After a languid start we caught the Ceres Liner departing the North Bus Terminal at 10:20am. It was not a fun bus ride. For one thing there is an election campaign running. That means all the roads are being done up, widened, deepened, raised, repaired, sunk, over-passed or under-passed or re-surfaced as the case may be. It’s hell traveling north out of Cebu at the best of times I gather but now with the highway narrowed to one lane for both directions it was nigh impossible. But, ten minutes’ drive and one hour later we cleared the worst of the road works and picked up a little speed. The countryside that took over from the built-up roadway was decidedly more beautiful but not a little scary. Narrow twisty roads winding their way up the ever higher mountains with sheer rises for our left hand and escarpment drops from the very road edge to our right. I mean, I was sitting next to the window on the right and I would be looking down trying to find the road shoulder but could see nothing but a drop of hundreds of feet. Exactly how close were we to the edge anyway? I […]

We left the apartment on our Cebu bound trip a half minute late. But it was only because I used my lifetime of experience dealing with the ladies. Daisy had a whole raft of things that ‘needed’ doing before she left the house including cooking breakfast when there was 10 minutes to go. But my male cunning outwitted her female argument, hence our timeous departure. We caught a Jeepney with but seconds to spare as we unlocked the gate. You remember the gate that was locked from the inside when I was on the outside? Usually we seem to miss the Jeepney by fractions of a second. Talking of missing things by a fraction of a second… The ‘Ceres Liner’ bus, (the Philippines Greyhound equivalent) departed on time at 8:20am and carried us safely, more or less, to Cebu in 5 ½ hours (inc. landing craft). Half way we happened upon another Ceres Liner by the roadside which decided to take off just as we had crossed to the on-coming lane to pass it. (2 lane highway only) The newly accelerating bus driver didn’t want to be passed however, certainly not by some other cheeky driver from the same company, […]

I’ve never eaten so much damn rice in my life. In fact, I never knew there was that much. But these characters here would eat it for breakfast, lunch, dinner, mid-morning snack, mid-afternoon snack and a midnight feast if they got the chance. Was a time when I was a bit extreme the other way. Imelda couldn’t get me to eat rice unless it was a milk pudding or in a curry. That was it. That was what rice was for. Potatoes were where it was at. Filipinos however take the concept of ‘staple’ to the extreme. I didn’t have enough with Daisy dishing it up morning noon and night but then I had Miranda joining in as well. Anyway, on that score I’m back down to one woman again, (and possibly a reduction in rice ration.) We put Miranda back on her flight Saturday afternoon and she is now back in Manila. Poor thing. Didn’t want to go. Had a wonderful time here she told us. In a week she’ll be back toiling away in Hong Kong again, human rights only applicable on Sundays. Better not get myself started. We’ve just enjoyed a high drama these last 25 ½ […]

An Old fashioned Relationship Recently I realized my relationship with a Filipina seems strikingly similar to the relationship my parents had. This whole train of thought  began when a Facebook friend of mine made the following comment on his page: “Thinking how tough these girls are here. No power no problem, they know how to cook using sticks and charcoal. No toilet paper ,they can use a tabo. No washing machine ,they know how to use buckets and hands and even the toilet. Don’t have tons of money, most are easy to please being a simple people. These girls are strong willed yet so soft hearted and feminine. That’s a woman for me. That’s someone I want to serve and cherish.” Well,,, he did happen to post this on his personal page on which he had “western women friends” and the reaction from some of them made me laugh. Among them were comments like: “Be careful…you might have us western gals unfriending you” and “I can do all of those things you mentioned . Stop stereotyping.” The resentful reactions of western women was not unexpected to me , but really showcased why I had given up on a relationship with […]

Tony’s Day in Dauin The three of us enjoyed the afternoon in Dauin, Pronounced ‘Dawin.’ It was a toss-up on who would have the less comfortable, back seat on the pedi. I moved fast to take it, thus displaying my male gallantry. I have to be most assertive on these matters as Daisy goes out of her way trying to ensure I am comfortable at all times; she being the more suited to rough-it she appears to feel. Miranda joins the battle. It is she who must have the less than desirable seat, we two must sit together. But I win – this round at least. Mike’s place, as it is known, is a pleasant resort-style location sandwiched in among a dozen or more similar establishments that line the Negros coast north and south of Dumaguete. Mike’s is reputably the best when it comes to diving excursions be they scuba or snorkeling. I’m in no position to compare but in any event we are not set on doing any diving today. As we motor I reflect that it must have been 1969 when I last dipped a toe in a warm ocean. It was during my early days in Durban […]

Meeting my wife for the very first time is a memory that is fondly coming to mind often these days. Recently I have had to come to Manila on numerous occasions and every time I do, it brings me back to that day that that has changed my life forever. I met Shirley online through one of the more popular dating sites, Filipino Cupid and we had chatted almost everyday for several months while I was still in Canada. She had ticked everyone of my possible relationship boxes, however I had gone through this several times already with other Filipna women. On the previous occasions, I had corresponded with Filipinas, for substantial amounts of time, then eventually hopped on a plane to visit the Philippines and meet in person. Each time I was either disappointed right away or very quickly as they just could never meet my expectations. Some were just not attractive as they appeared online, some were too “easy”, some I did not trust, and some were nice but there was just no chemistry. Regardless, every time I had visited the Philippines I thoroughly enjoyed myself and the companionship was always a bonus. When meeting my wife for […]

Why had I had moved to the Philippines seems to have got lost to me recently. To be truthful I have lost my way simply because I have chosen to pay more attention to things that really do not matter to me, than to the reasons I moved to the Philippines in the first place. So why had I moved to the Philippines? I moved for several specific reasons, the first of which was my desire to be in a relationship with a women I found attractive, loved and who most importantly, felt the same way about me as I did about her. This has happened beyond my wildest dreams and today I am married to that person whom I dreamed of, and we have that relationship that had been so elusive in my 3 1/2 decades of adult life in the western world. The second biggest reason I moved to the Philippines was the climate. My life in Canada was totally dependent upon the seasons and their effect on me. As I got older and was less inclined to enjoyment of winter activities like skiing, I quite simply detested winter. I hated having to put 4 layers of clothing […]

The collection of my passport from immigration that I told you of did not get completed last Tuesday. No, having handed it to me and giving me time to check the visa stamp and discovering I had been given three months rather than the requested two, it was sort of snatched back and replaced with a new form that I had to take away with me, complete and return again in a few days. This had to do with the granting of an ID card that I now needed if I was going to be staying awhile. So Daisy and I returned to the sleazy alley that leads to the dubious-looking immigration office. Somewhere in London, or Victoria BC this alley would be kinda cute with funky, shops, hanging planters with perhaps at the end a tiny coffee shop, crowded but with insufficient bistro tables or seating. This alley however possesses a different kind of charm one that tips the hat to the wanna-be entrepreneur. Thus were we intercepted by seedy-looking gentlemen sporting hand-held trays possessed of Viagra, Cialis and a range of products that, I suspected, may be intended for related uses, the former mentioned being off-prescription and half […]

It’s a warm one out there, 91F, +/- 33C. Same as yesterday. I love to sit outside overlooking the pool and glance up, way, way up at the coconut palms; their thick fronds stand in relief against the near cloudless deep, blue sky. There is neither pollution nor haze, the air being remarkable in its clarity. I want into the pool but I am forbidden. I need to heal I am assured by Miss Daisy. Scabs must not get wet. Scabs? Yesterday I got into an incident, a bad habit of which I cultivated in Salt Spring of somehow managing to trip over myself. There is always a good reason, it’s not that I don’t know how to stand up. But, there we were in the heart of Dumaguete heading for the downtown mall which place we have yet to discover. An area normally intended for sidewalk was not so constructed. The ground was sloped as for a ramp but it was suffused with a gossamer thin layer of powdery concrete dust spillage and fine sand. (As I discovered too late) My sandled right foot stepped assuredly thereon only to slide away as if on ice (Canadians will understand that […]

  My head is in the clouds reading the biography of, ‘The Wright Brothers.’ Or at least it was. Orville had declined to take the American president for a spin on the grounds of safety when, to the audience’s horror, that very same afternoon he came a cropper, killing his passenger and almost writing himself off. And then my ears become attuned to Daisy’s melodic and honey-smooth rendition of Gabriel’s Oboe as sung by Hayley Westenra. My Filipina angel was serenading me. She’s like that is Daisy, my Filipina angel. They say it’s typical of Filipinas or for that matter Filipinos in general and I find it enchanting. It’s not new to me. Daisy would often serenade me while we talked on skype. For no apparent reason she would break into song and seduce me into a soulful happiness for quite some while; one song after another, Western love songs for the most part that is, until she’d smile and return to the former conversation. She always sang word perfect to the lyrics of the original – her English fluency outstanding – until she returned to our chat. Perhaps she should sing to me all the time, we could make […]

I  started to think about both currency and Visa today. I need to change some money. I arrived packing a quantity of US$. They were full dollars too. Years ago I kept in a savings pile at home, all the US$ that were used to pay me by American visitors, rather than change them at the bank. I figured I might get to use them just as they are someday. Meantime they would be savings. Well, what better time to bring them out than now. Cdn and US currencies had been more or less at par when I saved them. Now, I was spared a steep exchange rate to buy US.  Well, in one direction anyway. Now that I’m here exchange counters, banks et al have ways to get around what to them is the profit-making issue. Solution? You make different denominations of currency somehow carry a cost burden that must be separately recovered. Hence, talking $US now, in addition to whatever the over-the-counter rate is, a $20 bill costs ₱50 to change, a $10 bill costs ₱40 and so on. You get the drift. A US dollar currently carries an official exchange rate of ₱47 and change which of […]

Visiting a Doctor in Dumaguete is another new experience in my continuing adventure Before going to the doctor, We’d grabbed a bite in the Jollibee. Cost me $2.50 to feed and water Daisy and me. It was good though. And so it should be for that price. Good gracious me. Inflation is out of hand. Thinking of food I watch the tiny lizards that run about our walls snacking on whatever it is they find on the walls and ceiling. It’s nice to see them back again. Not since days in East Africa. My snack I thought desirable to help gather my strength before my meeting with the quack. No I’m not ill. But I do have to pop a couple of prescription drugs for my on-going welfare. On the grounds that prescription meds are said to be much cheaper overseas than they are in North America I decided that rather than stock up in Canada I would wait till I hit town in Dumaguete. Good call. They were about a third of the price that it cost me under our envied health care system. The lady doc turned out to be a sweetie – small, a tiny voice but […]

You Don’t Know Anything…YET. With this article I want to continue on a theme that ran in my last article about TAKING YOUR TIME. There is so MUCH about living in the Philippines that you just learn when you get here. I spent close to two years reading absolutely everything, watching all the videos from the BIG PLAYERS (Henry, Ned, Bud, Mike) and yet with all of that there are still times when I feel I only scratched the surface of what being here has to offer. There is just so much you will get (especially about yourself)….when you GET HERE. This leads me to what I want to talk about today; You Don’t Know Anything…YET.. One of the eye opening realizations that happens when you are here for some time is that; YOU REALLY HAVE A CHANCE TO CREATE A NEW LIFE;YOU REALLY CAN LIVE THE LIFE YOU ALWAYS IMAGINED OR, THE LIFE YOU NEVER IMAGINED. The Philippines for most MEN is that glorious place you get the chance to do it all over again or do what you never dreamed you would do. If you were a terrible Father and all your kids are grown and don’t give a […]

Having a Wall and a Gate is typical in the Philippines Might be Good To keep People Out, but it is embarrasing when the person it is Keeping out is You You’ll recall last week Daisy and I had visited Valencia market when I got nature’s call. I was dropped at our apartment gate, none the worse for wear except for the ruckled skin on my one hand.  My driver who had been paid in advance by Daisy so I would not have to haggle, moved off. I unlock the 8’ high, solid metal gate with the key entrusted to my care, but sadly the gate had been further locked with a bolt – on the inside. It shouldn’t have been. That’s not supposed to happen. Tenants are instructed accordingly. But it was. Now I was caught standing on the edge of a busy, concrete highway, sun blazing, badly needing to go, and had no way to reach anybody. I yelled and rattled the gates but to no avail. I case the joint. Is the wall climbable? Where would I climb it if I were a burglar? This is not easy. These high walls are mostly solid, built to keep […]

St. Valentine’s Day in Dumaguete – The Market Daisy thinks we should stay home. “Because so crowded.” The lady requires peace and quiet, not the hurly burly that comes with crowds celebrating. Most of Daisy’s conversations start with ‘Because.’ We aren’t sure why, that’s just the way it is. Daisy is supposed to be learning proper English from me. Alas I find it easier to learn Filipino English. It’s just easier – if less precise. Filipino English uses about one third of the words an Englishman needs to say the same thing. It’s even understandable – in places. “I off?” when she asks if she should turn the light off, is an example. “Have you got the items we were to return to the store today?” “Have.” We decide to go to the nearby Valencia market. Its claim to fame is that it is a market situated in Valencia. It does have a long tradition however and the Acacia trees prove it, they must be as old as English oaks. In all of East Africa where Acacia trees proliferate I never saw trees that matched these for size and beauty. Their limbs and branches stretch up into the heavens and […]

We are seated at a table for four, this Asian lass and I. We are in Casablanca. Not the Casablanca you understand but another spot on the planet that boasts the name. A restaurant in fact that, alas, does not have Sam playing for us tonight, there is no sign of Rick (I suppose he is hidden away sweet talking Major Strasser), Daisy stands in for Ilsa and Captain Renault is not in evidence although his security guards are omnipresent. We order a Philippine delicacy the appearance of which, when it arrives, creates doubt. Mindful of the lads standing there supporting guns with ammo reminiscent of that found in field artillery I hesitate to comment in any but the most positive light. The contrast between this Casablanca and the original is that, in the original it appeared as though one could hear each other speak. Such is not the case with this one. We are on the outdoor terrace at the waterfront, Rizal Boulevard, a pedestrian walkway and a seawall between us and saturation. Two foot waves plunge determinedly against the sea wall but for now anyway, they are resisted. But it is not the waves that drown our conversation. […]

A Ceres Bus Trip to Remember The most ubiquitous bus line in this neck of the woods is the Ceres Liner. The fleet is modern and many of them are air conditioned and have free WiFi. The trip was to be a six hour drive with the driver appropriately tooting his horn every ten seconds or so for the entire journey. Well, after all, the road was lined with human development for almost its entire stretch. There were brief glimpses of distant vistas where coconut palms vied with banana palms for attention when not overwhelmed by the prolific density of avocado or mango trees. Less than a kilometer before the scheduled half way pit stop we sustained a tire blow-out. It was on the inner right rear I decided since it happened under my bum. The driver and his companion got out to peer under the bus. Satisfied there was no longer an effective inner tire we drove on, gently, until we reached the pit stop. Here it was discovered, the bus was not possessed of a jack. How to lift a huge bus and change a wheel? You stand and stare. Just as the staring and head shaking was […]

Laws Restricting Foreign Land Ownership in the Philippines hurt Ordinary Filipinos Any foreigner who has wanted to buy land in the Philippines is, or should be fully aware of, the laws prohibiting foreign land ownership. . These laws are absolute and all encompassing save for one exclusion whereby a foreigner can obtain title to land in the Philippines through hereditary succession. (condos can also be owned by a foreigner however they are considered structures, not land). The statutes banning foreign land ownership are enshrined in the Filipino Constitution and the rationale beyond their enactment is to ensure Filipino land stays in Filipino hands. To sell this concept to the everyday working class(or poorer) Filipinos, some one somewhere seems to have convinced the middle and lower classes that this protectionist concept benefits them because foreign buyers would drive the property values up, effectively barring the lower classes from having the ability to own land. My personal feelings, and that of most economists is that this protectionist principle is seriously flawed. The most serious of these flaws is that foreign investment(with reasonable limitations to protect the national interests) has universally proven to be beneficial to a county and its people. Without getting […]

Why Start a Business in the Philippines? Sooner or later many of us expats will decide to do something industrious to pad out the long days of sun, sea, sex and sand. Since arriving I’ve been involved with the creation, purchase and sale of businesses from sari sari stores, jeepneys and tour boats to call centers, restaurants and bars. Along the way I’ve picked up a fairly useful playbook of do and don’t which have served me well over the years. So where to start, well depending on the size of the business you wish to start (I’ll cover takeovers later), the most important is the foundations on which it lays. The foundations of course form the structure of the company. From an unregistered habal habal (motorcycle taxi) to an SEC corporation you need to know who owns what and what will happen if things don’t (or do) work out. Foreigners are not allowed to outright own a company so many people including myself have put them in the name of my wife. If this doesn’t suit you it is also possible to do this but own any equipment the company uses and the lease personally. This effectively renders the […]

My Philippines Adventure Continues Initiated in the unique experiences of public transportation in the Philippines Initially on our Philippines adventure, we got around in a cab. They are plentiful in the city as are Jeepneys and pedi-cabs. To anyone whoever complains about drivers in any North American cities I will ask, “You have never been to the Philippines have you?” These guys are something else; I think they even outdo the Italians. Most cross-streets have neither lights nor stop nor yield signs. It is every Cab, Jeepney, pedi-cab car, truck and pedestrian for himself.  I am learning the art of ultimate jay walking. No one flinches. No one gives way. Some trucks display signs such as ‘Keep your distance.’ What they mean by that is “No getting any closer than 3”. By any normal reality the streets should be littered with broken vehicles and dead people – perhaps even including us – but no. This is all normal. The streets are filled with sound. The Jeepney is the Cebu bus. It’s a Jeep frontage with a modified long axle base carrying a passenger cabin. Most are painted in outrageous colors, no two the same, and many have, in place of […]

Motorcycles in The Philippines Not What a North American is Used To Motorcycles in the Philippines are part of everyday life for the majority of both Filipinos and Foreign Expats. They are everywhere and take many different forms. You have the automatic scooters which are light and uncomplicated to drive, street-trail hybrids such as the Honda XRM or XR which are easy to use on the street but are more resilient on the off road paths that alot of Filipinos must traverse to get to their homes, the standard 4 speed semi-automatic street bikes and then the larger full street bikes that more resemble what we would see in the North America. The most glaring difference between motorcycles in the Philippines and those in North America is size. Almost every motorcycle in the Philippines will be between 100 and 250 ccs, with a larger bike being a rare oddity that garners ews and ahs and many jealous, but respectful looks. Though I am fully used to the size of the motorcycles in the Philippines, sometimes I think about if I had a bike like this back in Canada. First off, it would not be considered legal on most roads, but […]

A NEW LIFE IN THE PHILIPPINES What awaits you could be beyond your wildest dreams! You know, the one thought that comes to mind often is how possible it is to start a complete NEW LIFE IN THE PHILIPPINES! This place literally GIVES you opportunity after opportunity to create and live a new version of yourself. And as I stare at the ocean (Metaphysical Teacher that I AM) while writing this, knowing that the ocean represents a “sea of unlimited possibilities” I realized that for anyone moving here, it is just that; a land of unlimited possibilities. What is so amazing is all YOU have to do is decide the kind of life you wish to live out. If you want the bachelor life then that is very , very easy here. If you wish for a new life of adventure, then with all the country has to offer in the way of activities and things to do and places to go, that to is very easy. And if you are one who wants a second chance at showing the universe you CAN be a good father and husband, then that life is here too.  You want to be a […]

Don’t Want To Be A Minute Man in the Philippines! Take Your Time and Find the Filipina(s) You Want I have lived in the Philippines for over 1 year now. Before actually living here I had visited a number of times. Let’s face it, those who know, KNOW that there is a huge difference between visiting here and living here. I don’t care how many times you visit, there is no education like the one you receive living here. Once you choose to be a man in the Philippines, your reality will be different. With that said, the other thing you will come to know when living here is HOW MANY ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL GIRLS, OF ALL  (LEGAL) AGES ARE HERE IN THE PHILIPPINES! When James Brown in the 60’s belted out “IT’S A MAN’S WORLD” I AM convinced he was speaking of being a man in The Philippines. I don’t have time to be politically correct and so many ladies MAY be turned off by this statement, but the truth is the Philippines is really a great place to be a MAN. It’s an even better place to be a foreign man OF ANY PERSUASION. Don’t get it twisted; WHITE, […]

A Church Wedding for the Filipina I Love Time to Show her I Believe in my heart that our Love is Forever A church wedding is not something that I have ever laid awake at night dreaming about. In fact as I entered the 5th decade of my life, the thought of having any wedding was the farthest thing from my mind. I had been down the aisle once while in my twenties and only a few years after was visiting lawyers trying to work out an amicable divorce. It was a typical story shared by the majority of my friends,(minus the “amicable” part) and for that matter most of all couples that made that solemn commitment, “til death do us part”. For the next few decades, my cynicism regarding the institution of marriage grew as two by two I saw friends and acquaintances disband their hallowed union seemingly with little care. I grew to be entrenched in my belief that marriages in today’s society were only temporary. With that belief, it was hard to stand straight faced during a wedding ceremony and listen to anybody solemnly swear something like ” to have and to hold, from this day forward, […]

Those Awesome Remote Tropical Islands of The Philippines A Nice Place to Visit, but maybe not a great place to live? I believe most people who have moved to the Philippines are like me and probably visited here a few times before deciding to settle here permanently. Myself, I vacationed in the Philippines  numerous times and usually ended up on a small remote tropical paradise called Carabao Island, a short boat trip from world famous Boracay. The water was clean and and clear, the people simple and friendly and the lifestyle as laid back as one could imagine. For me it truly was the paradise I had always dreamed of. For several weeks a year I would get away from the stressors of the modern life far away from ringing cellphones and endless emails. the biggest decision I had to make most days was what time I would wade out into those aquamarine waters and explore the numerous coral reefs at my doorstep. Life was good and I figured that what I had in that small little postcard picture perfect locale was all I would ever need or want. When I finally made the decision to relocate permanently to the […]

Creepy Crawly Pests Not the place to be if you are Squeamish about Pests Having grown up and lived most of my life in Canada, where the cold harsh climate half the year keeps most manner of small pests in check, I have had to adapt to a different reality now that I live in the Philippines. Bugs and small pests rule here and everyday it is a constant battle to reclaim our living spaces from unwanted intruders. Personally, though I am not enamored with them, I am not squeamish but to those people who cower in fright at these small pests, The Philippines just might give you a lot of stress. My biggest issue is with ants. They are everywhere! Leave any food crumbs anywhere and very soon you have an army of these little industrial insects swarming. There are many different varieties of ants and while most black ants are harmless some have a voracious appetite for wood and if left unchecked will destroy any wood structure. Red ants on the otherhand pack a nasting little bite. The best way to control ants is regular spraying and simply to keep things sanitary Cockroaches seem to be the next […]

English in the Philippines English Speaking Expats do not feel the Isolation here that they would in Other Asian Countries That most locals can speak or understand some English in the Philippines is probably the second most attractive benefit of moving to this country, besides the chance to have a great relationship with a beautiful woman. It certainly was a major factor for me when I first decided to check out my chances at meeting an Asian woman. When I started the hunt for the relationship of my dreams and my sights began to get set on the Asian women who I found to be exotically beautiful, I initially focused on Thailand. I joined the Thai dating sites and though there was  no shortage of women who blew my mind in the looks department, communication was next to impossible. I tried the common translations apps but it became abundantly clear that I could not get to know some one to the extent that I felt I required  in an intimate relationship. I had to study my goals , and they did not include having a pretty fixture by my side that might keep me interested in the bedroom, but would […]

The Filipina Perspective What Are They Really Thinking? A while back I wrote an article about the Filipina perspective and how though we foreigners have a lot to say about our Filipina partners, very few Filipinas come out publicly and tell their side of the story. Yes men, there are two sides, lol. At first I tried to convince my wife Shirley that sharing her experiences and thought about being in a relationship with a foreigner could be extremely beneficial to both foreigners and other Filipinas. After several weeks of patiently waiting for something from her, it became clear that she was not going to bring those thoughts out in public. I had to respect her decision but to this day, I have to admit that what she, or other Filipinas in interracial relationships with foreign men, feel, experience and think. I suspect that most of the men who like me are in a relationship with a Filipina, are probably in the same position. If we are truthful, we will admit that it is hard enough to understand the other sex from our own culture, but then throw in the added difficulty that our women are from a culture alien […]

Financial Insecurity in the Philippines Paradise Turns Quickly to Hell When An Expat is Broke Financial insecurity in the Philippines is a subject that I know all too well of personally since I moved here for good. Like many Expats who have come to these beautiful shores, I thought I had it all figured out and would live the good life for many years to come. My plan was to start a business here (how hard could that be?), and spend half the year in these tropical climes building it while spending the nice summer months of Canada piling up cash reserves overseeing my business there. It was a great plan that fell apart very quickly. Not only did my business here in the Philippines fail miserably, but while away from Canada, the business I had hoped to provide a stable income of western dollars was run into the ground by the the people tasked to manage it responsibly. Left broke in a country where there is no safety net and few people who could help out even if they cared, it was a scary time. I was one of the real rare fortunate ones who was able to start […]

Doing Business in the Philippines A Foreigner’s Perspective In respect to a foreigner doing business in the Philippines, I have to start by trying to dispel the belief that it is not possible for a foreigner to make money here. Whenever I have written anything about doing business in the Philippines as a foreigner, there is usually a very vocal group of disenfranchised former entrepreneurs who have failed miserably and I guess feel that because they failed all others will do so as well. I would even go as far to say that most of these people have let resentment of their own failure poison their thinking about the possibilities of success and probably are so vocal because another’s success might show them the need to examine their own failure and the responsibility they must personally take for it. I do speak from experience on this topic as I too failed miserably in my first steps into the Philippines business world. Like many other Expats, I got off the plane with a fair amount of cash in my account expecting to easily turn that cash reserve into a life long steady stream of income to allow me to live like […]

Share your Filipina Success Story What has it been like for you Living with a Filipina? I would love for some of you other readers to share your success stories to show to all of you men out there still searching, that the the majority of us are happy beyond our wildest dreams. I am sure that there are men out there that cruise the plentiful blog sites and social media pages and what they see is a lot of men moaning and groaning about their sad tales of woe at the hands of some Filipina. I think it is important to show that these men are probably in the minority and to be blunt, most bear a good part of the responsibilty for the disatorous relationships they got themselves into in the first place. My personal experiences since moving here and meeting countless foreigner-Filipina couples who have a happy and healthy relationship leads me to believe that there are more success stories than failures and being vocal about your happy tales will inspire more men to responsibly search out for the Filipina that is right for them. So come on men, if you have found happiness with a Filipina […]

Meet a Filipina in Person Easier than you could imagine! Can you forego the whole online dating ritual and just hop on a plane and come over to the Philippines and meet a Filipina in person? The answer to that is a resounding absolutely! Though myself and many other foreign men have used online dating sites to find our Filipina partners, there seems to be a growing number of men who have avoided that whole hassle and simply just came to explore the Philippines and carry out their search in person with great success. To give you an idea of how easy it can be, I am a happily married man who is 100% loyal and actively try to ensure I put out none of the signs out that I am interested in any other women, but almost on a daily basis I get those signals back from young beautiful women while I go about my daily business. Some are subtle hints while others are straightforward inquiries whether I am single and looking for a Filipina girlfriend or wife. While going to great lengths to avoid appearing “available” there is no doubt in my mind that if I was looking, […]

Finding a Girl in the Philippines Online Get Ready to be Overwhelmed! When I first went about finding a girl in the Philippines online, I was absolutely shocked and overwhelmed. I had been pretty much single for a decade or two and had tried all the online dating sites popular in North America from the free Plenty of Fish platform to the pay per use Eharmony and Match.com services. Those North American services were a major disappointment probably more because of the fact that I was just not considerred a “catch” by Western women than the actual services I was using to find a suitable partner. Then that brilliant notion enterred my mind that maybe there was a different reality somewhere out there where women may actually still want a middle aged slightly balding, decent guy. Well there was, and it blew my mind when I found out that Finding a girl in the Philippines had so much potential. The site that I used was Filipinocupid.com and the response was nothing short of amazing. I sat down, filled in the profile blanks, wrote a short background of myself and uploaded a few pictures. (real ones of course, lol). I turned […]

Living With a Filipina – Chapter 6 And her Family Writing this article about Living with a Filipina and her family, I expect to get a lot of reactions from all over the board. It can be a real touchy subject as just about anybody who has been in a relationship with a Filipina has probably got a strong opinion based on their own experiences. Some are good, some are bad, and some are just plain disturbing. In my case I have two which are from both sides of the spectrum. The first Filipina that I met online then had visited here in the Philippines and had a brief relationship with, had a family that I would say fit snugly into the “bad” catagory. A short while after my initial visit to meet the family, the requests for financial help started to roll in. Her mother wanted to run for Barangay Captain (had no clue to what that even was at that point) and lamented how only a cash infusion from her perceived new foreign benefactor could make that dream a reality. I sat through hours of sad tales of the how downtrodden the local people were due to the […]

Ferry Travel In The Philippines Is it safe? If you are coming to the Philippines and have done even a minimal amount of research, you will know that ferry travel is likely to be a part of your itinerary if you wish to stray any distance outside of Manila, and an essential part if you want to visit one or more of the islands which constitute the raison d’être for most visits. Oh, how wonderful that can be! Sailing along in a brilliantly painted bangka, sheltered from the sun, with the blue sea splashing against the sides. I have enjoyed that from the short transit to Puerto Gulera in the north to El Nido in the south-west.    But you will probably also know that the Philippines has an unenviable reputation as far as ferries so. So it is worth asking: What is the truth about ferry travel? Or, as the more pessimistic might put the question: Just how risky is the situation? To get the bad news out of the way first, much of what you have heard about ferry travel is true. For starters, the country has the unwelcome distinction of having had the world’s worst peacetime maritime […]

Don’t Get Involved! A Filipino Mentality that differs wildly from what I am used to This Filipino mentality showed it ugly side recently here in Dumaguete. There was a very sad and unfortunate incident that has made me remember something my wife has tried repeatedly to convince me of. Out of respect for the family of the man, and his memory, I do not want to get too far into details but a simple overview is that a young American man got into a dispute in a bar which ultimately led to his death. The whole incident was caught on video from the security camera of the establishment, which then found its way on to the internet. I, like many others I am sure, watched the video and besides the the obvious revolt I felt watching the death, something else shocked, and yes pissed me off. As this man lay on the street, countless people walked by seemingly entirely disinterested let alone showing a willingness to help. This took me back to several decades ago when I heard numerous stories about similar behavior in New York City, where it was reported that muggings and other violence occurred on the streets […]

Filipino Mentality – Chapter 2 “Crabs in a Bucket” or, “Me First” “Crab mentality, sometimes referred to as crabs in the bucket, is a way of thinking best described by the phrase, “if I can’t have it, neither can you.”The metaphor refers to a bucket or pot of crabs. Individually, the crabs could easily escape from the pot, but instead they grab at each other in a useless “king of the hill” competition which prevents any from escaping and ensures their collective demise.[2][3][4] The analogy in human behavior is claimed to be that members of a group will attempt to negate or diminish the importance of any member who achieves success beyond the others, out of envy, spite, conspiracy, or competitive feelings, to halt their progress.” Before living in the Philippines, I guess I had somewhere heard this phrase, but don’t believe I ever gave it a second thought or considered what it meant in practicality. Now that I have been here for a few years, I know all too well exactly what it means and what it looks like. To be blunt, it ain’t pretty! I experience the “crabs in a bucket” mentality everyday in my life in the […]

Filipino Mentality Chapter 1 – Focusing on today vs Looking at the “Big Picture” I, like most westerners I know, tend towards being a “planner”. That seems to involve most aspects of my life from financial matters to vacations or even the meals that I have, and sometimes I notice that this need to plan can be considered somewhat anal. My thinking with just about everything centers around what I consider being proactive approach to life where I consider consequences and how to avoid negative ones and try to develop positive ones. My life involves lists, such as tasks on my daily calendar at least a week or two in advance and what things to pack when I go on a trip. In business and in my personal finances I use cash flow projections to determine the best use of what money I get when in order to not go out and buy something I want, but don’t particularly need, then be stuck with some one knocking on my door to settle a bill that I do not have the money to pay. The examples of how and why I plan is endless and it is clearly just the way […]

Filipino Mentality How my Thinking Differs – Introduction When I first decided to get involved with a Filipina, then again when I decided to live with her in the Philippines, I was certainly very naive in many respects. My initial belief was that the biggest problems I would face were going to be related to things like financial concerns and how to develop an income outside my own country in order to sustain a fairly decent standard of living here, or obtaining the proper visas to stay in this country legally. I wrongly believed that once I was able to overcome those types of obstacles, the rest would be a piece of cake and most days I could just lay back, relax and enjoy  life in a sun filled paradise, far away from the harsh winter climate of Canada. I of course knew that Filipinos had their own unique culture, which I had discovered and embraced on my numerous trips to the Philippines each winter over the previous decade. I also had a relationship with a well educated and intelligent Filipina who was fluent in my own mother tongue and with whom I could communicate with as well as any […]

LIVING WITH A FILIPINA Chapter 5 Her perspective of Living with a foreigner will remain a mystery for now So it has been several weeks now of gentle reminders to Shirley that she should start her series of articles and the truth came out today, lol. She just doesn’t want to do it. Though I am disappointed, I do respect her decision but when asked about her reason, another topic for my series popped into mind. I know that my wifes english is more than passable and she is definitely capable to string her thoughts into coherent sentences, so I was always confident that if her heart was in it, what she would share would have been a good read for myself and others, but the real reason she at least temporarily declined was her concern over what others would think. And I believe that sentiment is something that most of us foreigners with Filipina partners have experienced in varying degrees. It has become apparent to me over the course of my stay here that my wife is not alone in how she lets what other people will think, guide both her actions and hold ransom to her true freedom. […]

Living with a Filipina Chapter 3 Remebering why I am in Love Loyalty – a good Filipina‘s unwavering commitment   I awake early, and usually spend a little time these days out on my balcony, listening to the waves and watching the sun come up. The other day, when I came in the door, refreshed and inspired about the possibilities of the coming day and before sitting down in front of my computer, I decided to take a few minutes to climb into bed and lay next to Shirley my filipina wife. As I was stroking her hair, ( c’mon guys, don’t imagine where this is going please and just read on, lol) I could not notice the rise and fall of her chest nor the gentle exhale of her breath. For one short minute a panic overcame me that I have rarely felt in my life. She was of course alive, well and breathing but the thought that crossed my mind instantly was , what would my life be like if she were gone? That thought was something I hope I never have to face in reality, because honestly, I do not know if I would feel that life […]

Living With a Filipina Chapter 1 Gord here again , with the continuing story of my Romance with Shirley . We are going through alot of changes right now , some really great and others , well, a little challenging. The first of which is Shirley’s new job . Since we met, Shirley and I have been working together in my businesses , but as I explained earlier, this caused stress in our relationship, We are both a little on the stubborn side (of course I think she is worse than me ,,lol) and quite often , disagreements on the business side, naturally carried over into our personal relationship. So Shirley made the decision that she wanted to get her own job and earn money apart from the family business. It is not crucial financially that she do so, but I believe that for her to maintain her own feelings of self worth and confidence ,it is a good thing . Problem though is the only job she was able to get quickly involved night shift work . It has been a few days now, and difficult getting into some type of routine where we both get enough sleep, and […]

Relationships, Love, Marriage and other Trivia Some Interesting things to keep in mind while you are developing your relationship with a Filipina • Did You Know? According to a study, Couples who share housework equally are more likely to divorce • Did You Know? Husbands who kiss their wives before leaving home in the morning have been documented to live five years longer than those who do not. • Did You Know? Women can talk longer with less effort than can men. That has been proved repeatedly. Why? Because the vocal cords of women are shorter than those of men and so release less air through them to carry the sound. It’s all a matter of breathing. • Did You Know? Couples who lived together before they were engaged have higher divorce rates than those who waited until they were married. • Did You Know? In Japan, Women give men chocolates on Valentine’s Day. Men return the favor a month later on White Day (March14th). • Did You Know? A strong sense of humor is associated with intelligence and honesty. That’s why; most women are attracted to men with a sense of humor. • Did You Know? Most married couples […]

A CHALLENGE TO FOREIGN MEN !!! Find your Filipina! If you are even reading this blog, it means you have an idea or a dream of a better life. I know . I am just like you. A few short years ago I was resigned to a life in Canada where I really had zero hope of any real contentment, let alone joy. I came to the conclusions ,that the concept of relationships in western society is now totally dysfunctional, as well as that I was just not a desirable commodity to the women of my country. Yes, I was pissed off, resentful, cynical and depressed. It sucked! I had tried all those online dating sites that you probably have . Eharmony(someone telling me who I was and who I should be happy with. ya right!!) Plenty of Fish(you get what you pay for and I will say no more on that) , and Match.com(the only ones I had any attraction to, happened to be paid to keep me interested). If you are like me , and I suspect you are, you wasted a lot of time and probably money, trying to find the women you desired and were constantly […]

FINDING LOVE WITH A FILIPINA CHAPTER 5 Good morning ,Gord here , to continue my story. Sorry for the delay , but it I have had to spend some time deciding how I would write this chapter , keeping it coming straight from my heart . Here goes , lol So , last I wrote , the magic seemed to be gone between Shirley and I ! But to be truthful , I now realize it was still there but in a different form . It is easy to be in a relationship when all things are roses , but life isn’t like that . For me , Shirley or anyone else . That is a fact and a reality ! The true test of love is what is done when things are difficult . For us , no matter how hard things were , our love for each other was the one constant and unbreakable thing . Now, like for everything in this world that is worthwhile , the real work had to begin. I cannot speak for Shirley on this but quickly , I will tell you what I learned. I had to change. Changing myself was all […]

Finding love with a Filipina Chapter 3 Today I want to tell you about Shirley . The love of my life that I thought I would never have I had plans to visit the Philippines again in the winter of 2013 so ,, I signed up again on a dating site hoping that this time the experience would be better .for several months , I corresponded with Filipinas , and went through the same crap again . Numerous gays posing as women , people who would have all sorts of reasons to not be able to do a video call , and of course ,all the requests for money . I actually did send money to some with the hope that it would help them and their families out , but I also knew some were just scams and con jobs . It took a long time to weed out the crap and again I eventually was left with several women I thought were real , and that i was attracted to in both looks and personality . It was a hard choice to make , especially with the doubts from my previous experiences , but for some reason , […]

Finding Love with a Filipina Chapter 1 I am a middle aged Canadian man , who recently found my true love and best friend while visiting the philippines . Over the coming days I would like to share with you mine and Shirley’s experience as well as our joy and hope for the future ! To start , I am pretty typical western man . Been married ,, and divorced . Felt the pain of playing only a minor role in my daughters upbringing . Seems to be that just about every guy around my age that I know here in Canada , has a similar tale , the only difference being the number of times and the adversity of the divorce . It seems that it is a forgone conclusion here in western culture that relationships will not be sustainable . I cant tell you why this is , nor am I going to point a finger at one specific gender . All I know is that this is the reality us men seem to face . Personally I gave up after dating numerous women after my divorce , and figured i would spent the rest of my days […]

Dumaguete expat, what do the locals think of me? Some Food for Thought! Recently, I was sitting around the patio at Awesome Desserts on the Boulevard, just one of many other foreigners kicking back and discussing this daily life that I describe as like winning the lottery, when a thought came to mind. How do the locals feel about this Dumaguete expat and my growing number of brethren. I made the mistake of vocalizing what was going through my head and after an origonal shrug-off by each of us, it quickly turned into a heated mini-debate with many different opinions. The end result was my asking Terrence to think about writing an article for us on the topic and this is what he came back with. If you are a Dumaguete Expat, or an expat anywhere in the Philippines, here I believe, is some good food for thought. Gord Do You Pillage And Rape? Or Are You A Nice Guy? by Terence Doyle Anyone else been experiencing troubling pangs of guilt recently about their pampered lifestyle out here in the Philippines? Anyone else pausing now and then during their daily round and wondering about the morality of their retiree ways? […]

DUMAGUETE CITY OF CHOICE FOR EXPATS IN THE PHILIPPINES medical care This will be the first installment in a series of articles showcasing why Dumaguete City appears to have become the location of choice for a huge number of Ex-pats who have decided to make the Philippines their second home. When I first came to Dumaguete , quite honestly I was just not blown away. I had already spent about a year, on and off in the Philippines and what I had fallen in love with had a lot more to do with secluded white sand beaches and clear blue waters, as well as the simple way of life and culture of Filipinos in the provinces. Here, most of the beaches are mediocre, there is traffic, a little bit of pollution and the native Filipinos can be a little bit harder to get to know than in some of the other places I have been fortunate to visit. So when I saw how many foreigners lived here I decided to start asking them on an individual basis, why Dumaguete? The number one answer was that it had the amenities they were looking for , but was only minutes away from […]