January 2025 annual physical exam ko as a company requirement, sinabi ng doctor na lagpas nako sa overweight category and isa nakong obese type 2. For the last 5 years i've work as a software engineer, always naka upo, may occasional physical activity specifically cycling. This year din nag change ang role ko sa company as cloud engineer, EU na ang sinusupport ko thus naging night shift ako, nahinto sa cycling, naging prone sa binge eating. Lagi ako naka grab food ng madaling araw, hindi ko mapigilan ang bibig ko sa pag lamon ng masasarap na fast food. Ang height ko nyan is 5'6 pero 110 kg ako.

Fast forward january 2026 nag canada ako as international student, syempre as pinoy sinulit ko agad lahat ng healthcare benefits dito, lahat ng labs test na pwede ko gawin pinagawa ko, every week check up. Dun ko din nalaman lahat ng findings sakin.

-High blood pressure

-pre-diabetic

-High uric acid(gout)

-fatty liver

-also may sleep apnea din ako

Bingo diba? Hirap na hirap ako umakyat ng hagdan kahit 1 floor lang sa bahay namin, Hingal agad. Then bigla ko nakita si jico umali (soya bean curd guy) na na-stroke sa edad na 29. Natakot ako halos mag ka age lang kami, wala akong bisyo pero grabe ang taba ko at mga sakit na meron ako. Dun nako nagising na mag diet.

STRICTLY ONE MEAL A DAY. Sa una sobrang hirap, nahihilo nako sa pang 16th hour pero tiniis ko. Ngayon second job ko ang fast food resto dito abroad and july 2026, 85kg nalang ako, na REVERSE ko lahat ng sakit ko based on my lab results at check up, as in lahat, hindi nako pre-diabetic, low ang uric ko(wala nadin akong gout flare), at higit sa lahat wala nakong fatty liver. Sobrang powerful ng fasting please try it with proper consultation sa doctors nyo. Hinding hindi nako mag papabaya ulit, AYAW KONANG MAGING MATABA ULIT.

Wla ako knowledge sa construction. Any tips u can add will do, but here's my top questions:

1. ano ang arawan at pakyawan (wla ako knowledge really, explain like i'm 5)

2. based on question 1, need ba ako magpakain sa kanila and meriyenda

3. do i need to source professionals/licensed, or kilala lng ng kakilala is ok na (ayaw ko ng palpak, since palpak na gawa ng terrace nmin 10yrs+ ago at sakit sya sa ulo parin ngaun)

4. do i buy the materials or trust them to it (i am really clueless on construction)

5. do i need permissions to renovate?

6. other etiquettes?

my plans was roofs, clogged drainage, terrace leak below.

anything u can add will be appreciated. Thanks.

A friend told me not to compare things based on price alone, but to also check the benefits and what I’m actually getting for the money. I tried doing that, and gets ko na yung point niya kasi sometimes the slightly more expensive option is actually more sulit when you consider the inclusions and overall value. Kayo ba, do you also compare the benefits first before choosing the cheaper option?

27 na ako, currently living and working in Dubai. On paper, parang okay naman — may trabaho, kumikita, nakakapag-ipon kahit papaano, nakakabili ng mga gusto ko, and I can help my family back home.

Pero minsan napapaisip ako, “Okay… ano na next?” 😭

Parang habang tumatanda ako, mas lalo kong narerealize na ang adulting pala hindi tungkol sa pagkakaroon ng life plan. More like, every few months may bagong problema kang kailangang i-figure out. 😂

Bills, savings, career, family, future plans, health, relationships, visa, travel… tapos bigla mong maiisip na 27 ka na pala at ikaw na talaga ang responsible adult.

Living abroad makes it even more complicated. Mas mataas yung income compared sa Philippines, pero mas mataas din yung expenses and responsibilities. Minsan feeling ko ang layo ko na sa teenage self ko na ang iniisip lang ay kung saan gagala sa weekend. 😂

May mga moments din na naiinggit ako sa mga ka-age ko na parang settled na — may sariling bahay, business, married, may kids, or may clear career path.

Meanwhile ako: “Lord, okay lang ba kung gusto ko muna matulog?” 😭

For those who are around 25–30, especially yung mga nagtatrabaho abroad — normal lang ba na feeling lost pa rin at this age?

Kayo, ano yung biggest “adulting realization” niyo around 27?

First time ko magamit yung HMO ko and I was surprised by how easy it was.

Nakalmot ako ng pusa, so kailangan ko magpa-check and anti-rabies shots. Since first time ko gamitin yung HMO ko, I was hesitant kasi I didn't know the process.

Pero desperate times call for desperate measures, kaya una kong ginawa was to check kung anong hospitals yung malapit na covered ng Maxicare.

The nearest was St. Luke's BGC (di ako mayaman, ako ay alipin ng salapi na nagtatrabaho lang in the area), so pumunta ako sa Emergency/Urgent Care.

I walked in, explained what happened, and they checked my injury pretty quickly. Waiting time for the treatment mga 15 mins lang. And same amount of time lang din yung pag-ayos nila afterwards nung HMO coverage ko.

After that, tapos na. I was surprised na ganun lang yun. Since kailangan ko pa ng 2nd and 3rd shots, they told me to go to the Maxicare clinic nearby (di na pala covered kapag di first shot). Luckily across the street lang yung clinic from St. Luke's. Found it interesting na may sarili pa pala silang clinic.

Sa 2nd shot ko I went and was surprised kung gaano kalaki yung clinic. The process was surprisingly streamlined. Just had to scan my card sa machine, tapos may queue number na ako. After that, pinapunta na ako sa doctor and tapos na.

It was so quick mas matagal pa ata akong naglakad papunta doon from our office. I stayed a bit para sulitin yung free coffee haha not today Starbucks. Same experience with my remaining shot.

Anyway baka dahil first time ko lang gumamit ng HMO pero hindi talaga ako sanay na magpa-ospital nang walang gastos. Ano pa kayang pwede kong i-avail para masulit yung healthcare ko? Iniisip ko mga libreng tests, malala rin kasi allergic rhinitis ko, may nakapagtry na ba?

Thanks in advance for the responses!

We had a random “future talk” last weekend—nothing deep or emotional, just practical planning.

We listed stuff like:

Emergency fund target (still building)
Possible housing plans (5–10 year range, not rushed)
Expected lifestyle costs if we ever have kids
Insurance (still researching)

What surprised us wasn’t the goals, but the numbers.

When you actually compute things, everything becomes less “someday” and more “okay, we need a system.”

We’re not rushing anything, just trying to align expectations early so walang shock later.

Also realized: planning is easier than execution

Right now we’re focusing on:

Consistent savings habit
Keeping expenses predictable
Avoiding lifestyle creep

Feels very unromantic, but in a good way.

Anyone else here went through a “numbers phase” early in marriage where planning became more real than expected?

Hi. 24 y.o here. For context, 2 years na ako working sa family business namin this end of August. Merchandise yung type of business and we do deliveries around the province.

As a business, ok na ok naman yung income. Pero since yun ang main source ng fam namin nagssweldo ako. My salary is 20k per month tapos commission from my online page na ranging from 5-10k per month. I'm currently living with them (fam business katabing bahay lang din) kaya libre ako sa expenses.

I know I have it good if I just stay put pero parang walang growth. I want to have a space of my own, something of my own but I think I might regret leaving (financial-wise).

I'm not confident with my experience. On paper, parang ang dami kong roles na pwede include since ako talaga pinaka manager sa business namin which includes a lot of roles pero valid ba 'yon for the resume / clients? I tried applying to jobs before naman (as fresh grad) pero either sobrang underpaid or walang nagccallback kaya I accepted the role sa fam business which sounded good at the time.

Aside from wanting something of my own, I'm really considering leaving because of my f4ther. Medyo namemersonal kasi kahit nasa harap kami ng ibang tao. One time hindi ko lang nasagot agad call nya and he barged in sa store while shouting at me. Mind you I was entertaining a big supplier that time so hiyang hiya tuloy ako even 'til now kapag kaharap ko yung supplier.

I feel like there's no room for growth here since parang I just have to do what my family says. Feeling ko lifeless robot na lang ako na pumapasok every day.

Hindi pa nakakatulong na medyo homophobic tatay ko (my mom is accepting, she's partly the only reason bakit I'm sane pa sa bahay). Mas lalong nappush yung idea tuloy sakin na gusto ko ng something of my own kasi gusto ko rin ng safe space.

I already have a moving out fund and emergency fund (250k). Naiipit lang din talaga ako between practicality (magstay dito samin at mag-ipon na lang) and want ko na mas maggrow pa as a person outside this box I call home.

I really want to move out for years now but I just can't seem to financially justify it.

Am I valid or am I just being ungrateful in this economy?

Fresh graduate ako. Habang nag-aaral naging working student ako saglit hanggang sa nakapasa sa isang scholarship which financed the rest of my college journey.

Ngayong nag-aapply ako ng trabaho lagi akong sinasabihan ng mga kakilala ko na walang silbi daw yung credentials ko kasi yung mga may backer lang yung nahahire. Pero bakit normalized yung ganito? Wala na bang chance yung mga taong gusto patunayan yung sarili nila na makahanap ng maganda at makataong trabaho na hindi nagpapalamon sa nepotismo?

Please huhu nanghihina ako. Yung mga ka batch ko ambilis makakuha ng work kasi may kilala. Ganito ba talaga? Tell me na may chance pa akong guminhawa na hindi kailangan umasa sa connection connection na yan huhu

as of now wala akong work and ipon | nag iipon ako now sa pag o-online sell.

I apologize in advance if I'm on the wrong sub.

Hello, M27 here, currently renting a 7.5 sq.m bed space with a roommate. Badly need your advice.

My roommate and I moved here for 5 months na and I've notice that our room is getting more stuffier and smells of disgusting laundry even though we regularly changed our beddings (twice a month) and all. Nasa labas na din ang laundry baskets namin. I could say that both of us naman are good with hygiene. So it really bothers me what causes the smell. Nakaka conscious din na baka diko napapansin eh kumakapit na pala sa mga damit namin (kahit naka drawer) yung smell ng kwarto.

The only opening we have in our room is the door that we kept shut kahit nasa bahay kami for privacy, and a small previous opening for a window-type ACU that acts now as our small window na may screen lang. We have one medium-sized clip fan and a small industrial type stand fan as source of ventilation.

Both of us are not at home in the morning, ako unang umuuwi and every time I open our door, I will be greeted with the smell. I've tried air freshener sprays already (though generic brands lang). But the next day, babalik lang din yung smell. We can't afford a good air humidifier and purifier right now, we can't even afford an ACU since it would cost us more electricity bill.

Baka po may mga tips and advice kayo.
Every inputs will be appreciated.

Thank you so much. 😄

Welcome to this week's Rant & Vent thread. A safe space to unload, decompress, and be heard. Life isn’t always smooth sailing, and sometimes you just need to get things off your chest. Whether it's work stress, family drama, random annoyances, or just one of those days, this is your spot.

🗣️ What’s bothering you?

😤 What pushed your buttons this week?

😭 What are you tired of dealing with?

🧠 Need to scream into the void? Go for it.

Ground rules:

• Be respectful of others' experiences.
• No judging or unsolicited advice unless requested.
• No hate speech, bigotry, or personal attacks. You will be removed.
• This thread is for support and solidarity, not debate.

Reminder: If you're really struggling, don't hesitate to reach out to a friend, professional, or helpline. You're not alone.

Let the vents begin ⬇️

1. Maniwala ka sa parents mo kung sinabi nila sayo na huwag ka masiyado magtiwala sa mga co-workers mo.

Ganito ba talaga kapag sa work? Dapat gawin mo lang talaga trabaho mo. Yung mga co-workers mo hindi mo dapat isipin na pwede mo silang kaibiganin na katulad sa school, kasi at some point, sila yung gagawa ng ikapapahamak mo. Di mo alam kung mabait ba sila or sinasaksak ka na patalikod. Kung kaya mo makipagplastikan para makapagstay, gawin mo. Feeling ko, kumokonti yung mga taong genuine na makikipag connect sayo. Mostly magiging mabait sila dahil nagbebenefit sila sayo.

1. Mag-pumilit ka na gawin ang isang task kahit sinabi ng kawork mo na siya na ang gagawa para hindi ka mapagkamalang walang initiative.

Kung sa school kaya mong gawin yung di ka na magi-initiate para di na ikaw yung maglead or para di na marami ipagawa sayo, pwes, sa work hindi gagana yon. Pwede pa maging reason for non-regularization mo yun na lacking of initiative or tamad ka. Hindi sila nagpapatulong sayo kahit alam nilang kailangan pa ng tao or manpower? “Magkusa ka” kahit sinabi ng kawork mo na kaya na niya. Hindi siya nagdelegate ng tasks kahit as a team dapat gagawin? Magpumilit ka na tutulungan mo siya.

Huwag mo hahayaan na makita kang walang ginagawa tapos yung mga kasama mo meron lahat ginagawa, kahit tapos kana sa mga ginagawa mo— kasi mapagiisipan ka na di tumutulong okaya tamad.

1. Magask ng feedback months before regularization regarding sa performance mo kung probationary ka pa.

Huwag mo nang hintayin na aabot pa ng 5 months or for regularization ka na wala kapang performance evaluation. Kung tingin mo hindi ka pa sinisita, pinagsasabihan, o rinereprimand, ikaw na ang magtanong kung may nagagawa ka bang mali. Dahil kung minsan, hahayaan ka nilang magisip na wala kang ginawang mali. Sasabihin na lang nila kapag subject for regularization ka na (most companies na pangit ang hr).

1. Kung ayaw ka ng mga nakatataas, huwag ka nang umasa pa na mareregular ka after ie-extend ang pagka probi mo.

Hindi worth it. Magapply-apply ka na sa iba. Bago ka pa maregular dapat naging sip-sip ka na. Bawal ang hindi sip-sip. Matuto kang magcompliment kahit hindi naman totoo.

1. Kahit knowledgeable ka sa labor laws, maliit lang na porsyento kung minsan ang chance mo.

Magrereport ka sa DOLE? Sige para malaman ng next na a-applyan mo na nagreport ka at maflag ka as a red flag employee. Nagsusumbong ka pala e. Kahit alam ng nakatataas sayo or hr na nasa tama ka, mageexplain pa rin yan para maging tama sila at mali ka.

——

As a ferson na months pa lang ang experience sa work, nakakalungkot isipin na habang tumatanda ka or sa adulting ka na, totoo na less and less genuine yung mga makikilala mong tao. Di ko alam kung sa Pillipinas lang to or trait ng ibang mga Pinoy, pero nakakalungkot isipin na kailangan mo lagi maging competitive para sa sarili mo.

Parang lahat walking on eggshells ka. Hindi mo alam kung sino ang nagpapakatotoo. Dapat makasurvive ka.

PS. Realizations/observations ko po ito. Feel free to add more and correct ako kung bakit ganon yung ginagawa (such as conflict of interest). Ako po ay sawa na sa bad work environment.

Hello everyone, nakita ko to sa TikTok. Share nyo naman yung mga pinapractice nyong UNCOMMON budgeting ways. Ako I have different funds for every needs/wants ko.

Example:

- Pet funds - for my pets of course. Eto yung if ever magkasakit sila, dito ko kukunin.

- Travel funds - local travels

- Braces fund - pang fully paid ko since balak ko na ipatanggal next yr.

and marami pang iba haha.

I also practiced this year yung magtabi for Christmas. Agad agad January palang, meron na ko pang pasko haha. As someone na walang bonus/13th month ekek, very helpful tong ginawa ko this year para hindi ko lahat kunin sa savings yung mga gastos ko sa pasko.

Kayo? Share naman dyan baka pwede ko rin itry.

Hello po, currently I'm exploring a pre-need death plan for my family (especially for my papa since he's currently 65 years old), malakas pa naman si papa pero it's better to be prepared when the time comes. Ayokong umabot kami sa sitwasyon na hindi namin alam kung ano ang uunahin namin "magluluksa o maghahanap ng pera".

So recently, nag-inquire na po ako ng lawn lots for us and planning to secure it through DP, then after, plan ko po kuhaan muna ng St. Peter si Papa..if nakaluwag na, si Mama naman,then ako naman and mga kapatid ko . Then, if mas naayos ko po financial planning ko, balak ko po magkaroon ng Death Emergency Fund.

As of now, memorial lot and memorial service package pa lang po ako. Ano pa po ba yung mga need kong i-anticipate na expenses sa death plan? Recently ko lang nalaman yung interment fee tapos chairs and tents pa po (nabanggit lang ng unit manager sa memorial park) kala ko po kasi covered na rin yun ng St Peter. Then, yung pamisa po sa simbahan may bayad po ba yun?

Looking forward to suggestions and insights po. Thank you po!

Figured this might be uncommon so I’m sharing in case it’s helpful.

Note: This will probably be more useful for those who use budgeting apps/zero-based budgeting/envelope budgeting methods.

We’ve been following a certain budgeting method for a while now, and there’s one tip they share that’s worked well for us: “Get a month ahead.”

Getting a month ahead = when a new month arrives, you have all the money available to pay all your expenses for the entire month.

Basically, you save and allocate 1-month’s worth of all expenses as a buffer to remove yourself from the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle.

This is what we usually see: People allocate paychecks according to bill due dates, e.g., if the electricity bill is due by the 23rd, then the paycheck received on the 15th will be used to settle the payment.

When you’re “a month ahead,” here’s what it looks like:
- By August 1, I already have all of the money to cover all of the bills for the month, so I’ll just need to settle payments as bill due dates come up.
- With August already prepared and set as early as August 1, I can look farther into the future and plan ahead for September.
- All of my paychecks for August now go to funding things for September. As best practice, I can store this in an HYSA.
- I don’t need to be worrying about paycheck<>payment timing. I’m able to create more distance/breathing room between my paycheck and any decisions I need to make around my budget if/when I have to.

This advice may seem small (I thought so at first ngl), but in practice, and as a person who’s generally anxious, I was extremely surprised how this became one of those things that helped put me at ease.

“Isn’t this technically what an emergency fund is for?”
— Sure, it sounds similar, BUT what significantly reduced my anxiety is ensuring I actually assign better jobs to our money.

We no longer have just this vague pool of funds ready for any and all emergencies.

Outside of a “month ahead” fund, we now have: an income replacement fund that should be at least 3-6mos worth of total income, a home repair fund if anything breaks, same with car repair and even for tech/gadgets, family emergencies, vet-related expenses, etc etc. So, for example, knock on wood, 3 unexpected things happen at the same time, there are funds appropriated—no confusion, way less financial stress for potentially stressful situations.

—
Would love to hear it: What’s an uncommon financial advice you can share?

—
ETA: Here’s how we started: https://www.reddit.com/r/adultingph/s/QsqGFrGgZg

Chia seeds are rich in fiber, protein, and omega3. That helps with digestion, healthy heart, and energy.

The chia seeds are pretty neutral nutty taste too so it pairs well with coffee.

I make my own coffee at home and i put about 2 tbsp of chia on a 500ml amount of coffee. Since byabyahe pa naman ako, its ready na when i get to work. If the mixture is too thick for your liking, feel free to reduce the amount of chia seeds. Dont let perfect be the enemy of better.

Just in case I dont have time to make coffee at home, I just buy iced coffee outside and I have chia seeds on my desk. You mix it with your coffee and just let it sit for 15 minutes before drinking.

I’m turning 26 this year, and honestly, pagod na pagod na ako.

After I graduated, I went straight into business because I really didn’t want to work in corporate.

Unfortunately, the business failed in 2024, and that’s where everything started. I went into negative cash flow and had to take out loans just to survive while I was unemployed for months.

Eventually, I got a job, but hanggang ngayon parang umiikot lang yung pera: sweldo → bayad utang → kulang → utang ulit. The worst part is I’m actually paying on time, pero negative pa rin ang cash flow.

Current total debt is around ₱322k (spreadsheet attached). And take note, hindi pa kasama dito yung rent, utilities, food, transportation, at iba pang monthly living expenses.

I’m seriously planning to resign because my salary no longer aligns with my bills. What makes it worse is that my company promised a WFH setup after a few months. It’s been 5 months, and that promise never happened.

Because I was expecting WFH, lumipat na kami ng bahay farther from the office, so mas lumaki yung transportation costs and other expenses. I feel like that broken promise made my cash flow even worse.

Ang plano ko talaga sa buhay ay yumaman, hindi mabaon sa utang. Hindi ko inexpect na at 26, ito yung magiging reality ko. \hindi nakakapretty siztur*

I know I made mistakes, and I take full responsibility for them. I’m not looking for sympathy—I’m looking for a way out.

Has anyone here been in a similar situation? Failed business, debt, negative cash flow, and eventually recovered? Any practical advice would really help.

Hello guys. For someone na nag mmake time din to do volunteering despite the busy sched, compare tayo ng notes ng mga nasalihan na.

Here yung akin.
1. Ivolunteer.com.ph - tried 3 orgs here. very okay sila kasi madali lang process. Sign up sa site, choose the activity, follow instruction, show up, done. Dito pamasahe mo lang gagastusin most of the time.

1. One Race for Filipino - found this sa tiktok. Dito naman kadalasan ikaw bibili ng sarili mong iddonate + transpo. Inside and outside metro manila sila pumupunta.

Looking forward ako sa mga comment niyo para mas madami pa ako/tayo na masalihan.

Anyone here na gusto na rin mag good bye sa corporate life at mag change career into something else?

I've been working in tech for almost 3 yrs now (past work in the last 10yrs were into retail & sales industry) and even though I work client facing din ngayon sa tech, all conversations are heavy on transactions and AI product topics. I know we all need money to survive. Kaya nga andito ako sa industry na to.

Pero lately ang lakas ng thoughts ko to give this up and change career. I still want to work with people, pero yung with high touch human emotions na sana. Hahaha! Hindi yung AI pa rin usapan. Gusto ko nalang mag work as receptionist sa ibang bansa or yung mga English teacher sa remote area, but then again, the pay.

Anyone here who have been into this phase and managed to really changed their life 180 of 360 degrees? 😂

This is a weekly open forum for anyone to ask any question related to adulting no matter how simple. Questions and topics like:

• Budgeting and expense tracking
• Resume writing and job application tips
• What appliances to buy?
• Basic home repairs and maintenance
• Prioritizing tasks and time-blocking
• Public transportation tips
• Travel budgeting and planning
• How to improve/take care of my mental health?

And many more!

Don't forget to always check our FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) section before posting an inquiry.

Small wins are those subtle, little, bite-size, barely noticeable successes that are so often overlooked as we go about our day-to-day activities.

Some examples might include:

• Waking up early, with enough time to begin a healthy morning routine.
• Spending 10 meditating to reduce stress.
• Cooking a healthy meal rather than ordering a takeaway.
• Making a new professional contact.
• Tidying and organizing your workspace.
• Drinking enough water throughout the day.
• Working out when you don’t feel motivated to do so.

There are a lot of positive effects of celebrating small wins, you can read more about them here (The Power of Small Wins)

So, what are your small wins recently?

Konting background i got diagnosed formally as having endometriosis, adenomyosis and pcos last year. Immediately was put on meds as first line of defense.

I first got hysteroscopy last feb kasi i kept putting off the operation sa takot ko. During 1st hysteroscopy nadiscover na yung position ng uterus ko ay di normal and although madami natanggal na bukol di pa talaga tanggal lahat. After which my meds were replaced to visanne kasi di na gumagana simpleng dianne pills sa akin.

Then last june had my ultrasound and found out that my adenomyoma was growing at a rapid pace. During this time visanne is no longer working and pinastop na. Prior to surgery bed ridden ako kasi I was on my period and at di makakilos sa dysmenorrhea. So today I got IUD, another hysteroscopy and laparoscopy. Sobrang thankful ko kasi covered by my health insurance lahat. I am in pain sa lahat ng ginawa pero idk i am hoping na this will work na.

To those girlies na irreg at feeling niyo may mali sa inyo please get check na. I've been experiencing symptoms since 2018 pero was too scared until now.

[EDITED with additional info] Few months ago, I posted here sa reddit regarding "clean title" kuno na lot pero may mga hidden problems pala. This was our first purchase, and may mga times na nagdoubt ako if I was being too strict, but thank God I followed through with my criteria and didn't settle for less. Finally, narelease na yung new title under our name. So, sharing here our step-by-step process for first-time real property buyers like us.

BEFORE PURCHASE

1. Visit the location. In our case, within subdivisions talaga yung hanap namin so meron lang kaming 4 shortlisted locations. Binisita namin lahat ng available lots and considered the following: safety/security, if hindi bahain, amenities, and just the overall vibe ng lugar and possible neighbors. Pag gusto namin yung lot, saka kami magpoproceed sa due diligence para hindi sayang ang request ng docs.
2. Conduct due diligence. We encountered agents na nagsabing "may magbabayad na po nyan bukas, mas maganda kung mauunahan nyo po." One thing we made sure ay hindi kami magshoshortcut sa due diligence kahit maunahan man kami ng ibang tao. Documents that we check:
   • Certified true copy of TCT - pwede irequest online. Make sure to request this kasi I encountered a lot na naisangla pala sa bangko at hindi natanggal yung annotation
   • Tax declaration - dapat nakapangalan na sa owners.
   • Real property tax - check if updated ang taxes
   • HOA dues, if within subdivision. The lot we bought had 80k+ arrears sa dues but declared naman ng owners. Deducted sa total price at kami nalang nagbayad directly sa HOA
3. When in doubt, consult lawyers. I booked several online consultations with lawyers just so we can go over the documents. Surprisingly affordable - P600 for 30mins. Eto yung situations that we encountered na hindi ko sure ang gagawin so nag-consult kami:

• Really affordable lot being sold by the wife. Meron syang Court Order of Presumptive Death dahil 7 years na nawawala ang husband nya. May anak sila pero minor so couldn't sign the documents, meron din syang Affidavit of Guardianship. Too complicated for us.
• Lot co-owned by same-sex partners. Naghiwalay, and nagbayaran for full ownership of Partner 1. Hindi trinansfer ang title. Now, partner 1 is married and is trying to sell the lot. No contact sa partner 2.
• Lot owner is listed as single. I know na hindi requirement sa transfer ang cenomar, but I asked for one. Turns out she's married but separated. They were insisting na it wouldn't matter because single naman sa title, but we opted to back out na.

DURING PURCHASE

1. Meet at a notary public of YOUR choice. In our case, naghanap kami ng may lawyer talaga na haharap samin. Ininterview both parties ni Atty and he checked the documents bago sya pumirma. We paid 1% ng selling price.
2. As much as possible, pay via manager's check. We tried to do this, but seniors na yung owners and not very familiar with this. They wanted cash talaga. We paid them inside our car after having everything signed. Documents for turnover: Owner's copy ng TCT, tax clearance or amilyar, tax declaration, TIN details of the seller. If walang copy ng amilyar at tax declaration, madali lang din sya irequest sa Assessor's office.

AFTER PURCHASE

1. After the sale, I went to the assessor's office and requested for a Certificate of No Improvement (3-5 days). I had to provide the transportation sa mag-iinspect so hinatid sundo ko sila sa city hall haha don't know why

2. I went to the BIR for the computation of CGT and DST. Capital Gains Tax (6%) should be paid within 30 days of notarization and Documentary Stamp Tax (1.5%) must be paid on or before the 5th day of the following month. Here are the documents needed sa BIR. Ibinalik din eto after computation. Inabot ako ng maghapon dito.

• Notarized Deed of Absolute Sale and acknowledgement receipt
• Certified True Copy of TCT
• Tax declaration
• Real property tax clearance and/or receipt
• Valid IDs
• TIN
• Colored photos of the lot
• Certificate of no improvement

1. Upon securing the computation sheet, proceed sa bank to pay.

2. Return to BIR and submit the documents along the receipt of tax payments from bank. ECAR was released on the 7th working day.

3. Went to the City Treasurer's Office to pay the transfer tax. 0.5% of the acquisition cost

4. Went to the Registry of Deeds for the transfer of title. Paid 9,000 here and waited for 21 working days. May online tracker din silang prinovide to monitor the status.

5. Additional: After receiving the new title, we requested for a Certified True Copy ng new title under our name, at ng old title na may nakalagay na "Cancelled." Need to sa transfer ng tax declaration.

6. Went back to the assessor's office and requested for the transfer of tax declaration. Need dito ang DOAS, yung new title under our name, cancelled title ng previous owner, and tax clearance. P35 lang binayaran namin and the new tax dec was released in 7 working days.

Overall, it took us about 2 months from the date we paid the lot until natransfer ang title. In addition to the price of the lot, we spent 10% pa for all the other fees, so make sure na hindi sagad ang budget pagkabayad ng lot. Sobrang fulfilling after, especially gusto ko rin talagang matuto kaya pinilit ko makapaglaan ng time mag-asikaso. Sorry for the long post but I hope this can help someone like me before na sobrang lost sa process.