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Christmas Day recommendations, please

My husband and I recently moved to Manila from Dubai, and this will be our first Christmas here.

We're British, so we'd love to find a nice place for Christmas Day lunch, ideally with a proper festive atmosphere and things like turkey or roast beef.

We live in Rockwell/Makati, but we're happy to travel elsewhere in Metro Manila if it's somewhere really good.

We've been looking at places like The Peninsula, Fairmont/Raffles and Shangri-La, but we'd love recommendations from expats/Westerners who've actually spent Christmas here.

Where have you had a really good Christmas lunch? A hotel buffet, a restaurant, or somewhere we might not have thought of?

We're not looking for the cheapest option, just somewhere that feels special and properly Christmassy.

Thank you!

Has anyone had a vasectomy in or near Makati?

Any experience or advice on getting a vasectomy in Makati?

I'd like to know where you went, what it cost, and what the process was like.

I'll be paying cash. I don't need the top urologist in Manila, just somewhere professional, convenient and reasonably priced.

A Mormon missionary makes his point.

[OC] Captain Bluetooth

Spanish Chucky is a whole vibe 😂

Philippines' September inflation rate hits 7.2% — surge from 6.1% in August driven by rising food prices

📌 On Tuesday, October 6, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) announced that the September inflation rate rose significantly to 7.2%, up from 6.1% in August. This matches the high level seen in April of this year, with surging food prices cited as the primary driver. This news affects overall living costs, including groceries, transportation, and electricity.

■ What's changing
· September inflation rate at 7.2% — compared to 6.1% in August and 1.7% a year ago (September 2025)
· Food and non-alcoholic beverage inflation jumped from 4.6% in August to 6.7% in September, becoming the biggest contributor
· Inflation for housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels also saw a wider increase (Philstar reports: 7.9% → 8.4%, transportation 13.5% → 14.6%)
· This figure falls within the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) expected range of 6.4–7.4%

■ Government response
· Malacañang stated that as prices spike due to Middle East conflicts and recent disasters, President Marcos is focusing on securing food, fuel, and electricity supplies
· Measures cited include exempting the 12% value-added tax on power system loss charges, free rice distribution, public transport fuel subsidies, and expanding low-cost Kadiwa stores (1 location confirmed)

■ Tips for residents and travelers
· Since food prices are seeing the largest increase, comparing prices at markets and supermarkets will help
· Transportation and electricity costs are also on an upward trend, so set aside a generous monthly living budget

■ Sources
Philstar (10/6, 10/8), The Manila Times (10/6)

Anyone know the new fare for the Genesis bus from Clark to NAIA?
I heard it went up 15%... so I'm guessing it's around 520 to 540 pesos

What's the best Filipino joke you've heard since coming here?

To all the expats and travelers living in the Philippines: what's the funniest joke you've heard since you got here?

And the Oscar goes to...

This lady.

Does anyone know how to get the proof of life form? Is there a way to download it and send it back to the US?

I'd be totally overwhelmed 🥲🤣🤣

Foreigners killed in the Philippines, Jan–Sep 2026: cases and estimated homicide rate

I searched news reports for January–September 2026 and found 15 incidents with 16 foreign victims. Please keep in mind this is just a compilation of news, not an official count.

Known cases

Jan 6, Las Piñas: Nigerian man stabbed to death in Barangay Zapote. https://www.philstar.com/pilipino-star-ngayon/metro/2026/01/08/2499472/nigerian-national-todas-sa-2-kotongero
Feb 15 (body found), Manila/Pasay: Chinese national Xiangyang Shen, reportedly killed in a Pasay condo; remains found in Binondo. https://www.philstar.com/nation/2026/02/24/2509948/4-more-chinese-chop-chop-case-charged
Mar 25 (body recovered), Maguindanao del Sur: Shang Lai Hong, reported to be Chinese, found buried with gunshot wounds after going missing. https://www.philstar.com/nation/2026/03/26/2517008/missing-chinese-national-found-buried-maguindanao
Apr 3, Taguig: Nigerian man shot dead in Barangay Santa Ana; another Nigerian injured. https://tribune.net.ph/2026/04/06/nigerian-national-killed
Apr 10, Zamboanga City: Lebanese national Fahed Hamdan and his Filipina wife shot dead at their business. https://www.philstar.com/nation/2026/04/13/2520619/basilan-tightens-port-security-after-killing-lebanese-filipino-wife
Apr 19, Toboso, Negros Occidental: US citizens Lyle Prijoles and Kai Dana-Rene Sorem killed during a military operation (excluded from the rate below). https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/regions/985337/2-americans-among-19-killed-in-negros-clash/story/
Jun 6, Dalaguete, Cebu: American known as “Bry” shot dead in a KTV bar. https://www.sunstar.com.ph/amp/story/superbalita-cebu/amerkano-nga-nagsige-og-panghulga-giunhag-patay
Jun 17 (body found), General Tinio, Nueva Ecija: South Korean Shin Bongsub, 37, found shot dead inside an SUV. https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/regions/992284/pnp-arrests-3-over-man-found-dead-in-abandoned-suv-in-nueva-ecija/story/
Jul 10, Teresa, Rizal: American man, 35, reportedly shot dead during a robbery. https://mb.com.ph/2026/07/11/american-shot-dead-after-resisting-robbery-in-rizal
Jul 12, Sibulan, Negros Oriental: American marine biologist Kent Edward Carpenter, 73, shot dead at home. https://www.gmanetwork.com/regionaltv/news/114784/american-marine-biologist-killed-inside-home-in-negros-oriental/story/
Jul 29, Silang, Cavite: foreign man stabbed to death; nationality not confirmed. https://mb.com.ph/2026/07/30/foreigner-stabbed-to-death-in-silang
Aug 4, Bacolod: Indian man shot dead by riding-in-tandem gunmen in Barangay Villamonte. https://www.brigadanews.ph/indian-national-killed-by-riding-in-tandem-gunmen-in-bacolod-city/
Sep 1, Caloocan: foreign businessman, 58, shot dead near a mall; nationality not disclosed. https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/9/3/foreign-national-binaril-sa-tapat-ng-mall-sa-caloocan-0730
Sep 2, Dumaguete: American Mark Duell, 72, and his Filipina wife shot dead at home. https://rpnradio.com/bacolod-police-file-complaint-over-dumaguete-couples-killing
Sep 26, Panglao, Bohol: American known as “Britt,” 63, beaten to death with a bench/stool in a bar fight. https://www.sunstar.com.ph/amp/story/superbalita-cebu/langyaw-gibunalan-og-bangko-sa-iyang-gikalalis-sa-imnanan-patay

Estimated annualized homicide rate: about 4.9 per 100,000 foreigner person-years

This is based on 14 foreign victims, excluding the two military-operation deaths and the Filipino spouses.

I estimated the number of foreigners in the Philippines at any given time based on the following.

133,372 foreign nationals who filed the 2026 immigration annual report: https://immigration.gov.ph/viado-133k-aliens-comply-with-2026-annual-report/
60,938 active retirement visa holders (as of end of 2025): https://pra.gov.ph/Uploads/Files/Briefing%20Presentations_updated%20as%20of%20March%202026.pdf
4,060,103 visitor arrivals, Jan–Aug 2026:
https://www.tourism.gov.ph/dot/statistics/2026-monthly-visitor-arrivals-by-country-of-citizenship-jan-aug/
Average stay of 11.03 nights (2024 figure, p. 47): https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/document/pidsdps2543.pdf

133,372 + 60,938 + (4,060,103 × 11.03 ÷ 243) ≈ assuming an average of about 378,600 foreigners present per day

14 ÷ (378,600 × 273/365) × 100,000 ≈ 4.94

Comparison with the US

The FBI put the 2025 US murder rate at 4.1 per 100,000: https://www.fbi.gov/news/press-releases/fbi-releases-2025-reported-crimes-in-the-nation-statistics

So the figure calculated here for foreigners comes out numerically about 20% higher than the overall US rate. But there's too much uncertainty in this calculation to draw any firm conclusions.

Disclaimer

Take these numbers with a grain of salt. This isn't an official rate, just a rough estimate. Known weaknesses:

Small sample: only 14 cases, so the real rate could be lower or higher. Adding or removing just a few cases changes the result a lot.
Incomplete count: only cases that made the news are included.
The foreign population is an estimate: long-stay tourists, overstayers and people who skipped the annual report are likely undercounted.
Not a like-for-like comparison: foreigners here are mostly adult men, who may face higher homicide rates anywhere in the world, while the US figure covers the whole population.

I put this together purely out of curiosity, since these topics come up a lot in this sub.

Corrections are always welcome.

An interesting job description

Hi everyone, I just joined the group.
I'm flying from Iowa and landing in Manila on November 4.

I'm planning to stay 30 days, but I'm going to look into extending my visa.

My question: how do I extend a visa and where do I do it? Is it a hassle? How long is each extension good for? Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

It's already been 6 years since the mango water bird! Why does time fly so fast?

I'm just getting dressed over here

It's a big one this time

Dean Allegedly Beats Dog on Angeles University Campus — Police Investigating, CHED Demands Explanation

📌 On Monday, October 5, a video circulated on social media showing a man, identified as a college dean, beating a dog inside the Systems Plus College Foundation (SPCF) campus in Angeles City. The Angeles City Police Office (ACPO) has launched an investigation, and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has also asked the school for a written explanation from the employee involved.

■ Incident Overview
· The animal shelter Facebook page 'Noah's Ark Dog and Shelter' posted the video, stating that the incident took place inside the school.
· Claims also surfaced on social media that the injured dog was placed in an empty water drum, though this claim remains unverified.
· The name of the dean in question has not been released.

■ Investigation and Current Status
· Carmelo Lazatin Jr., Representative of the 1st District of Pampanga, urged the police to identify the person responsible and file charges within 72 hours. He stated that if proven true, it would be a violation of the Animal Welfare Act of 1998.
· Representative Lazatin also sent a letter to CHED requesting an investigation, and CHED instructed the school to submit a written explanation from the involved employee within three working days.
· The school stated that it "takes the matter seriously," has initiated an internal investigation, and will take action in accordance with relevant laws and school policies.

■ Notice for Residents and Travelers
· The Philippines punishes animal cruelty under the Animal Welfare Act. If you witness abuse, gather evidence such as videos and report it to the police or animal welfare organizations.
· As this is still at the allegation stage, avoid spreading unverified personal information circulating online.

■ Sources
The Voice Newsweekly(10/6, 10/7), SunStar Pampanga(10/6)

Has Ambien been approved in the Philippines yet? If not, what's the next best thing they have for someone with insomnia?

Fun fact: the TV show Married... with Children was called “Våra värsta år” in Sweden, which means “Our worst years.”