Blog
Stay updated with our latest articles, insights, tips, and comprehensive guides designed primarily for expats planning to settle in the Philippines.
People Going Door-To-Door On Christmas Day Asking For Gifts
In many parts of the Philippines, especially urban poor areas and rural communities, there is a long-standing Christmas Day habit where people—often children, but also adults—go door to door asking for gifts, food, or small amounts of money. This typically happens on December 25, sometimes starting early in the morning.
culture 28-12-2025
Grocery Shopping: Urban vs Rural Filipino Experience
Grocery shopping in the Philippines is going to be a different experience from what you are used to back home.
expats 28-12-2025
Filipino Holidays -- 2026 Edition
This is a summary of the 2026 Filipino Holidays and special days
culture 27-12-2025
Plumbing Misadventures
So, about four weeks ago, I left the house and headed for Manila. The night before I left, the shower stopped working in the master bathroom.
diy 26-12-2025
Be Your Own Maintenence Department
This is a series of articles about being your own maintenance department to improve your overall quality of life in the provinces.
diy 26-12-2025
Filipino Languages
The Philippines is one of the most linguistically dense countries on Earth. For a relatively small land area, it manages to pack in 180+ living languages, most of them Austronesian.
culture 26-12-2025
How To Survive Rolling Blackouts In The Philippines
Unreliable electrical utilities are a fact of life in the Philippines. If you have a reliance on electrical power (meaning, you can't have it down for hours or days, potentially weeks following a major natural disaster), you need to have a backup plan that will likely be some combination of generators, solar, and battery solutions.
expats 26-12-2025
Finding Competent Professionals In The Rural Provinces
There comes a moment in every expat’s rural Philippines journey when optimism dies.
culture 25-12-2025
Skills Every Expat Living In The Rural Philippines Should Know
This post completes the 'Be Your Own Maintenence Department' Series. What skills sets should you have if you are living in the rural Philippines?
expats 25-12-2025
'Finished' Means Something Different Here
What does "finished" mean when building a house in the rural provinces?
expats 24-12-2025
Parts and Replacement Equipment To Keep On-Hand
This post outlines parts that one should have on-hand for routine maintenance and emergency repairs.
diy 23-12-2025
Essential Tools for Expats Living in the Rural Philippines
Living in rural Philippines means one thing very quickly becomes clear -- you are your own maintenance department. Skilled labor exists, but availability, timelines, and quality vary. When something breaks, waiting days or weeks is often not an option.
diy 21-12-2025