Who lives in Tagum City (DavNor)?

[Michael Perez]

LTE and DSL from Smart, Globe and PLDT, PLDT Fibre in very limited areas.  If you want Fibre, I would *strongly* suggest consulting with PDLT when looking for a place to make sure it's available. 

4G/LTE coverage from Smart and Globe is fairly widespread, but actual internet data throughput can still be quite poor, in my experience.  Then again, I'm in a purok a ways away from the city center.  It might be better closer in.

One cautionary tale...

When I picked a new place a few months back, I noticed a PDLT Fibre router show up on the wifi list and foolishly assumed that this meant there was Fibre so I could get a connection.  I work on the internet, so decent up and down bandwidth is important to me.

Well, after we already moved in and set up, we went to PLDT to actually apply for the connection.  We were then informed that all of the Fibre connections available on our block were in use and new Fibre would not be run until next year...

I had to go on a waiting list to either wait for the new fibre or to be informed if any of my neighbours cancelled their service and freed up a connection.  In the meanwhile, I was stuck with DSL that was not nearly fast enough for me to work, resulting in a couple of months of lost work.

I got lucky and scored a connection after a few months, but that was a fluke.

So, if you need what passes for fast internet in the Philippines here in Tagum City, coordinate your search for housing carefully with PLDT and make sure that any potential places you're interested in have availability for a Fibre connection.  My wallet wishes someone would have given me that advice a few months back. :D

Hope that helps.

[Dr. Shiva]

Found a quite well equipped fitness center in Tagum.

[i am bob]

Tagum is a good place to live if you are looking for lower costs than Davao.  The market is clean and well run - and I believe city hall keeps a good eye on it.  Yes, there are gyms there also.  Things like this you need to price when you are ready to join as prices change. Often!  Tricycles are everywhere and costs by how far you are going and how many in your group.  Many will charge you much higher until you show that you know the rates.  Internet is frustrating as described above.  Actually, everything else is online.  Try Google and see what they say there.

And no, I don't live in Tagum...  I was going to but then I met my asawa and moved the other way from Davao.

[Dave Hounddriver]

42 minutes ago, i am bob said:

Tagum is a good place to live if you are looking for lower costs than Davao.

No one seems to be mentioning the girls.   Are they cute and foreigner friendly, or covered with burkas and will not look at or talk to a foreigner?

Also, no one seems to be mentioning pro or anti foreigner sentiment among the local "groups".  When foreigners think of Mindanao they should keep an ear towards whatever extremist groups are in that area.  What say you about that aspect?

[Michael Perez]

I think you're thinking of another part of Mindanao. 

[Gratefuled]

My wife's brother has a farm there in Tagum. The only bad thing I have heard about Tagum is that when it rains, a lot of it gets flooded. So, begin by being careful where you locate yourself. 

Good Luck

[Michael Perez]

To elaborate, folks here are, by and large, Catholic.  There's a very small and what seems to be a fairly well-integrated Muslim minority. It is *very* unusual to see women in hijabs, let alone anything more elaborate.  They are unusual enough that they stick out in my attention on the rare occasion I spot them at the mall or similar.

As an old married guy, I'm not into the nightlife, but night markets aside, it's fairly quiet here.  So I don't suspect that there's much of a 'bar girl' scene.

I tend to go out with my wife, but in social gatherings (or even occasionally at the mall), I'm constantly asked by Filipinas here if I have brothers, cousins or Kano friends I can set them up with.

There's also just a little stink eye and 'Hey Joe!' here and there, but nothing out of proportion, in my experience.

Your mileage can and may well vary.

[Michael Perez]

And yeah, if you're going to buy property or even if you rent, learn where the flood plains are and avoid them.

I'd also say that English is a little more optional out here towards the provinces, so learning some Visayan is a good idea for talking to locals about things like flooding and other relevant chismis. .

[Jollygoodfellow]

42 minutes ago, Michael Perez said:

And yeah, if you're going to buy property or even if you rent, learn where the flood plains are and avoid them.

I'd also say that English is a little more optional out here towards the provinces, so learning some Visayan is a good idea for talking to locals about things like flooding and other relevant chismis. .

Best to quote who you are replying too. Makes it easier to follow the thread. If you only want to quote part of a post just highlight the text with your cursor and it will say quote this. 

[Michael Perez]

17 minutes ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

Best to quote who you are replying too.

Will do.