Has anyone tried staying in the area near Mall of Asia and City of Dreams? If so, how does is compare with an area like the Greenbelt?
Mostly wondering about costs, quality of life, amount of foreigners, and safety concerns.
I am also considering Quezon City, although, I will probably start off at the Green Belt. It would be nice to find a place under 1k per month u.s.d. but that is very nice with good logistics...
Thanks
Note: Any one can recommend a nice place with a gym / pool within a short walk to green belt for under 1k per month? The ones on air nb are pretty pricey.
I'm contemplating how big of a red flag it should that my Filipina g.f. of 2 years won't pick up the phone consistently when I call or message on viber.
On the one hand, I know that these days, a lot of people don't like to pick up the phone. She can be tired from work and fall asleep when she gets home. However, I'm trying to decide if I'm being too strict if I tell her I expect her to pick up the phone when I call unless she is at work.
(08-12-2016 03:22 PM)Mentavious Wrote: What about when she is with you?
If she on the phone a lot?
No, she's not on the phone a lot when I am with her. She hardly ever is on the phone when I am around. But she is on face book quite a bit. She sends me messages through email daily.
I actually have not seen her in a couple months because I'm back in the u.s. for work for a while. It feels like I don't really know what's going on. She swears she loves me all over her face book page though, and in the emails she sends me daily...
(08-12-2016 02:30 PM)Freebird Flying Wrote: I'm contemplating how big of a red flag it should that my Filipina g.f. of 2 years won't pick up the phone consistently when I call or message on viber.
You know what they say, Freebird, you never lose your girl, you just lose your turn.
(08-11-2016 09:42 AM)erikak Wrote: I'm spending 40,000+ pesos monthly on rent, at least 80,000+ on food, and just blew 100k on car repairs. I need to save more :/
You're in Manila right? What are the benefits of having a car there?
When I was in Davao I saw foriegner's driving SUV's and Pickup trucks but it made sense to me because they were probably living in the hills above and they would need a vehicle to get into town, haul their scuba gear, etc.
Maybe you get value out of it because you can easily take girls out of the city to the countryside or beach?
I don't know, but I'm curious about it and interested in knowing more.
Having a car with a driver in Manila, priceless! Just off the top of my head:
- No need to worry about parking. Door to door pickup and drop off.
- No longer pissed off at the traffic situation
- Must have if partying at the villages. Almost impossible to get taxi/uber to pick up.
- Get totally smashed and still get home safely.
- Don't have to personally pickup or drop off stuff (including girls), driver can do it
(08-12-2016 03:22 PM)Mentavious Wrote: What about when she is with you?
If she on the phone a lot?
No, she's not on the phone a lot when I am with her. She hardly ever is on the phone when I am around. But she is on face book quite a bit. She sends me messages through email daily.
I actually have not seen her in a couple months because I'm back in the u.s. for work for a while. It feels like I don't really know what's going on. She swears she loves me all over her face book page though, and in the emails she sends me daily...
Thats the real red flag. Most of these girls aren't too bright, if your crafty you can probably trick her over online to see if shes seeing another guy.
(08-12-2016 11:42 PM)asdfk Wrote: How much does a driver cost a day?
Depends on a few things.
A) Location.. Manila will be the most expensive, Cebu less, Davao less, other non-resort cities probably less.
B) Are you going through an agency or making a deal directly with the driver? An agency will charge you significantly more.
C) Are you going to be paying the Filipino price or the higher foreigner price?
D) How long will you hire the driver? The shorter the time the more it will cost. If you can keep him for a few months you could get a much better deal.
I know a Filipino non-live in driver (different from the one mentioned a few posts ago) who works full time for a rich Filipino guy and he makes around 10k per month (around $220 in USD.) No idea for Cebu or Manila but definitely more.
I looked into when I first had the idea of rolling with an entourage (driver, assistant, maid, etc) several months ago. Can roll like a celebrity for pretty damn cheap.
^ Thanks username. Does the 220 USD (or more in major cities) include fuel costs? Can I drive him around all day? Send him to pick up people for me? Is he waiting near (or not too far from) my condo when I'm not in the car with him?
Just trying to figure out the 'all inclusive' price of this idea, and how available the driver is..
I've stayed over at the Hyatt City of Dreams. I think the biggest issue of it is isolation, more than anything else. I doubt you'll be walking anywhere from here - just Uber or take a taxi. Its about 30 minutes during the evening to Greenbelt, and further to Valkyrie or the Fort in general. The closest areas are Pasay and maybe Ortigas. Foreigners are around but they're more likely to be in one of the high end hotels, Nobu, Hyatt, Conrad, etc.
If you're a first timer in SE Asia I'd start near Greenbelt if you're gonna do Manila. Just to get your feet wet before you go somewhere more exotic. Its fairly affordable. Quezon City isn't a bad choice either, but its a huge area, so depends where you're staying. I think QC is a bit better if you're on the younger side too - its definitely cheaper as well, and there are far fewer foreigners than Greenbelt or the Fort.
(08-12-2016 12:46 PM)Freebird Flying Wrote: Has anyone tried staying in the area near Mall of Asia and City of Dreams? If so, how does is compare with an area like the Greenbelt?
Mostly wondering about costs, quality of life, amount of foreigners, and safety concerns.
I am also considering Quezon City, although, I will probably start off at the Green Belt. It would be nice to find a place under 1k per month u.s.d. but that is very nice with good logistics...
Thanks
Note: Any one can recommend a nice place with a gym / pool within a short walk to green belt for under 1k per month? The ones on air nb are pretty pricey.
(08-13-2016 07:37 AM)Malo Wrote: Does the 220 USD (or more in major cities) include fuel costs?
Nope, fuel cost will have to be covered by you.
Quote:Can I drive him around all day?
For the driver that I mentioned this is a daily 9 to 10 hour shift. I'm sure you could work out something if you wanted to do different hourly combinations for different days.
Quote:Send him to pick up people for me?
Yep.
Quote:Is he waiting near (or not too far from) my condo when I'm not in the car with him?
Just trying to figure out the 'all inclusive' price of this idea, and how available the driver is..
The driver I mentioned uses the boss's vehicle so the driver comes to the boss's house (where the car is kept) and then they go from there. If you use his vehicle it will likely cost a lot more because he could use his vehicle to shuffle people around on per gig jobs and make more money. The driver I know doesn't own a vehicle and thus is limited in his earning potential.
An option I might do once I'm back in the Philippines and have a place rented and a car instead of outright hiring a driver for 10k/month I might see if I can find a trustworthy and safe guy through local connection to get paid on a per trip hourly basis.
(08-13-2016 03:44 AM)username Wrote: I looked into when I first had the idea of rolling with an entourage (driver, assistant, maid, etc) several months ago. Can roll like a celebrity for pretty damn cheap.
I've read on other Philippines expat sites that getting a maid is a bad idea because many foreigner's have been robbed/killed by the bf/relative of the maid.
Don't mean to fear-monger, and those unfortunate ones probably gave the maid keys to the house or some other kind of access/knowledge of what they had.
I personally knew an ex-pat that was constantly hunting for a former assistant because she robbed him of about $4,000 usd.
Good warning Onto. The family I'm close with in the Philippines only hires their own relatives to be their maids. Seems like a somewhat safer move compared to hiring random weirdos off the streets.
Agree 100% with Onto on maids. Pretty much don't trust anyone here, not even other foreigners. A girl I know was scammed by a white woman in her 40s. She asked for directions to some place nearby, and when the woman left, the girl noticed the 1,000 peso bill she had on the counter of the phone shop was gone.
I've met many "gray area entrepreneurs" in manila amongst the foreign population. Heard many stories about people being set up. I loved the Philippines for many reasons, but the lawlessness and the disregard for the value of human life was definitely not one of them.
(04-09-2014 10:40 AM)Cr33pin Wrote: Bix I was always honest with every girl I hooked up with in the Phils. I didn't lie and say I was looking for a wife or living there permanently. I just told them I was there until I got the urge to travel some more and I got out of a long LTR back in America as was not looking to get into another one. Being honest cost me zero bangs. I was honest about everything and it was great. I didn't have to put on a front or act like I was someone I was not. I was just me.... me living in paradise banging young women.
Your statement makes my day. I was laughing my head off. You will NOT get any bang,for being honest though, as you rightly found out. The girls themselves are not honest as you can see. But I appreciate your honesty.
Hahaha....that last 30 seconds of advice was great. "Careful girls...not every American is rich. The more experience you have with a foreigner you learn who they are, what they are, and what they have."
(08-12-2016 02:30 PM)Freebird Flying Wrote: I'm contemplating how big of a red flag it should that my Filipina g.f. of 2 years won't pick up the phone consistently when I call or message on viber.
On the one hand, I know that these days, a lot of people don't like to pick up the phone. She can be tired from work and fall asleep when she gets home. However, I'm trying to decide if I'm being too strict if I tell her I expect her to pick up the phone when I call unless she is at work.
Thoughts?
I wonder that sometimes myself. I think there is a high probability they are talking to others guys. It makes sense that these girls would cast a bigger net in order to land a foreigner.
Do not trust these women for a second. They all have multiple boyfriends. They are searching for the idiots. Men to take them out to expensive restaurants and shopping. Then when you leave expect you to send them money.
Enjoy the Philippines for what it is. Do not feel bad about what your doing. Just be smart about it.
Who's the bigger idiot? The guy that lavishes girls with gifts? Or the guy who doesn't because he can't figure out a way to make more money? If a guy has cash, he will spend at least some of it on girls.
Sadly, Filipinas are catching onto our games as well, just like the girls in China did, the girls in EE, Brazil. Enjoy it while it lasts, they are already changing.
(08-19-2016 09:12 PM)erikak Wrote: Who's the bigger idiot? The guy that lavishes girls with gifts? Or the guy who doesn't because he can't figure out a way to make more money? If a guy has cash, he will spend at least some of it on girls.
I make enough money to not have to worry about much but i'm a stingy motherfucker when it comes to girls.
It's absurd to assume that when you make more you should allow people to mooch off of you in this way. It's actually a personal insult when girls treat you like a personal atm.
They think you are a gullible dipshit foreigner and there's a distinct lack of respect there up front. When you allow this you're enabling disrespect.
Don't be surprised if the next level of disrespect is sucking some guy's cock right before coming to see you and giving you a big French kiss.
Then don't. There is 0 need to pay for anything when dating Filipinas. I rarely did. If you play it right (and don't fuck Barrio girls) they'll spend the money on you. Especially in Manila.