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"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"?

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

Chihuahua bursts out of stomach!

Dancing Ladder

Dog going out for a walk

Hi everyone. I've been looking into Southeast Asia to retire and maybe do some remote work. California has gone completely crazy. I've researched Thailand a ton, but the visa rules make it look really hard to move a whole family there. For example, the DTV visa needs about 70k USD in your account for 3 to 6 months for a family of four. On top of that, you have to keep leaving the country for visa runs. That might work if I were a single young guy, but it's too hard with a family.

Someone told me the visa rules for moving to the Philippines, at least for a few years, are much, much easier. I don't know the Philippines as well as Thailand. I want a safe, modern city, and I heard Malakati? is a good place. Or BGC? Anyway, I'm wondering how realistic it is to move to the Philippines and what the quality of life is like. Any advice would be appreciated

Has anyone here made money online?

I didn't even know it was possible until I tried it myself.

Just a year or two ago, a 2 kg box of Shine Muscat — the "noble fruit" I never dared to buy — cost 19,900 won. Then farmers all rushed to grow it, thinking it would be a lucrative crop. The market became saturated, and as always happens when people make the same mistake, the price dropped sharply. Now a 2 kg box costs 6,990 won.

I finally bought and ate the Shine Muscat that only the upper class used to enjoy. Two kilograms, three bunches.

You eat it skin and all. It's rich in fruit flavor and very sweet, with a tangy sourness mixed in, and the aroma is strong. Since it has no seeds, you can enjoy the juice completely without any hassle.

It really does taste close to heaven. In no time I'd eaten four bunches. I put the last bunch in the freezer.

I'm going to freeze it and eat it as an ice Muscat. I'm already looking forward to it. It was so delicious. Not quite royal-level, but it's a flavor that easily gets you into the rank of prime minister.

I wonder if they sell Shine Muscat in the Philippines too?? If they do, how much would it be? To my taste, it's really much better than mango..

Besides the basic truck insurance you get at the LTO office, where else do you buy truck insurance?

I have a confession:
I rate cities with the 'Starbucks Index.' ☕📍😀

It has nothing to do with buying coffee. It's about the vibe.

One Starbucks in an entire province (like Bohol or Dumaguete)? Beautiful, but a bit too quiet when you want good infrastructure, fast internet and modern conveniences.

50+ in Cebu, 400+ in Manila? Great amenities! But you spend half your life stuck in traffic. 🚕💨

The sweet spot? 4 to 8 Starbucks.

Cities like Iloilo, Aseana City and Subic hit exactly that balance: modern, breezy, well planned, and everything works without the suffocating gridlock of a megacity.

How many Starbucks are there where you live? 😃 Does anyone else have their own weird, unofficial way of judging whether a city is livable? 😄

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)

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

Angeles Woman, 36, Arrested in Drug Sting — Shabu Worth ₱17,000

📌 At around 12:10 a.m. on October 13 (Tuesday), a 36-year-old woman was arrested in a police buy-bust operation in the Jaoville Mindanao area of Pandan, Barangay, Angeles City. According to the Angeles City Police Office (ACPO), 2.5g of suspected shabu, with a standard street value of ₱17,000, was seized.

■ Details of the Case
· Officers from Angeles City Police Station 3 (Police Station 3) carried out the operation. The acting station commander is Police Colonel Robert C. Domingo.
· The arrested woman is a resident of Barangay Ninoy Aquino, Angeles City. Police have only released her alias, "TISAY."
· Two heat-sealed transparent plastic bags containing suspected shabu were recovered.

■ Investigation and Current Status
· The suspect and the seized items were taken to Police Station 3 in Barangay Pulung Maragul, where they underwent recording and inventory procedures.
· Police announced that an inquest (preliminary charge review) will proceed on charges of violating Sections 5 and 11 of Chapter II of the 2002 Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act (Republic Act No. 9165). The charges are at the stage of the police announcement.
· Colonel Domingo said the crackdown will continue based on intelligence and that anti-drug enforcement in Angeles City will be strengthened.

■ Notice for Residents and Travelers
· The Philippines imposes heavy penalties even for possession of small amounts of drugs. Do not accept items or luggage entrusted to you by people you do not know.
· If you suspect drug dealing in your neighborhood, you can report it to the Angeles City Police Office or the nearest police station.

■ Source
Angeles City Police Office (official Facebook page, 10/13)

■ Photo
· Angeles City Police Office arrest announcement graphic (suspect pixelated) — Angeles City Police Office (official Facebook page)

Quezon City, Cubao: Raid on Suspected Illegal POGO Facility — 76 Foreigners Arrested

📌 On Monday, October 12, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) raided a suspected facility linked to an illegal POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator) in Barangay Socorro, Cubao, Quezon City, Metro Manila, and arrested 76 foreign nationals. The BI said the facility is suspected of being used for online scams, and described it as the second large-scale crackdown within two weeks.

■ Background of the Operation
· The BI Intelligence Division (BI-ID), through its Special Response Team (ID-SRT) and the 4th Regional Intelligence Operations Unit (RIOU), carried out the operation jointly with the National Capital Region Command of the Philippine Army, under a duly issued mission order.
· Initial identity verification showed 74 Chinese nationals and 2 Myanmar nationals.
· BI Intelligence Division Chief Fortunato S. Manahan Jr. reported to BI Commissioner Joel Anthony M. Viado that, when officers entered the premises, the individuals appeared to be engaged in online scamming.

■ Investigation and Current Status
· The arrested foreign nationals are undergoing inquest proceedings (summary preliminary investigation) and will be subject to deportation proceedings under immigration law. Charges are at the stage of announcement by the BI.
· If deportation orders are issued, they will be placed on the BI blacklist and barred from re-entering the Philippines.
· The crackdown is in line with President Marcos's directive to eradicate illegal POGOs and the Anti-POGO Act (Republic Act No. 12312, 2025). Commissioner Viado said, "We will continue the crackdown on illegal POGOs."

■ Notes for Residents and Travelers
· Job offers promising free lodging or high pay may be recruitment for scam operations. Verify the company's legitimacy and whether a work permit has been issued before accepting.
· Foreigners who work in violation of their visa status if caught in a crackdown may face deportation and a re-entry ban.

■ Source
Bureau of Immigration (10/13), Daily Tribune (10/13)

■ Photos
· Immigration crackdown scene — foreign nationals standing in front of a wall — Bureau of Immigration

I'm thinking about writing a will. How much does a lawyer in the Philippines charge to draw one up? The will would need to cover a condo and a bank account in the Philippines, plus overseas financial assets (no real estate).

Metro Manila, Philippines

That's right.

Hi.

Has anyone had trouble with their YouTube Premium subscription lately? For years I've paid for Premium with my US credit card, and it never mattered whether I was in the Philippines, Korea or China. But now YouTube says I need a payment method from the country I'm currently in, not the country I'm billed in. Looks like they're restricting payment methods this way now. Anyone else getting blocked like this?

I've been in Cebu for a year now. I travel a lot, and most months I've been away almost every week. When renewing my visa it's been easy to just tick 'tourist' and list the 6-8 places I've booked for the next 2 months. I can afford a retirement visa, but I'm reluctant to have $15k sitting there not invested, and the tourist visa here is very generous.

If I'm not traveling for a month or six weeks, what should I write on the visa extension form as my reason for being here?

Not all orange cats are like that, but they're always orange cats.