Hi Everyone,
I've been posting on the Thread started by Seram "My Asawa's Business that works" and "A bunch of questions in one thread" started by Darwinder...

Here in this thread I'm going to tell my full story, but PLEASE bear in mind these are my opinions and experiences,,,

I actually live in France but visit the Phil's every other month to see my future wife,,,
My future wife and in laws live in a small village reliant on Fishing,,, up to last Jan/Feb they were scratching a living but a very meager one,,,
Anyway over the last year the large fishing boats have come into the area and wiped out all the fish, now my future father in law is not even catching enough for the table,,, any one married to or going to marry a Philippina knows when you marry you don't just get a great wife you get a great family as well...usually...

My story really starts here,,, when married my wife and I plan to come back to France, this leaves My wife's Mom and Dad along with other dependents,,, ( I wont go into that one) fending for them themselves,,, I suppose to most Europeans that's not a big deal but to very family oriented Philippina's it is a biggy and because they have treated me so well its a biggy to me also... that's why I've been trying to get a business up and running,,, not for me,, for my in laws,,, they don't have the money to invest so obviously this falls at my door which really I don't mind,,, anyway if you have been following Serams thread you will have read the problems we have finally come up with....

For the size of family to live a sensible life (no luxuries) just keep the wolf from the door and the rice bin full they need to earn 500pesos a day,,, I hear you say,,, how hard can that be,, that's not even 9 euros a day or less than 2 pints to a drinking man here in France...
The in laws are 60 and 62 respectively, He has been a Fisherman all his life and knows nothing else,,, Her a house wife, but helped with the income selling Ice Coke and a few bits and pieces making 50 to 75pesos a day...

I've been in business most of my life but I don't think I have EVER come across a place with so much competition,,,little shops selling every day supplies, people coming to the door with veggis, street sellers in the local towns, load n dita, Philippino restaurants, American style restaurants, phone shops, you name it its there there is nothing that isn't covered but not just one or two like the towns here but 1000's of them,,, its like there is very little work so just about everyone try's their hand at selling something...
The fact is the Southern Leyte region is the same where ever you go...

For example on route to Maasin from Cebu after the ferry trip I have to take a van from Ormoc,,, while waiting for the van to leave I'm hit by at least 25 different sellers at the terminal selling the same things,,, same at the stops on route,,,when i get into Maasin same again but also 25 motorbike taxi's are there touting to take me the rest of the way....

This threat is aimed at answering future questions to those who may ask,,,, I'm not retiring age so don't have a pension and I'm thinking of moving to the Philippines, what kind of work can I do to make a living ???

My answer is,,, If the locals struggle so much and a reasonably large investment wont do the trick what chance do we have when we've had it so easy in Europe all our live's,,, we've had the luxury of health benefits, social welfare systems and the like to fall back on,,, there in the Phil's unless you have a good job and PhilHealth cover you have no chance,,, for every one with the good job and health cover there are 1000's really struggling...

Ok I've had a good life, made a few bucks,,, good fortune in business has come my way on occasions, is been good its been hard,,, so why not support the in laws,,,that's what I am doing at the moment or they would have an empty rice bin,,,
I honestly believe it would be cheaper to bring them to France if visa's would allow...don't be under the illusion that its that cheep to live in the Philippines,,,for example fruit there is more expensive than in Europe and many more things that come under the category of daily needs,,, OK to a tourist of course things look and often are cheaper but wait till you actually live there... Chicken 120pesos a kilo or 2.15 Euros, I pay 30Euros for a 15kilo box of chicken here in France, 2 Euros a kilo, same with pork,, potatoes there are 100pesos a kilo, 1.78Euro,, here in France I pay 4.50Euros for a 5 kilo sack 0.90cents a kilo and I can go on and on,,, Fuel prices are not that much different than France either...

For those getting a 1000 US dollars a month pension you can really have a great life,,, travel the Islands and live it up but for those Philippino's scratching to make even 200 to 300pesos a day its not so easy.

Earning there is virtually impossible unless you are a specialist in a required field or a gynecologist or pediatrician,,, I see 100's of young pregnant woman everywhere i go...

Don't get me wrong I'm not complaining I love the place,,,I'm just trying to alert those reading this not to be under the illusion that if you have no income from your own country you can come to the Phil's and live off savings,, unless you have a lot of them,,, the Phil's will eat your money just as quick as anywhere else...

So finally if there is anyone out there that has Philippine experience and can give advice on how I can set up my in laws to fend for themselves with as little as 500pesos a day earnings I would love to hear from you...

Thanks to all
Mike001