Feed

I was trying to go to the rally, but it said "DENNIED" (denied)?

What should I know before traveling to the Philippines? I'm planning to stay in Manila for the first month, then head to Bacong in the "Negros Island" 😉 area. I've seen some simple houses where I could live the quiet life I like. Are there a lot of affordable places to stay near the beach or off the grid?

Are there any Brits here who live on the state pension alone?

It's a decent place. If you're going for Filipino food and skewers, it's cleaner than Akabudu across the street.

The problems are that it's hard to get the staff's attention, it's hot because it's outdoors, there are quite a lot of mosquitoes and flies, and you need to check the receipt carefully when paying.

I'd recommend it for tourists.

You can smoke while eating on the outdoor terrace. Both areas are outdoors, but the area with a roof is non-smoking.

Looks like this person won't be buying drinks for their friends ever again

Summary: For foreigners who own a condo in the Philippines, what do you like and dislike about living there?

I'm thinking of buying a condo outside Metro Manila as a getaway to escape the cold winters. I don't plan to rent it out or list it on Airbnb. I just want a place where I can spend about half the year and where friends or family can stay when they visit the Philippines.

I'd like to hear from people who actually own and live in a condo, especially those who have lived there for several years, about what daily life is really like.

What are the pros and cons? What do you love about your place, and what drives you crazy?

Here's what I'm especially curious about:

Water quality: Is the tap water okay? Any problems with water pressure, discolored water, or water outages?

Flooding: Does the building or the surrounding area flood during the rainy season?

Building maintenance: Are the elevators, hallways, plumbing, and common areas properly maintained?

Utilities: Are electricity and water rates reasonable? Any unexplained charges or sudden increases?

Association dues: Have the monthly dues gone up a lot over the years?

Power outages: How often do they happen? Does the building have a backup generator, and does it actually work? Is solar a realistic option?

Natural disasters: How does the building hold up during typhoons, earthquakes, and other disasters?

Property management: How quickly do they respond when there's a problem? Do they actually fix things, or do you have to keep chasing them to get anything done?

Overall experience: Knowing everything you know now, would you buy a unit in the same complex again?

I'd also like to hear about problems a buyer might not think of.

If you don't mind, please include the name of your condo complex, its location, and how long you've lived there. The longer, the better!

To be clear, I'm looking for opinions from actual condo owners, not real estate agents or people recommending places they've never lived in.

I'm only interested in high-rise and mid-rise condos. I'm not looking for townhouses, single-family houses, subdivisions, vacant lots, or farms.

I'm not expecting a perfect place. I just want to hear the honest reality of owning and living in a condo in the Philippines, the good and the bad.

Thank you! I'd really appreciate it if you could share your own experiences.

Tourist Robbed at Gunpoint by Fake Motorcycle Taxi Men

The victim (46) was walking to buy food when three suspects dressed like legitimate motorcycle taxi drivers tried to snatch his bag.

The tourist resisted and a struggle broke out, but one of the suspects fired a gun, forcing him to let go of the bag. The victim suffered abrasions to his head and knee and was taken to a hospital for treatment.

The arrested suspect appears to be linked to three carjacking cases and was also facing a rape case.

I sent money from the US to a PNB seller and they still haven't received it

We bought a house and lot in the Philippines. Last week, we wired money from our US bank to the seller's PNB account, but it's still pending and hasn't been credited to the seller's account. The seller submitted the deed and the wire transfer documents we sent so the bank has the information, and also let the bank know the funds are on the way. The seller went to their PNB branch and asked for the MT103. Is this the usual process these days? It's been a week since we sent the money. Before the holiday, the seller kept going to the bank to check whether the funds had arrived (they said the transaction already shows up but it's still pending), and back then the bank didn't ask for any additional documents. Why now? Has anyone had a similar experience? Why is it so hard to send money I worked so hard for? I'm just frustrated and wanted to vent 😔

Could someone please let me know?

Greetings from Texas
Please help???
I'm planning to move from the US to the Philippines.
I have a pre-existing condition, so I'm looking for the best full-coverage health insurance in the Philippines.
Has anyone used any of the companies below?
- Luma
- Pacific Cross
- Alliance Ayudhy
Do you have any other recommendations?
Thank you for your help

McDonald's in Angeles City — Scene Video Uploaded October 2026

📍 Where: A McDonald's in Angeles City, Pampanga (based on the title and video description). The description also mentions Fields Avenue, Walking Street, and Balibago as keywords, along with "New Hotel."
🗓 When: Uploaded 2026-10-09 (filming date unknown)
👀 What you see: A roughly 10-minute video of a McDonald's in Angeles City. There is no narration, only background music (based on the video description).
The description also lists "NightLife," so the video may cover the Fields Avenue nightlife area, but the available details don't confirm which streets appear in it.

First Day in Manila, Walking to McDonald's — Uploaded October 2026

📍 Where: Manila (per the video title)
🗓 When: Uploaded 2026-10-16
👀 What you see: Footage from the creator's first 24 hours after arriving in Manila (per the title).
The creator walks to McDonald's with a newly made local friend, showing the route along the way (per the title).
The video description also lists a new hotel (New Hotel) and nightlife (NightLife) as keywords.

The cats played together too 😂

"I'll wear the matching couple outfit, but I don't want to do anything" - Husband

My daughter snuck into the display chicken coop at Tractor Supply. She's getting dragged out and is totally pleased with herself.

Hi everyone! I'm looking for advice from anyone who knows Manila airport well.

I'm arriving in Manila (Terminal 3) from Chennai on Thai Airways on December 21 at 11:55 AM. On the same day at 3:30 PM, I have a domestic flight to Puerto Princesa with Cebu Pacific, which also departs from Terminal 3.

The two flights are booked separately and I have checked baggage. That means I'll have to go through immigration, collect my bags, clear customs, and check in again with Cebu Pacific.

My layover is 3 hours 35 minutes. Is that enough, especially during the Christmas peak season?

Has anyone done a similar self-transfer at NAIA?

I'd really appreciate any advice from those with experience. Thank you!

Oktoberfest in Angeles City — Walking Around Fields Avenue

📍 Where: Fields Avenue area, Angeles City, Pampanga (per video description and tags)
🗓 When: Uploaded 2026-10-29 (filming date not given)
👀 What you see: Footage of an Oktoberfest event in Angeles City (per video title).
The description lists 'Walking video', 'NightLife' and 'New Hotel'.
About 11.5 minutes of footage with no narration.

Kandi Tower 3 studio condo in Angeles — about $17 a night on a monthly rate

In one line
A look at a studio condo at Kandi Tower 3 near Walking Street in Angeles that works out to about $17 a night on a monthly rate, plus a tip on signing longer leases in the rainy season.

💡 Key takeaways

[Place and price]
• Kandi Tower 3 — just around the corner from Kandi Palace; the host calls it a quiet place.
• A studio condo is about $17 a night on the monthly rate, or about 24,000 pesos a month, he says (from auto captions, so check the numbers in the video).
• He says this was a September promotion, so the price may have changed.

[Long-stay tips]
• Rainy season runs from June through November, and the host says it's the best time to get good monthly rates.
• You can lock in a good monthly rate on a six-month or one-year lease, he says.
• The host thinks overall travel costs in Angeles are about half of Manila's.

[Safety]
• One viewer advises taking a trike or Grab to Fields Avenue (Walking Street) after 6 p.m., when phone snatchers are more active.

⏱ Chapters
00:00 Budget accommodation
01:17 Kandi Tower 3
02:12 Best time to visit
02:35 Local life and tips
03:39 Walking Street tour

💬 What viewers said (10 comments)
• Most comments thank the host for the info, and he replied to each.
• One viewer stayed at Kandi Palace and found it clean and within walking distance of the bar street.
• Another says it's good value but warns to watch for phone snatchers and ride at night.

Why Philippine casinos are so popular with Koreans — casino count, Korean services and a legal warning

A YouTuber who has lived in the Philippines for 14 years explains why Philippine casinos are popular with Koreans, how many casinos there are, how much an operator earns, government policy, the online gambling problem and Korean legal risks. He says he doesn't gamble himself and only visits casino resorts for meetings or staycations.

💡 Key takeaways

[Size of the casino industry]
• As of May 2025, 571 casinos are said to operate (527 standalone, 44 under brands).
• 228 are in Metro Manila alone, and there are about 20 major luxury resort casinos. There are also casinos in Cebu, Davao and elsewhere.
• The government agency PAGCOR runs or regulates the casinos. Foreign-funded resorts like Solaire, Okada and City of Dreams came in through licensing.
• New integrated resorts are reportedly planned in Clark, Cebu and Boracay.

[Services tailored to Koreans]
• Major resort casinos reportedly have Korean help desks, Korean-speaking dealers, Korean food and private rooms, and VIP rooms offer Korean TV, food and massage.
• He relays that if you insert your membership card at a slot machine, a Korean manager comes to look after you (he hasn't experienced it himself).
• On a staycation at a 5-star hotel in Newport resort in Manila, he ordered jokbal and bossam to his room via KakaoTalk and booked an in-room massage the same way.
• In his view, even non-gamblers can stay safely inside the resort with its hotel, mall, clubs and pool. Security-wise, he feels casinos are safer than Philippine police stations.

[Rules and cost]
• According to him, unlike Korean casinos, foreigners can enter freely with almost no restrictions such as entry hours.
• Compared with casinos in pricier countries, he thinks casino resorts and staycations are good value. But Philippine prices vary—some things are expensive—and it depends on the person.

[Solaire operator's earnings]
• Bloomberry Resorts, which runs Solaire, still made a net profit in 2024 despite opening costs for Solaire North in Quezon City and a one-off tax of about 700 million pesos (2023 net profit about 9.5 billion pesos).

[Online gambling problem]
• Online gambling grew fast after it was allowed post-pandemic, and with the e-wallet GCash linked to online casinos for instant deposits and withdrawals, addiction has become a new social issue.

[Warning for Koreans]
• Casino gambling is legal in the Philippines, but gambling abroad by Koreans can be punished under Korean law. Repeated high-stakes gambling may even count as habitual gambling.

⏱ Chapters
00:00 The Philippines and casinos; answering promotion accusations
02:03 Why Philippine casinos are popular with Koreans
03:05 How many casinos are there
04:07 Staycation experience and Korean-tailored services
05:07 Loose regulation, exchange rate and price advantages
06:08 Earnings of Solaire operator Bloomberry
07:09 Why the Philippines builds up its casino industry
09:13 GCash online gambling and Korean legal warning

💬 What viewers said (83 comments)
• The most common reaction: casino resorts are attractive but safety is the problem. One reply said it's safe inside the casino and risky outside.
• Others said English makes it easy and it beats Kangwon Land, and some shared that they just enjoy staycations at Okada or Solaire without gambling.
• Some predicted the Philippines will lose out once Japan and Thailand open casinos; others argued it will hold up thanks to nightlife and prices.
• Some regretted that the recent exchange rate and broker fees are eroding the value.

A Philippine expat in Ho Chi Minh, Part 1 — Manila airport, flights and GrabMoney compared

In one line
Phil PD, a Korean who has lived in the Philippines for 14 years, flies from Manila to Ho Chi Minh City and compares Manila and Ho Chi Minh airports, flight and pho prices, smoking enforcement and Grab use with the Philippines in this first travel episode.

💡 Key takeaways

[Manila → Ho Chi Minh flight]
• He bought a one-way Vietnam Airlines ticket for about 9,000 pesos.
• Departs Manila 5:20 AM, arrives Ho Chi Minh 6:30 AM. About 2 hours 30 minutes in the air, 1-hour time difference. A simple bread meal was served on board.

[Manila Airport Terminal 1]
• It's better after the remodel, but the host says it still falls short as an international airport.
• If you have a local Philippine bank account, some banks' cards give free airport lounge access (charging, light food, sofas).
• There aren't enough chairs at the gates, so you often stand, and in peak season many people wait sitting on the floor, he says.

[Manila smoking enforcement — watch out]
• According to the host, smoking is now banned in central Manila except in some areas.
• Even with e-cigarettes, enforcers (nicknamed 'crocodiles') may come with non-working body cams, say you were recorded, and demand a lot of money.

[Price comparisons]
• A bowl of branded pho in Manila costs about 450 pesos, he says.
• Vietnamese chain Highlands Coffee is 50% owned by Philippine company Jollibee, and he says it has 4–5 stores in Manila.

[Grab]
• GrabMoney topped up on the Manila Grab app couldn't be used in Vietnam. The app language changed, but GrabMoney only works in the country where it was topped up, he says.

[Arriving in Ho Chi Minh]
• He'd been told to use the fast track service (about 20,000 won), but arriving in the morning it was quiet, so he didn't need it.
• He checked 4–5 carrier booths at the airport and SIM card prices were the same, so the host thinks you can just buy where staff are friendly and easy to talk to.
• He exchanged a little money at the airport, planning to try a downtown exchange office said to give good rates.
• First hotel: La Bella Saigon Hotel in District 3 (hotel review in the next episode).

⏱ Chapters
00:20 First trip in a while, finding a destination within 2 hours
02:25 Choosing Ho Chi Minh and the flight
03:29 Getting around and sightseeing course
04:32 Manila Terminal 1 and the airport lounge
05:35 Not enough gate chairs, on the plane
06:37 Ho Chi Minh immigration and Manila smoking enforcement
07:38 SIM card and money exchange
08:40 Highlands Coffee, Grab, first impressions of Ho Chi Minh

💬 What viewers said (65 comments)
• Most comments welcome the host back after a long break.
• Viewers who know both countries compared them: Vietnam for hygiene, food and safety; the Philippines for English, the sea and casinos.
• Many also related to bad experiences at Philippine airports — rudeness and being shaken down for money.

A $100-a-Night Stay in Angeles — Check-out Deposit Pitfalls and Haggling Down an Early Check-in Fee

In one line
The host introduces a roughly $100-a-night hotel in Angeles and shares how to handle check-out deposits and extra charges, how he negotiated an early check-in fee and got it refunded, and a pizza place across from Walking Street.

💡 Key takeaways

[A $100-a-night hotel]
• The hotel name is unclear in the auto captions. Based on the comments and the channel owner's reply, it is La Grande.
• Rooms usually start at about $100 a night. At upload time (the 2025 rainy season) there was a deal of about $70, which has since ended.
• The host says he rarely features rooms in this price range. In his view, you can be satisfied in Angeles with rooms at about $20 a night.

[Check-out pitfalls]
• Some hotels inspect the room before returning the security deposit.
• Blood on white sheets, hair dye on pillowcases or a broken TV screen can be reasons for a hotel to keep your deposit.
• Some hotels train staff to charge customers extra. He has seen charges for room cleaning, for water on the floor after coming back soaking wet from the pool, and for extra towels guests had requested.
• If a charge seems too high, he recommends trying to get it lowered.

[Haggling over early check-in]
• Check-in is usually at 2:00 p.m. When he arrives early, he leaves his bag, gets a luggage ticket, and asks whether the room is ready and whether he can check in early.
• One hotel asked for 1,000 pesos for early check-in. He paid it because he had just traveled for 7 hours.
• He told the front desk that most hotels in the Philippines charge only 300 pesos for this, and asked them to check with the manager whether they could charge 300 instead.
• The next day, the manager made his early check-in complimentary, and he got his 1,000 pesos back.

[Pizza place]
• The pizza place is on a street directly across MacArthur Highway from Walking Street. The street and shop names are unclear in the captions, so check the video.
• A whole pizza costs 250 pesos (about $5), and the host calls it a must-try.

⏱ Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Walking Street
00:47 Hotel rates and deals
02:06 Budget accommodation
03:37 Check-out policies and deposits
05:20 Negotiating an early check-in fee
07:23 Pizza recommendation

💬 What viewers said (7 comments)
• One viewer said $100 a night is far too high.
• Another found La Grande overpriced — a good neighborhood but far from the action — and the channel owner agreed.
• The rest are greetings saying they missed the videos and praise for the music.