Foreigner Tax Of 150%

[Garpo]

I just wanted to post a short story about what I call the foreigner tax that most of us usually end up paying here in the Philippines and in my opinion is becoming more and more of a problem that those who are planning on visiting or moving to the Philippines should be aware of if they are not already.I took a trip to the barber shop today to get what is left of my hair trimmed. As I was waiting for my turn a Filipino that must have seen me through the window came in and was packing some cookware. He came straight to me and ask me if I would buy some from him. Just to be polite I asked him how much and looked at the items while I was waiting. He told me 1500 peso for the set. Being the wise foreigner that I think I am, I figured that he was asking double the price so I asked him if he would consider 800 peso at which he acted offended and took his stuff and left the shop. While I was getting my haircut my wife came to the shop to meet up with me. After I got done and we were leaving the shop we saw the man waiting outside the shop and I at first thought that maybe he was now willing to sell the cookware at my offered price. To my surprise he looked even more offended and walked off.When I started to tell my wife about him coming into the shop and asking me to buy some of his cookware my wife (Lhaine) asked me how much the man told me the cookware would cost. I told her that he wanted 1500 and I had offered him 800 and he turned me down. Lhaine started to laugh at me and when I asked her what was so funny she told me that she also had been stopped by the man before she came into the shop and that she turned him down also after he offered to sell her the same items for 500 peso, which she felt was to much.Just something to ponder and maybe some other smart foreigners like me can add their stories to this thread.

Edited January 13, 2012 by Garpo

[Dave Hounddriver]

I was disappointed by a certain barbershop. Owned and operated by my wife's relatives, we decided to stop in for a chat. She had her nails done and I got a regular hair cut. At the end she asked how much. They asked double the usual amount, which I paid with a smile. Outside the shop I discussed this with my wife who agreed they had gouged us. We never went back to them but I have noticed that any of her relatives or friends, whenever they do anything for us, seem to expect double what they would get from someone else. Or they ask the same amount per day for a job but take twice as long to do it as anyone else.I want to point out one difference in my perspective. If every barbershop was charging me double what they charged a filipino then I would not mind it near as much as when only certain shops do it. My reason is: when there is a tradition of giving the poor people a lower price I can accept that but when there is no such tradition, only certain people with greed in their eyes, then I despise them.

[gapotwo]

Dont feel bad about being charged extra because your white in a foreign country. Here in Hawaii, we have two prices when making purchases. The local Hawaiian price(kamaaina price) for the local residents ,and (Hauoli price ) for all you rich visitors from the mainland and elsware. Funny that this even happens in an American state . mAHALO EJ. :hystery:

[Mike S]

The long nose tax as some like to call it is usually only charged by those individuals that have a control over their product ..... street vendors .... Filipinos selling personal services like painters.. plumbers ... etc. and just like in the US they can charge what they want ...... and the rich kano is not alone they will do the same thing to rich looking Filipinos ..... most foreigners lets face it are not used to bartering ..... it is a lost art in the states ..... we are just so used to paying the price asked for (unless of coarse it is a used car .... LOL) ...... I have heard my asawa tell a street vendor "ooooh ..... what ... you think I'm rich" with me standing next to her ..... :) ....... in fact when she gets done with them I sometimes feel sorry for them ....... I don't usually deal with local vendors so I have never noticed the problem .... I usually deal with the stores that have prices marked or where I know the merchandise is of fairly good quality ...... (buzz word here is FAIRLY :lol: ) ....... I have heard foreigners complaining that they were ripped of in SM or Ayala but I don't see how and tend to view it as sour grapes ..... just someone discontent with the Phils .....Gee guys seems like the barbers are the biggest culprits ....... glad my asawa cuts my hair ...... what little I have left that is :hystery: ...... but nothing new for me because for the past 15 years I cut my own hair in the US ..... in fact I can't remember the last time I had a hair cut in a barber shop ..... I think it was when they went to $6.00 a hair cut ..... damn ... wonder how long ago that was ...... :mocking:

[Jim Sibbick]

Dont feel bad about being charged extra because your white in a foreign country. Here in Hawaii, we have two prices when making purchases. The local Hawaiian price(kamaaina price) for the local residents ,and (Hauoli price ) for all you rich visitors from the mainland and elsware. Funny that this even happens in an American state . mAHALO EJ. :cheersty:

Well I often hear foreigners moaning about the long nose tax but in my experience it is as you describe.It is not a long nose tax at all, it is a non local tax.Visiting Filipinos get overcharged too.Regards: Jim