# Please help with some concerns



## Hayseed (Jun 25, 2012)

I am married to a citizen of the Philippines. I own a modest home in the states and my wife is paying for a home in the PIs that her family lives in.with 2 mortgages and some debts, we are financially a bit tight. Both of us work but are having some trouble saving.
My wife has been considering returning home for 6 months to complete college schooling to help invest in our future.She suspects her family may be coming into some money from property sales, which could fund a semester of school.I am not willing to be apart for a whole 6 months. moreover,I strongly regret not travelling and studying far away or abroad when younger. I instead bought a house in the same region i grew up in.If she can go back to school i would like to live there for about 4 months ( I figure Id need 2 months anyway to sort things out, like renting out our home short-term and trying to save up).
She doesn't think we can do it.There are two big concerns:
1)Medical. I am a diabetic on insulin pump therapy. I use hundreds of dollars worth of pump supplies a month, currently covered under insurance.If I have to quit my job to live abroad for a few months, I will lose insurance and may have to try to get back on the less dependable needles and insulin. this can STILL be very expensive.My wife does not think I will have access to affordable medical care and supplies.ow big of a problem is this?
2)Income.We will live with my inlaws.I do not have money to invest in a business but will need to help with bills and basic survival.As a non-citizen, do I have any chance of being able to earn income, maybe providing some kinds of services, like painting walls, helping plant gardens/crops, etc?

I also have questions about transportation.As a non-citizen, is it legally possible for me to own a car?I'd prefer a car with an automatic since they are easier to drive in congested traffic.I've found a few early-90s cars with automatic transmissions on Ayosdito for around 80,000 pesos, like a Sentra or Galant. A few of my inlaws have a license so my intention would be to buy a cheaper car and when I return home I'd leave it behind so they can use it to find work or rent out the car for income.They live in Mindinao, and most of the suitable cars I've found are near Manila.If I can legally buy one, what is the process for shipping and registering the car in another region?Is it complicated? ould I legally be allowed to drive with a US license for 4 months? One thought is that I could get a car for private service, like running errands for carless neighbors or giving people rides to work or school, maybe picking up things like home furnishings.
Is this all a dream that you must be very rich to pull off, or do I have some options that could work?
Thanks.


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## jon1 (Mar 18, 2012)

Hayseed,

I think that your situation is a bit unrealistic. Yes for the most part it is cheaper to live in the Philippines. But that is IF you are healthy, and can live in relative austere conditions in comparison to the States. 

Supplies of items here can be sporadic and the further away you get from the bigger municipalities (Manila, Cebu, Davao), the less chances/likelihood that you will be able to get what you need. I am not diabetic but from what you described, I am willing to bet that for you to live comfortably (with your condition) you would have to live in one of the municipalities I previously mentioned. The best hospitals are in those areas. Overall, medical care is cheaper in the Philippines, but the steady supplies are the main issue.

On earning money, general labor jobs are almost exclusively filled by locals. As the labor pool is deep and wages are very low (300p($8)/day). Having a garden to augment your food needs (or sell) is a good idea but is at best a 15-20% solution and is not feasible for a 4 month stay (barely time to raise one batch of crops). For you to earn a decent wage (without investing), you would need to be working for a foreign firm (i.e. a Call Center exec/manager) or possibly running a bar. Renting a car out would be sporadic at best in a rural setting (you mentioned Mindanao?) and at lower rates am sure. 

On vehicle ownership; Yes, a non-citizen can own a vehicle (I currently own 1 truck, 1 motorcycle and 1 scooter). Gasoline is similarly priced to the states (regular unleaded 48p/L=$4.28/gal). Parts are expensive but as previously mentioned labor is cheap. For example, to get a tire hot patched on my truck it cost me only 200p/$4.71 but a rubber timing belt cost me 6000p/$141.50 plus 1000p/$23.58 labor in Mindanao (in Manila the part would have cost 4000p/$94.35). For the most part, used vehicles previously owned by Filipinos are poorly maintained (oil/fluids/filters changed rarely, tires ran until bald, alignments/tire rotation rarely done, etc. etc.). So don’t expect much when you are looking at used vehicles. In fact, expect to invest some $ into the vehicle upon purchase (there is no service like AAA in the Philippines and peace of mind in the reliability of your vehicle is priceless, especially for safety). To ship a vehicle to Mindanao is going to cost you at least $500/20,000p. It would cost you less (plus limited hassle) to just drive it to where you want it. It took me 3 days to drive from Manila to Davao and the same for Subic to Zamboanga. You would have to use the ferry system but I do not recommend putting your vehicle on a long haul ferry (i.e. Manila to Cagayan de Oro or Davao) as the ferries are typically overloaded and poorly maintained. I would limit your exposure by taking the short ferry trips (5 hours and less) between islands. Another option is to look for a vehicle in Cagayan de Oro. I have heard of many car lots there with used vehicles imported from Korea and elsewhere (prices are supposed to be 30% cheaper than Manila). If you are only going to be here for 4 months, I would just go to AAA in the states and get an International Driving permit for $20 (not sure if that is still the cost, was that back in 2006) which is good for 1 year and make sure that your US DL is good for the period you plan on being abroad. Look on Sulit.com.ph - The Philippines' #1 Classified Ads Website for more vehicle options. Usually in the rural areas there are private vans that run from town to town picking up as many people as possible for the maximum profit. I do not know if your hiring out your car will be that viable. But again, it depends on the area you live in.

Where in Mindanao are you planning on living?


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## Hayseed (Jun 25, 2012)

Thank you for your detailed and honest answers.They are very helpful.
We would be in Cagayan De Oro.
Your comments regarding poor maintenance of the cars explains a lot. I asked my wife why her family never bought a box-type Lancer or early-80s Corolla for 40,000 pesos. She just said that they hate old cars because they require too much maintenance and they dont trust them. Americans, however, often say they prefer old cars because they are easier (and as a result, cheaper) to work on because a lot f things can be fixed without requiring an expensive dealer visit.If they are so poorly maintained, I understand now why they would avoid them.


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## Hayseed (Jun 25, 2012)

Oh, and your comments on cars are interesting.I thought cars were maintained better there. There are a lot of Volkswagens from the 1960s-70s still driving around.I saw a beautiful early-80s Mitsubishi Mirage in CDO when visiting my now-wife that looked restored and customized. It was one of the Colts with the body-style kind of similar to the Amc Gremlin.I hadn't seen one in over 10 years in the states and here was one in great shape.I also spotted a very clean 70s Lancer "L type" a few times and a very rare Datsun sedan, neither of which I have ever seen in the states.I was incorrectly under the impression that cars are better maintained but its probably just that they don't rust as badly as cars here.I know her family does not want an old car due to maint. concerns. apparently theyre on to something.


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## jon1 (Mar 18, 2012)

I paid 2500p for my first license but was in and out in 30 minutes (money well spent for convenience). All that was done was xerox of my US DL, take a half ass medical screening then photo for the license. By the way, keep your receipt (OR) as it is proof of being LTO issued vs fake.


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## jon1 (Mar 18, 2012)

Also, make sure that you get motorcycle endorsement on your initial license (you will need it sooner or later)


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## Hayseed (Jun 25, 2012)

Of course. Half the nurses probably are trying to find ways to get into America or Europe.
Why do you think they went to nursing school in the first place?

I've never had a cycle endorsement. Riding unenclosed at high speeds is too much of a thrill ride for me. I would consider a low-powered scooter that doesn't go much more than 30 MPH. In the states they do not require a cycle endorsement.I'm talking about things like a Honda Spree.I kind of like the old-school scooters, like a Vespa or Cushman. I'm guessing the vintage scooters had a pretty low survival rate over there.Unlike cars, when motorized bikes/scooters deveop a problem, people throw them out instead of fixing them.


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## Nickleback99 (Aug 6, 2011)

Motorbikes aka dirt bikes everywhere and cheap. WE bought one And a used jeep 4 urs ago and they are still running...my in laws appreciate everything I do for them and have taken good care of it all. I guess I'm lucky for that


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## Nickleback99 (Aug 6, 2011)

Motorbikes aka dirt bikes everywhere and cheap. WE bought one And a used jeep 4 urs ago and they are still running...my in laws appreciate everything I do for them and have taken good care of it all. I guess I'm lucky for that


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## jon1 (Mar 18, 2012)

Devo1982 said:


> Extremely lucky! Don't ever let them go hehe. I've got a Honda XR200 and it's just perfect for where we live. Parts are readily available and it feels slightly more manly than the scooters etc hehe


That is another good point to think about when purchasing your vehicle. If it is to be a daily commuter/primary transportation, I would definitely go with a brand of vehicle that parts are readily available (Nissan, Toyota, Mitsubishi, Hyundai, Honda and Yamaha). Anything else are either crap or expensive (i.e. Chevy, Ford). The American brands are ridiculously priced and hard to get the parts for (even though there are Chevy and Ford dealerships here. Another advantage of those readily available brands are that the local mechanics are more familiar with and able to fix things.


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## Hayseed (Jun 25, 2012)

It seems that most of the "exotic" cars are sold in the Manila area.And even there,I doubt anyone will see many Porsches or Lamborghinis. Lexus only started officially selling cars a few years ago,and only in Manila.Its interesting to see Toyota Camrys being sold as high-end luxury sedans. Here, you always see them in large numbers at college campuses,all dented and rusty.
as much as I like cars, practicality and affordability comes first.If I can make this work and live there for a few months, and had enough money for a car, I'd look at Sentras or Mitsubishi's with automatic transmissions,which are not in large supply.Always having to press down on a clutch pedal and always shift in tight traffic does not appeal to me.
I can't see my inlaws selling or pawning a car if I bought it, but its likely that it may sit unused and neglected in the driveway.They have a dirtbike that was flooded out in sendong but they had it rebuilt or are planning to do so, so it has survived.I really would prefer a car because they have more cargo room and when it rains, its dryer and keeps the mud off you when you hit a puddle.


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## jon1 (Mar 18, 2012)

Hayseed said:


> It seems that most of the "exotic" cars are sold in the Manila area.And even there,I doubt anyone will see many Porsches or Lamborghinis. Lexus only started officially selling cars a few years ago,and only in Manila.Its interesting to see Toyota Camrys being sold as high-end luxury sedans. Here, you always see them in large numbers at college campuses,all dented and rusty.
> as much as I like cars, practicality and affordability comes first.If I can make this work and live there for a few months, and had enough money for a car, I'd look at Sentras or Mitsubishi's with automatic transmissions,which are not in large supply.Always having to press down on a clutch pedal and always shift in tight traffic does not appeal to me.
> I can't see my inlaws selling or pawning a car if I bought it, but its likely that it may sit unused and neglected in the driveway.They have a dirtbike that was flooded out in sendong but they had it rebuilt or are planning to do so, so it has survived.I really would prefer a car because they have more cargo room and when it rains, its dryer and keeps the mud off you when you hit a puddle.


There are a fair amount of the "exotics" in the MetroManila area. Most are just trophies in their garages. There are groups that get together and drive and such. There are even dealerships for Porsche, Audi and Jaguar. Ducati has dealerships now in Davao and Manila. I have even seen a few Dodge Chargers, Challengers, Chevy Camaros and Ford Mustangs.

A reasonable vehicle to own in the province for me is a 4x4 diesel pickup (Mitsubishi or Toyota). They sit a little higher, have Turbos, plenty of torque and able to absorb the usually crap roads found everywhere. Diesel is typically 10p/L less than the premium unleaded. You definitely need a vehicle for when it rains (6 months out of the year). Used pickups are not cheap between $10-12K USD. They also seem to hold their value. I purchased a Mits L200 in 2007 for 500,000p and 2 years ago they were still selling for around the same amount. These trucks are standard not automatic. 

I used this truck while living in Manila and didn't find the standard that taxing (even in the parking lot traffic jam known as the EDSA or C5). I can't envision traffic in CDO being worse than Manila (volume-wise).


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## Hayseed (Jun 25, 2012)

On Ayosdito, someone just posted a mid-80s Jaguar. Seller says its well-maintained since it was from the US.I know for quite a few years though, the Philippines has banned the importation of cars older than 5 years old. More interesting though was the comment that the car is "1 of 3" in the Philippines. I saw the same remark awhile back regarding a Cadillac Cimmarron. How do they know this? The only country I'm familiar with where this info is available is the UK (just go to How Many Left? if you're curious about the survival rate of any particular car in that country) but I didn't know that information was obtainable.There are some cars I definitely would be interested in looking up if that information can be found.


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## Guest (Jul 4, 2012)

*Advice*

Dear Hayseed,

If you are determined to spend some time here then I hope that you will listen to the advice you've received especially in regards to selecting a car. Exotics are for the rich, anywhere. I've owned a Mercedes and a Jaguar back in the states and wouldn't consider doing that again. Although service is available, it isn't affordable. Here it may not be available at all. Get that Toyota. I looked for a used automatic Toyota, Honda, Nissan or Mitsubishi for the first 6 months after I came here. At first, I budgeted about P125,000. Everything I saw was junk. And I traveled to Manila on many occasions to see cars for sale. I even took a mechanic as well as a couple friends with me. Some of the neighborhoods I went to were kind of questionable. One guy in Naic, Cavite showed me the gun he had in his pants. My wife showed him the one she had in her hand, we left quickly. Then we increased our budget to P 150,00 or so and still only found junk. Now I utilize the inexpensive public transportation available. I don't fir well into trikes and don't like the crowds on jeepneys so I prefer buses. Check them out for your self. Now, as far as your health is concerned, I must concur that your situation doesn't seem to be tenable here. I am diabetic also as well as having other serious conditions. After sampling medical services here I've decided to return home. Also, Hayseed, please read any posts regarding security and safety before making your move. Anyway, I wish you luck.

Mikey48


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## Hayseed (Jun 25, 2012)

the medical situation was indeed the biggest concern and I can see now that theres nothing easy I can do about that. I usually have to replenish my supplies every month and most of it is kind of rationed.right now things are pretty much paycheck-to-paycheck and the medical costs get very expensive so things aren't looking good.I was hoping there was some kind of a solution.You guys are confirming there isn't.
With all due respect, I'm not really worried about safety and security concerns. I did some security work in Detroit. My first night on the graveyard shift, there was a double homicide around the corner resulting in the intersection being blocked off all night.I've stopped at red lights in uniform in the east side of Detroit, surrounded by felons and people extremely hostile to anyone in any form of law enforcement,whether a cop or a wannabe.And when I was younger and dumber, I made a wrong turn and ended up on Dupont Avenue in the worst area of Flint,where even today after depopulation, drive-by shootings are rampant. I saw the street sign indicating I was at the corner of Dupont and Dayton and remembered one of the locals telling me years before that white folks are told under no uncertain circumstances to stay out of that area.And there I was, cruising around by myself. People don't realize how bad things are in these places and the regularity in which very heinous acts are committed. I'd much rather take my chances with a few small Filipino guys with cheap Chinese pistols than i would with groups of 6 200+ pound guys with semi-automatics that they just used to shoot up a few crackhouses with. Sometimes I think the Philippines gets an unfair bad rap. I'm convinced areas of Saint Louis and Cleveland are MUCH worse than anything in the Philippines.


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## Nickleback99 (Aug 6, 2011)

Hayseed you should really look at South America...seriously. as Med is concern for you , places like Uruguay are cheap and with good med care at fraction of cost. Ck it out. If sold on Asia like most of.us here, plus my wife is Pinay, then ck Thailand which is much better and with affordable hlth care. If I could get my wife to retire to Thai with me, it would be no brainer. ...but Pinoy pride is not going to do that most cases. Anyway, my 2 cents. You take care now.


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

*Agree For The Most Part*



Nickleback99 said:


> Hayseed you should really look at South America...seriously. as Med is concern for you , places like Uruguay are cheap and with good med care at fraction of cost. Ck it out. If sold on Asia like most of.us here, plus my wife is Pinay, then ck Thailand which is much better and with affordable hlth care. If I could get my wife to retire to Thai with me, it would be no brainer. ...but Pinoy pride is not going to do that most cases. Anyway, my 2 cents. You take care now.


Hayseed,

These guys are truly giving some pretty good advice. Things can be difficult here compared to home in most all aspects of life. However, I do feel that if you were to live in a big city here like Manila area, Angeles City, or Cebu, your medical/medicine supplies would be available to you. Biggest thing would be to always keep a bit of an over supply in case your local pharmacy runs out as does happen with medications from time to time.
I don't think I've read all of your posts. Are you married? Looking for a wife here? I'm asking because it pays to have a (citizen) wife. Must be the "right one" so that there is always someone on your side. Always there to help when needed. Also makes taking permanent residency easy and affordable. I do think that a fact finding trip would be in order to see what you think of the country in general and if you feel you could adjust to life here.
The other poster had a good idea about South America for living. Some areas are less expensive than the states but also there are higher danger issues in some areas.
The owner of this site also has a South America Expat site that you might want to join and have a look too. It is called "Gringos" and is at: Gringos Community For Expats Living, Working and Traveling in Central and South America
I'm a moderator over there too so maybe will see you there. I'm still partial to the Philippines and would suggest a trip over this way before you decide on somewhere else.


Gene

*PS. Important side note. Doctors here do not request your medical records as is done between doctors and or hospitals there in the states. For that reason, it is a must to convince your doctor(s) there to provide you with complete sets of medical records and X-rays to bring with you...*


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## Hayseed (Jun 25, 2012)

Well, the police are not exactly award-winning.My wife will watch our local news and comment about how much more effective and professional they are here. She said they won't do anything if theres no payoff involved. They do not go outside of the downtown area unless they absolutely have to. I asked if they would respond if a guy was on his porch constantly threatning and harassing the neighbor.She said they absolutely would not.I asked if a guy was in his front yard screaming at his wife or there was a domestic dispute if they would arrive.No. She was surprised to find out that not only do police here respond, but they usually play counselor to try to end the problem.Someone will have to get shot for them to respond anywhere outside of the downtown district.Sadly, its like that in many places.


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

Domestic and most other problems or issues are resolved by the local Barangay police. They are the ones that act as councilor to find a solution or help the two parties come to an agreement on things.
Your wife is correct for the most part on the federal police. Although it can depend on where you live as to if or how well they will respond. In out location, they do quite well if needed. Pretty good guys and gals in our town.
My wife and I have been on the Brgy Police for many years here. The Brgy, PNP, and Army that are in our area often knock on our gate even at 2:00am sometimes while out on patrol. We have a ball getting up and fixing a snack for everyone. Then, an hours or so later they are on their way patrolling again and we head back to sleep.
I suppose this could not be done in many places but here it seems like everyone is family and just enjoy life...


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