think many here have discovered what I mean in their 'Visa Journey.!) Customer service is NON-EXISTENT!

..Horrible pollution has ravaged the land..wildlife is almost extinct..and the majority of the people are in desperate poverty!

BUT..my Pinay Asawa is the most wonderful person I've ever known...I wish the same happiness to all that find their other half here,in the Philippines!...( and unlike the video..I ride Jeepneys..araw araw )

..

Edited April 27, 2011 by Steve&Fe

[uverseman 5]

I lived there in Mindanao for 3 months with my fiance. Most all those i meet were very hospitable. The land is beautiful, but not taken care of by the people. Cities were dirty and polluted. The part about the walking ATM is very true, the part about the quality of work and customer service I found was very true. Most pinoys i met in her subdivision were lazy and the family or wife was working. I was taken advantage of by the immigration officer when extending my visa twice while staying in General Santos. She just took it upon herself to pocket several extra hundred pesos of the total amount.. When I challenged her on the amount being much more than stated on the website, she claimed it was old and not updated with new amounts. I asked for receipt to reflect extra amount so i could take it to immigration office in Manilla when i left and she finally just reched in her desk and handed it to me.

But overall my impression of the hospitality of her family, friends and just the normal contact with the locals were good.

NOW in Manilla, things seemed much worse than they were for me in Midanao.

I do plan on retiring there after she comes and lives in usa for about 5-8 years. We already have some land purchased and ready to build boarding houses on it and internet cafe for income. She is very business savy. But it will be in Mindanao. Safe?

Well yeah, i never traveled too far west of GenSan because of the insurgency issues but in the populated areas I never felt I had to look over my shoulders. Most every place else in Mindanao was ok to visit. Davao is rated the best city and safest in Philippines and that is where we will live. Food and travel are very cheap, electronics and such tend to be same as usa. Housing very cheap, utilities are cheap, except electricity.

Edited April 27, 2011 by uverseman