Welcome to the blog!
Philippine Travel Ramblings and Observations
Planes, trains well sort of, buses, taxis, ferry, tricycles, motorcycle, jeepney, and private car, I got to sample it all. In our family I am the OFW, so to speak since I am only there during my vacation time. However, due to hip revision surgery in April, I was able to spend the month of May in the Philippines instead of the usual shorter time. I combined business appointments with pleasure travel and time with…
Read Article
Goodbye, Philippines
Our Move is quickly approaching We will miss the Philippines So, as I told you a couple of months ago, Feyma and I are moving back to the USA. We have settled on living in Logansport, Indiana. I thought I’d post more today about the pending move, when it is going to happen, what I am going to do there and other such loose ends. I am basing the topics that will be included in…
Read Article
The night before Christmas in Davao
There is a poem that is quite famous, called “A Visit from Saint Nicholas” although these days, it is more commonly known as “The Night before Christmas.” It was written by Clement Clarke Moore. Although the original date that it was written is unknown, it was first published in 1823 by the Troy, New York Sentinel. The original publication did not credit an author, it was anonymous, however Moore was later credited with having authored…
Read Article
Membership Shopping Philippines
Membership Shopping in the Philippines More players are coming online Membership shopping is coming of age in the Philippines. There have been membership shopping stores in the Philippines for years. However, in recent years the membership shopping scene is getting new players and better competition. I find that membership shopping stores offer a lot of items that are not otherwise available. I also find the prices for membership shopping in the Philippines to be very…
Read Article
Balikbayan Box: Everything you need to know
Shipping things to the Philippines? You need to learn about the Balikbayan Box! Do you have items that you want or need to ship to the Philippines? The least expensive way to do it is via the Balikbayan Box. It is not the fastest way, but it is the cheapest, by far. What is a Balikbayan Box? I have mentioned “Balikbayan Boxes” many times on this site. The other day, I got a note from…
Read Article
Internet in the Philippines
How is the Internet in the Philippines? My Experience over 2 Decades in Country Internet in the Philippines. Over my years of living in the Philippines, one of the most discussed (mostly negative) topics among expats. It is also a largely negative discussion among Filipinos. Now, I am moving back to the States soon, so today, I have decided to go back through the archives of the site, look at my experience with internet in the…
Read Article
Philippine Dual Citizenship: Complete Guide
Philippine Dual Citizenship The process we followed I intend this article to be a complete guide to Philippine Dual Citizenship. Everything from thinking about it to going through the process. This article is a compilation of our Philippine Dual Citizenship experiences and thoughts over the years. You have to read the entire article to get the full scoop. Feyma (and our kids) are dual citizens now, but in the beginning thought they would not go…
Read Article
Quality of Health Care in the Philippines
My friends and family back in the USA have asked me several times to return to the USA due to my age and health care here. I worked in hospitals for 35 years on the West Coast of USA and was a patient in several hospitals over my 71 years to date. In the hospital as a patient in 6 of them in California and Maryland state with things ranging from broken bones to cancer…
Read Article
Money, Money everywhere, and not one Centavo to Spent
Blahdity, blah blah, how much money do you need to live in the Philippines and how much reserve do you need in savings? I have seen this subject written about on the internet ad nauseum. And I cannot answer this question for you, because “I’m Not You!” You will need as much money as “You” need for a lifestyle that you can afford. I didn’t say want, I said to afford. Nothing more, nothing less…
Read Article
Renting in the Philippines
Buying or Renting in the Philippines? Why I think it is better to rent Should you be renting in the Philippines? Sometime in the past, I published an article here about renting a place to live. Almost immediately after the article was published, a number of people questioned why I would be renting in the Philippines instead of buying a property. Jim Cunningham put it in a non-confrontational way, simply wondering why I would choose to…
Read Article
It’s About Time!
Well, dear readers, the title says it all. It truly is about time – and not just the “about time you submitted another article, Sir Paul”! Time has certainly passed by rather quickly since I last put the finger to keyboard here. So very much has happened during my hiatus, too, but I’m sure you either have guessed that or know that for certain. I won’t bore you with anecdotes and details of recent history. …
Read Article
Philippine Real Estate Primer
It is the #1 Question of Foreigners Can I own Land in the Philippines? Philippine Real Estate, it is a prime topic of foreigner conversation. In this article, we will address the hottest topic out there in terms of foreigners living in the Philippines. The ownership of real estate here. Let’s have a look at ownership of Philippine Real Estate. In short, you cannot own land in the Philippines unless you are a natural-born Filipino…
Read Article