My Basic Experience Of Living In The Phil's

[wombatphil]

Gidday all, hope you're all feelin fine this day...

I've been living on Mactan Island, Cebu, for 9 years this month now so I think I might be able to impart a little info (just a little) of experiences, normal happenings, what to do and such, to some of the newbies or those coming over for long or short stay?... I've also been married to 3 Filipina's and have 8 kids by them, all since 1981, so I've been around things Filipino a while, also worked with 4 different Police units of PNP and NGO police and AFP auxillaries, in my early years here this time. (I left the auxillary units coz of corruption and self serving people stuffing things up, and the PNP units, 1 becoz of indifference to volunteers, and the other coz that unit was purged of all officers except a couple, by H.Q. Manila, for percieved corruption by the actual PNP officers in the unit, and all civilian agents were cast aside as a consequence of that, including me who had not seen anything amiss in the 3.5 years service with them)

Righty-oh...

Got in country in 2003 and took 6 weeks from marriage to become a permanent resident (on 12 months probationary period), at a similar cost it is today (well when I checked a year ago), that is, under P6,000. Would have been more but I had all my medicals and xrays with me, from Australia and so no cost there.

As a permanent resident, one now also has to acquire an I-Card from Immigration at a cost of US$50, however, all those foreigners staying more than 6 months need one also. As a permanent resident leaving the country to visit ur homeland, you will need to pay, at a seperate section at the airport Immigration, about P2,700 exit fee, on top of any other fees all have to pay, otherwise lose your permanent residency status, and come back as a tourist only.

Changing Habits:-

I used to get annoyed when I first arrived and for many months, and after that, for a few years, when something totally stupid was thrust upon you in normal life in the Philippines.

Like the very very often said line anywhere one may go to buy something, "Sorry Sir, out of stock Sir". And, they don't seem to but rarely, care one little bit about your concern, exasperation, annoyance you suffer from that moment. "When will you have stocks in?"... "I don't know sir, there's none on order, etc etc"... When this out of stock is, as it often seems to be, sugar free soft drinks in places like McDonalds, Pizza Hut, Jollibee and other well known places, it is doubly annoying as it slowly dawns upon one after experiencing this all over, that management absolutely sucks in this place and they don't re order stocks until the item actually runs out. Diet drinks I have known to take more than a week to get back online. Cornflakes in supermarkets, sometimes run out and one time it was all over the place and took 8 months to get back on the shelves. Lots of other stuff suddenly becomes unavailable...

But the purpose of actually putting this stuff here, is to underline that it doesn't matter a bugger, just don't get upset, angry, vocal etc coz it changes absolutely nothing at all, the employee (who doesn't care coz more often than not, is on a 6 month contract, and then put off, so the owners don't have to pay benifits) and/or manager will certainly have no control over this (owners rule here and don't trust the staff) and you will just point yourself out to them and all within earshot, that you are a total dick%ead, coz, this is how it is in the Philippines, so put up with it quietly. Long lines where it is not unusual but fairly normal, to wait 15 or more minutes to be next in line. Banks can be 30 minutes at times, and some ATM'S. Supermarkets etc the same. If a Govt. Department, stand by to wait several hours waiting for your turn, true... Don't get upset, just wait patiently and if you have little patience before you get here, you will learn within a few months+ that it does zero good to get visibly impatient and annoyed at all. As for me, for some years I have just laughed out loud, a genuine laugh coz I'm not annoyed at all really but I now (not before) find it quite comical that the incompetence in service and goods here, continues unabated.

But to be fair all round, most of the time it's ok here, not too bad and you will enjoy your shopping, even the odd visit to a Govt Dept may not be too hard. But the problem above does happen, and a lot more than where I'm from, where it is not at all common.

So, if you see an item at the hardware, tool shop, department store or similar, and you think to yourself, "I could use that in a few months" or "soon" and etc, "I'll get that later"... LATER will almost certainly be too late as the item will no longer be available, and they will not be getting anymore is also common. So saying, if you see something now, for later, BUY IT NOW, coz later it will not be there unless you're real lucky...

This is turning into a novel (usual for me, sorry) so I will stop now but maybe I've helped some folks start to understand a little bit about some facets of "how things are" here... Ooroo folks, have a good one hey...

Edited September 5, 2012 by Dave Hounddriver

[dean01]

Phil good to see you post here, yes you need to learn patients, you also need to buy up on things you need or like, or accept they do not exist.

[Bundy]

Yeah Phil i hear ya. Let me relate my situation to you. We were married some 9 years ago and Mrs Bundy came to Australia.We have spent time here every year since but the bulk of our time has been in Australia working.We are living here now.

Mrs Bundy has become used to the service and pace of life in Oz and it's her and not me that has all the problems here!

I'm pretty laid back and it doesn't really bother me if i have to wait for things............i got nuthin else to do so why get uptight? Now the missus on the other hand is having trouble "slowing down" again.Just the other day in Gaisano we're standing in a line at the checkouts while the girl on the register seemed to be in some kinda trance "daydreaming"..............well the missus goes straight up to her and says "Excuse me, do you work here?" :hystery: :hystery: :hystery:

Fairdinkum mate, sometimes i gotta run and hide before she gets me in trouble!

About the visa and residence thing, we are on Balikbayan stamp status and as far as we are aware we can remain in the country for up to 12 months and do not need to get an I-Card. We intend making a short trip somewhere every year.

[Americano]

"Excuse me do you work here?" Good for her. If all customers did that service would greatly improve.

I know a man who went to a Gaisano to buy ice cream. The cashier took so long talking to other people and doing other things that the ice cream melted. He finally threw the ice cream into a basket and walked out. His actions didn't change anything but if everyone did the same they would change.

[wombatphil]

"Excuse me do you work here?" Good for her. If all customers did that service would greatly improve.

I know a man who went to a Gaisano to buy ice cream. The cashier took so long talking to other people and doing other things that the ice cream melted. He finally threw the ice cream into a basket and walked out. His actions didn't change anything but if everyone did the same they would change.

Yeah, maybe so? But we're all different with different reactions and while I myself may have done that some time ago, to make a point, the point you actually make, IMO, by these actions or words or whatever, just points out to the ordinary folk here that "there is something wrong with that foringer!!!" So if we all did it, then I guess all foreigners would be regarded in a far lesser light... Not having an arguement with you, just my slant on the subject I guess.

Edited September 5, 2012 by Dave Hounddriver

[Americano]

When said if we all did it, I meant everyone, foreigner and Filipino. Of course if only foreigners did it it wouldn't have any effect on service. The employee wouldn't even understand why the foreigner was upset. It takes their own kind to explain to them what the problem is and why its not acceptable.

[wombatphil]

When said if we all did it, I meant everyone, foreigner and Filipino. Of course if only foreigners did it it wouldn't have any effect on service. The employee wouldn't even understand why the foreigner was upset. It takes their own kind to explain to them what the problem is and why its not acceptable.

It's ok. The half ass was meant as a representation of me...

Edited September 5, 2012 by Dave Hounddriver

[tiger31]

Me being a nosey bugger i asked one of the checkout girls how much she was paid ,her reply was 210 pesos daily .so its hardly surprising the caliber of emplyees they have at the tills .now i worked her salarly out for the benifit of our fellow brits that is 3 pounds and 18p A DAY .that would,nt even buy a big mac meal in the uk .the thing is philippino,s do not complain anything like in the west about services its just the way they are it,ll never change .

[i am bob]

For some people it's hard to adjust to a "slower" way of life... I've been to places in this world where 30 minutes in line at a shop is fast!

:tiphat:

[Adventurer]

good post wombat, I enjoy these type of threads where people can have a chat about everyday life here as it is and not sugar coated while still respecting the people here. I enjoyed our chat today and the visit too.

Today when i went immigration and found it was closed, I did not get upset but simply got back in the taxi and said to my wife "welcome to the Philippines with a smile and off we went to come back another day.. ;) And as you know we decided to head out to Mactan and buy a guitar and visit you as well so we turned a negative into a positive and we had a great day. I picked up a nice guitar and I'm very happy with it, we have lots of photos and videos to upload to our blogs and websites later as well...

always keep smiling here and enjoy the place for what it is, the good things far out number the annoying little things.