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Gotta make that bus

A teacher making the students focus in class

How did you all get your apostilled FBI background checks and get them to the Philippine consulate here in the US? It sounds like a lot of hoops to jump through.

I have a question about US income tax when you're retired and receiving Social Security plus whatever is in your retirement plans.
How do you file your tax return? Do you even need to file at all? I've never seen any videos on this topic.

Hello everyone
I'm 60 years old and live in America
I have pre-existing health conditions.
I'm looking for good private health insurance that covers Southeast Asian countries.
Please let me know which good insurance companies will take care of hospital bills when needed
I enjoy reading your comments
They're extremely helpful
Thank you

I've been 40 for THIS long

Hello everyone!!! I'm looking for an apartment to rent, especially in the Manila Bay area. Could anyone share a good website, explain how the process works, and tell me who pays the real estate agent's commission? Please only share your own personal experience. Thanks in advance.

Western-born Filipina uses a local Filipino guy as her 'bedroom toy boy'

A while ago I was drinking with one of my neighbors, a Filipino guy in his 30s. It was a fun night, just guys hanging out and chatting. After a few drinks he started opening up about his recent love life.

He's in a long-distance relationship with a Filipina who was born in the West. She came here this year and has already gone back.

While she was here, she expected him to 'service' her in bed for hours on end. Think eating strawberry ice cream. The full course.

Since she left, she expects him to entertain her over video calls. Streaming himself doing himself so she can enjoy watching.

He asked me if it's normal to be expected to go this far, and said he feels used. I told him the hours of strawberry eating and all that doesn't sound very normal to me, but in the end, if he enjoys it, that's his call.

I don't know, but since I mostly hear about Western men being blamed for this kind of thing, I thought it was an interesting story worth sharing.

Can you buy grits in the Philippines?

Foreigners in the Philippines ignore each other in public: an observation compared with other countries' expat communities

I come in peace lol, not that it'll matter anyway… I'm living in Davao right now. I just wanted to see what it's like. I've noticed a nationwide thing in the Philippines where foreigners completely ignore each other, acting like they don't even know the other exists. But I lived in Vietnam and Cambodia before, and the vibe was totally different. If you've only lived in the Philippines it's hard to say lol, but those of you who've lived in other countries, do you know the difference? Why might this be?

Shouldn't we all be holding hands and singing Kumbaya? We beat the system and found ourselves great women. Where's the hand-holding and singing? ☹️

For those who've settled in the Philippines long term, which do you think is better: building your own home or renting?

If you've done either, how did it work out?

Would you build again, or do you think renting gives you more freedom and fewer headaches?

How long would you wait for a long-distance partner who keeps asking you to be patient?

I'm in my 40s, and I've been in a long-distance relationship with my American boyfriend, who's in his 60s, for two years. The last time we met in person was more than two years ago.

Now he's talking about coming back to the Philippines to stay for at least a year, but he's still working in the US, so honestly I don't know how he'll make that happen. There's no set timeline either.

What frustrates me is that he seems busier now than when he was working two jobs. We still talk regularly, but lately I feel emotionally distant. I don't feel like I'm getting the emotional support I need from this relationship.

Every time I ask when he's coming back, he asks me, “Why can't you wait?”

I'm getting worn out, but I don't want to give up easily either. I was single for a long time before I met him, and I really hoped he'd be the one.

I'm in my 40s, and although I still look young for my age, I don't want to spend the rest of my good years waiting for a future that may or may not come.

For those who've been in a similar situation, how long would you wait? At what point would you stop waiting and choose yourself?

New Clark City Worker Housing Plan to Enable Walk-to-Work Living — BCDA and Pag-IBIG Fund Agreement

📌 On Thursday, October 8, the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) and the Pag-IBIG Fund signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to build worker housing on about 14 hectares in New Clark City. The project is planned as a "walk-to-work" residential community where people live close to their workplaces, but the construction start, selling prices, and number of units have not yet been announced.

■ What Will Change
· This is one of the components of the government's housing program "Expanded 4PH (Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino)," in which Pag-IBIG housing loans will be tied to land owned by BCDA.
· The plan is to include commercial facilities and leisure spaces within the residential community to reduce commuting costs and travel time.
· The first phase of 14 hectares consists of 10 hectares of residential land in Barangay Bamban, Tarlac, and 4 hectares of land for a government center and support facilities in Capas, Tarlac.
· The signing ceremony was held at the BCDA office in Taguig City.
· Other candidate sites mentioned were Camp John Hay, Morong Discovery Park, and the Poro Point Freeport Zone.

■ Tips for Residents and Travelers
· Since the project is still at the agreement stage, the application process, prices, and move-in timeline have not been decided. If you are interested, wait for official announcements from the Pag-IBIG Fund.
· If you work in Clark or New Clark City, it is worth keeping an eye on the detailed plans as they come out.

■ Sources
Daily Tribune (10/9), Pampanga News Now (10/10) — The date and location of the signing and the composition of the Bamban and Capas sites were confirmed by Daily Tribune only

Tropical Storm Rachel is set to shoot a big load of wind into Southern California this weekend

The crackdown is coming! I just told a guy he has no permit for his solar installation.

To everyone installing solar themselves: if you're going to do it, do it fast. Meralco and the other power companies want a piece of this.

Did you know anyone can report you by phone or anonymous letter if you don't have the proper permits or a proper electrician didn't do the work? So many people want solar, and so many plan to do it themselves. Hurry! A year from now it won't be easy.

Where do young foreigners hang out in Manila? Not girly bars

Hi everyone, can anyone recommend bars in Manila where young foreigners tend to gather? Ideally places with lots of people in their 20s and 30s.

I'm looking for a place with a good vibe where I can have a few drinks, chat and meet people. I'm not interested in girly bars or strip clubs, just a decent bar where it doesn't feel awkward to show up alone.

It doesn't have to be all foreigners either. A mix of locals and foreigners would be even better. Any spots or regular nights you'd recommend?

It's not easy to find a reliable taxi
driver in the Philippines.
Most drivers are men, and a lot of them
are glued to their phones while driving.

I love my lady driver!

Want to rate my cats?

They're Filipino expat cats

Home solar installation
Good afternoon, everyone.

I live in the Philippines with my partner. We've been here a year, and we're looking to install a solar system at home because we're tired of paying ₱7,500 a month for a small house.

Has anyone in the group had experience with solar installation, good or otherwise? I'm looking for advice on quality of workmanship, customer service, after-sales service and so on — not just price.

To any solar company reps: please don't bother replying to advertise your company. I'm looking for genuine, unbiased advice.

Thanks in advance to everyone for your advice.

EDIT: TO CLARIFY, WE LIVE IN CAVITE.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE SYSTEM INSTALLED; WE WON'T BE FITTING IT OURSELVES.

WE'VE ALREADY GOT A COUPLE OF GOOD LEADS AND I'M TALKING WITH ONE OF THEM.

I'M NOT INTERESTED IN REPLIES, PRIVATE MESSAGES OR FB FRIEND REQUESTS FROM SOLAR COMPANY REPS.

Helga makes money off homeless kids, yet says giving them money for food is bad

These kids are very poor and probably homeless, and she's telling people not to give them money for food because it teaches them not to work for a living. They look about five years old, and a lot of kids like this grow up in areas where the economy isn't great, so they don't get a fair start in life to begin with. Yet at the same time she's literally making money off these kids (she gets paid for views on Facebook). I'm kind of on the fence about this, what do you all think? Couldn't she at least have bought them some food for helping her make content? Besides her expat boyfriend, that's probably her only or main source of income.