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Christmas is traditionally celebrated with family and friends, at least in the Philippines, and for Filipinos. It is usually that one time in the entire year when everyone comes back home to where they grew up. Maybe this is a sub-conscious desire to go back to being a child and receiving gifts and meeting parents and uncles and aunts and cousins and grand parents. After the usual family gathering, we then go out and meet with friends.
Then there's the group of people who we can categorize as the "nagliligawan" or "bagong mag-on". These couples usually take advantage of the long vacation and grab at the chance to spend more time together by going out of town on a romantic vacation. It's a wonderful experience to be with a loved/desired one on a strange/different place, away from anybody else who might recognize them, where they can concentrate on enjoying each other's time and attention.
Typical destinations are cold mountains and warm beaches. Baguio remains as the most accessible out-of-town experience for most people in Metro Manila. Sagada is still under-rated but is definitely a must-see. With beaches, Boracay is still the number one destination, Palawan is a distant second. My personal suggestion is go to Bohol. The people are nice, there are lots of sites to see, and there are so many churches to visit.
After all, Christmas is about the birth of Christianity's Saviour. It is first and foremost a religious event and let us not forget that. He actually died for us! And it was not just a simple painless death, mind you. It was a horrific torture that Jesus Christ went thru just to make sure that each one of us gets a chance for salvation.
So if you ask me about going home or going on vacation this Christmas, I'm doing both! I'm going home to the province, the boondocks, the place where I grew up, the ancestral home, good old San Pablo City. This is so I can be with family and old friends. But I'm staying in one of the resorts in the area, this is so I can call it an "official" vacation as well! Me and my spouse are going to visit tourist spots in my hometown that we've always taken for granted. And we're going to visit the local churches, and we're going to celebrate the birth of our Lord in an out of town vacation where all the family and friends will be there as well!
Happy holidays, everyone! |
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This article is intended for couples with no children under their expense, and with a paid-up health insurance coverage. Children, particularly those still in school, can easily skew the cost estimates. Health insurance also plays a very big role in the financial freedom of a couple on a limited budget.
The current (November 2008) exchange rate is almost Php50:US$1, it was at Php43:US$1 a few months ago. Prices jack up during Christmas season so for purposes of easy computation, let's assume an exhange rate of Php45:US$1. If the exchange rate moves beyond Php50:US1, you'll actually be able to get more pesos and therefore buy even more when you move here.
The cost of living in the Philippines is considerably cheaper than in most major American and/or European cities. The combined monthly take-home salary of a newly married couple who are both working in the central business district of Makati after taxes and social security is normally around Php35k or US$780 only. If they can live on that, so can you.
Let's list down your monthly recurring basic expenses and see how it fits in with the budget.
| Item |
Description |
Php |
US$ |
| Housing |
I'd put down Php10k for your average 40 square meter 2 bedroom 1 bathroom apartment. It's probably twice that if you get a semi-furnished house. Sure there are plenty of beautiful houses available at more than 10 times that, but do you really need your 5 bedroom 3 bathroom house with pool? I'd recommend renting because you'll probably want to transfer cities every now and then. Each city has it's own sights, culture and cullinary specialties. Come to think of it, you might even want to move every few months -- nothing beats Cebu for the string of festivals in January, stay in the beaches of Boracay from February to May, move to Dumaguete from June to October for non-stop world-class scuba diving with their great weather even during the rainy season, then chill in the mountains of Baguio/Sagada for November and December. |
10,000 |
222 |
| Water/Power |
Php3000 takes care of your basic A/C, microwave, fridge, TV, DVD player (everybody has one), fans, lights, computer. |
2,500 |
56 |
| Cable TV |
There's a cabe TV company that uses satellite dishes for those in the mountains and other far flung areas, but most cities have cable TV companies under Php900 a month. |
1,000 |
22 |
| Internet |
Phone companies are now bundling DSL with their landline services for under Php1000 a month. |
1,000 |
22 |
| Mobile Phones |
You'll each need a mobile phone in the Philipines, after all, we're the SMS capital of the world! One phone company offers Php5 (US$0.09) per minute calls to the USA, Canada, Australia, etc. |
1,000 |
22 |
| Food |
For comparison purposes, a McDonalds Quarter Pounder meal costs around Php100. If each of you ate this 3 times a day for 30 days, that would be Php18k. There's a wide variety of food choices here, lots of "karinderias" or your mom-and-pop restaurants, small dinners, and home-cooking will stretch your budget even more. |
18,000 |
400 |
| Maid |
You'll want a maid to cook, clean the house, wash the clothes, and even go to market for you. Here's an idea, if you want Italian cuisine, send the maid to an Italian cooking school! This might set you back Php20k, but I'm thinking it just might be worth it, plus you get to help the maid upgrade her skills for her personal growth. You don't want them getting too tired for that kind of salary? Hire 2 so they can watch their favorite soaps together. |
2,500 |
56 |
| Sundry |
Every house has unexpected expenses, new drapes, repair a leaky faucet, paint the fence, buy a new plant. Let's set Php4k for those small items. |
4,000 |
88 |
| TOTAL |
|
40,000 |
888 |
If we're working with Php67500 (US$1500), there's still Php27000 (US$600) left over for travel, clothes, entertainment, and other vices.
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Boating on the serenity of Sampalok Lake amidst the backdrop of mountains and trees along the surrounding ridge is now available thanks to these. At Php50 per head for a 15 minute ride, these offer a great way to release your stress and you get to do some excercise as well. The two-seater craft provides ample space to bring along your bottled water and some fresh fruits or snacks, just remember not to throw your garbage into the lake!
A great man once said, "Be a lotus." Which means, no matter how ugly, how evil, and how sinful everyone around you might become, do not allow yourself to be stained. A lotus remains beautiful even as it lingers in the filthy waters of the pond. Don't be contaminated, do not be influenced by worthless means, remain radiant among the shadows of darkness. Be a lotus. It has to start with one, to fill the pond with more.
