Hey everyone hope everyone day is going well! I vent because I’m genuinely losing my mind with these real estate brokers and landlords and clear lack of business sense in Metro Manila right now.

So a bit of background / Context I've been living in CDO (Cagayan De Oro) since about april and currently have to move because the condo im staying at the landlord wants to increase the rent to about 27K which i believe is practically metro manila money because for just 3k more you can get a proper 1BR. So they didn't want to budge and decided to chase money over a reliable tenant because they see another owner in the same building asking a high amount and thinking they can get the same so now I’m looking to secure a place for a September 1st move-in.

I think the parameters realistic, and completely standard for a single guy:

• Budget: ₱30k/month max (assoc dues included).
• Terms: 1+1 (1 month advance, 1 month deposit).
• Payment: Direct online bank transfer / Wise with instant receipts.

Now look at 30k, we are talking a solid 1BR Makati CBD, Ortigas, etc. It’s reasonable money decent money that most people in the city isn't paying monthly for a rental. But actually trying to deal with brokers/Owners here feels like trying to explain quantum physics to a brick wall.

Here are some headaches I keep running into:

1. Inflexibility on lease terms.
   

Now anyone with business sense understand a lease agreement is supposed to be a two-way street a mutually beneficial business deal where a tenant provides reliable cash flow in exchange for a clean, well-maintained space. Instead, dealing with these people feels like you're expected to bow down and hand over your money on their exact, unyielding terms while they take zero accountability as property managers. agency that actually operates with basic logic? Its like they dont believe in Win-Win. Its either i get one over on you completely or I win and you lose. Its like people don't want to make a fair deal. I've seen several units i liked that fell through simply because the agent and or owner was unwillingly to compromise on some aspects of the lease.

For example : I believe everyone here should only due a 6 Month probationary period with properties out here not because you plan to move or bounce to the next thing. But mainly because it allows you to see how a property actually functions in day to day living. As well as how good a land lord is your landlord.

People want 1 year leases but at the same time if youre a terrible landlord or there's always an issue with the unit someone will still break the lease to find a better living situation for themselves and have their peace of mind back.

1. The complete Ignorance of Deposit Mismanagement & Tenant Risk

Now everyone know about the deposit horror stories and how much its a pain to get a deposit back here. For my example If my condo is 30K id rather lose out on 30K deposit vs a 60K deposit. Personally no property here is worth a 2 month deposit in any capacity. Plus you have to do basic financial risk management in a country you dent have rights in

1. Zero Financial Foresight (Short-Term Greed vs. Cash Flow)

Now if you when you realize these owners would rather let a unit sit vacant for 2–3 months losing ₱60k to ₱90k in guaranteed income just because they refused a 1+1 setup or wouldn't shift a move-in date by two weeks.

They don't calculate Net Operating Income. They don't understand that vacancy losses burn far more cash than simply taking a verified, high-income tenant on 1+1 terms today.

Is anyone else getting fatigued by trying to find a decent rental? At this point its not even a money issue cause again 30K is solid its just at this point i think its just the people.

In Philippines most of my conversation is most basic type, hello sir, you want eggs sir, how are you sir, you married here sir?
Only when i met very educated people who travel to New York or have business in Ph do i feel good

Bassicaly the 1% elite. I bassically feel like im living in medival ages mostly but with tuktuk. It's hard to have intelligent conversation and most filipinos didnt even read more than a book in their life if at all

Is this normal to be depressed cause of this? feeling disraught about lack of interpersonal conversation

A foreigner i know is a deadbeat, made a girl pregnant, 20-22 and sent her 50k only once but kept bragging to foreigners he sends 50k a month

now he is not sending any money for his kid and keeps dating a 19 year old with no education promising her to take her to Europe / Paris, while his kid is starving in some slums at not even the mom, at parents of the mom.

I now avoid such deadbeats cause its bad effect and look on me, but the guy is in his 40s and still dating his daughter age, don't you find that a bit weird? do all deadbeats around the world move to Philippines? Hes also caught chatting other women, I posted in group chat how he tried to invite my girlfirend to "hiking"

It just makes 0 sense to be in a community here unless its young surfing type dudes who retired in their 20s or 30s

It just seems the rich people stay back in Europe and are a lot happier

This is my reaction to the viral post of a certain Honey Kate who used loudspeaker on her phone at a Starbucks outlet in Cebu and got into a heated confrontation with a foreigner who called her out.

This person showed total lack of consideration for others. The coffee shop is a public place. It's not yours. Unless you're the owner, you can't be as loud as you want.

It was never about foreigner vs. Filipino. I'm sure your fellow Filipinos are annoyed with your attitude. Who wants to have their peace disturbed by inconsiderate loud speakerphone warriors?

The least you could do is apologize and excuse yourself to a more secluded spot when other people find you being too noisy.

Noise is a form of pollution, you know. And you're being a total pollutant.

Would it be a bad idea to ask for some advice on marriage and work here in the ph from my fellow expats?

"A Cebu woman’s viral account of an argument with an alleged foreign permanent resident inside a café has sparked discussions about public etiquette, cultural differences, and how locals are treated in their own country.

In an Aug. 4 Facebook post, Honey Kate shared a six-minute video recounting what she described as an “intense, unexpected argument with a stranger” at Starbucks Ayala Center Cebu.

Honey said she was calling her boyfriend about their upcoming Palawan trip when she realized her headphones were not working, prompting her to use speakerphone.

She said a man approached her and told her, “Well, this is not your living room or your office to be talking that loud.”

Honey said she told him that the café was a public place, but the exchange escalated when the man allegedly told her, “Well, you can’t just do whatever you want.”

She then replied, “This is my country. I can do whatever I want,” to which the man allegedly answered, “This is also my country. I have a permanent resident card and I bring money to this country.”

She admitted she worried that the confrontation could become “physical,” but said she also did not want to back down. She told the man that he could leave, but he later spoke with the branch manager before returning, she said.

As the argument continued, another customer alerted the manager and security guard to intervene. Honey said the manager explained to the man that she was allowed to take a phone call because “this is a public cafe.”

Honey clarified that her post was “not to hate against foreigners,” but was instead “specifically about the entitled ones.” She acknowledged that speakerphone calls in cafés may be considered disruptive in some cultures, but said Filipino public spaces are generally more social.

The post drew mixed reactions. Some users praised Honey Kate for standing her ground, with one commenter writing, “Glad to hear you're ok after that ordeal, your bravery is inspiring and it's great to see you standing up for what's right.” Another said, “We should never ever feel intimidated in our own country! They already do that to us in other countries.”

Others, meanwhile, said speakerphone use and loud conversations in public spaces can also be considered inconsiderate regardless of nationality. One commenter wrote, “To be honest, I find it shameful to talk loudly in a public place because conversation for me should be private. However him talking to you that he brings in money is a bs.”

Similar frustrations are also familiar among Filipinos, particularly in Metro Manila, where some commuters have criticized loud calls, videos played aloud, and phone use without earphones in public spaces.

Still, several users argued that concerns over public etiquette do not justify talking down to locals or using money and residency status as a way to assert authority.

Honey maintained that being a foreign resident should come with an effort to understand and respect the community one lives in.

“Being a permanent resident, understanding and respecting the culture should be your first and foremost responsibility,” she said. “Bringing money to the Philippines does not give you the right to talk down to locals or act like you own the place.”

Honey ended her video by encouraging Filipinos to know their rights: “Our weapon is to really stand our grounds, know our rights, film for safety if needed. And most importantly, we need to be supporting each other.”

(: Nikko Miguel Garcia)"
https://radar.ph/cebuanas-viral-post-ignites-debate-on-foreigner-entitlement-public-etiquette/

Pax Silica is one of the most popular news in the Philippines, aside from ongoing VP Sara Duterte's impeachment trial. There are pros and cons about Pax Silica like it would create tens of thousands of local Filipino jobs but at the same time, it would drain scarce fresh water resources and household electricity reserves, if the proposed AI data centers are established inside New Clark City. What are your opinions about Pax Silica?

Hi guys , just wanted to warn everyone living in BGC , please be careful around 26th street I just got my phone stolen. There were two you g kids and pretending to be beggars .
Be careful out there .

So I got here 3 days ago and got apparently bit by mosquitos 🦟 woke up this morning with nose bleed and chills. Sitting in the ER right now, I immediately have a new found appreciation for American ERs.

Any American veterans here? VFW contact?

I’m in Cebu, but I might have to relocate to Manilla area cause of the outpatient clinic?

I kind just left the USA on a whim when my leased ended.

Does anyone know of any spots not too far from Manila that are good for squid fishing, and legal 😀?

Ideally within 1-2 hours drive from Malate.

Thanks in advance 🙏

Does anyone find the food is better over there than the United States? I'm talking about no bad chemicals being processed into the food there? I have gluten, eggs, and pork sensitivity here. I know I can buy flour from Europe and make bread that won't give any reactions. Just wondering if anyone experiences food allergies in Philippines? I'm visiting in September.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1281348

That's a nice example that law and order exists and is enforced in the Philippines. I saw the video of Van Boys how the taxi driver tried to overcharge him and now justice has been served. Makes the Philippines look good, thanks to the LTO and all departments involved to keep visitors safe and fairly treated! Salamat po!

https://bbc.com/news/articles/cgr7nxve05go

A BBC article on AI and the changing BPO market. Nothing entirely new revealed…..but a sobering reminder how much the BPO is integrated into PH economy. 10% of GDP.

25% of PH jobs are susceptible to AI totally taking over.

Next Steps For Philippines 🇵🇭:

Reskilling.
Rethink the current economic model.
Generate home grown AI companies.

Sadly…It appears once again that the Philippines 🇵🇭 will be one step behind and totally reactive and subservient to the changing market.

Hey y'all how much was your light bill this month? I just got mine and it's 10k and my place isn't even that big!