Wow. I did not expect this question. One of the questions I was going to ask you earlier was if you were going to have a driver. Ex-pat working at a proper firm, Alabang resident... It's pretty standard, actually.

Well, you're single so I figured you wouldn't have a driver, but I took the car for granted.

Your company's really throwing you in the pool hoping you'll float. I hope you're the adventurous type.

Haha, I am as it happens!

They provide allowance for car etc, and provide a local company who will sort it all out for me. I'm trying to get ahead of the game so I just don't wind up living in an apartment on top of the call center!

With car/driver I need to decide whether id rather take the cash or the benefit. Car would be nice, but from what I've heard, driving in manila is fairly hair raising, and a driver would be a bit weird for a 29 yr old single guy.

Living next to work isn't the most horrible idea in the world when you've had some experience with what traffic is like in South East Asia.

I'd get the driver. If you end up living in a Subdivision your chances of getting a taxi are going to be slim. I also wouldn't want to be turning up to work in a suit after a 20minute walk in 30 degree + weather.

Also means you won't have to deal with taxi drivers when your out drinking/seeing different parts of the city.

A driver is not out of the question. Consider the benefits.

You can do stuff while you commute.
Airport trips to and fro.
You can have him do random chores, run errands when you're at home.
Whenever you go to the mall or something, it's a real bitch to park, and at times, next to impossible. Having a driver will save you at least 10 minutes per outing by dropping you off at the entrance.
Status. Consider the additional power it gives you at work by having a car you can dispense at your pleasure.
He can pick up and drop off your bitches.
Local guide. He'll obviously know how to get to where you want to go, and he'll help you with tricky situations, like who to bribe when you're caught in a sticky situation.
When you get pulled over by cops, they confiscate your license and you have to wait at the DMV all day to get it back and pay your fine. Your white ass ain't talking your way out of a ticket.
A lot easier to get drunk at 2am and get home safely.

100% get the driver

Hmm. Getting more interesting... so they do late night pick ups after boozing?

How does this work exactly? Are they on call 24-7 or would they work a shift. Where would they live? I've seen houses advertised with "driver's quarters" but that just seems weird.

Uh, pick ups? Where do you think you are, middle-class America? They park somewhere near you and take a nap or listen to the radio or sit their ass in the driver's lounge until you're ready to go. When you're home for the day, they take off and go home and show up the next day before you commute.

haha enjoyed the read

How much would you have to pay a month for a dedicated driver / car? Seems like it's probably not worth it, but if it's like $500 or less, maybe..

ive read like 30 pages of this thread tonight...... information overload

i was asking way to many questions so will try and cut down on that but a few things i was wondering are....

what is HCBS? some sort of bank i can tell, can americans use it?

if you open an american $$ bank account and a filipino bank account through the same bank can u transfer back and forth without a fee?

paul said he writes checks from his US bank to his USD bank in the philipines, so can u cash any american check there? travelers check? what is a good bank?



and then a few weeks ago a guy i know who was recently in the philipines said he thought that maybe the internet might be better in angeles city since its close to the american army base (or former base) anyone know if this theory could be true?

i read someone say that the girls there lived in US college style apts, anyone have a rough guess on what those would cost there? or if there is even a safe area in that city to live? i am sort of picturing that being like the tijuana of the country (well how tijuana is for the US) is it as dirty and dangerous as i am expecting?

2 more related questions.

1. What is business dress? Is it still suits, or dress trousers + short sleeve shirt?

2. I'm a big guy, 6'4", 250lb. Will I be able to buy clothes in manila?

HSBC*

Biggest banks are BDO and BPI. I have my account at BPI because in my area it has the most ATMs. No fee to deposit checks but it takes around 3 weeks to clear.

Not just girls - a huge percentage of the working class in Metro Manila are "bedspacers." Typically costs 2-3k a month for a bed space. It's more living in a hostel (6-8 beds per room) than a college dorm (2-3 beds). Not recommended as there is obv zero privacy.



1. Most professionals dress business casual here (long sleeve dress shirt, dress pants, dress shoes) as it's too hot for suits. Some wear barongs but I don't think you should wear one everyday, maybe just once a while for the lulz.

2. Bring all your clothes. Imported clothes here are expensive, the local stuff isn't the best quality and the sizes are smaller than in US/Europe. I have a 33-34 waist but when I buy boxers from Bench I have to buy XL. When I do serious clothes shopping I either do it back home in NYC or take a trip to HK.

Angeles City has a seedy reputation due to its history as a toilet for Clark Air Base. Haven't been there in forever, but I think it's changed a lot. The air base is gone, of course, and they're putting up resorts and golf clubs like crazy. There's a ton of direct flights to other Asian countries. A lot of international companies like are opening offices there. It still has the bars and the hookers, of course, but they seem to have a vibrant non-hooker economy as well. I have no idea what it's like actually walking the streets, though.

You can deposit checks to transfer money. What kind of visa do you poker players get? I don't think you can open bank accounts with a tourist visa (i.e., no visa).