Forum	Title	Content	Member	Sex	Country	Date/Time
Philippines	Filipino Men "Most Narcissistic in Asia"	"nine out of 10 Filipino men polled said they liked to look good for themselves, not anyone else." So I guess they indeed fit the textbook definition of "narcissistic" then But I myself am all for guys who in the vernacular are "mukhang mabango." Scruffy handsome types don't do it for me. Grace Edited by graceroxas, 28 April 2011 - 09:37 PM.	graceroxas	Female	Philippines	2011-04-28 21:36:00
Philippines	Filipino Men "Most Narcissistic in Asia"	Thought I was gonna read about some "ex"s in reaction to this I myself haven't "ex"-perienced being with one. I don't think I can take the competition hehe. Actually my first thought upon reading it is that the next waves of K-1 visas might well be an exodus of our well-groomed, male compatriots getting together with US ladies. That certainly happens a lot in other parts of the world. Grace	graceroxas	Female	Philippines	2011-04-27 18:03:00
Philippines	Filipino Men "Most Narcissistic in Asia"	Filipino men "most narcissistic in Asia"	graceroxas	Female	Philippines	2011-04-27 04:27:00
Philippines	am I cheap?	Any resolution to this issue? To the OP: Next time she calls you cheap, tell her that whatever qualities she thinks she has that makes you stick with her (sense of humor, being "nice"), those are dime a dozen in the Philippines - "singko sang dosena." Those are common commodities here. Part of why Filipino nurses, caregivers and others in the service industry are such a hit abroad. We're supposed to be these warm and fuzzy people. Ever asked her if she'll be willing to change your bedpan when you're already old and invalid? With that mentality, maybe she will, but for an arm and a leg. Grace Edited by graceroxas, 01 May 2011 - 07:44 PM.	graceroxas	Female	Philippines	2011-05-01 19:43:00
Philippines	WARNING for CENOMAR expiration date	I wasn't aware that a CENOMAR has an expiration date. It's good for how many months? I guess it expires the day one gets married But seriously, it takes between 7 to 15 days to get. Would be tough to wait it out until the last possible moment to get one. What if it's not ready yet by the interview date? Grace	graceroxas	Female	Philippines	2011-05-04 06:37:00
Philippines	waiting for pacquiao vs mosley fight	We watched the fight in the big arena on giant screen at Mandalay Bay. The fight accross the street was sold out at MGM Grand. After the fight Manny had a concert for VIPs in the arena. I agree with the comments about the fight but it was good fun because there were thousands of Filipinos in the arena we were in and every time he started landing punches the place came alive. Especially when Mosley got knocked down. I was in vegas celebrating my first year wedding anniversary with my wife.. It's always a national bonding experience,yes. But really, Pacman should just focus on getting that Mayweather chap to fight him. With his status now, fighting most everyone else just reeks of a money-making charade. Grace	graceroxas	Female	Philippines	2011-05-12 00:04:00
Philippines	waiting for pacquiao vs mosley fight	I Think he will run in the Future! watch what i tell you! We will see President Pacquiao one day! He certainly is keeping down the crime rate already just by showing up in the square canvas. Petty criminals taking time out from the day's labor to watch a Pacquaio fight is a well-documented phenomenon	graceroxas	Female	Philippines	2011-05-09 08:28:00
Philippines	waiting for pacquiao vs mosley fight	What a non-event Mosley just showed up for a paycheck, not to fight..	graceroxas	Female	Philippines	2011-05-07 23:58:00
Philippines	K1 Cost Estimates	Yes Happy explain that, because my thinking is ALL Vaccinations is included! Except if there are booster doses recommended that have to be administered in the US. That's the case with me. But that's for AOS already, right?	graceroxas	Female	Philippines	2011-05-10 21:45:00
Philippines	Sputum Test	i was just curious. how do they determine who needs to do the culture? and why does it seem like it's only in Philippines? thanks for your responses I once heard a local expert (Dr. Vicente Belizario of UP Manila) say that around 70 percent of Pinoys are likely to have radiologic (i.e. x-ray) signs of TB without actually having contracted the disease. We are such a high-burden country that TB is literally in the air. That certainly weighed on my mind when I had my medical but everything went fine. Perhaps St. Luke's adjusts the local reference value for what should constitute a referral for a sputum test. Otherwise, a lot of people would be getting referred. Grace Edited by graceroxas, 22 May 2011 - 08:06 PM.	graceroxas	Female	Philippines	2011-05-22 20:05:00
Philippines	Ceiling Caves In at Philippine Airport, Two Hurt	Foreign airlines save money by using gates at Terminal 1. Landing fees into MNL are some of the most expensive in SE Asia. The gate rents at the other terminals are excessive by comparison. I've often wondered why they're so crowded in there. Hope it's a wake-up call for everyone concerned. I always feel a bit apologetic to my fiance whenever I have to fetch him in that old terminal. Terminal 2 is a lot better but PAL has its own set of problems... like the crew suddenly not showing up for work. Grace	graceroxas	Female	Philippines	2011-05-23 06:27:00
Philippines	Ceiling Caves In at Philippine Airport, Two Hurt	Yup,not really looking forward to using this terminal soon.	graceroxas	Female	Philippines	2011-05-22 19:37:00
Philippines	Ceiling Caves In at Philippine Airport, Two Hurt	http://sg.finance.ya...481967.html?x=0 Ouch! I actually thought twice before posting this. Yet another black mark in our already much tarnished rep. But this is Terminal 1 they're talking about, and almost everyone who doesn't use PAL passes through here. After the Quirino Grandstand standoff last year,P-noy was concerned enough to visit the site of the incident himself. Grace Edited by graceroxas, 18 May 2011 - 08:07 PM.	graceroxas	Female	Philippines	2011-05-18 20:04:00
Philippines	court-less relationship	OP --- Your ramblings somehow remind me of Rumi,the Sufi mystic-poet, though I'm pretty sure you're channeling him unintentionally That's a compliment btw. Grace Edited by graceroxas, 24 May 2011 - 06:08 AM.	graceroxas	Female	Philippines	2011-05-24 06:07:00
Philippines	Middle name (mother's maiden name) in airport ticket?	Hello everyone, Since the K-1 visa includes the middle name as if it was part of the first name, should we book the airline ticket to include the middle name, instead of the usual first name and last name? Thanks in advance for any advice. Grace	graceroxas	Female	Philippines	2011-05-25 22:25:00
Philippines	Filipina wife issues....advice please...	Citizens and former-citizens cannot own more than 3 hectares of land? I don't think I understand. Who are all these people owning larger plots? I can search online to easily find, in a minute or so, many listings for much more than 3 hectares - in Bukidnon alone. Not just a bit more, but dozens of hectares. Such an oppressive law, if it is what it sounds like. I don't understand how such a policy could have any positive effect. I hardly think the spirit of this law is oppressive. Land reform worked well enough in Taiwan. It is supposed to provide an opportunity for lower-income families working off the land to become landowners and thereby improve their lot. It's the circumvention and weak implementation of this law that I find reprehensible. Also, the inadequacy of support facilities for new farmer-landowners. Grace	graceroxas	Female	Philippines	2011-04-20 02:21:00
Philippines	Filipina wife issues....advice please...	According to the wife, the three hectare limit applies to citizens as well. That just means you will have to make lots of sons and daughters if you want more farm land. Or make a lot of friends you can trust to act as "dummy" owners for you. Kinda risky though but it is done. When I was helping a friend scout for vacation property to buy, I was told that the whole lake coastline near our place is virtually Korean and Japanese turf, though I doubt if the land titles will reflect that. Grace	graceroxas	Female	Philippines	2011-04-13 23:20:00
Philippines	Filipina wife issues....advice please...	The OP has resolution to his issue - why you fellas using his topic to 'compare notes' and play oneupmanship now ? I don't know what you mean by this. Maybe you're saying we should split off to a new thread or something. Thing is, this journey is a rich experience that resonates differently with different people, sometimes in ways incidental only to the main conversation, though probably no less significant. Like I don't really have anything new to say to the OP that haven't been said by others and better, but I do have pretty precise views about some of the things mentioned only in passing, like the question of who spends for what in a particular fiance situation, that I'm guessing is not widely shared or even considered. I thought,what better time to say it. Someone out there might need to hear it. Grace Edited by graceroxas, 12 April 2011 - 07:51 PM.	graceroxas	Female	Philippines	2011-04-12 19:47:00
Philippines	Filipina wife issues....advice please...	Wow. You mean I did not have to pick up the tab that first night in Manila when it was suggested I meet the family at a Chinese restaurant? That was the scariest evening in my entire life. I knew I was in good with dad when he hailed a cab to take me and my future bride back to hotel. I'm not talking about some ironclad Filipino rule of social behavior. Perhaps it's just my own sense of what's due him as an invited guest of the family. If I was the one visiting his family, or other relatives/friends abroad for that matter,I'd certainly expect to be treated likewise, to the extent that it's not unduly inconveniencing the host/hostess. Grace	graceroxas	Female	Philippines	2011-04-10 23:04:00
Philippines	Filipina wife issues....advice please...	when my husband came to visit me in the philippines my mom would always pay half of the bills when we go out for dinner or go to the beach.sometimes she pays evrything. I'll probably be guilty of taking these statements out of context, but just wanna say that when my fiance first visited with my family, I was fully prepared to spend for everything (of course, he was equally vehement about refusing to let me pay a single cent). I would have done the same for any friend from abroad or elsewhere far who took all that trouble to visit them. Basic hospitality etiquette in my book. Grace Edited by graceroxas, 10 April 2011 - 08:08 PM.	graceroxas	Female	Philippines	2011-04-10 20:05:00
Philippines	Filipina wife issues....advice please...	Yup, my great great grand uncle, through his works of art, was also one of the main instigators of the revolt against Madre España. His obra maestra, La Spoliarium, can be interpreted to depict the mistreatment of Filipinos by Spaniards, especially the Guardia Civil. Maria Gracia, you are a very excellent writer indeed. And may I have the pleasure to have encountered you in cyberspace. Kudos! That's actually my full Christian name! Is that a lucky guess or have we met before? Anyway, I guess my mania for a byline extends to online fora where one is supposed to be anonymous. Now, I have to watch everything I write here Good luck on your journey! Grace	graceroxas	Female	Philippines	2011-04-07 19:55:00
Philippines	Filipina wife issues....advice please...	Thanks, I like yours too and I feel hungry for breakfast again! BTW, mine is a mere tribute to my namesake (also my great great grand daddy), arguably the best Filipino painter of all time. Whoa! You're his descendant? An honor to meet you (virtually, that is). I also have the greatest respect for your great great grand uncle. If there was one guy who personified the Nemesis of the American conquistadores at the turn of the 20th century, it was him Grace	graceroxas	Female	Philippines	2011-04-05 20:29:00
Philippines	Filipina wife issues....advice please...	Realty taxes in the Philippines are not imposed by the BIR. These are levied by local jurisdictions. OT: Like your avatar and user name	graceroxas	Female	Philippines	2011-04-05 18:00:00
Philippines	Filipina wife issues....advice please...	The humorous side of "supporting extended family" idea is that when the immediate family members (i.e parents, siblings) does not expect supports from USC but the relatives (i.e. uncles, aunts and cousins) expect that the USC supports them since their niece is married to him. This scenario really shows the leeches and parasites in filipino families. I think the Filipino concept of "balato" might apply there too. I can't think of an English equivalent but the general idea is that a windfall (marrying a foreigner sometimes qualify as one) is somehow expected to be shared with the community. A prime example of this is whenever Manny Pacquaio goes home to his native city after a successful bout. People --- total strangers --- just line up outside his palace there to ask for a share of the spoils. What I'm saying here is that it's not necessarily just about leeching and parasitism. It could be cultural. Of course, I'll draw the line when those asking for "balato" starts expecting college scholarships or regular grocery money and not just one-time handouts. Grace	graceroxas	Female	Philippines	2011-04-04 22:21:00
Philippines	Filipina wife issues....advice please...	I'm not sure the Filipino culture of reciprocal support within the extended family is properly represented in this question often enough. The moment it becomes one-sided it is no longer the Filipino cultural model. The model is reciprocity. It is a mutual support network. Forget about Americanos for a moment. If a Filipino family is always giving labor and money to an Uncle's family and all the family gets in return is arrogance and ingratitude then that's a problem. That isn't the Filipino way. Because there is an ocean between us, my wife can't have her sisters or cousins take care of our kids while we run off and play together. They'd be happy to do that for us but they can't. They are my work crew/bodyguards when I am over there, but they can't do that right now either. So the Filipino model works better with us there because they can reciprocate in so many ways they can't with us in the USA. Yeah, it would be interesting to know the experiences of Western expats married to locals with their spouses' extended kin, especially when there are kids in the marriage. It might shine a whole different light on the situation. Also, this is a country where being an OFW (overseas Filipino worker) is the chief means of economic advancement. Many young women with limited education and job prospects, going abroad to marry some foreigner, might otherwise be applying for a job in the Middle East or neighboring Asian countries to earn dollars. For sure, there can be true affection involved, but this situation can make for some distorted expectations on the part of the woman's family or the woman herself. Grace	graceroxas	Female	Philippines	2011-04-03 21:52:00
Philippines	Beware if you travel alone to the Philippines	LOl, it cost me 2000p for a ride from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2 at Manila Airport. Five-star hotel car services to the airport, coming from Makati/Manila area, would charge you about the same and that cabbie probably knows it. Grace Edited by graceroxas, 25 May 2011 - 09:18 PM.	graceroxas	Female	Philippines	2011-05-25 21:15:00
Philippines	Beware if you travel alone to the Philippines	Chinese corporations own almost anything of value in the Philippines. If the Philippines government nationalized all those foreign owned industries, seizing their assets, and kicking them out of the country, then the Filipinos themselves could enjoy the fruits of their labors. But, sadly, there just doesn't seem to be that motivation, despite having one of the most educated populations in the world. The education system seem to be geared to producing the Philippines primary export: OFW's. I know what you mean. But these corporations controlled by people with Chinese-sounding names are not necessarily Chinese corporations. A few of the biggest taipans in PH are actually second- or third-generation Chinese immigrants who made their fortunes here from scratch, not even finishing college. Sounds familiar? While I do not agree with many of their business practices, I think they should be emulated rather than reviled. Grace it's vj, there's a solution for everything here! Am beginning to believe it	graceroxas	Female	Philippines	2011-05-18 01:49:00
Philippines	Beware if you travel alone to the Philippines	I don't think there is one big hypothesis that would explain why PH is what it is now. Let's not oversimplify things. It could all just be a bad stew of so many things: corruption, weak government policies, bad leadership, misplaced religiosity and superstition,economic inequity, colonial mentality,counterproductive cultural traits, ad nauseam... Tomes have been written about each of those topics and you guys propose to resolve the question once and for all in a VJ forum thread? A few years of living and traveling around the country hardly qualifies one to become an expert. I've been here for all of 36 years, since birth that is, and I don't feel remotely qualified to pontificate about what's wrong with the country in general. I just do what I can within my experience. Grace Edited by graceroxas, 17 May 2011 - 09:09 PM.	graceroxas	Female	Philippines	2011-05-17 21:06:00
Philippines	Beware if you travel alone to the Philippines	Thanks for pointing that out. One of the things that really aggravates me is being poked relentlessly by them. It's one thing to beg, but another to harass me by poking me in the back over and over again while I am standing in line at the pharmacy. I definitely do not give money to people who do that to me. I learned that telling them to stop was not enough. But if you start poking them in return, they're so shocked they run away. If it's illegal I can just start calling for the cops. I was at the embassy yesterday and experienced a version of this aggressive behavior. Not by beggars but by some enterprising touts who found a way to make money from people who neglected to read the embassy guidelines about not bringing electronic devices inside. It doesn't work if you just ignore them. Apparently,they've decided that if you're the fiancee or spouse visa type, you're clueless by default and they have to "help" you. They'll also scam you into buying black ball pens, as if the embassy cares if you use black or blue (They don't). That one almost worked. I actually checked the ink of my pen I'm surprised the embassy doesn't do much to regulate these people. It's almost a cottage industry outside the consulate gates. Grace Edited by graceroxas, 16 May 2011 - 08:58 PM.	graceroxas	Female	Philippines	2011-05-16 20:56:00
Philippines	Beware if you travel alone to the Philippines	When the current PHL Prez and most presidents of the past praise encourage the "hero worship" of the OFW's, I don't see this problem being fixed. Until the mindset is to NOT depend on remittances as a major source of economic growth, nothing will change. +1 on this.	graceroxas	Female	Philippines	2011-05-16 20:38:00
Philippines	Beware if you travel alone to the Philippines	I wonder what sort of gratuity the Tourist Police will expect for rendering assistance. Sounds like an interesting job. They provide mountain bikes and training courses. But not sure I'll pass the neuropsychiatric tests	graceroxas	Female	Philippines	2011-05-14 20:18:00
Philippines	Beware if you travel alone to the Philippines	Ya..its a fuzzy area.I've never gotten a straight answer on the legalities of giving money to beggars..BUT rest assured..if anyone of authority see's you doing what MIGHT be perceived as illegal, be prepared to pay. RULE #2..The police are NOT your friend! If you are a foreigner you will lose any alternation with a Filipino..Regardless of fault..and you will pay or find yourself somewhere you REALLY REALLY don't want to be! Sometimes its better to be prepared to be taken advantage of, regardless of right or wrong or PRINCIPAL! I personalty know of white guys that have been stabbed arguing over trike fare! The hardest thing to convey to new tourist to the P.I. is they operate by very different rules here and ya got to watch your six.(watch your back). Try to be as incognito as possible (especially in Manila and the larger cities).Try to always have a trusted Filipino/a with you where ever you go. And NEVER assume!!! Some recent sound and fury from the police about helping foreign visitors. http://newsinfo.inqu...oreign-visitors	graceroxas	Female	Philippines	2011-05-13 21:36:00
Philippines	Beware if you travel alone to the Philippines	NEVER give money to a beggar... those 'SWEET BEGGAR KIDS" are employees and all have handlers.If you feel you MUST give them something, give them food! And that kindly gentleman that flags down your cab..well..he's also looking for a way to relieve you of your wallet! The moment you get off your plane, your a target and will remain so until you get back on said plane. This isn't KANSAS. DON'T make yourself a victim. LEARN some basic Tagalog BEFORE you come to the P.I. And if your "sweetie" is from the province,she PROBABLY knows less about the ways of Manila than you..which is nothing! I've lived here for three years and trust me, I've learned most of the 'rules' the hard way. EDUCATE yourself BEFORE you come..seek out those that know..OR plan to become a victim..NO ONE here is going to help you without payment..whether you ask for the help or not..RULE #1 Giving money to beggars is illegal too in some places here. In the city of Manila, at least, I know it is. I think it must be a city ordinance.	graceroxas	Female	Philippines	2011-05-13 20:29:00
Philippines	Beware if you travel alone to the Philippines	I understand they've recently removed those "alphabetical" signs at the Terminal 1 waiting area. They have "Bay" numbers now I think. Ok,I was last there in February. They may have changed things already since then. The other landmarks that I can think of there is a duty free shop, money changer and a car paging booth at the street level before you cross to the other side. Grace	graceroxas	Female	Philippines	2011-05-13 20:26:00
Philippines	Beware if you travel alone to the Philippines	And make sure they reset the meter. Sometimes if they just had a short fare they leave the meter running when a new passenger boards the taxi. And the flag down rate now is 40 pesos.	graceroxas	Female	Philippines	2011-05-09 20:05:00
Philippines	Beware if you travel alone to the Philippines	Grace you know you are right!I Arrived at Terminal 1 it is a old buliding.But I didnt see 2 ramps but im sure they were there.I was just following the porter that was leading me down a ramp.I was watching all around me cause i didnt know where he was taking me? Ha Ha! But where is the bay signs you were talking about? on top? I was really focused on my surroundings and looking for my Fiance at the same time. Ha Ha! There's another ramp opposite the one you went down on. Anyway, the bay signs are directly overhead of you when you reach the ground level, so it might be more visible to the people in the waiting area across the road, but they're there if you look up. Btw, T2 also has bay signs but they're numbers, not alphabets. Grace	graceroxas	Female	Philippines	2011-05-09 19:54:00
Philippines	Beware if you travel alone to the Philippines	And there is Terminal 3, which Ceebu Pacific uses for both their domestic and international flights, also Air Philippines and All Nippon are now using the new terminal. Thanks for the correction. So far, I've only been to T3 for domestic flights so I've always thought it's just for local carriers. Edited by graceroxas, 09 May 2011 - 07:51 AM.	graceroxas	Female	Philippines	2011-05-09 07:47:00
Philippines	Beware if you travel alone to the Philippines	. We got in the cab and the guy didnt turn on the meter. So, when we got to St. Lukes I just handed him 50 pesos....he looked at me and said 100 pesos.....I told him I made the same trip the day before and it was only 40 pesos. All he said was "traffic." This is actually my pet peeve and is by far the most common scam that I think you would encounter there. Even Pinoys are not spared. Even if I can afford what they charge out-of-meter, I still refuse, out of principle, to patronize cabbies who do this. I always make sure that they flag down the meter before the cab moves any place far and if they don't, I alight. If they picked you up while lining up in a queue, then it will be a bother for them to replace you (a well-deserved one too). Grace Edited by graceroxas, 08 May 2011 - 11:17 PM.	graceroxas	Female	Philippines	2011-05-08 23:17:00
Philippines	Beware if you travel alone to the Philippines	There are two terminals serving international flights at NAIA and you can be spared the aggravation of touts and would-be scammers if you can arrange in advance where to meet up. Terminal 1 is the older and more chaotic of the two as it serves all airlines except the national flag carrier, Philippine Airlines (PAL). When you go down any of the two ramps, there are waiting bays with alphabetical designations just before you cross the street to the designated waiting area for arriving passengers. So an arriving Mr. Jones, for example, can tell his welcome party to look for him under the "J-K" bay. Terminal 2 (Centennial Terminal), which serves only PAL flights, is much less congested and it is easier to find people there. You can set as meeting place a coffee shop (there's only one free-standing) to the far right of the arrival area, a few meters away from the throng of people waiting for passengers. Grace Edited by graceroxas, 08 May 2011 - 11:01 PM.	graceroxas	Female	Philippines	2011-05-08 23:00:00
Philippines	Mail to Philippines	From my experience the package was sent thru FED EX from the US and then it was 2GO Courier that delivered it when it reached the Philippines. You can ask them to be sure. If you're sending to someone based outside of Metro Manila and other major urban areas like Cebu, the international courier companies (FedEx, DHL, UPS etc) usually work with a local partner like 2GO. This can add days to the delivery estimate of the international courier both ways. Btw, I find DHL to be the fastest for outbound packages (going to the US). Grace	graceroxas	Female	Philippines	2011-03-15 23:28:00