Live in the Philippines

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Just When You Thought it was Safe…

Expats / by

It was lulling me into a false sense of security, because it is what the Philippines will do to you if you relax for even a minute. Beware that false sense of security.

I’ll explain

It was a Saturday just before the Pacman vs. Rios Fight. Pay-per-View had been ordered, family and neighbors were invited. Food had been ordered and would be delivered Sunday morning. Soda was well stocked, and it was going to be a non-booze event. This made sense as Dream Satellite had informed Mayang that the fight would start at 10:00 (AM) our time. Okay never listen to that voice on the phone from Manila no matter what they tell you. It is like asking for directions in Puerto Rico, they must send you somewhere as their Machismo prevents them admitting they don’t know.

I was reading an e-book thing, minding my own business, when in the front room a wailing sound was piercing the tranquility of our Saturday morning. Voices were raised; Tagalog was being bantered around at very high decibels and at speeds that even a fluent person could never understand.’ I had no idea what it was all about, it was a day early for Manny to have lost the fight in Macau (As if that could happen), but I know a Crap-Storm is brewing when I hear it. Searching my memory, (I went back a full month.) Nope, I have done nothing and I know that I am an innocent man.

Normally I would go and find out what was going on, but said to myself, it might only be a tempest in a tea pot, so turn the page on my E-reader and read on. If my services are needed I will be summoned. The doorway fills with Mayang, her twin sister Clara and my daughter Yhen, and grandson Jayden. I look to Jayden but he knows less than me, as he doesn’t speak Tagalog or English for that matter, but he does understand “Crap-Storms” so he remained above the fray.

Jayden comes to Lolo, because I’m the only calm person in the house, next to him and shows me the toy he is carrying. Whoa ladies, if one would switch to my mother tongue, I will respond in an appropriate manner. Jayden just nodded. BTW it was a nice car he had with him.

It’s all about Property Taxes, that are not even due until January. A notice has been sent by the Powers that be in City Hall, Dinalupihan Bataan concerning taxation of dirt and cement. The form for my house stated that Mayang owed PNP 38,500.00 as that was the amount written down on the copy she received and PNP 2,800.00 on ate Clara’s form (She is 4 minutes older than Mayang hence the ate). The reason for this confab was because our property tax since 1999 has always been PNP 11,000.00 per year. With 10% off it was paid on time. Yes I said on time, not early because they won’t accept it early but only on time; meaning not late. That has amazed me since the first time we paid it, but it’s not mine to reason why…

I freely admitted that is was a steep increase, but there had to be an error. When my wife is holding a piece of government generated official documents in her hand, it is, a fact, Hoyle, and it is not to be doubted. Further proof was the fact it was signed by the resident “High Person”.

Well Paul, you can’t argue with that, nor should you try. But the bringing of order to the chaos you must try. It was deemed too late to drive to city hall to seek out Mr. High Person, as his weekend started days ago. There was nothing left to do but wait until first thing Monday morning and assault City Hall. I went back to my Brad Thor novel, which had now become not as exciting as my life but still a good distraction.

Sunday (Day of the Pacman Victory in Macau) the crowd in the house went wild, Pinoy Pride was the order of the day, the Nation Hero was BACK! Mayang and ate Clara you could tell were very happy over the fight, but the thoughts of property taxes were still looming in and on their collective mind. And not a speck of food was left at the end. No surprise there!

Monday morning, the day of reckoning, a day when titans will clash. If you enjoyed the Manny and Rios fight, you’ve not seen anything yet, in the Blue corner, City Halls “Mr. High Person over in the Red corner Mayang and ate Clara the battling Adobo Twins of Olongapo City Fame.

I was told to stay at home, as blue eyes would be a detriment to the ensuing battle. “Hey unfair”, I cried; I’m paying the note on this show. But stay at home I did, as Don Quixote and Sancho Pandza mount their steeds and charge off with their lance tilted towards City Hall. Oh if I’d only been allowed to witness the glory and the majesty of this match.

Anti climatic as hell; it seems the flooding this past year caused the loss of records and vital information at Dinalupihan City Hall. So they took their best guess, hoping against hope that the people would come in with their receipts and they could piece the records back together using the copies the consumers had Mayang and her sister of course had copies of each property tax receipt going back to when the Philippines was under Spanish Rule.

So the adjustments were transcribed into the large book of records at some later day to be transcribed into the new replacement computers as soon as they are purchased. (I believe after they collect all the property tax?) So for the love of God, hang onto those receipts s you will show them again next year. My life returned to normal, albeit I’m waiting with baited breath for the next surprise.

As the story unfolded, I can only assume the outrageous amounts sent out were done to ensure a quick response from the taxpayers. As I pondered it I thought to myself, “I liked it, and Mr. High Person, you are one crafty bastard!”

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. This is really funny and hit my funny bone…It is nice that I am alone so no one would start wondering why this old lady is laughing out loud..alone… I wonder how much my property taxes would be this year. I hope I dont have to experience the same thing…

  2. always love your posts. it brings true life to everyday living in the Philippines. I would say that without humor things would be much harder to deal with, but keeping an open mind and a very heathy sense of humor any challenge can be beat. and for the fight oh boy was my asawa upset when her cable company wouldn’t answer phone so she could upgrade in time for the fight. 3 days she called with no answer and when they did answer it was to late. go figure, by that time I had already bought it to watch online and kept her up to date. I know my father inlaw found a pub to watch but I think everyone else was at my house singing and eating a lot, my house being the newest in the family but I sure do love watching everyone have great time, even if it is from Skype lol

    • Axel;
      Hey you’re my new Facebook friend! thank you for saying that, but I’ve already found 6 mistakes so far, I really should proof read better!

      • Ha ha proof read, what is that in this modern World. I notice often that even the so called professional media don’t appear to proof read these days.
        I would just fugedaboutit Paul 🙂

  4. Craig;
    We went to the office to order the PPV, a lesson learned years ago. But you are so right, the opposite of laughing is crying and bitterness, which solves nothing. When I deal with people I come in the door happy and smiling, and for some reason they want to help me. Go figure that?
    Sharing a good time no matter the distance can only be fun, for all. Family can be trying at times but so can I so it’s a push and we all get along. Giving to her family little things like some food and watching the fight at our place makes my wife happy, and we all understand the benefit of a happy wife!

        • a bit earlier in the morning even for you so I will have one for you cheers. if my wife has her way which I am sure she will.. ill be in your neck of the woods sometime soon lol she is all about me seeing all I can lol. and going to fort Magsaysay with the army doesn’t count they didn’t let us out lol
          and subic is on her list of places to see with me lol

          • Craig;
            It is not the Subic of my younger days, it is really better now as a tourist destination and shopping area..Well worth your time spent, I shudder when people who have never been here, or were here 30 years ago, running it down, They are just showing their ignorance for all to say, the same can be said for Angles City, don’t judge a large town on one street within that town. That’s rude!

      • Bloodmal;
        It just adds to the spice and excitement of living here, I just wish they had let me go with them.

  5. Loved it Paul. On the language aspect of it, I come from the South. Down here, folks who talk fast are generally trying to sell you something you don’t need at a price you can’t afford. Folks who talk loud are generally blustering braggarts. Then I fell into the world of the Filipino. After 30 years, I still can’t tell from speed, intonation, and volume whether someone just said “Don’t put so much salt in the food.” Or “Don’t do that, you’ll blow up the house.” Usually, if it’s something I need to be involved in, someone will toss me a partial English explanation. If I ask, and Marlyn deems it important enough, I’ll get a full explanation from her later. I have noticed that this seems more true of the women than the men. Men seem to speak in normal conversational tones most of the time. With the women, the tone, volume, and speed, of almost every conversation sounds as if it’s of earth shattering importance.

    Take care,
    Pete

    • I’m only two months in-country, but laughing at the truth of this! I’m already learning to use the phrase: “Do I need to know what that was about?” Now I know to keep myself OFF of the topic list as best I can and swallow my opinions / repress my desire to “help” at least twice before diving into the fray. I’ll save my anecdotes and questions about life here until I’m out with the guys on the golf course!

      John
      (from “another street” in Angeles City)

      • John Weeks;
        I take my family to AC a lot, without going down Fields Ave. AC is a great town and a good place to live. But you’re right, most is better left said when your with the boys on the back nine. (Or the 19th) I’ve been asked why I never learned Tagalog, I’ll blame it on my age and due to the fact that I’m lazy, but sometimes I just really don’t want to know what is being said.

        • If/When you go to Angeles you and your family, are always welcome here for a cool beer 🙂 We live a few minutes from AC. I lived here for 2 years, but never been to the “famous” Fields Ave. Not my taste…

          • Axel:
            I knew a woman who lived in Florida who has never had a palm on her place. There is no reason to go to Fields Ave, unless that is what you want. I’ll pass also. (But in the distant past I have been there. Again thank you for the invite.

    • Cowboy,

      I’m not even in country yet, and know this. I hear excited rambling in Pangasinan and or Tagalog and think something is wrong. Nothing at all. Why are you so loud then, I foolishly ask? I don’t know what you are talking about. LOL!!! I noticed it more than a few times too when I was there. once by a three year old… but I could tell she was yelling at her 4 year old sister… about what, I have NO IDEA!

    • Pete;
      My wife and her sister will be talking outside, I’m thinking; “Boy are they pissed at each other.” Nope they are talking about what they are having for lunch. We don’t need to know!

  6. This is truly amazing, Paul! City hall lost the paper records in the flood, wouldn’t admit they didn’t have backup files as they should, and totally dependent on property owners to come in with their old receipts from which to reconstruct the file? Absolutely amazing. Perhaps you should pay the Dinalupihan City Hall a personal visit and remind them that keeping records solely on paper have gone the way of Underwood manual typewriters that were in use since the Philippine administration of Governor General William Howard Taft. Tell them that that was in 1901-1903! LOL Records of such importance should have been computerized at this time and age, or, at least, maintained in a redundant file in microfiche/microfilm and stored in a vault to protect from fire and natural calamities. I noticed the very same thing at the CENRO office in Masinloc, Zambales when I was there in the year 2000 to straighten out some irregularities with our land properties in Salaza. At the CENRO office, the paper records, dog-eared and yellowed with age, were stacked celing-high on top of cabinets. They were using 3X5 index cards for cross references to add to the incredulity of it all. I shuddered at the thought of a fire gutting the whole place, But, that was in the year 2000, only 99 years removed from William Howard Taft. To put it in perspective, if your SMB tastes the same today as it did 13 years ago (2000), there would be no legitimate basis for this rant, would there? 🙂

    • John;
      Computers are still only within the last 15 years or so in Dinalupihan. I received a parking ticket at the market in 2000, walked over to City Hall to pay it (PNP 90.00) they had no computer there but ledgers of a size that I’d never seen before. The young lady was scribing in one as we spoke. She asked if it was my first ticket. I just smiled and said; “I can’t remember, better if you check on that for me.” (The pile of ledgers was beyond belief behind her) Mrs. Thompson intervened and told the young lady that it was my first ticket, she looked relieved and gave me my receipt. (Which Mayang still has)

  8. Hi Paul

    Glad all ended well.

    A small note about the alcohol free party……….remember that it is always after midday somewhere in the world and as such the sun is over the yard arm somewhere. In these days of globalisation this is an important fact to remember.

    Tagay

    AJ UK

    • AJ UK:
      Years ago I laid my yardarm flay on the ground so the sun was always over it. But had I got them started on the hooch that early I would have owned them for the rest of the day. There was a plan to my madness.

  9. the most dangerouse place of the philipines is davao and mindanao a guy from den mark was kidnapped and kill in mindano even a guy from norway and from california u.s.a. so safe it is not there then

    • Chris;
      Help an old sailor out with his geography just where is this country called dan mark?

  11. I am sorry, Chris, but you are completely incorrect. If that is what National Geographic said they don’t know what they are talking about. I have lived in Davao for 12 years, I know of not a single person who has been kidnapped in Davao.

    • Toofsie;
      I have lived here 20 years and no harm has ever come to me. It is very safe in your country.

  28. I did not ask about your friend. I asked if YOU have been to Surigao before? I have been there many times, and I can assure you that they are not “shooting in the streets” like you say!

  30. You need a geography lesson, Chris. The Abu Sayyaf is not in Davao, they tend to be in Western Mindanao. Davao is in Eastern Mindanao. You really should not talk about things which you know nothing about… because it makes you look foolish.

  32. No, not everything, but because I have lived a long time in Mindanao, I know a lot more about Mindanao than you do. You have never even been to Mindanao, how can you speak with such authority?

    • Montana Gray;
      I just finished re-reading all my Tom Clancy Jack Ryan collection after Tom passed. I have all of Brad Thor’s collection and started book three yesterday, I like to read series in order so I know all the protagonists. I enjoy the series more that way.

  35. Paul,
    It’s best just to let Mayang handle City Hall or maybe “popeye” could rear its ugly head. I know Anne wishes her tax bill was only 38,500P on her property in Batangas.

    • Papa Duck;
      My laughing would prevent my Popeye Factor from appearing, it’s hard to get angry while busting your gut.
      Does Anne own a SM Mall? That would be the only way taxes could be that high! (LOL)

            • Randy, I can’t relate to pesos just as I can’t relate to hectares. When in the Philippinesl, I carry a calculator with me at all times for peso to dollar conversion before buying anything. .I haven’t the slightest idea how large or small a hectare is. Perhaps, when you go visit Batangas with Anne, count how many coconut trees there are on her property and tell us. That’s the only way I can visualize how large 126 hectares are. LOL

              • John,
                Even if I wanted to I don’t think I could because I would have to do a lot of climbing lol

            • Randy;
              Even that is a lot of dirt, my son-in-laws farm in Subic Valley is 10 Hectares and seems huge to me. Hectares, damn that metric system!

  36. When I began reading your article I was expecting to be entertained by the Paul humour, life in the Phils lesson. Sure enough as I kept reading, I got this sinking feeling like the one Rios got in his gut. You mentioned property taxes, what property taxes? I pay all the bills for my wifes family, as you do as a ATM foreigner, food, house and bike repairs, electricity, college fees, water bills, hospital bills, life and death plans and so on. Yet no one mentioned property taxes to me. Approaching the mother in law with a restrained demure, I asked the question ( thru translation ), have you been paying property taxes? She said in a nervous laughing guesture, since her husband died 14 years ago she stopped paying. Oh holy crap and no one from city hall contacted you yet? Seems like they haven’t. I’ll keep you posted on the outcome err one day. Thanks Paul I owe you one.

    • Boss;
      One day with no notice the property will be sold at auction at city hall, if you go there you will see the notices on the board. Few people bid as if you buy it you will receive no help from the government in removing people from the land. As a matter of fact you won’t be well liked either. Corporations seem to be the only ones who I’ve seen so it.
      When I purchased my land I paid the ten years back taxes on it to be safe. A year later some dude said he was the real owner of the land; he left because I showed him my tax receipts. A good but small investment.
      BTW You’re Welcome!

    • Paul;
      Or if you don’t pay the taxman you’ll be the one making little rocks from the big rocks!

      • After my run in with the Revenue (audit) some years ago, it didn’t end up quite that bad, lol.
        We did a deal, half of their estimate paid in full within 7days.
        (Far too many cash deals i forgot about, lol)

        • Chas;
          My biggest fear in life is the Revenuer man, Now Americans have taxes and Obamacare to be hassled by our sweet and helpful IRS Agents.

          • I hear ya, seems our every move is tracked these days, i always thought those tactics were called Communism !

            Times were different back in bygone days, Cash was King, not so much these days.
            No guesses on who blew the whistle on me, begins with “Ex”.

  38. Hi Paul – Is it bad to laugh? I’ll do it anyway.. ha ha ha ha. I like everything you write. And the way you tell how it is. You really should have radio show! Talk radio Paul. Fan here! ^_^

    • Sugar;
      I never advocate laughing, but it okay in this case. Again Talk Radio would require a schedule, and we know Paul don’t do them!

  39. This reminds me of a happening about 10 years ago. I bought a schoolhouse that had been closed during a consolidation drive. 3 stories, 18 large classrooms, gym, auditorium, and large addition that had been a band room and mechanic shop.
    The town of 53 people where it was located wanted no changes and the school reopened. That was not going to happen so I knew I would be the lightning rod for all the displeasure. Since it was only a couple miles from a military base, whenever I was asked what I was going to do with it, I simply said, “Open a strip bar and adult bookshop”.
    In reality, I had it mostly pre-leased for office space and a business incubator. About 6 weeks after they heard my first plans that shook them up, the real idea was so much better that I never heard a single fuss after that.
    So I guess I would have to agree with High Person, shake them up and things happen and people also overlook the fact that you screwed up not having backups somewhere.

    • LeRoy;
      So you faked them out with something to irk them, and then slid in with something that appeased them. Great plan! Funny how they wanted the school reopened on your dime!
      The High Person, knew that if you can’t dazzle them with footwork, baffle them with bullshit!

    • Steve;
      Over the years they have caught a lot of grief over their maiden name, so they learned to fight back. I dare say I’d not mess with them both, or by themselves either

  41. That is one way to get copies brought back to your office, but it’s also a quick way to piss off the entire Barangay, or City, whichever it was that was collecting!

    But you’re right Paul… very crafty! I wonder how many others showed up to complain?!

    • Scott;
      You must understand that people will be so relieved that they don’t have to pay the high amount, they’ll forget the skullduggery that got them there in the first place. A Crafty Bastard Indeed he’s my new Idol.

  42. Nice post!! I am married to a fine lady from the Philippines and I have spent quite a bit of time there and I totally understand and appriciate this story. Very funny!

  43. Bob in DC:
    Thank you sir, with a smile in your heard there is nothing that can get you down here. I wake up every day wondering what new thing will appear in my life today. I wouldn’t change anything about life here.

  44. Paul, the flooding that destroyed records at the Dinalupihan City Hall got me thinking farther about how the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were handled in WWII as high priority items, when they were shipped off in an armored vehicle from the National Archives in D.C. to Fort Knox for safekeeping the entire duration of the war. I wonder if provincial and municipall governments there have similar emergency preparedness guidelines insofar as prioritizing records and other materials for staff to follow in the event of an emergency evacuation, or, is it every man and his lunch pail for himself when the s**t hits the fan so to speak?

    • John;
      The Magna Carta was also kept at Fort Knox during WW II, John they couldn’t save Mrs. Marcos shoes during Yolanda, records are of a lower priority I guess. I still think the second floor would work best, but who am I to point that our. (LOL).

  45. Paul,
    Quote – “Never listen to that voice from Manila, no matter what they tell you”
    Ain’t that the truth, it’s like asking a Filipino for directions, if they don’t know, they will direct you any place they can think of 🙂

  46. Chas;
    I’ve phoned and asked simple questions like “Will you be open tomorrow? And the employee had to ask a supervisor. I stopped trying to do anything by phone.

  47. Hello Paul: Nice article. When my brother and I settled my mother’s properties in the Philippines, it took one whole month just to do paperwork. There were always surprises, even with assistance from two sets of attorneys (Cebu & Cagayan). Provinces have different regulations as well. Clearing the titles of properties is also a very expensive venture. It took another two years to complete the entire process.

    • Roselyn;
      I won’t hire an Attorney unless he/she can prove that their son has finished college, or your case will drag on until they do. The longer it takes the more money it will cost (lol) It couldn’t be a proper legal case without surprises, I believe it because they re-write the laws every few months to keep it all interesting.
      I’m happy to hear that all your paperworks is finished, that is always a good feeling, in the states I’ve seen family land deals drag on for years.
      The trick here is, pay the taxes on time, get the discount and keep every receipt for the remainded of your life, and all will be well.

      • Hello Paul: We retained attorneys who are direct descendants of the Director of the Register of Deeds in Cagayan. In Cebu, the attorneys are also directly tied to the Directors of the Register of Deeds. They track any movements on claims against the titles. We run into these issues from time to time. We educate ourselves on new laws regarding property rights as changes are frequent. It is definitely time consuming and costly. I am in the U.S. however, and still gainfully employed so the legal fees are not a burden. Your advise on keeping all your receipts is definitely on the mark. I have boxes of original documents and receipts of transactions and correspondences.

        • Roselyn;
          An old Navy adage; “He, who wrote it down, wins” The reason I don’t trust attorneys is because they still win if you lose, since having no dog in the fight it’s all about the fees for them.

  48. Paul,
    Anne’s distant relatives who maintain her property tried to claim half of her property as theres. They stay for free and keep most of the profits from the coconut trees and other fruit. Well Anne has a clear title with just her name on it as proof. Now they are scared they will have to move when she sells the property. So she is going to let them keep a few Hectares to keep peace.

    • Hello PapaDuck: Anne’s distant relatives have tried to take half of her property before. They could try other tricks again. My brother and I decided to pay salaries to the caretakers for our inherited properties so that they cannot claim anything related to squatter’s rights (advised by the attorneys). My brother, who is the legal administrator of my parents’ estate, has fired two sets of managers already for embezzling rental funds. He tracks what has been deposited and bills that have been paid online. He visits the Philippines once a year to pay the taxes of the properties, insurances, utilities, and other bills. He stays in the Philippines for months until he is satisfied that all matters are taken care of. All the utilities are in his names and any bills are paid on his name as well. He gives me copies of everything, just in case he needs a backup. In addition, we retain a legal firm to oversee any legal matters. It is difficult to maintain properties in the Philippines if the owners are not on site.

      • Roselyn,
        Anne’s has an Atty that has helped her with the property. Like I said Anne will be giving them a few hectares and they handle the harvest of the coconuts and keep a majority of the profits while paying no rent to live there. Anne will be selling the property in the future because she doesn’t want to deal with it any longer.

    • Randy;
      That is normal to try and cheat your own family, We have two of Mayang’s other sisters one lives in Holland and the other in the states. Holland owns an apt building, that paid no rent into her account, yet was always full. Ut took awhile but she figured it out, the stateside has 6 rental properties but refuses to believe that someone is cheating her. It must be a bad rental market yet all her houses are rented. I remain above it all and say nothing to no one as it’s family business and not mine.
      Randy, you are the new guy, stand back and say nothing to her family, but help Anne deal with it by being her sounding board.

  49. Paul/Randy, I have yet to hear about an honest family member who is entrusted with collecting rent from a rental property in the Philippines owned by an absentee relative. All the stories coming out of the country seem to be all the same where embezzlement is the norm. One would think that a relative would be more trustworthy than a non-relative caretaker and rent collector, but all I hear is stealing and skimming on the part of the trusted relative. When.Mom passed away in 2001, I asked a first cousin to manage our rental property in Manila. She was granted a Power of Attorney to act in our behalf, given the use of our van for trips to the city and back to the province. All expenses associated with repairs on the rental property and vehicle maintenance including gas, tires, battery, toll money were deducted from rental receipts. On top of that, she and her family were permitted to live in our house in Salaza (Palauig, Zambales), as well as in Manila rent-free as they did not own property. In exchange, all she had to do was oversee our Manila rental property and collect the rent at the beginning of each month. She was instructed to deposit the rental receipts, less expenses, directly to the bank established for this purpose. She received a monthly pay as well, deducted from the receipts (I am familiar with unpaid caretakers’ rights to ownership of a certain percent of a property if the caretaker should pursue a claim in the future).. She sends me monthly statements of income and expensesr by snail mail in the beginning, then by email in recent years. Right off the bat, she didn’t waste time to scheme. LOL I began to notice irregularities in her monthly receipts and expenses early on, but I didn’t let on. Monthly expenses which she deducted from the receipts were almost always huge, sometimes equalling that of the rental receipts. As a result, the bank balance hardly grew. For years, this went on, but we didin’t have a choice. The alternative would have been to hire someone off the street. Until 4 years ago when my sister made an unannounced visit to the Philippines. My sister noticed that the tenants were all too eager to talk to her the night she visited. Long story short, my sister found out that our own cousin was collecting rent from tenants in amounts far more than she was reporting in her monthly statements she was sending to me. Occupied rooms were being reported as vacant for months.. Receipts didn’t all go straight to the bank; some of it she kept and deposited in a separate account in her name without our knowledge.. The night my sister made a surprise visit, she discovered that some rental money were kept under the pillow of my cousin’s daughter who lived rent-free in one of the apartments. Needless to say, my cousin was relieved of her duties and the van repossessed. That was 4 years ago. The monetary loss for us, while no big deal because we never depended on the rental receipts for our livelihood here in the States, was nonetheless a loss, but an embezzlement by a relative, pure and simple.. We, in the States, simply chalked off that loss to charity, a gift to a relative who is less fortunate. In hindsight, though, she could just have asked if she needed money, and we could have gladly given. But, she somehow found it more convenient to steal.

    • John;
      I sold my condo in Puerto Rico a few years back and made a nice profit, but for years I had an agent that rented it during the season to tourist short term anywhere from a week to a month as we charged $500.00 per week. I knew the agent was a slick guy who was skimming off the top, but I was still getting my money in amounts that paid off the mortgage quickly and gave me a nice escrow account in a land not subject to US Taxes, until you move it to the US. Yes he stole from me, but he was smart enough to not steal it all. I was making good money and didn’t begrudge him the amounts he took, as he was doing all the work. But he was a friend not family so I was not surprised.
      The things you said happened to you, must be taught in school (How to screw Family 101) because they are exactly what was happening to the two sisters living out of county.
      Had I said anything they both would have shot the messenger (ME) forgave the thief and I would have been the bad guy forevermore. Better to be Sergeant Shultz; and say; “I know nothing as it was all done in Tagalog.” Both Brother-in-laws later understood my point of view and understood why I’m friendly yet maintain some distance when money rears its ugly head. There are 80,000,000 stories in the Philippines, and most of them sound the same!

  50. Paul, here’s a kicker I forgot to include in my post above. Days after my my sister repossessed the van from my cousin (aka ex-rent collector), her husband had the gall to demand the return of a pair of fog lamps he installed on the vehicle without our permission to make it look cool. Fog lamps in the Philippines? Wondered where they got the money to pay for such an expensive accessory. I think I will send him a bill for punching holes in the van not his own without permission. LOL

    • Bob – Are they stil selling snow tires with studs in them? In the Philippines those studs will ruin asphalt roads already softened by the intense heat.