More fun in the Philippines
- Bernd
- Oct 7, 2024
- 11 min read
Updated: Mar 29
This trip is part of a longer tour: It starts in Vienna/Austria, takes me to Kuala Lumpur/Malaysia, to Miri/Malaysia, then on to Jakarta/Indonesia, Karawang/Indonesia, Manila/Philippines, Tagbilaran/Philippines. Via Kuala Lumpur I go to Abu Dhabi for a few days and finally back to Germany.
I do not write for this generation.
I am writing for other ages. If this could read me, they would burn my books, the work of my whole life. On the other hand, the generation which interprets these writings will be an educated generation; they will understand me and say: 'Not all were asleep in the nighttime of our grandparents.'
Jose Rizal
Plea for the Philippines
The Southeast Asian island state of the Philippines consists of 7,000 islands in the Western Pacific.
I have been visiting this unique country regularly for over 15 years. I have the greatest respect for this colorful, cosmopolitan island state and its residents. When we talk about the Philippines, we reduce the country to dream beaches, blue skies, palm trees, laughing people, in a reflex that has been trained over the decades. Or to crime, the slums in Manila, and love for sale. That doesn't even begin to do justice to the country and its people.
They fight resolutely against the forces of nature, typhoons, and heavy rains. They study and work hard for social advancement. The Middle East would be far less successful without the Filipino workforce.
And now they have to assert themselves against their oversized neighbor China, which doesn't care about international law.
Juni 2024
Travel information
All information is non-binding and without guarantee.
I do not receive any commissions or discounts for my reviews on my travels.
Entry/Visum
German citizens need a passport that is valid for at least 6 months beyond the duration of the trip.
You also need a visa, which you can obtain upon arrival upon presentation of a return or onward flight ticket (visa on arrival). The tourist visa is valid for 30 days.
Note: Alternatively, you have the option of applying for an eVisa: https://etravel.gov.ph
Money
In the Philippines you pay with the Philippine Peso (Php). You can exchange money in exchange offices, in the bank or you can withdraw money from the numerous ATMs.
Taxi
The safety standards of the vehicles and their drivers vary greatly. It is not unusual for the seat belts in the back of the taxi to not work or to be missing altogether. With some drivers, you just want to get out.
The vehicles usually have a taximeter. Sometimes the drivers are bitchy and refuse to drive you if the fare is not negotiated beforehand.
A popular service provider is GRAB. And of course you can also take one of the tuk-tuks.
Communication
My raiting: *****
The official language in the Philippines is Filipino or Tagalog and English. The Philippines is the only Asian country that uses the Latin alphabet. This is a significant advantage when making contact with people and finding your way around.
Security
There are apparently quite a few people who are put off by the travel warnings. In my opinion, this is extremely exaggerated. Avoid dark streets and socially disadvantaged areas.
Most shops have security and I rarely felt unsafe. However, this does not apply to certain regions of the Philippines. Particularly in the very south, in Mindanao and in the Sulu Sea. Islamist terrorist groups operate here.
Best time to travel
The best time to travel is the dry season from December to May.
Avoid the rainy season from June to November, as it pours with rain during this time. There is also a risk of experiencing one or more typhoons, tropical cyclones. And believe me, you don't want that.
Note: In America, a typhoon is simply called a hurricane, while in the Indian Ocean it is called a cyclone. Tornadoes form over land.
Ride with a suicidal taxi driver
Adrenalin: *****
It's damn hot when I leave the airport hall with my suitcase. The tropical air hits me like a wall. I quickly get to the taxi. A friendly older gentleman opens the door to his vehicle for me. After the suitcase is stowed in the trunk, I make myself comfortable on the slightly tattered back seat. That would be done. We negotiate 600 PHP.
Oops, there's no seatbelt. Yet again. What a surprise. The driver drives off. No. It's not really driving. Crawl more. So he crawls off and shortly afterwards heads towards Makati. To my surprise, the traffic flows. That's not usually the case in Manila.
Why doesn't he shift into third gear? "You are my first customer!" he calls out to me. He concentrates on the traffic, sticks his face to the windshield and fumbles his glasses with the thick lenses, which suggest farsightedness, out of the glove compartment.
The driver turns to me briefly, looks at me with his greatly enlarged eyes, grins toothlessly and asks again about the destination. A truck to our right is honking loudly because we are slowly cutting into its direction.
He corrects the direction of travel. I see the giant tire of the truck right next to me. I am overwhelmed by disbelief.
It seems as if my angel of death can't decide which lane to take. That's not unusual in Asian cities. But the others aren't driving in a zigzag course. Now a van to my left is honking. Sometimes your life is hanging by a thread. "Don't worry, sir!" he shouts at me, looking over his shoulder again.
"No problem, but please look ahead." He can't hear me. I could lend him my hearing aids for this one trip. It looks like I won't need them for much longer. Sweat is running down my forehead. The heat, I convince myself.
Take a closer look at the drivers! I think to myself. He suspects my thoughts. "No worry, I've been driving for sixty years!" he shouts. Two questions come to mind: How old are they when they get their driver's license here? And are the vehicle and its brakes the same age?
Again, the horn sounds extremely loudly. This time from both sides at the same time. A coach on the left, a truck on the right. I see two of the huge wheels, those of the bus and the even bigger ones of the truck. My breath catches.
Maybe I should drive. "I drive every day ten hours!" I almost don't hear that anymore because I've just finished my life. The truck brakes. Lucky for me.
Somehow, it's a miracle, we brake abruptly and reach the Hotel Citadines. "Welcome to the Philippines, Sir!" I get out in a daze, give him 1000 PHP and stagger into the lobby. He calls out to me: "Thank you, see you next time, Sir!"
Citadines Hotel
My raiting: *****
Adresse: 148 Valero Street, Salcedo Village, Makati, 1227 Manila, Philippinen
The 5-star aparthotel is a branch of the Ascott Group. It offers the benefits of an apartment but the service of a hotel.
The accommodation is only 6 km from the airport.
700 m to Greenbelt Mall
1 km to Glorietta Mall
Ayala Triangle Gardens 450 m
Riszal Park 6 km
Fort Santiago 8 km
Makati City
My raiting: *****
Manila consists of several cities, also known as Metro Manila for short. Makati City has almost 600,000 inhabitants and is part of the capital region of Metro Manila. This is an ideal starting point for cultural acclimatization.
Makati is also the economic and financial center of the Philippines. Money rules here.
Skyscrapers dominate the cityscape, similar to Manhattan. Life here is correspondingly expensive. In the exclusive luxury malls you will find first-class restaurants, bars and cafes alongside luxury boutiques.
However, the people are also more distant. Expensive Makati has little to do with the open-hearted population of the country, and by that I expressly do not mean the slums.
Let's approach the country with the help of its national hero, who you should know:
José Rizal.
National hero José Rizal
José Rizal was born on June 19, 1861 in Calamba City. He was a doctor, writer and critic of colonialism. Colonization by the Spanish crown lasted from 1521 to 1898. In 1899, colonial rule by the USA followed.
Jose Rizal was a worldly man; between 1882 and 1892 he traveled to Spain, Germany, Belgium, England, France, Italy, Austria-Hungary, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, Singapore, Hong Kong, Macao, Japan and the USA.
He fought peacefully with pen and paper against the Spanish occupiers by publishing books and articles. This made Jose Rizal the leading force in the Philippines' struggle for independence. The colonial administration had him arrested and imprisoned Jose Rizal in the Fuerte de Santiago fortress in the Intramuros district.
On December 30, 1896, José Rizal was executed on the orders of the Spanish colonial rulers. Today, a monument stands in Rizal Park at the site of his execution. December 30 is a national holiday in the Philippines in his memory.
Rizal Park
My raiting: *****
Admittedly, there are more beautiful, more spectacular green spaces. But here, in one of the few parks in Manila, with the history of its namesake, life pulsates. And it is safe too. The park rangers make sure of that.
Rizal Park has an area of around 58 hectares. I usually take the 2.4 km long circular path, past lawns, flower beds, ornamental gardens, monuments and ponds.
In the immediate vicinity of the park is the Oceanarium, the Manila Planetarium and the National Museum of the Philippines.
I recommend visiting the park in the late afternoon. The temperatures are bearable then. The park is well attended in the evenings. Water games also take place at the large pond, accompanied by a variety of music.
Tip: Various providers offer 4-hour tours: a 15-minute stop at Rizal Park, 15 minutes Intramuros, 30 minutes Fort Santiago etc. All in the afternoon. For €160. Leave it. What do you want in the midday heat in the deserted Rizal Park? 15 minutes? Unnecessary.
Children of the street
They are omnipresent, the children of the street. They wander around begging or collecting recyclable garbage that can be sold. When I visited the Philippines for the first time, I wanted to do something good for them, so I went to the nearest shop and bought a bag full of sweets. The evening mass in the church had just started. So I waited until it was over.
When the children realized that a do-gooder was handing out sweets, they stormed towards me mercilessly. Within seconds, a stupidly staring tourist was left behind with a torn plastic bag.
I refined my tactics, packed the mineral water from my room and the fruit. I picked out my children, in this case two girls, and was eyed critically by the locals: A foreigner makes advances on little girls. When they realized that I was only talking to them, giving them the apples and water, their faces beamed.
I kept this tactic. We tourists tend to moralize and want to do our best to save the world. Forget it. Pity has never helped anyone, but compassion has. And sharing.
SMDC: Buy two, pay one, get five
My raiting: ***
I really fell in love with this country. Wouldn't it be great to finance my travels with some local income? Real estate seemed like the right choice. One of the largest developers and companies is SMDC. The apartments of this company serve the Asian market: small residential units of mediocre quality. Many are poorly furnished by their owners. I developed a concept: good standard of furnishing at a reasonable price.
The SMDC real estate agents were on my heels. "Sir, buy two, pay for one!" Clever. The apartments are relatively cheap, especially before they are finished.
This is how I got five apartments, and until Corona you could make a modest amount of money with them. The market is now much more difficult.
The population in Asia is growing, and the construction projects are correspondingly large: huge residential complexes are being built. And anyone who can rent an apartment here is on the way to social advancement.
The real estate concept is interesting: you enter a spacious lobby that is more reminiscent of a hotel. The reception and security meticulously check whether you belong here. There is usually a small mall downstairs with the most essential shops. The residential complex includes a pool area and a fitness studio. Done.
The church's double-edged sword
Those who have to live in poverty believe in the church's paradisiacal promises of a better life. After death, of course. Filipino society is predominantly Catholic. The church offers a sense of belonging and social closeness.
The Catholic Church has great political influence in the Philippines. With its dogmatism, including in the areas of sexuality and family, it is also part of the problem of uncontrolled family planning, which is impoverishment in general. God is first and foremost a strict, punishing God. And Jesus hangs quite well on the cross. Obey, otherwise there will be no paradise. And the slums are hell enough. The most dangerous place in Manila is the slums of Tondo. Even the police don't dare go in here.
A friend who grew up in a slum told me about the conditions. In summary, it can be expressed as follows: "The walls of the barracks are made of whatever you can find. It is unbearably hot inside. Life takes place in one room. Food is meager. The stench of the narrow streets penetrates through every crack. It stinks of feces. Violence in all its forms is omnipresent: within families, with neighbors, between rival gangs. At night, rats run across your face..."
He fought his way forward because not everything in the slums is bad and there is also something like social cohesion, at least among friends.
His single mother worked as a cook.
Their faith often gave them stability, and attending church services gave them structure. Somehow he managed to study, got his bachelor's degree as a teacher and now hopes to be able to teach at a school.
But before he can work at a state school, he needs two years of experience as a teacher at a private school. These are usually church schools that pay a pittance. I admire his determination not to give up.
Is there anything better? Hardly.
Fucking for the Vatican
The Philippine government is not standing idly by and watching the impoverishment. With the Government Housing Project, they are trying to alleviate the situation somewhat.
They go into the slums and offer a small house to particularly vulnerable families who have an income. They can live there rent-free for the first few years or pay a monthly amount that they can afford, based on their income. After 30 to 40 years, it is paid off and belongs to them.
The catch: The projects are located outside Manila, with mediocre infrastructure. The journey to work is arduous and time-consuming.
According to those affected, the main problem is the church's ban on contraception. People from the lowest social classes in particular are reproducing disproportionately. The church's rejection of divorce and abortion is exacerbating the problem.
More work for less pay
Those who can save money to pay for their children's education. A taxi driver told me that he works six days in a row and spends the night in his taxi. Against social decline. His wife and children live far outside Manila because the cost of living is cheaper there. Sunday belongs to church and family.
Anyone who can works in one of the call centers. These jobs are better paid than in the malls. The working hours are 10 hours, plus travel to and from the office. Depending on where you live, that's two hours each way. Often six days a week. But they want to abolish that. Saturdays belong to mom and dad, as we all know.
Others look for a job in the Emirates, Europe or the USA. There you also work six days a week - depending on the job - but the pay is enough to support the family at home.
Here in Germany, it is the other way round. We misunderstand the global situation, afford ourselves an inefficient welfare state, an overflowing bureaucracy, the highest, non-transparent taxes and politicians who refuse to make groundbreaking decisions. Less work for more pay. This sentence says it all.
Adobo
My raiting: *****
Today I'm making my way to the chic Greenbelt Mall. In addition to countless shops, you can also eat well there. One culinary delicacy should not go unmentioned here.
Adobo is one of my favorite dishes in the Philippines. The word means seasoning or marinade. Chicken or pork is refined with adobo. The dish is popular in Spain, Latin America and the Philippines. The meat is slowly cooked in a broth made of vinegar, garlic, bay leaves, onions, soy sauce and pepper. Then it is fried in a pan until crispy. It is eaten with vegetables and rice.
But enough of the urban jungle. My next stop is Tagbilaran on the island of Bohol. There I want to see the Chocolate Hills, one of the tourist hotspots in the Philippines. Fly with me.
Thanks for your feedback!
Links to my accommodations in Manila
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