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Life in the Philippines

Discussion in 'Life in the Philippines' started by CatchFriday, Jul 2, 2021.

  1. CatchFriday
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    CatchFriday British Expat living in Alicante, Spain

    I would be interested to know how many expats have decided to live in the Philippines over the years and whatever experiences are. Do you miss anything back home?
    The idea of living in a place whether earthquakes, typhoons, and volcanoes must be one of the downsides, But I guess some of you may have decided that and got used to it. My wife always reminds me that Healthcare is expensive, Is it really tough to live in the Philippines or not?
    Out of expats Who now live in the Philippines how many of you speak the local language?
    And lastly how many of you live in Cebu?
  2. Druk1
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    Druk1 Well-Known Member

    Used to live there, it was OK at first as I was adaptable, but the pinoy way of life is a grind over time, moreso as I have options, the PI isn't for everyone.
  3. Anon220806
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    Anon220806 Well-Known Member

    I know two Brits who settled in the Philippines for many years in both cases. One loves it. The other, after something like 14 years grew to hate it and returned to the U.K. Clearly a marmite thing.
    • Agree Agree x 1
  4. Jim
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    Jim Well-Known Member Trusted Member

    Been coming to the Philippines for 19 years, 4.5 permanently. Can't say I miss the UK at all. Probably the food but I'm on a diet anyway. NHS I missed when I was in hospital with dengue, would not like to be in for a long time, even with Philhealth still ended up with a bill. Infrastructure I miss as I live in the jungle, walking to the local sari sari store and packs of dogs snapping at my heels.
    I'm surrounded by roosters squawking at 3 am but I'm getting use to the noise but karaoke noise I can't get use to when they have the bass cranked up.

    Pros and cons living here, People here are wonderful. Weather, I'm use to the humidity, typhoons we don't get any, protected by the mountain, Earthquakes yes we have a lot had one last week only last a few seconds.
    We have a volcano but not erupted for hundreds of years.
    If I go back to the UK it will be for health reasons only.
    • Funny Funny x 1
    • Informative Informative x 1
  5. Jim
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    Jim Well-Known Member Trusted Member

    What a weekend, massive speakers blaring out Pinoy disc0 noise had to move out and book in an apartment away from the loud din still another night of that s1hit noise. Oh it's a fiesta so it's okay says the baragay captain.
    • Funny Funny x 1
  6. Lee Adams
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    Lee Adams Active Member

    I have to return to the UK 3 or 4 times a year for business purposes and I keep the experience as brief as possible.
    It is true what they say. "Home is where the heart is".
    My only advice would be,try before you buy. The Philippines may be a wonderful place but beware.
    It is certainly not everybodys cup of tea.
    • Informative Informative x 1
  7. Jim
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    Jim Well-Known Member Trusted Member

    I will be retuning to the UK next July, To get away from those blaring speakers pumping out Pinoy disco noise and to see my family. not seen them for over 5 and a half years.
  8. Lee Adams
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    Lee Adams Active Member

    Not sure how you could put up with that type of noise. That would drive me bonkers.
    Very peaceful where we live.
  9. Jim
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    Jim Well-Known Member Trusted Member

    I don't, It's every last week in July. This year I rented an apartment in the next town for a few days. I want to move but wife loves it here.
  10. Heathen
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    Heathen Active Member

    My missus is currently back home on Mindanao, she just sent me a message complaining about bank charges on withdrawals, she with drew 10k PHP from robinsons and paid 376 bank charges today she withdrew 10k php from BDO and they charged her 462 for the withdrawal, both of these were done using her Wise card, does that seem about right ?.
  11. oss
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    oss Somewhere Staff Member

    It's about 250 peso that the banks charge per ATM transaction generally, is she trying to withdraw from Wise from a peso "jar" account, like pre-converted money? (example in Wise below)

    I'm asking because I think had trouble getting cash when my GBP balance was zero, it didn't seem to want to use my peso jar for cash withdrawals, so if withdrawing from a GBP balance on the card it will look like a 10250 peso withdrawl + the spot rate conversion fees from Wise.
    upload_2023-3-15_11-18-36.png
    • Informative Informative x 2
  12. oss
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    oss Somewhere Staff Member

    This is an example withdrawal at a BDO where I used my GBP balance.
    upload_2023-3-15_11-29-55.png

    And this is an example where I did succeed in taking from my converted peso balance from an international transaction capable ATM near home.

    upload_2023-3-15_11-34-0.png

    Also remember if she has taken more than £200 within a month she will be paying Wise additional fees.

    I use my card at point of sale to buy things rather than for cash becuase of the low limit before fees.
    • Informative Informative x 1
  13. Heathen
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    Heathen Active Member

    Yes thats correct she said the ATM's state 250 pesos per withdrawal, and yes she is using converted money on her wise card, so you are probably correct 250 charge plus the conversion fees, but why do we have to pay conversion fees when it's been converted some months ago when the pound to peso was favourable.

    Sorry I tried to upload her wise statement but it wont allow me to, but basically she had more than 20000 pesos in her wise account and when she withdrew her money at the ATM's her wise statement showed the charges to be 462 at BDO and 376 at Robinsons, when as you/she said the ATM charges said 250 pesos per transaction, I dont understand having to pay other charges on top when the wise wallet/pot £££'s had already been converted months ago.
    Last edited: Mar 15, 2023
  14. Heathen
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    Heathen Active Member

    Also remember if she has taken more than £200 within a month she will be paying Wise additional fees.

    I use my card at point of sale to buy things rather than for cash becuase of the low limit before fees.[/QUOTE]

    I didnt realise that there were additional fees if more than £200 within the month, I do now :) but she also has my wise card with her so maybe I should suggest she uses that :D:D:D:D:D.
  15. Mattecube
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    Mattecube face the sunshine so shadows fall behind you Trusted Member

    You have to move money from the jar to your pesos available account.
  16. oss
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    oss Somewhere Staff Member

    I missused the term "jar" as I had not thought about it for a while.

    The converted peso balance is not a real account unlike the Euro Acccount, or a USD account etc. which are real accounts with account details, I should have used the term "balance", I think now that the reason I had difficulty withdrawing from my peso balance back last May was that I had locked ATM cash withdrawals.

    I've not actually used my Wise card over there as much as I expected as it was easier to spend on my Zero fee Nationwide FlexPlus and Member Credit card, but between my Revolut account and Wise they allow me a total of £400 fee free withdrawls to suppliment a roughtly 30,000 peso withdrawal limit per day on my FlexPlus debit card, that's handy when paying large amounts for example like the kids school fees which I always end up having to pay in cash.
  17. oss
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    oss Somewhere Staff Member

    You shouldn't be paying anything extra on pre-converted money apart from the ATM fee, something is not right there.
    • Agree Agree x 1
  18. Mattecube
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    Mattecube face the sunshine so shadows fall behind you Trusted Member

    Just as a side issue wife’s daughter used Wise a lot in the Philippines and us in Thailand and Malaysia found it very good and accepted widely, also yes no currency charges just ATM
  19. Heathen
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    Heathen Active Member

  20. Druk1
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    Druk1 Well-Known Member

    Just take a bag of cash :like: I took cash for two months in the states recently,no one refused it.

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