In relation to this blog, the thing that people ask me the most is how they can get into a business here. They need to earn money so that they can live here, and they don’t know how to do it. Well, I have made other posts in the past about ideas on how you can make money, but there is something I want to address specifically.
When guys tell me that they have a website that they are operating, or that they have an idea for a website, and they think it can make money for them, inevitably, the most common thing they are going to mention is a dating site, or some kind of site where they will introduce Filipinas to Western men for love and marriage. I have a couple of problems with this kind of business.
First, the biggest problem is that it doesn’t make any money! There are so many of these sites on the net already, and many of them are doing it for free. Maybe they are hoping to draw traffic to their site so they can leverage ad dollars from AdSense or some other advertising campaign on the site. But, as I said, there are hundreds, probably thousands of these sites already, and the odds of making any kind of serious money doing this are very slim.
There is another problem though, and one that you must consider if you are thinking of living here. This kind of site is illegal here in the Philippines. You could end up in jail if you operate this kind of site while living here. If you operate this kind of site and don’t live here, don’t be surprised if you are not allowed into the country when you come to visit.
In 1990, a law was passed here in the Philippines called Republic Act 6955 which is also called the “Anti Mail Order Bride Law”. Because of this law, people operating sites that are used for introductions for dating or marriage are subject to being jailed! Believe me, you don’t want to end up in a Philippine jail!
So, if you are looking for a business here, don’t look the way of an online dating or marriage introduction site! It can get you in a lot of trouble, and probably won’t make you much money!
Bob is right. It's illegal to do mail order/dating services from the Philippines. Bob, thanks for the advice about starting a web development business. I've launched one, with the help of a buddy in the states to help market our service. The Philippines is a great source of talent and skills for such ventures. Web-based businesses are the way to go from the Philippines. But remember, KEEP IT LEGAL. Till next time….
Nice to hear from you, Julius! You've been absent for a few days! Glad to hear that you have your web-venture up and running! I wish you all the success!
my wife wants to buy jeepneys but Im not so sure that is the way to go. My family there work on them already but Im not so sure the profit would be enoght to justify the inventment.
I think Bob offers sound advice. Jails in that part of the world are not nice places. I think he's also right in doing e-commerce, but also in looking into real estate. As long as you are married to someone you trust (and he certainly is), that kind of business makes sense.
I have talked with several people that either wanted to own/buy a bar or wanted to do the dating sites. While I wish them well, I think it is a rough road.
Hi Don – I think you commented about the jeepneys on another post, I did respond to that last week. Maybe you didn't see it? Not to worry, though, in the next couple of days I will make a full post about the jeepney business along with some others.
Hi Tom – Yeah, I got to see a jail cell one time here (thankfully, not from the inside!), and it is not a place I would want to spend any time! You are correct, it seems that everybody wants a dating/marriage website or a bar! Both of those seem to be losers when it comes to making any money too!
Yup, and as near as I can tell, the goal is to actually make money!
Yea, Bob, I've been real busy trying to get the right people for the job. My friend in the states has a personal website project that we're trying to launch. There is a lot involved in trying to make the site look as prefessional as possible in order to attract quality business. Hopefully we'll get it going soon and you can view it for yourself and let me know waht you think of it. I'm slowly making a comeback to contributing posts to your website. As soon as everything stablizes, i'll be regular contributor again. Can't wait to hear about your jeepney blog. I have a couple of comments about it. Till next time….
Hi Bob
What you say about starting a business in The Phills is right. I know many who have tried and many who have failed. To be honest, the best waty to live in The Phills is to have your money before you go. If you manage to get a local business going you will earn only local money, ie, a pittance. It is so hard to trust anyone where money is concerned. You will probably end up broke and broken hearted. I can count on one hand the foreigners I know that have made a success of a business in The Phills. It is sad but unfortunately true.
Keep up the good work
Malcolm
Bob, I have an idea that might work out. Do you know if there is a strong source of math, science and english teachers? Educated teachers that meet western standards to be specific. Ron
Thanks jBob I went back and found it. My wife was not to happy but what you said fit with what I knew after talking to the dealer in Tacloban who sold Jeepneys. The numbers didnt pencil out very good. By the time you pay for the licence for the routes you want and all the help the return was very low compareed to the risk. Also there is almost no warentee on the jeepneys and the road wear and tear and fuel costs would eat one up. Next she will have me asking you about sari-sair stores. That one broke my pencil and me too!
And you don't even address the creepy-factor of such sites…
Hi Julius – Continued good luck!
Hi Malcolm – Don't take me wrong, I am not saying that starting a business in the Philippines is something that can't be done. I have a number of successful businesses here. I am really only talking about the business of these kind of websites right now. To be honest, I make much more money living here than I ever did when I lived in the States. The secret is to not serve the local economy, but rather to leverage the Internet to serve the rest of the world, only doing it from here. Actually, I find it quite easy to make money here.
Hi Ron – Nice to hear from you again. There are a large number of teachers here, so that could be a tough one. We have a tutor who works full time for us. She has a Masters degree in Education, and we pay her P8,000 per month, about $160.
Hi Don – I am sure it was not what your wife wanted to hear, but better to get the news before spending money than after!
Hi Elisa – ha ha… I got your point!
I agree with Bob. Web-based business is the way to go. Leverage is also the key. Don't completely rely on the local economy to support your business. You have to seek out foreign customers but use the local labor. Both sides will appreciate it. I'm still working on building my tour business here in the Philippines, with foreigners as my primary clients. That's the way to go. Even the European resort owners in Boracay and Palawan are aggressively soliciting their own countrymen to come to their resorts. These resort owners know that their foreign guests are willing to pay their price to stay at their places, which is still cheaper than vacationing in Hawaii or the Bahamas. So one has to think on how they can attract foreign currencies to their business while still living in the Philippines. Till next time….
Ron may be talking about working at one of the international schools (or providing teachers for same). There are a couple very large organizations, one is ISS, that do just that. Provide teachers with western qualifications to work at the international schools (to teach the children of diplomats, business people, and more).
As a matter of fact, a teacher from my son's school just went back to the Philippines to work in one of those schools. He had done that for about five years, moved back here for a year, and decided to go back.
Hi Julius – Good thoughts!
Hi Tom – You are right, I didn't consider that Ron may have been talking about teaching at ISS or one of those kinds of places, which can be quite lucrative. Teaching at a regular school or as a tutor would normally not be a big money earner, but ISS, or some of the schools that exclusively server foreigners may be an option, though.