Hello -

Thanks!

I presume it is a visa card that will work with any ATM machine that accepts VISA.

I think this plan is just fine!

I have been using credit cards in the Philippines since 1994, including VISA and otherwise have been using ATM cards for at least 10 years. Mostly outside Manila!

I have no problems using them, but I plan my withdrawals. If I am going to an area without ATM’s, I get cashed up first. I also have a second card, just in case. In your case, your back up card could be your regular ATM card. Just let your bank know you will be using it in the Philippines before you leave home.

All ATM machines are not always online. The worst day I have discovered for being offline is Sunday as many machines have run out of money and are not restocked until Monday. ATM machines can also be off line to you sometimes, even if a Filipino can withdraw money because the link is down between the ATM and your bank.

The worst days to use ATM’s are the middle and the end of the month as that is when most Filipinos are paid. So, if you want to avoid long queues, try and avoid the middle and end of the month.

I presume there will be a fee if the card is used in an ATM machine. So, you will need to use ATM machines that dispense the most amount of money in a single withdrawal. HSBC is the best bank for this. Their ATM machines accept visa and dispense P40,000 in a single withdrawal, all in P1000 notes. HSBC is my regular bank for withdrawing cash. I use HSBC on C. Rosales avenue in Cebu City. Opposite Ayala mall and nearly opposite the Marriott Hotel. It has an inside ATM machine with a 24 hour guard. If the machine is running low on cash, they start dispensing their P500 notes, P20,000 at a time, instead. Otherwise, I am told that BPI now accept VISA. They dispense P10,000 at a time and have the largest ATM network in the Philippines. There are BPI ATM machines at Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 in Manila. At terminal 3, you can still get money with your visa but it will be from PNB or RCBC who only dispense P4000 or P5000 at a time. That doesn’t mean you can only get P5000 and have to be on your way. You can keep withdrawing P5000 at a time until you have reached your daily withdrawal limit, set by the issuer of the VISA card. But will probably have to pay a fee for each withdrawal.

So you can use bank websites to find out the location of their ATM machines for the places you will be visiting, go to this page of my website which lists Philippines banks including PNB, HSBC, RCBC and BPI.
http://www.bigjimsphilippinesexperience.com/Money_atm_links.htm

Otherwise, these are my thoughts on safely carrying cash and valuables in the Philippines

- Dress down, do not dress like you are worth a million dollars.
- Don’t flash your cash
- Keep your valuables hidden. Do not have a necklace showing on the back or your neck that can easily be snatched
- Do not wear a bum bag, fanny pack or any other type of bag around your middle that will identify you as a tourist. In fact do not carry any type of bag at all, in the streets, for any reason. If you must carry a bag, make sure there is nothing valuable inside such as cash or passport.
- Keep your cash in front pockets that are zippered, velcro or buttoned. Keep large notes P200 and above separate from small notes P100 and below, This is because you will mostly be using P20 and P50 notes with the occasional P100 note but will rarely need the larger notes except for larger purchases. Then, any potential pick pocket will not know where on your person you main stash of cash is held.

I hope this helps!

Regards: Jim Sibbick

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On the way there, I had to pass the old lady outside the bakery. That is her spot. There are Filipinos who sleep in the streets at night but she is not one of them. She walks to work and if you see her walking, you will think she is quite fit. However, after she has taken up her spot, she puts on a display of being in the most awful pain……… and only your money will make it better.

I also was bypassed by a group of 3 girls. I see them regularly walking the streets. They are not there at night time either! One of the girls has what looks like a burn on her forehead. Every time they pass me they point to the burn then have their hands out. I am not sure if they are asking for money to fix the burn or asking for money so their boss won’t burn her again.

A new beggar I passed on the way to Gaisano Metro was a young girl at the traffic lights. They had stripped off her top so she looked more desperate. She didn’t get a second glance from me either.

They are all scammers and apart from the old lady, the money will probably just go to a boss.

So I arrived in the food court to find it packed but I could see some vacant tables to sit so I ordered my food. My favourite, steamed rice, which is rice with pork and vegetables. Plus some other Filipino delicacies. I turned around with my tray of food and started looking for a vacant table, I couldn’t find any.

As I was wandering around looking desperate, a Filipino man waved me over and pointed to a seat next to him. He was sitting with a woman. His wife, I presumed.

I sat down and started eating. The Filipino man was quite friendly and asked all the usual questions? What is my name, where am I from, am I married, how old am I, how many children, how old are they etc. The same questions you will get from most Filipinos that you meet for the first time. He told me his name was Juan….and we shook hands. No mention was made of the women at the table.

Then the woman got up and left.

Not his wife after all!

This was Juan’s cue!

Juan had been waiting for the woman to leave because what he was going to ask was too embarrasing.

Juan said to me……..I haven’t eat all day…will you buy me steamed rice?

Well we had become friends of sorts while eating my meal so i said…..OK!

I knew it cost P42 because I had just bought one for myself. So I gave Juan a P50 note to buy his steamed rice. About one American dollar.

At this point I did not know what Juan would do. Would he then just disappear now that he had his money?

Juan walked straight over to the counter and purchased a bowl of steamed rice. He then came back and sat down beside me and handed me back P8 change.

My most unusual beggar experience ever.

If all beggars were like him, they would get my money every time!

When I arrived, I was told he had moved.

I contacted my friend to find out why.

He had moved because he was afraid.

Afraid of his neigbours!!!

This was something in need of investigation!

The town where my friend was living is low crime. No foreigners harmed in recent times and probably no foreigners harmed since the second world war when the Japanese were turned away by hand to hand combat and heavy bombing from the Americans.

Why was he afraid?

Apparently his neighbours would drink and get noisy and sometimes keep him awak until 2am. Nothing new there. That could happen anywhere.

What had really happened?

Apparently one night, there was a Filipino looking in his window during one of the drinking sessions and when he rang the police, they would not come.

Why would the police not come?

There was no crime being committed!

If anyone has ever tried to get the police in the Philippines, you will know that it is hard enough to get a policeman to come, even if a crime is being committed.

I questioned friends about the neighbourhood. Apparently the neighbours would get drunk and noisy from time to time before my American friend moved in, continued while he was living there and are still doing it now. They have never harmed anyone! They had even invited my American friend to join them.

I questioned my friend about the Filipino looking in the window. On reflection, he thought the Filipino may have just been using the window as a mirror.

So what was the best solution here? For me, I would have drank with the neigbours. Not every time but sometimes. I am sure we could all be friends and there would never be a need to ring the police.

So!

What are you afraid of?

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You seem to be the best expert on bohol and so we wanted to ask you for advice. My wife and I are planning a day trip to Bohol from Cebu for this June and only want to see the Baclayon Church, Loboc River for a lunch cruise, tarsier interaction (on Loboc River?), the Chocolate Hills, and the man-made (mahogoney) forest.  Therefore, our questions are:

1) Should we book our high-speed ferry ahead of time now in the U.S. or just wait until we arrive in Cebu (we plan to go to Bohol the day after we arrive in Cebu)?

2) Should we prebook a Bohol day package tour online now or just go with one of the drivers / tour operators upon arrival at the ferry pier in Bohol?

3) Do you have any other suggestions or advice? 

 Thank you!

Jeremiah

Love your site! I recently married my sweet angel in Cebu last month!

I would like to know what are the costs of pregnancy there from pre-natal care to birth.

Also, Is it possble to buy medical and dental insurance for my wife while I wait for her to come to the US?

Thanks,

Paul

Many thanks

Nigel Smith

jaemartphils@hotmail.com

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