Post: #201

(12-30-2013 01:46 AM)DirectDanger Wrote:  

Quote:(1) Is a galaxy mini android sub-optimal? I think it's 3G max.

Get a better phone. You will be using it all the time.


Yes you can buy a ticket in a girls name. Bad idea. Don't do it.

+1 rep point for concise, useful information without the nasty judgment side dish. Thank you.

Post: #202

Quote:might be better than paying to go to someplace like Zamboanga. Shit, just the name scares me. We're talking jungle-living true believers who think Allah is real.

My judgement side dish - go to the places that scare you.

IKE, when does your fictional character arrive?

Beyond All Seas

"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe.
To be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you'll be lonely often, and sometimes
frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." - Kipling

Post: #203

(12-29-2013 11:14 PM)DirectDanger Wrote:  The biggest problem is stability. I have the "up to" 10mbps on Sky Cable that I pay close to $90 a month for. I average at least 1 disconnection every day and sometimes have as many as 2 or 3. They can last anywhere from 1 minute to 20 minutes.

If you are an online poker player, day trader, or anything that really needs a steady connection you need to be cautious. If a connection randomly going down a few minutes is not a big deal for you then it shouldn't be a problem. I have noticed that my video conferencing calls have had trouble the last few weeks with its connections. I have had to resort to just audio calls sometimes.

From all my research the best connection you can get is FIBER from PLDT. It is going to cost a lot and is only available in select areas of Makati and the Fort. Second best choice is DSL by PLDT.

I went with Sky Cable for 2 reasons.
- 1 is it was already installed in my Condo and they could get me hooked up in a few days. PLDT would have to be installed and take at least 1 month.
- 2 Sky Cable allowed for an upgrade to 10 mbps with only a 6 month contract. PLDT required a 1 year.


I would say the internet is good enough that almost anyone who works online can get by here. Just be prepared for frustrations.


Bangkok Internet was faster and more stable than here in Manila.

Thanks guys, appreciate the info.

Post: #204

Clubs are empty in Manila on New Years eve. Empty!

New Years seems to be much more of a family holiday and not a get drunk with you friends and party holiday.

I had no idea.

Post: #205

(12-31-2013 01:49 PM)DirectDanger Wrote:  Clubs are empty in Manila on New Years eve. Empty!

New Years seems to be much more of a family holiday and not a get drunk with you friends and party holiday.

I had no idea.

Interesting. I had read that it isn't easy to get a table for NYE ("you need reservations/table for [Prive] usually and new year's is a nightmare to get in... I'm scrambling for other options..." - direct quote from a club promoter). I wonder what happened.

Either way, happy new year, DD and the rest of RVF!

Post: #206

(12-31-2013 02:11 PM)Paul B Wrote:  

(12-31-2013 01:49 PM)DirectDanger Wrote:  Clubs are empty in Manila on New Years eve. Empty!

New Years seems to be much more of a family holiday and not a get drunk with you friends and party holiday.

I had no idea.

Interesting. I had read that it isn't easy to get a table for NYE ("you need reservations/table for [Prive] usually and new year's is a nightmare to get in... I'm scrambling for other options..." - direct quote from a club promoter). I wonder what happened.

Either way, happy new year, DD and the rest of RVF!

No one at Prive. 1 am the fort strip parking lot was empty. On the weekend the parking lot is to the max. Very few people at any of the clubs or restaurants. Some of the places were just closed. More people out on Christmas day than NYE. Weird.

Post: #207

(11-06-2013 05:44 AM)DirectDanger Wrote:  @JJG
Yes you can get a 6 month visa when your 30 day visa on arrival is done. I am not positive what happens if you have an extended visa before you arrive or even what your options are. I have read on some forums of people having trouble at the airport with return tickets past 30 days even though they have extended visas that put the return date within the time on the visa. I just don't know the answer. You will have to do a lot more research on the topic.

Just remember you are dealing with the airline ticket counter that knows nothing about the immigration and visa rules of the Philippines just that they are required to make sure you have a return ticket. It will be of little use to argue with them. They won't have a clue what is going on.

Seems to me it is easier just to be cautious and spend less than $30 on a budget ticket to be safe.

Anything special you need to do to qualify for the 6 month visa? What is the cost? Is it limited to nationals from a specific country? Oh, and I've heard conflicting reports on this: you must wear long pants to office where you get your visa renewed?? Seems trivial, I know, but it is the god-awful-hot tropics after all ;-) Thanks!

Post: #208

Wear pants. Don't show up at immigration in shorts.

After being in BKK for so long, I don't even like wearing shorts anymore. Makes me look like all the dipshit backpackers and whore mongers running around.

Post: #209

As always the rules have changed again. Back to the old rules.

21 day visa on arrival. Can extend for 39 days after that. Extend 2 months after that. And so on.

No more 6 month extensions from my experience.

(01-01-2014 01:43 AM)TravelerDude Wrote:  

(11-06-2013 05:44 AM)DirectDanger Wrote:  @JJG
Yes you can get a 6 month visa when your 30 day visa on arrival is done. I am not positive what happens if you have an extended visa before you arrive or even what your options are. I have read on some forums of people having trouble at the airport with return tickets past 30 days even though they have extended visas that put the return date within the time on the visa. I just don't know the answer. You will have to do a lot more research on the topic.

Just remember you are dealing with the airline ticket counter that knows nothing about the immigration and visa rules of the Philippines just that they are required to make sure you have a return ticket. It will be of little use to argue with them. They won't have a clue what is going on.

Seems to me it is easier just to be cautious and spend less than $30 on a budget ticket to be safe.

Anything special you need to do to qualify for the 6 month visa? What is the cost? Is it limited to nationals from a specific country? Oh, and I've heard conflicting reports on this: you must wear long pants to office where you get your visa renewed?? Seems trivial, I know, but it is the god-awful-hot tropics after all ;-) Thanks!

Post: #210

(01-01-2014 01:50 AM)DirectDanger Wrote:  As always the rules have changed again. Back to the old rules.

21 day visa on arrival. Can extend for 39 days after that. Extend 2 months after that. And so on.

No more 6 month extensions from my experience.

??? Source please?

Post: #211

(12-31-2013 02:20 PM)DirectDanger Wrote:  

(12-31-2013 02:11 PM)Paul B Wrote:  

(12-31-2013 01:49 PM)DirectDanger Wrote:  Clubs are empty in Manila on New Years eve. Empty!

New Years seems to be much more of a family holiday and not a get drunk with you friends and party holiday.

I had no idea.

Interesting. I had read that it isn't easy to get a table for NYE ("you need reservations/table for [Prive] usually and new year's is a nightmare to get in... I'm scrambling for other options..." - direct quote from a club promoter). I wonder what happened.

Either way, happy new year, DD and the rest of RVF!

No one at Prive. 1 am the fort strip parking lot was empty. On the weekend the parking lot is to the max. Very few people at any of the clubs or restaurants. Some of the places were just closed. More people out on Christmas day than NYE. Weird.

Same here in Cebu for the most part. All the girls I wanted to come out were stuck at home doing the family thing last night. NYE is a family holiday here. And an opportunity to shoot fireworks at everything in sight. lol. Holy shit it was crazy last night.

I did hit up Mango but the clubs were 90% foreigners and of that number 70% dudes. The only hot girls around were pros or Koreans and I don't pursue either of those. I see quite a few hot Koreans here, but I'm with you DD, their English is too tiring to work with. I'd rather hang with Filipinas who are more fun and understand what the fuck I'm saying. I think I'm to the point that if a girl's English isn't 6-7 of 10 I move on. I can't deal with it. The more time I spend here in the Philippines the more I appreciate the English. It makes traveling, working, and getting laid here a breeze.

Post: #212

(12-30-2013 10:18 AM)Mojorisin808 Wrote:  

(12-29-2013 11:14 PM)DirectDanger Wrote:  The biggest problem is stability. I have the "up to" 10mbps on Sky Cable that I pay close to $90 a month for. I average at least 1 disconnection every day and sometimes have as many as 2 or 3. They can last anywhere from 1 minute to 20 minutes.

If you are an online poker player, day trader, or anything that really needs a steady connection you need to be cautious. If a connection randomly going down a few minutes is not a big deal for you then it shouldn't be a problem. I have noticed that my video conferencing calls have had trouble the last few weeks with its connections. I have had to resort to just audio calls sometimes.

From all my research the best connection you can get is FIBER from PLDT. It is going to cost a lot and is only available in select areas of Makati and the Fort. Second best choice is DSL by PLDT.

I went with Sky Cable for 2 reasons.
- 1 is it was already installed in my Condo and they could get me hooked up in a few days. PLDT would have to be installed and take at least 1 month.
- 2 Sky Cable allowed for an upgrade to 10 mbps with only a 6 month contract. PLDT required a 1 year.


I would say the internet is good enough that almost anyone who works online can get by here. Just be prepared for frustrations.


Bangkok Internet was faster and more stable than here in Manila.

Thanks guys, appreciate the info.

DD's advice is right on. I'll add a bit more from my experience here in Cebu.

One thing you have to beware of when you rent a Condo here is that the buildings generally have contracts with one provider. This makes it impossible or a pain in the ass to get service from a different provider if you want to. Case in point is DDs situation.

I just looked at a bunch of condos in the Fort and some of the best deals had Sky, which is reportedly the worst in the country. In fact one guy from Italy told me straight up the service is shit and wouldn't recommend working off the connection. Maybe he overstated that, don’t know.
So when you're looking at places make sure you're aware of which company provides the service.

From what I've learned from my employees who live here and living here myself is the PLDT is hands down the most reliable provider. In some areas of Manila and Cebu you can even get on their Fiber Network. My employees have 3mb DSL connections here in Cebu with PLDT and do live screen shares, remote desktops, etc., with customers at nearly a 100% success rate. Yes, sometimes it's slower, but generally a reset of the router bumps it back up and the up time is good (around Yolanda it was down often but that seems to all have been sorted).

I live in a building that has Globe DSL and the max I can get is 3mb. lol. But, it's a solid 3mb connection and I watch HD BBALL games, do Webex meetings, screen shares, etc., almost daily without issues. The biggest hold back for me is there’s a fucking 7GB daily limit. I work with sizable files often and have gone over a couple times.

To sum it up, if up-time is your biggest concern rent a place with PLDT and pay for the speed. They also have biz connection with guaranteed speeds too.

The internet in PI is slow as shit compared to most places but I believe it’s improving rapidly. The telecommunication industry was just deregulated in 1995 so these companies are still learning to provide service. From my understanding if it wasn't for that deregulation this country would still be the ‘sick man of Asia’ and not growing at 7% a year. Coupled with the local English abilities, that deregulation lead directly to the boom in BPO and the Philippines #1 ranking in voice related services. I know I wouldn't be here if it didn't happen.

Hope that helps.

Post: #213

(01-01-2014 01:56 AM)Paul B Wrote:  

(01-01-2014 01:50 AM)DirectDanger Wrote:  As always the rules have changed again. Back to the old rules.

21 day visa on arrival. Can extend for 39 days after that. Extend 2 months after that. And so on.

No more 6 month extensions from my experience.

??? Source please?

I have no source other than my experience so far.

When I landed here they gave me a 21 day Visa on arrival. I contacted 3 different visa agencies that take care of extensions and all had the same story that the 6 month option was no longer an option. I don't know if that is 100% true. After 39 days I recently got my Visa extended again and got my ACR card.

If any of you other guys in the Philippines know different I would be very interested in hearing how you get Visa extensions.

Post: #214

(01-01-2014 02:24 AM)YardDog Wrote:  The internet in PI is slow as shit compared to most places but I believe it’s improving rapidly. The telecommunication industry was just deregulated in 1995 so these companies are still learning to provide service. From my understanding if it wasn't for that deregulation this country would still be the ‘sick man of Asia’ and not growing at 7% a year. Coupled with the local English abilities, that deregulation lead directly to the boom in BPO and the Philippines #1 ranking in voice related services. I know I wouldn't be here if it didn't happen.

Hope that helps.

Great nuts and bolts intel, and big picture info on where Phils is headed.

Allow me to give first rep point!

Post: #215

(01-01-2014 02:33 AM)DirectDanger Wrote:  

(01-01-2014 01:56 AM)Paul B Wrote:  

(01-01-2014 01:50 AM)DirectDanger Wrote:  As always the rules have changed again. Back to the old rules.

21 day visa on arrival. Can extend for 39 days after that. Extend 2 months after that. And so on.

No more 6 month extensions from my experience.

??? Source please?

I have no source other than my experience so far.

When I landed here they gave me a 21 day Visa on arrival. I contacted 3 different visa agencies that take care of extensions and all had the same story that the 6 month option was no longer an option. I don't know if that is 100% true. After 39 days I recently got my Visa extended again and got my ACR card.

If any of you other guys in the Philippines know different I would be very interested in hearing how you get Visa extensions.

Well that 6 month VISA is deceiving anyway. You still have to pay all of the fees that we do now according to my local expat service guy.

Also, it was my understanding it was just a 'trial run' and you can only get that VISA at one office in Manila (intramuros manila). Maybe that's the issue you're seeing DD? For instance, I can't get that 6 month VISA here in Cebu no matter what.

VISA are expensive here, but I just have this service come and pick up my passport and pay 1200 pesos each time for the service. No way am I standing in line.

Post: #216

(12-30-2013 03:38 AM)Beyond Borders Wrote:  

Quote:might be better than paying to go to someplace like Zamboanga. Shit, just the name scares me. We're talking jungle-living true believers who think Allah is real.

My judgement side dish - go to the places that scare you.

IKE, when does your fictional character arrive?

I am shipping him to Manilia in a Balikbayan box Mid Feb and the sucker is shaking like a little girl saying "Don't send me to Zamboanga boss!! Not Zamboanga!"

What a pussy.

And I like your idea of going someplace scary. What if there's some off-the-charts smoking one-in-10,000 chick in Zamboanga, where no tourists go. She might think "That American is fat and kind of stupid, but who else is going to get me out of here? I guess I'll just have his baby."'

And are you daring me? Are you saying I'm chicken? Huh? Huh?

Post: #217

+1 YardDog

Matches my experience with the Internet. Good to know how things are in Cebu as well.

Sky Cable has been good enough for me so far, just frustrating at times. If I end up staying long term I would do what ever it took to get PLDT.

Post: #218

(01-01-2014 02:42 AM)iknowexactly Wrote:  

(12-30-2013 03:38 AM)Beyond Borders Wrote:  

Quote:might be better than paying to go to someplace like Zamboanga. Shit, just the name scares me. We're talking jungle-living true believers who think Allah is real.

My judgement side dish - go to the places that scare you.

IKE, when does your fictional character arrive?

I am shipping him to Manilia in a Balikbayan box Mid Feb and the sucker is shaking like a little girl saying "Don't send me to Zamboanga boss!! Not Zamboanga!"

What a pussy.

And I like your idea of going someplace scary. What if there's some off-the-charts smoking one-in-10,000 chick in Zamboanga, where no tourists go. She might think "That American is fat and kind of stupid, but who else is going to get me out of here? I guess I'll just have his baby."'

And are you daring me? Are you saying I'm chicken? Huh? Huh?

double dog dare

Beyond All Seas

"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe.
To be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you'll be lonely often, and sometimes
frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." - Kipling

Post: #219

(01-01-2014 01:45 PM)Beyond Borders Wrote:  

(01-01-2014 02:42 AM)iknowexactly Wrote:  And are you daring me? Are you saying I'm chicken? Huh? Huh?

double dog dare

Think I'll pass. Getting beat down by my corrupt landlord in Lviv was enough "adventure" for the next few years.

According to Phils gubmint info about Zamboanga, 200 dead and 100,000 displaced during fighting in the area with Moro guerrillas about 5 months ago.

http://newint.org/blog/majority/2013/09/...der-siege/

Sorry to hijack thread about Manila, but side trip possibilities have some relevance I guess.

Post: #220

(01-01-2014 02:56 PM)iknowexactly Wrote:  Getting beat down by my corrupt landlord in Lviv was enough "adventure" for the next few years.

Damn - that sounds like a story worth hearing.

Beyond All Seas

"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe.
To be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you'll be lonely often, and sometimes
frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." - Kipling

Post: #221

"The internet in PI is slow as shit compared to most places but I believe it’s improving rapidly. The telecommunication industry was just deregulated in 1995 so these companies are still learning to provide service. From my understanding if it wasn't for that deregulation this country would still be the ‘sick man of Asia’ and not growing at 7% a year. Coupled with the local English abilities, that deregulation lead directly to the boom in BPO and the Philippines #1 ranking in voice related services. I know I wouldn't be here if it didn't happen"

"Zamboanga" does sound scary....almost as scary as California liberals and all lol.


Funny I know a guy who left Ukraine a few years back because of slow internet. He went to Philippines because he said speed is faster. Now Ukraine has 100mbs speed for 13 bucks unlimited.Much faster than my USA speed.

Post: #222

(01-01-2014 03:04 PM)Beyond Borders Wrote:  

(01-01-2014 02:56 PM)iknowexactly Wrote:  Getting beat down by my corrupt landlord in Lviv was enough "adventure" for the next few years.

Damn - that sounds like a story worth hearing.

It's posted elsewhere, bottom line is chimps who manage to wrangle real estate are still chimps, the rule of law is not really grasped in EX FSU countries, they still feel might makes right and the law is for little people, the goal is not to obey it but to rise above it and bully.

Post: #223

My experience with UBER in Manila.

New Years Eve and I am out with Fox McCloud (new RVF Member) trying to find a club with people. In our last ditch effort after seeing no one at the fort we take a taxi over to Malate. The whole time my phone is blowing up with text from girls replying to my happy new year text blast.

Fox McCloud goes straight to work right when we get to the club finding himself a cutie. I am not impressed with the crowd and I start texting with a girl who slipped through the cracks and I have not heard from in over a month. She is a little drunk and wants to see me but is to scared to take a taxi and meet me. No problem I will go get her as Makati is on the way to my condo.

Walk outside and there are very few taxis and lots of Korean guys trying to wave them down. Finally I get a taxi and he says meter plus 100 pesos. I said meter only. He comes back with meter plus 50. I said no and he took off. Fuck. Should have paid the 50 pesos I thought.

It then occurred to me I should try UBER. Get on my phone and order up a car. Remember this is around 3am. Within about 30 seconds I get a reply that says a driver is on the way, it tells me the drivers name, his pic, type of car, and plate #. About 8 minutes later a car arrives.

The car is a very new toyota camry which is fucking luxurious compared to the taxis here. The driver is very nice and courteous and most of all a competent driver which you don't always get here. I tell him where in Makati I want to go and that he needs to wait for me when we get there. No problem he said.

When we get to Makati he drops me off and waits while I run in to get the girl. It ends up taking about 10 minutes to get her to leave her friends. I had to play nice guy for a while and talk to everyone. Once outside the driver is patiently waiting for us and off we go to my condo in the Fort.

The girls mind is fucking blown that I have a car and driver waiting for me.

Once we get to my condo all I do is say thanks and hop out. No exchanging of money. It is all taken care of by credit card when I registered with UBER.

Total cost less then 350 pesos ($8 USD). I am sold on UBER.

Post: #224

(01-02-2014 12:36 AM)DirectDanger Wrote:  My experience with UBER in Manila.
....
The girls mind is fucking blown that I have a car and driver waiting for me.

I am going to UBER-DHV the shit out of Manila. Thanks a ton for the tip.

Post: #225

This post originally had my UBER promo code on here. Decided it looked to much like an advertisement on my part so I removed it.