Maps of Philippines

Maps of the Philippines

Maphill interactive maps.

National Book Stores

Be Prepared

Always be prepared for any emergencies. Keep paper maps of your province in your house and in your vehicle. Designate meeting spots where you can meetup with family and friends. Prepare and keep a bugout bag for each member of your family. Each bag to include a street map, water, small portable water filter, first aid kit, compass, mosquito repellant, mosquito net, parachute cord, set of clean clothes, soap, food bars, a few small canned foods, etc. Each bag can weigh up to about 10% of each person's body weight. With a maximum weight 20%.

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This post will be expanded upon. Check back for more information about maps of the Philippines. Last updated June 3, 2022.

President of the Philippines

President of the Philippines

Marcos Declared President

TheSummitExpress comments

Taxes may go up in the Philippines.

"In a speech during the launching of the digital innovation efforts of the Philippine Postal Corp. last Thursday, Duterte said he has served the entire nation “irrespective of each tribal division.”

“I know that the Filipinos voted for me. Let’s not talk about those who did not vote for me. I served the country irrespective of each tribal division,” the President said.

Duterte will step down from office on June 30." PhilStar Global

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This article will be expanded upon. Please check back for more information about President of the Philippines. This page last updated June 3, 2022.

Get Out Of Debt In Philippines

Get Out Of Debt

Get Out Of Debt

Contrary to some "popular" advice, do not go into debt to make money! Don't borrow money to "make" money. Save money to build a stash of money to use for future projects. Do you want a better dwelling to live in, to raise a family in? Want a motorcycle, tricycle,

jeepney or car? Wait until you have saved enough money to pay cash for it!

Plan to start paying off your smallest debts first. Pay the smallest first, then the next and next larger debt and then the largest debt you owe. Finally you will be FREE of debt slavery! Don't ever look back. Look forward to a new life!

Russell H. Conwell

Save Money, Timeless Advice

Every time you get some money, save some money.

Russell Conwell wrote a famous book titled "Acres Of Diamonds."

Save 10% of your income each time you get paid and don't spend it. A little self discipline goes a long way. 

Be happy and satisfied with what you have now. The future will be better.

Your perseverance will grow acres of diamonds in your back yard.

When you have saved enough money then, and only then, buy some things you want.

 What Millionaires Know That The Poor Don't

Don't borrow money from Bumbays!
Don't borrow money from banks.
How to use banks in the Philippines.

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This article will be expanded upon. Please check back for more information about get out of debt in the Philippines. This page last updated June 3, 2022.

Indians In Philippines

Indian Sikh Punjabi

Indian Bumbay in Philippines




These videos are in jest, not to disparage Indians in the Philippines. They are pleasant people who provide services and contribute to the local economy.
Excluding the illegal immigrants, there are over 50,000 Punjabis in the Philippines as of 2016.From Wikipedia.
Indian restaurants In Manila

Little India Healthy Cuisine
10 Best Indian Restaurants in Manila
I love Indian food. I once flew Air India from Toronto to Birmingham, UK and slept most of the way across the Atlantic Ocean. The cabin crew was so kind, they waited until all passengers had deplaned. A young stewardess tapped my shoulder and said "sir, we have arrived." Before I went to sleep they had served an Indian snack which tasted sooo good, I made the mistake of not saving the bag it was in. I have not found it again. When I arrived at customs there were only two men in front of me. Apparently they had slept across the Atlantic Ocean also. We sailed through customs!  
Living in a Squatter Area
For a couple years I lived with my wife and her family in a "squatter" area. They had "rights" to the small two bedroom dwelling (of around forty square metres).
My relatives had a small canteen nearby where they served breakfast, lunch, and supper to tricycle drivers. Some executives, from offices across the street, would come for lunch. My wife's Mother would borrow money, "for capital" from an Indian Bumbay from time to time. He would come as a rider on a motorcycle and knock on their door. They would make a payment to him and off he would go to his next customer.

Entrance to compound where we lived for 2 years.In Paranaque City, Metro Manila.

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This article will be expanded upon. Please check back for more information about Indians in the Philippines. This page last updated July 8, 2022.

Electric Vehicles Philippines

Electric Car

Lucky Lion E-Bike (Tri Cab)

Electric Vehicles In The Philippines

We bought a used Lucky Lion, like the one in the picture above, nearly four years ago. We and our nannys use it inside our gated community and occasionally to go buy vegetables from vendors outside our gates. We use our Honda Odyssey van to travel on the public roads. 

We have had to buy a new battery, fix some cables, the hand brake and paid for home service to replace the front two wheel bearings.

For our purposes we are are satisfied with charging it by plugging it

in the outlet in our carport (called a garage by Filipinos).

ZigWheels has a good review about electric vehicles and some that are coming soon to the Philippines.

The government thinks that electric vehicles are the Future of Philippines industries.

Well according to the following video, that is debatable.

Cheapest cars to maintain in the Philippines. 

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This article will be expanded upon. Please check back for more information about electric vehicles, electric cars in the Philippines. This page uploaded May 28, 2022.

Tours of Philippines

Tours of the Philippine Islands

Tripadvisor The 10 Best Philippines Tours

Tour Radar Philippines Tours And Trips

Expedia places to see in the Philippines           

Check out these important Guidelines For Travel to the Philippines, from the Embassy of the Philippines in Singapore.

And here is an excerpt from the U.S. Embassy in Manila (scroll down to "Entry and Exit Requirements").

Tours By Locals.

See why It's More Fun In The Philippines.

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This article will be expanded upon. Please check back for more information about tours in the Philippines. This page first uploaded May 10, 2022. Last updated June 3, 2022.

Cost Of Living Philippines

Cost of Living in the Philippines

Here is a very good chart at Numbeo showing the costs of various items including costs of rent, electric, food, etc. in the Philippines (PH). Compare these to costs of living in the US.

In my experience I have found that, in the Philippines, a visit to a doctor in a clinic cost around P300 to P500. Overall. medical care in the Philippines costs about 10% the costs in the USA. Compare that to the "benefits" of a person who is "covered" by Medicare in the USA.

Now, when it comes to household electric bills, the cost is more than double our cost in Florida, USA (and that is comparing houses of the same size).

To repair an older car the cost will be far less than in the USA. 

It costs a lot less to date ladies of the PH. Average cost of a date in the US. New York City has the highest cost of a dinner date.

Cost of dinner for two in Manila.

Riding in taxis in Manila cost far less than a taxicab ride in Clearwater, Florida, USA.

Use the currency converter at this blog to compare to your home currency.

See the Expatistan cost of living site which has a great many items to compare to your home country.

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This article will be expanded upon. Please check back for more information about cost of living in the Philippines. This page last updated June 3, 2022.

Vegan Food Philippines

Vegan Food Philippines

Vegan Foods

 

Update January 18, 2025,

Order Marienda now! 

Follow Vegfest Pilipinas on their Facebook page to be notified of upcoming events.

Vegan Food in the Philippines

Be careful when eating street food at curb side vendor stands. If it is made with tap water you may get gastroenteritis and need some medicine from a doctor or drugstore or may need to be treated at a hospital emergency room.

Some Vegan foods are now being manufactured in the Philippines.

When I arrived here in 2007, I don't remember ever seeing prepared Vegan products in grocery stores.

Of course plenty of Vegan fruits and vegetables grow on farms and in home gardens. We grow Magic Fruit, Mulberry, Star Fruit,

Figs, Sugar Apples, Tea, Tomatoes, Squash, Green Beans and more on our small residential lot. We would like to buy a larger piece of land. Maybe even an existing farm.

See my page featuring images of Vegan products which are now available now in the Philippines.

See images of packaged Vegan foods available in the Philippines. 

Check out Vegetarianism and Vegans in the Philippines.

See foods to avoid in the Philippines.

There is a lot of Vegetarian and Vegan food available in the Philippines and also a lot of

American Fast Food Restaurants.

Vegtarianism explained by a child.

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This article will be expanded upon. Please check back for more information about getting the best experience at this blog about Vegan food in the Philippines. This page last updated June 3, 2022.

My Youtube Channel Philippines and USA

Subscribe, Like, Share and Ring That Bell

My Youtube Channel

"timotravelingblogspot"

Yes, that is the same as the web address of this blog (they are both owned by Google.)

I started my Youtube channel in 2018 after we arrived back in the Philippines from Florida, USA.

The first videos are after a storm in Florida, visiting a mall in Angeles City, riding in a tricycle in Cavite, Philippines, visiting a government office in Manila, Rescue kittens Snowball and Ginger.

I have come to appreciate Youtube for allowing me to watch videos.

Watching real people and pets beats watching Hollywood movies!

We have a cute little poodle and a cat who will be subjects of some future videos. 

Please Like and Share

I plan to devote a lot more effort to the channel from now on. So please do subscribe, like, share and ring the bell so that you will be notified when I upload new videos.

I will be studying how to create and grow a Youtube channel over the next few weeks.

There is a learning curve which one must go through to gain the skills and insights required to create a channel people will like.

So now "On with the Show!" 

Check it from time to time for new content or go to Youtube now, find my channel "timotraveling.blogspot.com" and subscribe now to get my new content.

I hope you enjoy!

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This article will be expanded upon. Please check back for more information about  my YouTube channel about life in the Philippines and life in the USA. This page last updated June 3, 2022.

High Speed Internet Philippines

Globe, Smart, PLDT

Internet Service Providers In The Philippines

My favorite Internet service provider is Globe. We live in an upscale residential subdivision not far from Metro Manila. In the past four years we have had only four problems when we had to go to the Globe office in the mall to get the issue resolved. Overall I will say Globe has provided great service.

We have a Globe package which includes a router which can be used for wired or WIFI connections. Included in the package is a landline desktop telephone.

We watch Netflix the most. Youtube runs a close second. Streaming is very good.

Some other services you may want to check out are PLDT, Converge, Sky and Smart. None of these serve all areas in the Philippines.

Before you rent or buy property in the Philippines check which providers serve that area.

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This article will be expanded upon. Please check back for more information about getting the best experience at this blog about highspeed Internet in the Philippines. This page last updated June 3, 2022.

Best Cars To Buy Philippines

Best Cars in Philippines

The only brands of cars to buy!

Best Cars to Buy

Want a car that will last a long time and will not become a money pit? Then Honda and Toyota are the only cars to choose from! Those manufactured in Japan are best. Japanese workers are most diligent and maintain highest quality standards.

I am a big fan of Scotty Kilmer. After watching many hours of his YouTube channel videos, I am convinced that most other brands are "crap" compared to Honda and Toyota.

Watch and subscribe to Scotty Kilmer on Youtube.

Whatever brand of car you buy be sure to change your oil and filter every 5,000 miles (or 8,046.72 km) or every 6 months (whichever comes first), change your timing belt every 100,000 miles (160,934.4 km) and turn your engine off if it is overheating.

If a manufacturer advises you can wait longer for oil and filter changes do not wait longer! Dirty oil destroys engines.

If your car has a timing belt and it breaks your engine may be destroyed.

If you are considering buying a used car have a good mechanic check it out thoroughly. Read the engine computer with a top quality car code reader diagnostic tool. The better the reader the better your diagnosis will be. Don't settle for the inexpensive readers. A really good mechanic will have one like this. In fact a really cheap one could destroy a car's computer.

Pull a spark plug. If it is black with oil Do Not Buy the car!

If the car is rusty Do Not Buy it!

If the car smells musty or if there is water in the headlights Do Not Buy it (it may have been flooded).

About Scotty Kilmer (excerpt from Wikipedia)

Early life

Scotty Kilmer was born on October 2, 1953, in Niagara Falls, New York. At age 14, he learned to be a mechanic from his grandfather, Elmer Kilmer, who was the chief mechanic at the Texaco gas station which Scotty's father owned. He studied at York University for his undergraduate degree and then attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, receiving a master's degree in anthropology. He was in the process of working towards his Ph.D., but eventually quit, due to his dissatisfaction with the university tenure system. Kilmer would then go on to become a mechanic and move to Houston in 1980. Upon the suggestion of his wife, Kilmer wrote a book, Everyone's Guide to Buying a Used Car and Car Maintenance, originally published in 1994. Its release led Kilmer to be on the front page of the Houston Chronicle, which attracted the attention of the local CBS affiliate KHOU.

Career

Before YouTube, Kilmer had a television show on KHOU titled Crank it Up with Scotty. In this series, he showed the audience how to diagnose minor automotive mechanical problems, offered opinions on vehicle engineering, and provided solutions to low-profile problems. In 2004, Crank It Up earned a Regional Emmy Award for "Outstanding Interactivity"; Kilmer subsequently received an Emmy for "Best Interactive Car Talk Host.." His YouTube channel is much the same, and he answers questions about car problems and the vehicle industry, and gives advice. Kilmer typically uses his customers' cars in his videos as a point of comparison or other demonstrations with various products he uses as a mechanic.

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Years ago we were traveling by taxi a lot. Most taxis here are Toyotas. We had a favorite driver and one day I asked him which brand was best. He replied, without hesitation, "Toyota." I ask why and he explained, they are all over the Philippines and therefore when you need parts they are readily available. Made sense to me. Hondas are also all over the place because, like Toyota, they have a very good reputation, so today we own a Honda. Our next car may be a Toyota.

Honda plans to introduce 30 new electric vehicles by 2030.

Electric Vehicles in Philippines 2022 by ZigWheels

Buying used cars in the Philippines.

I found this in comments about this video.

Comment by a factory worker.

"I work in a GM plant which used to be a joint venture between Japanese automaker and GM. First 10 years there we had to implement KAIZEN as the Japanese insisted on it. Then GM bought out the Japanese portion and we became 100% General Motors. Our assembly plant hasn't been the same ever since and quality has been declining rapidly, mainly due to difference in philosophy and approach. When we were half Japanese, when employees spotted defects and stopped the line to correct or report it, we were praised, and we would often receive gift cards etc... Under General Motors if you stop the line to point out a defect you can actually get in trouble, you're told that this is for Quality department to worry about it and not you, and if everyone will start stopping line for every little thing, we won't get our numbers. And a lot of issues won't get picked up by Quality because by the time it gets to them, other parts covered the defect etc... Also, under Japanese involvement we had Quality Check Team at the end of every line, and we had shower booths to test for leaks. Since GM took over completely, they completely removed shower booths, we no longer test for leaks, and we only have check team at end of Final line, where they are very limited to what they can detect."

A comment by a Toyota owner.

"Looking at future service schedules nothing popped out, same oil and check list with air filter thrown in every 25,000 miles or so. Basically Toyota maintenance is oil changes for the first 100,000 miles.

Word of warning, the local Toyota dealer attempts to make up for the lack of recommended services by asking if you want their “preventive service” for $200. When I asked what was included in such service they listed a bunch of silly things like filling the tires with nitrogen, and a protective coat on paint. Knowing a bit about cars I could find nothing on the list that was anything but a scam.
Love Toyota cars, Hate Toyota dealers."

Cheapest cars to maintain in the Philippines.

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This article will be expanded upon. Please check back for more information about the best new cars to buy in the Philippines. This page last updated July 7, 2022.

Road Safety in Philippines

Children going to school.

Road Safety In Philippines

Children in Philippines do this also.

("Save Kids' Lives" by Luc Besson)

"Road conditions are poor throughout the country. Most roads, including major highways, are poorly maintained, and traffic is congested.

Many drivers don’t respect traffic laws. They are extremely reckless. They often drive at excessive speeds or way below the speed limit on highways. Accidents causing fatalities are common.

Driving conditions are hazardous at all times. During the rainy season, metro centres may become impassable due to flash floods.

Even minor road incidents can escalate quickly and lead to violent assaults.

If driving in the Philippines:

• avoid travel outside urban areas or tourist centers after dark.
• stay on national highways and paved roads.
• avoid any confrontation (excerpt from Philippines Travel Advice.)

When driving in your car expect cars, trucks and motorcycles to pass you on the left OR right side. Expect pedestrians to run in front of you anytime and anyplace. In rural areas expect occasional Carabao (water buffalo) to wander into or be led across the street, even on the darkest sections of the road.

In urban areas expect people pushing food carts on or in the street. Very dangerous at night or in heavy rain when you can barely see them. Drive very slow! Clean your windshield inside and out if you will be driving in the rain.

There are very few sidewalks outside of cities like Metro Manila, Cebu City, Olongapo, Cagayan de Oro, Davao and some most big cities. Citizens are forced, of necessity, to walk on the edges of roads for lack of paved walkways. For example, driving back to our house, from a shopping mall, on a four lane "highway," many people are walking "with traffic" on the edges of the road. Apparently, most have never heard they should wear white, light-colored or reflective clothes at night. In Metro Manila and nearby cities our average speed is only 8 miles per hour! 

Read about our experience driving in the Philippines.

Cheapest cars to maintain in the Philippines. 

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This article will be expanded upon. Please check back for more information about getting the best experience at this blog about road safety in the Philippines. This page last updated January 6, 2024.