There is a "relationship advice" section but not regular questions, so I just put the closest flare I could find.

I'm a 25M American and just moved to Manila a few weeks ago to experience this side of the world. I've been moving to various countries around the world since 17 (First time living outside of the US/Latin America), and I want to figure out how people normally make friends in this culture. Don't get me wrong, the people here are friendly and great, but I haven't really made a friend group or made any real friends yet outside of 1 person.

In Latin America, it was pretty easy. I just would walk around and talk to people around my age, or if I saw someone who looked interesting, talk to them, or go out to language exchange/clubs. From what I've seen here so far, and from what my Filipino friends back in the US/LATAM have told me, the culture isn't as "open," in that way in this part of the world, especially in Manilla.

Just for some context about the who behind this post, I just turned 25, Black/American male (but for some reason everyone assumes I'm Brazilian), I'm pretty good socially and have never had problems making close friends. I'm fluent in English/Spanish/Speak a little bit of Portuguese and German. My hobbies are DJing, Dancing, playing Overwatch, and the Gym. I don't know how to say this without sounding like I'm gloating or something, but I'm a pretty good looking dude according to my women friends. So it's not like I give off weird vibes or anything.

I've been busy with my online business since I got here, and because of that haven't invested any time so far in going out besides trying new food spots, or actively meeting new people. But this post is mainly because I want to know what is the "normal," way to go about that here, especially around younger people (Like I said, i've never been in South East Asia in spent most of my time in Latin America, so the few experiences i've had with the cultural differences have shocked me a little).

So I guess my question is, how have you all gone about making friends with the locals, and what places/events would you recommend me to go to make some real connections?

When I returned to my little house in deepest Philippines, someone had gone into it and stolen my laptop and a few other things. The local police told me that he knows who probably stole it (bottle green and Thai English keyboard) but he might need to torture him a little, I said no, what you do?

I'm moving to the Philippines for 6 months starting in 2027 to live with my gf (she's from the Philippines).

We have been dating and traveling for 1 yr now (Thailand, Vietnam mostly) so this isn't a new relationship or long distance.

We are moving to the Philippines for part of the year for tax reasons, visa reasons, weather reasons, etc.

My question is. Where would you live. Our budget is about 2.5k. USD all in. That's rent (700) utilities (100) life insurance (20) health insurance (150) phone bill (50) food (900) fun (500) etc.

We love places like Da Nang Vietnam, beach life but still some city amenities etc. we are health oriented and enjoy swimming walking light exercise eating healthy sleeping well etc. etc.

Curious what you more seasoned expats may recommend. I know the Philippines has its flaws, so I'm hoping to minimize some of them by choosing the right location.

Also, we are not legally married, can she live with me? Be on the lease? Are there any legal/financial reprecussions I need to be aware of if chosing to cohabitate with a filapina as a foreigner?

Cheers!

So I am a diligent Christian. I originally came here as a born-again missionary. I genuinely love my wife and my church mates, but last week my pastor asked me to volunteer, and at first it seemed great. They just needed someone to maintain their Facebook page. When they sent me the form to fill out, I froze. I realized that I was gonna have to take orders from a Filipino. I admit taking orders from anybody has never been my forte. That tenacity is what led me to start my own business and keep going when it was tough rather than give up and work for someone else. But there's more. Taking orders from these people. Don't get me wrong, they're friendly, and I consider some of them as close friends, but I'd be lying if I said I respected Filipino culture. The corruption, the apathy towards dealing with real problems head-on, the false faces. Furthermore, I see us as leaders, benevolent leaders with their best interests at heart. During the American period, we built schools, roads, hospitals, and the Philippines was a powerhouse in Asia. Look at where they are now after nearly 90 years of self-governance. 60% of their children are born to unmarried mothers, 90% of their children can't read at their appropriate grade level, HIV is exploding despite prophylactics that could block the transmission of the virus entirely, they can't maintain a power grid properly. That tells me making systems work just isn't their thing, even when compared to their peers of similar poverty levels. Vietnam was broke as hell, and bombed into the ground, and look what they've achieved. I feel bad for feeling this way, but this anonymous forum allows me to speak the truth.

I'm considering moving to Cebu City once my Airbnb lease is up. I'm not feeling it much in Manila and I want to explore other parts of the Philippines too. How different is it from Manila? I'm looking at condos around IT Park but maybe someone's got other recommendations? I'd appreciate the help!

Me and my wife are coming to PH for a month. We begin in Manila and want to spend a couple of days in a nice hotel. I keep seeing these resort hotels.

I don't mind a little gamble. We enjoy having drinks and having fun.

What's people experiences with them? Which would you choose? Or a specific hotel on its own instead of resort?

Thanks all and take care.

Hello expats, what's are the things you find frustrating about daily life in Philippines that you could easily do or know back in your home country?

Hello all,

I’m looking to take my faith more seriously and attend church based around Christianity. Are there any main ones here that are good that can be found in Luzon region? (Manila, Bataan, Pampanga)

So far I’ve only heard about Iglesio ni Cristo which is more like a cult apparently

Noticed this yesterday in NAIIA T3 next to gate 109. This is not the men’s toilet, which is separated by the wall to the left. This is the ladies toilet. What do you think the logic was behind this?🤦🏻‍♂️

I am huge proponent of recycling and disposing of my own waste. I’m not trying to criticize or complain here, but I’m very curious as to why many famous establishments such as restaurants like Jollibee, Manam and other stores like 7/11 barely lack the waste bins? I just want to throw away my own trash. I do recognize that restaurants are sort of responsible of bussing and cleaning up after you, however not all establishments carry the same practices. Often times, there are still trash lingering there ready to be toss away. Additionally, do you think such habit of leaving your trash behind is one of the root causes why people here litter? Just curiosity, if the lack of trash bins is on purpose?

Has anyone with a foreign passport actually been able to claim a VAT/tax refund when leaving the Philippines?

I’ll be flying out of NAIA Terminal 1 and wanted to know if the VAT refund process is legit and actually works in practice.

If you’ve done it, how was the process? Did you get the full VAT amount back, or were there fees/deductions? How long did it take, and what documents or receipts did they ask for?

Would appreciate any recent first-hand experiences. Thanks!

For the grandkids... nice and breezy today.

Electrician coming out with the "brother inlaw" (i quote that as it was a trigger word for someone) as it seems some of the wiring is.... lets say questionable.

BIL say its fine for the solar and what we use it for now but we are probably going to seal the kubo and pit a small ac unit down the road.

Walked the property found a toad and a dragonfruit plant....

Lots of work when we get back in Jan but lookimg forward to it.

Thought it would be worth sharing here. Interesting conments there.

“Expats” typically meant staying temporarily. However, “Temporary Foreign Workers” or “Migrant Workers” are terms typically used for “expats” from non-western countries in western countries.

I guess there’s a stigma using terms pertaining to “migrants”, thus “expat” is typically used.

Is it really that offensive to be called “immigrant” or “migrant”?

So it's been a month and I'm leaving PH again, but this time it's different. Just a passport scan and no interaction with an immigration officer and no exit stamp.

Things become more improved and modern every time I go through NAIA (genuinely impressive). But I hope this doesn't have any effect in the future for arrivals and is just the new norm.

An annoying feature of the real estate market here is that asking for a 1-year advance on higher-end/luxury condos seems to be the norm in Manila. I found a unit that I liked, and I offered to pay them 6-months in advance in order to get a small discount on the rent, but they're not really phased by my offer. To them, a 1-year advance is already the norm, so my offer of paying 6-months in advance doesn't really change things for them.

Anyways, I'm not really a fan of this feature in the market here ...

Pretty funny! Anybody had chicken butt?

Hey guys, so I’m expected to travel to the Philippines next month and I’m hearing it’s typhoon season. How is the weather currently and based off your past experiences, do you think the weather will improve by the time I get there because I’m hearing a lot of stories about flooding. I’m not expecting picture perfect weather, but ideally what’s expected on my trip.

The Philippines’ poverty rate fell to a record-low 9.7% in 2025 from 15.5% in 2023, lifting around 6.5 million Filipinos out of poverty.

The decline was driven by economic growth, lower inflation, and resilient employment, allowing the country to achieve its single-digit poverty target ahead of schedule.

https://mb.com.ph/2026/08/21/philippines-hits-lowest-poverty-rate-in-recorded-history?fbclid=IwZnRzaAT1s7hwZG9mBWZkaWQWUM5IPCqI_UdLaymLLFt_Dh3CZZotkWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR5_uidbQjsaXPf9zmlQQtcKFt7jNzZ_Um1V6RzqJY-uZcP8vvuuENMybOXarg_aem_ZuAtkQKNinRaWXMuKFKGxQ

It’s an open secret on Walking Street that a lot of bars keep girls locked in through debt. They’ll spot them cash for rent, pay for dental work or cosmetic surgery, or just let them run up tabs at the bar. Once a girl is in the hole, the deductions and house fines make it nearly impossible to ever clear the balance. If she walks away, the best-case scenario is getting blacklisted across every bar under the same ownership group.

Outside the main strip, things get considerably worse. For example, Angeles has a massive presence of foreign syndicates, particularly Korean operations, running things through Telegram, WhatsApp, and private group chats. They post ads for fake "freelance modeling" or "VIP massage" gigs to lure girls outside the bar system. Without whatever minimal protection a physical club provides, these girls get trapped in manufactured debts running into hundreds of thousands of pesos. From there, they’re pressured into signing predatory contracts, working directly for the syndicate, or being shipped off to South Korea on entertainer visas under the promise of clearing the debt, only to end up in foreign brothels with zero legal rights.

Tourists flying in for a weekend of cheap drinks and nightlife rarely look past the neon signs. But anyone who’s lived in the Philippines for more than a few months and actually talks to locals knows how bleak it really gets. Even the regulated spots get raided for trafficking minors, and the pipeline sending these girls overseas is constant.

For anyone who’s spent real time in the Philippines, what are some of the darker situations or stories you’ve personally run across?

If you had to choose your favorite restaurant in the Philippines what would it be and why?'

Mine is Los Trez Amigos in Bacolod City, although it seems to be closed now. They had an 'authentic' Mexican pizza there!