I just returned from seven weeks in Malaybalay in Mindanao. I learned a lot, and I think the honeymoon phase of my expectations for the Philippines is now over with. There are great difficulties and lots of red tape, just as many here in your vlog are commenting… and just as you have pointed out many times. My opinion is that the very things that make it difficult to live there are also the very same things that make it great. If everything were better organized, and these problems did not exist, then it would be America and not the Philippines and the prices would be three times as much just like they are in the west. If you adjust your expectations properly and are willing to deal with these problems, there is a great treasure waiting for you in the Philippines. I will be moving there permanently from the western US as soon as my house sells here. I cannot wait. Let the adventure begin!
Speaking English in the Philippines is much more important than many Westerners realize. English is the language officially used by the Government there. The lesser educated masses have to rely entirely on translation to understand the laws and what they are voting on.
Yes, most of the good paying jobs require English proficiency. For example if you have a college degree and can speak clear English, you can get a job in one of the many call centers. That salary could suddenly lift your family out of poverty. The jobs that don't require English do not pay nearly as well. There is a huge incentive to learn English in the Philippines.
It's all a matter of adjusting. 1. heat & humidity 2. brownouts 3.water stoppage 4, redundant paperwork 5. the food 6. limited entertainment 7. the language 8. transportation 9. scams 10.
Much appreciate the frank discussions on these matters. 20 months ago I did my 'investigation tour' and have been doing significant research ever since in preparation for retirement in PH. I have seen exactly what you discuss play-out among the many Vloggers that I follow. It is all quite concerning, but to me the tradeoffs still favor moving to PH... I shall tread lightly while saying my prayers. Salamat po. Peace and Love, B Goat
@AaJim1517 just because it has not happened to you doesn't mean it doesn't happen (often). It didnt happen to us either. We know many people that were scammed from 20k usd all the way to 180k usd. I understand buyer beware, but (in my opinion) I think sharing some stark truths and facts will at least arm some people to be extra cautious.
We had an addition put on our home, doubled the homes size. We agreed with the contractor to pay in 3 installments plus some initial start up costs for blue prints, and all permitting. Luckily, we only had to fill out a few forms, the contractor did all the leg work. We paid the 1st third to get them going, we paid the second third at the agreed check point, the last third was supposed to be at completion. The contractor asked for final payment but , he was not finished and he knew that. I offered to pay half of the final third (I think he needed to make payroll), he gave me a sheepish grin and accepted. We paid the balance at completion. The most folks he had on site at one time was 12, the fewest (at the end) was 4 to put in fixtures, paint etc... The crew was mostly related to each other in some fashion and a really nice group of folks. They finished us in 3.5 months.
I have been married for 19 years, have a 17 year old daughter and have lived in Leyte for 15 years-Typhoon Yolanda survivor-HORRIBLE. My wife is the head of the household. Does the driving, shopping, pays the bills, ect. I just sit back and relax. That is what retirement is all about. Enough said.
@@johncalder-gx4bf Allow me to tell you my friend. Things have changed quite a bit since, it’s a bit more challenging now to find the right person who can handle such responsibility.
@@PhilibustingA 'bit' more challenging? May I beg a few questions: 1- Can you expound upon that 'bit', in Your opinion.... 1 out of a 10, 100, 1000, unlikely? 2- What would You look for Now (green/red flags) when vetting a girl? 3- Province or City Girl to run a modern day household (and perhaps a business)? 4- What is your wife's relationship (and yours) with her family. 5- Any dating/vetting tips you don't think have already been covered ad-nauseam Thanks in advance. Peace, B Goat
Thank you for your honest story from the Philippines. I built in 1999 a big house and a grain mill in the Philippines, in the "Promise land Mindanao," as a taxi driver in Manila referred to the place as. He was right, everything went to hell. I sat back naked and had to flee the country because there was a hail of lawsuits against me. These people still live in the tree, climb down and raise hell from time to time, preferring to hunt in packs. When will they learn to behave like Christian people?
Don't believe the myth that Filipinos are such nice people. They'll cut your throat and take every last Peso, if they think they can get away with it. They'll smile in your face and act like your best friend, until you turn your back, then they'll sink the knife in! 😡 Don't believe the myth that Filipinos are hard working. They only work until they have enough for a six pack of San Miquel and a bag of rice.
Because the 9 out of ten set a norm, we 10 % are odd. The system is not running with us in mind. My wife , being native here in her home town area , has steered us clear of major issues . I , having assests , allow us to jump hoops. We took 10 months on the build but it was due to the societial conditions. They are only human and so in the long run we got a lot more done guiding them daily. Our house is very well made and much attention to detail is in it. So allowing people the time let them do the best they could.
Our home high up facing ocean has near foot thick walls and each of three floors water proofed. Odette did rip roof of and solar panels but 6 of 8 landed on bushes no damage lol. So boys brought beams and panels back and with some new sheets roof was done in a day. So that and our awnings and terrace covers went and couple windows went but house had no damage with full ocean facing hot. Use best concrete, steel rebar web uniting floors walls and ceilings and you can have a typhoon proof home.
@@mrmikecebu Mine is on a 20 ft cliff, over looking the see in Bohol. I really went with all the better building material like you said.Just one floor. After building beach homes Florida and 2 Hurricanes I take all precautions.
I'm getting a tickle listening to your gentle revelations so true. Builder tells you what to buy it's wiser. Builder on site working with his crew daily or it's a mess. We fed them lunch and 2 snacks. If they came 30 minutes early they got breakfast. Saturday I gave them a 150 peso. Three dollar tanduay bottle and coke at quiting time. Pay your island minimum wage also but builder gets at least twice that. Wife is farmers daughter so she raises cows, pigs, geese. Turkeys, ducks. Chickens. Goats and bakes cakes lol. When I die she's on her own so she's busy building her business. To prepare. She keeps what she makes and buys own feed. I'm not involved. We have more fruit trees than exist in California lol. Life is good. Advanced on earnings only, advanced for solar equipment delivered and final payment when addition paid. Never loan money or pay for projects or projects don't finish and loans walked away from. Let your wife do mercado alone but do groceries in department store together. 24 years of very happy life. I started with a one room house and cr, small Honda motorcycle then Multical 4wd van, a Kia picanto, just to tiny, Kia soul to low to ground now the base 4x4 xl Ford ranger. I learned the hard way lol. 10 years high Hefner. 4 years married but first 8 were just live in. Life is wonderful. 180 degree ocean view, walk down hill 400 yards to white sand small beach. We are blest.
My wife's 10 year old in the 5th grade speaks decent english that she told me was mostly learned from watching RUclips. She's attending the local province school (which I call joke school). She says her english is better than her english teacher. IMO the public schools in the larger cities may be slightly better. Why would foreign investors (when allowed) want to do business here when the Philippines is arguably last in asia education ? Wilma and Greg, Thank you for your courage to ruffle a few feathers. Personally, very few instances I haven't been lightly or bigly screwed here.
You dont have to wonder why. Texas imported 54 teachers from the Philippines just last June alone and distributed it to ISDs in West Texas. Our best and the brightest are here and are all over rural America.
I've watched your videos you and Wilma have put together for us viewers to consume. I have pointed others on Facebook in your direction for your shared experiences building. For this video glad you pointed out some of the things I've noticed over the years and now you've articulated. If one video helps one person that makes it totally worth it.
When I was in Cebu City, the grade school kids were outside playing and my Filipina wifes mother was commenting on how the children outside playing were speaking to each other in English. In school they have to speak English all the time there. So it may be that the bigger cities have a better English classes or requirements. Great video, Wilma and Greg...Jim
Life there can and is a battle. It’s a foreign country that for many millions is a real struggle. Poor pay in many jobs and no safety net leads to poverty. Mind set of many is to try and steal or con you as a foreigner. I’ve met on one occasion someone who has plenty of money who’s a friend and was pushing me into buying a property and putting it in their name to get round ownership laws. Come on not falling for that one. You’ve got to be careful on all fronts
Yes, this is true and cannot do anything about it. Thays why the progress of Philippines is so slow. And if you try to correct them, they will hate you or give you troubles. This is what we worry when we retire in there. Still debating to buy or just rent. Dont want us to have heart attack for nothing. Thnk u for another great video.
My biggest complaints is the idiots on the road. Motorcycles are the worse drivers i have ever encountered in my 30 countries of travel. The jeepneys are next along with the buses. They dont look when they change lanes, they think nothing of forcing you into on coming traffic. Then add in the parked cars in the lanes and people stopped in lanes on a highway and talking to people on the side of the road. Blocking traffic. ZERO COMMON SENSE. people walking in the road, when there are clearly sidewalks available. No brake lights or headlights on the motor vehicle and they are driving at night. About 10% uses turn signals. When traffic is backed up, motorcyclists will drive into the on coming lane of traffic heading at you and looking at you like your doing something wrong for driving in your lane. I could go on and on, but you get the picture of why the last 10 years the Philippines has been in the top 3 worse drivers in the world, and often times, they are ranked number 1.
Our English is only within locality for the purpose of reading basic communication. It is not intended for employment or only just to pass some basic assessments like IELTS, TOEFLE, entrance exams in a university. Foreigners may rate or qualify our English as not smart or smart, while a Filipino family there's a pride on it.
in addition, literacy in the Phils. doesn't start at home. Most families are addicted to korean soap drama, or social media stories or" tsismis", daily news and general information news are spread by the word of mouth. Illiteracy is so high in the rural areas due to poverty and even in huge cities around the country. Only elite families can afford good schools and not even as good as with industrialized countries.We are just nice people.
Wife and I are acting as our own contractor for our house build here in Panglao. Because the cash advance is a time-consuming task, we implemented a policy were if the worker shows up every day to work during the month and does not request a cash advance during the same period, we pay a bonus of 1 day's salary. Couple of our labors have earned the bonus so far! I cover the topic in one of my videos if anyone is interested in watching.
DSWD helps the poor . Maybe 3000 peso a month if you have 3 children. You are correct about Cash Advance every week no big deal take out of their next payday, sometimes stretch it out over a couple weeks.
I've been thinking about doing a "truth" video, after the new year. It may ruffle some feathers, but maybe it's time for us Vloggers to start ruffling feathers? Paul has begun to expose his building contractor, and calling out people who aren't straightforward. Mike (Our Philippine Journey), up here in Pampanga, has begun to call out some of the less than desirable aspects of life in the Philippines. I've had some experiences, in the past year, that could have turned out bad, if it hadn't been for information learned from people like you (and a couple of mutual friends), my Wife and her family, who have had to work overtime to keep me out of trouble! 😂🤣 Filipinos aren't any different than the rest of the world. Give them an opportunity, and they'll take advantage of you! Especially as a foreigner! 😡
I have never dug that deep to see why there are minefield issues but I must say it is interesting to understand the root causes. Oh well, I'll tread carefully thank you!
I have been in Costa Rica 11 years. I hope as here so similar to Philippines in so many ways, it may help me adjust when I move there.🤞🤞🤞As I listen to many Philippines youtube channels, I am often amused at how similar Central America can be with the Philippines. 😊😊😊 English teachers here have very bad English, even text books in English are horrible. 😮😮😮😮
I did my wall on a slope and since it was over a road it had to be done right. My engineer did a great Job but I saw how he made 20 percent off the job. Basically he bid it on 8hr days and responsible timeliness but the guys worked 12hrs and he paid them a bonus if done ahead of schedule. By the end instead of 3 months it took like 1.5 or so. But ya was like 5 tons of rebar and deep footings plus 15 foot high on one side so not exactly an easy build. I figure that's the cost atleast it's done well when most do crap jobs
Just rent we all have owned homes or investment properties im retired married , here is not there i dont want to ever do that again . Mostly because of all the problrms here renting now 7 years i lik3 your show honesty is the best policy
One thing I see is English teachers maybe teach how to read or write more than speak. My girl friend is going to school to be an English teacher and mentioned her teacher lets them all speak Bisyan in class. My selling point to her about me, was I am able to really help her speak English since I am a Kano.
That's what I been explaining to my wife , when we move there to maccabebe near to Apalit Pampanga ,where there's no foreigners, who, am I going to have a conversation with , I mean I can't just talk to my wife everyday for rest my life , and or be asking her what everyone is saying, so we are looking at moving to somewhere, we're there is English speaking ppl , our niece video chats me every Saturday night , her English is great she 17 and no one new she could even speak English, I can tell you we chat for usually 2 hrs, and time flys, but she has 4 years of collage to attend . We have ask her if she like to live with us ,as I thought how good to have someone to go to the coffee shop with . Anyway I hear you , u need to a Be able to chat to ppl / someone
Absolutely correct on all issues. The government red tape/paper work is insane in the Philippines, but I have noticed it's like that in almost all SEA countries. The corruption is just the normal way of life here in the Philippines. I live with my GF's 2 sisters and 1 brother because I want them to have a better way of life while going to school. The education system here is well horrible to put it lightly. I can ask them simple questions and they look at me like I've asked them the hardest questions possible. Ask anyone here what are the 7 continents of the world and I bet none of them could answer you. You can even ask them questions about the Philippines and they won't even be able to answer you. Simple math problems can stump college grads here. I asked my GF what do they teach you here in school and her answer was nothing. I'm really starting to believe that.
I lived in the US (Austin) for a while. An acquaintance asked his daughter (16) to name the continents - no idea. He asked in what continent Sweden (where I'm from) could be found...answer: "Italy?". In Sweden currently, a large portion of grade nine students can't read. Granted, they're not Swedes, but still insane.
@PhilippinesLife101 Yes. The woke/"everyone is the same and gets a trophy" bs ruined the Swedish system. Straight F students passing grades with 10% attendance. Even at university the demands are ridiculously low. It rots society from the inside. There has to be a benefit to do better, or people won't try.
Top reasons I'd never retire in the Philippines: brownouts, poverty, litter (trash) everywhere, Malaria mosquitoes & large bugs, stray dogs (with rabies) persistent rooster crowing, loud scooters, traffic jams, no driving rules or traffic lights, poor restaurant service, don't have change, "out of stock", difficulty parking, fake cheese, fake honey, sweltering humidity, typhoons, beggars, corrupt & complicated visa process, no speedy ambulance service, bribing cops, extortion to get out of jail, disadvantage in legal disputes, conman expats, Filipina scammers, poor water quality, lazy landlords who keep your deposit, cant own land, skin tax, lack of gratitude if you are generous cuz Caucasians are viewed as wealthy, hard to find a good steak, unhealthy (deep fried) food, banking issues, slow post office, bad sidewalks, no street lights, long rainy season, nosy prying neighbors, 2:00 AM full-blast karaoke, bad air quality pollution & black soot dust from burning trash, outdoor cooking & smog, suspicious jealousy, tampo, chismus & Pinay constantly staring at their phones, bad healthcare, no building code regulations, neverending construction, no regular trash pickup & people stealing your trash can, difficult to have a deep communication cuz English is their 2nd language, can't understand the Tagalog spoken at gatherings & finally, you need an approved govt clearance with a background check to even leave the country!
@@buildingthephilippines can you believe I came up with 54 reasons?! Haha! Even if 30 of my reasons aren't valid, or could be said of other third world countries? There's still 25 good reasons. Maybe now that you read all those, Will you be reminded that it's a bummer to be there?
It’s interesting that you mentioned the girl and your conversations with her. I watch this dating game on RUclips regularly where the prospect ask questions of potential future dates. This one guy asked a 22 yo. participant to solve 7 x 3, she had no idea. Some other girls responded with 21. He then ask the 22 yo. again to solve 3 x 7, she was stumped. Did you know most people in the US can’t name the current VP, the capital City of the US, tell you what’s 1 percent of 100 or even name 3 of the 7 continents. As an Army recruiter I had HS drop-out maxing the military entrance pre-test, and teacher assistants scoring in the 40 percentile. But I do get what you’re saying and it’s true, the quality of education here is very lacking. But that’s just ONE of the many mines in your thumbnail… jussayin’
The bad english is mostly lack of proper vowel pronounciation. Similar to spanish E for Is and many other vowel issues. On paper they can be accurate. Orally it can be another language.
What do you do? Rent! Your residence, your rides. Learn all the taxi scams. I ride the busses! Take a trusted Filipino shopping with you for stuff, or buy where they scan a bar codes. although those stores are higher priced than wet markets, or street vendors.. Be willing to learn some lessons the hard way, but risk very little money.
Living in the Philippines is not easy ok it will drive you crazy at best of times its not all fun and what you said is true 😮lots of people don't understand that they don't live here you have to find out the hard way 😊good luck you are going to need it 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
I think he's learned a valuable skill in doing so. They don't see her as a walking atm, as they see him. When I'm there with my wife, I always stay back and let her negotiate prices
It normal for the Filipina to negotiate at the market - my wife tell me to leave before she buys at the market. We been married 30 years and it's much better today than 20 or 30 years ago on the skin tax Greg has plenty of skills - you are rude and ignorant Most likey never been to Philippines especially the Provinces
@@jonpritz9838 Lighten up Pritzy. Greg knew it was in jest. So did Gordon by the humor in his comment “walking atm” and that he knows when to give space without being told. A real man has a sense of humor and take a joke. Also knows when to let his wife take the stage like at making the deals without his wife telling him as yours tells you. I’ve been married to a Filipina for 22 years. Dated her for 3 years before that and it wasn’t a mail order bride or me acting as pervert hunting young girls there like many do. As Greg and Wilma were talking about, my wife is well educated as is her whole family of 10. Her dad was a dentist, mother a nurse, he was mayor of their town as was her grandfather. All her siblings work in the financial or medical sector. I’m smart too, know all about when to step aside and let her do her thing without her telling me to do so. I’ll get rude right now, pull your panties out of the bunch you have them in in your crack. Don’t think because Greg liked your comment he agrees with everything you said. I don’t think that way of mine. I know he’s a cordial person by his conduct and how he carries himself in his videos without ever actually meeting the man. I can tell by your fly off the cuff comment that you have no sense of personality and humor and don’t know your place, as Greg has said before, you don’t stay in your lane and that your wife tells you to stay away at times rather than you recognizing it in your own.
Ive always liked this channel, and it had a lot of useful build information, but lately it seems to be turning into a philippines bashing session. Please try to remeber that this is not your county and if you are looking for the US in a cheaper place you wont find it there. Try to adapt to the culture and the ways there instead of focusing on things to complain about. As for education. Most Philipinos speak Tagalog, there Dialect and English and many times other languages and dialects. Even if its somewhat broken im willing to bet its quite a bit more than you can speak. Im willing to bet Wilma can speak more as well. Just because they have a hard time understanding the way you say things or the speed you are saying it in doesnt make the uneducated or stupid. You may be more experienced and traved but dont compair that to educated. I cant stand people that cant even speak the language of the county they are living in complaining about the level of English they speak. Sigh. Also try to remember, getting political in the Philippines can get you removed from the Philippines. You may want to be careful talking about the government in youtube videos.
Appreciate your opinion, most have one. However, far too many expats are getting scammed. Is that OK with you? Would you be OK with losing 20k, 30k, 40k usd to a deceitful person? Should I not share this information to help someone from this happening to them. Sometimes, the truth hurts. By the way, I did not talk down about the government. Simply mentioned, there are no safety nets here, as compared to all the handouts in the west.
@@buildingthephilippines yes people get upcharged (skin tax) in the Philippines, it happens. You do realize you live in a 3rd world county right? You want to leave the US but expect other countries to run like the US? Why do Americans do nothing but complain about anything that's not the same as them? I'm American myself and honestly makes me ashamed to see how most of us act. Are some people scammed for 20,30,40k usd as u say. Im sure a few are. Are people scammed in the US as well.... yup. And to make things clear. I didn't comment on your previous videos talking about how Philipinos try to scam foreigners. But at this point don't you think your beating a dead horse? Or do you just like constantly complaining about how much the county you live in isn't like the US? It's fine ive unsubscribed. The move from a building channel to how horrible things are in the Philippines is enough for me to listen to anymore. 1 or 2 videos on the subject are informative, this it's just bashing.
While i appreciate the information you are providing, almost NONE of the points you are mentioning are connected with retirement. You obviously are constructing homes, possibly for reselling or as a contractor for other foreigners. That is not "retirement", you and your wife are businessmen. How is education a problem for retirees? If i want to buy something at the market i can just point at what i want and point to the scale. No english needed. I am also quickly picking up the local language Ilonggo here. If foreigners get scammed out of 1 mil Peso and more they probably intended to start a business, again not related to retirement. How is corruption a problem when i get a monthly pension every month as a retiree? Maybe put more effort in choosing the titles for your videos in future, my 2 cents
@cryptogaming9935 I think you win the prize for the most incorrect statements/observations in one comment. Obviously, you don't watch our channel. Stop at one.
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I just returned from seven weeks in Malaybalay in Mindanao. I learned a lot, and I think the honeymoon phase of my expectations for the Philippines is now over with. There are great difficulties and lots of red tape, just as many here in your vlog are commenting… and just as you have pointed out many times. My opinion is that the very things that make it difficult to live there are also the very same things that make it great. If everything were better organized, and these problems did not exist, then it would be America and not the Philippines and the prices would be three times as much just like they are in the west. If you adjust your expectations properly and are willing to deal with these problems, there is a great treasure waiting for you in the Philippines. I will be moving there permanently from the western US as soon as my house sells here. I cannot wait. Let the adventure begin!
@@KensVideoTourz congrats to you. Safe travels.
Speaking English in the Philippines is much more important than many Westerners realize. English is the language officially used by the Government there. The lesser educated masses have to rely entirely on translation to understand the laws and what they are voting on.
Appreciate the comment.
Yes, most of the good paying jobs require English proficiency. For example if you have a college degree and can speak clear English, you can get a job in one of the many call centers. That salary could suddenly lift your family out of poverty. The jobs that don't require English do not pay nearly as well. There is a huge incentive to learn English in the Philippines.
It's all a matter of adjusting.
1. heat & humidity
2. brownouts
3.water stoppage
4, redundant paperwork
5. the food
6. limited entertainment
7. the language
8. transportation
9. scams
10.
@@Eduardo-m2i list is factual. Thanks for commenting.
But wait...there's more! Traffic, healthcare, infrastructure, inefficiency, stray dogs, beggars, poverty, trash, typhoons, skin tax.
@J-Tyson558 thanks for commenting
@@J-Tyson558 HA HA HA, yes, I do agree.
Much appreciate the frank discussions on these matters. 20 months ago I did my 'investigation tour' and have been doing significant research ever since in preparation for retirement in PH. I have seen exactly what you discuss play-out among the many Vloggers that I follow. It is all quite concerning, but to me the tradeoffs still favor moving to PH... I shall tread lightly while saying my prayers. Salamat po. Peace and Love, B Goat
Things change ,health care,brown outs,all to think about.
@@Billy_B_Goat it certainly makes you scratch your head sometimes.
I think that's the right attitude, it's not our country, I've been here 15 years & no harm come to me
@AaJim1517 just because it has not happened to you doesn't mean it doesn't happen (often). It didnt happen to us either. We know many people that were scammed from 20k usd all the way to 180k usd. I understand buyer beware, but (in my opinion) I think sharing some stark truths and facts will at least arm some people to be extra cautious.
We had an addition put on our home, doubled the homes size. We agreed with the contractor to pay in 3 installments plus some initial start up costs for blue prints, and all permitting. Luckily, we only had to fill out a few forms, the contractor did all the leg work. We paid the 1st third to get them going, we paid the second third at the agreed check point, the last third was supposed to be at completion. The contractor asked for final payment but , he was not finished and he knew that. I offered to pay half of the final third (I think he needed to make payroll), he gave me a sheepish grin and accepted. We paid the balance at completion. The most folks he had on site at one time was 12, the fewest (at the end) was 4 to put in fixtures, paint etc...
The crew was mostly related to each other in some fashion and a really nice group of folks. They finished us in 3.5 months.
Great to hear, glad it worked out for you.
I have been married for 19 years, have a 17 year old daughter and have lived in Leyte for 15 years-Typhoon Yolanda survivor-HORRIBLE. My wife is the head of the household. Does the driving, shopping, pays the bills, ect. I just sit back and relax. That is what retirement is all
about. Enough said.
@@johncalder-gx4bf there you go, great plan.
@@johncalder-gx4bf Allow me to tell you my friend. Things have changed quite a bit since, it’s a bit more challenging now to find the right person who can handle such responsibility.
@@PhilibustingA 'bit' more challenging? May I beg a few questions:
1- Can you expound upon that 'bit', in Your opinion.... 1 out of a 10, 100, 1000, unlikely?
2- What would You look for Now (green/red flags) when vetting a girl?
3- Province or City Girl to run a modern day household (and perhaps a business)?
4- What is your wife's relationship (and yours) with her family.
5- Any dating/vetting tips you don't think have already been covered ad-nauseam
Thanks in advance. Peace, B Goat
Thanks again for a great informational video! Being aware and informed is the best precaution.
Definitely the first step.
Thank you for your honest story from the Philippines.
I built in 1999 a big house and a grain mill in the Philippines, in the "Promise land Mindanao," as a taxi driver in Manila referred to the place as.
He was right, everything went to hell.
I sat back naked and had to flee the country because there was a hail of lawsuits against me.
These people still live in the tree, climb down and raise hell from time to time, preferring to hunt in packs.
When will they learn to behave like Christian people?
Thanks for sharing your story.
Don't believe the myth that Filipinos are such nice people.
They'll cut your throat and take every last Peso, if they think they can get away with it. They'll smile in your face and act like your best friend, until you turn your back, then they'll sink the knife in! 😡
Don't believe the myth that Filipinos are hard working. They only work until they have enough for a six pack of San Miquel and a bag of rice.
Because the 9 out of ten set a norm, we 10 % are odd. The system is not running with us in mind. My wife , being native here in her home town area , has steered us clear of major issues . I , having assests , allow us to jump hoops. We took 10 months on the build but it was due to the societial conditions. They are only human and so in the long run we got a lot more done guiding them daily. Our house is very well made and much attention to detail is in it. So allowing people the time let them do the best they could.
@dashley2525 very true. The 90%ers get the most attention for sure.
Our home high up facing ocean has near foot thick walls and each of three floors water proofed. Odette did rip roof of and solar panels but 6 of 8 landed on bushes no damage lol. So boys brought beams and panels back and with some new sheets roof was done in a day. So that and our awnings and terrace covers went and couple windows went but house had no damage with full ocean facing hot. Use best concrete, steel rebar web uniting floors walls and ceilings and you can have a typhoon proof home.
@@mrmikecebu Mine is on a 20 ft cliff, over looking the see in Bohol. I really went with all the better building material like you said.Just one floor. After building beach homes Florida and 2 Hurricanes I take all precautions.
I'm getting a tickle listening to your gentle revelations so true. Builder tells you what to buy it's wiser. Builder on site working with his crew daily or it's a mess. We fed them lunch and 2 snacks. If they came 30 minutes early they got breakfast. Saturday I gave them a 150 peso. Three dollar tanduay bottle and coke at quiting time. Pay your island minimum wage also but builder gets at least twice that. Wife is farmers daughter so she raises cows, pigs, geese. Turkeys, ducks. Chickens. Goats and bakes cakes lol. When I die she's on her own so she's busy building her business. To prepare. She keeps what she makes and buys own feed. I'm not involved. We have more fruit trees than exist in California lol. Life is good. Advanced on earnings only, advanced for solar equipment delivered and final payment when addition paid. Never loan money or pay for projects or projects don't finish and loans walked away from. Let your wife do mercado alone but do groceries in department store together. 24 years of very happy life. I started with a one room house and cr, small Honda motorcycle then Multical 4wd van, a Kia picanto, just to tiny, Kia soul to low to ground now the base 4x4 xl Ford ranger. I learned the hard way lol. 10 years high Hefner. 4 years married but first 8 were just live in. Life is wonderful. 180 degree ocean view, walk down hill 400 yards to white sand small beach. We are blest.
@mrmikecebu we would be great neighbors, you have it together. Enjoy your life as I see you already are.
My wife's 10 year old in the 5th grade speaks decent english that she told me was mostly learned from watching RUclips. She's attending the local province school (which I call joke school). She says her english is better than her english teacher. IMO the public schools in the larger cities may be slightly better.
Why would foreign investors (when allowed) want to do business here when the Philippines is arguably last in asia education ?
Wilma and Greg, Thank you for your courage to ruffle a few feathers. Personally, very few instances I haven't been lightly or bigly screwed here.
@JMgmkh thanks for commenting, appreciate it.
You dont have to wonder why. Texas imported 54 teachers from the Philippines just last June alone and distributed it to ISDs in West Texas. Our best and the brightest are here and are all over rural America.
@@Koya_Sipanlog_Express I did not know that. Thanks for sharing.
I've watched your videos you and Wilma have put together for us viewers to consume. I have pointed others on Facebook in your direction for your shared experiences building. For this video glad you pointed out some of the things I've noticed over the years and now you've articulated. If one video helps one person that makes it totally worth it.
@@journeytheworld8848 Yes, I see it that way as well. Thanks for commenting.
When I was in Cebu City, the grade school kids were outside playing and my Filipina wifes mother was commenting on how the children outside playing were speaking to each other in English. In school they have to speak English all the time there. So it may be that the bigger cities have a better English classes or requirements. Great video, Wilma and Greg...Jim
@jsully4064 Hi Jim, yes I'm sure many areas of the Philippines have better schooling than others. Thanks for commenting.
Life there can and is a battle. It’s a foreign country that for many millions is a real struggle. Poor pay in many jobs and no safety net leads to poverty. Mind set of many is to try and steal or con you as a foreigner. I’ve met on one occasion someone who has plenty of money who’s a friend and was pushing me into buying a property and putting it in their name to get round ownership laws. Come on not falling for that one. You’ve got to be careful on all fronts
@Gaza-vu6gl very true, thanks for commenting.
Yes, this is true and cannot do anything about it. Thays why the progress of Philippines is so slow. And if you try to correct them, they will hate you or give you troubles. This is what we worry when we retire in there. Still debating to buy or just rent. Dont want us to have heart attack for nothing. Thnk u for another great video.
@@fenderbend3r appreciate the comment
My biggest complaints is the idiots on the road. Motorcycles are the worse drivers i have ever encountered in my 30 countries of travel. The jeepneys are next along with the buses. They dont look when they change lanes, they think nothing of forcing you into on coming traffic. Then add in the parked cars in the lanes and people stopped in lanes on a highway and talking to people on the side of the road. Blocking traffic. ZERO COMMON SENSE. people walking in the road, when there are clearly sidewalks available. No brake lights or headlights on the motor vehicle and they are driving at night. About 10% uses
turn signals. When traffic is backed up, motorcyclists will drive into the on coming lane of traffic heading at you and looking at you like your doing something wrong for driving in your lane. I could go on and on, but you get the picture of why the last 10 years the Philippines has been in the top 3 worse drivers in the world, and often times, they are ranked number 1.
Great explanation of the driving experience here.
great info. I like Wilma's shirt. Tell Prince hi.
@@datravels thanks for watching, I will tell her as well as Prince.
Yes! Finally! First Commenter!
Being #1 is good.
Great analysis of the problems. Of course for every item that's worse, there's 10 that are better. Stay safe and aware guys.
@@damncars2618 Good point, thanks for commenting.
Our English is only within locality for the purpose of reading basic communication. It is not intended for employment or only just to pass some basic assessments like IELTS, TOEFLE, entrance exams in a university. Foreigners may rate or qualify our English as not smart or smart, while a Filipino family there's a pride on it.
Thanks for commenting.
in addition, literacy in the Phils. doesn't start at home. Most families are addicted to korean soap drama, or social media stories or" tsismis", daily news and general information news are spread by the word of mouth. Illiteracy is so high in the rural areas due to poverty and even in huge cities around the country. Only elite families can afford good schools and not even as good as with industrialized countries.We are just nice people.
Wife and I are acting as our own contractor for our house build here in Panglao. Because the cash advance is a time-consuming task, we implemented a policy were if the worker shows up every day to work during the month and does not request a cash advance during the same period, we pay a bonus of 1 day's salary. Couple of our labors have earned the bonus so far! I cover the topic in one of my videos if anyone is interested in watching.
@FEgoestoPI cool beans, I would suspect most workers can't wait a month (need that cas advance). That's the workforce here. Good incentive though.
DSWD helps the poor . Maybe 3000 peso a month if you have 3 children. You are correct about Cash Advance every week no big deal take out of their next payday, sometimes stretch it out over a couple weeks.
Yes, it happens here all the time. Part of the process.
I've been thinking about doing a "truth" video, after the new year. It may ruffle some feathers, but maybe it's time for us Vloggers to start ruffling feathers?
Paul has begun to expose his building contractor, and calling out people who aren't straightforward.
Mike (Our Philippine Journey), up here in Pampanga, has begun to call out some of the less than desirable aspects of life in the Philippines.
I've had some experiences, in the past year, that could have turned out bad, if it hadn't been for information learned from people like you (and a couple of mutual friends), my Wife and her family, who have had to work overtime to keep me out of trouble! 😂🤣
Filipinos aren't any different than the rest of the world. Give them an opportunity, and they'll take advantage of you! Especially as a foreigner! 😡
@jerrymarshall2728 I agree, nothing wrong with passing along facts. If it helps someone from being taken advantage of, then it's probably worth it.
I have never dug that deep to see why there are minefield issues but I must say it is interesting to understand the root causes. Oh well, I'll tread carefully thank you!
@kimojames808 thanks for watching
Thank you for the good I formation. Next time mention you can't run to the corner store to get what you need. Often long drives.
Thanks for the comment.
Sari store everywhere.
Thanks for the information Wilma and Greg.
@@Scubadubado you're welcome
So much great information.. I watched it twice so far. 👍🇺🇸🇵🇭
@@jeffreyallan5821 thank you
I have been in Costa Rica 11 years. I hope as here so similar to Philippines in so many ways, it may help me adjust when I move there.🤞🤞🤞As I listen to many Philippines youtube channels, I am often amused at how similar Central America can be with the Philippines. 😊😊😊 English teachers here have very bad English, even text books in English are horrible. 😮😮😮😮
For things to move forward, education must improve.
How it is in the USA !!! ???
In what way?
I did my wall on a slope and since it was over a road it had to be done right. My engineer did a great Job but I saw how he made 20 percent off the job. Basically he bid it on 8hr days and responsible timeliness but the guys worked 12hrs and he paid them a bonus if done ahead of schedule. By the end instead of 3 months it took like 1.5 or so. But ya was like 5 tons of rebar and deep footings plus 15 foot high on one side so not exactly an easy build. I figure that's the cost atleast it's done well when most do crap jobs
Sounds like they did a great job. Glad to hear.
Just rent we all have owned homes or investment properties im retired married , here is not there i dont want to ever do that again . Mostly because of all the problrms here renting now 7 years i lik3 your show honesty is the best policy
Appreciate the comment, thank you.
Where in Leyte? My wife is from Tanauan and we live in Tolosa.
@@johncalder-gx4bf Palompon
@@buildingthephilippines Ok. Not far away. Almost neighbors.
One thing I see is English teachers maybe teach how to read or write more than speak. My girl friend is going to school to be an English teacher and mentioned her teacher lets them all speak Bisyan in class. My selling point to her about me, was I am able to really help her speak English since I am a Kano.
Good clarification. My 2 cents as they should speak it if they will be dealing in business.
That's what I been explaining to my wife , when we move there to maccabebe near to Apalit Pampanga ,where there's no foreigners, who, am I going to have a conversation with , I mean I can't just talk to my wife everyday for rest my life , and or be asking her what everyone is saying, so we are looking at moving to somewhere, we're there is English speaking ppl , our niece video chats me every Saturday night , her English is great she 17 and no one new she could even speak English, I can tell you we chat for usually 2 hrs, and time flys, but she has 4 years of collage to attend . We have ask her if she like to live with us ,as I thought how good to have someone to go to the coffee shop with . Anyway I hear you , u need to a
Be able to chat to ppl / someone
@laynefischer2021 yes, I found out that it's pretty important to have a crew of people you can meet up with to talk. Thanks for commenting.
Absolutely correct on all issues. The government red tape/paper work is insane in the Philippines, but I have noticed it's like that in almost all SEA countries. The corruption is just the normal way of life here in the Philippines. I live with my GF's 2 sisters and 1 brother because I want them to have a better way of life while going to school. The education system here is well horrible to put it lightly. I can ask them simple questions and they look at me like I've asked them the hardest questions possible. Ask anyone here what are the 7 continents of the world and I bet none of them could answer you. You can even ask them questions about the Philippines and they won't even be able to answer you. Simple math problems can stump college grads here. I asked my GF what do they teach you here in school and her answer was nothing. I'm really starting to believe that.
Thanks for the comment.
I lived in the US (Austin) for a while. An acquaintance asked his daughter (16) to name the continents - no idea. He asked in what continent Sweden (where I'm from) could be found...answer: "Italy?".
In Sweden currently, a large portion of grade nine students can't read. Granted, they're not Swedes, but still insane.
@@ABetterLifePH it's a real shame.
@@ABetterLifePH Yea I think Education as whole has gone down hill. Too much tiktok lol.
@PhilippinesLife101 Yes. The woke/"everyone is the same and gets a trophy" bs ruined the Swedish system. Straight F students passing grades with 10% attendance. Even at university the demands are ridiculously low. It rots society from the inside. There has to be a benefit to do better, or people won't try.
You bought a Doberman,... what do you expect?.😅😅😅😅
@@duanebock840 he's a great boy.
Top reasons I'd never retire in the Philippines: brownouts, poverty, litter (trash) everywhere, Malaria mosquitoes & large bugs, stray dogs (with rabies) persistent rooster crowing, loud scooters, traffic jams, no driving rules or traffic lights, poor restaurant service, don't have change, "out of stock", difficulty parking, fake cheese, fake honey, sweltering humidity, typhoons, beggars, corrupt & complicated visa process, no speedy ambulance service, bribing cops, extortion to get out of jail, disadvantage in legal disputes, conman expats, Filipina scammers, poor water quality, lazy landlords who keep your deposit, cant own land, skin tax, lack of gratitude if you are generous cuz Caucasians are viewed as wealthy, hard to find a good steak, unhealthy (deep fried) food, banking issues, slow post office, bad sidewalks, no street lights, long rainy season, nosy prying neighbors, 2:00 AM full-blast karaoke, bad air quality pollution & black soot dust from burning trash, outdoor cooking & smog, suspicious jealousy, tampo, chismus & Pinay constantly staring at their phones, bad healthcare, no building code regulations, neverending construction, no regular trash pickup & people stealing your trash can, difficult to have a deep communication cuz English is their 2nd language, can't understand the Tagalog spoken at gatherings & finally, you need an approved govt clearance with a background check to even leave the country!
Tell me how you really feel. Wow, that was a deep dive. Appreciate the comment.
@@buildingthephilippines Thanks for taking the time to reply to me & for not getting defensive.
@@buildingthephilippines can you believe I came up with 54 reasons?! Haha! Even if 30 of my reasons aren't valid, or could be said of other third world countries? There's still 25 good reasons. Maybe now that you read all those, Will you be reminded that it's a bummer to be there?
@walkerskii I actually read the list to Wilma. All true, but we are still enjoying ourselves. We really keep away from most of it.
No sweat
Be careful man they will come from your visa. Be smart sir.
@bryanprehoda thanks for your concern, appreciate it
It’s interesting that you mentioned the girl and your conversations with her. I watch this dating game on RUclips regularly where the prospect ask questions of potential future dates. This one guy asked a 22 yo. participant to solve 7 x 3, she had no idea. Some other girls responded with 21. He then ask the 22 yo. again to solve 3 x 7, she was stumped. Did you know most people in the US can’t name the current VP, the capital City of the US, tell you what’s 1 percent of 100 or even name 3 of the 7 continents. As an Army recruiter I had HS drop-out maxing the military entrance pre-test, and teacher assistants scoring in the 40 percentile. But I do get what you’re saying and it’s true, the quality of education here is very lacking. But that’s just ONE of the many mines in your thumbnail… jussayin’
@Philibusting maybe that's why so many guys find young girls that can't calculate what 3x7 is. Hmmmm, maybe we are on to something?
Suscribed comment in a bit
Thank you for subscribing, appreciate it.
The bad english is mostly lack of proper vowel pronounciation. Similar to spanish E for Is and many other vowel issues. On paper they can be accurate.
Orally it can be another language.
Thanks for the explanation and watching our videos.
What do you do? Rent! Your residence, your rides. Learn all the taxi scams. I ride the busses! Take a trusted Filipino shopping with you for stuff, or buy where they scan a bar codes. although those stores are higher priced than wet markets, or street vendors.. Be willing to learn some lessons the hard way, but risk very little money.
@livinb450 good advice, except the renting part. Many opt that way, for me it's throwing money away. Again, my opinion.
Sounds like a lot of fun. 🤔🤔🤔
Living in the Philippines is not easy ok it will drive you crazy at best of times its not all fun and what you said is true 😮lots of people don't understand that they don't live here you have to find out the hard way 😊good luck you are going to need it 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
@@patrickobrien5367 thanks for the comment and the luck. I will take it.
Funny thing is you prove you have no skills when you walk away while Wilma takes care of business making the deals.
Yup, that's correct.
I think he's learned a valuable skill in doing so. They don't see her as a walking atm, as they see him. When I'm there with my wife, I always stay back and let her negotiate prices
It normal for the Filipina to negotiate at the market - my wife tell me to leave before she buys at the market. We been married 30 years and it's much better today than 20 or 30 years ago on the skin tax
Greg has plenty of skills - you are rude and ignorant
Most likey never been to Philippines especially the Provinces
@@jonpritz9838 Lighten up Pritzy. Greg knew it was in jest. So did Gordon by the humor in his comment “walking atm” and that he knows when to give space without being told. A real man has a sense of humor and take a joke. Also knows when to let his wife take the stage like at making the deals without his wife telling him as yours tells you.
I’ve been married to a Filipina for 22 years. Dated her for 3 years before that and it wasn’t a mail order bride or me acting as pervert hunting young girls there like many do. As Greg and Wilma were talking about, my wife is well educated as is her whole family of 10. Her dad was a dentist, mother a nurse, he was mayor of their town as was her grandfather. All her siblings work in the financial or medical sector.
I’m smart too, know all about when to step aside and let her do her thing without her telling me to do so.
I’ll get rude right now, pull your panties out of the bunch you have them in in your crack.
Don’t think because Greg liked your comment he agrees with everything you said. I don’t think that way of mine. I know he’s a cordial person by his conduct and how he carries himself in his videos without ever actually meeting the man.
I can tell by your fly off the cuff comment that you have no sense of personality and humor and don’t know your place, as Greg has said before, you don’t stay in your lane and that your wife tells you to stay away at times rather than you recognizing it in your own.
@@buildingthephilippines Hahahaha, great reply!
Ive always liked this channel, and it had a lot of useful build information, but lately it seems to be turning into a philippines bashing session. Please try to remeber that this is not your county and if you are looking for the US in a cheaper place you wont find it there. Try to adapt to the culture and the ways there instead of focusing on things to complain about.
As for education. Most Philipinos speak Tagalog, there Dialect and English and many times other languages and dialects. Even if its somewhat broken im willing to bet its quite a bit more than you can speak. Im willing to bet Wilma can speak more as well. Just because they have a hard time understanding the way you say things or the speed you are saying it in doesnt make the uneducated or stupid. You may be more experienced and traved but dont compair that to educated. I cant stand people that cant even speak the language of the county they are living in complaining about the level of English they speak. Sigh.
Also try to remember, getting political in the Philippines can get you removed from the Philippines. You may want to be careful talking about the government in youtube videos.
Appreciate your opinion, most have one. However, far too many expats are getting scammed. Is that OK with you? Would you be OK with losing 20k, 30k, 40k usd to a deceitful person? Should I not share this information to help someone from this happening to them. Sometimes, the truth hurts. By the way, I did not talk down about the government. Simply mentioned, there are no safety nets here, as compared to all the handouts in the west.
Yes. Same in China , Russia and the like. (maybe soon to be in U.S. as well)
@@buildingthephilippines yes people get upcharged (skin tax) in the Philippines, it happens. You do realize you live in a 3rd world county right? You want to leave the US but expect other countries to run like the US? Why do Americans do nothing but complain about anything that's not the same as them? I'm American myself and honestly makes me ashamed to see how most of us act.
Are some people scammed for 20,30,40k usd as u say. Im sure a few are. Are people scammed in the US as well.... yup. And to make things clear. I didn't comment on your previous videos talking about how Philipinos try to scam foreigners. But at this point don't you think your beating a dead horse? Or do you just like constantly complaining about how much the county you live in isn't like the US?
It's fine ive unsubscribed. The move from a building channel to how horrible things are in the Philippines is enough for me to listen to anymore. 1 or 2 videos on the subject are informative, this it's just bashing.
@@kraqur1 ok bye bye 👋
While i appreciate the information you are providing, almost NONE of the points you are mentioning are connected with retirement.
You obviously are constructing homes, possibly for reselling or as a contractor for other foreigners. That is not "retirement", you and your wife are businessmen.
How is education a problem for retirees? If i want to buy something at the market i can just point at what i want and point to the scale. No english needed. I am also quickly picking up the local language Ilonggo here.
If foreigners get scammed out of 1 mil Peso and more they probably intended to start a business, again not related to retirement.
How is corruption a problem when i get a monthly pension every month as a retiree?
Maybe put more effort in choosing the titles for your videos in future, my 2 cents
@cryptogaming9935 I think you win the prize for the most incorrect statements/observations in one comment. Obviously, you don't watch our channel. Stop at one.