I get a lot of questions via e-mail from people who read this blog. The other day, I got a letter from a reader who had about 20 questions to ask! I sent him a response via e-mail, but I figure that if he is wondering these things, others are too, so I will be answering some of the questions here on the blog too.
One of the questions that he asked me is how I get around. He said that he wondered if I owned a car, took public transportation, or what.
Well… I own my own vehicle. I have a 2000 model Mitsubishi Adventure, which is a small SUV type vehicle.
I paid about $15,000 for this vehicle when I bought it brand new! I consider that to be a bargain, I would guess that a similar vehicle would run almost double that price in the USA. My Adventure runs on Gasoline (most vehicles here are diesel), and has a 5 speed manual transmission. Vehicles with automatic transmissions are sort of rare here, although they can be ordered. Gas here is around P42 per liter. That’s more than $3 per gallon, which is higher than back in the USA.
With a US (or other country) driver’s license, you can drive here for 90 days after your arrival. If you have been here for over 90 days, you will need to go to the LTO (Land Transportation Office) and get a Philippine Driver’s License. Not hard to get, nothing to worry about. To get your Philippine DL you will need to pay maybe around P400 or so, maybe a little less – it’s been a while since I had to renew. You also must pass a drug test as well. It’s all pretty simple to do.
I have about 101,000 Kilometers on my Adventure, and it’s still going strong. I’ve had it for over 7 years, and I have no doubt that it will be serving me well in another 5 years.
Hi Bob
Here you're talking about driving around… I would like to know if my driver licence is valid in the Philippines, is there a way to know?
Thanx for this site again…
Hi Patrice – Yes, your foreign drivers license is good in the Philippines for the first 90 days after you enter the country. After 90 days you must have a Philippine drivers license, which is quite easy to obtain.
Hi Bob,
I would like to bring my Chryler town and country van with customized seat for my handicapped son–is this worthwhile? Thanks-Johnny
Hi Johnny – It is legal to bring in a car. However, the import tax is 100% of the new value of the vehicle. So, for instance, if the van costs $40,000 after being all customized (brand new), then you must pay the Philippine customs $40,000 to bring it in. It will be cheaper to buy a new vehicle here and have it customized for your son's needs.
I agree with Bob. I knew people who brought vehicles into this country and end up having to leave them at the port. There's no way they're going to pay a 100% tariff on it. It is much cheaper to buy the vehicle here, including the availability of parts and inexpensive service. For mysef, I never buy new, unless I'm paying cash for the vehicle. The interest alone is pretty high. Also, because of the Philippine road system (potholes everywhere) and the tropical climate (susceptible to condensation and rusting), is another reason not to buy new. I owned a 1998 Kia van. Other than the minor wear and tear, the van has served my family and I well. The mechanic fee is outrageously low here compare to the states, and the parts are available just about anywhere. So it is "much cheaper to keep her" . Plus, if you own a used vehicle, you're not worried about getting into a slight fender-bender on the road. I don't know what it is. But new vehicles seem like attractive targets for the notorious Philippine drivers. It's very common to find new vehicles with scratches and dents after only being on the road for a few months. My used KiA van has many scratches and dents, too. But I don't break a sweat over it. Till next time….
Good thoughts, Julius!
When i moved here I bought one of those Honda Wave 125 Motorbikes. i dont regret it a bit unless it starts raining when i'm driving(hehe). it's a good ride to have along with your regular vehicle. especially where there is traffic. in a car you cant cut through traffic but on a motor you could shave 20 minutes off your trip. just be sure to wear a helmet always and as bob said ALWAYS YIELD TO THE BIGGER VEHICLE. Maintenance is dirt cheap, such as to replace a tire is about $10 to change your oil about $3 and a full thank of gas cost about $2.50 and can take you up to 200KM away without running out of gas. i dont wanna be a promoting anytone but buy honda they have the best warranty and best over all quality for the bike. the price is good too about $1,000 USD for a brand new. Yamaha and Kawasaki have good motors too but you'll pay about $600USD more for the same quality as a honda.
I agree, Alan. Riding a motorcycle is the quickest and cheapest way to get around in the Philippines-if you don't mind breathing all the exhaust smoke from the other vehicles. I also think it's safer to ride a motorcycle in the Philippines than in the United States. That last sentence may raise some eyebrows among the readers but–in my humble opinion–is true. My wife was involved in a car accident in the United States 7 years ago. The motorcycle that broadsided her car was killed instantly. I can only attribute his death to one reason–SPEED. If he wasn't speeding, he'd still be alive today.
Because of the clearer roads in the United States, where the fastest speed is 70 MPH, most drivers will find an excuse to exceed that. And at that speed, full control of the vehicle you're driving is diminished. So when someone is in an accident, the injury is usually more serious or fatal.
When I drove a tractor-trailer for a brief time on one of my previous jobs in Florida, the first word out of the mouth of my co-driver/instructor was "Speed Kills". Those two words has stuck in my mind ever since, especially when I'm on the road as a driver or a passenger.
The roads in the Philippines, with the exception of highways and open roads are usually congested, and vehicles are forced to slow down. So if any vehicles–or persons aboard–are involved in an accident, the vehicles are not seriously damaged and the people are almost never seriously injured or die. I know it's hard to mentally swallow the thought, but I've seen many fender-benders on the roads here and only one serious accident–with no fatality. I'm not saying no one dies on the roads in the Philippines. Most of our serious and fatal accidents are caused by larger vehicles like trucks and buses, where the drivers are alway in hurry to get to where they're going because they work off the percentage of their loads. These drivers are usually the culprits of most major road accidents. But to the average drivers–unless they've watched too many Bugs Bunny cartoons when they're young and their favorite character is Speedy Gonzalez–are normal and safe driver (to Philippines standards) and manage to avoid accidents or, if involved, walk away from it with minor injuries. In most cases, they're alive. Till next time….
Hi Alan and Julius – Interesting! Personally, I would not consider riding a motorcycle on the busy streets in the Philippines. Out on an open highway, I would do it, though.
I agree with Julius, that there are a lot fewer serious accidents here. The traffic and roads are such that one can't really drive very fast, and many of the people who drink have drivers who are sober to get them home. There are some stretches of highway that are very dangerous, however, such as the section between Malaybaly and Valencia in Bukidnon. It is a bumpy, narrow road with a lot of vehicles; huge buses, farm tractors, tricycles, cargo motorcycles and mororcycles carrying 3-6 people, cane trucks and private vehicles in a hurry. We have seen some very bad accidents there.
We drove a used, 1981, Toyota Tamaraw for 14 years and had two body replacements done on it (the second one to make it a uni-body). It served us well and could haul a lot of people and stuff. Four years ago we bought a NEW Toyota Revo and have been grateful every time we get into it to go anywhere! Maintainance at the Toyota dealer has been reasonable and hassle free, and we have had no trouble with the car whatsoever. It has been a real relief not to be maintaning an older car.
Useful post, Bob. bringing a car is always abig issue for Americans … we are almost married to the darn things. In actuality the import "damage" can be even a little higher thna 100%, and there are restrictions on age and engine size as well. There are many "American" cars on the road here, particularly the Ford Ranger and Explorer series … for those buyers who wish to drive them as a status symbol. Parts and mnaintenace, though is a big issue even if you find a way to import a car economically. Cars made for export to countries other thna the US, wether Ford, Toyota or anyone else, are _not_ the same as the same model car made for the US. Expensive componest e.g. anti-lock brake controllers, engine control computers are not the same and, of course, impossible to "field repair", impossible to find tech data on … and will not be touched by franchised dealers of that bramd in most cases. It is not a good idea. For things such as a wheelchair lift … bring pictures. You can have something built for a small fraction of the cost.
For anyone with "special needs", there is another whole area of life to consider in the move/don't move equation. There is no ADA here and virtually no trend toward accommodating special needs in any way … here I go being negative again but the facts of life are even the simplest supplies/accommodations aren't readily available.
Hi AmericanLola – Yep, we are all in agreement, I think! I have found vehicles here to be pretty durable too! I remember in the States, every 5 or 6 years most people would replace their vehicle. Here, people go a lot longer. My Adventure is 7 years old now, and it is still in great shape, and running good. I figure I'll drive it for another 5 years or so if it keeps going good. After that I'll buy something new, maybe.
Hi Dave Starr – Yeah, for me, bringing a car over is not even an option to be considered. It's riddled with problems!
One more comment on cars. We have a coworker who loves his Ford pick-up, but I doubt he will buy another one because it takes at least three weeks to get parts! The parts are in country, but in a bodega in Manila. He works in the mountains so his truck gets rough use, and he was hit by a jeepney recently and was without a vehicle for a month. We have not found the same to be true of Toyota parts. If they need to order a part, is is a couple days, not weeks.
Some people we know who do a lot of driving have a motorcycle for running around town, since they are faster and more economical, and a car for out of town trips. Zipping to the Post Office is a lot nicer than DRIVING to the Post Office, if you know what I mean! 🙂
Hi AmericanLola – Like with your Toyota, parts have always been readily available for our Mitsubishi. Good service and cheap service too!
I own a Suzuki 150cc bike that's being converted to have a sidecar. it's actually an inherited item from a friend who was fed up with life over here and went back to the states. Since I can't balance a bike while driving it I have the sidecar. I can ride it in the residential areas but not on highways… so that covers pretty much all of downtown davao.
Hi Louis – One of these days, I have to see that Suzuki! I can just see you tooling around Davao City on the thing! 😎
Labor is cheap in the Philippines. I usually buy used from a friend who buy and sell used cars from Foreign diplomats and executives of Foreign banks (they are allowed to bring their private vehicles and sell them when transferred). There are a few dealers in Manila and Quezon City. I like toyotas because parts are easy and services are available in most places. For travel in Luzon I just hire a driver ($10-$15/day). In Davao, I usually take a cab during the day. At night I'll arrange for someone to drop off and pick me up. This prevents any legal hold problems in case of accidents. For Davao I'm thinking of purchasing a Multicab (Suzuki). It is very versatile and perfect for exploring Samal Island.
Hi Bob. On my last trip there I had the pleasure of driving and I do mean pleasure. I read so much about taxis, jeepneys, etc but having ones own vehicle is the best option for me. I will tell you though that you need to return to the U.S. to appreciate 3.00 dollars per gallon. The norm on the coastal areas of the U.S. are higher than 3.00 dollars per gallon. Here in Missouri its 3.09 today. Ron
Hi Bobby – Yes, Multicabs are versatile and cheap! About $3,000 for a brand new one with 4wd even!
Hi Ron – Gas now here is about $3.70 per gallon. It's P42 per liter, and with the dollar continuing to dip, that puts it at $3.68 and rising for a gallon.
Hi Bob
Just a quick comment about the price of Gas or "Petrol" as we call in in UK, you might be interested to know that our Gas here costs 98 pesos a litre! So we Brits find it cheap when we come to The Philippines!
Malcolm
Hi Malcolm – Yeah, I know that in Europe you guys have been paying sky high fuel prices for years and years! Europeans are taxed to death! ha ha…. 😉
you know Bob one of these days I'd like to see it also, but Ejing is still converting it. I keep telling myself to just be patient it's the Philippines.
That's the right attitude, Louis! Any other attitude won't bother anybody but yourself! 😀
One note on Multicabs. If you have long legs, don't get one. They are nice little vehicles, but the cabs have fixed-distance seats. In other words, you cannot move the seat back at all, it is right up against the back of the cab. A friend of ours had pretty much decieded to get one, but our mechanic told him he'd really better drive one a bit first. He found himself driving with the steering wheel right between his bent knees, and ended up getting an Isuzu truck instead!
Hi AmericanLola – A second note about Multicabs too… if you are a big guy like me, don't get one, because you won't fit behind the steering wheel! 😀
Hi Bob – I found the exchanges in this post very informative and helpful. Just what I wanted when I asked your advice last week about cars.
Hi Marilou – I'm glad that it helped! 🙂
Hi Bob,
I dont understand why anyone would want to bring a vehicle into the phils. I mean, you have every manufacturer there that you could want, and the prices are good too. I think, if you get an adventure, or a pajero, or a pickup truck, you will be pleased with the performance. By the way, have you seen the second hand prices of the nissan cefiro? Now that is a nice car, well I think so anyway.
As for me, well, I dont know what I'll be driving, when I'm over there. Hey Bob, by your, and Louis's photo, I guess you guys are around 6 feet like me, how do you go on for legroom? and head room ?
Multicabs, are for the Filipino's really, they are very cramped.
What about the "owner jeeps"? I think theyre great.
Ian
Hi:
A couple of years ago,I was visiting Davao from GenSan and saw a dealership that sells LandRovers [classic kind usd by the army or safaris] while my friend was driving.Do you know the name of a dealer OR do you have a rough idea of what the cost may be? Thanks in advance…….teddy
Hi Teddy – I see a few land rovers on the road here, but I don't know of any local dealer. Also, don't know the price, although I believe that they are expensive.
Salamat po.
so Bob your saying … my 1970 `cuda has a import tax of $4500.00 ? even though the acv is like $150.000.00 US ? hmmmm interesting 😉
Hi tommy – I don't make the laws, I just write about them! 😀