Updates feed

Important question

Hi! Just curious, how long have you all been married to your Filipino spouse? And have you been living here in the Philippines ever since? I'm a Filipina married to an American. We'll celebrate our 17th anniversary on the 11th of this month. I know that's not all that long yet. I'd love to hear from all of you. :) Have a good one! :)

Is Metro Manila a good place to live?

Does it feel like living in Night City?

Good evening, thank you for having me in this group. I'm a Filipina and I married a Slovak man.. We started chatting in March 2025, met in January 2026, and then planned our wedding for September 7.. Honestly, when we started chatting I wasn't really serious about him, because I thought he was just telling me lies.. But in reality he was truly serious, even though I wasn't that excited about him... He has never asked for pictures of my body, and he's a really loyal and respectful man.. I'm happy that God sent me this man....🤗🤗🤗

Some more food for thought...
As someone who farms and grows herbs,
I've come to believe that nature holds cures for diseases we haven't even discovered yet. Every plant has its own healing properties, and I think we've only scratched the surface of what they can do. Sadly, money usually decides what gets researched and what gets passed over. I keep wondering how many valuable treatments are still out there waiting to be found, just because finding them wouldn't make enough money. I truly believe nature can teach us far more than we realize.

Jeju Air launches new Busan–Manila route starting December
Jeju Air will launch its new Busan–Manila route on December 17.
According to Jeju Air on the 13th, the new Busan–Manila route will operate 5 times a week, on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. The outbound flight departs from Gimhae International Airport in Busan at 9:30 PM and arrives at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila at 12:45 AM the next day. The return flight departs Manila at 1:45 AM and arrives at Gimhae Airport at 7:20 AM the same day.
https://n.news.naver.com/article/082/0001402234?sid=101 #항공
#필리핀_뉴스_소식

Source: Korean Community Association Central Luzon Band · Posted 2026-10-13
https://band.us/band/68401773/post/4421

Pro photobomb players who interfered with the family photo shoot of the geese

I came crashing in like a wrecking ball

Can anyone recommend a hotel in Kuala Lumpur, or a tour package that includes airfare and hotel?

Are there any groups like this where Filipino women expose foreign men's dating app profiles? Something like the Tea app?

Today some Filipino woman (probably) publicly posted a foreign man's social media profile and showed all his photos and personal information. I think this is probably illegal.

But if people are doing this publicly, I wonder if there are also Facebook groups in the Philippines where foreigners' photos and dating app profiles get posted.

I know this kind of thing happens in other countries.

U.S. Embassy in the Philippines (Manila)
U.S. Consular Agency, Cebu
October 9, 2026

Starting November 13, 2026, everyone applying for a passport at the U.S. Embassy in Manila or the Consular Agency in Cebu must fill out their passport forms with the State Department's online Form Filler (https://pptform.state.gov/). Handwritten forms will no longer be accepted.

Why use the Form Filler? It cuts down on mistakes and shortens the wait for your new passport. Applications made with the Form Filler come out typed and easy to read, along with a barcode that speeds up processing.

How to make your barcoded form: Use the State Department's official online Form Filler for every passport application: https://pptform.state.gov/ For more on how to apply, see the U.S. Embassy Manila passports page (https://ph.usembassy.gov/passports/).

What you need to know:

Mailed-in applications:

Passport applications that reach the embassy on or after November 13, 2026, must include a barcode made with the Form Filler. Applications that arrive without a barcoded form will be mailed back to the applicant, which means extra processing time.

Scheduled appointments:

Applicants must make and print their forms with the Form Filler before the appointment. Anyone who brings a handwritten application won't be able to go ahead with the appointment and will need to fill out a new application with the Form Filler or book a new appointment.

----------------------------------------------------------

More information and help:
Sign up for the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP, https://mytravel.state.gov/s/step) to get alerts and make it easier for the embassy to reach you in an emergency.
U.S. Embassy Manila: 1201 Roxas Boulevard, phone +(63) (2) 5301-2000, Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The after-hours emergency number for U.S. citizens is also +(63) (2) 5301-2000.
Call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free from the U.S. and Canada, or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries, Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (except U.S. federal holidays).
For the Worldwide Caution, travel advisories, alerts, and Philippines country information (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Philippines.html), see the State Department's travel website (https://travel.state.gov/).
You can also follow along on X (https://x.com/travelgov) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/travelgov).

Clark Development Corporation (CDC) and DOLE Region III Discuss Expanding Labor Services for Clark Workers

📌 On Monday, October 12, the Clark Development Corporation (CDC) and the Department of Labor and Employment Regional Office III (DOLE III) discussed ways to make it easier for workers and locators in the Clark Freeport to access labor and employment services, according to CDC. CDC proposed resuming joint labor inspections for locators.

■ What's Changing
· According to CDC, Regional Director Sarah Buena Mirasol of DOLE III attended the meeting.
· Under a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), the two agencies operate the DOLE Clark Satellite Office within the CDC One Stop Processing Center.
· CDC said participation in joint CDC-DOLE labor seminars rose from 216 in 2023 to 534 as of September 2026, and the number of participating locators grew from 121 to 334 over the same period.
· CDC proposed changing the seminar topics to current labor and employment issues, inviting labor law experts as speakers, and reviving joint labor inspections for locators. No implementation timeline has been announced.

■ Tips for Residents and Visitors
· If you work or run a business in the Clark Freeport, you can direct labor and employment inquiries to the DOLE Clark Satellite Office at the CDC One Stop Processing Center.
· Joint labor inspections may resume, so it's a good idea to prepare labor-related documents such as employment contracts and payroll records in advance.

■ Source
Clark Development Corporation (official Facebook, 10/13)

■ Photos
· 1. Consultation between Clark Development Corporation and DOLE Region III — Clark Development Corporation (official Facebook)
· 2. Group photo of meeting participants — Clark Development Corporation (official Facebook)

Be careful with self-drive car rentals here!

Heading home

Can anyone recommend a good place to stay overnight at NAIA T3? I have an early flight the next day. I just need a good bed, a shower, and a quiet sleep. Under 3k if possible.

Honestly, this is pathetic.

I'm so sick of seeing those smug white guys on dating apps. 18 to 22 years old?? Seriously? That's creepy.

Engine test run for molding (or: Trial operation of the molding engine)

Pampanga Province Prepares for El Niño Drought — Review of a 50-Hectare Storage Basin Upstream of Cong Dadong Dam in Arayat

📌 On October 6 (Tuesday), Pampanga Governor Lilia Pineda, speaking at a disaster forum for barangay officials in the 4th district, said that storage facilities are needed across the province to hold water in preparation for a prolonged drought caused by El Niño. The provincial government is reviewing a plan to develop about 50 hectares upstream of the Cong Dadong Dam (Cong Dadong Dam) in Arayat as a storage basin.

■ What's Changing
· Governor Pineda said, "There is a 50-hectare site upstream of Cong Dadong Dam that can be developed into a storage basin." The dam spans the barangays of Lacquios, San Juan Bano, and San Agustin Norte in Arayat, and according to The Manila Times, it irrigates about 10,000 hectares of farmland in Pampanga.
· The governor warned that most farmers rely on groundwater for farming, and that excessive groundwater use could cause the ground to subside. She also said, "Enormous amounts of water came in during the rains in August and September, but we weren't able to hold it."
· The provincial government is also moving to form an El Niño Task Force (TF). Whether it has officially launched has not yet been reported.

■ Outlook
· Lorenzo A. Moron, Chief of the Weather Services Section for Metro Manila at PAGASA (the national weather agency), said El Niño could continue until June 2027 and may reach the "very strong" stage within this year.
· Attendees at the forum included PAGASA, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), the Environmental Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-EMB), the Department of Education, and the Department of Health.

■ Tips for Residents and Travelers
· Since dry spells may last longer, keep water tanks and containers at home and check local water interruption notices.
· As the heat may continue, drink water frequently and limit outdoor activities during midday.

■ Sources
SunStar (10/7), The Manila Times (10/7) — The October 6 forum, the El Niño TF plan, and the PAGASA outlook are confirmed by SunStar (1 source).

■ Photos
· 1. Presentation stage at the forum for Pampanga barangays — SunStar
· 2. File photo · Pampanga Governor's office — The Manila Times

"If I can't get in, then I won't be allowed to sit down either."

Question: My wife has an international account with BPI. Every time she tries to send money outside the Philippines, the bank keeps "locking" the account. Has anyone else had trouble getting money out of the Philippines?
In my experience, they're more than happy to take your money, but getting it out is a whole different story.
How many of you have had your accounts "locked"?