# Retiring in the Pilippines



## retireinthephilippines (10 mo ago)

Hello - I'm brand new here and writing from the United States.
Wondering:
1.When a citizen of the USA is living in the Philippines, are there any issues/concerns/ "things" that a newby would not expect and should plan for?
2. Does anyone know if there are any issue with continuing to draw SS benefits, if I am considering retirement in the Philippines
3. Please tell me ANYTHING useful about healthcare (what about VA)?
4. How difficult is it to bank in the Philippines if I am a US citizen?
5. I see that the USD/PHO exchange rate has consistently increased since the 1980s until the present. In some case ther has been volitility, but in general it appears that the US dollar has steadily increased in value. Does anyone have any other useful information regarding that?
6. Please enlighten me in ANYTHING useful regarding this reolcation.
Thank you so much


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)

Others can answer much better about specials for Americans.
1. Well. There can be a lot of issues  depending of what you aim at. But if you go for a simple life renting and think proper before act, then you can avoid most.. There are several VISA options. Whats best depend of what assets you have and what you want.
4. Its possible but can be problem before you get card as a sign you live there.
5. Well. It went up much 1980 until 2005, but its LOWER now than then. I dont know when but the Philppines decided to try to have a rate around 1:50.. 
6. There are HUGE differences between different parts of the Philippines. So what do you want?


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## art1946 (Nov 30, 2017)

well, I am from the USA. I lived there about 11 years ago. At the time I was on a tourist visa that was stamped in my passport. I understand an expat can still extend for 3 years and then have to leave and come back and start over again unless they get a permanent visa like an SRRV or 13a. You can't own property there. I rented when I was there. I had no problem but things may have changed since I was there. If you get your SS electronically, then there should not be a problem. I hear some expats saying they can't open a account there. I had no problem with BDO (Bank De Oro) when I was there.

Forget the VA unless you live in Manila. Plus you have to be service connected to get help there in makati. I am a Vet myself.

art


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

The dollar may have gone up against the peso but strong inflation has outstripped it.


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)

I suppouse you are same as asked same questions in an other forum 
There I saw you move to Guimaras. Thats a good choise I believe specialy if you like mangos, because the best mangos in the Philippines and perhaps the world are there. People there and around Iloilo are calmer not noicy.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Make sure that you're visa status is correct, you can not work or live here on a tourist visa or own business.

So if single apply for an SRRV visa through the Philippine Retirement Authority. 

You can own a condo and if you work with an authorized PRA rep you might be able to use the Condo as your SRRV deposit.


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## Maxx62 (Dec 31, 2013)

You can collect US Social Security while living in the Philippines, but once a year the US Social Security Administration will snail mail you a form titled REPORT TO THE UNITED STATES SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION. Due to the slow nature of the postal system in the Philippines, this form would usually arrive at my house one or two weeks before it was due to be returned at the Social Security office in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Also, because the form is being sent to a PO Box in the US, none of the overnight delivery services will touch it, and your only option is to send it as a registered letter via the Philippine postal system. 

I lived in the Philippines for about nine or ten years, and there was one year my form got lost in the mail on its way back to the US. I called the US Social Security office located within the US Embassy in Manila, and someone there helped me to fax my completed from to the Social Security office in Wilkes-Barre, but my understanding is that the staff in Manila are no longer willing to do this anymore.

The other thing to keep in mind is, if you have your US Social Security benefits direct deposited into a local bank such as Metrobank, then it can take much longer for those funds to appear in your account with a Filipino bank, than it otherwise would with a US bank. On the other hand, if you stick with a US bank while living in the Philippines, you will get gouged each and every time you use your US debit card at an ATM machine in the Philippines.


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## AppalachianBiker (10 mo ago)

Any other stable places to retire with less hassle than the Philippines ?


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## Maxx62 (Dec 31, 2013)

AppalachianBiker said:


> Any other stable places to retire with less hassle than the Philippines ?


I think that any place outside of the West is going to have a similar bag of issues. Some better in certain areas, some worse, but you will have to make sacrifices no matter where you go.


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## AppalachianBiker (10 mo ago)

Well these days I don't have a lot of faith in The Republic or the process. Difficult just about anywhere is a correct assessment.


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## Maxx62 (Dec 31, 2013)

AppalachianBiker said:


> Well these days I don't have a lot of faith in The Republic or the process. Difficult just about anywhere is a correct assessment.


Well, the big thing to keep in mind is that, as a foreigner living in the Philippines, you really do not have any rights there, and you can only bend over so far in order to avoid conflict with the locals. In other words, turning the other cheek doesn't always work.

Case in point, my wife and I moved to the Philippines in 2012, and we built a small house on a piece of land she inherited from her father. Things went along relative smoothly until last summer, when suddenly a relative appeared out of the wood work claiming to own the land my wife inherited. My wife has a deed to her land, with her name on it, but this relative was basing his claim on a supposed conversation he had with my father-in-law back in 1980 or so. Such things are a very common problem in the Philippines, and under certain conditions, and verbal contract can supersede a written document. 

Too make a long story short, I got into a heated argument with my wife's male relative over this issue, and he filed a complaint in the local barangay court, then the barangay court turned the matter over to the civil court. I learned that my wife's relative had gone to school with the judge who was going to preside over the civil case. In the Philippines the line between civil and criminal court is somewhat blurry, and the plan was to have me arrested during the civil lawsuit, and to have me thrown in jail for allegedly threatening my wife's relative. 

When I learned of these details of how the trial was being set up, I realized that I would probably die in a prison in the Philippines,so I left with only the clothes on my back and returned to the US. 

The bottom line is, everyday that you live in the Philippines, you will always have the Sword of Damocles hanging over your head, whether you realize it, or not, and things are always good in over the Philippines, until suddenly one day when they aren't. Also, your wife and her family may be unable, or unwilling, to protect you when you once you find yourself in trouble. No matter how many gift you buy, you will always be an expendable outsider.

Also, if you own something which a local wants, and that has the ability to manipulate the court system, then your goose is as good as cooked. Me, if I had it to do all over again, I would visit there once a year, but I wouldn't live there full time.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

AppalachianBiker said:


> Any other stable places to retire with less hassle than the Philippines ?


South of the border and if you like Mexican food even better, you can drive to and from the US.


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## AppalachianBiker (10 mo ago)

That Suxx Maxx. Yes, I understand that your money is welcome but your presence may not be. Manipulative forces are beginning to reign supreme here as well. Nothing is sacred and the truth is disappearing from the fabric of the entire planet. At least here I can go out standing in a pile of hot spent brass, for now. Perhaps split between the two and summer here, winter there. Rent there, own here.


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## AppalachianBiker (10 mo ago)

M.C.A. said:


> South of the border and if you like Mexican food even better, you can drive to and from.


May I cross illegally ? Heck no I can't and I'm virtually certain a cartel member would be lusting
after my bikes which makes me a dead man there. Peru ?


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)

AppalachianBiker said:


> Any other stable places to retire with less hassle than the Philippines ?


 Well. Even with risk courts dont follow the law, foreigners arent even allowed in some other countries as e g Thailand to do whats allowed for foreigners in the Philippines within real estate and business, which made I changed my mind TO the Philippines. Much better VISA alternatives in the Philippines than Thailand too.
(I checked some more Asian countries, but they have other issues as e g Cambodia and Laos have unexploded mines and bombs still after wars.)

The Philippines have even some official "Kano prices" = Some ask DOUBLE from foreigners,
but I saw in a documentary showing some African countries, there the foreigner was asked TEN times higher for himself than for his African fiance in a tourist place!

The Philippines have the advantage foreigners can manage with English. English is even an official language, while the big Visaya languages isnt!!! Legal documents are even expected to be written in ENGLISH in the Phillipines!  

So I find the advantages being more than the disadvantages in the Philippines at least if settle where there are no earthquakes


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

AppalachianBiker said:


> May I cross illegally ? Heck no I can't and I'm virtually certain a cartel member would be lusting
> after my bikes which makes me a dead man there. Peru ?


You wouldn't want to bring your bikes here either, it would be a costly mistake, they have their own Blue Book of value and you'll end up paying in taxes the same price the bike was new.


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)

There are NEW (slow) motorbikes to buy in the Phillipines for even less than 30 000 pesos, so you dont need to bring a motorbike 
Joke aside there are new decent motorbikes for sale e g an offroad/highway combination one for 85 000 pesos. At least decent for low weight Filipinos, so it dont become as with a minivan Filippinos count for 13 people, westerners count for 8, but it had problem to get uphill at Cebu mountain highway carrying only 3 Americans and a tiny Filipina!!!  (Although such minivans have other 1.5 times biger engine option, but most have the smaller engine so look up for that if buying such cars.)


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Lunkan said:


> There are NEW (slow) motorbikes to buy in the Phillipines for even less than 30 000 pesos, so you dont need to bring a motorbike
> Joke aside there are new decent motorbikes for sale e g an offroad/highway combination one for 85 000 pesos. At least decent for low weight Filipinos, so it dont become as with a minivan Filippinos count for 13 people, westerners count for 8, but it had problem to get uphill at Cebu mountain highway carrying only 3 Americans and a tiny Filipina!!!  (Although such minivans have other 1.5 times biger engine option, but most have the smaller engine so look up for that if buying such cars.)


I think he's a Harley Davidson man and so if this is the final stop I'd sell the Harley's and buy a new one here.


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## AppalachianBiker (10 mo ago)

You folks are funny and I love it. No Harley's, Victory bikes times two. I'll just stash them stateside. They're all paid for.


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## AppalachianBiker (10 mo ago)

I also own a two wheel standard style same bike in black. They would freak trying to put a value on this one because there are less than 120 of this particular trike on the planet. I can't even imagine the value they would out on it.


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## AppalachianBiker (10 mo ago)

I guess it's going to be two cycle moped time. No one I know will see me 😉


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

AppalachianBiker said:


> I guess it's going to be two cycle moped time. No one I know will see me 😉


Moped is fully automatic and easy to find parking places. 

They sell the Piaggio Ape, it's not automatic but it's pretty useful for the Philippines if out in the provincial areas, diesel 433 cc, cost would be 218,000 pesos.


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)

I guessed it was big bike, I just joked 

If you want a three wheeler you can buy such in the Philippines e g these


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Lunkan said:


> I guessed it was big bike, I just joked
> 
> If you want a three wheeler you can buy such in the Philippines e g these
> View attachment 101284


Many residents have these for inside the Municipality.


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)




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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

Lunkan said:


> View attachment 101285


Room for the family in the back


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## AppalachianBiker (10 mo ago)

There's also a Ducatti dealer in


Lunkan said:


> I guessed it was big bike, I just joked
> 
> If you want a three wheeler you can buy such in the Philippines e g these
> View attachment 101284


😂😂😂😂😂


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## AppalachianBiker (10 mo ago)

In America amongst my biker family we joke that moped type vehicles are like making love to a fat woman.......a lot of fun to ride until your buddies see you on one


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## AppalachianBiker (10 mo ago)

It's better to keep them both here.


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## AppalachianBiker (10 mo ago)

It's about being in the wind, not the bikes themselves. I can and will ride anything. The years between my ears keep adding up and for now I ride the black one like I'm twenty and fearless but I know eventually it will be a necessity to be on the trike which she will like better.


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)

Its some waste to have a high capacity motorbike in the Philippines by normaly there are tricycles, cows and during season Filipinos can have put RICE for drying at concreete highways  so you cant drive any fast normaly anyway. And at nights its extra dangerous by some drive without light on "to save money"!


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## AppalachianBiker (10 mo ago)

Yes I understand that the dual sport bike type would get more use on the island.


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## Zep (Jun 8, 2017)

AppalachianBiker said:


> Yes I understand that the dual sport bike type would get more use on the island.


Not really, there is no where to go here that is off road other than dirt roads that any scooter can drive on. It is not like America where you can go places and be miles from anyone else. Here all the land is owned by someone and anywhere you go there will be people in view. You can't even find a place to take a piss without someone watching you.


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## AppalachianBiker (10 mo ago)

LMAO. Thanks Zep. So if I take the bride to be out to Montana she might freak out ? I've put my phone up on my dash and driven around with the camera on while she was watching. She's already remarked about how many trees here and large areas with no houses.


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## AppalachianBiker (10 mo ago)




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## AppalachianBiker (10 mo ago)

I ride the wide open spaces. It's nothing for me to saddle up in North Carolina and wind up out in Oklahoma Indian country.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

Yesterday we were driven from Puerto Princesa to El Nido 270km. Seemed like switchbacks all to way, now that would be a fantastic bike ride. And very little traffic.


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## AppalachianBiker (10 mo ago)

Guess I'd better study up on my metric system.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

AppalachianBiker said:


> Guess I'd better study up on my metric system.


Yes the Philippines is a complete mix of imperial and metric. Just wait until you start buying building materials. 9mm sheet they sell as 1\2 inch then when you quiry it, it's undersized sir. can I have the correct size, no sir.


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)

Zep said:


> Not really, there is no where to go here that is off road other than dirt roads that any scooter can drive on. It is not like America where you can go places and be miles from anyone else. Here all the land is owned by someone and anywhere you go there will be people in view. You can't even find a place to take a piss without someone watching you.


 Well. There are PUBLIC "gravel" roads, which become as deep mudd dirt roads during rain season. My business partner has a combo motorbike wirth off road tires, but a while during the rain period the Public road the mudd was so deep so he had to WALK 2 x 10 kilometers to get out to the concreete road and take bus there for a business thing which couldnt wait.


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)

This is from elsewhere but in november he did send a similarf photo at the public "gravel"







road through the village he live in. Thats why he walked far instead of trying to pull his motorbike


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## art1946 (Nov 30, 2017)

Gary D said:


> Room for the family in the back


heck can carry family with dogs, cats, and chickens in back. hahahha


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## AppalachianBiker (10 mo ago)

I love that photo. My hats off to them.


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## AppalachianBiker (10 mo ago)

Some folks participate in life while others are only spectators.


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## koce (10 mo ago)

Lunkan said:


> This is from elsewhere but in november he did send a similarf photo at the public "gravel"
> View attachment 101292
> road through the village he live in. Thats why he walked far instead of trying to pull his motorbike


That's an Australian NSW Licence plate on his backpack !!


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)

koce said:


> That's an Australian NSW Licence plate on his backpack !!


 I told it was from elsewhere. I didnt save the photo I got send to me showing Phils public road. A difference was at the Phils photo there were more motorbikes stucked  trying to get lose.


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## Scott E (Jun 1, 2015)

M.C.A. said:


> Moped is fully automatic and easy to find parking places.
> 
> They sell the Piaggio Ape, it's not automatic but it's pretty useful for the Philippines if out in the provincial areas, diesel 433 cc, cost would be 218,000 pesos.
> 
> View attachment 101283


These are totally junky,, rust outs and unsafe..


Gary D said:


> Yes the Philippines is a complete mix of imperial and metric. Just wait until you start buying building materials. 9mm sheet they sell as 1\2 inch then when you quiry it, it's undersized sir. can I have the correct size, no sir.


I report those sellers to the DTI ,, but they don't act on it !!


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## louiedepalma (9 mo ago)

I had an apartment there years ago. All foreigners. There were filipina girls living there who were waiting on boyfriends or husbands to return. Making sure I kept my distance was a top priority. I did talk to most all of my neighbors even the girls, but again in an open setting as only friends. I loved my apartment and wanted no problems.

They gave me alot of good advice. A stern warning about not buying used motorbike but I didn't listen. Mainly the warning was if that bike is involved in a crime they will come after you the foreigner. I bought a used one from a motorcycle shop that fixed bikes directly from the owner. I even gladly overpaid for that comfort. But registering that thing was overly complicated, and a real time waster. I ended up about half way through the process only to give up and do it the filipino way which was to pay someone to finish the rest. But I still have pleasant memories of meeting other average filipinos going through the registration process. Being in the police barangay me the only foreigner registering his bike as the officer asks me to buy him lunch to try and sample some lumpia from a lady bringing them around. He worded that in a very eloquent way such as sir you should sample this with me... I did so without a second thought, and it was great and only a dollar for several to fill us both up. It did help me to learn the city too, but again a time waster as I didn't do this correctly or that etc.

My next bike was brand new. I got quite a few tickets with that bike. The only hassle was having to get a tin number from their IRS which the dealer required because well 1800$ us dollars is a small fortune there. But that was easy to do. And the dealership did all the paperwork. Trike drivers always asked me about that bike. It was nice sure, but it was nothing that special. I liked it because it was new so I could drive it very far and not worry about it breaking down. And I did just that. I remember one ticket I didn't get in the proper lane to turn right. The guy came out of the little shed and pulled me over. I broke out 500 pesos(all I had on me) and he said oh sir you want to settle this now? I shaked my head yes. Off I went.

I would not keep most of my money in their banks. Definitely keep some there. It was really nice paying my water and electric bills with online banking. But I had to have accounts at two banks as one bank did water and one did electric. The people working in the office at my apartment always asked me sir how you pay this. I tried to explain the whole online banking to them and it did no good, but they seen it was paid and no problem.

You can always do wire transfers to the banks if you need alot of cash for some reason I mean like if you were going to buy a car or someone wants to behead you for one reason or another.(kidding)

I have been with fidelity for many years. I had no trouble using their card over there. Just a 1% currency conversion fee and all atm fees refunded. Now my card did get locked more than I liked, but I just got online 24/7 and got a customer service guy on the laptop who fixed it. They even allow you to have multiple identical debit cards, and multiple accounts. Their banking platform is far superior to anything I have ever seen at any bank over there.

JP morgan covers that 1% currency conversion fee, but their banking platform is overly complicated.

Many us banks will cover all atm fees anywhere in the world, but they are not available 24/7.


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## AppalachianBiker (10 mo ago)

Excellent info. Thanks. Landing in Davao next week.


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)

louiedepalma said:


> I had an apartment there years ago. All foreigners. There were filipina girls living there who were waiting on boyfriends or husbands to return. Making sure I kept my distance was a top priority. I did talk to most all of my neighbors even the girls, but again in an open setting as only friends. I loved my apartment and wanted no problems.


 Minimum 60 % of the condo owners need to be Filipinos though for the condo union to be legal. Perhaps developers have forgot that


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

louiedepalma said:


> I had an apartment there years ago. All foreigners. There were filipina girls living there who were waiting on boyfriends or husbands to return. Making sure I kept my distance was a top priority. I did talk to most all of my neighbors even the girls, but again in an open setting as only friends. I loved my apartment and wanted no problems.
> 
> They gave me alot of good advice. A stern warning about not buying used motorbike but I didn't listen. Mainly the warning was if that bike is involved in a crime they will come after you the foreigner. I bought a used one from a motorcycle shop that fixed bikes directly from the owner. I even gladly overpaid for that comfort. But registering that thing was overly complicated, and a real time waster. I ended up about half way through the process only to give up and do it the filipino way which was to pay someone to finish the rest. But I still have pleasant memories of meeting other average filipinos going through the registration process. Being in the police barangay me the only foreigner registering his bike as the officer asks me to buy him lunch to try and sample some lumpia from a lady bringing them around. He worded that in a very eloquent way such as sir you should sample this with me... I did so without a second thought, and it was great and only a dollar for several to fill us both up. It did help me to learn the city too, but again a time waster as I didn't do this correctly or that etc.
> 
> ...


You can pay now online with applications such as Gcash, and also groceries, so thing's have changed here and even ordering online with hard to find item's through Lazada and Shopee COD.


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