Things You Hate & Love About The Philippines

[maning 36]

Love

1. The food. Even though the food portions in Philippine restaurants are the size of kid's meals in the USA, I always seem to gain weight when I'm there.

2. The People, for the most part people in general are very friendly and easy-going. Well it did throw me off a bit, first time I was in The Philippines and i was jogging in my fiancee's subdivision and waving to people I pass by and no one waving back, but gave me weird stares in return. I asked my fiancee why no one wave back to me and she said, "why would they wave to you, they don't know you." LOL

3. My fiancee and I can go to the movies and only spend 200 pesos for both of us.

4. The atmosphere... the smell of lechon manok in the air, people driving on the wrong side of the road, naked baby in the steet, people killing a pig to lechon on the side of the street, not being able to get out my car to pump gas, "oh I forgot to buy gum at the store... no worries there's a street vendor knocking on my window selling gum," traffic lights... what's that? Street signs? Huh?, beautiful women EVERYWHERE, Christmas and New Year's in The Philippines, etc.

Hate

1. NAIA Airport. First thing a tourist sees when they arrive in The Philippines. Embarrassment. If you going to charge a terminal fee and a security fee, I would expect a nicer building. Also, I really hate how they only accept cash to pay for the terminal and security fee. I've seen so many foreign tourists begging other people for money to cover the fees because they don't accept debit/credit cards and they don't have anymore pesos in their pcoket. I mean really... how hard is it to accept card payments.

2. Running errands... Online bill pay? Mail a check to pay for your bills? LMAO! Paying your bills or going to the bank takes you all day long.

3. What's up with all the waiting in line? I never waited in line in my entire life as much as I did in The Philippines. Wait in line hours at the bank, LTO, NBI, ordering food at Jollibee, waiting in traffic to move 1 km an hour.

4. I thought things were cheaper in The Philippines? Electric bill is higher, food bill is higher, cable bill is higher, etc. Minimum wage in The Philippines is 200/300 pesos per day? So why does one family size Pizza Hut pizza cost like 600 plus pesos? It takes the average guy 2-3 days just to buy a pizza. That is just wrong.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Love: My wife. The friends that live there, and a few friends that came from there. Lumpia.

Hate: Just about everything else. Of course, I only spent time in southern Luzon, mainly around Manila Bay. I am liking less and less about the place everyday, including many of the Filipinos I meet that live here.

[CristiFur 15]

LOVE

1) women

2) women

3) women

4) more women..etc..

5) clubs and bars open till morning..

6) the sight and sound of people everywhere!!

Hope my Fiance don't see this post

HATE is to harsh of a word so I'll say dislikes

Traffic

Fees for public toilets

the lack of toilet paper

Fees to wipe your self clean from toilet

Lack of public Trash bin

Yes the lines for everything is overwhelming at times..but

Even with the dislike I enjoyed enjoyed it and I find it that's what makes Philippines unique and makes me feel at home!

Love: My wife. The friends that live there, and a few friends that came from there. Lumpia.

Hate: Just about everything else. Of course, I only spent time in southern Luzon, mainly around Manila Bay. I am liking less and less about the place everyday, including many of the Filipinos I meet that live here.

what's wrong with the Filipinos you meet here? Here as in the your home state or in the Forum?

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

what's wrong with the Filipinos you meet here? Here as in the your home state or in the Forum?

In this forum, I feel the love and the respect. However, the way many Filipino immigrants act here turns me off. They are rude, selfish, conniving, and overly sensitive. I was active in the Filipino community when my wife first arrived, and the meetings always turned out to be drag-out verbal brawls. I can't stand this, "Either you are my ally, or you are my enemy thing," especially among the women. The men are just drunks. Now, I stay away, and just drop the wife off to the get-together's.

[BJZags 17]

They are rude, selfish, conniving, and overly sensitive.

This pretty much how my wife sums-up many of the Filipinos in our area. We used to go to every 'blessed' Fil-Am event when she first arrived, now after five years, hardly ever.

[NoneYa 73]

Crusty Old Perv, on 11 November 2011 - 02:35 PM, said: You say they are rude, selfish, conniving, and overly sensitive?

At first I thought you were talking about American women but now I realize that you are telling me I got really lucky, whew !

Edited November 11, 2011 by DaleFlorida

[Leatherneck 693]

In this forum, I feel the love and the respect. However, the way many Filipino immigrants act here turns me off. They are rude, selfish, conniving, and overly sensitive. I was active in the Filipino community when my wife first arrived, and the meetings always turned out to be drag-out verbal brawls. I can't stand this, "Either you are my ally, or you are my enemy thing," especially among the women. The men are just drunks. Now, I stay away, and just drop the wife off to the get-together's.

Don't forget the incredible amount of envy and jealousy, especially with regards to homes, cars and all things financial.

Filipinos in the US, at least in California are so damn competitive and envious.

But other than that, I love attitude about family and the beauty of a Filipina.

Edited November 11, 2011 by Leatherneck

[Theresa0828 65]

In this forum, I feel the love and the respect. However, the way many Filipino immigrants act here turns me off. They are rude, selfish, conniving, and overly sensitive. I was active in the Filipino community when my wife first arrived, and the meetings always turned out to be drag-out verbal brawls. I can't stand this, "Either you are my ally, or you are my enemy thing," especially among the women. The men are just drunks. Now, I stay away, and just drop the wife off to the get-together's.

Hahahahaha! :thumbs:

[CristiFur 15]

In this forum, I feel the love and the respect. However, the way many Filipino immigrants act here turns me off. They are rude, selfish, conniving, and overly sensitive. I was active in the Filipino community when my wife first arrived, and the meetings always turned out to be drag-out verbal brawls. I can't stand this, "Either you are my ally, or you are my enemy thing," especially among the women. The men are just drunks. Now, I stay away, and just drop the wife off to the get-together's.

I bet that's not what you thought when you were courting your wife! Well my friend it's a matter choosing your company/Friends.. Yes that is somewhat common in the filipino community, but it's these things you should have known if you were really in-tuned with your wifes culture. You do have a choice not to attend!

Anyways the topic is about Philippines not about FilAm not your drunk buddies

[Leatherneck 693]

LOVE

1) women

2) women

3) women

4) more women..etc..

5) clubs and bars open till morning..

6) the sight and sound of people everywhere!!

:thumbs:

Hope my Fiance don't see this post

HATE is to harsh of a word so I'll say dislikes

Traffic

Fees for public toilets

the lack of toilet paper

Fees to wipe your self clean from toilet

Lack of public Trash bin

Yes the lines for everything is overwhelming at times..but

Even with the dislike I enjoyed enjoyed it and I find it that's what makes Philippines unique and makes me feel at home!

what's wrong with the Filipinos you meet here? Here as in the your home state or in the Forum?

[rlogan 2,036]

In the Philippines we fear the criminals. In the USA we fear the government. In the long run it looks like our family will be safer in the Philippines.

[mapletree 33]

I enjoy quite a bit about Filipino culture. There is a quiet nobility underlying many of the things I see. I enjoy the time I spend with families and friends. The food. The music. The festivals. Evenings grilling up some fish and drinking Red Horse by the liter or the neighbor’s tuba. The beaches and the little things. But I know for me it is a vacation to live that way and by choice.

One thing that I can’t stand is the innate deference and preference given to white people. I hate when I am waiting in a restaurant, clearly behind an all Filipino family and the staff offers me a table first. I know part of this is the hospitality of the culture, but there is also an insidious side. I recall one time in Pasay, standing on the corner with associates while we all hailed cabs. The first taxi stopped for an associate, then saw me, and moved up to get me as a fare. I opened the door knowing where my associate was going asking if the destination was acceptable. On approval, I waived my friend over and shuffled him in the taxi. I stood there for ten minutes as taxi after taxi stopped for the “big white guy” only to then pass the taxi off to a friend. It was almost a game.

I also cannot stand the “white tax,” the systemic corruption on the business side and the “crabs-in-a-bucket” mentality that creeps in from time to time. It is a hard thing that does not always translate. My fiancée and I have had long conversations on how this will impact her relationship with me and her family when she leaves.

As her family sees her new life, compared to theirs, there will be the anticipated requests for assistance. 1000 php here, 1000 php there. Medicine for a nephew. Money for a fee or payment that was not expected. After all, with Facebook and the like, when her family sees her life here it will be hard to reconcile the familial obligation of the Philippines with her new American life. It will be hard for her to live in two worlds.

[Leatherneck 693]

I enjoy quite a bit about Filipino culture. There is a quiet nobility underlying many of the things I see. I enjoy the time I spend with families and friends. The food. The music. The festivals. Evenings grilling up some fish and drinking Red Horse by the liter or the neighbor's tuba. The beaches and the little things. But I know for me it is a vacation to live that way and by choice.

One thing that I can't stand is the innate deference and preference given to white people. I hate when I am waiting in a restaurant, clearly behind an all Filipino family and the staff offers me a table first. I know part of this is the hospitality of the culture, but there is also an insidious side. I recall one time in Pasay, standing on the corner with associates while we all hailed cabs. The first taxi stopped for an associate, then saw me, and moved up to get me as a fare. I opened the door knowing where my associate was going asking if the destination was acceptable. On approval, I waived my friend over and shuffled him in the taxi. I stood there for ten minutes as taxi after taxi stopped for the "big white guy" only to then pass the taxi off to a friend. It was almost a game.

I also cannot stand the "white tax," the systemic corruption on the business side and the "crabs-in-a-bucket" mentality that creeps in from time to time. It is a hard thing that does not always translate. My fiancée and I have had long conversations on how this will impact her relationship with me and her family when she leaves.

As her family sees her new life, compared to theirs, there will be the anticipated requests for assistance. 1000 php here, 1000 php there. Medicine for a nephew. Money for a fee or payment that was not expected. After all, with Facebook and the like, when her family sees her life here it will be hard to reconcile the familial obligation of the Philippines with her new American life. It will be hard for her to live in two worlds.

And the 'black tax,' but when you combine them, you get the 'foreigner tax.'

The very reason when I need to make a purchase (other than beer and food) I get a Filipino to do it, so I avoid the 'foreigner tax.'

The "crabs-in-a-bucket" mentality is so unfortunate from a people with such a rich culture, incredible work ethic and warm spirit.

[edwardteresa4ever 18]

whats the crabs in a bucket mean? I never heard that, BTW Semper Fi

[Leatherneck 693]

whats the crabs in a bucket mean? I never heard that, BTW Semper Fi

Click here, this will give you a basic understanding of the meaning.

Thank you, are you a Marine vet? Semper Fi to you also!