As I watch the value of the dollar sliding down against any currency I thought that the prices of the goods here would be lower a bit. I was wrong, as I go to the grocery store and shop for our groceries I find it that the prices of all the products are even getting higher. I also thought that the imported stuff that comes from the USA should be lower but it’s not. Every time I go shopping now I usually spend a lot of money. We buy our grocery that’s usually good for a week or two. The bread at the bakery the prices are higher too and the sizes are getting smaller. Some of the restaurants the prices of their food are higher and the serving is getting smaller and the tastes sometimes not so good. The quality of the food was down too.
I was also noticing that my nieces would shop on our vegetables and some fruits at the wet market (palengke) the prices there too are getting higher. Just like the onions when we first came here per kilo would be 20-25pesos now it’s 60pesos. Fruits are also expensive. I know that everywhere in the world now the prices went up. I just felt sorry for the majority of the masses here. They are poor. Not much job available here. It’s really a heartache sometimes seeing the people that suffer.
Clothing and school supplies are also catching up. Sometimes I can’t imagine how some of my family can afford to send their kids and just being able to eat 3 times a day nowadays. With that in mind I heard on the news like last month that a girl here in Davao killed herself. The report said that its because of poverty. It was really sad, I guess she left a note or something saying that she was just tired of her parents and siblings fighting just because they have nothing. I think that case still under investigation, they said their is more to it than what she was saying in her notes. I just hope that it was an eye opener for some of the family here.
Yes, prices are going up, but if you want to feel like you are getting a good deal by living in Mindanao, go shopping for a month in Manila! Yikes! The prices for so many things were so much more! Especially meats and fruit! The only thing I saw that was cheaper was zuccinni!
It turned out that the little girl who killed herself had been recently raped, so I am sure that was a big factor in her despair. So sad! So wrong!
Hi…interesting info here Feyma…and yes it is sad that things are going up there with a lot of peoples with not much money…I think things are going up all over the world…
Yes..they USA dollar is going down and things are going up here In the USA…lot of places 1 gallon of milk is over $4.00..bread is $3.50-$4.00 for the good kind..seafood and meat is very expensive and a lot of places the egg..that used to be cheap here..and at times they have been over $2.50 for a dozen of them…Then another thing a lot of the grocery stores are doing with their pork, beef, chicken is doing what they call enhancing the meat…{ but what they are really doing is taking advantage of the buyer}..what enhancing means is they inject the meat with up to 18% fluid…like water..salt…nitraits and other not so good things and call it inhanced…I call it a rip off to the buyer and strange I was wondering why a piece of beef tasted like a cured piece of pork!!..Had to be the solution they are putting into it…so thank heavens we have some stores that sell organic foods and meats and you pay more but maybe u are comming out ahead….any way…one thing you might find interesting ..is rice here is cheap……..at the big store Cosco you can buy 20 pounds ( just under 10 kilo i belive….ya we are not metric here ) for around $7.50-$8.50..to me that is cheap….
There other day was hungry for a apple..so went to the organic market and bought 4 apples…they were $1.50 a pound or 1/2 Kilo aprrox and the cost was close to $6.00 for 4 apples…hahahah…I thought..wow, then also I think things will become even more expensive as far as food goes because of this big deal to make enthol for fuel and they are making that out of corn…so corn flakes are going up….so it is a never ending cycle I think and as you said the sad thing is what all of this is doing to a lot of the poor people in countries like yours and others…to me that is very sad…and has been for a long time…so enjoyed reading your blog here as I do all of them and sad to say you are right things are going up and probably will keep going up……and this makes one wonder what will happen to a lot of the poor peoples….
Hi Feyma! I agree that prices have gone up about 20% from the last time I was in the wet market. When it rains a little bit, fish and seafoods get expensive. But I agree with AmericanLola. Manila people will be envious and surprised that we are complaining about higher prices in mindanao. I guess also because christmas shopping has started.
Hi AmericanLola – That's one thing we don't like to live in the Manila the prices are ridiculously high. We would rather live in the States then than Manila.
That's what I've heard about that girl and the family I think denied it. It got an international coverage though. I hope that the person that did it will be punish hard.
Hi Dan – I guess we've been away too long in the States then. When I was there 7 years ago I can get a loaf of bread for just a little over a dollar, a dozen of eggs was less than a dollar. Wow, I will just be on a "seafood" diet there very expensive, but I am amazed that the price of your rice there is lower. I know that it's not really in demand too. Hmm, Pinoys are celebrating then, they can unlimited rice. 😉
Yeah, I think for all of us that know how life of the majority of people here it's hard to see them suffer. It really broke my heart even seeing some of my close family member suffer, but I can't help all of them. We tried to help some. Anyway thank you for your comment.
Hi Cathy – I just don't get it sometimes that people really wanted to live in Manila. They would be drooling seeing our abundant fruits and fresh fish and everything here in Mindanao and its way cheaper than what they have up there.Oh, well it's more for us then.
I hate to shop this time of the year lots of people in the mall. It's jam-packed. Sometimes they had bargains.
Good job you dont live in the UK,gasoline is over $10 a gallon,20 cigarettes are $4 per pack and the exchange rate for the £ is down to 88 peso,was getting 94 this time last year,so it seems to be pretty general world wide.
Hi Feyma – I've noticed that everytime I visit the Phils even within a six-month period that prices have gone up. At the moment I convert prices into GB Pounds and it's cheaper compared to UK prices. However, I'll definitely have some adjusting to do when we finally move back there permanently and start thinking in Phil Pesos again.
Yes meat, fruits and vegetables are really expensive in Manila. When we visit relatives there, we always take "tapa" or "tocino", fruits and vegetables as pasalubong – they're always appreciated. When I was young I used to feel embarassed about taking farm produce to Manila in case I get branded as "taga-bukid" but when I saw my relatives' delight – I felt proud.
Hi Feyma
Just a little correction to John J when he said cigarettes are $4 a pack in UK, it is actually over $10 a pack, also I think we have the dearest Gas in the world!
Malcolm
I've not noticed prices rising where I live in the US. Of course, like in the Philippines, it's very regional. Seems like inflation is kicking in there, though, I'm not sure it has anything to do with the falling dollar. I hate so see the results of this for the dollar-based OFWs. It's got to be very hard on them and it affects the entire economy. I wish the Philippines much greater prosperity in the future.
Hi Feyma and to all of you, prices always go up, wherever you live. Being away from Germany since 9 years now and listening the stories of our friends, who visit us from time to time, let get us shocked. And of course, Christmas shopping always let prices going up. Our favourite Spanish wine is again "not available", not because we like "a cheap one", no, because they want to sell the more expensive one during this time. Regarding fruits and vegetables: we are really blessed to live in Mindanao (Davao)… 😆
Hi Malcolm,not used to useing the $ symbol 🙂 pressed the key twice 😳
hi Feyma, Hey there's nothing wrong with liking Manila, I love it here, I have the best malls, restaurants and cinemas on my doorstep. Hey here in Makati we even have our own attempted coups in our local hotel. You don't get that in Mindanao… do you !! : 😛 😛
I love Manila 😆 😆
Hi John J- Wow that is really expensive. I think I will just stay were I am. I guess to the people that smoke that would really a thought of quiting to smoke then. Gosh, how could anybody afford a pack of cigarette now?
Hi Marilou – Nowadays it doesn't take a few months to increase the price. I felt every time I go to the grocery store the prices changes not to be better, but worst. Sometimes I'm dreading to go to the store just seeing the high prices. Oh well part of our life I guess.
Your right the prices in Manila is way up when it comes to foods. My brother used to bring home some goodies from our farm to his family in Manila. Its good seeing my family eating the fruits from Mindanao. 😉
Hi Malcolm – Hey, maybe its about time for you to move out of UK and live in the tropics. 😆 Really no place on earth now thats not expensive. All of us are really affected. I do hope that it will get better soon.
Hi Feyma – Sometimes when I hear people complain about the rising cost of living here in Australia, I cringe, as we have one of the highest standards of living in the world. If you are poor here the goverment will assist you with food, housing, health care etc. Sadly in Phils the poor have no access to such, so they are probably feeling the pinch more than ever. Unfortunately with the rising cost of oil and other fuels, and the affects of climate change ( droughts floods etc ) we all have to get used to rising costs. At least if we go to bed at night and our stomach is full, we should be thankful.
Hi RichardInSC – Yeah OFW's really get a hit by the falling dollar. I do hope it will be better soon.
Hi Klaus – I'm with you I'm thankful to be here in the Davao and oh with the abundant fruits and other foods. WOW thank God. 😆
Hi Gerry – Ha ha ha, Manila is not for me And Bob. It's more dangerous in Manila than living here in Mindanao. 😉 Too much going on there in your area. Can't keep up with the coup. 😆
Hi Anthony – I know what you mean. I really wish that more assistance here for the poor but their is nothing. No job available that much. It's so different the lifestyle of the poor people in Australia than here. Hopefully later the government will do something though. It's hard seeing people especially kids begging for money for them to have food. Hard life.
Feyma,
Here is a copy of the weekly ad in one of our local grocery stores.
We live in a small city in Arizona. Prices have been going up here as well.
http://frysfood.inserts2online.com/customer_Frame…
I enjoy your blog.
Hi Feyma
The big problem is that its going to get a lot worse before its going to get better. The world economy is heading for a very bad 2008.
The peso being strong i would of thought it would have an effect on OFWs sending money back home and that money not going so far as it use to for the recepients there.
It must be getting alot worse there for the poor 🙁
Food prices here in the UK have rocketed recently everything is up and Fruit and veg up 23% The housing market is about to follow the States and crash i think.
Hows the housing market in Davao, prices still going up?
Im hoping to go back to Davao 2008 but having a few doubts recently with the peso so strong when i was there 3 yrs ago it was 107 to the £ now 87 thats a 20% drop so its not that attractive place to visit right now. I expect that the tourist industry will take a hit too
Anyways just my pennies worth 🙂
Regards
Graham
Hi ! Feyma
Yes, it's everywhere in the world, here in Miami, FL, is the same thing prices of goods went up, real estate is not selling, property taxes is up, lots of people are migrating to another states,for the reason that they cannot afford taxes on their houses here. Example, for a five bedroom house, assessed tax for $9,000.00. This is a lot of money, govt claim that value of properties went up too for the past years. So you can't win the argument. A lot of people are suffering here too… but this is life.. I like reading you blog a lot.. Good Job
Hi Rob – Thank you for sharing the website. Looking at the prices of the products its really high. Wow, I'm already used to the peso prices. 😆
Hi Graham – That's true 2008 is going to be more expensive. I don't know how the average people here can afford to live. Lots of the family of the OFW are complaining.
I Think that not much people come here to visit because the prices of everything here is getting expensive. I know some friends that cancel in coming here because of it. Really sad for the business owners and the workers.
Hi Donna – You are right home sales in the US went down really low lately. I'm glad we sold our house there before it happened.
It's true this is part of life. I guess we have to deal with it. It's just sad for me especially here that poverty is all over the place.
Thank you! I'm glad you like our site. Have fun reading and sharing your thoughts.
HI Donna, you are lucky only $9,000 on 5 bedroom home in FL.
I just paid taxes on our FL property – it's only land no house it's way over $9,000 (even with discount if payment is postmarked before November 30)
And we pay someone $500 every 2 months to mow the grass. TERRIBLE!
Yes Feyma it's so expensive now, LOL! Grocery bills is $$$ and I am only feeding myself and 2 siblings right now.
My dogs bills are also $$$ Coz they eat a lot of chicken and chicken is over 100 bucks a kilo now.
BTW Feyma, did you find any bargains at the Bazaar? You should have shopped at the last day – we all dropped our prices, LOL LOL LOL!
Some stores slashed their prices in half.
Lots of people shopped on the last day.
The falling U.S. dollar and the VAT increased the cost of our recent trip to the Phils. considerably from only 2 years ago, but food, lodging, entertainment, etc. are still much, much cheaper than they are at vacation spots in the U.S. The warmth of the Philippino people is priceless.
Hi Feymer. Herein South Africa prices going the same as Phi.my wife spoke to her brother in Lingayen last night . The veggie / fruit sellers in the market are really suffering as prices so high people cannot afford to buy.My brother in law qouted some veggie prices.onions ps60 akilo like in Davao.Really seems to be aworld wide trend with no doubt the same end results . The rich get richer and the poor stave.
Again i spelt your name incorrectly. sorry its just thats how your name would be spelt here in Afrikaans. Regards to Bob i am now home from my roaming around the Namib desert.
Hi Cheryll Ann – Gosh, I don't know of anything thats cheaper nowadays. Wow, with the dogs you have that must cost you a fortune. I saw on your website that you had a lot.
We didn't come back at the last day of the bazaaar because we went to Father Franco. Sayang I was really interested to get some stuff there for the kids and my nieces. I thought the bazaar would go on for a couple of weekends? Oh, well next year I will be there at the end. I like bargains.
Hi Frank Fealey – I felt sorry for the farmers right now. It's hard for them to survive, some of their products might not be selling good or some are not selling at all. It's tough life for them. Hopefully they have some other income. Lucky for some that the daughter or son is out of the country working as OFW. At least they can help a bit, sending back money.
It's okay that you misspelled my name.
Now you are relax a bit having a good vacation. 😆 …Wow, what a hard life. 😆 😆
each additional dollar-receiver who moves OUT of the USA to RP or wherever, actually is aggravating the balance-of-payments ledger of the dollar, thus greasing the skids under the slide of the dollar!
But I'm guilty also….