Now, you will be thinking, what changes have occurred, well many? Living here is a constant adjustment and learning experience. There is the culture, the food, the driving and the daily living in a country with so many differences. If you have been a follower of this site, you have read of many of my observations, experiences and my life here.

To me the biggest difference to adjust is the language. Yes, many speak English here, but the quality of English varies and we need to understand, English is not their first language. It is not their second language either. For most it is their third or fourth.  To most here in Davao, their first language is Bisaya, their second is Tagalog and many speak a third or fourth dialect or language.

Another difference is the heat. I grew up in New York where we enjoyed all four seasonal changes. Then I lived in California where there were mainly two seasons, the hot summers and the cooler winters. From there I moved to Florida. In Florida we joked there was two seasons, over populated and not over populated. One person called it Gray heads and less gray, since Florida is the Mecca for retirees.

Here in the Philippines, it is hot and humid 12 months a year. The only cool days are if it is cloudy with lots of rain showers. Then the next day the sun evaporates the water and the humidity is even higher. There are cooler places up in the higher elevations such as Bagio on Luzon or up in Bukidnon on Mindanao.

Then there are the foods. Even though there are comparable foods to American items here, there are some items imported, there will be many things you cannot get here.  With Restaurants, there are some that cater to the foreigner palate, most here, serve Filipino food. Even at home, unless you are a good cook, or your wife likes to experiment, you will be looking at a lot of plain white rice.

Postal service is another big difference. There are no outgoing mailboxes. If you want to mail something, you have to go to one of the few postal locations.  For mail delivery, that is a flip of a coin. There have been many times I have not received a card or letter from America, and if it does come, it usually takes weeks to months to get here.

Insects and rodents are something to get used to, if that is that word. Ants are everywhere and they might be controlled, but never stopped. Mosquitoes are another problem, especially since some carry the Dengue disease.  Cockroaches fly here and at night you might hear a buzz as you see this big back thing fly into your house or see them scurrying across the floor. Rats will try to find their way in. Some are cute little things a few inches long but some are the size of a cat.

Dust and dirt is another common item to control. In most homes, every morning the soft broom is used to sweep all the floors. The other day we washed my can and put a cover over it. The next morning the cover was removed an hour before I left the house and it already had a light coating of dust.

Traffic is another item to get used to here. There are many Jeepneys, taxis and motorcycles on the streets with the driving being a controlled, or not so controlled chaos.  Good thing most of the time, vehicles do not drive at high speeds. As a driver, you need to watch for Jeepneys pulling out to taxis crossing lanes for a fare to motorcycles zigzagging and passing you on every side.

We are not to say life here is wrong because it is the way of life here. You can bitch and complain or just get used to it. They will not change the country to fit an expats needs.

Another item to mention is earning a living. I am a well-qualified Computer Architectural Project Manager. I am also able to manage or work in many areas but finding a job here is almost impossible. Opening a business needs capital and trying to make money on the internet is very difficult. Even keeping this site going has its costs for registration of the domain name and paying for hosting the site. Then there is the time spent thinking of articles of interest and answering the comments and emails.

If I could go back two years ago, would I have made the same decision? Probably I would, that was when the economy started to tank, there were no jobs available in the Architecture and housing industry, and my big priority was being with Elena. Since I could not afford to live in America, I came here to live with her in her country. I do wish I could earn more to give us all a better life, but it does not look like it is in the cards. I earn practically no money with American in Davao.

According to Wikipedia there are about 11 million Filipinos working or living overseas. Some have received Residency in the foreign country. From my limited knowledge, in the USA, if you are in the States with a contract work Visa, after 5 years you can apply for residency. At that point, you can live in the States and do not need to submit a work contract to Immigration.

These OFW’s send home in to form of Remittance money to support their family. In 2008, the amount of remittance that was sent to the Philippines was $15.9 billion dollars and represented about 13.5% of the Philippines GDP in 2005.

Most if not all OFW’s have to register with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration and follow the rules. Since most OFW’s are hired through an agency, they are registered. One of the rules is they must send home a percentage of their salary. Actually, it is automatically send home from the agency that pays them.  Marine Engineers and Seamen who work on shipping vessels have to send 80% of their salary home to their family. This is not difficult since all their room and board is part of living on the ship.

Many families work hard and save for their children’s education and many look to an education in an area for employment abroad. Also with the Filipino culture of the children, helping to support their family and elders this is a way to improve the family’s life here in the Philippines. Unfortunately, if the OFW is sending 80% of their income home, which leaves them with little to support themselves in the country they are living.

As for the family back home, some use this money to improve their life. They can purchase a better home and save to open a business to increase the family’s income for the future. IF they are able to develop a business that earns a good income, once day the OFW worker can return home and live a better life with their family.

This is not always the case.  Many times this income makes the family back home lazy. They see the remittances as a way stay home and live well. Some use this better life to show off to their friends and do nothing with their life. This is bad for the family, the worker and even the country. Instead of using this increased income to help move a family up to a more self-sufficient family unit, it keeps the OFW slaving away so he does not hurt their family.

The use of family members to support their family and improve their life is a wonderful part of the Filipino culture. In the USA and in other countries, parents support their child through their schooling and hope their child will become a well-paid and productive part of society and support itself from then on. After that, in most cases, the parents go on with their life and the adult child goes on with his/hers. At times, the parent will give assistance with the buying of a home or the start of a business, but not the monthly support.

This is a cultural difference here in the Philippines. It is something you need to understand and accept if living here. As I say, it is not our right to change a culture, but to accept it as a fact of living here.

Unfortunately with the class system many large businesses exploit their employees without compensating them in any way. They are over worked and tasked to complete their assignments. Many have to work long hours and weekends to complete their duties with their basic salary.

A problem here is the fact that employment is so hard to find and how employers take advantage. I know someone that had a full scholarship to Ateneo de Davao University with a degree in Marketing. He is in his upper 20’s and has had a few jobs in the sales and marketing areas. Currently he is a sales rep for one of the beverage companies. He has been working there for almost two years and is still at temporary employee status. With this he receives no benefits such as PhilHealth. When we talk, I think in American attitude and tell him I would demand my status upgraded or I will seek different employment. He looked at me and asked where he would find another job. Plus there is a network here where upper managers from different similar businesses know each other. If he interviewed with another company, someone would slip this information back to his company and he could lose his current job.

Some with strong initiative many Filipinos have side jobs that at times are different from their occupation. There are also some that are in constant learning to improve and increase their knowledge and ability.

One good case is my friend assisting me with my 3D Architectural Rendering business. He comes from an average Filipino family. I am not sure of his training but I know he started our working as a graphic artist. With his income, and his families help he went to the University of Mindanao for an Architectural Degree. With his Computer graphics knowledge and architecture he continued to learn on his own and with a network of friends locally and online forums he learned 3d modeling and rendering. Once he was competent in this area he continues to increase his knowledge and abilities and now is learning Flash and video. He is young enough for quicker learning, patience and a desire to improve.

One day we were talking and I mentioned with his 3d modeling, rendering, graphics and architecture knowledge, he could make a great living if he went to America or some other first world nation. He just looked at me and asked why should he leave his home? He helps put his sister through college, and is now married with a child on the way. I mentioned if we could get the rendering business going with a few good clients, we could make good income. I asked him if he has any goals to have a more modern home in a nice subdivision. He looked at me blankly and told me he just enjoys doing well and does not dream that way. I tried to explain it is nice to make goals, not so high they might be unattainable but as kind of stepping stone to improve your life. Again he looked at me confused so I dropped it.

Life here for many Filipinos is difficult, many college graduates doing basic jobs and in many cases not in their chosen profession. The competition for employment is huge and the availability to work abroad is even more competitive. Then there are so many fees involved many cannot afford.

Our helper is working out better than I expected. She works hard, is friendly and sociable and even will joke with me.  While at home on her day off, she still does household chores. Since she does not have friends, our nieces will allow her to join them if they go out on a Sunday and will take her to church with them.

Of the three helpers for my Elena’s friends, one did not work out and returned to her Province this week. This girl was only 16 and did not have the attitude to work away from home. From what I heard, the first few days had to be directed constantly and would walk around like in a daze looking at everything. We also found out after, she only attended elementary school and only spoke Bisaya and not much Tagalog. Unfortunately the lady that hired her is not from Davao and is from Luzon. This lady speaks Tagalog. Since the helper did not finish school, her knowledge of Tagalog was very little. Also this girl’s hygiene was bad and had to be told to do her own laundry.

After she was gone, we heard this girl came from a bad family and had run away from home in the past. She also was now homesick and missed her free life with her friends, family and even a boyfriend. As in any employment situation, you never know if someone hired will work out, it does become more difficult if the person is not local and you do not have the luxury of interviewing the person before they make the trip. Then if they do not work out, besides the cost of the travel here, you have to cover the costs of their return trip.

The friend of ours that hired her was very gracious and understanding. Even though she was unhappy with the girl, she never complained to us about the waste or time and the cost of the girl. This proves again of the kindness of Filipinos. In the US, we would complain and argue about how we would have wasted our money in a situation like this.

In America, if you need assistance with the house cleaning, most average families hire a cleaning lady or company to come once a week, or twice a month to take care of the heavy cleaning. These people come to your house on the assigned days and to the vacuuming, mopping, dusting and scrubbing of the bathrooms and kitchen. After they are done, they leave. The cost, depending where you live can be around $50.00 USD.

Here in the Philippines, most homes, if they need the extra help hire a domestic helper that lives in the house. Many times they are young, fifteen to eighteen years old. They usually come from the provinces and/or a poor family. Their pay is usually around 1,500 pesos (approx. $30 USD) a month at first. Most of these girls only keep enough from their pay for their necessities and then send the rest of their pay home to assist their family. Besides their pay, they have room and board included, plus you usually pay any transportation costs to come from their province, if you arraigned their employment through a relative who lives in that province.

When Elena decided to hire a helper for the house, she did not want a girl who lives locally in Davao. She had two reasons for this decision.  First was, she did not want a girl that had friends or family to go meet or visit unannounced and the second was security. It would be easy for the girl to tell friends what valuables we have in the house and our schedules for being absent from the home. We have heard stories of items stolen and the helper disappearing too.

To find a domestic helper, Elena contacted two of her sister-in-laws from Surigao Province. One of her sister-in-laws spoke to some of the families she knew and found a seventeen year old girl that had graduated from high school and was interested to come. This girl, Mira, comes from a family of six siblings and is the next to youngest. She has dreams of saving and eventually be able to go to college.

From the moment Mira arrived in the house, she was a good fit. As she entered the house she saw dirty dishes in the sink from lunch. Without saying a word, she put down her bags and started washing the dishes. After we had a snack and Elena showed her where she could put her belongings and where she would sleep, Mira continued to do the basic cleaning of the house.

Now, different homes treat their help differently. If they have an extra small bedroom, that is for the helper. Unfortunately we do not have that luxury, so we bought a folding bed and Mira sleeps in one of our niece’s bedrooms.

Also many families keep a separation between the domestic help and the family. They are sometimes fed cheaper Filipino foods and they are not allowed to eat until the family is done. Or else they have to eat at a separate table. We are different, even though Mira is an employee; she sits with us at the table and shares the same foods we eat. We talk to her as if she is part of the family. Our three nieces treat her almost as a little sister. Is this a good thing or not, time will tell. I have heard stories of domestic helpers, especially if young, those get homesick, or have saved enough money for something they wanted and then quit after one or two months. I have also heard of domestic helpers that were treated as bad as a slave, quit after a month too.

At first she was surprised how we have her sit with us for meals, how our nieces would talk to her and how we did not treat her as just an employee. Sunday is her day off, but since she does not know Davao nor has any friends here, we took her with us the day we went to SM Mall to see the Kadayawan floats. When we first got there we all went to our favorite restaurant. When we sat, we told her to look at the menu and order what she likes. She followed me and our nieces and had the Curry Chicken. She was so surprised we allowed her to join us for lunch and thanked us many times.

Another difference I have seen is in the malls or at restaurants. I have seen domestic helpers sitting in the wait area as the family they work for enjoys a nice meal. I do not know if the helper was fed first, allowed to eat later or had to wait until they returned home.

Now, I know I am new at having a helper in our home, and I am following Elena’s lead at how we treat Mira. I just feel this is how we should treat her. Just as if anyone is at our house, from a friend of ours, a friend of one of our nieces or even a tradesman friend discussing a project. If it is meal time, they are asked to join us to share the meal. If they get shy and say they will wait in the Sala until we are done, we get adamant and insist them joining us.

As always, I encourage hearing your comments, and you can tell me if you disagree with the way we treat Mira, but do it with respect. If you have had bad experiences, good experiences or stories you have heard are welcome. Any overly insulting comments will either be edited or deleted.

When you first move here your days are filled finding your way around and finding places to live, where to shop, and how to live here. You probably had visited the Philippines before you decided to move here. From these trips you already knew where in the Philippines you wanted to live.

Unless you had an extended stay in the place you decide to live, once you’re here there is so much to learn about this new place.

When you first move here you think your pension, savings or disability pensions will be enough for a good life. Once you’re here and get settled you might realize the income you’re getting from back home is not enough to live the way you want. So, what are your options? Get a job? Start a business?

You might have been a businessman or experienced in many different occupations where you rose to a high level in your native country.  You might think with the advanced schooling and technology from your home country there will be many businesses excited to have someone like you on their staff to help them with their business.

When you first move here you are probably on a tourist visa. According to the rules under that visa you are not allowed to work. If there is some company that does want to hire you they need to get you a work visa and a work permit. To get a work visa the perspective employer has to apply you. But you cannot take a job that can be filled by a Filipino.

To be legally able to work here you need to get resident status. To get that, the easiest way is getting married to a Filipina or file for a PRA (Philippine Retirement Authority). To get a retirement visa there are age and monetary requirements to satisfy. If 35 to 49 years old you need a US$50,000.00 time deposit and if   50 years old and above you need to make a US$20,000.00 time deposit. There is a cheaper way if you’re over 50 years old, and that is if you have a pension, but with that visa you cannot work or own a business.

So, your first problem is being able to work legally. Once you satisfy that hurdle you need to find a job offer. As I mentioned before, you are a highly skilled or experienced person. You think you will be in high demand for your knowledge. For me, I had 15 years in architectural drafting, project management and studio management. I came here and did work a short time for an Engineering and Architectural firm. All the Filipinos I worked with were college graduates and most licensed in their field of specialty. They also knew AutoCAD to a level they could function. I learned things from them that I did not know and they learned from me.

Here in the Philippines families will work hard to put their children through college. With the fact that employees are a large commodity, even a low level job needs a college degree. At the better hotels, even a cocktail waitress is a HRM graduate (Hotel and Restaurant Management).

So what do you do? Maybe open a business. To open a business is difficult for a foreigner with investments so most will open it under their wife or girlfriend’s name. Then if you’re going to work at the business, you will need to be careful or still get the work visa and permit.

Anyone who has opened a business, please comment on the problems or situations.
One other idea is an internet business. They are some that make good income with the right site. There is talk of niche sites. In some ways this is a niche site, but making money from ads is difficult. There is a term of “ad blindness.” That is after a while readers see the articles and not the ads. Or as many who read blogs, they have no interest in the ads on the site.

Whatever your plan, I think it is best to have a savings or pension backup. If you do find a way to make an income here, it will be extra.

This video showed how someone goes to restaurants to get their food wastes to bring to his family and poor neighbors.

All over Davao and I would guess most cities here you will see beggars. Kids in dirty clothes will come up with their hands out and will make a motion with their other hand to show they are hungry. Many who do not know English will say “Hungry.” You will see older kids or adult women in dirty rags carrying a child in one hand and a hand out in the other.

They walk through the Public markets, across from office buildings and in parking lots. Security Guards will move them away, to return as soon as the guard turns his back. At many intersections kids will walk up tapping on windows with hands out. Most will leave you alone if you wave your hand off or say “Wala” which means nothing. Some will persist looking at you, tugging your clothes or someway to disturb you.

You will see people going through the garbage pails along the road and many evenings going door to door asking for leftovers. Many will stand there calling for a while and will not listen if we tell them we have nothing.

As I mentioned in the past articles there is a high unemployment and over population here in the Philippines and many go hungry every day. The hard part is you cannot help everyone.

There was a time when a beggar girl would approach me when I was out having a cigarette at the mall. She did not ask for money at first. She would sit near and look up at me. After a little while she smiled and I returned the smile. I asked her what her name was and we talked a little. She was 15. She was in worn clothes and very dirty. After a few minutes she said she was hungry and put her hand out. I felt bad and since she did not come up and just beg, I gave her 10 pesos. The next week she came up to me again. As before she smiled and said hello. She sat and did not ask for money at first. Then a few minutes later she put her hand out and said she was hungry. After I gave her 10 pesos she told me she had a baby sister, can I give her money for her too. I was getting upset, but decided to give in and handed her another 10 pesos. Instead of saying thanks, she then told me her birthday was in a few days and would I give her more for a present. This got me angry and, even though she did not understand, I told her she was pushing my kindness and no more. A few weeks later she saw me and approached me again. I remembered her and just waved her off.

There are stories of kids who beg and have to give the money to their father who spends it to get drunk. I do not know this and remember the same stories in America.

There are some people here that do not even want to help themselves. A friend told me of a girl he met, she was 19 and according to him, she was very attractive. Talking to her he found out she lived in a squatter home with her mother and 3 siblings. She told him no one in the family worked. My friend asked her how they survived, how they got food to eat and things needed. She told him they would get help from friends. This friend knew of someone in need of a server in a restaurant and he spoke to his friend about this girl. His friend told him if the girl could pass the easy employment test he would give this girl an advantage in consideration of getting the job. He told this girl about the possible job opportunity. The day the interviews were scheduled the girl sent a text to my friend to tell him she had a bad toothache and could not go to the interview, but the next day sent a text if he would take her out for lunch. He met this girl and she admitted she did not want to work.

I do not know if it laziness or just so many years of surviving without the need to work they have no incentive to work. The only good thing about this girl was my friend thought he could get the girl to go home with him for some “private” time and he would pay her. Her answer was she was a virgin and would not go home with him. At least she had some morals.

There are charities and foundations here to help, but there is never enough help for everyone. Then there are some I wonder if help was offered would be willing to improve their lives.

I heard of another story about how the city government wanted to help the squatters. They built some low cost housing and moved some families from the squatter area near the river and gave them homes. Part of the agreement was they had to live there for 2 years and then would get the title to the house and lot. Two years later most of these families sold their house and lot and moved back to the squatter area.

There have been articles and discussions I have heard that families have many children with the though the more children they have the more income will be generated in years to come to help support the elders. This is fine since there is no real retirement support here in the Philippines. There are some pensions from the Social Security System, but it is small and only for those who worked the jobs that paid into the fund.

But the homeless and squatter types are having babies that they cannot feed or support and then begging to help them. I found this at the World Health Organization website.

Statistics:
Total population: 86,264,000
Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 3,430
Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 64/71
Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 57/62
Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 32
Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 277/157
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 223
Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 3.3
Figures are for 2006 unless indicated. Source: World Health Statistics 2008

Here is the same statistics for the United States to compare.
Statistics:
Total population: 302,841,000
Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 44,070
Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 75/80
Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 67/71
Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 8
Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 137/80
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 6,714
Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 15.3
Figures are for 2006 unless indicated. Source: World Health Statistics 2008

Some do try to help. I was at a Barangy office one day. While we were there I noticed outside many children starting to congregate near the office. First I thought it was to look at the “Foreigner” in the office but that was not the case. Every afternoon the Barangy brings a quantity of Congee. That is a type of rice porridge. Kids would come up with a bowl and they would give it out to all. This is something good to help, but congee is just sodium and carbohydrates but no vitamin or mineral content and very little protein. So what does this do besides fill their hungry stomachs?

Is there an answer? A cure? I do not know, but I do know with the world in such a financial crisis there will be less donations and it will be more difficult for what ever is already being done to continue and grow in such assistance.

In the Philippines, if you have less than 10 employees or contract employees that work for less than 6 months, the labor laws and benefits can be ignored.

Most malls hire their employees for 5 months. They pay less then minimum wage and no benefits. If an employee is good, they might be offered another 5 month contract.

There is also the “It’s ok” mentality where employees are happy to have a job and if the employer is not willing to pay the “13th month” bonus, which is the law, the employee feels “it’s ok, at least I have a job.”

There are also many tradesman that work day jobs for cash. These people are not in the “employed” counts since there is no record to the cash pay.

In most places in the States we live in nice conditions. If we do not have a high income, we still either live at home with parents, or have an apartment. If needed you get roommates, but you have a decent place to live.

If you have ever visited the poor areas of other countries, you see people living in conditions you would never understand. But for them, they are happy to have a roof over their heads, somewhere to soft to lay down to sleep and something to eat.

I have noticed over the years that the poorer the family, the more love and enjoyment of small things mean to them. They do not have much, but they are content and have so much love for each other.

Two weeks ago, when I was honored to be Ninong (Godfather ) for a friends baby Noah, it turned out another friend who lived across the way was having his baby girl Baptized too. Elena and I know them as I was Ninong for his wedding.

Because of this connection, Elena and I were being called from one home to the other to be the first one feed and first to be toasted. We had to be there with the Priest came to say a prayer.

Seeing their homes and how they live reminded me of the conditions people live here. Both these men are talented tradesmen. Jerry is a construction manager and does quality work in most construction areas. Ramil is a licensed electrician. He does complete electrical in residential and commercial construction.

In America these two men would be making a high income and would be living in nice homes.

Here they live in a small 2 room house plus a small CR with a shower and a toilet that has to be flushed with a bucket, no tank. There is minimal furniture and one of the homes does not have a stove or burner. They have a metal stand where they burn charcoal a put a pot on top. With Filipino engineering that have a small fan unit to blow over the coals to get them hotter.

Since Filipinos love music, they both have a TV and a DVD player so they can play karaoke disks so they can sing for enjoyment and entertainment.

When I first moved here, and I would see this type of conditions, I would feel so bad but over the time here, I see how hospitable and happy they are with their family. They would love to move up in economics and have a nicer home, but they find happiness with what they have since they know there are families with much less.

In future articles I will write about how people find ways to support themselves.

They are in need of someone to help get some drafting for about a month. The pay is not much but it gets my foot in the door and hopefully it can grow to a higher position for a better salary.

My friend would like to have me support him with his marketing role. Also Friday I met with the Architect and showed him how I use AutoCAD Architectural Desktop, not just the basic AutoCAD. In Desktop you draw with 3D walls instead of just lines. Then you insert doors, windows and other items that are inserted into the drawing and become part of the building. Then these items can be put on a schedule that will update if an item changes. This relieves the worry of the schedule not truly reflecting the items on the plan.
There is also an automated area schedule that updates if the size of the building changes.

The architect was very impressed with the quality and speed using this system.

This firm is involved in both local work and outsourcing. Outsourcing is where a company in another country hires a company in another country to do their work.

If you live in the US you know about talking to a customer representative for a company and you hear a strong accent. This is because a lot of companies have their customer service or tech support outsourced to a company in India.

The nice part in the Philippines, most people speak English well. Also since the wage in the Philippines is so much lower than the USA or Middle East you can get qualified people servicing your company for a lot less then hiring staff locally.

This firm has a Civil and Structural Engineer, a MEP Engineer (mechanical, electrical and plumbing) and an Architect in charge of a department with a staff of graduates that are licensed too. In America you see more drafting school graduates or fresh graduates working to get their requirements for their license.

The firm is also knowledgeable of the building and structural codes. They are using the latest software.

If you know of any company in need of the services, please contact me and I will pass the information to the principals.