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1 Bring loads of money and be VERY careful with it
2 Bring loads of patience and be VERY careful with it
3 NEVER EVER lend money / give money to family or believe any hard luck stories
4 NEVER EVER believe that you can buy house / lot / business - it is a scam.. and many times a foreigner will try to do that scam to you. Sort out Visa yourself or use a good agent. Never listen to anyone that says they can get you any special visa
5 Be prepared to live a great life, live like a King and enjoy some of the best times of your life

The many positions taken here can represent different thoughts and experiences.  For me, the intent is not to put down the PI or any one person or country.  We each have our reasons for being Expats and must adjust to the new location & people.  My focus is on the much bigger picture of failed or sub-par infrastructures, where responsibility or blame can't be placed with the local citizens. 

One of the biggest "TIP" for an expat here is to be well prepared for the reduced or failed infrastructures in some Asian countries.  Specifically review the needs vs. the local equipment quality and plan ahead. 

There are large corporate "sharks" that patrol the economic waters globally.  As expats, we tend to have a broader set of events in our lives that we use for comparative analysis and our resulting views or opinions on our new surroundings.  I do not like how the "sharks" have kept the people so uninformed as it relates to technology and equipment that would make ALL the people's lives better. 

Example 1:  Years ago, the US telecom sharks made way for advancements due to pressure from the people and selected government agencies that control the frequencies used for broadband and cell usage.  Here in the PI, in the year 2015, we still see the limiting IPv4 being the max allowed by the sharks here.  Yes, most of us expats are aware of the fact that IPv6 is widely used in the USA/EU and provides a total capacity increase growth for the next 100 years. 

Question - Has anyone been able to connect their US laptops/iMacs to PLDT/Smart/Globe… via IPv6? 

Example 2:  Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) - How many locals understand that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), along with the FCC has adopted limits for safe exposure to radiofrequency (RF) energy?  Well the locals would not know this in most cases and that is how the Sharks dump so much garbage in selected countries.  These limits are given in "terms of a unit referred to as the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR)". 

Question - How many cell phone users/buyers here are able to find the SAR ratings for the "local" cell phones flooding the marks here?  How many expats or local shops here are aware that:

"For a phone to pass FCC certification and be sold in the United States, its maximum Specific Absorption Rate, or SAR level must be less than 1.6 watts per kilogram. Any cell phone at or below these SAR levels (that is, any phone legally sold in the U.S.) is a "safe" phone, as measured by these standards."

Most of the CP's dumped here would never be allowed in the EU or USA due to the very high levels of radiation emitted during the transmit function.  I also offer the "TIP" that any expat preparations to come here or buy products once here, that the would be buyer along with his/her Fil mate review: 

DO NOT fall for the buy it because it is the cheaper sales pitch….  your future health health may depend on such a selection.

Recent Analysis, "A new EWG analysis of data submitted to the Federal Communications Commission by one manufacturer shows that some cases on the market are so poorly engineered that they actually intensify the radiation that strikes a user’s head and body. Cases may also weaken the signal, deplete the phone’s battery sooner and cause dropped calls."

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It is topics like this can help expats and locals to live a healthier life here in the 21st century.  Otherwise, some countries may INTENTIONALLY remain 15-25 years behind as the local sharks continue to over-feed on the uninformed local markets.

P.S. After nearly 2 years of leaving the USA, ALL of my cp.'s and computers are still the US models shipped from California.

When flying from the states to Manila, Phil. air lines allowed me 2 suitcases and like 100 pounds of weight total. When i rested up in Manila for a day, and caught a connecting flight to Cagayan de oro, Phil. air lines allowed only like 30 pounds and i had to pay  50.00 dollars over weight fee. I was told by the counter girl at Phil. air that  if i had a connecting flight when i landed in Manila to CDO, there is no extra charge for over weight luggage.I use Cebu air to fly when in the Phil. Phil. air is good internationally, but not good service in country. My flight from Manila to CDO was cancelled the first time with no compensation. The second day it was 3 hours delayed and almost cancelled a second day due to them not finding a crew to fly the plane. Bring enough clothes, and electronics for your stay. Most everything is much more expensive here  because of the duty tax and 12% VAT tax the country imposes and the Phil. consumer has to pay. Interesting most items you buy in stores has a 3 day warranty and you can only get a store credit, not your money back. Remember if you stay longer than 6 months here, you need to pay and  get an exit pass from immigration before your allowed to leave the country, in addition to the  exit fee  you pay before being allowed to go to the boarding area. My 4th visit here and the more i come here, the longer i stay. The people in general are most friendly, and helpful. Most everyone speaks English and that is a big plus.

Scott1953 I wonder if you could help me with outbound flight ticket. When you purchase flight ticket in USA and you know you are going to stay in Phil. 10 months or over a year you need to have outbound or return ticket before boarding
Phil air.  and airlines do not sell return tickest over 11 months or 1 year. so what do you purchase for outbound ticket?also do you get 6 month visa instead of every 2 months? thanks for your assistance.

friendly I don't know what Philippine you went to !!

alzayas, It does depend a lot on what part of the Philippines.  Most Filipinos are very friendly when charging me twice the normal rate for various things, and stay friendly after you pay what they want.

Hello Silverman, I purchase online  a separate outbound ticket to Hong Kong for about 90.00 dollars dated about 25 days after i arrive in Manila from the states along with my one way  ticket from the states to Manila . That way you satisfy  there crazy requirement to have a round trip ticket or an outbound flight before you board a flight here. I never buy a round trip ticket because i have no idea when i choose to return to the states.I learned a good lesson the first time i came here when i did not have a return ticket or outbound flight ticket and Phil. air made me buy an outbound ticket to Hong Kong and charged my credit card 400.00 dollars for the same flight i paid 90.00 dollars for. I got my 400,00 credited back to me but had to wait 11 months until i returned to the states and show my return ticket to the states.The 90.00 ticket i buy is useless because they wont credit that back to me at all. You can only get a 6 month visa  at the  Manila immigration office. Otherwise only 2 month visas will be given at there satellite offices around the country. Oh, i was also told  by immigration that expats can now stay 3 years with a valid visa instead of the previous 1 year before they kick us out  of the country and we start the expensive visa saga again. Happy Trails

Hello Alzayas, I live in Cagayan de Oro in northern Mindanao and the people here are most friendly and family oriented. I dont know why when i see how most of them struggle to make a living on such small wages, and you pass a slum and see human beings living in those deplorable conditions. Not a lot of expats down here maybe because of the close proximity to the radical Muslims farther south. Living in 3rd world countries can be humbling and makes me appreciate my life.

I stand corrected ABC, thanks for passing along the  information. I am coming to Cebu in about a month to explore the city. I read Cebu, Dumagete are pleasant retirement cities for expats.Blessings

Fair go Dave . I have lived here 7 years and found philippines a very peaceful country , always ready to smile and welcome us Aussies and foreigners . Too much road rage and rediculous politics in Australia. A great laid back happy life here  , even in N Samar .

i must be a "white raven"
i dont get charged more than philippinos wen i go market or eat out or go to repair shop
and i met but frendly often helpfull ppl here
wen my trike broke down in the middle of no were in no time i was surrounded by advise givers and ppl who got me the tools to do the repair,this wont happen in western countrys.
greets Dirk