Philippines vs. Cambodia

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Bitte_Kein_Lexus
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Re: Philippines vs. Cambodia

Post by Bitte_Kein_Lexus »

Sounds like something one could take advantage of without having to make any specific promises, if one were so inclined of course... :-D
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phuketrichard
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Re: Philippines vs. Cambodia

Post by phuketrichard »

Bitte_Kein_Lexus wrote: Mon May 22, 2017 10:13 am Sounds like something one could take advantage of without having to make any specific promises, if one were so inclined of course... :-D
and many do;
i know some guys that use online dating sites before their trip to PI
usually over a 10 day holiday will have 15 or so "dates" lined up , more than 50% result in therm getting laid
In a nation run by swine, all pigs are upward-mobile and the rest of us are fucked until we can put our acts together: not necessarily to win, but mainly to keep from losing completely. HST
Pizzalover
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Re: Philippines vs. Cambodia

Post by Pizzalover »

The Philippines are the only SEA country with increasing poverty levels. As stated above avoid Manila = NCR (National Capital Region) for its traffic, price levels, and crime levels. Same holds true for Cebu and the country's crime hot spot Davao (yes, that's true).
Food: Fish stocks have collapsed over the past 18 months and tuna, marlin etc. have become rare and very expensive. Add to that the bad level of local cuisine in terms of hygiene, ingredients, set up you will have few choices aside from Mall food and your own kitchen. Phils hardly pay more than 80 cts for a meal and the middle class tries to keep it around 3 USD. Upscale? Not in the provinces. In Davao and Cebu you have a few hi-so spots but those have western prices plus a mark-up. People eat American or local chain food in malls and think it is heaven. If you have 3-4 restaurants that use fresh veggies etc in a city of 500K you're more than lucky.

Rents: Higher than in Cambo and lower quality. Hotels: Same add 30-50% to what you pay in Cambo, or more.

Expats: A little 'better' than Phils but marginally so. Lots of bankrupt Europeans and US citizens who are married to a local lady. They pollute the few expats hangouts to offer investment advice to new arrivals.

Business: You can own only 40% (pls correct if wrong) of a business. You cannot own land. Corruption is not epidemic it is the rule. You need to pay extra to an electricity meter (within a month), LTO wants money for your plate, police may come by for a handout - this is a new development -, customs: you can buy an inspection free entry per container (3-5K USD depending on location), illegal money lending 5/6 per month is an Indian specialty but also some expats engage. It is highly dangerous and illegal. But police offers paid protection from its own attacks (police supervises the robbery market).

Crime: Break-ins like in Cambo. Violent crime? Bring your own gun or buy an illegal. Easily available as is ammunition. The government has killed 10K plus on drug-related charges. The fact that you're shot makes you a dealer. Many business deals gone bad or political opponents found out that they were dealing in a 'conclusive' way.

Armed groups: New Peoples Army (NPA). They are your friends. Keep crime low and police in their stations. Unfortunately not to wide spread these days. Moro National Liberation Frong (MNLF) - great guys much less corrupt than any state agency. If you have them around (outside the Zulu sea that is) you are protected from radical incursions. MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) - a different trademark of MNLF. Same holds true, professional soldiers. Had some shootouts with non-existent US forces on Mindanao but provide road security after dark. Abu Sayyaf, Bangsamoro Freedem Fighters and others: Head choppers of the worst kind. Popup when MNLF and MILF are not strong enough.
Gangs: Philippines is well organized. The really bad criminals have to wear uniform and are called the police. Others have only t-shirts. Both branches offer killings starting at 100 USD per person, discounts available like group tickets. Police also handles extortion in case of factual or assumed underage sex (17 and below). The make things easy they have their 17yr old business partners. Keeps a steady income flow in that way.

Security in general: Strange mixture of Germany in the 1930s or the US south and east LA. Expats applaud the ongoing mass killings but slowly are surprised that the police 'needs' more money from them as well. To be clear: You can sell any amount of drugs anywhere - just dont forget to pay the police and the president's appointed collector (large sums are to be paid directly to his brother).

Buses: Cambodian stile - now slightly, just slightly, improving. vans as bad. roads are a mess and traffic an epic chaos. The use of trikes in many cities does not really help. Motorbike drivers are slightly above Cambodians in PP.

Planes: 3 carriers. Most important is Cebu Pacific, Phil. Airlines, and finally Air Asia. Prices are ABOVE or similar to LLCs in Europe. All depends on the airport. Davao is still a bit lower but otherwise they are not shy to charge.

Resorts: Very expensive or not so great. You need to pay if you want to get to a beach although it is public property.

Health: Better than Cambo and checkups are cheap. Otherwise: Take the plane if surgery is involved. Hospital infections are rampant. Broken CT scanners are not fixed and their cracked results sold. Anything that needs advanced diagnosis: Take the plane.

Air pollution: Big cities = a warm welcome to Bejing. PP is healthy in comparison.

Women: Easy to meet. Keep in mind that even college degrees offer little more than junior high in the west. For conversation fly to Vietnam. Attraction is poverty based and for the heart ladies keep often someone on the side - just like Thailand. Many expats scratch the bottom of the barrel and this can lead to early inheritance cases. There also lots of good marriages, more than Thailand. Basically the situation reflects the personality of the expat.

TV: lots of channels better than Cambo. Cinema: Just blockbusters in modern malls.

KEEP IN MIND: You always need to fly - more often than not 2 flights - to get anywhere else. So expect 150-200 USD one way depending on timing.

If you are depending on public infrastructure - no your country. If you like some intellectual input - wrong place. Cheap women and beer - full match.
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Cruisemonkey
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Re: Philippines vs. Cambodia

Post by Cruisemonkey »

I worked with a desperate, sex-starved American guy in China who was 58. He 'met' a 28-year-old filipina girl through an online dating site and went there during the next vacation. It was 'love at first sight' and he got lucky the first night. He returned from vacation engaged. Two weeks later he flew back to the Philippines for a week to get married. Less than a month after that she had joined him in China. He was a gangly 6'4" and could hide behind a parking meter. She was 4' tall and 4' wide... with giant boobs and a giant ass. She wore purple & white striped knee socks, bright orange miniskirts and fluorescent green low-cut tops. She spoke in a high-pitched whiny 3-year-old 'little girl' voice - "Help me, help me" - and was always in a pouty snit. He was broke, had no savings and couldn't get a credit card. Every month, they transferred most of his pay to her father's account in the Philippines - so the father could build them a 'love shack' extension to the family house. They went back every vacation (winter and summer) but no progress was being made on their love shack. Four years later, he found out the family was 'squatting' and had been kicked off the land.
:facepalm:

He quit his job in China last year and they have moved 'back' to the Philippines to start a business. I'm sure they are successful. :roll:
You could be next.
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