# Teaching English Online or Abroad Somewhere



## jdavis10 (Oct 1, 2012)

I want to stay in Philippines and be able to work, but part of me also wants to help children in a classroom and earn physically with doing my work. I can survive working online here in Philippines with 30-40-50k a month but piece of me tells me I need to work outside and earn more to save for family and continue that as I get older. I think sitting around a computer always will get tiring as I get older. If I could manage in hotel or small restaraunt to keep busy I would enjoy that I think. However it is illegal so every option to work here is a constant struggle. I think being outside the house more I would enjoy that. Place like Subic or Davao. Does anyone have a suggestion I could do to enjoy some job outside the house? I would appreciate any ideas you might have. Just thinking alot.


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

This is not a foreign worker friendly country as even the Govt here has the "me first" attitude and the laws to back it up. For any foreigner to work here has almost insurmountable obstacles to be cleared. That is why most of us expats are old & retired as we have Social Security, a Pension, or both in order to live here.

Sorry I can't be more encouraging but that seems to be the facts of life here. Perhaps things may change a bit in the future as Duterte says he wants to make the Phils more foreign friendly.

Fred


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## simonsays (Feb 11, 2009)

fmartin_gila said:


> This is not a foreign worker friendly country as even the Govt here has the "me first" attitude and the laws to back it up. For any foreigner to work here has almost insurmountable obstacles to be cleared.


+1 

The Locals first and always include investors who bring in millions of $, even their representatives need to get their names and details published in newspaper before a pass issued.

If you do online work and keep quite about it - i.e. keep your room locked at all time and don't even tell your relatives - you may do ok. A few expats calling themselves Digital Nomads do work out of PH. But, never ever engage any local and let them know you are workig without a pass - it will be your end.

In fact, a few 'volunteer teachers' and such were deported for depriving the locals of jobs - all of that you can surmount if you change your passport to Philippine Passport - they can't deport you 

And / or a dual citizen - you are automatically entitled to commit crimes and break laws if you have a PH passport.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

simonsays said:


> +1
> 
> The Locals first and always include investors who bring in millions of $, even their representatives need to get their names and details published in newspaper before a pass issued.
> 
> ...


If you are on a residents visa working from home would be no problem, just start your business with your wife then there will be no restrictions on what you do. As for teaching in a class, it's hard work for about 15k per month.


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## jdavis10 (Oct 1, 2012)

Working online is not against the law in the PH.... Lot of companies hire this way especially for teaching english which is a good business platform here in PH and in SE ASIA. (RAREJOB, UNHOOP, Couple Others). If it is a local job I am traveling too yes that is illegal. On the internet however is not taking any pinoy jobs so it does not cause a problem with the law. Thats the truth. I been living in PH 3 yrs.


My question is what would yall prefer to do... Work in a classroom in China or Vietnam? or teach english on the computer. If I stay working online I would like an office environment with a chair and stuff. Currently I am only renting a room






simonsays said:


> +1
> 
> The Locals first and always include investors who bring in millions of $, even their representatives need to get their names and details published in newspaper before a pass issued.
> 
> ...


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

jdavis10 said:


> Working online is not against the law in the PH....


So why are the government offering rewards to citizens that inform on foreigners who are running internet businesses that are not registered.


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## Dameon34 (Apr 29, 2014)

Gary D said:


> So why are the government offering rewards to citizens that inform on foreigners who are running internet businesses that are not registered.


Wow, news to me, could you post a link on this, or provide more information please, as I am considering a digital nomad life, and basing myself in the Philippines. 

Asked this in another thread, no real response, how do all the foreigner bar managers work their visa status ? Work illegally and hope for the best ? Was offered a job as manager in a hotel on my last trip, and may do it down the line, just wondering how others swing it. 

Getting a legal work permit. I frequently saw in the Philippine Star business section, lists from Philippine Immigration of foreigners, name, company, nationality , job description, for people and companies applying to get work permits in the Philippines. Covered all areas, from customer service to advanced technical fields. Any thoughts on this ? 

Cheers!


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

Dameon34 said:


> Wow, news to me, could you post a link on this, or provide more information please, as I am considering a digital nomad life, and basing myself in the Philippines.
> 
> Asked this in another thread, no real response, how do all the foreigner bar managers work their visa status ? Work illegally and hope for the best ? Was offered a job as manager in a hotel on my last trip, and may do it down the line, just wondering how others swing it.
> 
> ...


There was an article in a Philippine news paper a few weeks back and as it didn't apply to me I didn't think to keep a link. I would suggest that most if not all foreign bar owners are married to filipinas so technically they own the business, the filipina that is. Again if you are married to a filipina being a digital nomad is no problem as she will own the company. The one's that are not just keep below the radar, it is best if all of your incame is made abroad, it's when you start making money in country that the problems ramp up. From what I recall of this article the government was setting up a scheme similar to the one for grassing up overstayers for a reward, so it only will take a greedy suspicious neighbour to cause massive grief.

One word of advice about work permits. It is employer that sources it and they can be expensive and time consuming. It's not uncommon for an employer to string along a foreign worker who only finds out just as they are deported.


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## Dameon34 (Apr 29, 2014)

Thanks Gary D. Yes, I remember seeing here a picture of a reward poster for people snitching out foreigners who overstayed their visas. Serious motivation for someone to turn your world upside down if you don't have all the i's dotted and t's crossed. 

In intial planning phase of things, thanks for the info ! 

Cheers !


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## simonsays (Feb 11, 2009)

jdavis10 said:


> On the internet however is not taking any pinoy jobs so it does not cause a problem with the law. Thats the truth. I been living in PH 3 yrs.


No offense to you or any filipino who may be snooping here, you really believe that part about "not taking any pinoy job" ?????



Gary D said:


> So why are the government offering rewards to citizens that inform on foreigners who are running internet businesses that are not registered.


+1 If a local does it, everything is legal. if a foreigner does it, automatically there is trial by media and the minor details get twisted and soon your internet business will be branded as internet racketeering, scamming .. I may go on and on .. 



Dameon34 said:


> Asked this in another thread, no real response, how do all the foreigner bar managers work their visa status ? Work illegally and hope for the best ? Was offered a job as manager in a hotel on my last trip, and may do it down the line, just wondering how others swing it.


Many foreign bar managers ? in AC Alone, I know quite a few who are in the grey area, and paying off the cops. And one guy is not even in possession of a passport - guys who I would not even wanna touch with a barge pole. As for offers of jobs, well, a lot of people offer jobs, After all, this is Philippines. I would take those offers with a bucket full of salt, unless it's a large company. Don't mistake me, the GMs and such of Shangri La, Marriot and such were / are foreigners. But then those establishments are owned or backed by one of the 10 richest folks in the country. Yep, the 10 or so guys who control everything. For lesser mortals, it's a pipe dream - but making empty promises don't cost !



Dameon34 said:


> Getting a legal work permit. I frequently saw in the Philippine Star business section, lists from Philippine Immigration of foreigners, name, company, nationality , job description, for people and companies applying to get work permits in the Philippines. Covered all areas, from customer service to advanced technical fields. Any thoughts on this ?
> 
> Cheers!


I know a few companies who bring in foreigners, but these are companies with a lot of investment $ and have greased the right palms, the paper publication is just a formality for a foregone conclusion - i.e. AEP is approved already.



Dameon34 said:


> Thanks Gary D. Yes, I remember seeing here a picture of a reward poster for people snitching out foreigners who overstayed their visas. Serious motivation for someone to turn your world upside down if you don't have all the i's dotted and t's crossed.
> 
> In intial planning phase of things, thanks for the info !
> 
> Cheers !


in fact, if you are married to the wrong crowd, things can turn tipsy turvy very fast. 

Recently a foreigner who found a meth lab behind his house tipped off the cops and the cops were very quick to inform the culprits where the tip came from - all in the name of 'fair justice - Philippine style - where criminals need to know who tipped the cops etc. Fair enough, and in a weeks time, on an unrelated charge the tipster was hauled to courts and kicked out.

PS, here you go : BI LAUNCHES â€œSA IMMIGRATION MAGSUMBONGâ€� REWARD AND INCENTIVE PROGRAM

And likewise, DOLE too has a reward system. The issue is, once you evoke the interest of the leeches, it will be hard to get rid of them. They gonna keep coming. And google the guy Alfred Lehnert - and watch his videos- it will be eye opening.

You can work, do stuff, but don't let even your cat know you are making money while in PH. You never know who your cat's gonna tell.

PS: Re: the reward scheme, there is no penalty or punishment to the guys who tip off guys to seek vegeance or just out of idle curiosity - that information is kept confidential !! You and me, as foreigner are not privy to the false informant's details.


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## simonsays (Feb 11, 2009)

PS, not fear mongering, a guy who picked on a local strong man in the area in Cebu soon found his house raided by Anti Human Trafficking squad. His maid was taken into care for being under age (yes, a 30 year old girl was found to be under age .. ) and more drama and all went to the TV and online media. And don't forget is personal space violation, computer and all confiscated .. 

After a week or so the cops said they are not going to prosecute him - and In the mean time the guy was told he is free to go, flew overseas and when he came back, he was denied entry in Manila, as his name is on a immigration black list- even though he doesn't have any pending case against him.

Belatedly he found out, if you have a case against you, and you are a foreigner, your name gets added to the black list. Even if the case gets dismissed, you need to get a lawyer, spend money, to have your name removed- fail to do it- bye bye Philippines.

There are a lot of weird laws, which won't make sense to foreigners, but for locals, they apparently are perfectly right ! And in fact, the locals first reaction would be - as long as you are not a bad foreigner why do you even bother ..


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## Dameon34 (Apr 29, 2014)

Thanks simonsays. Appreciate the info and the insights of someone who lives in the Philippines (read a post of yours in another thread ). 

Just as there is the "white", foreigner price and the "right" Pinoy price, there are two sets of laws. 

Quite the contrast to Cambodia, where anyone with a heartbeat can get a business visa from my understanding. 

Their country, their rules. I think a lot of foreigners get into trouble thinking that the laws from their home country (and common sense ) broadly apply in the Philippines as well. They don't. Keep a low profile, and beware of the crab pot mentality, that is so prevalent in the Philippines see someone getting ahead, pull them back down.

Again thanks for the feedback and info.

Cheers !


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