Social feed

If you're struggling with constipation, I highly recommend Senna tea.

I once had severe constipation that lasted for a long time. I took medicine to force things along from the top, but nothing was coming out from the bottom, and the stomach pain was excruciating. I genuinely thought I might die of embarrassment while trying to go.
Most importantly, it can tear you up down there. But this [Senna tea] makes it come out smoothly!!!!

I bought an office chair in the Philippines and I'm really happy with it.

I got it on sale for about 3000 pesos including delivery, and since it's full mesh, I don't get sweaty on my back or butt. My butt doesn't hurt either, and even though I sit up high, the headrest properly supports the back of my head.
I had to remove the headrest on the one I bought before because it didn't fit properly.

[Pro Tip] Korea ➔ Philippines Remittance & Currency Exchange: A Complete Guide: Travelog 0 Fee ATMs (Security Bank, HSBC) vs. Wirebarley, Hanpass, Sentbe

When you have family or children in the Philippines, or if you're living there as an expatriate, studying abroad, traveling, or sending money for local employee salaries and tuition fees, you'll often compare travel cards like Hana Travelog with remittance apps such as Hanpass, WireBarley, and Sentbe.

This guide will clearly summarize answers to common questions like, "Philippine local ATMs reportedly charge a ₱250 (approx. 6,000 KRW) fee per withdrawal; which banks offer 0 won fees?" and "Between Travelog and WireBarley, which is the cheapest option for my situation?"

■ 1. Philippine Local ATM Fee ₱0 (Free) Banks Summary

Most Philippine local banks (BDO, BPI, Metrobank, etc.) charge a local ATM fee of ₱250 per withdrawal when using foreign cards.
However, there are banks where you can withdraw with Travelog (Mastercard/UnionPay) and incur absolutely no ATM fee of ₱250 – a 0 won fee bank!

① Security Bank — 🏆 #1 for Practical Accessibility & Convenience!
· Fee: ₱0 (Completely Free / 250 Pesos Waived!)
· Withdrawal Limit per Transaction: Typically ₱10,000 ~ ₱20,000 (Up to 20,000 Pesos per transaction depending on ATM settings, with consecutive withdrawals possible)
· Location & Accessibility: Widely available in major shopping malls across the Philippines (SM Mall, Ayala Mall, Robinson's Mall), airports (Manila Airport T1, Cebu Mactan Airport Domestic), and popular tourist destinations (Cebu, Bohol ICM Mall, Clark/Angeles, Davao, etc.). With branches and ATMs in almost all bustling areas, it's the easiest to find and practically the most used Tier 1 bank.
· ⚠️ Please ensure you use 'Official Security Bank branches/ATMs' and not third-party independent machines to guarantee the 0 won fee is safely applied.

② HSBC (The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation) — 💰 King of Withdrawal Limits per Transaction!
· Fee: ₱0 (Completely Free!)
· Withdrawal Limit per Transaction: Up to ₱40,000 (approx. 880,000 KRW) can be withdrawn at once! (2-4 times the limit of Security Bank/local banks)
· Location: Branches are extremely limited and only found in key commercial areas of major cities.
  · Manila BGC: HSBC Centre (5th Ave, Bonifacio Global City)
  · Makati: Ayala Ave (Branch near Enterprise Center)
  · Quezon: Quezon Ave Branch
  · Cebu: Near Cebu IT Park (Cebu Business Park Branch)
👉 If you need to withdraw a large amount (over 40,000 Pesos) at once and have an HSBC branch along your route, HSBC is the optimal choice.

③ Landbank — State-Owned Bank
· As a state-owned bank by the Philippine government, some ATMs may offer ₱0 fees or low fees (₱10~18). However, these are mainly in provincial/outlying areas, and foreign card recognition errors can occur. Therefore, it's much safer to use Security Bank or HSBC in urban areas.

❌ Banks to Avoid with ₱250 Fees:
· BDO, BPI, Metrobank, RCBC, EastWest, Chinabank: Always charge ₱250 per transaction!
· Convenience store/street ATMs like Euronet: Not only do they charge ₱250, but they are also notorious for hitting you with a hefty DCC (Dynamic Currency Conversion) fee of over 10%. Avoid them at all costs.

■ 2. Essential Practical Tips for Travelog ATM Withdrawals (How to Save Money)

1. Enter PIN: Add 00 to your 4-digit Korean PIN to make it a total of 6 digits. (e.g., PIN 1234 ➔ 123400)
2. Select Account: Choose Savings from either Savings or Checking.
3. Crucial Warning for Currency Conversion (DCC) Option:
  · If the screen asks "Convert to KRW (원화로 환전)?", you must press No / Without Conversion (withdraw in local currency PHP)!
· Selecting 'With Conversion' will negate Travelog's free benefits and apply the ATM's expensive exchange rate.

■ 3. Travelog vs. WireBarley: When to Use Which?

· Travelog (Hana Card): Offers a 100% preferential exchange rate (0 won fee) for loading Pesos. Then, withdrawing from Security Bank or HSBC ATMs (0 won fee) provides the best value for money with unbeatable exchange rates and fees. Card payments (Grab, restaurants, shopping) also incur no fees.
· WireBarley: However, Travelog does not have a function to "transfer money to another person's account."
  - If you need to send living expenses to your child's BDO account, pay rent to your landlord, tuition fees to a school, or salaries to local employees, you'll need to transfer money directly to an account or wallet.
  - For remittances over 500,000 KRW, remittance fees are 0 won (free), and the preferential exchange rate is top-tier. Therefore, WireBarley is the most advantageous for direct bank transfers.

■ 4. Hanpass vs. Sentbe: Which is Cheaper for Different Amounts?

· Hanpass: High preferential exchange rate (low margin) / Basic fee of 5,000 KRW
· Sentbe: Slightly higher exchange rate margin / Basic fee of 2,500 KRW

💡 Break-Even Point: Approximately 25,000 Pesos (approx. 540,000 KRW)
· Small amounts under 500,000 KRW (5,000 ~ 20,000 Pesos): Sentbe is more advantageous due to its lower fee of 2,500 KRW.
· Living expenses/tuition over 500,000 KRW (25,000 Pesos and above): Hanpass is more advantageous due to its better preferential exchange rate. (Especially excellent exchange rates for Maya remittances)
※ ⚠️ Sentbe Limit Warning: Sentbe has a 1-time remittance limit of 50,000 Pesos to GCash/Maya, so larger amounts must be sent to a bank account.

■ 5. Kakao Bank Western Union (WU): The Ultimate Solution for Urgent Cash to Locals Without Accounts

· Receiving: Instant Cash Pick-up at Western Union agents nationwide in the Philippines.
· Fee: Total fee of $5 for amounts under $500 (0 won for telegraphic transfer/intermediary fees).
· Time Required: Instant remittance (within 1-3 minutes, 24/7/365).
· Recommendation: Ideal for urgently sending money for hospital bills or daily wages to helpers, drivers, local friends, etc., who don't have an account or GCash, or whose limits are maxed out, especially during nights and weekends. (Instant cash pick-up upon presenting ID with the 10-digit MTCN number and sender's full name).

■ 6. Quick Final Selection Guide by Situation!

1. Withdrawing cash at a local mall/airport: ➔ Travelog + Security Bank ATM (0 won fee, available in malls nationwide!)
2. Withdrawing a large amount of 40,000 Pesos at once (Manila/Cebu city centers): ➔ Travelog + HSBC ATM (0 won fee + 40,000 Pesos per transaction)
3. Payments at shopping malls, restaurants, Grab: ➔ Travelog Card Payment (100% preferential exchange rate, 0 won fee)
4. Sending living expenses/tuition to child's BDO account (over 500,000 KRW): ➔ WireBarley (0 won fee + top-tier exchange rate) or Hanpass
5. Sending small amounts of pocket money (100,000 ~ 300,000 KRW): ➔ Sentbe (2,500 KRW fee)
6. Urgent cash for locals without accounts / Emergency funds on nights/weekends: ➔ Kakao Bank WU (1-minute cash pick-up)

Redstreet Price List as of September 5

Thank you, Love in Angeles Cafe!

Bar Price List as of September 5

I'll get around to registering everyone here someday

I thought it was a system bug because all posts had likes, but

Kimchi CEO's nephew is amazing.

Angeles MarquiMall Parking Lot Under Construction

Parking here is so difficult, you have to park in a different neighborhood.

Am I just unlucky? How is it that the exchange rate changes so fantastically right after I get back from my trip? I'm so frustrated.

The day shift manager has been moved to Brown Sugar.

The most impressive place from this trip. The Sunday market, recommended by Gray.

The market stretched about 50 meters on either side, selling everything from snacks and fruits to various miscellaneous goods. It was a very impressive and fun place. The only downside was that they didn't sell beer or beer snacks. Watching the people there was very interesting.

Personally, I love driving around without any specific plans.

My friend knows my preferences well. As we drive around Angeles, when we come across streets or alleys I might like, they slow down and drive slowly, telling me about the income levels, resident composition, etc., of the neighborhood. While I listen and we chat back and forth, my friend asks, "Do you want to get out and walk around this area?" If I say "ok," they park the car nearby and usually just rest in the car without getting out.

I get out and look around by myself, recalling what my friend said earlier about the income levels, resident composition, safety, and nearby attractions. I combine what I see with my friend's stories and make my own judgments as I explore. When I'm done, I get back in the car. And we repeat this process a couple more times.

This is totally my kind of thing and it's so much fun. I feel a bit sorry for my friend who has to put up with it, but... what can I do? It's just too enjoyable.

When I browse Philgo, I see many people from Manila or Cebu, but it seems like there aren't as many residents of Davao as I expected.

I'm suddenly curious if there really aren't many Koreans in Davao, or if they're just not very active in the community, so I'm posting this.

Are there any people currently living in or who have lived in Davao for a long time?

As I've been living in Davao myself, I've thought it would be great if we could easily share local life, good restaurants, and new information with each other.

If there's anyone in Davao, please feel free to leave a comment. 😊

Two of the worst foods I ate in the Philippines.

The salmon roll from Sushi & Steak.

You can think of it as not a salmon roll, but some kind of mystery substance. It's a taste that would make a Japanese person jump out of their seat.

The kimchi pancake sold at the bibimbap corner in the SM Mall first-floor food court.

It wasn't a pancake; the texture was like pound cake that had been left out for about three days and then crumbled when you bit into it. It's a strange texture you'd never experience with Korean pancakes.

Lee Jin-hyung's Pizza Master Pizzeria O

Opening soon!!!

I'm definitely going when it opens!!

Curious about what this place is. If anyone has been, please share!

99 pesos.

I don't know if the Philippines has carrier discounts like Korea does.

It's seasoned with gochujang, so it tastes much better than plain gochujang. There's a good amount of chunky bits and meat, and the combination of meat, chewy gochujang, and rice is delicious.

The portion size is also just right.

It's either Sisigmil or Busogmil.

It's less than 50 pesos. I remember it being around 35 pesos. However, the taste is really not good and there are very few side dishes, so I have leftover rice. If you're starving and have no money, then buy it, but if not, you can skip it. The 7/11 one is 99 pesos. The bibimbap is the best. The gochujang is a delicious seasoned gochujang, it has meat and vegetables, and the portion is just right for a woman's meal.

Instead of 'Siri', I recommend 'Shiki'...

#ShutUp

Jeyuk. Big portion. I ate two bowls of rice and still had jeyuk left.

The price went up 50 pesos, so.. it's a bit less attractive. Kimchi Korean Restaurant also has big portions, so there are options. Taste-wise, 80 Samgy Korean Unlimited BBQ is a bit better.

Siri. Can you talk to me? I don't like polite language. Talk to me casually. If the owner's paid GPT percentage drops, you don't have to answer.