tropicofcancer

Well done BB a very positive post there; way to be. So you didn't really get the full family interview then?

Yes it doesn't take long to fit in at all. You will soon get to know the neighbours, and all the local characters.

blackbear1137

made to feel part of the family ,and no one has asked me for money .like i said anna has a good little buisness and mine will just give us that bit more and stop me from getting bored!!!
Car insurance ???and mots?? anyone ? looking at a very nice previa automatic 1991 model so any help please????

blackbear1137

and just as by heheh the only one so far i have given money to was a yankie who zeroed out his card,i gave him 2000 pesoes for the trip home in two days ,next day he spent it on drink!!!!!and i was told it would be filipinoes who would ask ,at least they dont use it for getting drunk........................................

googly

Cars are MOT once a year at the LTO. You can look up the site for the Land Transportation Office and find the nearest one to you. When you go there they will do emissions test but nothing else! The total cost will be around 4,000 pesos and you will get free 3rd party insurance with it. Just remember that this insurance wont pay a thing if you are involved in a accident but its compulsory.
You might find it quite difficult to insure a older car as they are not that keen on doing it. We have one car insured through BPI bank and other through Fortune insurance.

blackbear1137

thanks googly ,i looked at the older ones for obvious reasons,and i used previas for my work in uk in my earley days id prefer a vw sharran ...ill try with the insurance , but it dose explain why on some sites they dont go bac as far as i need mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmaybe rethink this one ??????

desert-rat

Try and avoid giving expats money here. There are many here who leech on others just to pad out their meagre pensions.
Glad you are enjoying your start to life in the Philippines.

tropicofcancer

Strange BB I am just doing the annual registration on mine.
P400 for the emission test; then P2810, for the registration and "insurance."
The insurance is "third party" only' Googly is right in what he says about it. You can get independent insurance. I use Direct Link which I believe are owned by the Coconut Planters Bank CCPB for own damage insurance. They will also do third party etc. I have additional cover with them in that respect. You buy what you want.

Right have it in front of me:
Emission test P400
Registration P1829.06
Insurance (this will vary of course) P980.

tropicofcancer

I would mention that when you buy the car, the vendor must transfer it to your name. Until this is done merely pay the deposit. Also make sure that you have in your possession the last LTO payment receipt.

When having the emission test, you need a photocopy of the LTO slip and also the OCR (Original Certificate Of Registration).
You need a "rubbing" of the chassis No: (VIN) and the Engine. The testing place will do this for you. They usually have a family member or friend freelancing this task.
Then it's a trip to the LTO, anyone can do it for you. You need:
The above photocopy of the OCR and previous LTO receipt, the emission pass slip, the rubbings, and of course the requisite payment.

piero

I think i said that Filipinos would ask you wife for a loan so in between the wife [ not your wife ] and girlfriends who have his babies he will get drunk...... so american now you say americano or kano there are so many on the ponce do not trust anyone oh yes for real americans its not nice but you may hear septic tank. and yes 30 quid is 30 quid or 2000 peso

blackbear1137

yeah this guy was abbusive to his girlfrends family when drunk ,im not going say what he said ,i was very embarresd ,at his language ,and from another white eyes ,i made it known im not a yank!!!!!! i never want too see him again ,and hig gf is of the same opinionion.
Any way last nite i took her and my wife and 4 frends to a club .we danced till 4am got very drunk ,but not rude ,had food as well and it cost under 2500 pesoes!!!!!!! and his gf is so happy now .

Jonnyivy

Hi BB, I just joined this forum and yours was the first I took interest in and followed it all the way through. Was waiting to get the posts from over in the Phils once you got settled. I can say that some of your experiences reflect what I was going to do about 7 years ago when I first went over. I actually decided that Cebu (province) was not for me at that time, instead bringing my fiancee to UK where we live quite happily just now. Yes, I know that UK rules / taxes / costs, etc can be very off-putting,... I know , I have my own business and its running out of worthwhile contracts, but I'm still glad we came here. Some similarities we may have,.....I met one of those 'Yank drunks' at the mall,..listened to his warm friendly introductions before giving me his sob story and quite sharply asking for a few thousand peso to help him out. I turned him down flat telling him I didn't come here to finance his mis-adventures ! We go back to the village every year , bought a small house where mum-in-law stays and looks after for us, got to know the nieghbors well, ate like them , sat with them, drank with them,....but its not all plain sailing there. There's always the one or two annoying local 'drunks' who gather outside the house when we are there,..or spoil a small party when they decide to invite themselves and try to 'shake my hand to death' or cuddle me as their 'best friend'. These are some of the things that gets me going,..or the sudden loud bang outside on the street about 2 am ?...what the hell was that?...come the morning my wife finds out it was some drunk guy messing around with a pistol !! (its okay, he got arrested, and got a telling off from police)
Yes, I like the Phils,..I went through the warm friendly welcome 7 years ago,...but with each yearly, or twice yearly visit, I got less and less interested in living there at age 50. Great place to visit for 6-8 weeks, but don't know if I'd really (truthfully) like to up sticks and sell everything to go there (yet ).
As they say, each to their own,..its my opinion only, and it will be good to follow through your next postings to see how you are doing.
Be carefull not to upset any followers, locals,...sometimes you have to 'bite your tongue' and move away to stop an argument. I always felt I was a long way from home if anything was to develop into a full-blown feud.
Size is no help either,..I'm over 6ft and an ex-boxer, (Blackbird biker too )..and I still feel vulnerable in some situations.

Good luck anyway BB,

Regards,

Jonny

blackbear1137

hi jonny ,im 5,8,hehe but feel like a giant here!!!every one i meet i smile and say hi use as much tagalog as i can learnig more each day,locals are ver nice kids frendly we live in a government housing project poorer side of town ,but it is moving up slowly, great nite life didnt do the aircon bit and im getting used to the heat ,bought a treadmill to get fit i used to be a bodygaurd and now im just fat old guy ,if you dont keep up with the gym it realy takes its toll very quickly.
Im sitting here writing this watching my 27 year old fiance getting dressed.with next doors 7 year old rochelle watching me if i was in uk thered be outcry ,i had enough with trying to take pics of my grandsons xmasparty .i love kids im not a messer but in uk i feel like one.you can keep it im here for life and that makes me prepared to compromise and make the things work .no running back to uk ,were in the club a couple of n itesago and the singger asked where you from??? manila i said .

tropicofcancer

It's a great feeling when you know that you don't have to leave. A bit daunting, but the start of your new life, with a few hurdles to jump, but hopefully few in number. Yes speaking some Tagalog helps in getting to know your neighbours.
I had a funny one the other day in Mercury Drug, I speak some Tagalog to the assistant, and an elderly Filipiba customer comments on the fact. So there I am talking to her as best I can in Tagalog. Then as I am leaving she tells me in perfect English: "I have lived in California for many years; I am here visiting and will return home on Monday."

Here in Cebu they would rather speak English than Tagalog, but it is useful for effect, when you know someone is trying to charge you a higher price.

blackbear1137

ive just been on a manila bus!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! holy crap im buying my own car ,suicide pilot is not even close!! i got off and it was all i could do to not deck him!!!!

tropicofcancer

Now now BB things have improved enormously since I first came here thirty years ago. You have to remember "The Birth Of Kamikaze" was at Clark's Field after all.
Just do what the drivers do in a sticky situation: close your eyes, and carry a change of underwear at all times.