Cyclone Dispalced Fiancée: $ of Supporting in Cebu, & Refugee Question.

[icedblu15 5]

500 is too much, 200 is enough for one person and that would fetch the electricity groceries and clothes the ones she lost.

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i worked online before my salary was just 12500 (350 dollars?) a month and i paid for the electricity groceries and a little bit set aside for my needs. i lived in the south, davao, but it is a city and not a province. province is a lot lot cheaper, nothing to go to,nothing to buy, nothing to do.

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someone mentioned eastwood libis, that is in manila, a different issue altogether. kind of like comparing new york lifestyle to some small towns/cities in the u.s.

I mentioned eastwood libis because the 18k condo is correct.. if you can just see my other post you'll see im not comparing it to small provinces.

[Nonofurbusiness 13]

My Fiancee is from Sta. Elena, Sta Rita, Samar. She was house sitting in Tacloban for her cousin when the cyclone hit. As I understand, her hometown was destroyed (I hear over 15 ft in water) by the cyclone Haiyun / Yolanda. In Tacloban, she hid under a small part of roof that reminaed in the house, and survived on the stored food and water for 3 or 4 days until rescue teams We all can see how devasted Tacloban is from all of the images they've shown on the media. She texts me now and then when she can, but there is not always a signal and her cell phone loses battery life quickly. Rescue forces have taken her to Ormoc, where she has access to food water and sometimes to charge her cell. Last night she stated that Tacloban is 18 ft high in water.

First, despite this tragedy, I'm happy that she survived! She was lucky to be in Tacloban house sitting instead staying in her hometown, which seems far worse off.

Second, unforuntely, despite her best efforts, she has yet to make contact with anybody that she knows except myself here in the states. (I keep a cell phone with a Phils sim card in it to make texting me super easy). We hope that her entire family survived and are simply unable to contact, but fear that... well you know. She now has no home, no known surviving family members, only myself.

She is searching for her family members for one more day, then heading to Cebu. She asked me if I would support her, and of course I will. Otherwise, due to the cyclone she has nothing. I will support her until she joins me in the USA once the K1 Visa is finished.

Where we are on the Visa process: the I-129F was recently confirmed as received two weeks ago on November 1st.

My first question is, how much does it cost to support a single Filipina in Cebu? I understand that it will vary depending on various factors, but I serioiusly need some numbers to calculate my finances. While I have a good job (nurse, LPN), I only work part time as I'm going to school full time so I can have even a better job in May (getting my RN).

One the one had, I hear that a family of 5 can be supported for $180 (a factoid from cebuanas.com, where we met). "An average Filipino family that has five members needs a monthly income of Php7,600 ($180.95) to breach poverty line, according to National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB). " On the other had, I hear that a single person living in the Phils needs at leat $500 a month just for the basics. There is a big difference between supporting five for $180, and supporting one for $500. What's the real likely cost for rent, utlities, food, etc.? I was looking at http://www.rent.ph/ to get some ideas but this is all making my head spin.

The goal is to support her until she get her K1 visa and live with me happily ever after. Also, is Cebu the best city for this?

My second question, is there any sort of way she can come to the U.S. earlier than the K-1 visa processes related to otherwise being homeless related to her entire town being destroyed, submerged and unlivable (no power, no electricity, thousands of diseased dead bodies everywhere, etc.) as a result of a Natural Disaster with no known surviing family members to take her in? Any kind of U.S.A. or International Refugee program (or something like that, not sure what it would be called) that could likely help bring her to the U.S. now while she waits for the K1 visa?

Thank you in advance!

Cost of living here is depends on which part of the Philippines do you live. here in metro manila you could survive for a budget of $200 a month/ to rent a house will cost 3,000 pesos but if its shared room 1,500 pesos. electricity depends on usage/same with water. plus food everyday. but if you will live in province like Cebu i think it will cost $160 a month.and the $180 your saying for a 5 peoples budget. is not enough. it could be enough if you own the house.

Edited November 17, 2013 by rinoa

[biaobiao 40]

$300 should be okay. As what i read in the news, expedite request MAY be granted because of the typhoon. Help are pouring for the filipinos. Just double check on it.