Don't waste your money. The kid needs total absence and accumulated time away from druggie infuences. If you spend money to give him a few weeks in a treatment center, especially in a large city, you're pissing money away. I agree with Ray 100%! Having just turned 40, I've seen the devastation caused by crank, meth, shabu (or whatever you want to call it) for the last 20 or so years. This nasty drug started appearing about the time I graduated high school and being in California, it caught on quickly. Meth isn't a just a barrio drug. Most of my white collar professional friends in Silicon Valley have used the drug as a ""productive enhnacement."" It definately pumps up production...... but only for a short time. Those who get hooked on it try to keep their energy up by doing more and more. The problem, not being realized by the user, is that they need sleep. And so they keep doing more until they are just another chronic drug user. There was an anti drug campaign add on television a couple of years ago where a guy was talking to himself, trying to figure out why he did drugs. He kept saying the following infinate phrase over and over: I use drugs so I can work harder and get paid more so I can buy more drugs so I can use drugs to work harder so I can..... That pretty much sums up the confusion of what I've seen from my friends that have been bitten by this drug. Fortunately, it's soluble drug that only stays in the blood stream for less than 24 hrs. Addiction is more mental than physical. As far as rehabilitation clinics for meth/shabu go, they're nothing more than treatment centers for sleep deprivation. In other words, 3 hots and a cot without bars and a big bill in the end. So, if you have a Filipino relative that's messed up on this stuff, I agree with Ray... Your money isn't likely to help him. It'll just give your relative a nice vacation somewhere for a couple of weeks. After that, he'll most likely be back on the stuff. My friends who have overcome the drug have almost always moved, changed jobs, changed wives/friends or made some kind of very dramatic lifestyle change to keep from falling back. Every single one of them have told me they only stopped when THEY thought it was a problem which is something a chronic user has a hard time realizing. Hope this helps. Having been there, I do feel sorry for you and your extended family for having to be a part of a users life. The user tends to bring everyone down with himself and it aint pretty sometimes.

In short they sell for way above market price but you do not have to pay if you can find other people who will buy from you. And probably you have too find lots of them as that is not specified. If they are lucky you fail and they make a profit. For me it is easy to see were there money is coming from and probably not even illegal. By the way buying solid gold will keep you in your current job as it does not generate extra money for you. Certainly not if bought at these prices. Just browse around on the internet and try to find the lowest price for these coins. Believe me it is way below their asking price.

I've never mentioned to this group that my degree is in Chemical Dependency Counseling. I spent 10 years with addicts and alcoholics of every variety, shape and form. Two years ago I quit to pursue other goals. What I say, I say as a professional, having studied scientific research and peer reviewed case studies, and as a case manager, with addicts, face to face for a decade, and as a former user. (If anyone noticed, I mentioned several times in posts that I never drink. It is for good reason) So here is what I have to say. There is absolutely no way to tell if a person will get well or not, period. There is no way to predict. A drug addict is a person in quicksand. You can help, you can advise, you can reach out, but try not to let yourself be pulled into the mud too. Tough love is a concept that many cannot comprehend. The best way to help the addict is have another addict tell them over and over and over that they can make it. And then, they still need to be completely abstinant, and stay away from people, places and things that trigger them, as much as is humanly possible. I'll be in Manila Jan. 5....and would be willing to advise, free of charge once I'm there.

it was good entertaining reading while it lasted. At least you both had the sence to kiss and make up. And get on with life. LOL Perry as you know down under we have camera's at the traffic light and bridges and in cars and on cars and on buildings. All to try to slow us Aussies down yet we still kill 2000 + humans a year and leave a legacey and many thousand maimned with secondary injuries and 20 time that amount with many years of family grief. I agree with your observation, to go to the PI it is a comedy to watch the local drive, they make do and the system works. Who would want the challenge to make a change to that?? It is a case of ""fit in"" or don't.

Many would say you have offered a *buena mano* or good hand to so many that need advise about living in the Philippines. But of course your advice and any other offered here does not come with a money back guarantee. As to cell phones - well. my wife has one. But generally, I just don't see much need for them. Using them for voice conversation is relatively expensive compared to a land line phone. Texting with their abbreviated keyboard is rather tedious, IMO. I did have my wife show me how to work her cell phone a few days back. This was after I had gone to pick up her Mom and sister at the Pier (they were arriving on a boat from CDO). It would have made sense to have a cell phone with me at that time, to let them know that I was waiting for them. But generally I am not impressed with cell phones. To me often they seem just like status symbols, and used by many who would probably be better off without them. I don't think I could ever pry the cell phone away from my wife though. I'm not sure which is more addictive - shabu or cell phones. Fortunately cell phones seem to be less harmful. But please do not take away my computer, internet or email access. My own addiction. I do like phone cards for the landline phones. They allow you to place a call without using coins. I find them very cost efficient, even if it is sometimes difficult to find a phone which takes them. Even tourist and visitors might want to try one of them out for P100. Here in Cebu there are two main phone Companies. PLDT and Globeline. I carry a phone card from each of these companies in my wallet where ever I go. These cards do expire - but usually it is after a year or so. If I don't find a phone which takes my phone card, there are often phone available which take coins or from vendors which give you 3 minutes for about P5.

I have been here for just over a month and met a girl that I now want to marry. The problem is that I have no birth certificate or legal capacity papers. Is there a way that we can have a wedding here to keep everyone including my fiancee happy and then go back to the states and petition her on a K1 visa. I have been over here too long to follow that logic. The way I see it is the most important thing is to make you happy. If the woman can't wait, then she may not care for you very much. Getting married after only a month is not the best thing to do. You can't know very much about her or the other women who are available who may make better wives. What about your happiness? She should be overjoyed you are considering her, I feel. Being apart and writing for a while may give you some more insight. A trip away from this rush of love, may help, but I doubt it. Do you think maybe you have just possibly gone into something to fast and too hard? This is a permanent life changing decision, that often does not work out, especially when you take the girl out of the Philippines. I know. I have been a victim and have known many too, who suffered serious circumstanced in their on rush to get the most fantastic girl in the world, only to find out we were mistaken. I agree with the other posters. If you do it, do it legally. But why not think about a marriage a little longer than a month from meeting? I may be misreading this. You may have know her for months or years before you came here. Or maybe you have visited her before. But I didn't get that from your post.

Although Hong Kong does not require a document issued from the embassy it does require you to hand over your birth certificate and a proof of civil status. If divorced you need a copy of the court degree as well. Aside from that you make a sworn statement to have the legal capacity to contract marriage. The intention to get married has to be posted for 15 days but you do not have to stay in the country for that time nor do you have to be a resident. Still you need papers from the NSO to show that Filipina is single and her birth certificate. As for the marriage in the Philippines the same papers are required at our Dutch embassy to obtain a legal capacity. This is not like the procedure at the US embassy where you make a sworn statement to have the legal capacity to contract marriage. If the intend is to safe time then I still recommend to get the papers by FedEx or DHL. If the legal papers can not be obtained for any reason and the idea is to break the law then by all means go ahead. If ever this woman cares about you then she would *not* risk putting you in jail.

The requirements for marriage are in the Family Code. The one requirement where there seems to be little room for ""flexibility""is (in the case of a U.S.foreigner) the ""affidavit in lieu of certificate of legal capacity"".Only the foreigner, his passport, and a fee are required to obtain this at the U.S. Embassy.Call the embassy for the schedule.

Don as a slight variation from the Quack Doctor suggestion, in a predominately Catholic country - it might also be advisable after the house is built to have a Priest come over, and bless the house, sprinkling Holy Water as part of the blessing ritual. This blessing with Holy Water is advisable for all major purchases or important items including cars, and new born children (baptism), and during weddings. My wife believes the Priest was good enough to sprinkle some Holy Water on our Marriage Contract (wedding certificate). The family members also need to pray and ask for God's blessing and protection.

Don, one important thing I forgot was before we installed the sheets I had a quack doctor come over and bleed a chicken on them and then burn a special herb and blow the smoke on them. This helps balance the negative and positive spirits which ensures a longer lifetime for the roof. This also might protect workers from slipping on it and falling to their death. It's worked so far. Ani has already advised me of this. I understand it is mandatory. We did this for the last house I built for my last wife. But since we split I don't know if it worked or not. But it will certainly be done on this one. No need to take unnecassary chances and upset everyone.

was not aware of any decent employment here, as I have just finished the construction of a 400 Sq. Meter home. we started last week of May and just moved in last weekend and still like a lot outside. I have done all the buying, engineering, etc. The prevaling wage here Carpenter P200 to 210 per day, Cement Mason 200 to P210 per day(8.5hrs) Laborer P160 per day, Iron Wokers P220 per day, Certified and Licensened Electrican P340 per day, Plumber--almost None. I tell you I certainly don""t want to and will not work like these people do for a total of four to five dollars per day. I have been here almost a year(Iloilo City Area) the only businesses I see people doing well with is the labor intensive ones, due to the labor being so cheap. I have a friend who is a college professor now for about three years, he makes P14500.00 and another at the same college, hes been there about 16 years and makes P20400.00 monthly. I don't know about Manila area but here the const wages are wide spread as I stated, and they are begging for jobs at those wages. Usually a Taxi driver will make more money(if hes good) than a college professor. I thought maybe the Taxi route was a good way to go I have owned one for 10 months now, and believe me it is not the way to go, unless you thrive on headaches. Food service hot dog and hambuger stands can do much better than a taxi if managed properly, and with very little personal labor. The one I am watching very closely and have for several months is Building hdwe and const supplies, I know college tution and etc is cheap I have three different friends in this business and all have three or four kids in the private colleges, all three drive new autos, live in much nicer than average homes and it comes from construction supplys, will it do as good for me, probably not cause if I open one I dont plan on being there a lot, Just some ideas My 2 cents worth,, to go to the Philippines to live with the view of making large amount of money or gainful emplfrom within PI is like bringing a container full of electric blankets and woollen jumpers to make a dollar. To live in the Philippines long term i.e. 6 to 12 months or more, you need income. In the last 4 -5 months of research here are my findings. 1) Live off income from overseas investments either from within your home country or another country with reasonably secure investments. Live off earnings, this way you do not deplete your capital. How you do this is up to you. Then get bored and spend more money than planned. 2) Run a small share ownership business with the locals/family and burn yourself out trying to keeping on top (hang on wasn't that the reason you were leaving the home country??). You may have to have your fingers in more than one business to make a Peso or two. 3) Pre arrange a manufacturing business within your home country to use the labour resources in the PI. And export the value added product back to home country or another country. This will involve some sort of infrastructure and liaisons with the PI government and and and. Also will require upfront capital a lot of planning. With recent terrorist scares it may be a bit harder to find financial backers. 4) Arrange a Government grant or the likes and run a humanity venture in the PI which is financed by your home country Government. Has to support you and your family as well. A lot of foot work to get off the ground at the moment. Governments are spending big on internal security. 5) Last,, treat the PI as heavens waiting room and live off your pension or option (1) from your home country and have a decent computer and a fast net service. My suggestion is option 1. then consider option 2 & 3 if anybody wants to have a go, been said in previous posts, do your home work well then live in the PI for awhile to see. To any enterprising person one have to create employment and you may have half a chance. My Asawa and I will be there about April next year with an open mind and a budget. At worst after 6-12 month we go home and say it was a nice break and a healthy diet.

I drive a motorcycle and a car here in Manila. I've always driven ""aggressively defensive"" too, but just as important, I've been training myself (not fully there yet)to avoid anger and reacting to stupidity. That part seems harder, but I see the benefits. I try to notice the Filipinos drivers who are relaxed and don't drive aggressively, to remind myself. As a result I arrive at my destination more relaxed. What I do worry about at times are those buses and trucks that we read about, losing thier brakes -or the driver falling asleep! I also stay off the roads here after midnight if possible.

drug addiction in my view is bordom,or depression. you need to get him,or her out of that town. you need a new surrounding's a good job or a purpose

I try to stay off the list comments, mostly, preferring to read the thoughts of others. I enjoy the range of coments, some of which are thoughtful and informed. Like Chris, I spend my days helping folks cope with substance abuse and substance dependency. Shabu is highly addictive, like heroin. Many other substances are abused, but are not addictive. Addiction (versus merely abuse) means increasing threshhold (takes more to get high), shorter ""satisfaction"" periods (the high goes away more quickly), and increased withdrawal symptoms (urgency for more Shabu is increasingly intense). Once established, the addiction threshhold (capacity for re- engagement) never really goes away. The person is addicted for life. This requires a shift in thinking on the part of the addicted person from ""stopping"" his use to ""maintenance"" of non use. Stopping is relatively easy by comparison to a lifetime of maintenance. Removal from the environment to a hospital for example will help in the ""stopping"" process. While that's helpful, what's really helpful to the addicted person is support as he restructures his environment to minimize the likelihood of reengaging. The probability is that the milieu cues that the person used in his thinking for starting to abuse will grab him when he returns from the hospital. Some who wrote to you on the list appear to have formed their opinions based on experience with, or knowledge of someone's difficulty during the maintenance phase. Addicted folks who frequently relapse tend to burn up their resources quickly. It is in the relapse prevention that professional help can do a lot. From the angle of skill building, learning the relapse prevention skills needed to cope throughout one's life is not unlike learning to work in a relationship or learning to be a good father, or learning to run a business. It takes a lot of motivation, a good teacher and a support group that is in touch with the issue at hand. Contrary to some of the advice I thought I heard above, there is an important and lasting role for people who care about the addicted person. Its really important to the disabled person to know that he has caring people cheering from the sidelines as he goes through the program. That doesn't mean that those who care should try to get into the professional role, or pick up the financial pieces when the person relapses. When he is with you, don't take him into the environments where he got pickled. Help him build his incentive to maintain. Help him think/do activities that are maintenance reinforcing. Help him reocgnize that he has a disability. Hope this is useful.

The steps you describe are how we have read that Filipino nationals will be able to reclaim Philippines citizenship, as a result of recent RP legislation. This is the first time that I have heard anyone describe the steps as if they were in place. The legislation is only a couple of weeks old

When my daughter travels with my wife using her Australian passport she has never had to pay a tax however when my wife has been carrying the Philippines passport instead of the Australian passport she has had to pay the tax. No one has ever asked for proof that my daughter is my daughter however you should be carrying your children's birth certificates just in case.

I know people in Cebu speak another language before Tagalog and I was wondering how that fact influences how well they speak English. I have met some Filipinos here in California who speak English with a THICK accent that makes understanding them frustrating. I asked some of these Filipinos how long they have been here in the US and all of them told say they have been here longer than 5 years! I know 2 of them are from small provinces where Tagalog is not the first language spoken, so I came to the conclusion that speaking another language before Tagalog (such as in Cebu) negatively effects their English proficiency; but a friend of mine from Manila (who speaks perfect English with hardly any accent) told me that she thinks people in Cebu speak better English then people in Manila, because their first language is not Tagalog. She has never been to Cebu, but her reasoning is that people in Cebu learn English instead of Tagalog and then use English when they travel around the Philippines. Since I have never been to either Manila or Cebu I am hoping someone who has been to both can give me a clue. My second question is. are there any places in the Philippines where the people speak English even better than they do in either Cebu or Manila? Where in the Philippines is English spoken MOST widely, and MOST clearly? Lastly, I would like to know if there are places in the Asia where English is spoken more widely and clearly than in the Philippines? Where in Asia is English spoken MOST widely, and MOST clearly?

To Filipinos, the westerners' habit of hawking and then swallowing the thing instead of spitting out is even more gross and disgusting. Different cultures, different strokes. Tuberculosis is an opportunistic disease. The tubercular bacilli attacks the host when body defense mechanism weakens as in the case of malnutrition and AIDS. Here in the U.S., a nation undoubtedly an epitome of sanitation practice and habits, there are cases of TB. But most cases are those with full blown AIDS. My take is that the prevalence of TB in the Philippines is more the result of malnutrition than the habit of spitting. The Filipino is not hopelessly incorrigible. Given the proper guidance and leadership, he could be coaxed to observe proper discipline. Witness the early years of Marcos' martial rule when the Filipinos learned to fall in line at bus stops and i'm glad they still do today at those MRT ticket booths. When I visited the Sohoton Caves in Samar in 1999, the tourist guide emphasized their strict adherence to their ecotourism slogan: ""Take nothing but photos and leave nothing but footprints"". We were made to bring all our garbage back with us to the pump boat and discarded them at our original embarkation point in the town of Basay. Perhaps your association can foster the same dictum to Malapascua visitors by making the banca operators lecture the visitors on the way to the island. Providing them with plastic bags will help. Anyway, non locals are charged extra, isn't it? Early this year, I visited Boracay and was amazed at what i saw. The beach was free of any man-made litter, no dogs roaming around, no UFOs. The long esplanade next to the beach is also clean and litter free. Motorcycles and motorized trikes are banned on the beach and the esplanade. By and large, i was impressed and i'm going back. Perhaps, your association can emulate what they are doing in Boracay. One more thing, your association working with the local government which can enact ordinances, could mean the difference between success and failure. Again, my two cents.

Shabu is a problem in the Philippines - no doubt about it. I recently researched information on Shabu and Drugs in the Philippines. I came across a document ""Children's Involvement in the Production, Sale and Trafficking of Drugs in Cebu City:A Rapid Assessment"" This was by the International Labour Organization (ILO) - International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour. This Document is an eye opener to the widespread use of Drugs like Shabu and the use of children as young as 12-16 years old in this 'business'. Here is a small extract:- ""Drug Trade in the Community Almost all of the respondents said that the drug trade was present in their communities. Three-fourths reported that they were encouraged by the presence of the trade in the community to be involved in the illegal drug trade. These children said that the drug traders numbered so many that it was hard to count them. Based on reports of informants, observation and results from the interview guide, it is estimated that there about 1,300 children involved in the drug trade in Cebu City alone. The majority of the respondents were aware that barangay (community) officials were involved in the drug business. Shabu was the most common drug traded. The environment was so conducive to these activities that the community has become a marketplace for drugs. The presence of the drug trade in the community is a pathway leading to children's involvement in this illegal trade. Causes for Children's Involvement Children were involved in the drug trade. The majority started between the ages of 14-16 years , although there were children who started as early as age 12. The majority were runners. Others were engaged in posting, repacking, or cleaning up of paraphernalia, and as lookouts and barkers.""

I would encourage anyone who hasn't been vaccinated for tb tuberculosis, and who spends significant time in the Philippines to consulate a Doctor, get tested, and probably go ahead and get vaccinated if needed. TB is not commonly vaccinated in the USA, but I believe children in the Philippines typically are. When I read or people tell me that TB is prevalent here in the Philippines - I believe them. Now on to your question - is the TB vaccine effective? The following is my guess, speculation, and some antidotal stories. The fact that your sons are always showing up positive when tested for TB - probably means their previous vaccine is still effective. However some vaccines need boosters and Vietnam in the 60s when they were vaccinated was a long time ago. I talked with a Mormon Doctor who was visiting the Philippines. He told me that TB was rampant in the Philippines, and some of the new strains were resistant to established medical treatment. I thought he said the vaccine wasn't being as effective, but wouldn't swear to it. He did say that the vaccine even if not 100% effective did tend to reduce the severity of the TB symptoms. In other words the vaccine may help. His speculation about the severity of the symptoms being reduced seems reasonable to me. A few weeks ago my daughter (age 5) came down with Chickenpox. She had been vaccinated against chickenpox while still in the USA, several years previously. Her vaccination failed to stop her from coming down with the illness. But nevertheless I credit her vaccination for significantly reducing the severity of her illness. Her chickenpox was very mild. When getting the TB vaccine - think about getting the vaccine in the buttocks. The TB vaccine may cause scaring. However, my two children and I received our TB vaccinations on our upper arms. We believe my wife was vaccinated as a child against TB.

I would not describe the first year as a touristic delight but it does take some years to fully settle down. Funny that you state that one would try to change things. I doubt if that works in any way. It is you who has to change and adapt to a new environment. For sure it helps if you are already familiar with the culture. I also keep in mind that I can always return to the Netherlands or any other place. I treasure my passport and am making sure my kids have both their Dutch and Filipino passports at hand. Come to think of it I really enjoyed flying around and visiting places here during the second year. There is clear water, white beaches and coconut trees all around and contrary to my country man I pay only US$ 70 for a round trip. I hope Perry can give some more info as well? Is it what you expected it to be? For me the feeling are mixed between great and a complete nightmare the latter having nothing to do by the country itself.

1: Based on my profile, do you think I can reasonably survive on $1400 a month with a girlfriend? Yes, easily! 2: Are there any areas that are safe and cheap other than Cebu that you could recommend. We would like to live within a few miles of the beach at least. My wife and I plan on retiring in the Subic Bay area. It's not as crowded as Cebu City and there are plenty of retired Americans living there. 3: This is the most important. I understand that you can only stay 59 days at a time on a visa extension. How can I get around that? I do not want to be a Philippine citizen. Is it possible to leave the country for a day or so every 59 days and then return and repeat the process? Based on my income and profile, do you think I could qualify for a longer extension? If your girlfriend is a Filipina and you get married, you will qualify for a Balikbayan visa which allows you to stay up to a year without leaving the country. Otherwise, you have to deposit $50,000 or more in a Philippine bank for a retirees visa. 4: Last question. Does anyone know where people can get a breakdown of the cost of living in the Philippines? Every post I read is vague. Here's a repost from the AC3 board which is very detailed: This is just a current update of my expenses. Remember, I am married and have a 22-month-old son (the 18 yr old is back in the US joining the Marines). I have not gone native, but still make some concessions to economic realities (means I buy mostly local items, imported only on exception). For the most part I go to the local market for fruits and veggies, meats from an established meat store (Mother Earth - by the processing plant only), pork and chicken wherever my wife buys it, and the grocery stores (JJs, Johnny's, and SM in San Fernando) for the rest. I have always lived within Sta Maria I There are other areas cheaper/more expensive, nicer/worse, etc and all I can say is you normally get what you pay for. Like anything else determine your needs in priority order, and then shop around. I stay where I do because it is a good location for getting around town and bar hopping. EXPENSES: These numbers (averaged and rounded) are for 2 adults, 1 baby, in a 2- bedroom, up/down (two story), 1 bath (shower) apartment, with carport, in Sta Maria I, and without A/C (fans in every living area going most of the time). House Rent P7,000 Electrical P1,100 This is no dishwasher, clothes dryer (but washer), water heater AC or other big electrical users. IMO They are not needed. Hot water to shower is from a ""on-demand"" electric thing that on is the showerhead. If A/C, expect to pay around P175 per day per A/C unit. Bottled gas, P 285 1 bottle every 2 months or so. Water P 50 Filtered. Do not recommend you drink the tap water. Trash pick up P 60 Per month (not required, but I also give a P100 per person Xmas bonus) Phone P1,100 Basic Rate. Will vary depending on long distance calls (national and international) Internet P2,750 Cable modem, +$300 for cable modem. Not avail in all areas. 75 hours between 8 A.M. and 8 P.M. but free (not metered) from 8 P.M. to 8.A.M. Cable TV P 495 Transportation P 500 Includes Jeepneys and trikes. If I go to Manila, I get a car & driver for P1,600 for 12 hrs. Household P 400 A week Includes soap, tissue paper, toothpaste etc. Misc Expenses P 500 A week. Clothes etc. Wife ""Maint"" P 500 This covers her shoes, clothes, Cell phone ""upgrades"", and call cards. Groceries P3,500 A week.. This is a VERY rough estimate and perhaps a bit on the high end (remember I have a son in disposal diapers). It varies greatly and is difficult to pin down depending on what we buy. Some weeks it is a 3/4s of that, other times it is more. Restaurants P 250 Local inexpensive places. P 700 Local nice places. P 600 Per person (and much higher) ""upscale"" We rarely go to an expensive restaurant here. We can find food as good as or better for much less. This just takes some experimenting around. Entertainment P1,500 Per week. This is for our drinks and pool table fees (Wife says no LD/BF/TG) You now have a good idea of what it costs ME to live here. You may pay more/less depending on your lifestyle and required comforts, but I think this will get you close enough for planning purposes. I did not include ""family support"" for my wife as she has cut them off after her mother died and I had to ""rescue"" her body from a medical school (P35k) as her husband and other kids would not pay the hospital/burial bills. Last item is this: I highly recommend you DO NOT move here until you stay here for an extended vacation (say 6 months) ESPECIALLY if you have never lived in a third-world country before. This is not the same place you are living at now and not everyone can make the change. The ""party"" life gets old. The customs are different. When you step off the plane, YOU are the foreigner. The locals can speak the language; you are the one not communicating. I live here because I enjoy it and have found life beyond the bars. Yes I get frustrated at times, but I always remember I can get the next plane out.

It is very common in the Philippines since most Filipinos have the TB bacilli that causes full-blown TB. A lot of people don't even know they have active TB until they start coughing up blood. I read somewhere that the homeless of NYC were also contracting a very strong kind of TB, resistant to ordinary TB drugs due to the fact that medication was not followed through till the required 6 months. The CDC monitored those infected very closely because they were at risk of spreading the disease and losing track of their medication routine. HIV infected people are also very prone to contract TB and there are millions around the world who are HIV positive. TB is very easily spread too. I thought it was just a joke when I was a kid that a cough or a sneeze can transmit the germ that causes TB. It's actually true.

Have you thought about ""first language interference"" Nothing to do with a person's ability or not to use the the language. Anyone's 'native' or first language will affect the we they use or pronounce a subsequent language. Think of how the French, for instance, pronounce English. They have tendancy not to pronounce initial 'h' as in hotel, simply because that is the way they do it in French. Likewise, Cantonese speakers tend not to pronounce V at the beginning of words, e.g. Wancouwer, wery etc, also, Japanese cant pronounce L very well, there is a car in Japan called a starrion, on the bonnet is a model stallion. Philippinos tend not to make a distinction between F and P, Filipines or Philippines. How about westerners dealing with names such as Ng, we don't have that vowel sound in English. Remember, English is a real hybrid of a language with many routes and lots of imported influences. This leads to so many exceptions and illogical pronunciation. Try explaining why words that look the same are in fact pronounced differently. Leopard and leotard; cough and dough, read and tread, etc, etc. The problem is that most native English speakers can't speak any other language and are totally unaware of how other languages are constructed. This ignorance leads them to judge others and make unhelpful, negative comments about people who at least can operate in a language other than their own.

Not sure if anyone has mentioned LBC here on this board but, the asawa and I found LBC to be the better bank for us. They (at least our branch in Cebu) seems to be 3 dimensional thinking and they actually act like they want our business. Here's why I say this and how we do our Philippine banking from the US: I think alot of future expats aren't aware of the money remitance program LBC has. It's twelve dollars to transfer funds from the US to a LBC bank account in the PI and the money is tranfered within 15 minutes. It's really easy! We have four accounts there, two atm accounts, a savings account and a time deposit account. One of the ATM accounts is for the extended family welfare plan where we make deposits on the first of each month and they use the atm card we gave them to make the withdrawl. LBC only transfers money from the US to the PI ATM account. So, we spoke with the accounts manager in Cebu who allowed us to set up our accounts up in the following manor; Any deposit or US funds transfer of 10,000p or more which is deposited into our ATM account automatically gets transferred into our savings account where we are getting I think 5.6% interest. When the amount in the savings account reaches 60,000p, then 50,000p is redirected from savings to the timed deposit account where the interest rate floats between 7.5 and 9.5%. Beware, the timed deposit accounts are subject to witholding tax laws and may not give you the same return as a savings account depending on your situation. The only drawback is, we have to call LBC's San Francisco branch to get our account balances monthly to keep track of the accounts.

Can foreigners operate bank Filipino bank accounts such as savings accounts with card access and time deposit accounts. Can anyone recommend a good bank for card access and for time deposits (any idea on the interest rates?)

My husband has been offered employment in Cebu. We need information regarding cost of accomodation, places where expats live, types of accomodation, living costs, vehicle ownership and costs, schooling available and costs, general living costs, taxes etc for salary package. We have just started to gather information and any contributions regarding experiences, raising children in Cebu etc would be much appreciated.

When my daughter travels with my wife using her Australian passport she has never had to pay a tax however when my wife has been carrying the Philippines passport instead of the Australian passport she has had to pay the tax. No one has ever asked for proof that my daughter is my daughter however you should be carrying your children's birth certificates just in case.

There seems to be some confusion here. As far as I know you only have to pay when traveling on a Filipino passport and you have an income. So even you wife would not have to pay if you could show that you are the only one who has an income. I have obtained those papers once at the Filipino embassy in The Hague. Children obviously do not have an income and should not have to pay at any time. The Balikbayan entry will only be given if your wife is a former Filipino citizen and does not hold a Filipino passport. That has nothing to do with the passport of the children. Granted, at times the Balikbayan is even issued when your wife is traveling on a Filipino passport but that depends on the mood of the officer in charge.

To Filipinos, the westerners' habit of hawking and then swallowing the thing instead of spitting out is even more gross and disgusting. Different cultures, different strokes. Tuberculosis is an opportunistic disease. The tubercular bacilli attacks the host when body defense mechanism weakens as in the case of malnutrition and AIDS. Here in the U.S., a nation undoubtedly an epitome of sanitation practice and habits, there are cases of TB. But most cases are those with full blown AIDS. My take is that the prevalence of TB in the Philippines is more the result of malnutrition than the habit of spitting. The Filipino is not hopelessly incorrigible. Given the proper guidance and leadership, he could be coaxed to observe proper discipline. Witness the early years of Marcos' martial rule when the Filipinos learned to fall in line at bus stops and i'm glad they still do today at those MRT ticket booths. When I visited the Sohoton Caves in Samar in 1999, the tourist guide emphasized their strict adherence to their ecotourism slogan: ""Take nothing but photos and leave nothing but footprints"". We were made to bring all our garbage back with us to the pump boat and discarded them at our original embarkation point in the town of Basay. Perhaps your association can foster the same dictum to Malapascua visitors by making the banca operators lecture the visitors on the way to the island. Providing them with plastic bags will help. Anyway, non locals are charged extra, isn't it? Early this year, I visited Boracay and was amazed at what i saw. The beach was free of any man-made litter, no dogs roaming around, no UFOs. The long esplanade next to the beach is also clean and litter free. Motorcycles and motorized trikes are banned on the beach and the esplanade. By and large, i was impressed and i'm going back. Perhaps, your association can emulate what they are doing in Boracay. One more thing, your association working with the local government which can enact ordinances, could mean the difference between success and failure. Again, my two cents.

I use cellphone to connect to the internet when I travel around the Philippines. Reception with Globe and Smart are satisfactory. You have to find out what cellphone compay has cell sites in Bantayan. However, if you will use an ISP - choose one with local dial-up access in the nearest area to save on long distance charges. I do enjoy my present ISP - it has local dial up access number in many parts of the Philippines. I can use it in all three islands - Luzon, Visayas as well as Mindanao (Davao). Anyone know if the cell phone systems in the RP are able to do data?? In the states I use my cellphone hooked to my home computer to surf the net with. I have an adapter ($70) and then plug it into my serial port to get online. The service cost's me $6.95 a month extra and is almost as fast (with the compression software) as my dialup that I used to use. I was thinking of using it in Bantayan, I don't think there's any internet on the island any more

when you ask if there are any problems with employment in the Philippines I take it you mean of foreigners? Well, there are no employment problems. There is no employment, soooooo.....No Problem!

In regard to work and employment, how easy is it to get employed in the Philippines? Does it change depending upon location? What are some problems with emmployment in the Philippines?

Forget about treatment programs here. It might help for a few weeks to a few months but will be costly. Next best thing would be to ship him or her to the province and out of the reach of shabu. And then it only helps if he or she knows that there is a problem. Otherwise forget it, nothing will help. One of my wife's relatives has a serious problem with Shabu. Does anyone have any knowledge of available treatment programs, preferably in the Manila area. Any thoughts or suggestions on dealing with this kind of problems would be appreciated.

I agree with Ray 100%! Having just turned 40, I've seen the devastation caused by crank, meth, shabu (or whatever you want to call it) for the last 20 or so years. This nasty drug started appearing about the time I graduated high school and being in California, it caught on quickly. Meth isn't a just a barrio drug. Most of my white collar professional friends in Silicon Valley have used the drug as a ""productive enhnacement."" It definately pumps up production...... but only for a short time. Those who get hooked on it try to keep their energy up by doing more and more. The problem, not being realized by the user, is that they need sleep. And so they keep doing more until they are just another chronic drug user. There was an anti drug campaign add on television a couple of years ago where a guy was talking to himself, trying to figure out why he did drugs. He kept saying the following infinate phrase over and over: I use drugs so I can work harder and get paid more so I can buy more drugs so I can use drugs to work harder so I can..... That pretty much sums up the confusion of what I've seen from my friends that have been bitten by this drug. Fortunately, it's soluble drug that only stays in the blood stream for less than 24 hrs. Addiction is more mental than physical. As far as rehabilitation clinics for meth/shabu go, they're nothing more than treatment centers for sleep deprivation. In other words, 3 hots and a cot without bars and a big bill in the end. So, if you have a Filipino relative that's messed up on this stuff, I agree with Ray... Your money isn't likely to help him. It'll just give your relative a nice vacation somewhere for a couple of weeks. After that, he'll most likely be back on the stuff. My friends who have overcome the drug have almost always moved, changed jobs, changed wives/friends or made some kind of very dramatic lifestyle change to keep from falling back. Every single one of them have told me they only stopped when THEY thought it was a problem which is something a chronic user has a hard time realizing. Hope this helps. Having been there, I do feel sorry for you and your extended family for having to be a part of a users life. The user tends to bring everyone down with himself and it aint pretty sometimes. In short they sell for way above market price but you do not have to pay if you can find other people who will buy from you. And probably you have too find lots of them as that is not specified. If they are lucky you fail and they make a profit. For me it is easy to see were there money is coming from and probably not even illegal. By the way buying solid gold will keep you in your current job as it does not generate extra money for you. Certainly not if bought at these prices. Just browse around on the internet and try to find the lowest price for these coins. Believe me it is way below their asking price.