FlyAway

Having a few family members in the Police or Military could prove helpful there. But like everything in Philippines, things change from day to day, person to person. Further you get into the provinces, the more interesting stuff you can come across. My wife is from Northern Cotabato, Mindanao.

Here is my current experience with building an apartment setup. My wife's sister has a small lot in Pasay near the airport. She bought rights to it 20 years ago. My mother in law retired a few years ago and spent some of her money on rights to the small lot behind the sisters. When I first saw what was there and the area, lets just say it was not an easy feeling. The taxi driver had the look of fear and uneasiness. This was about 8 years ago. Two years ago we decided to invest a little in the development of the properties. At first I was apprehensive due to the questionable ownership. Long story short, we now have a 10 room apartment building. Each room rents for 6k with the exception of one going at 4k. He collects the rent from the tenants. He is a relative and has been renting / caretaking the original property for the 20 years. Most of the tenants work at the airport. Sister in law interviews all the new tenants and has a lease agreement they sign. Now here is the kicker. No one really needs the rental income being generated. So we are depositing the money into a savings account. Once wife and I's initial investment is paid back, we get to split the rental proceeds. Not going to get rich off it but every little bit helps. About the title and ownership of the lots? Mother in law transferred the rights to my wife, my name is even listed there as well (Of course I know that is just symbolic and has no value there). Last year actual registered titles were awarded by the government for the land. I must be an anomaly. But who knows, it all may go south some day.

Oasis Hotel is sort of off the beaten path. My first stay there was 1985. Was there a few years ago and it is still an excellent place for the price. https://www.oasishotel.com.ph/ Lewis Grand and Savannah are pretty good.

Wife landed in Davao a few hours ago. Her aunt picked her up and they are on there way to Northern Cotabato. Wish I could have gone but had to stay stateside for work. Family asks where I am and miss me. They have no issues with me coming to visit. I would not be worried at all. As usual, know your surroundings.

May be a possibility to tear it apart. Doing an engine swap in it soon. No big deal for me to tear it apart and reassemble.

Guess I have lucked out on this subject. My wife drives all the time both in USA and in Philippines. When she first got here in California my mother paid for a few driving lessons. Before her arrival here, I had sent her a copy of the CA drivers handbook. She passed the written test on the first DMV visit. First time out with the instructor she gets rear ended by a Cadillac Escalade. Thought at first it would traumatize her for life! Thankfully not. After a few months with the permit, she then went on for the DMV driving test. Many of her friends had failed the first, second and even third time at it! Number one thing they said was hope you do not get the Mexican lady. Sure enough, she got the Mexican lady. Still she passed with no major or minor problems. She has been driving now for 10+ years and I am still alive to sit here and type this out. Now how to get the first car I bought her to the Philippines????

5'10" So I am close.

A friend bought a new Toyota Wigo a few years ago. He let me borrow it for a week earlier this year. I was pleasantly surprised by it. Drove it from Angeles to Subic and back. Went to Baguio with it, no problems climbing the hills. Then to Manila. AC worked great along with the build in GPS/Navigation system. This Wigo was automatic to. Your right leg will thank you after driving in Manila traffic for hours at a time! Prices look to be reasonable as well. http://ph.priceprice.com/Toyota-Wigo-9665/ All depends on what you want a vehicle for of course.

Wife and I used Boris Travel for the underground river and Honda bay last year. Booked the flights through Cebu Pacific Air from Manila to Palawaan. Then few days later Palawaan to Cebu. Booked the hotel through Agoda. Boris Travel is an intermediary with groups in Palawaan from what I understand from the tour guides. You could do the Honda bay tour and then the same guide could do the underground river the next day. They will come and pick you up at your hotel. Expect the van to be packed tight. A simple buffet type lunch is included. Basic Filipino food of course. Unless Boris has changed its payment methods, you have to do it via remittance. I paid using LBC here in USA. Was a little concerned about it, but all in all no problems. I would use Boris again.

Wow! It has been a few years. I can still go to Angeles. Was there a few days last January. All about the same as before.

Great way to see the country. We found it to be a fun experience.

How about this for a road trip? I drove about half of this. Brother in law is stationed in Catbalogan. He bought a Toyota Revo so we tagged along for the ride from Kabacan Mindanao and drove it up to Catbalogan Samar.

Nice People's Army. Wife wants to live there. Parents gave us a house and lot in Davao City. Definitely feel much safer there than her home town in Northern Cotabato. Would live there now if it were not for that pesky income/money problem!

Now there is something, Even though he is a Filipino he is here on a Canadian Passport, I wonder if that will make him Tourist with Extensions until he gets his Filipino Passport renewed? I think that without a valid Fil passport, it would appear that he is a Canadian citizen so he needs visa extensions or else he would be an illegal alien. The supervisor at BI showed him a form letter with, I think, one passport main page picture, not sure if it was Fil or Can, and said that he needs that from the Canadian Embassy to show that he is a dual citizen, not just by having 2 passports. My wife has dual citizenship. Has the paper you are referring to. I have her keep both USA and Philippine passports up to date. Last time there in Philippines Immigration asked to see the form and her Philippine passport if we wanted a Balikbayan VISA. She had the form but told them we were leaving after 24 days so no need for the BB stamp. They told her coming in on a USA passport does not prove she is a citizen if she were to overstay. This was our first time back since she got her US Citizenship and US Passport. All their requirements are easy and reasonable.

Interesting system they have. I am curious to hear if CaliforniaKing made it through. A family member of mine here in USA has a felony many years ago. He wants to go with wife and I to visit someday but is afraid of even giving it a try.