Living in the Philippines can be one of the most exciting, rewarding, sometimes frustrating, but always interesting undertakings your family may ever experience.  The following information provided by long-time residents Mery Montgomery (Metro Manila) and Trish Hart (Subic Bay) should help you acquaint yourself with these areas and how to get yourself settled in.  Also you will find below Warden Notices and other information received from the US Embassy in Manila.

METRO MANILA
Temporary Housing
When you first arrive, it is most likely that you will be waiting for your personal goods to follow by sea shipment. This can take up to 30 days or more if you are coming directly from the US, less if you are relocating from another Asian country. Many families opt for a temporary living arrangement during this time while they seek out a permanent residence. Some top quality choices for temporary living are:
Makati – Oakwood Premier Ayala Center or Frasier Place
Ortigas – Discovery Suites or Linden Suites
Alabang – Vivere Suites
You will learn more about the Makati, Ortigas, and Alabang areas below.
You may also choose to stay at a choice of 4-5 star hotels located throughout the metro Manila area. These include: Shangri-La, New World Renaissance, Intercontinental, Mandarin Oriental, and Peninsula. Rates vary, but most of the above offer some sort of extended stay discount rates.

Where Do I Live?
Choosing where you will live can depend upon a number of factors. Where is the office location of the working spouse? Do you prefer urban (city) living or something that more approaches the U.S. suburbs? High rise apartment or house? Do you have school-age children? Finding a home can be a challenging and exhausting experience, especially if you have jet lag or are dragging several small ones around with you during the endeavor, but you will have numerous choices in all shapes and sizes.
Makati – This is the heart of the action. This area contains the central business district, fine dining, numerous shopping malls, most of the high end hotels, the International School and one of the two AWCP offices. Makati also has the highest rental rates for housing, but numerous choices. A large percentage of expat housing is located in “villages” which are large housing developments surrounded by walls with controlled access and armed guards at the gates. The homes tend to run large by US standards, anywhere from 3000 – 8000 square feet for executive housing. Rental rates vary depending upon whether the home is furnished or unfurnished, but you can easily expect to pay between 200,000 pesos ($3500) – 500,000 pesos ($9000) in the premier villages of Forbes Park and Dasmarinas. Most of these homes are privately owned by wealthy Filipinos and many have undergone extensive remodeling to make them more attractive in the rental market. Tip: Most landlords require that you pay a minimum of 6 months to 1 year rent in advance before you move in. Also, as with any landlord, make sure that any problems have been corrected prior to signing your lease to avoid future liability issues for you or your company.
Recently, Makati has seen a surge in the construction of high rise residential buildings and many families are now choosing this as a viable option to renting a home due to the generally lower cost of rent and the desire to avoid the maintenance/upkeep that comes along with a stand-alone house. You’ll find many US expats in Rockwell, Pacific Plaza, and Essensa, among other locations.
Ortigas – This area is located approx 10km north of Makati and is considered by many as the second central business district of the country. It has many of the amenities that are available in Makati, including housing villages such as Green Meadows and Valle Verde, along with several high rise choices. Rents are generally lower here than in Makati. Ortigas is the home of the Asian Development Bank, so many expats of all nationalities choose to live nearby. The Brent International School has a satellite campus located here but does not have high school grades.
Alabang – Located approx 25km south of Makati, you’ll find the more suburban setting of Alabang. Housing here is pretty much limited to single family homes in villages with Ayala Alabang Village being the largest and best of these. Houses and lot sizes are a little smaller than in Makati, but generally much newer as this area has been developed more recently. The Brent International School's main campus located approximately 20 minutes south of Alabang. Generally, people who choose to live in Alabang do so because the working spouse is located in this area or further south. Most of the manufacturing/industrial parks are located well south of Manila. The second office of the AWCP is located here to accommodate an increasing number of our membership who makes Alabang their home.
The Makati versus Alabang housing debate always spurs great discussion among the expat community. The reality is that, with the terrible traffic of Manila, you can expect commutes of up to 1 hour each way from Makati to Alabang during peak traffic periods. You need to keep this in mind if you intend to live in Alabang and send your child to the International School in Makati. In the end, it is important that you choose a residence that best meets your family needs.

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Driving
The traffic in the metro Manila area is what you would expect in a large, congested, developing nation. Cars, trucks, buses, taxis, and jeepneys clog the roads with little regard to the rule of law or common courtesy. It is every man or woman for themselves. Most expat families hire a driver, at their own expense, to chauffer them around. With parking at a premium, this is a huge time saver as well. For senior executives, many companies provide a driver with the position. If you are feeling brave and if you have a valid driver’s license from your home country, you can obtain a Filipino driver’s license through a visit to the Land Transportation Office (LTO). As for the vehicle itself, most positions come with an assigned company vehicle. You would need to check your company policy to know, in advance, whether a car will be waiting here for you or whether you will have to purchase one upon arrival.

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Supermarkets & Grocery Stores
There are a number of high quality supermarkets and delis available to meet your needs. In addition, warehouse clubs have opened in the last five years, with the most popular being PriceSmart, which has 4 metro Manila locations. You can get just about anything in the Philippines that you can in the U.S. minus some of the convenience products (ie: frozen food), but you will have to be flexible on brand. Prices for specialty imported goods can be somewhat high. You will also find that you need to visit 3-4 stores to complete your shopping list and you will become very familiar with the phrase “out of stock.”

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Dining Out
Filipinos love socializing and food. The American influence is everywhere. Numerous American restaurants such as California Pizza Kitchen, TGIFriday’s, Chili’s, Tony Roma’s and Outback Steakhouse are located here as well as every conceivable U.S. fast food chain. Additionally, the local restaurant scene is lively with hundreds of choices. You are sure to find many that are great and worth a repeat visit. We’ve found just about every type of food here from Italian to Thai to Greek, but the Filipinos just don’t do Mexican food very well, so be forewarned if you have a craving for a burrito. Be sure to check out the Greenbelt and Fort Bonifacio areas in Makati, the Eastwood/Libis area near Ortigas or the Malate area in Manila for many great choices. Also, the restaurants in the five star hotels are top notch with some of the best dining in the country. In general, eating out in Manila is much less expensive than in the US, perhaps 40% lower at current exchange rates, although at the U.S. franchises you can generally expect U.S. prices.

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Electricity & Utilities
Most people do not realize that the Philippines has one of the highest electricity prices in the world. Your home electricity bill can run between 10,000 pesos ($180) and 50,000 pesos ($900) per month, so it is important to keep that in mind when choosing a home. It is also important to know your company policy on reimbursement as well. You will find that very few homes have central air conditioning. Most residences, including condos and apartments, have room air conditioners. Many residences are wired for both 110V and 220V electricity, but you should check that out with your landlord before selecting a home. You will need step-down converters for your US appliances if your home comes only with 220V, which is the standard in the country.
Gas: There are no central gas lines in residences. Any appliance requiring gas will need to use a tank of liquid propane gas (LPG). These are readily available throughout the country.
Water: Most homes come with large external storage tanks that are replenished daily via the water utility. This water is pumped into your home via motor for use in daily activities such as bathing, housecleaning, and laundry. Do not drink this water (tap water), as it contains many microbes that will be foreign to your system and can cause you much discomfort. Most expats have five gallon bottles of purified drinking water delivered to their homes on a regular basis. It is inexpensive and safe.

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Mail Service
The mail service in the Philippines is slow, unreliable and rife with theft. Never have anyone from the US send you important confidential or financial information (checks, credit cards, bank statements etc.) via the Philippine mail system. Many ex-pats use a mail forwarding service in the US to collect and send their mail via courier. It is expensive, but provides peace of mind. We’d recommend the use of couriers like DHL or Fed Ex for all important documents that you must send and receive. Tip: If you choose to use a mail forwarding service, you can reduce your costs by eliminating non-essential mail traffic such as catalogues and magazine subscriptions. Communicate with loved ones via e-mail and set-up a personal web-site so your families can see you having fun.

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Schools
As mentioned earlier in the section on choosing a place to live, there are several high quality educational institutions for you to choose from if you have children. The International School Manila (ISM) is located in Makati. Brent International School has two locations, one in Ortigas and another one south of Alabang. In Taytay, near Antipolo is the Faith Academy School. There is also a fine British school in Makati near ISM. Depending on your proximity to the school of your choice, you can either drop the kids off yourself, have your driver do the same, or the children may need to take a bus. Many expat parents send their little ones to pre-schools (U.S. prices) which are located within the walled confines of the villages.

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Health Care
Good quality health care is available in the Philippines, although many of the facilities may not be up to U.S. standards from a physical appearance perspective. Top hospitals include St. Lukes in Quezon City, Medical City in Ortigas, Makati Medical Center in Makati, and Asian Hospital and Medical Center in Alabang. The medical profession has many doctors who have studied, trained, or practiced in the U.S. Nursing quality is high. In fact, Filipino nurses are in demand in the U.S. When choosing a doctor or dentist, it is recommended that you talk with long term resident expats to get suggestions on those physicians who have met their past needs in terms of quality of care and bedside manner.

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Weather
It is always hot and humid in the Philippines, as this is a tropical climate. Generally, the most pleasant months are November through February. The rainy season lasts from June through September. During this time, you can expect a brief rain shower nearly every day. The good news is that most ex-pats take their home leave (vacation) during the U.S. summer, which gets them out of the country during the heaviest rains.

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Safety
Living in metro Manila is just like living in any large city anywhere in the world. Personal safety is important for expats. Common sense will get you through just fine. There are certain parts of the city that you should not be in late at night, just like New York, Los Angeles, or Chicago. Most crimes against expats usually involve petty theft. You should safeguard your wallet/purse/cell phone at all times.

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