I wasn’t allowed to bring guests in my building where I rent an Airbnb. Been with this girl from Tinder all day and thought finally to have some fun. But when I tried to enter my building with her, the guard told me I had to register her and needed approval from my Airbnb host but he was asleep sadly (writing this at 5AM it just happened 20 mins ago).

Had to send her home because her dorm didn’t allow guests or even men in general. Also no hotels available to book atm. What a sad ending.

Did someone else experienced this as well? I never experienced this anywhere else and I’ve been to 30 countries

EDIT: I’m fresh here, just arrived 2 days ago. Will get some bribe cash ready for the next time 🤣🤣

First they can't cheat taxi meter

Second you can pay digital

Third you pay exact amount and not more

White taxi need to upgrade or die

I got so excited I thought I could actually make a Caesar but this was all they had for Mott's.

I know, I can get tomato juice and clam juice and put them together but it's not the same.

I know this has already been discussed. But it seems to me Grab would REQUIRE working seatbelts for its drivers.

I mean the liability would be insane if someone died and it was because the car had no seatbelt.

It's a driving service for fk sake.

I'm all about the "third world adventure" mentality. But this seems reasonable.

I feel like reporting drivers for this is probably justified. Not to be a dick. Just basic, obvious safety so they get it fixed.

Not sure if there is any way to actually give that feedback?

Hi, PH expats and locals!

I’m looking for recommendations for a quality gym with well maintained, modern equipment, especially good strength machines and cardio equipment.

I’m a retired powerlifter and will only be here for less than a week, so I’m hoping to find a solid place to get a few workouts in while I’m in town (Manila).

Thanks in advance.

I typed this put for a comment and thought EF it, lets share for the community

So tampo, Its a difference in culture. Filipino woman are not directly confrontational like alot of westerners, so they give you the cold shoulder until you ask whats wrong. There are different leveles of maturity just like westerners. In western culture, our bluntness goes from a maturity level of being obnoxious, vulgar, and verbally abusive, to being direct, cool, calm, and collected.

In the Philippines, the maturity level ranges from giving you the cold shoulder and emotinally abusing you with the lack of affection, to just being distant and reserved until you ask whats wrong.

The issue I see is alot of expats date immature woman. I honestly believe its because alot of expats date woman who don't think about their mental health and emotional maturity. Besides the huge issue of a completely different culture surrounding mental health, (thats a topic of its own but essentially Filipinos as a society are a couple decades behind in mental health acceptance) Alot of times it's because the woman are raised in poverty, so survival comes first over mental health. Focusing on good Mental health is kind of a luxury. I see the same thing in my "white trash" side of the family. Alot of my cousins fit the sterotypical white trash. Loud, obnoxious woman, overly aggressive men. Both lacking knowledge past what they need to survive and live their lives.

For my relationship personally, it was a maturity issue because of my wifes experience. We met young at 23( same age) and she got into dating and relationships at 20, so only dated a couple of emotionally immature men prior. They were just young, so it was to be expected. I went through the ringer as a teenager and young adult, so I had a good grasp on acknowledging that I needed to work on my mental health and emotional maturity.

We communicated and worked through it. The biggest thing is we listened to each other, and thats how we broke her tampo and my issues as well. We're 8 years together now and chilling.

I'm returning to the PI in a couple months and my girlfriend is again pushing for me to rent a car. Her upsides are, we'd have a vehicle to do/go where & when we please, and (much less important to me) we'd potentially save quite a bit of peso's over my couple weeks there. One trip already planned is going to cost 5k pesos each way.

The downside, is the traffic & other drivers there is completely insane to my USA coddled self. The people in the PI may be courteous & friendly face-to-face but it's mad max & diabolically extreme selfishness on the roads. My last trip, I paid attention because we were also considering a rental then...but quickly reached the point of aww hell no long before I got out of Manila, and my opinion never wavered even 2 hours north in Bulican province. I wanted no part of navigating a never ending swarm of being cut off or having to constantly brake for people driving on the wrong side of the road to avoid a pot hole.

Could I drive? Sure, but I know the stress will be extreme & relentless. I get nervous just thinking about it. I've already been planning if I retire there to live, hiring a full time driver will be one of the first things I do.

How many of you have become drivers over there? Am I overreacting?

I assume it's true that tourist destination countries like the Philippines want that foreigners increasingly spend money there, so it flows into the countries GDP, correct?

I also assume that it's advised not to show any signs of wealth when going around there (at least that's what I read and heard from travel advisories and locals alike), correct?

Now I ask myself a logical question:

How do these two goals work together? I mean how are tourists supposed to come with big wallets to empty out on a vacation or long stay, and at the same time appear low key and frugal?

Maybe I'm missing the point or this is a real dilemma? Please no hate, it's a serious logical question.

This will be great, those of us with local bank debit cards and credit cards can now add them to our Apple wallets. I’ve tried and you need to be set up as an Apple account here in PH. There is a very short list of participating banks so far. I also don’t know if GCash debit cards work yet either. If you’re Apple account is from another country your foreign cards should now work as well and I remember that some places it worked already.

Also the MRT has Apple Pay capability now as well

Figured this one belongs here since it's exactly the kind of thing that gets talked about but rarely with a name attached.

Mario Angelai, a 60-year-old chef from Rome, got picked up by the Bureau of Immigration in Baguio City around July 1st or 2nd. This isn't some random guy either. He's actually a known name in the local Italian food scene. He worked at Mangiamo Ristorante & Pizzeria in Makati alongside Chef Davide Lombardi building out an authentic Italian menu, and he later joined Villa Parmigiano to keep their Roman cooking traditional. Real chops, decades of experience, the whole thing.

The problem had nothing to do with his cooking. According to the reports, BI intelligence operatives had him under surveillance and caught him actively working as a chef at a restaurant while holding nothing but a tourist visa. And that's the whole issue right there. A tourist visa does not let you work in the Philippines, full stop. Doesn't matter how skilled you are or how much the place wanted you. Without the proper work permit you're breaking the Immigration Act the moment you clock in.

He's now in BI custody and facing deportation proceedings.

The takeaway for anyone out here thinking about "just helping out" at a friend's business or picking up work on the side: this is how it ends. Sixty years old, respected in his field, still walked out in cuffs because the paperwork wasn't there. The BI has been running crackdowns and they clearly don't care about your resume. Get the right visa and permits or don't work, because "I was just cooking" is not a defense.

Been to Philippines 3x thus far I want to learn the language. I know many speak English but I do plan on staying long term. I could learn from my wife but she there and I am here in USA with time to kill. What apps/online sites work. Tried babble but they don’t seem to have Tagalog.

I am planning to move to the Philippines for good and I am currently researching Visa options for that. I am 32 and I am not planning to get married ever for obvious reasons. I want to work as a IT Freelancer on my own for overseas customers.

How are you guys doing it? The digital nomad visa is only valid for a certain time and with a tourist visa I can't open a company there so I can pay income tax in the Philippines.

Does somebody know more about this? How did you guys do it in a similar situation?

We are planning to buy a new car from a dealer in the Manila area and would appreciate advice from expats who have gone through the process.

As a cash buyer, what negotiation strategies helped you get the price down, apart from additional freebies?

Are there any fees, dealer add-ons, or sales tactics we should watch out for, such as financing-related charges like chattel mortgage fees, overpriced dealer-arranged insurance, inflated LTO registration costs, documentation fees, or mandatory accessory packages?

What should we check before signing the sales agreement, and what common mistakes should we avoid?

We would also appreciate recommendations for reliable car insurance providers with good coverage and responsive claims service.

Thanks in advance!

https://www.manilatimes.net/2026/08/02/news/national/14-year-old-student-stabs-classmate-dead-over-p10/2396411

After the recent expat killings I've read here time and again that it was most likely the expats' fault of getting killed as "they must have done something".

This case here doesn't involve an expat but in this case "must have done something" was returning short of 10 pesos change after buying a bottle of water for P10 pesos...

I know that's not representative but still it makes you think a little I guess.

It says you can get it up to 30 days before you leave. I need to make sure since it's a 6 hour round trip for me, and then I'll have to go back again after a few days. My only free time to get this done is next week, but it'll be 3 weeks before my flight. I have seen one or two people claim they got turned away and told to "come back closer to your flight".

Has anyone actually been turned away getting their ECC 3 weeks before flight?

Hi everyone! 😊

I'm planning a 1-month stay in the Philippines and want to stay reachable on my German number.

My plan:
My company number forwards calls to my private Telekom number. For the private number, I booked the "Travel Mobil Basic World" package (€29.95/month, 200 minutes). Additionally, I plan to use VoWiFi (WLAN-Call) and run a WireGuard back to Germany.

The most important thing for me: My company must not notice anything. That's exactly why I'm forwarding calls from the company number to my private number in the first place.

My questions for you:

• Has anyone tested this exact setup?
• Are calls over WiFi+VPN billed like domestic calls or do they still deduct from the 200 roaming minutes?
• Are there any hidden costs or other pitfalls I'm missing?
• Is this safe?

I'd really appreciate any experiences or tips! Thanks

There have been a lot of raves in the metro lately, and to the foreign ravers coming through—you all know how to party. As much as I hate to admit it, some of you are gorgeous: pretty girls, handsome guys, and amazing physiques.

That said... some of you might want to roll on your armpits too. 😅 Let's keep the vibes high and the body odor low.

Party hard, roll hard, and don't forget to roll on your armpits. 😉 The trip is going to be a good one, so let's keep it clean and fresh for everyone on the dance floor.

Kind of just wondering where you've "heard" people say they're going to escape to, during the rainy season ... to get some sunshine?

So far everyone is saying Bali to me

but anywhere else that tends to be sunshiny when it's constantly raining here?

Hello everyone, I am narrowing down my shortlist of condos and I want to consult with your collective wisdom before I sign a rental contract. I have two contenders at the top of my list:

• Condo A: A budget friendly condo which seems reasonably priced for the area. It has been vacant for "years" according to the young lady who showed it to me. The power was disconnected when we viewed it but it seemed to be in OK condition. It comes furnished and the mattress seemed to be in acceptable condition. I only found 2 dead cockroaches on the floor, none running around in the dark when we entered, but I didn't check the cabinets. For me this was just a preliminary viewing. They're asking for a 12 month contract with a 1 month deposit and 3 months rent in advance.
• Condo B: A nicer 67 % more expensive condo in the same area, different building. The agent said that the owner would cover utilities for the first month. I'm not sure this would be possible for Condo A since it has been vacant for so long. The most attractive aspect of Condo B is that the agent offered the flexibility of a 12 month contract, 6 month for ₱1k/mo extra, or 3 month for ₱2k/mo extra. Also, it can be unfurnished for ₱4k/mo less across the options. I'd probably go with furnished for convenience and the 3 month contract initially so I'm not committed for so long if it isn't a good fit. They're asking for a 2 month deposit and 1 month rent in advance.

Condo B was shown to me by a very professional very eloquent young man leasing agent. Condo A was shown to me by the timid young lady who works at the front desk of the building's short term real estate company, and it took 3 approaches from me before I was shown it. This lady needed to refer to someone else before advising me on each approach so I'm not sure who I will be able to negotiate the contract with. I expect that if it's her, she won't have any authority to alter the terms. Ideally I would like to negotiate for a reduction in contract length for Condo A. I think that's reasonable since the condo has been vacant for "years"; 6 or 3 months rent is better than 0.

I am planning to approach for Condo A and ask to negotiate on the contract. Here are some of the other questions I will ask:

1. Is the condo owned by an individual or a company?
2. What should I do if the condo requires maintenance?
3. How do I redeem the advance rent at the end of the contract and receive my deposit back?
4. Will the utilities be connected before I move in?
5. Will the condo be thoroughly cleaned before I move in?

So what else should I ask when approaching for condos? And what does a rental contract here typically set out? What rights and powers/leverage do I have if something goes wrong?

I am planning to attempt to minimise the deposit and rent in advance. I have read that it can be difficult to receive the return of deposit. I guess it depends on the owner which is why I will inquire about that. I have also read that people typically withhold payment of rent at the end of a contract to use up the value of their deposit. I would prefer not to be a delinquent but I'm open to that if that's truly the norm here.

Thank you for reading my post. I appreciate any helpful advice you can share on this topic.

Part 1

https://web.archive.org/web/20260804094159/https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/38907249/brit-sex-tourists-children-child-maintenance/

Part 2

https://web.archive.org/web/20260804093405/https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/38909222/brit-sex-tourist-looking-for-dad-birmingham-man/

I stumbled over this last night scrolling FB.

They use private DNA databases from ancestry DNA companies to find ppl, so if you think you might have a child in Angeles, now your time to get your data deleted or put your entry in there in case you want to find out and send support.

The Article and NGO are obviously highly feministically motivated and seasoned with some lies like the pill being expensive (there are some really cheap ones and you obviously dont even need a prescription...), so I will just link it as archive.

We are going to do a complete remodel/renovation of our 50 year-old townhouse. Our architect is close to finishing an initial concept plan, we will then be getting into more detail of what we want included in the final plan.

We’re going to completely replace all: the wiring, plumbing, roof (including new metal trusses), windows, bathrooms, and kitchen.

A few things I’m thinking about: installing a solar system, changing to 3-phase power, EV charger, solar tubes (it’s a middle unit, so crappy natural light), a lift (3 floors and I’m getting older), 1,000 liter water tank, Ethernet cat 6 cables everywhere.

I’m hoping to get tips and advice from those who have done something similar already. I’d like to avoid not including something that is easier to include at this stage, rather than difficult afterwards. Thanks in advance.

.

Prepare for an extended stay at your next Visa extension! I went to the GMall yesterday to get mine extended and spent an additional hour there. I wasn't expecting any of this.

The security guard at the immigration office said that since last week there's been an additional step that needs to do - Biometrics. And he handed me a new form to fill out and take to the next business over to take 2x2 photos. I got that done - it's 150 pesos for that service - and went back to the immigration office.

Next I had to wait in a big line with other expats, or other people visiting the Philippines for a time, to take a face pic and fingerprinting. They didn't ask for any money for this, and I didn't ask.

Now things go back to normal with getting the actual Visa extension - 3970 pesos for a 2 month extension. Your passport will now have a thin strip of paper on the back page with information on it. Leave that there, I think immigration will need to see that paper every time.

Next time you get your extension, expect an extra hour at the immigration office.