Blog
Stay updated with our latest articles, insights, tips, and comprehensive guides designed primarily for expats planning to settle in the Philippines.
Income Inequality -- Filipino Edition
Let's talk about income inequality in the Philippines, contrasted with trends in the United States, including why the perception that the Philippines is worse holds water--and where the nuance lies.
culture 17-01-2026
Health Insurance Options for Expats in 2026 -- Filipino Edition
Let's talk about health insurance options for expats in the Philippines.
expats 16-01-2026
My Favorite Restaurant in Manila -- Filling Station Bar & Cafe on Burgos Street in Makati
Filling Station Bar & Cafe on Burgos Street in Makati — one of Manila’s most talked-about retro diners and night-owl hangouts. A tribute to my favorite restaurant in Manila.
culture 12-01-2026
Postal Services for American Expats -- Everything Is Complicated
An American living outside the United States is generally going to need some way of receiving domestic United States Postal Service mail within the USA. There are several options for how to do this.
expats 10-01-2026
New Years: Filipino Edition -- Fireworks & Karaoke
New Years in the Philippines means lots of food, karaoke until dawn, and lots of fireworks all day--and, all night. We actually slept from earlier evening to just before midnight. Then, it was time for dinner. Shortly after that, karaoke started.
culture 09-01-2026
Lending Money To Friends & Family in the Philippines: What Expats and Foreigners Need to Understand
Never lend informally
culture 03-01-2026
The Northern / Western European Expat in the Philippines: Filipino Culture vs. European Culture
Let's explore cultural differences between Northern / Western Europeans and the Philippines.
culture 02-01-2026
72-Hour Bug Out Bag For Expats In The Rural Philippines
Here's a Philippines-specific 72-hour bug-out bag loadout, written for an expat in a rural coastal or near-coastal area evacuating due to tsunami or similar sudden natural disaster.
prepping 02-01-2026
The American Expat in the Philippines: Filipino Culture vs. U.S. Culture
From an attitude and cultural perspective, the United States and the Philippines are in different places, physically and spiritually. What's the best strategy for long-term success for the American expat living in the Philippines?
culture 01-01-2026
The Non-Human Guests Outside Your Home: Feral Dogs, Cats, Chickens, and Cows
Witness the unofficial wildlife of the rural Philippines; feral dogs, semi-feral cats, chickens that have achieved full philosophical detachment from human authority, and cows following the sacred art of going nowhere very slowly. Let’s take the grand tour.
culture 31-12-2025
Filipino Real Estate Shenanigans: Volume 1
Foreigners cannot own land in the Philippines. Anyone who tells you otherwise or suggests creative work-arounds is ignorant, lying, or running some kind of scam on you. If your country had been occupied for 400 years, you'd be sensitive to foreigners owning anything within your borders as well.
realestate 30-12-2025
The Filipino Tricycle: The People’s Vehicle
The Filipino tricycle—part transport, part engineering experiment, part rolling sociology lesson. This is the primary mode of local transportation in the rural areas.
culture 30-12-2025