[JJJames]

Hey Peeps,

I'm thinking of heading to the Philippines (currently in Colombia.) I've been hearing the legends of Philippines, kind of excited to check it out for myself. I've been there once before, on business, only for a week.

At the time I thought Manila was kind of a shit hole and didn't spend any time there after my business trip. But now I'm hearing all these amazing stories of guys getting laid like crazy, as well as heard about the amazing beaches. I have some more free time now and am thinking of giving the country another shot.

Questions on Manila & Philippines

A few questions. I've been reading some of the threads here, but there are a few things I'm still fuzzy about as I'm planning my trip.

1) Manila vs Cebu vs Davaos. From what I understand, Manila seems to be easier to get laid, especially online. Cebu seems to be decent for day/night game. Davaos is cheaper than both cities.

What I couldn't tell from the posts is what the overall quality of life is like in each city. Which cities have good amenities, gyms, beaches, cafes, etc? Which city has more smiling people, as opposed to beggars on the street? Which cities feel like fun to live in?

Also, I couldn't quite tell if Cebu is a beach town or not. I get that it's on an island and is close to beaches, but it seems like it's not actually a beach town. Is that correct? (Same question to Davaos.)

2) I'm Asian. I'm curious - do I still get a foreigner bonus? I'm reading these threads here by a lot of white guys who get stared at and laid like a beast in the philippines. I'm just wondering, how much of that applies to me? (Half Chinese, half Thai.)

3) What part of Manila is nice to live in? How does Makati compare with Quezon? What other areas should I be looking at? Interested both in terms of a "game" angle, as well as overall quality of life.

[Scott Free]

(02-16-2014 02:42 PM)JJJames Wrote:  

Hey Peeps,

I'm thinking of heading to the Philippines (currently in Colombia.) I've been hearing the legends of Philippines, kind of excited to check it out for myself. I've been there once before, on business, only for a week.

At the time I thought Manila was kind of a shit hole and didn't spend any time there after my business trip. But now I'm hearing all these amazing stories of guys getting laid like crazy, as well as heard about the amazing beaches. I have some more free time now and am thinking of giving the country another shot.

Questions on Manila & Philippines

A few questions. I've been reading some of the threads here, but there are a few things I'm still fuzzy about as I'm planning my trip.

1) Manila vs Cebu vs Davaos. From what I understand, Manila seems to be easier to get laid, especially online. Cebu seems to be decent for day/night game. Davaos is cheaper than both cities.

What I couldn't tell from the posts is what the overall quality of life is like in each city. Which cities have good amenities, gyms, beaches, cafes, etc? Which city has more smiling people, as opposed to beggars on the street? Which cities feel like fun to live in?

Also, I couldn't quite tell if Cebu is a beach town or not. I get that it's on an island and is close to beaches, but it seems like it's not actually a beach town. Is that correct? (Same question to Davaos.)

2) I'm Asian. I'm curious - do I still get a foreigner bonus? I'm reading these threads here by a lot of white guys who get stared at and laid like a beast in the philippines. I'm just wondering, how much of that applies to me? (Half Chinese, half Thai.)

3) What part of Manila is nice to live in? How does Makati compare with Quezon? What other areas should I be looking at? Interested both in terms of a "game" angle, as well as overall quality of life.

You'll have a great time ahead of you. Be sure to read through the major Philippines threads for more info if you haven't already. For reference, the active threads I've seen lately are:

DirectDanger's Living in Manila
Vacancier Permanent's Bought a One Way Ticket to Manila
G-global's Philippines Trip Report - Quezon City/Makati Burgos/Makati Greenbelt/The Fort/Cebu
20Nation's Ultimate Philippines Data Sheet: Manila, Cebu, Davao, Cagayan de Oro, GenSan, Butuan
And Tommy has a 3 year old Cebu thread that still has some usefulness today.

As for your questions:

1) The Philippines is divided into 3 main locations (The largest islands of Luzon and Mindanao and the clump of islands in the center called Visayas) this is indicated by the three yellow stars in the Philippine flag. (FYI: The Philippines is further divided into 12 regions and into even more provinces, irrelevant, but I thought worth mentioning.) The cities you are asking about are the top cities in their respective main locations. Manila in Luzon, Cebu City (on the Island of Cebu) in the Visayas and Davao City (in the province of Davao) on the island of Mindanao.

Manila will by far have the best amenities that the Western world is used to, simply because it is the Capital and most businesses, investments and imports will be focused here.

Cebu City and Davao City are the next two main cities so they'll have the next best amenities like wi-fi, gyms, etc., a less beggars and less crime and corruption.

As main cities, I don't believe any of the three of them will qualify with what you must be imagining are "beach towns" although, beaches will be all over the place. The best beaches are going to be El Nido, Boracay and Subic and IMHO, in that order.

2) Yeah, not having the "White God" Factor will reduce your desirability to a Pinay simply because she instinctively seeks it out due to Filipinos/nas Colonial Mentality. I wrote a bit about this in these two posts (Colonial Mentality, Preference for Caucasians) if you care for the insight.

That said, do not let this discourage you. Just be aware that your experience will slightly vary. Filipinas will still dig that you are a foreigner. And speaking fluent English and having a somewhat Chinese-like appearance may hint to them that you are probably wealthy (especially if you are fair-skinned), regardless of what the actual case may be. Be aware and comfortable that the Pinay is constantly looking for a ticket to an easier life, having lived her whole life in a Third World country that has issues with corruption and poverty. This is something that may not be intentionally overt and is usually simply a subconscious programming instilled by her environment. You will find that she is still sweet, horny and ever on the lookout for romance. I recommend you turn your Game on, in the absence of the WGF in order to keep the experience on par.

3) You'll have to refer to those threads for this question. G-global has nice things to say about my home town of Quezon City. DirectDamage and the other guys have experience in the Fort, Makati, etc. Personally, I'd say try all three out. Not sure what your budget is, but it is possible to do it on the cheap... especially if you are merely doing a scouting mission to scope the places out.

[Mentavious]

Edit

[Global Entry]

SF, my only real issue with QC is that I found it, outside mall activities, kind of boring. I'm sure there's much to do (other than Malls and clubs). From a local's standpoint, what do people do in their free time. I could see sporting activities going on around the memorial, and I know swimming is popular, though maybe that requires a trip to another area.

[Scott Free]

(02-16-2014 08:18 PM)G_global Wrote:  

SF, my only real issue with QC is that I found it, outside mall activities, kind of boring. I'm sure there's much to do (other than Malls and clubs). From a local's standpoint, what do people do in their free time. I could see sporting activities going on around the memorial, and I know swimming is popular, though maybe that requires a trip to another area.

This is partly due to how QC is the biggest city in the National Capital Region, so things are more spread out.

Sporting: Araneta Coliseum if you are into Basketball, the Monument circle has outdoor activities for joggers, cycling and such, and I know that there is a popular Sports Club Center (Swimming, Gym, Shooting Range, Badminton etc.) there too... the name escapes me at the moment...

College girls: University of the Philippines in Diliman is the local college town. Lots of libs and sorority girls over there. The campus has it's own culture inside with plenty of places to hang out in.

Clubs: At least from what I remember (wasn't really into the club scene back then over there), should be located in Timog Ave (literally: South) and Tomas Morato Ave (He was the first mayor of QC. and a full blooded, blonde and blue eyed Spaniard who's dad settled in the Philippines.)

Nature Tripping: Plenty of botanical gardens in town. Ninoy Aquino Park has a wildlife preserve. And check out La Mesa Eco Park.

Shopping or Dating or Dining: You've seen the malls around town but check out Eastwood City (Not really a city, it's just a location within QC.) Eastwood is the central location for major call centers in the Phils. You'll find plenty of classy girls here with superior English (not that the language was a big issue anyways.) The place caters to the call center lifestyle, lots of places to shop, and a good range of variety for places to eat or lounge around. If you're in Eastwood, try the J. Co Coffee and Donut place. Pretty high end, good service and plenty of chicks to game. Their logo even looks like wet pussy (I think it's supposed to be a peacock...) The place hardly ever sleeps.

Museums: Quezon Memorial Circle and Ateneo Art Gallery are two that come to mind. I'm certain there are others.

[Global Entry]

yah, familiar with a bunch of this, but for such a populous area, it just doesn't seem to add up to that much. Timog/Tomas Morabato, rolling solo, felt a bit young for me to be sure - of course that is my issue, not anyone else's.

I'll try to hit some botanical gardens next time through perhaps. I've had my fill of malls in PI. Even the Philippinos aren't shopping (except to buy lunch). For the most part, they're there to enjoy free a/c and wifi, and most seem to readily admit it.

[Scott Free]

(02-16-2014 09:50 PM)G_global Wrote:  

yah, familiar with a bunch of this, but for such a populous area, it just doesn't seem to add up to that much. Timog/Tomas Morabato, rolling solo, felt a bit young for me to be sure - of course that is my issue, not anyone else's.

I'll try to hit some botanical gardens next time through perhaps. I've had my fill of malls in PI. Even the Philippinos aren't shopping (except to buy lunch). For the most part, they're there to enjoy free a/c and wifi, and most seem to readily admit it.

Yeah, and it only gets worse during summer time. That's why I've been vocal to the guys in Manila about taking mini trips out of town. Far more adventure to be had if you can spend the time to get away.

[Global Entry]

Baguiao seems like its in the cards. Just a bit of a hike.

[JJJames]

(02-16-2014 07:14 PM)Scott Free Wrote:  

(02-16-2014 02:42 PM)JJJames Wrote:  

Hey Peeps,

I'm thinking of heading to the Philippines (currently in Colombia.) I've been hearing the legends of Philippines, kind of excited to check it out for myself. I've been there once before, on business, only for a week.

At the time I thought Manila was kind of a shit hole and didn't spend any time there after my business trip. But now I'm hearing all these amazing stories of guys getting laid like crazy, as well as heard about the amazing beaches. I have some more free time now and am thinking of giving the country another shot.

Questions on Manila & Philippines

A few questions. I've been reading some of the threads here, but there are a few things I'm still fuzzy about as I'm planning my trip.

1) Manila vs Cebu vs Davaos. From what I understand, Manila seems to be easier to get laid, especially online. Cebu seems to be decent for day/night game. Davaos is cheaper than both cities.

What I couldn't tell from the posts is what the overall quality of life is like in each city. Which cities have good amenities, gyms, beaches, cafes, etc? Which city has more smiling people, as opposed to beggars on the street? Which cities feel like fun to live in?

Also, I couldn't quite tell if Cebu is a beach town or not. I get that it's on an island and is close to beaches, but it seems like it's not actually a beach town. Is that correct? (Same question to Davaos.)

2) I'm Asian. I'm curious - do I still get a foreigner bonus? I'm reading these threads here by a lot of white guys who get stared at and laid like a beast in the philippines. I'm just wondering, how much of that applies to me? (Half Chinese, half Thai.)

3) What part of Manila is nice to live in? How does Makati compare with Quezon? What other areas should I be looking at? Interested both in terms of a "game" angle, as well as overall quality of life.

You'll have a great time ahead of you. Be sure to read through the major Philippines threads for more info if you haven't already. For reference, the active threads I've seen lately are:

DirectDanger's Living in Manila
Vacancier Permanent's Bought a One Way Ticket to Manila
G-global's Philippines Trip Report - Quezon City/Makati Burgos/Makati Greenbelt/The Fort/Cebu
20Nation's Ultimate Philippines Data Sheet: Manila, Cebu, Davao, Cagayan de Oro, GenSan, Butuan
And Tommy has a 3 year old Cebu thread that still has some usefulness today.

As for your questions:

1) The Philippines is divided into 3 main locations (The largest islands of Luzon and Mindanao and the clump of islands in the center called Visayas) this is indicated by the three yellow stars in the Philippine flag. (FYI: The Philippines is further divided into 12 regions and into even more provinces, irrelevant, but I thought worth mentioning.) The cities you are asking about are the top cities in their respective main locations. Manila in Luzon, Cebu City (on the Island of Cebu) in the Visayas and Davao City (in the province of Davao) on the island of Mindanao.

Manila will by far have the best amenities that the Western world is used to, simply because it is the Capital and most businesses, investments and imports will be focused here.

Cebu City and Davao City are the next two main cities so they'll have the next best amenities like wi-fi, gyms, etc., a less beggars and less crime and corruption.

As main cities, I don't believe any of the three of them will qualify with what you must be imagining are "beach towns" although, beaches will be all over the place. The best beaches are going to be El Nido, Boracay and Subic and IMHO, in that order.

2) Yeah, not having the "White God" Factor will reduce your desirability to a Pinay simply because she instinctively seeks it out due to Filipinos/nas Colonial Mentality. I wrote a bit about this in these two posts (Colonial Mentality, Preference for Caucasians) if you care for the insight.

That said, do not let this discourage you. Just be aware that your experience will slightly vary. Filipinas will still dig that you are a foreigner. And speaking fluent English and having a somewhat Chinese-like appearance may hint to them that you are probably wealthy (especially if you are fair-skinned), regardless of what the actual case may be. Be aware and comfortable that the Pinay is constantly looking for a ticket to an easier life, having lived her whole life in a Third World country that has issues with corruption and poverty. This is something that may not be intentionally overt and is usually simply a subconscious programming instilled by her environment. You will find that she is still sweet, horny and ever on the lookout for romance. I recommend you turn your Game on, in the absence of the WGF in order to keep the experience on par.

3) You'll have to refer to those threads for this question. G-global has nice things to say about my home town of Quezon City. DirectDamage and the other guys have experience in the Fort, Makati, etc. Personally, I'd say try all three out. Not sure what your budget is, but it is possible to do it on the cheap... especially if you are merely doing a scouting mission to scope the places out.

AWESOME - Thanks for the detailed response. I'll definitely read all those threads before buying my ticket. I'll probably base myself out of Manila and visit the beaches on trips.