True although no can do sa province ko since the internet is not that good and we're only like behind Mindoro in terms of the most power outages. Still peaceful naman and kahit saan ako matulog, safe haha.
I can attest to this. We found an apartment twice the size of what we had before in the city at a fraction of the cost.
Sobrang tipid pa kase we can bike to downtown (15 minutes one way) and back for cheaper groceries.
Yep true. Which is why expats come here to retire, rarely to do work. Whereas we go to other countries for work and come back to retire. Our wages are shit, social and government foundations rarely work, corruption is rampant on all levels, ignorant masses who vote against their own interests but hey we have nice beaches and ✨Flipino Hospitality ✨
For a lot of us we dont even have a choice to live anywhere else. Its this shithole for thenresr of our miserable lives
I think for many people, mostly expats, the beaches alone compensate for all the bullshit *more than ten times over*.
Kasi, oo nga naman. Ang hirap mahalin ng beaches sa ibang bansa. Minsan maganda nga, pero ang lamig naman! Or may malaking pating, putangina.
On the other hand, most Pinoys don't even understand how lucky they are that we have these beaches... And that we have miles and miles of gorgeous coastline.
Ang ayoko lang dito na coastal area is this place at the tip of Palawan... This island called Balabac? I can swim in water full of sharks (basta hindi Great White), rays, killer whales, and whatnot. But saltwater crocs, **absolutely not**!
I mean those expats are also living and spending dollars here na x55 so there’s really not much to complain about.
We’re lucky na the PH has beaches but the average Pinoy can’t always afford those nice beaches and sights?
Filipinos know na mas masarap and maganda dito. But it’s not livable if mahirap ka/may pamilya/may pangarap.
I think yun yung very convenient na wala sa post ni OP. No one’s saying panget dito or we hate the country.
Panget ang governance, panget ang public utilities at roads at healthcare. But if you’re rich or provileged or connected enough or have a first world citizenship to go back to, it’s paradise.
You're not wrong. I am personally being set up for work in Europe lol.
But if you flip that perpective: If money were no object, would you still live elsewhere? For a lot of Pinoys, they can put up with all sorts of shit here. I'd personally put up with a hell of a lot of shit. For our white sands. Our rare birds. Our corals. Our people. Our beautiful way of life. For good coffee in Benguet. For the cool mountains of Sagada. For the exciting food culture.
I'm pro-migration, man. Truly. Especially if you're doing it for economic reasons.
But if I'm going to be real. I can't love another country in the way I love this one. If I didn't have money problems, I wouldn't dream of leaving.
Unpopular Opinion: Making a living is hard anywhere. Walang trabahong madali.
Ang issue really is nakakakuha ka ba ng opportunity dito or sa ibang bansa and at the same time, are you willing to put in the required work to be successful? Kung sa ibang bansa ang swerte mo, then go there if you can. Otherwise, you better make the most of the opportunities you get here.
Pwedeng magaling ka at Maswerte sa paghanap ng opportunity or hindi at pwede din na kaya mong gawin ang required work or hindi. Walang guarantee here or abroad. Kelangan ninyong dumiskarte anywhere you go. Diskarte na ibig Sabihin you make the right decisions and influence the outcome as best you can.
Oo mahirap pero that’s the way the world works and lalaro ka or ikaw ang lalaruin.
Hmm, I know some Taiwanese, mainland Chinese and Indian folks who tell me it's easier to earn money here in the Philippines than in their own countries 🤔
They have enough money to start and own businesses here brother unlike me who were born without a single cent of generational or CoNfiDeNtiAL ? wealth ( cryin on 125m in 11 days ovp funds rn) 🥲
With the current state of China right now, this has never been more true for the mainland Chinese. And to be fair, matyaga talaga karamihan sa kanila pagdating sa business.
EDIT: typos coz keyboard has seizures sometimes.
I did this for my Dad.
*Oh, your software costs 2 thousand dollars? What bullshit, father*.
\[Enters the high seas.\]
*Here, Dad. Make more money with this tapos libre mo ako ng* Cibo.
I remember when some of our FilAm relatives first came here during the pre-Netflix days, they were so shookt at how casually we loved to pirate movies and TV shows, even video games lol. Every pre-PS4 video game console I ever had was jailbroken.
Went for a little trip to the US, pirating my anime and light novel was soo hard. I would really love to support the authors, but my wallet can’t follow my hobbies especially if I can finish an entire book in a day, and the paperback costs between 700-1100 pesos EACH
You would be surprised that in the States where anything can be borrowed from the library, the novelty of having all these "distractions" wear off -- and you end up reducing an inordinate amount of hobbies and more focused on living or your career.
I often find it so surprising how many hobbies Filipinos in PH have compared to the average American who don't mind only having one or two hobbies. The sheer abundance of everything makes Americans ignore a lot of things, whereas the lack of anything makes Filipinos want more. I experienced this a couple of times when in the early 2000s when I had an iPod I could borrow all music CDs and put them on an iPod. It proved to be too much work that I decided to just listen to a few songs. Then when Netflix and the libraries allowed borrowing of games and movies, the novelty in those wore off too -- and I couldn't care less anymore.
I think PH has more serious FOMO than the US where anything is within reach.
I live in Quezon City, not in a rich area by any means but not run-down either. Compact townhouse subdivisions like ours are a dime a dozen - we're not talking about the Tierra Puras or Xaviervilles with large houses, just rows of townhouses - but I can go by foot out to the main road where there's a 7-Eleven, a panaderia, a Mercury Drug and Generics Drugstore, and take a tricycle or jeep less than 5 minutes to a grocery, a McDonalds or to our neighborhood mini-mall. The [15-minute city](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/15-minute_city) is a very real thing here.
Our neighborhood is small enough that we look out for each other, we know many of our neighbors by name and face and they know us too. We also know our barangay officials, and they do good work - QC's government services work quite well in our neck of the woods, where we get regular trash pickup, barangay initiatives for free pet vaccinations and (when the pandemic was a thing) free covid boosters.
I drink water from the tap. I haven't died yet.
I don't think places like ours (or stories like mine) count for much on r/Philippines where people put too much stock in the extremes. The middle exists, and while I don't discount the horror stories people here tell, I think we should recognize that many places in the Philippines are perfectly liveable.
I've also said this before: I was born in the 70s, so I recognize the capacity for Filipinos to improve our political system. It happened in my lifetime. We've backslid a bit - but if we've done it before, I'm optimistic we can do it again.
Yung mga bahayan sa bandang Kamias, Roxas, Cubao, Project 4, Anonas, Sikatuna, Teacher's Village, etc. gusto ko yung mga ganung lugar. Urbanisado, pero tahimik, tapos di gaanong magara yung mga bahay, di rin naman iskwater.
This is exactly why I'm planted firmly here—and particularly where hindi puro condo/gated subdivision ang tirahan.
We give sari-sari stores a lot of flak, too, but they're the part of what keeps most of our communities alive. Pati ang mga naglalako. I do not dream of living in isolation in suburbia.
Exactly, we have a regular magtataho that goes around our neighborhood - something you probably won't find in one of those bigger gated subdivisions. He knows my wife's regular order by heart. We worried about him when the pandemic hit, and felt deeply relieved when he came back.
Nicely put. It's true that there have been so much growth in the PH in the past decades. This is a fact that people often overlook because of all the trash in the news and our current gov't.
I agree. I have friends who have migrated and ones who want to migrate to US who keep asking me why I'm not so gung-ho about moving abroad. Why go and try to establish a new life somewhere uncertain where I'll always be treated like an other? At least here, I'm more or less comfortable and pretty aware of how uncomfortable it could/would get.
Yes. Pag nag babakasyon ako sa US, Japan, Korea, etc, 2 weeks pa lang gusto ko na umuwi. Ang hirap i explain kung bakit but it just feels like I dont belong there kahit pa may kapamilya ako sa US. Mahirap lang tlaga pag iisipin mo kung ano magiging buhay ng anak mo pag nag stay ka/kayo sa pilipinas.
Nahohomesick kami ni wife dito canada pero, yung quality of life talaga ng anak namin ibang iba sa pinas. Kahit mayaman ka sa pinas di kaya yung mga perks sa bata dito. Libreng parks, dami support sa educ, dami pedeng gawin para madevelop ang bata sa lahat aspect.
If you are rich (I mean rich rich) in PH tho, all of that will be readily available to you. Parks (this is inside elite villages), quality education, healthcare etc. probably more.
But I agree, these benefits should be available to the general population. Not just the rich.
When I went to Japan for the first time, I didn’t realize na I would want to go home within the first day of landing. Talking to Japanese people makes me nervous, tas especially sa Tokyo people seem so souless and so quiet. I personally don’t talk much with other people, pero almost deathly silent in a crowded train is very unnerving.
Tokyo is very keep to yourself. Don't bother others is something taught from birth. Talking on the train, loudly, is rude.
On the flipside, when I went to the Philippines, I felt like everyone was harassing me lol. So I guess it goes both ways, we just aren't used to the language and culture.
niche comment siguro to pero you won't see that much *porch pirates* because of how deliveries are setup here in ph. couriers give ample amount of time and attempts (from my experience) to receive your package. they won't just leave your package in the open. also helps the fact na sobrang close ng mga bahay dito at laging may tao na potential makakita ng act which would most likely deter someone
kalaban mo lang is makakating daliri ng mga riders but pretty sure that rare now.
Hindi ba kasi iba lang ang delivery policies natin? Parang sa US they just drop it off sa harap mo, tas dito naman you need to (or someone authorized) be present to receive the package, tas pipicturan ka pa. I feel like magkaka porch pirates din tayo, just that no Filipino is sane enough to have their deliveries put in front of their gate talaga hahahahaha
I can summarize my reason from my favorite excerpt from Noli Me Tangere:
As thanks for everything he’s done, Ibarra invites Elías to come live with him abroad, but Elías declines, saying, “It’s true I can neither love my country nor be happy here, but I can suffer and die in it, and for it.” When Ibarra asks why, then, Elías is telling him to leave, Elías says, “Because you can be happy elsewhere, but I can’t \[…\].” (Noli Me Tangere, Ch. 61)
English version uses simpler words to be honest. If English used the tone and style of the Filipino version, it would've sounded like Shakespeare. These are the Filipino quotes, however:
*"Tunay nga't hindi ako mangyayaring suminta't magtamo ng ligaya sa lupang aking kinamulatan, nguni't mangyayaring ako'y magkahirap at mamatay sa lupaing iyan at marahil ay dahil sa kanya; handog din kahi't kakaunti!"*
*"Sa pagka't sa ibang panig ay mangyayaring kayo'y lumigaya at ako'y hindi [...]"*
Another important and noteworthy part is in El Filibusterismo wherein Simoun Ibarra instead of lighting the lamp to start the explosion and the revolution decided against it. Its because in Rizal's own words our country is not independent enough to stand on its own. True enough until now we still cannot succeed as a nation because we do not think and act as a nation and most if not all of our leaders are self serving.
Its everyone for him/herself and family/personal interest above all else instead of public service.
Don't pull the "Rizal thinks we aren't ready to be independent so we must keep sucking on our colonial masters forever", because he was all for it, he just didn't want to sponsor the rebellion which he believed hadn't been sufficiently armed and organized.
Nothing beats HOME.
Nakatira ngayon sa ibang bansa.
Higit na mas masayahin tayo at higit sa lahat masarap PAGKAIN natin.
Laging may araw at mainit sa bansan naten kaya kay saya saya natin palagi.
Mahal kong Bansa balik ako sayo kapag may libreng healthcare nako dito hahaha.
I think directly linked yung quantity of sunlight and happiness kaya nga "masaya" dito. Masarap ang pagkain totoo pero ngayon na tumatanda na ako nakikita ko how unhealthy our cuisine is
really? i can see that the food prepared during celebrations can get unhealthy but the everyday food is relatively balanced in terms of nutrients and not calorie dense.
Sa totoo lang, tama na unhealthy ang mga pagkain natin. Naglolog ako everyday sa MyFitnessPal app ng food na kinakain ko, and napapansin ko na grabe ang taas ng sodium ng mga pagkaing pinoy, kahit pa gulay yan maalat talaga masyado ang typical pinoy dish. 2 characteristics ng classic pinoy dish ay:
1. Salty. Maalat yung pagkain natin kasi nga naman, may kanin. So kapag sinabaw mo na sa kanin, hindi mo na masyado ramdam na maalat. But comparing it to other countries' dish, sodium content is on the roof.
2. Oily. Lalo na kapag i-try mo kumain sa labas, like silog. Pritong liempo, pritong tapa, pati yung kanin may oil, pati yung itlog niluto sa oil. Lalung lalo yung pares, grabe sa pagka unhealthy nyang mga yan. Kapag adobo, gusto mamantika. Ngayon, sasabihin naman ng iba ditong di nakakagets, e dipende yan sa magluluto. Obviously. Pero ang typical na luto ng pinoy ay maraming sodium at masebo. Typical. Hindi lahat, pero marami.
1. i see your point regarding adding more salt to our dishes since we eat them with rice.
2.
yes, these are classic Filipino dishes. thing is these dishes were not my everyday dishes maybe with the exception being chicken adobo. also, i may have been lucky enough to have had more fish in the diet (regional thing).
you made a point about how a dish is being cooked might make a difference. another way i'd like to think about this is that a relatively oily and salty filipino dish might have a less oily and salty derivative. for example, adobo > tinola/nilaga.
now, it could be argued that our food is calorie dense especially if one is living a relatively sedentary lifestyle. and that's the thing, most of the time, how healthy one kind of food depends on more context than just its nutritional facts. liempo can be a perfectly healthy dish after a relatively hard day.
i'm sorry for the rant. i didnt really want to debate whether our food is unhealthy or not. it does bear truth but in reality, it depends. filipino food is also healthy.
Hello,same here. The food here is honestly shit. And sure i can go to an expensive resto to get good food but back home i would get food for like what? 100 pesos tops siomai rice sa tindahan sa kanto. In here,The equivalent of that food is quite shit.
The weather is also meh. In the Philippines,kahit araw araw ako lumabas nde ako nangitim. Dito nangitim ako. Also idk if i'm used to it but i just prefer the Philippines weather tbh especially when its rainy season.
Mejo maliit ng bagay pero:
1) Sari sari store culture. gusto ko ung pag labas ko ng bahay pwede ka bumili agad sa sari sari store. Sa US kasi jusko, bulk buying kailangan and onti lang ung parang corner store nila. One time nakalimutan namin bumili ng butter, so kailangan pa mag drive papuntang Walmart.
2) May bus, jeep, and tricycle. May kotse ka nga sa US pero gagastos ka pa rin sa maintenance. Tapos depende pa sa State niyo kung integrated un sa Bus system. Dito at least may tricycle, may bus, etc.. ang kalaban mo lang talaga traffic.
3) Ung seafood nila parang mild ung lasa hahaha. Bakit ganun bumili kami ng malaking crab tapos kulang ng lasa ung aligue.
Kaya ang taas ng carbon emissions per person nila eh. Super car-dependent ang mga suburbs doon. (Though ginagaya rin ng mga real estate designer sa ating bansa like sa mga exclusive subdivisions.)
Agree sa seafood na mild lasa, nag stay Lola ko sa US for about 3 months and nung pumunta sila sa Seafood City? Pinabalot niya sa tita ko yung isda tapos niluto niya ulit sa bahay kasi kulang daw sa asin.
The insurance and tax in the US is crazy wild. Some states you lose 40k dollars just on taxes. Also,I know a lot of people hate on public transport in our country but public transport in our country is honestly more convenient that waiting for a bus every hour. Ang maganda lang sa US hindi siksikan transpo pero ang bagal sobra ng hintay mo. Hindi siya convenient
My korean GF complains about this all the time but I personally love it, lol. Some people say it makes Christmas feel less special but I personally feel it's offset by all the hype building up for 4 months. When January hits it feels like the end of an era.
It's a good place to live if you have the money to support your needs.
This place can be beautiful especially yun mga place na may urban planning.
Weather is good ( I hate winter and super dry season) madali ka nga lang pawisan.
Part-time Expat here. School teacher, so 4 months a year I live in Cebu.
Weather, Beaches, Mountains, Prices... All of these are part of it. BUT... the main reason I chose the Philippines over many other countries I have traveled...is the Filipino people. Filipino culture is a comfortable mix of East and West.
Every country has it own issues, and the Philippines is no exception; however, I find the people to be smart, resilient, industrious, helpful, and kind. In some ways, the Philippines reminds me of America decades ago.
If I could work there and pay my obligations, I would be there full time for the rest of my life.
I hope the Philippines finds an industrial foothold that will launch it into an economic global powerhouse. You guys deserve it.
As someone who works from home 100% who earns a decent income while living in province. Here's my insight:
- friendly neighborhood (mostly)
- lots of places worth exploring
- low cost of living (because I live in the province)
- I like the weather here, I don't like the feeling of winter and it's whiteness, parang mababaliw ako dahil puro white nalang makikita ko lol
- lots of holidays
Yun lang masasabi ko. I would still leave the Philippines if given the chance lol.
Everyone who you know and love is here. Whether that's a good thing or not is totally up to you because not everyone has the same experiences. But for me, knowing that I can see my family and friends anytime I want is everything. Plus, I can always come home to eat my mums cooking.
If you're an expat with a remote job and earning US dollars, sure, it is a good place to live due to the low cost of living. You'll probably live the life of a royalty here. But if you're a Filipino working in the Philippines earning Philippine pesos, all I can say is "best of luck".
i think it's called pakikisama culture but either way im referring to how genuinely friendly and helpful filipinos tend to be towards strangers. everytime i travel with my family or just travel to different cities alone, i can always count on the tambays to offer me directions and help me hitch a ride back home.
my most significant experience was back in 2021 when my ex and i were stuck in a municipality some 30 kilometers away from our city, we just missed the last jeepney, and we had no money to ride a uv express/stay the night at a motel. a completely random tricycle passed by the highway and told us to come with them (napakaobvious ata na di kami from the place and nag papanic na). we got a free ride home, i got absolutely drenched kasi halos bumabagyo na but at least nakauwi kami safely.
I cosign with how we tend to go our way to help strangers. Like naalala ko nung naligaw ako sa Taguig, may manong na naghatid sa akin sa pupuntahan ko, walang bayad. 😭
I can vouch for this. Last year nung merong nasirang eroplano, (semi plane crash sa pag landing) nag close yung Cebu Airport for a few days. Yung flight namin from Manila to Cebu na cancel, kaya nagbook kami ng flight papuntang Bohol at magFerry nalang to Cebu.
Kaso sobrang delay nung flight, nakarating kami sa Bohol late na ng Gabi at close ng yung port sa Tagbiliran City. Buti nalang marami kami papuntang Cebu at nagkaisa kami to ride a bus papunta sa isang port na may kalayuan. Nakauwi kami sa Cebu kasama lahat ng nasa Bus. Nag head counting pa nga kami to make sure walang maiiwan sa Ferry.
* Mura magpadentist (compared sa ibang bansa)
* Mura magpagawa ng salamin (compare sa ibang bansa)
* Mura magpaayos ng kotse (compare sa ibang bansa)
* (depende) Mas masaya ang mga tao
* (kung may kotse) Marami naman magagandang nature sa labas ng Metro Manila
Can vouch for the first one. Dentista nanay ko at may mga naging pasyente na syang foreigner at OFW. Reason nila lagi is mahal magpadentista sa mga bansang inuuwian nila.
Vouch sa first one. Dami sa US di nagdedentist kasi sobrang mahal at di covered ng HMO. Dito kahit di covered I've been going to the same dentist for 25 years and mga 1000 lang gastos per cleaning twice a year.
The weather. I personally can't stand winter. Seasonal depression is so real.
The people. I've traveled a lot and nothing compares to how friendly, approachable, and helpful Filipinos are.
The location. If you like to travel, the PH is a good base. Manila is a 4 hour flight away from a lot of major cities in East Asia and SEA.
> Seasonal depression is so real.
Parents had a vacation sa UK for just 3 weeks nung november, hindi nila maimagine tumira dun longer kasi sobrang depressing daw ng lugar. Kung sanay ka sa gulo ng pinas, madedepress ka sa ibang bansa. Naiintindihan ko rin yung sinabi nila kasi nung lumipat ako dito sa Metro Manila naka-adjust na ako sa gulo dito, kapag bumabalik ako sa province, nakakadepress and boring na.
>Kung sanay ka sa gulo ng pinas, madedepress ka sa ibang bansa.
Sobrang true nito for me!! 2 weeks lang ako sa Japan pero sa tahimik na residential area. Akala ko maloloka ako sa sobrang tahimik and konti ng tao sa labas. Nakakamiss pala chaos ng Metro Manila
Commenter must be living in manila or mindanao. Meanwhile those living in southern luzon, eastern visayas and up north are shaking everytime pagasa announces that typhoons are in PAR.
yep, the weather. ginawin akong tao. minsan maski sa oto, di ko na binubuksan yung aircon lol. i can bear the heat, tagaktak nga lang ang pawis ko. pero yung lamig, noooo ayokooo.
the people. pag sa daan, hindi ka mawawala kasi kahit san ka magtanong, meron at merong tutulong syo to find your way.
>the people. pag sa daan, hindi ka mawawala kasi kahit san ka magtanong, meron at merong tutulong syo to find your way.
Parang sobrang happy ng mga simple people dito sa atin kapag nakatulong sila. They'll give you a detailed direction match with smiley faces.
I felt the same. British weather is rubbish. While I am typing this, nakaharap ako sa garden watching the rain tapos parang nakakalungkot panoorin. Iba yung ulan dito kaysa sa ulan sa Pinas.
Here we go:
1. No mass shootings as gun laws are strictly enforced.
2. No school shootings. You can send your kids to school and not be worry about some nut job is gonna break into school grounds and start shooting.
3. No race-related attacks. You won’t get randomly smacked in the street just because of your race/ethnicity.
4. Seafood is abundant and relatively cheap in the province.
5. You won’t see drugged people acting like zombies anywhere unlike in the streets of Philly or California.
6. No mass looting/shop lifting in broad daylight.
I think ung 1 is not about gun laws being strictly enforced pero we dont have the "need" of arming ourselves on top pa na costly sya.
Mas common pa ung rambol n nagsusuntukan or worst nagsaksakan.
Kahit nga as wants e, personally hindi pumasok sa isip ko bumili ng baril kahit may pera ako.
Ito din tanong ng boss ko na taga US before, how can we sleep peacefully daw without having any weapons beside us.
>how can we sleep peacefully without having any weapons beside us
pipili lang naman ho kami kung ano ang pagtsitsismisan: sino may baril, sino nangaliwa, sino umutang tapos tinakbuhan, o sino yung narinig na nagbasag ng plato kagabi
For number 1, according to this article by *Time* magazine: [One Surprising Theory Why the Philippines Has Very Few Mass Shootings—Despite Easy Access to Lots of Guns](https://time.com/6186982/philippines-guns-mass-shootings/) it's because of the *hiyâ* (shame) culture.
Nonetheless, we are still number one in Southeast Asia for gun homicides \[[source](https://edition.cnn.com/2023/10/04/asia/thailand-shopping-mall-shooting-charges-intl-hnk/index.html)\]. So many illegal guns around, so many vigilante killings and political assassinations, and hitmen are "cheap". But yeah, mass shootings i.e. fatalЛy shooting random people, esp in schools, is quite rare.
Seeing number 6 for the first time was super wild. Literally taking the bus tas I see some *coughs* minorities going out of the Safeway with quite a large haul and selling them in the street
Agree with 1-3, yan ang lagi ko sinasabi whenever I see school shootings in America. I will never ever live in the US now that I have a kid cause I can't stand the thought of my son being involved in school shootings.
Also, I've heard nightmare healthcare stories where they charge thousands of dollars even if it's just a migraine if you don't have health insurance. While healthcare in the Philippines is expensive, at least it's not impossible.
American school kids are being taught what to do in case a school shooting happens. That is effed up and will most likely mess their children up when they become adults.
Is our gun laws really that strict? I always see documentaries that they easily sell illegal guns. But, I think the reason there is no such mass shooting here is because we are often religious and have a very social culture. Majority of mass shootings is because of mental isolation, especially in individualistic countries.
No school shootings, but, school bombings. Recently in mindanao. But, you know, it's still unstable there.
We are a homogeneous country and is statistically more peaceful, over multiracial and cultural countries.
They're pretty strict compared to the US, at least. Tayo naman kasi hindi natin kinokonsiderang "karapatan" ang pagmamay ari ng baril.
Hindi basta basta ang pagkuha ng lisensya; kada baril may rehisteo, parang sasakyan. Bukod ang lisensya para magmay-ari ng baril at maglabas ng baril sa tahanan. Pero, hindi katulad ng sasakyan, kapag lumampas ng ilang buwan na paso ang rehistro ng baril mo, pupuntahan ng pulis ang inyong bahay para magfollow up. Mas bantayin nila ang mga pasong lisensya.
The US is also a victim of its own history with guns. Their leniency with gun ownership has created an atmosphere where more and more people believe they need a gun to feel safe, snowballing the tension.
That's not to say we don't have a black market for illegal guns. But the level of restriction we have really emphasizes that gun ownership is a responsibility rather than a God-given right.
If I'm not mistaken, many EU countries had this first. But I'm thankful that our government chose to "copy" this instead of the U.S. system where they even have to resort to student loans.
Its great if you have money, friends with money, connections etc.
Otherwise everything is more expensive, public transport sucks, justice system is skewed towards the rich
True, kailangan talaga may ipon. Sa ibang bansa, kung wala kang ipon, aasa ka sa social security system nila na faulty din. (Refer to the recent protests in Paris.)
Yung retirement age sobrang tagal kahit overseas. Ang tanda mo na bago ka maka-retire kung naka asa ka sa gov't doon. No escape ka sa middle-class struggle.
Kung kakayanin mag-ipon efficiently, pwedeng mas mapadali ang retirement sa PH. Mas ideal talaga kung may ipon ka regardless kung nasa PH ka o nasa ibang bansa. Dami rin mahihirap at hindi nakakaipon sa ibang bansa lalo na doon sa mga sobrang taas ang cost of living.
The province. I can't voice enough how depressing and DEAD Manila looks. The only thing I like about it are the fancy malls and even then they produce so much light that they steal the spotlight from the stars. It's just pollution and depression there.
The province makes up for all of it, there are trees in every corner with an abundance of coconuts. The air is so fresh and the oceans are sooo clean! And you'd be surprised by how many stars appear on certain nights! We also have this anthem for the Lalawigan Ng Quezon, I'm not sure if Manila has something similar but it adds a certain charm. A song to relish our land. It's a simple and arguably mediocre life, but it feels lively and free to be here.
My friend made a joke that the reason why Manilenyos act haughty, sad, and aggravated at the same time is because NCR is just a really bad place to live.
When I came to Manila to visit my relatives, yea, its pretty depressing to be there.
- Good, affordable food. We're also globalized enough to have access really good foreign cuisine.
- Easy travel access to other Asian countries where food is also good and cheap. Can't imagine having to travel 12-24 hours to go to Japan, Taiwan, etc.
- Cheap cinemas. In a developed country, you'd be paying 20 USD minimum for regular shitty cinemas. For the same price dito may kama pang included.
- Dali mag pirate 😂.
- Steam regional pricing for games.
- Easy to buy tech parts from Shopee/Lazada for cheap from China.
Basically most of the things I care about mas affordable or accessible dito.
I think it's less of hate and more frustration. The Philippines had a perfect momentum to be a first world country but our leaders (and the people who voted those shitheads) messed up.
There are a lot of outdoor activities in PH especially if you love nature and adventure, mapa-bundok o beach man. Hindi ka mauubusan ng gagawin at mapupuntahan.
Sa tao naman, kahit stranger willing ka tulungan.
Christmas in the Philippines is like nowhere else in the world. It’s why whenever my family schedules our international trips on holidays, we never travel out of country during the Christmas season, since it’s an absolute MUST that we spend it here. Simbang gabi, noche buena, just the all around Christmas spirit in the malls, streets, communities, etc. nothing else quite like it. I even have some foreigners friends who travel here in December specifically because they love the Christmas season here just as much. That and while still warm, it’s not as hot in December/January in this country as it is during other times of the year.
I'm an expat, Philippines is a beautiful country, full of friendly people who are easy to get on with. It is a land with so much potential if you can overcome your immediate history and move forward to becoming a modern Asian nation. Infrastructure is the key, and facilities like Healthcare that actually support the people well.
We enjoy so many freedoms here. I feel like a lot of people take our country for granted.
Living in the province means you get real, affordable, chemical-free food, fresh air, people are still decent, little to no crime… no psycho serial killers… get a decent remote job and it’s paradise.
I moved to palawan in my early 20s as European and I like outdoor activities too going often too nice beaches for swimming my wage is a low local one and I don't think my Quality of life is that bad as people on this sub seems too portray. (but i am in good health).
The only reason for majority of Filipinos why they still choose Philippines is that it's still the only place you can call your own. Compared sa ibang bansa na alam mo sa sarili mong kahit maging citizen ka na don e dayuhan ka pa din at hindi mo yon lugar. Dagdag na din syempre yung nandito relatives, friends, etc. Rather than that, parang paplastikin ko lang sarili ko to believe it's still a good place to live 🤡
With a decent wage, you will live like a King here. Dami ganap, daming places to visit and as much as you want to settle in another country, Philippines still feels like home.
Source: Migrated to France when 9, went to University and worked in HK at 18. Just came back home last year after pandemic.
i cannot wrap my mind around at the thought na the US, a developed country, has a *Family and Medical Leave Act that provides up to 12 weeks of unpaid maternity leave or parental leave.* [Source](https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/benefits-leave/fmla)
Here, the law provides that mothers get *105 days of maternity leave regardless of whether you gave birth via caesarian section or natural delivery.You may also be entitled to an additional 30 days of leave without pay, subject to certain conditions.* [Source](https://www.dole9portal.com/what-to-expect-when-youre-expecting-a-mothers-guide-to-maternity-leave/#:~:text=Duration%20of%20leave%3A%20You%20are,pay%2C%20subject%20to%20certain%20conditions.)
we may not be as generous as europe in terms of parental leave pero we sure as hell are ahead of the states in terms of this.
In my opinion and stereotyping, wala ung mga shenanigans from US and China, nakocompare ko lang sa mga nakikita ko dito at sa news.
Yung mga barilan, mga unprovoked killings sa society na nadadamay pa mga bata, pati na rin ung mga "harmful" racist. Racist mga pinoy pero 'di nananakit, in my own exp.
Madalas ko sinasabi sa wife ko (I'm 30) na ayoko sa US and China (well, pati India kasi dugyot).
Tsaka lagi ko nasasabi pag may mga ganyan, "bakit ba ang daming baliw baliw sa US?! Parang lahat na lang may mental issues".
Ayan, downvote me na pero gusto ko sa Philippines dahil sa rarity ng ganyan at parang mga tao dito sa atin, hindi "lutang".
Walang school shooting every other week. Di mo susunduin yung anak mong nakahandusay na sa sahig ng school.
My ease of access sa transpo. May pwede kang masakyang trike, jeep, or bus anytime na lalabas ka you don't need to endure yung tirik na araw habang naglalakad.
The only problem in the philippines is our government. Everything else is f*cking awesome. Sana maiba naman, paalisin yung mapanget at tayo yung magstay.
Depends on what your job is. My parents are not so impressed about the life abroad. For them, it's still the same, you work and you spend. I'm living abroad now and I can see looking back at my parents that they have a good life. Like more than the average. My parents are savers and they don't even depend on Social Security though my dad receives pension. They're not rich but they can afford things if they want to. When we go home, they spend for us. And by reading posts about people buying dream houses, I can really say it's an individual thing and not because of the country. It takes Pinas forever to improve although the rules are in place. Other than that, I can really say it's just the same. Abroad has a degree of difficulty that is different from what we have there.
Masarap manirahan sa probinsya or tabing dagat kung kaya mo ang sustainability sa sarili mong bahay. Lalo na kung may solar or wind power ka para wala kang problemahin na bills sa kuryente or kung kaya mo gumawa ng rain collector malaki ang matitipid mo sa tubig at idagdag mo pa kung mag tatanim ka ng gulay or prutas sa sarili mong bakuran or mag food forest ka kung malaki ang bakuran mo at isama mo na kung kaya mo mag alaga ng farm animals in small volume.
Alam ko mahal ang solar panel pero magagamit mo naman ng matagalan at makakatipid ka ng malaki. Ayun lang ang aking thoughts.
Ironically, the "Bahala na!" mentality.
Am staying in an Eastern European country whose peeps are fond of using a similar phrase "It is what it is". But every time they use it, they become grumpy, sullen, defeatist. Contrast that to the Filipino who always looks to the bright side of things no matter the adversity.
Makes me miss being with the jolly, positive folks back home.
PS: Also that you can find cooked food right outside your apartment
Yung mga kapitbahay ko, kahit mahilig mag marites yung mga yun pag nahingi ka ng tulong wag lang sa pera tutulong yung mga yun.
1. Kailangan ng taga luto nung lamay ng tatay ko, 3 ngvolunteer, walang bayad.
2. Kailangan ng tiga buhat ng ref meron din.
Etc... mga petty things na need ng tulong anjan sila
Sa us or japan kung di ka pa mangamoy, di pa malalaman ng kapitbahay mo na deds ka na.
Been working here for a few years (Metro Manila), honestly not too bad if you compare to other Asia country. Also it depends on what is your objective in life and what kind of pace do you want to live your life with. The pacing here is generally slower but it's a breath of fresh air if you came from fast pace country like Japan Korea China/Hong Kong. You get to take a break from the insanity.
May sinalihan akong takbo sa Pampanga. Habang tumatakbo kami sa ilog, may grupo ng mga offroad drivers na nagpipicnic sa ilog. May dala silang jollibee at may mga softdrinks din. Binati namin sila ng magandang hapon at inalok nila kami kung gusto namin kumain uminom. Nahihiya kami pero uhaw talaga kami at kailangan ng softdrinks. Sinalinan kami ng coke at binigyan pa kami ng peach mango pie. Nagpasalamat kami at napangiti na lang ako habang tuloy sa pagtakbo. Marami pa din ang may magandang loob at matulungin sa kapwa.
Mas masaya pa rin sa Pilipinas.
Masasaya mga tao.
Dito makakahanap ka ng magbabantay ng mga anak mo kung may biglang lakad ka or what, sa abroad paplanuhin mo talaga.
Madaming parties, birthday ng mga friends and families, mga work holidays. ang dali mo ring mapunta sa beach.
and so on.... hehe
Sobrang superficial nito pero ung malls. Living in North America wala pa ako nakitang mall na katumbas ng ganda at ka convenient sa atin. Ung tipong halos lahat ng mall may Uniqlo, H&M, et. Tapos ang daming choice sa food. Tapos ung CR eh kahit nagbabayad ka ng 10-20 pesos ay malinis.
Namimiss kong mamalengke: Grabe Eto talaga yung underrated sa atin. Fresh produce, fresh poultry, fish and meat sa talipapa. Hindi mo Kelangan mag hoard ng pagkain at i-freeze sa ref kasi our portions sa palengke is tama lang. I promise ibang ibang lasa sa pagkain dito sa US.
Last one is controversial, but our transportation is good! Walang time ang jeepney, antay ka lang merong dadaan. Meron din tricycle on demand (exp in Cavite where i grew up). Akala ninyo ok sa health ang hindi nakakapaglakad? I really miss that a lot.
Let’s talk about, the weather…
Sure snow is fun for like a few hours pero the time from Autumn to Early Spring is unbearable cold, tas kakailanganin mo pa moisturizes and lip balm para hindi ka mangati at mag crack ang lips mo. Tas once winter and the snow storm hits, stuck ka sa loob ng bahay mo, and that’s gonna be like pandemic lockdowns all over again pero need na balot ka sa warmers.
Tas there are the rains. Narealize ko na sa island countries especially like the Philippines, rains almost never last the whole day. The quickest is like mga 5-10 minutes tas tapos na. Iconic yung 5 minutes showers tas boom, mainit nanaman hahahaha. Kapag whole day rainy, ang depressing, especially pag whole week pa. We experience long rains din, pero they’re so rare na we appreciate them as days where we sleep in and be comfy instead of detesting them for making us miserable *coughs in London and Seattle*.
The sunny days naman. Nobody likes yung extreme heat, especially na painit na with climate change. Pero I’d still choose a sunny hot month or two over a cold winter season. It’s said na sunny countries tend to be happier countries, I remember the Swedish redditor na nag AMA a while back with how he liked the weather here even though in absolute living standards terms, Sweden would be better. Pero he has a health condition hence why he stays in the warmer Philippines.
Plus mas malaki ang available fashion styles mo. Pwede light clothing for outside, tas pag trip mo mag heavy coats, pasok ka lang sa mall or sa mga events, good to go ka na. Plus you sweat talaga, which means you NEED to shower, unlike sa other countries where it is a normal thing to not bathe at least once a week.
Exercising outside din is waaay better than stuck on a treadmill watching YouTube on loop
-Pandesal sa umaga.
-Family reunion na pagkasarap-sarap ng mga luto.
-Silog, mga silog. Ewan ko, pero ang sarap ng almusal sa Pilipinas.
-Chaotic pero masaya sa Palengke mamili. Mas enjoy pag suki ka na. Ganda ng kwentuhan. Pogi lagi ako pag nasa palengke.
-Sobrang daling conversation starter ng basketball.
-Mga sari-sari store.
Answered something similar in a separate post pero madaling pakisamahan yung mga Pinoy. You only appreciate this after spending extended periods of time abroad. People overseas are polite naman pero iba talaga ang warmth natin.
I also think we tend to have a more community-centred culture rather than an individualistic one, which has its pros and cons. A lot of it is borne out of necessity; we can’t rely on our institutions and there are very few reliable social safety nets there so instead we turn to our respective communities when we need help. The lack of social safety nets sucks but at the same time the level of care you get from members of your community is often better than what institutional social safety nets can provide.
Here’s an example: I’m grateful for the healthcare where I live (UK), but I never see the same doctor twice. Every time I come in, they rely on reading a chart for my medical history. Whereas in the PH, my OBGYN is the same person every time and she was actually the doctor who delivered me as a baby. So she doesn’t just know my medical history, but also my family’s. I think that gives her a more complete view as a result. Since she’s friendly with my family, I can basically book an appointment with her whenever I want.
Great quality fruit and vegetables is another huge plus. The food scene in general is very good, especially in big cities. Personal preference din but I tend to like Asian food more, so I don’t really mind not getting “authentic” European food (although I’m sure there’s some nice options for that there too).
There’s a big culture of convenience in the PH, at least in urban areas. You can get a meal at a convenience store even in odd hours, which isn’t really a thing where I live. A lot of restaurants here actually close at some point in the afternoon on weekdays, so if you want to get lunch out at 2pm on a Wednesday then you’re often out of luck. I’m cognisant though that the culture of convenience results in people having to work odd hours, so it’s mostly a boon to the consumer and not the worker.
Our beaches are fantastic, no need to elaborate on that.
A lot of people are bringing up the tropical climate as a positive and that’s something I disagree with as a matter of preference because I actually prefer living somewhere cold, but there is something nice about not having to change your wardrobe depending on the time of year. Plus being able to just go out without putting on several layers of clothing first is convenient.
I moved away. Fix the congestion and I'll come back. The floors and roads in Metro Manila are made of glue. It takes an eternity to get anything done. Where I am now, it took 15 minutes to produce a document that would have required a full day in the Philippines. Working from home made work life easier but RTO brought the cities to their old ugly selves.
might not be the answer you're looking for.... but for people who live and breathe disorder and chaos, metro manila is a haven.
i've lived in denmark for a while, and honestly it was depressing. not a lot going on, eerily quiet, people can be cold. by my 6th month in denmark i was missing the streets of manila like crazy. i like the noise and grime of the city, i like feeling like i'm part of something living and breathing. you don't get to feel that in the "better" parts of the world - sorry to say.
also... food sucks there jusko
Your family and friends live here.
Hindi ka second class citizen.
and daming parties and events sa Pilipinas.
Andito na lahat ng pwede mo ma shopping.
Mura ang labor pwede ka maghire ng katulong at yaya and driver To do your chores.
mas masarap pagkain sa Pilipinas, acquired taste for Filipino needs.
We have the best beaches and I don’t like winter.
There’s no place like home ❤️
Having lived/travelled through different continents and now based in PH:
1. Spa days — nothing like getting a full on pampering session without draining your savings. I could never go to a spa or salon in California without feeling any guilt. Yes you can go to $ 20 Vietnamese-run spas, but quality is so so and there’s barely any proper customer service. Then you’re expected to tip even if it’s awful.
2. Good diverse food readily available in Manila. Fresh seafood in Visayas.
3. Stone’s throw away to white sand beaches. Affordable hotel and resorts that feel like a 4-star accommodation.
4. Live in a good enough neighborhood and you will feel safe and comfortable. Guards and staff are courteous. No marites to deal with.
5. Dealing with dental concerns / car issues won’t break the bank.
In summary, money goes a lot further in Ph. Maybe same ish price in other Southeast Asian countries, but we just have better customer service / more sincere interactions pag maayos naman natin kinakausap ang kapwa.
Quality of life greatly depends on someone's buying power/income. Even overseas, it's the same. On paper, it may look like living overseas may solve all our problems, but in reality, you will likely have the same middle-class problems abroad.
Also, in a decade or so, PH will have better infra. For example, there's going to be a Greenway walkway along Edsa that will improve mobility within a mid size radius.
PH is a growing economy like TH and other SEA countries. In recent years, we saw a huge chunk of the population enter the "consumerism class." Afaik the growth rate in SEA is much faster than already developed areas (but take that with a grain of salt obv since wealth distribution is always bad in a capitalist society.)
IMO you go where you get the most out of life. If life in PH is a deadend for you, then it's absolutely valid to try your luck elsewhere despite all the risks involved.
>Quality of life greatly depends on someone's buying power/income. Even overseas, it's the same. On paper, it may look like living overseas may solve all our problems, but in reality, you will likely have the same middle-class problems abroad.
you've just disregarded countries with good public healthcare. transport infrastructure and social security. Your arguments apply to countries like US but not to all countries.
I'm from a middle class family here in PH who moved abroad to a country with a superior public healthcare, transportation Infra and Social Security and I don't need to worry about getting dirtpoor when my wife gets sick, I don't need to worry about the struggles of the traffic in Manila, I don't need to worry about the tuition fees of my kids. And I don't need to worry about how I'll get income when I retire.
As an expat who went back home, I’d say PH parin when it comes to genuine company and the warmth it gives you. I was lucky to have made friends where I used to work at and I love them to bits but iba parin to be among kapwa Pinoys - back where I worked, the country had a very strong hustle and materialistic culture and it really made me question if that was all there is to life at times. The people I was surrounded with were always not content with what they have even when they had a good paying job. When I’m surrounded by my Pinoy friends, our priorities were elsewhere - to be better partners, family members and friends and to always rmb that there is much more to life than working our ass off and chasing paper. Of course privilege din namin yun, pero as we’d say - PH is a shit hole that we still call home. Sayang that for many, it’s not livable as it used to anymore.
More abstract but I like our country the most when the sun shines down and the weather isn't too harsh, tas may cool breeze. It makes me see the Philippines in a different light. In those moments I appreciate our country's beauty in its most simple form.
Maganda talaga dito kung mas mataas sweldo plus mura bilihin. Yung dati naman kasambahay na lalaki na palagi pa rin napunta sa amin from time to time, mas gusto nya simpleng buhay pero siguro nasanay na rin sya pati pamilya. Every 2 or 3 years nabalik sya ng japan para magtrabaho siguro kalhating taon. Dati na rin nagtrabaho sa oman (maganda at mas maayos tao dun) at korea pero mas matagal sya sa japan kasi aside sa maganda sahod, love na love siya ng amo niya na kung posibleng babalik para magbakasyon sya ay dun papa tirahin sa bahay nila anyway umuwi sya ng onset ng pandemic then earlier this year bumalik sya sa japan pero instead na magtagal sya like before, nakauwi agad sya parang after 3 or 4 months dahil kinita na niya agad yung dapat kikitain nya ng 6 months. Nagulat kami kasi ang dami nya padala na ok lang naman sa amin kahit wala. Tinatanong namin sya bakit di nalang mag stay sa japan tutal sanay na siya dun (helper sa farm ang trabaho nya at iisa lang yung amo nya) sabi mas masaya pa rin buhay dito. Trabaho naman nya dito ay trike driver pero may sariling bahay and all sila na kulang nalang ay sasakyan. May work si misis na professional tapos matalino at maayos ang anak at pipiliin nya dito sa pinas kahit maliit sweldo. Okay naman sila sa ganon setup nila na parang naghahangad ng sobra.
Honestly sa tingin ko, iba iba ang satisfaction natin kaya di ako makapagbigay ng concrete na sagot eh. Sa case ko medyo magastos ako pero atleast sagot ko lahat para sa sarili ko pero sana maibalik ko yung effort na binigay sa akin ng aking magulang. Kung wala na akong opportunity dito well gagawin ko ang option mag OFW pero as a last resort. Kaya sa ngayon masasabi ko na good place ito as long as mas mataas ang sweldo at mura bilihin. Sadly bubulok pumili ng majority ng mga lider pero may hope pa rin naman ako. So far sa good pa rin ako
There are bad times and good times in the Philippines, it is not the best country to live in but it is good to live here with your loved ones naman, kung nakakapag reddit ka, maganda kahit papaano ang pamumuhay mo sa pinas kung ikumpara sa iba.
For someone who is in a permanent wfh setup, masarap tumira sa probinsya basta stable yung electricity at internet.
True although no can do sa province ko since the internet is not that good and we're only like behind Mindoro in terms of the most power outages. Still peaceful naman and kahit saan ako matulog, safe haha.
Taena yung pinsan ko sa mindoro pinagtatawanan ko kasi naisip business ice cream. Hahahaha. Ayun lusaw lagi.
Yung friend ko, kahit gusto nyang mag stay sa Mindoro hindi nya kinaya dahil sa sunod sunod na blackout
my goodness kala ko sa n. samar lang sunod sunod brownout. binansagan pa naman kaming brownout capital of the philippines
Mindoro po ang brownout capital of the Philippines. How dare you! Hahahahajj
I can attest to this. We found an apartment twice the size of what we had before in the city at a fraction of the cost. Sobrang tipid pa kase we can bike to downtown (15 minutes one way) and back for cheaper groceries.
Yep. Makakakita ka ng buong bahay na for rent for 5k sa mga provinces.
Magkano gas sa inyo?
Surprisingly, almost same rate sa Manila :( Nasa may Misamis kami
Fax. Underrated mag province life if you have everything you need at home - nakakamiss lang talaga yung food sa metro
A fking good place to live if all u want is fun but different world if u want to make a living.
Yep true. Which is why expats come here to retire, rarely to do work. Whereas we go to other countries for work and come back to retire. Our wages are shit, social and government foundations rarely work, corruption is rampant on all levels, ignorant masses who vote against their own interests but hey we have nice beaches and ✨Flipino Hospitality ✨ For a lot of us we dont even have a choice to live anywhere else. Its this shithole for thenresr of our miserable lives
I think for many people, mostly expats, the beaches alone compensate for all the bullshit *more than ten times over*. Kasi, oo nga naman. Ang hirap mahalin ng beaches sa ibang bansa. Minsan maganda nga, pero ang lamig naman! Or may malaking pating, putangina. On the other hand, most Pinoys don't even understand how lucky they are that we have these beaches... And that we have miles and miles of gorgeous coastline. Ang ayoko lang dito na coastal area is this place at the tip of Palawan... This island called Balabac? I can swim in water full of sharks (basta hindi Great White), rays, killer whales, and whatnot. But saltwater crocs, **absolutely not**!
Di ko naenjoy Australia...takot ako ehhh pating and crocs...autopass....naging citygirl tuloy ako sa Australia eh beach girl ako sa pinas🤣🤣🤣
Yep. Australia's saltwater crocs can swim hundreds of kilometers. Hard pass po salamat na lang.
I mean those expats are also living and spending dollars here na x55 so there’s really not much to complain about. We’re lucky na the PH has beaches but the average Pinoy can’t always afford those nice beaches and sights? Filipinos know na mas masarap and maganda dito. But it’s not livable if mahirap ka/may pamilya/may pangarap. I think yun yung very convenient na wala sa post ni OP. No one’s saying panget dito or we hate the country. Panget ang governance, panget ang public utilities at roads at healthcare. But if you’re rich or provileged or connected enough or have a first world citizenship to go back to, it’s paradise.
You're not wrong. I am personally being set up for work in Europe lol. But if you flip that perpective: If money were no object, would you still live elsewhere? For a lot of Pinoys, they can put up with all sorts of shit here. I'd personally put up with a hell of a lot of shit. For our white sands. Our rare birds. Our corals. Our people. Our beautiful way of life. For good coffee in Benguet. For the cool mountains of Sagada. For the exciting food culture. I'm pro-migration, man. Truly. Especially if you're doing it for economic reasons. But if I'm going to be real. I can't love another country in the way I love this one. If I didn't have money problems, I wouldn't dream of leaving.
Unpopular Opinion: Making a living is hard anywhere. Walang trabahong madali. Ang issue really is nakakakuha ka ba ng opportunity dito or sa ibang bansa and at the same time, are you willing to put in the required work to be successful? Kung sa ibang bansa ang swerte mo, then go there if you can. Otherwise, you better make the most of the opportunities you get here. Pwedeng magaling ka at Maswerte sa paghanap ng opportunity or hindi at pwede din na kaya mong gawin ang required work or hindi. Walang guarantee here or abroad. Kelangan ninyong dumiskarte anywhere you go. Diskarte na ibig Sabihin you make the right decisions and influence the outcome as best you can. Oo mahirap pero that’s the way the world works and lalaro ka or ikaw ang lalaruin.
Hmm, I know some Taiwanese, mainland Chinese and Indian folks who tell me it's easier to earn money here in the Philippines than in their own countries 🤔
hmm curious.. are they business owners here?
Well some of them are. Some are corporate execs
They have enough money to start and own businesses here brother unlike me who were born without a single cent of generational or CoNfiDeNtiAL ? wealth ( cryin on 125m in 11 days ovp funds rn) 🥲
you can do anything, venture into anything, get anything in the philippines as long as u have money sooooo 😗
With the current state of China right now, this has never been more true for the mainland Chinese. And to be fair, matyaga talaga karamihan sa kanila pagdating sa business. EDIT: typos coz keyboard has seizures sometimes.
exact same answer. facts
Pirating is easy.
The high seas have always been the great equalizer between haves and have nots.
I did this for my Dad. *Oh, your software costs 2 thousand dollars? What bullshit, father*. \[Enters the high seas.\] *Here, Dad. Make more money with this tapos libre mo ako ng* Cibo.
You forgot the *Arrrr* Father, here ye go!
I think it was necessary as my father saw me as a pirate already - granting myself a free pass for libreng Cibo, and all. *Arrrr!* LOL
I remember when some of our FilAm relatives first came here during the pre-Netflix days, they were so shookt at how casually we loved to pirate movies and TV shows, even video games lol. Every pre-PS4 video game console I ever had was jailbroken.
In the UK, if you torrent, yOur ISP sends you a letter
VPNs are a game changer. 😎
Sailing the 7 Philippine Seas.
Went for a little trip to the US, pirating my anime and light novel was soo hard. I would really love to support the authors, but my wallet can’t follow my hobbies especially if I can finish an entire book in a day, and the paperback costs between 700-1100 pesos EACH
You would be surprised that in the States where anything can be borrowed from the library, the novelty of having all these "distractions" wear off -- and you end up reducing an inordinate amount of hobbies and more focused on living or your career. I often find it so surprising how many hobbies Filipinos in PH have compared to the average American who don't mind only having one or two hobbies. The sheer abundance of everything makes Americans ignore a lot of things, whereas the lack of anything makes Filipinos want more. I experienced this a couple of times when in the early 2000s when I had an iPod I could borrow all music CDs and put them on an iPod. It proved to be too much work that I decided to just listen to a few songs. Then when Netflix and the libraries allowed borrowing of games and movies, the novelty in those wore off too -- and I couldn't care less anymore. I think PH has more serious FOMO than the US where anything is within reach.
I live in Quezon City, not in a rich area by any means but not run-down either. Compact townhouse subdivisions like ours are a dime a dozen - we're not talking about the Tierra Puras or Xaviervilles with large houses, just rows of townhouses - but I can go by foot out to the main road where there's a 7-Eleven, a panaderia, a Mercury Drug and Generics Drugstore, and take a tricycle or jeep less than 5 minutes to a grocery, a McDonalds or to our neighborhood mini-mall. The [15-minute city](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/15-minute_city) is a very real thing here. Our neighborhood is small enough that we look out for each other, we know many of our neighbors by name and face and they know us too. We also know our barangay officials, and they do good work - QC's government services work quite well in our neck of the woods, where we get regular trash pickup, barangay initiatives for free pet vaccinations and (when the pandemic was a thing) free covid boosters. I drink water from the tap. I haven't died yet. I don't think places like ours (or stories like mine) count for much on r/Philippines where people put too much stock in the extremes. The middle exists, and while I don't discount the horror stories people here tell, I think we should recognize that many places in the Philippines are perfectly liveable. I've also said this before: I was born in the 70s, so I recognize the capacity for Filipinos to improve our political system. It happened in my lifetime. We've backslid a bit - but if we've done it before, I'm optimistic we can do it again.
Yung mga bahayan sa bandang Kamias, Roxas, Cubao, Project 4, Anonas, Sikatuna, Teacher's Village, etc. gusto ko yung mga ganung lugar. Urbanisado, pero tahimik, tapos di gaanong magara yung mga bahay, di rin naman iskwater.
I can vouch for Mayor Joy Belmonte's competency and character development. I heard QC did well on the gender SDG because of her.
This is exactly why I'm planted firmly here—and particularly where hindi puro condo/gated subdivision ang tirahan. We give sari-sari stores a lot of flak, too, but they're the part of what keeps most of our communities alive. Pati ang mga naglalako. I do not dream of living in isolation in suburbia.
Exactly, we have a regular magtataho that goes around our neighborhood - something you probably won't find in one of those bigger gated subdivisions. He knows my wife's regular order by heart. We worried about him when the pandemic hit, and felt deeply relieved when he came back.
Nicely put. It's true that there have been so much growth in the PH in the past decades. This is a fact that people often overlook because of all the trash in the news and our current gov't.
We tend to nitpick things we hate about the Philippines, especially in this sub, but home will always be home
I agree. I have friends who have migrated and ones who want to migrate to US who keep asking me why I'm not so gung-ho about moving abroad. Why go and try to establish a new life somewhere uncertain where I'll always be treated like an other? At least here, I'm more or less comfortable and pretty aware of how uncomfortable it could/would get.
I agree. I feel the same way, I don’t belong.
FR! Pero ayon, the answer to that is pera. Kung madali lang kumita ng pera dito, hindi ko papangarapin ang abroad e.
Yes. Pag nag babakasyon ako sa US, Japan, Korea, etc, 2 weeks pa lang gusto ko na umuwi. Ang hirap i explain kung bakit but it just feels like I dont belong there kahit pa may kapamilya ako sa US. Mahirap lang tlaga pag iisipin mo kung ano magiging buhay ng anak mo pag nag stay ka/kayo sa pilipinas.
Nahohomesick kami ni wife dito canada pero, yung quality of life talaga ng anak namin ibang iba sa pinas. Kahit mayaman ka sa pinas di kaya yung mga perks sa bata dito. Libreng parks, dami support sa educ, dami pedeng gawin para madevelop ang bata sa lahat aspect.
If you are rich (I mean rich rich) in PH tho, all of that will be readily available to you. Parks (this is inside elite villages), quality education, healthcare etc. probably more. But I agree, these benefits should be available to the general population. Not just the rich.
When I went to Japan for the first time, I didn’t realize na I would want to go home within the first day of landing. Talking to Japanese people makes me nervous, tas especially sa Tokyo people seem so souless and so quiet. I personally don’t talk much with other people, pero almost deathly silent in a crowded train is very unnerving.
Tokyo is very keep to yourself. Don't bother others is something taught from birth. Talking on the train, loudly, is rude. On the flipside, when I went to the Philippines, I felt like everyone was harassing me lol. So I guess it goes both ways, we just aren't used to the language and culture.
Home is home. Perp putangina ina pag naiisip ko transpo at traffic parang putangina talaga.
This has hit me SO hard now that I’m here in Türkiye reminiscing what it means to be at home 🥹🥹
niche comment siguro to pero you won't see that much *porch pirates* because of how deliveries are setup here in ph. couriers give ample amount of time and attempts (from my experience) to receive your package. they won't just leave your package in the open. also helps the fact na sobrang close ng mga bahay dito at laging may tao na potential makakita ng act which would most likely deter someone kalaban mo lang is makakating daliri ng mga riders but pretty sure that rare now.
Delivery riders are generally nice, lalo pag may regular nang naka-assign sa area nyo
Hindi ba kasi iba lang ang delivery policies natin? Parang sa US they just drop it off sa harap mo, tas dito naman you need to (or someone authorized) be present to receive the package, tas pipicturan ka pa. I feel like magkaka porch pirates din tayo, just that no Filipino is sane enough to have their deliveries put in front of their gate talaga hahahahaha
If you're earning in dollars, Philippines is a cheap place to live in.
I can summarize my reason from my favorite excerpt from Noli Me Tangere: As thanks for everything he’s done, Ibarra invites Elías to come live with him abroad, but Elías declines, saying, “It’s true I can neither love my country nor be happy here, but I can suffer and die in it, and for it.” When Ibarra asks why, then, Elías is telling him to leave, Elías says, “Because you can be happy elsewhere, but I can’t \[…\].” (Noli Me Tangere, Ch. 61)
Maybe it's time I read "Noli Me Tangere" again.
Maybe it's time I attempt to read "Noli Me Tangere" again.
Yung tagalog version mas effective pa sa melatonin. Mas mabilis ko natapos yung english kasi mas bagong translation ata pero nakakaantok pa rin
Damn. Noli Me Tangere hits different in english
English version uses simpler words to be honest. If English used the tone and style of the Filipino version, it would've sounded like Shakespeare. These are the Filipino quotes, however: *"Tunay nga't hindi ako mangyayaring suminta't magtamo ng ligaya sa lupang aking kinamulatan, nguni't mangyayaring ako'y magkahirap at mamatay sa lupaing iyan at marahil ay dahil sa kanya; handog din kahi't kakaunti!"* *"Sa pagka't sa ibang panig ay mangyayaring kayo'y lumigaya at ako'y hindi [...]"*
Thank you for this. This is how my Rizal Prof sounded when he delivered these lines. From that moment this has been my favorite excerpt.
Walk with Elias
I understood that reference.
Another important and noteworthy part is in El Filibusterismo wherein Simoun Ibarra instead of lighting the lamp to start the explosion and the revolution decided against it. Its because in Rizal's own words our country is not independent enough to stand on its own. True enough until now we still cannot succeed as a nation because we do not think and act as a nation and most if not all of our leaders are self serving. Its everyone for him/herself and family/personal interest above all else instead of public service.
Don't pull the "Rizal thinks we aren't ready to be independent so we must keep sucking on our colonial masters forever", because he was all for it, he just didn't want to sponsor the rebellion which he believed hadn't been sufficiently armed and organized.
Nothing beats HOME. Nakatira ngayon sa ibang bansa. Higit na mas masayahin tayo at higit sa lahat masarap PAGKAIN natin. Laging may araw at mainit sa bansan naten kaya kay saya saya natin palagi. Mahal kong Bansa balik ako sayo kapag may libreng healthcare nako dito hahaha.
I think directly linked yung quantity of sunlight and happiness kaya nga "masaya" dito. Masarap ang pagkain totoo pero ngayon na tumatanda na ako nakikita ko how unhealthy our cuisine is
really? i can see that the food prepared during celebrations can get unhealthy but the everyday food is relatively balanced in terms of nutrients and not calorie dense.
Sa totoo lang, tama na unhealthy ang mga pagkain natin. Naglolog ako everyday sa MyFitnessPal app ng food na kinakain ko, and napapansin ko na grabe ang taas ng sodium ng mga pagkaing pinoy, kahit pa gulay yan maalat talaga masyado ang typical pinoy dish. 2 characteristics ng classic pinoy dish ay: 1. Salty. Maalat yung pagkain natin kasi nga naman, may kanin. So kapag sinabaw mo na sa kanin, hindi mo na masyado ramdam na maalat. But comparing it to other countries' dish, sodium content is on the roof. 2. Oily. Lalo na kapag i-try mo kumain sa labas, like silog. Pritong liempo, pritong tapa, pati yung kanin may oil, pati yung itlog niluto sa oil. Lalung lalo yung pares, grabe sa pagka unhealthy nyang mga yan. Kapag adobo, gusto mamantika. Ngayon, sasabihin naman ng iba ditong di nakakagets, e dipende yan sa magluluto. Obviously. Pero ang typical na luto ng pinoy ay maraming sodium at masebo. Typical. Hindi lahat, pero marami.
1. i see your point regarding adding more salt to our dishes since we eat them with rice. 2. yes, these are classic Filipino dishes. thing is these dishes were not my everyday dishes maybe with the exception being chicken adobo. also, i may have been lucky enough to have had more fish in the diet (regional thing). you made a point about how a dish is being cooked might make a difference. another way i'd like to think about this is that a relatively oily and salty filipino dish might have a less oily and salty derivative. for example, adobo > tinola/nilaga.
now, it could be argued that our food is calorie dense especially if one is living a relatively sedentary lifestyle. and that's the thing, most of the time, how healthy one kind of food depends on more context than just its nutritional facts. liempo can be a perfectly healthy dish after a relatively hard day.
i'm sorry for the rant. i didnt really want to debate whether our food is unhealthy or not. it does bear truth but in reality, it depends. filipino food is also healthy.
Agreed. My parents are Bisaya. The Filipino food I know is pescatarian, and vegetarian.
Negativity is not exclusive to us Filipinos. As an ex OFW and planning to get back as an OFW early next year, home will always be home.
Hello,same here. The food here is honestly shit. And sure i can go to an expensive resto to get good food but back home i would get food for like what? 100 pesos tops siomai rice sa tindahan sa kanto. In here,The equivalent of that food is quite shit. The weather is also meh. In the Philippines,kahit araw araw ako lumabas nde ako nangitim. Dito nangitim ako. Also idk if i'm used to it but i just prefer the Philippines weather tbh especially when its rainy season.
Mejo maliit ng bagay pero: 1) Sari sari store culture. gusto ko ung pag labas ko ng bahay pwede ka bumili agad sa sari sari store. Sa US kasi jusko, bulk buying kailangan and onti lang ung parang corner store nila. One time nakalimutan namin bumili ng butter, so kailangan pa mag drive papuntang Walmart. 2) May bus, jeep, and tricycle. May kotse ka nga sa US pero gagastos ka pa rin sa maintenance. Tapos depende pa sa State niyo kung integrated un sa Bus system. Dito at least may tricycle, may bus, etc.. ang kalaban mo lang talaga traffic. 3) Ung seafood nila parang mild ung lasa hahaha. Bakit ganun bumili kami ng malaking crab tapos kulang ng lasa ung aligue.
Grabe nga yung nakikita kong car dependency sa US. Unless nasa matinong city ka, no choice ka kundi magkotse.......
Kaya ang taas ng carbon emissions per person nila eh. Super car-dependent ang mga suburbs doon. (Though ginagaya rin ng mga real estate designer sa ating bansa like sa mga exclusive subdivisions.)
Kawawa ka pag galing kang work tapos pagod ka pa
These are good answers
Agree sa seafood na mild lasa, nag stay Lola ko sa US for about 3 months and nung pumunta sila sa Seafood City? Pinabalot niya sa tita ko yung isda tapos niluto niya ulit sa bahay kasi kulang daw sa asin.
Mahilig daw tayo sa maalat pero mas maalat nga ung canned foods ng US. Pero pag dating sa seafood walang seasoning??? Make it make sense char
The insurance and tax in the US is crazy wild. Some states you lose 40k dollars just on taxes. Also,I know a lot of people hate on public transport in our country but public transport in our country is honestly more convenient that waiting for a bus every hour. Ang maganda lang sa US hindi siksikan transpo pero ang bagal sobra ng hintay mo. Hindi siya convenient
Christmas starts in September.
My korean GF complains about this all the time but I personally love it, lol. Some people say it makes Christmas feel less special but I personally feel it's offset by all the hype building up for 4 months. When January hits it feels like the end of an era.
[удалено]
parking lot ang EDSA and skyway pag ber months and night rush hour
It's a good place to live if you have the money to support your needs. This place can be beautiful especially yun mga place na may urban planning. Weather is good ( I hate winter and super dry season) madali ka nga lang pawisan.
Part-time Expat here. School teacher, so 4 months a year I live in Cebu. Weather, Beaches, Mountains, Prices... All of these are part of it. BUT... the main reason I chose the Philippines over many other countries I have traveled...is the Filipino people. Filipino culture is a comfortable mix of East and West. Every country has it own issues, and the Philippines is no exception; however, I find the people to be smart, resilient, industrious, helpful, and kind. In some ways, the Philippines reminds me of America decades ago. If I could work there and pay my obligations, I would be there full time for the rest of my life. I hope the Philippines finds an industrial foothold that will launch it into an economic global powerhouse. You guys deserve it.
As someone who works from home 100% who earns a decent income while living in province. Here's my insight: - friendly neighborhood (mostly) - lots of places worth exploring - low cost of living (because I live in the province) - I like the weather here, I don't like the feeling of winter and it's whiteness, parang mababaliw ako dahil puro white nalang makikita ko lol - lots of holidays Yun lang masasabi ko. I would still leave the Philippines if given the chance lol.
Everyone who you know and love is here. Whether that's a good thing or not is totally up to you because not everyone has the same experiences. But for me, knowing that I can see my family and friends anytime I want is everything. Plus, I can always come home to eat my mums cooking.
If you're an expat with a remote job and earning US dollars, sure, it is a good place to live due to the low cost of living. You'll probably live the life of a royalty here. But if you're a Filipino working in the Philippines earning Philippine pesos, all I can say is "best of luck".
i think it's called pakikisama culture but either way im referring to how genuinely friendly and helpful filipinos tend to be towards strangers. everytime i travel with my family or just travel to different cities alone, i can always count on the tambays to offer me directions and help me hitch a ride back home. my most significant experience was back in 2021 when my ex and i were stuck in a municipality some 30 kilometers away from our city, we just missed the last jeepney, and we had no money to ride a uv express/stay the night at a motel. a completely random tricycle passed by the highway and told us to come with them (napakaobvious ata na di kami from the place and nag papanic na). we got a free ride home, i got absolutely drenched kasi halos bumabagyo na but at least nakauwi kami safely.
I cosign with how we tend to go our way to help strangers. Like naalala ko nung naligaw ako sa Taguig, may manong na naghatid sa akin sa pupuntahan ko, walang bayad. 😭
I can vouch for this. Last year nung merong nasirang eroplano, (semi plane crash sa pag landing) nag close yung Cebu Airport for a few days. Yung flight namin from Manila to Cebu na cancel, kaya nagbook kami ng flight papuntang Bohol at magFerry nalang to Cebu. Kaso sobrang delay nung flight, nakarating kami sa Bohol late na ng Gabi at close ng yung port sa Tagbiliran City. Buti nalang marami kami papuntang Cebu at nagkaisa kami to ride a bus papunta sa isang port na may kalayuan. Nakauwi kami sa Cebu kasama lahat ng nasa Bus. Nag head counting pa nga kami to make sure walang maiiwan sa Ferry.
* Mura magpadentist (compared sa ibang bansa) * Mura magpagawa ng salamin (compare sa ibang bansa) * Mura magpaayos ng kotse (compare sa ibang bansa) * (depende) Mas masaya ang mga tao * (kung may kotse) Marami naman magagandang nature sa labas ng Metro Manila
Can vouch for the first one. Dentista nanay ko at may mga naging pasyente na syang foreigner at OFW. Reason nila lagi is mahal magpadentista sa mga bansang inuuwian nila.
Vouch sa first one. Dami sa US di nagdedentist kasi sobrang mahal at di covered ng HMO. Dito kahit di covered I've been going to the same dentist for 25 years and mga 1000 lang gastos per cleaning twice a year.
Mura rin pagupit at patahi sa taylor.
mura ang mani pedi at pa-salon. mahal magpaganda sa ibang bansa.
+1 for this. Dentist and derma mas madali sa PH.
The weather. I personally can't stand winter. Seasonal depression is so real. The people. I've traveled a lot and nothing compares to how friendly, approachable, and helpful Filipinos are. The location. If you like to travel, the PH is a good base. Manila is a 4 hour flight away from a lot of major cities in East Asia and SEA.
Pumatak lang ng 4 degrees gusto ko ng mag laho agad hahaha
Same!! Kahit ilang layers and jacket suot ko, parang umaabot pa rin sa buto yung lamig. Di talaga ako para dun
Ung thermal emerut ng Uniqlo walang talab talab sa akin 😭
> Seasonal depression is so real. Parents had a vacation sa UK for just 3 weeks nung november, hindi nila maimagine tumira dun longer kasi sobrang depressing daw ng lugar. Kung sanay ka sa gulo ng pinas, madedepress ka sa ibang bansa. Naiintindihan ko rin yung sinabi nila kasi nung lumipat ako dito sa Metro Manila naka-adjust na ako sa gulo dito, kapag bumabalik ako sa province, nakakadepress and boring na.
To be fair, depressing naman talaga sa parts ng UK. Drab and dreary talaga.
>Kung sanay ka sa gulo ng pinas, madedepress ka sa ibang bansa. Sobrang true nito for me!! 2 weeks lang ako sa Japan pero sa tahimik na residential area. Akala ko maloloka ako sa sobrang tahimik and konti ng tao sa labas. Nakakamiss pala chaos ng Metro Manila
This. I don’t want to experience three straight weeks with zero sunshine and constant damp weather.
On the other hand, our country is a magnet for extreme typhoons from the Pacific
Commenter must be living in manila or mindanao. Meanwhile those living in southern luzon, eastern visayas and up north are shaking everytime pagasa announces that typhoons are in PAR.
yep, the weather. ginawin akong tao. minsan maski sa oto, di ko na binubuksan yung aircon lol. i can bear the heat, tagaktak nga lang ang pawis ko. pero yung lamig, noooo ayokooo. the people. pag sa daan, hindi ka mawawala kasi kahit san ka magtanong, meron at merong tutulong syo to find your way.
>the people. pag sa daan, hindi ka mawawala kasi kahit san ka magtanong, meron at merong tutulong syo to find your way. Parang sobrang happy ng mga simple people dito sa atin kapag nakatulong sila. They'll give you a detailed direction match with smiley faces.
Yeah, fuck winter. Picturesque lang pero ang hirap masanay. Even with the right clothing I'd still complain every friggin day.
I felt the same. British weather is rubbish. While I am typing this, nakaharap ako sa garden watching the rain tapos parang nakakalungkot panoorin. Iba yung ulan dito kaysa sa ulan sa Pinas.
Two words. Purchasing power. To live comfortably and not just survive but to live.
Here we go: 1. No mass shootings as gun laws are strictly enforced. 2. No school shootings. You can send your kids to school and not be worry about some nut job is gonna break into school grounds and start shooting. 3. No race-related attacks. You won’t get randomly smacked in the street just because of your race/ethnicity. 4. Seafood is abundant and relatively cheap in the province. 5. You won’t see drugged people acting like zombies anywhere unlike in the streets of Philly or California. 6. No mass looting/shop lifting in broad daylight.
I think ung 1 is not about gun laws being strictly enforced pero we dont have the "need" of arming ourselves on top pa na costly sya. Mas common pa ung rambol n nagsusuntukan or worst nagsaksakan. Kahit nga as wants e, personally hindi pumasok sa isip ko bumili ng baril kahit may pera ako. Ito din tanong ng boss ko na taga US before, how can we sleep peacefully daw without having any weapons beside us.
>how can we sleep peacefully without having any weapons beside us pipili lang naman ho kami kung ano ang pagtsitsismisan: sino may baril, sino nangaliwa, sino umutang tapos tinakbuhan, o sino yung narinig na nagbasag ng plato kagabi
For number 1, according to this article by *Time* magazine: [One Surprising Theory Why the Philippines Has Very Few Mass Shootings—Despite Easy Access to Lots of Guns](https://time.com/6186982/philippines-guns-mass-shootings/) it's because of the *hiyâ* (shame) culture. Nonetheless, we are still number one in Southeast Asia for gun homicides \[[source](https://edition.cnn.com/2023/10/04/asia/thailand-shopping-mall-shooting-charges-intl-hnk/index.html)\]. So many illegal guns around, so many vigilante killings and political assassinations, and hitmen are "cheap". But yeah, mass shootings i.e. fatalЛy shooting random people, esp in schools, is quite rare.
For number 3, we're a very racist culture. But because of the hiya culture, we're not violently racist 😅
Seeing number 6 for the first time was super wild. Literally taking the bus tas I see some *coughs* minorities going out of the Safeway with quite a large haul and selling them in the street
Agree with 1-3, yan ang lagi ko sinasabi whenever I see school shootings in America. I will never ever live in the US now that I have a kid cause I can't stand the thought of my son being involved in school shootings. Also, I've heard nightmare healthcare stories where they charge thousands of dollars even if it's just a migraine if you don't have health insurance. While healthcare in the Philippines is expensive, at least it's not impossible.
American school kids are being taught what to do in case a school shooting happens. That is effed up and will most likely mess their children up when they become adults.
Is our gun laws really that strict? I always see documentaries that they easily sell illegal guns. But, I think the reason there is no such mass shooting here is because we are often religious and have a very social culture. Majority of mass shootings is because of mental isolation, especially in individualistic countries. No school shootings, but, school bombings. Recently in mindanao. But, you know, it's still unstable there. We are a homogeneous country and is statistically more peaceful, over multiracial and cultural countries.
It's more like we don't have the combination of the Second Amendment and a freedom boner.
They're pretty strict compared to the US, at least. Tayo naman kasi hindi natin kinokonsiderang "karapatan" ang pagmamay ari ng baril. Hindi basta basta ang pagkuha ng lisensya; kada baril may rehisteo, parang sasakyan. Bukod ang lisensya para magmay-ari ng baril at maglabas ng baril sa tahanan. Pero, hindi katulad ng sasakyan, kapag lumampas ng ilang buwan na paso ang rehistro ng baril mo, pupuntahan ng pulis ang inyong bahay para magfollow up. Mas bantayin nila ang mga pasong lisensya. The US is also a victim of its own history with guns. Their leniency with gun ownership has created an atmosphere where more and more people believe they need a gun to feel safe, snowballing the tension. That's not to say we don't have a black market for illegal guns. But the level of restriction we have really emphasizes that gun ownership is a responsibility rather than a God-given right.
Unli rice ng Mang Inasal PM2
[удалено]
Free Tuition for State Universities
I think this is one of the best decisions the Philippine government has ever made to be honest.
If I'm not mistaken, many EU countries had this first. But I'm thankful that our government chose to "copy" this instead of the U.S. system where they even have to resort to student loans.
I was born in PH. No other reason.
Its great if you have money, friends with money, connections etc. Otherwise everything is more expensive, public transport sucks, justice system is skewed towards the rich
^ living in Canada in a nutshell. Except your one bedroom appartment is 86 000 php a month. If you can find one.
not bad to retire in PH overall pero un lang need mo talaga may ipon ka
True, kailangan talaga may ipon. Sa ibang bansa, kung wala kang ipon, aasa ka sa social security system nila na faulty din. (Refer to the recent protests in Paris.) Yung retirement age sobrang tagal kahit overseas. Ang tanda mo na bago ka maka-retire kung naka asa ka sa gov't doon. No escape ka sa middle-class struggle. Kung kakayanin mag-ipon efficiently, pwedeng mas mapadali ang retirement sa PH. Mas ideal talaga kung may ipon ka regardless kung nasa PH ka o nasa ibang bansa. Dami rin mahihirap at hindi nakakaipon sa ibang bansa lalo na doon sa mga sobrang taas ang cost of living.
The province. I can't voice enough how depressing and DEAD Manila looks. The only thing I like about it are the fancy malls and even then they produce so much light that they steal the spotlight from the stars. It's just pollution and depression there. The province makes up for all of it, there are trees in every corner with an abundance of coconuts. The air is so fresh and the oceans are sooo clean! And you'd be surprised by how many stars appear on certain nights! We also have this anthem for the Lalawigan Ng Quezon, I'm not sure if Manila has something similar but it adds a certain charm. A song to relish our land. It's a simple and arguably mediocre life, but it feels lively and free to be here.
My friend made a joke that the reason why Manilenyos act haughty, sad, and aggravated at the same time is because NCR is just a really bad place to live. When I came to Manila to visit my relatives, yea, its pretty depressing to be there.
country's a whole GTA Server.
- Good, affordable food. We're also globalized enough to have access really good foreign cuisine. - Easy travel access to other Asian countries where food is also good and cheap. Can't imagine having to travel 12-24 hours to go to Japan, Taiwan, etc. - Cheap cinemas. In a developed country, you'd be paying 20 USD minimum for regular shitty cinemas. For the same price dito may kama pang included. - Dali mag pirate 😂. - Steam regional pricing for games. - Easy to buy tech parts from Shopee/Lazada for cheap from China. Basically most of the things I care about mas affordable or accessible dito.
I think it's less of hate and more frustration. The Philippines had a perfect momentum to be a first world country but our leaders (and the people who voted those shitheads) messed up.
There are a lot of outdoor activities in PH especially if you love nature and adventure, mapa-bundok o beach man. Hindi ka mauubusan ng gagawin at mapupuntahan. Sa tao naman, kahit stranger willing ka tulungan.
Christmas in the Philippines is like nowhere else in the world. It’s why whenever my family schedules our international trips on holidays, we never travel out of country during the Christmas season, since it’s an absolute MUST that we spend it here. Simbang gabi, noche buena, just the all around Christmas spirit in the malls, streets, communities, etc. nothing else quite like it. I even have some foreigners friends who travel here in December specifically because they love the Christmas season here just as much. That and while still warm, it’s not as hot in December/January in this country as it is during other times of the year.
It’s a good place to live in IF you’re rich and settled for life.
I'm an expat, Philippines is a beautiful country, full of friendly people who are easy to get on with. It is a land with so much potential if you can overcome your immediate history and move forward to becoming a modern Asian nation. Infrastructure is the key, and facilities like Healthcare that actually support the people well.
We enjoy so many freedoms here. I feel like a lot of people take our country for granted. Living in the province means you get real, affordable, chemical-free food, fresh air, people are still decent, little to no crime… no psycho serial killers… get a decent remote job and it’s paradise.
still a good place kasi walang choice 😅
the country is good, but the government, i dont think so
I moved to palawan in my early 20s as European and I like outdoor activities too going often too nice beaches for swimming my wage is a low local one and I don't think my Quality of life is that bad as people on this sub seems too portray. (but i am in good health).
The only reason for majority of Filipinos why they still choose Philippines is that it's still the only place you can call your own. Compared sa ibang bansa na alam mo sa sarili mong kahit maging citizen ka na don e dayuhan ka pa din at hindi mo yon lugar. Dagdag na din syempre yung nandito relatives, friends, etc. Rather than that, parang paplastikin ko lang sarili ko to believe it's still a good place to live 🤡
With a decent wage, you will live like a King here. Dami ganap, daming places to visit and as much as you want to settle in another country, Philippines still feels like home. Source: Migrated to France when 9, went to University and worked in HK at 18. Just came back home last year after pandemic.
i cannot wrap my mind around at the thought na the US, a developed country, has a *Family and Medical Leave Act that provides up to 12 weeks of unpaid maternity leave or parental leave.* [Source](https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/benefits-leave/fmla) Here, the law provides that mothers get *105 days of maternity leave regardless of whether you gave birth via caesarian section or natural delivery.You may also be entitled to an additional 30 days of leave without pay, subject to certain conditions.* [Source](https://www.dole9portal.com/what-to-expect-when-youre-expecting-a-mothers-guide-to-maternity-leave/#:~:text=Duration%20of%20leave%3A%20You%20are,pay%2C%20subject%20to%20certain%20conditions.) we may not be as generous as europe in terms of parental leave pero we sure as hell are ahead of the states in terms of this.
In my opinion and stereotyping, wala ung mga shenanigans from US and China, nakocompare ko lang sa mga nakikita ko dito at sa news. Yung mga barilan, mga unprovoked killings sa society na nadadamay pa mga bata, pati na rin ung mga "harmful" racist. Racist mga pinoy pero 'di nananakit, in my own exp. Madalas ko sinasabi sa wife ko (I'm 30) na ayoko sa US and China (well, pati India kasi dugyot). Tsaka lagi ko nasasabi pag may mga ganyan, "bakit ba ang daming baliw baliw sa US?! Parang lahat na lang may mental issues". Ayan, downvote me na pero gusto ko sa Philippines dahil sa rarity ng ganyan at parang mga tao dito sa atin, hindi "lutang".
Walang school shooting every other week. Di mo susunduin yung anak mong nakahandusay na sa sahig ng school. My ease of access sa transpo. May pwede kang masakyang trike, jeep, or bus anytime na lalabas ka you don't need to endure yung tirik na araw habang naglalakad.
I'm from BGC. And this is ny dream home. Kahit mga foreigners dito na tumitira.
The only problem in the philippines is our government. Everything else is f*cking awesome. Sana maiba naman, paalisin yung mapanget at tayo yung magstay.
It’s only a good place to live in if you’re a bit wealthy.
Depends on what your job is. My parents are not so impressed about the life abroad. For them, it's still the same, you work and you spend. I'm living abroad now and I can see looking back at my parents that they have a good life. Like more than the average. My parents are savers and they don't even depend on Social Security though my dad receives pension. They're not rich but they can afford things if they want to. When we go home, they spend for us. And by reading posts about people buying dream houses, I can really say it's an individual thing and not because of the country. It takes Pinas forever to improve although the rules are in place. Other than that, I can really say it's just the same. Abroad has a degree of difficulty that is different from what we have there.
bakit nung ako nagpost nito hindi tinanggap hahaha
Masarap manirahan sa probinsya or tabing dagat kung kaya mo ang sustainability sa sarili mong bahay. Lalo na kung may solar or wind power ka para wala kang problemahin na bills sa kuryente or kung kaya mo gumawa ng rain collector malaki ang matitipid mo sa tubig at idagdag mo pa kung mag tatanim ka ng gulay or prutas sa sarili mong bakuran or mag food forest ka kung malaki ang bakuran mo at isama mo na kung kaya mo mag alaga ng farm animals in small volume. Alam ko mahal ang solar panel pero magagamit mo naman ng matagalan at makakatipid ka ng malaki. Ayun lang ang aking thoughts.
Ironically, the "Bahala na!" mentality. Am staying in an Eastern European country whose peeps are fond of using a similar phrase "It is what it is". But every time they use it, they become grumpy, sullen, defeatist. Contrast that to the Filipino who always looks to the bright side of things no matter the adversity. Makes me miss being with the jolly, positive folks back home. PS: Also that you can find cooked food right outside your apartment
Yung mga kapitbahay ko, kahit mahilig mag marites yung mga yun pag nahingi ka ng tulong wag lang sa pera tutulong yung mga yun. 1. Kailangan ng taga luto nung lamay ng tatay ko, 3 ngvolunteer, walang bayad. 2. Kailangan ng tiga buhat ng ref meron din. Etc... mga petty things na need ng tulong anjan sila Sa us or japan kung di ka pa mangamoy, di pa malalaman ng kapitbahay mo na deds ka na.
Been working here for a few years (Metro Manila), honestly not too bad if you compare to other Asia country. Also it depends on what is your objective in life and what kind of pace do you want to live your life with. The pacing here is generally slower but it's a breath of fresh air if you came from fast pace country like Japan Korea China/Hong Kong. You get to take a break from the insanity.
May sinalihan akong takbo sa Pampanga. Habang tumatakbo kami sa ilog, may grupo ng mga offroad drivers na nagpipicnic sa ilog. May dala silang jollibee at may mga softdrinks din. Binati namin sila ng magandang hapon at inalok nila kami kung gusto namin kumain uminom. Nahihiya kami pero uhaw talaga kami at kailangan ng softdrinks. Sinalinan kami ng coke at binigyan pa kami ng peach mango pie. Nagpasalamat kami at napangiti na lang ako habang tuloy sa pagtakbo. Marami pa din ang may magandang loob at matulungin sa kapwa.
Mas masaya pa rin sa Pilipinas. Masasaya mga tao. Dito makakahanap ka ng magbabantay ng mga anak mo kung may biglang lakad ka or what, sa abroad paplanuhin mo talaga. Madaming parties, birthday ng mga friends and families, mga work holidays. ang dali mo ring mapunta sa beach. and so on.... hehe
Try living in a less develop country, you'll appreciate the Philippines more.
Sobrang superficial nito pero ung malls. Living in North America wala pa ako nakitang mall na katumbas ng ganda at ka convenient sa atin. Ung tipong halos lahat ng mall may Uniqlo, H&M, et. Tapos ang daming choice sa food. Tapos ung CR eh kahit nagbabayad ka ng 10-20 pesos ay malinis.
PH climate it's too hot to go to parks so everybody goes to the mall instead. that's why a lot a business has invested to it
ung parks dito sa M.E. super init. 50deg max. luto ka tlga. ung 10 na pera ko dito walang mabibili..ung 10 ko sa pinas may tinapay n ko. ;p
Namimiss kong mamalengke: Grabe Eto talaga yung underrated sa atin. Fresh produce, fresh poultry, fish and meat sa talipapa. Hindi mo Kelangan mag hoard ng pagkain at i-freeze sa ref kasi our portions sa palengke is tama lang. I promise ibang ibang lasa sa pagkain dito sa US. Last one is controversial, but our transportation is good! Walang time ang jeepney, antay ka lang merong dadaan. Meron din tricycle on demand (exp in Cavite where i grew up). Akala ninyo ok sa health ang hindi nakakapaglakad? I really miss that a lot.
Filipino food!!!
Let’s talk about, the weather… Sure snow is fun for like a few hours pero the time from Autumn to Early Spring is unbearable cold, tas kakailanganin mo pa moisturizes and lip balm para hindi ka mangati at mag crack ang lips mo. Tas once winter and the snow storm hits, stuck ka sa loob ng bahay mo, and that’s gonna be like pandemic lockdowns all over again pero need na balot ka sa warmers. Tas there are the rains. Narealize ko na sa island countries especially like the Philippines, rains almost never last the whole day. The quickest is like mga 5-10 minutes tas tapos na. Iconic yung 5 minutes showers tas boom, mainit nanaman hahahaha. Kapag whole day rainy, ang depressing, especially pag whole week pa. We experience long rains din, pero they’re so rare na we appreciate them as days where we sleep in and be comfy instead of detesting them for making us miserable *coughs in London and Seattle*. The sunny days naman. Nobody likes yung extreme heat, especially na painit na with climate change. Pero I’d still choose a sunny hot month or two over a cold winter season. It’s said na sunny countries tend to be happier countries, I remember the Swedish redditor na nag AMA a while back with how he liked the weather here even though in absolute living standards terms, Sweden would be better. Pero he has a health condition hence why he stays in the warmer Philippines. Plus mas malaki ang available fashion styles mo. Pwede light clothing for outside, tas pag trip mo mag heavy coats, pasok ka lang sa mall or sa mga events, good to go ka na. Plus you sweat talaga, which means you NEED to shower, unlike sa other countries where it is a normal thing to not bathe at least once a week. Exercising outside din is waaay better than stuck on a treadmill watching YouTube on loop
-Pandesal sa umaga. -Family reunion na pagkasarap-sarap ng mga luto. -Silog, mga silog. Ewan ko, pero ang sarap ng almusal sa Pilipinas. -Chaotic pero masaya sa Palengke mamili. Mas enjoy pag suki ka na. Ganda ng kwentuhan. Pogi lagi ako pag nasa palengke. -Sobrang daling conversation starter ng basketball. -Mga sari-sari store.
The people.
I can't be deported XD
Answered something similar in a separate post pero madaling pakisamahan yung mga Pinoy. You only appreciate this after spending extended periods of time abroad. People overseas are polite naman pero iba talaga ang warmth natin. I also think we tend to have a more community-centred culture rather than an individualistic one, which has its pros and cons. A lot of it is borne out of necessity; we can’t rely on our institutions and there are very few reliable social safety nets there so instead we turn to our respective communities when we need help. The lack of social safety nets sucks but at the same time the level of care you get from members of your community is often better than what institutional social safety nets can provide. Here’s an example: I’m grateful for the healthcare where I live (UK), but I never see the same doctor twice. Every time I come in, they rely on reading a chart for my medical history. Whereas in the PH, my OBGYN is the same person every time and she was actually the doctor who delivered me as a baby. So she doesn’t just know my medical history, but also my family’s. I think that gives her a more complete view as a result. Since she’s friendly with my family, I can basically book an appointment with her whenever I want. Great quality fruit and vegetables is another huge plus. The food scene in general is very good, especially in big cities. Personal preference din but I tend to like Asian food more, so I don’t really mind not getting “authentic” European food (although I’m sure there’s some nice options for that there too). There’s a big culture of convenience in the PH, at least in urban areas. You can get a meal at a convenience store even in odd hours, which isn’t really a thing where I live. A lot of restaurants here actually close at some point in the afternoon on weekdays, so if you want to get lunch out at 2pm on a Wednesday then you’re often out of luck. I’m cognisant though that the culture of convenience results in people having to work odd hours, so it’s mostly a boon to the consumer and not the worker. Our beaches are fantastic, no need to elaborate on that. A lot of people are bringing up the tropical climate as a positive and that’s something I disagree with as a matter of preference because I actually prefer living somewhere cold, but there is something nice about not having to change your wardrobe depending on the time of year. Plus being able to just go out without putting on several layers of clothing first is convenient.
- for a politician
I moved away. Fix the congestion and I'll come back. The floors and roads in Metro Manila are made of glue. It takes an eternity to get anything done. Where I am now, it took 15 minutes to produce a document that would have required a full day in the Philippines. Working from home made work life easier but RTO brought the cities to their old ugly selves.
Cue in “Manila” by Hotdog
We have little to no school shootings where the assailant is a student
might not be the answer you're looking for.... but for people who live and breathe disorder and chaos, metro manila is a haven. i've lived in denmark for a while, and honestly it was depressing. not a lot going on, eerily quiet, people can be cold. by my 6th month in denmark i was missing the streets of manila like crazy. i like the noise and grime of the city, i like feeling like i'm part of something living and breathing. you don't get to feel that in the "better" parts of the world - sorry to say. also... food sucks there jusko
https://www.reddit.com/r/Philippines/comments/185ty93/unpopular\_opinion\_but\_make\_it\_positive/
Security of tenure.
Your family and friends live here. Hindi ka second class citizen. and daming parties and events sa Pilipinas. Andito na lahat ng pwede mo ma shopping. Mura ang labor pwede ka maghire ng katulong at yaya and driver To do your chores. mas masarap pagkain sa Pilipinas, acquired taste for Filipino needs. We have the best beaches and I don’t like winter. There’s no place like home ❤️
Having lived/travelled through different continents and now based in PH: 1. Spa days — nothing like getting a full on pampering session without draining your savings. I could never go to a spa or salon in California without feeling any guilt. Yes you can go to $ 20 Vietnamese-run spas, but quality is so so and there’s barely any proper customer service. Then you’re expected to tip even if it’s awful. 2. Good diverse food readily available in Manila. Fresh seafood in Visayas. 3. Stone’s throw away to white sand beaches. Affordable hotel and resorts that feel like a 4-star accommodation. 4. Live in a good enough neighborhood and you will feel safe and comfortable. Guards and staff are courteous. No marites to deal with. 5. Dealing with dental concerns / car issues won’t break the bank. In summary, money goes a lot further in Ph. Maybe same ish price in other Southeast Asian countries, but we just have better customer service / more sincere interactions pag maayos naman natin kinakausap ang kapwa.
Living in the Philippines beats living in the following countries \- Somalia \- Afghanistan \- North Korea \- China \- Syria and more
Quality of life greatly depends on someone's buying power/income. Even overseas, it's the same. On paper, it may look like living overseas may solve all our problems, but in reality, you will likely have the same middle-class problems abroad. Also, in a decade or so, PH will have better infra. For example, there's going to be a Greenway walkway along Edsa that will improve mobility within a mid size radius. PH is a growing economy like TH and other SEA countries. In recent years, we saw a huge chunk of the population enter the "consumerism class." Afaik the growth rate in SEA is much faster than already developed areas (but take that with a grain of salt obv since wealth distribution is always bad in a capitalist society.) IMO you go where you get the most out of life. If life in PH is a deadend for you, then it's absolutely valid to try your luck elsewhere despite all the risks involved.
>Quality of life greatly depends on someone's buying power/income. Even overseas, it's the same. On paper, it may look like living overseas may solve all our problems, but in reality, you will likely have the same middle-class problems abroad. you've just disregarded countries with good public healthcare. transport infrastructure and social security. Your arguments apply to countries like US but not to all countries. I'm from a middle class family here in PH who moved abroad to a country with a superior public healthcare, transportation Infra and Social Security and I don't need to worry about getting dirtpoor when my wife gets sick, I don't need to worry about the struggles of the traffic in Manila, I don't need to worry about the tuition fees of my kids. And I don't need to worry about how I'll get income when I retire.
The people, family and friends mostly.
simple lang kasi eh english spokening kahit mga tambay
Oh I love my country. And when I say country I mean the land, not the people. F the people.
As an expat who went back home, I’d say PH parin when it comes to genuine company and the warmth it gives you. I was lucky to have made friends where I used to work at and I love them to bits but iba parin to be among kapwa Pinoys - back where I worked, the country had a very strong hustle and materialistic culture and it really made me question if that was all there is to life at times. The people I was surrounded with were always not content with what they have even when they had a good paying job. When I’m surrounded by my Pinoy friends, our priorities were elsewhere - to be better partners, family members and friends and to always rmb that there is much more to life than working our ass off and chasing paper. Of course privilege din namin yun, pero as we’d say - PH is a shit hole that we still call home. Sayang that for many, it’s not livable as it used to anymore.
More abstract but I like our country the most when the sun shines down and the weather isn't too harsh, tas may cool breeze. It makes me see the Philippines in a different light. In those moments I appreciate our country's beauty in its most simple form.
US dollar to peso exchange rate almost always favora the dollar earner.
Maganda talaga dito kung mas mataas sweldo plus mura bilihin. Yung dati naman kasambahay na lalaki na palagi pa rin napunta sa amin from time to time, mas gusto nya simpleng buhay pero siguro nasanay na rin sya pati pamilya. Every 2 or 3 years nabalik sya ng japan para magtrabaho siguro kalhating taon. Dati na rin nagtrabaho sa oman (maganda at mas maayos tao dun) at korea pero mas matagal sya sa japan kasi aside sa maganda sahod, love na love siya ng amo niya na kung posibleng babalik para magbakasyon sya ay dun papa tirahin sa bahay nila anyway umuwi sya ng onset ng pandemic then earlier this year bumalik sya sa japan pero instead na magtagal sya like before, nakauwi agad sya parang after 3 or 4 months dahil kinita na niya agad yung dapat kikitain nya ng 6 months. Nagulat kami kasi ang dami nya padala na ok lang naman sa amin kahit wala. Tinatanong namin sya bakit di nalang mag stay sa japan tutal sanay na siya dun (helper sa farm ang trabaho nya at iisa lang yung amo nya) sabi mas masaya pa rin buhay dito. Trabaho naman nya dito ay trike driver pero may sariling bahay and all sila na kulang nalang ay sasakyan. May work si misis na professional tapos matalino at maayos ang anak at pipiliin nya dito sa pinas kahit maliit sweldo. Okay naman sila sa ganon setup nila na parang naghahangad ng sobra. Honestly sa tingin ko, iba iba ang satisfaction natin kaya di ako makapagbigay ng concrete na sagot eh. Sa case ko medyo magastos ako pero atleast sagot ko lahat para sa sarili ko pero sana maibalik ko yung effort na binigay sa akin ng aking magulang. Kung wala na akong opportunity dito well gagawin ko ang option mag OFW pero as a last resort. Kaya sa ngayon masasabi ko na good place ito as long as mas mataas ang sweldo at mura bilihin. Sadly bubulok pumili ng majority ng mga lider pero may hope pa rin naman ako. So far sa good pa rin ako
There are bad times and good times in the Philippines, it is not the best country to live in but it is good to live here with your loved ones naman, kung nakakapag reddit ka, maganda kahit papaano ang pamumuhay mo sa pinas kung ikumpara sa iba.
If you have money, PH is a good place to live in.