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Thoughts on racism in the subreddit 'Philippine_Expats'

Got my first 60-day extension today. The 2-month extension was 3130 including fees, and the ACR card was 3200, for a total of 6330. On top of that, they charged 1000 three times for the express lane fee, so the 2-month extension and ACR card came to 9330 in total. They said I have to come back in 30 days to pick up the card. It's all a bit of a hassle. And they charged me 18 pesos to copy 3 documents I had already submitted last month 😂 This was at the Davao JP Laurel Ave office.

The skylight above my bed was going crazy this morning

My American boyfriend is coming to visit and I'm getting ready

I don't know if it's okay to post this here since I'm a Filipina. But I haven't traveled much, so I don't know the good spots around Metro Manila, and I really need advice

For some background, I live in the province and my boyfriend is planning to come see me for the first time in a few months. But I'm seriously unprepared in every way lol

The rough plan is to book a nice Airbnb in BGC. I'm still deciding where to go and I have no idea what the hottest spots are. Also, I don't have TikTok so I can't look things up there (and I won't). I want to take him somewhere nice. I'm thinking of walking around Makati too. Anywhere that's safe for him, lol, because I'm not used to city life either, so I can't protect him

Any good recommendations for restaurants, bars, or ukay-ukay (thrift clothing stores)? I'm about to start planning his itinerary. We're both young adults, so we're looking for fun places!! Thank you

p.s. I can't take him home yet. My parents still don't know I have an AFAM boyfriend lol

Losers Back Home are finally getting talked about

I'm not saying AFAMs aren't desirable anymore. In some circles they still are, and since there's so little social support from the government, some people see them as a ticket out of poverty. Still, I'm glad r/Philippines_Expats (https://www.reddit.com/r/Philippines_Expats/) is finally getting the ick it deserves. Seriously, f***, it's posts like "why are all Filipino houses so dirty," "why does my Filipina get tampo," "why does my Filipina family keep asking for money," and then the comments are like "you're just jealous, a Western pensioner can get more women than local guys," "cash is king." What cash is king? 😂 You'd starve on the salary you make back in your own country, and you still lose out to a Filipina traveling RN. It annoyed me at first, but now it's funny. They aren't even expats, most of them are just guys who date and marry Filipino women, and if any of them actually had to go out and work, they'd collapse in the heat and throw a fit about slow service, saying it's not like back home in Ohio or wherever.

It looks like IT beat last year's pumpkin this year. Happy Halloween!

I know you shouldn't rely on Facebook advice alone, but I figure people here have already done this, so I'm hoping to get some info. If I sell our house in Australia (instead of renting it out) and invest the proceeds in a diversified fund, how is it taxed when I'm a non-resident? Does it depend on things like what kind of visa I hold in the Philippines?

So many women don't get Karen Davila's point.

I'm not a fan of Karen, and I have some doubts about a few of her friends, but I still agree with what she said. I especially feel that way from seeing the women in my own family and going through it myself.

My dad was not a good man at all. He had almost every vice except drugs, and even though he was a seaman who earned a lot, my mom never quit her job as a public school teacher. When she finally decided to leave him because of his cheating, we struggled financially since his income was gone and things weren't the way they used to be. But she made it through, because she had never lived off his money alone. Our house was even built with her money.

So even though it was hard, we were able to finish school and become professionals. It's because my mom was an empowered woman who could make her own choices for herself and her children.

I always keep the strength she showed back then in my heart, and as a woman, I won't depend on a man to live my life.

Didn't I tell you not to play with the cone?

How to calculate expat costs?

I just watched a video of Costco sale items in the US, and it's strange how many similar things, like household goods, kitchenware, and cleaning supplies, you can't find anywhere in the Philippines, including Lazada and other online sellers. Amazon doesn't ship many of the items I saw to the Philippines either. It's a shame that we can't get so many useful products here, whether from Costco or other sellers.

That time I tried to be Coraline's "Other Mother" and ended up scaring the whole neighborhood

Hi everyone! I'm getting married in April, and the LCR is asking me to submit a PSA CENOMAR. How can I get one if I'm not a Filipino citizen?

Are there any foreigners here who have gone through this? What documents did you need, and how did you apply?

Thanks for your help!

PS: I'm a Spanish citizen

A daughter expressed her disappointment that her late father's funeral Mass at the San Jose Mangagawa Parish in GMA, Cavite did not go properly.

It happened on October 21. According to the daughter, she had requested the Mass in advance on October 16 and received confirmation that a priest coming from Carmona would officiate at 3 p.m. However, when they arrived at the church, the family reportedly received no help and no proper coordination, and even after waiting for almost an hour, they were given no information about when the priest would arrive.

Because the cemetery reservation was at 3:30 p.m. and the cemetery closes at 5 p.m., the family ultimately decided to leave the church with her father's remains without receiving the blessing they had originally wanted. The daughter criticized the parish's neglect and lack of compassion during a time of grief, and added that something similar had happened to the family before. She is now calling on the parish leadership and the Diocese of Imus to correct this issue and make sure the same thing does not happen to other bereaved families. This claim has not yet been independently verified, and the original post does not include an official statement from the parish.

The conversation feels kind of choppy

Yesterday was just one of those days! Hospital, taxes, all kinds of bills. I think it all started going wrong the moment I turned on the news in the morning.
My wife (Asawa) sent me this to cheer me up. I just wanted to share it.

Good evening, my love, my handsome husband! ❤️🌙😘

As the day comes to a close, I want to tell you how much you mean to me and how grateful I am that you're my husband. 🥰❤️ No matter how tiring and hard today was, I hope that tonight you can rest easy, knowing that you are deeply loved, treasured, and always in my prayers. 🙏💖

My love, I wish I could be right beside you now, holding you in my arms, kissing you sweetly, and telling you how much I miss you. 🥹💕 If anything weighed on you today, I pray that God takes away your worries, calms your heart, and gives you strength for tomorrow. May He always watch over you, guide your steps, and keep you safe wherever you are. 🙏❤️

Thank you for being my husband, for being my love, for being one of the most precious blessings in my life. You may not always see how much you mean to me, but please know that my heart is always with you. Distance, busy days, and no hardship can change my love for you. ❤️😘

Before you close your eyes tonight, remember that you have a wife who loves you with all her heart, misses you endlessly, and prays for your happiness and safety every day. I wish you a peaceful night, sweet dreams, and a good, restful sleep.

Another example of how sad the state of wildlife protection is in the country: a tarsier found dead on a road in Samar

Awesome new shoes

You hang out with the people you attract, then keep wondering why Filipino women are so dirty, poor, and stupid.

A lot of you are still confused about why "your Filipina" acts a certain way, since it isn't common back in your own country. Some of you complain that everyone is dumber than you. Some of you even complain about why "your Filipina" wants pasalubong, or why she prefers "cheap chocolate" over your "refined taste." In the end, that says more about you than about the people around you.

You come to someone else's country, complain about how everything is such a terrible third-world mess, and make sweeping judgments about everyone. Is there anyone among you who actually looks at the person in the mirror?

If you were a loser back home, you're going to meet people like you. If you couldn't even meet a well-educated, financially comfortable person back home, you're likely to meet someone struggling in a disadvantaged situation like yours. The only difference is that she happens to be from the Philippines.

Some of you want a fairy-tale Filipina who is pretty, isn't after your money, and is smart enough to talk to. If you want that, you have to be able to stand in the same room as her as an equal.

People hang out with the crowd they attract, and it shows.

If you're a single guy who wants to live near Mactan Island and meet nice local people, how much income would you need to live comfortably?