You plan to move to the Philippines? Wollen Sie auf den Philippinen leben?

There are REALLY TONS of websites telling us how, why, maybe why not and when you'll be able to move to the Philippines. I only love to tell and explain some things "between the lines". Enjoy reading, be informed, have fun and be entertained too!

Ja, es gibt tonnenweise Webseiten, die Ihnen sagen wie, warum, vielleicht warum nicht und wann Sie am besten auf die Philippinen auswandern könnten. Ich möchte Ihnen in Zukunft "zwischen den Zeilen" einige zusätzlichen Dinge berichten und erzählen. Viel Spass beim Lesen und Gute Unterhaltung!


Visitors of germanexpatinthephilippines/Besucher dieser Webseite.Ich liebe meine Flaggensammlung!

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Saturday, August 27, 2016

Peace in the Philippines?

DIPLOMACY

Philippines, Maoists reach accord following Norway talks

The Philippine government and Communist guerrillas have agreed to an indefinite ceasefire as talks continue for a final peace deal. The two sides were in Oslo negotiating a truce in the five-decade conflict.
Luis Jalandoni and Philippines' presidential peace adviser Jesus Dureza are seen during peace talks between the Philippine government and National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) in Oslo, Norway August 22, 2016.
The Philippine government and Maoist insurgents inked an indefinite ceasefire deal Friday to facilitate peace talks aimed at ending one of Asia's longest-running guerilla conflicts.
"This is a historic and unprecedented event ... (but) there is still a lot of work to be done ahead," Manila' peace adviser, Jesus Dureza, said at a signing ceremony in Norway, which is mediating the talks aimed at ending a conflcit that's claimed more than 30,000 live since the late 1960s.
The two sides are slated to meet again in Oslo on October 8-12.
Oslo as interlocutor
Norway has acted as a facilitator for the peace process since 2001. Talks have been held on and off since 1986 to end the conflict.
Recently elected President Rodrigo Duterte says he wants to end guerrilla wars with both communist and Muslim rebels that have been hampering economic development.
The Communist's 3,000-strong New People's Army operates mainly in the east and south of the Philippines. At it peak in the 1980s, it commanded an army of 26,000 fighters during the 20-year dictatorship of the late Ferdinand Marcos.
The Communist guerillas have historically drawn support from those dissatisfied with economic inequality, especially in the countryside, and the Philippines' close alliance with the United States.
jar/rg (AFP, Reuters)

Friday, August 26, 2016

Cayetano to Congress: Give the President Emergency Power Vs Traffic ASAP!

Office of the Senator
Alan Peter S. Cayetano
Rm. 602 GSIS Complex Senate of the Philippines Roxas Blvd Pasay City
         

PRESS RELEASE
26 August 2016

Cayetano to Congress: don't prolong Filipinos' suffering; give the President emergency powers vs traffic ASAP

The longer it takes for Congress to grant emergency powers to the President, the longer it will take to resolve the country's perennial traffic and congestion problem.

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano issued this warning during last Thursday's (August 25) Senate committee hearing on the proposals to give the President emergency powers to address the crisis.

Cayetano urged his colleagues at the Senate to immediately pass an emergency measure soonest to end the traffic mess.

"For every one month na hindi maibigay ang emergency powers, additional three to six months sa implementation ng (infrastructure) projects," he said.

"Marami kasi sa ating kapwa senador ang nag-iisip na kung one month delay, one month lang. We need to explain na hindi ganun. The earlier (the President) gets the emergency powers, the more na mabilis ang momentum of real change," he added.

Cayetano also appealed to members of the House of Representatives to fast-track the passage of a counterpart bill in the Lower House. "Nakiki-usap tayo sa House of Representatives na sabayan at bilisan din nila ang pagpasa ng panukalang ito," he said.

Cayetano was among those who filed a measure at the Senate seeking to fix the country’s worsening  traffic situation.

He filed Senate Bill No. 999 or the "Freedom from Traffic and Congestion Act of 2016," which seeks to authorize the President and heads of transport-related executive agencies to utilize necessary resources and employ executive actions to address the crisis.

Cayetano said that giving emergency powers to the executive branch would speed up the procurement of transport and infrastructure projects, which will pave the way for the construction of faster and more reliable transport services throughout the country.

SBN 999 will empower the executive branch to override various transport agencies’ regulations, licenses, and procedures, exercise right of eminent domain by expropriating private property, and be exempted from procurement laws and Temporary Restraining Orders (TROs), which usually delay infrastructure projects.#

Thursday, August 25, 2016

Would you believe it?

Would you believe it?

OPINION In My OpinioNIN MY OPINIONKlaus Doring
No doubts, there is no mistake about it: something is wrong. International media’s  negative headlines about the Philippines is no joke anymore. The word-war between our President and Senator De Lima will even add more. Sure, a mistaken belief accompanies each and every one of us daily. Incorrect decisions and wrong doings are part of our daily life.
It is almost a ridiculous fact that man wants to know certain truths about mundane things. But really he seems least interested in even mundane truths as can be read many times in newspapers for example. There seem to be too much rash judgments, and the readers absorb these and make these their own. A fatal attraction!
This is sometimes referred to as journalistic mentality and social media comments wherein accusations are generously made without proof. Evolution started this trend, when scientists stated for example that man evolved from the apes, without proof. The only proof they had was the missing link, and if I am not mistaken, it’s still a missing proof until now.
To look for proofs is a mental activity, which is no longer a common thing nowadays, because it takes really time, effort and is too serious to think about. Yet, in Christian education, thinking right is very important.That’s why Philosophy is important in Christian life. To avoid error in thinking, the rules of right reasoning must be studied and mastered. It is really totally neglected in today’s modern education?
Thinking is actually an enjoyable activity but when one is pressured to get a good job for one’s sustenance, then the other more mundane become attractive. After all, great thinkers many time do not get (good?) jobs….
Spiritual writers like the British Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834) noticed that mankind had stopped thinking even two centuries ago. That was during his age. Man probably stopped thinking even earlier. He has ceased many times to search for the truth. It’s easier to listen to gossip and believe in it. What a sign of weak minds!
Too often are we blind to the truth and as a consequence we easily believe in lies we only have to like it. Too bad, if people always like to close their eyes and ears especially while experiencing the delusion of error.
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Email: doringklaus @gmail.com or follow me in Facebook or Twitter or visit www.germanex patinthephilippines.blogspot. com or www.klaus doringsclassicalmusic.

Saturday, August 20, 2016

Siquijor has magic - it's true!

#SNEAQUIJOR IS THE ISLAND THAT SNEAKS UP ON YOUR EXPECTATIONS AND THEN BLOWS YOU AWAY. AND IT MAKES YOU FALL IN LOVE WITH YOUR COUNTRY AGAIN

SHARES: 148
By: Raf C. Sobrepeña 
Having heard many good things about the beauty of Siquijor and seeing photos of what it offers, I arranged a trip to the so-called “Island of Black Magic.”
It wasn’t so much about the mystical stories of witchcraft surrounding the island, as an excuse to travel and appreciate the country’s beauty one island at a time, that set us off.
Maldives of the Philippines
Before heading to Siquijor itself, my friends and I took a detour to Majuyod sandbar, an hour’s drive in a van from Dumaguete airport where we landed. There’s a video on social media that hails it as the “Maldives of the Philippines.”  We wanted to see it for ourselves.
It was only 15 minutes by boat from the drop-off point in Bais. There was a cottage waiting for us in the middle of the sea at the edge of the sandbar.
Since we made prior arrangements, lunch was ready the moment we got there.
After lunch, it was time to bring out our inflatables and float on the tide to enjoy the water surrounding the cottage.
Once the low tide came in at around midday, the sandbar emerged. Immediately we grabbed our drinks, hung out on the newly surfaced area and buried our feet in the sand. It was just like having a pool in the morning and a beach in the afternoon—only way better.
When the sun was about to set, we headed back to Dumaguete to spend the night and prepare ourselves for the main attraction.
Getting there
Getting to Siquijor was not as easy as I thought it would be. There were less boat trips on weekends, so we took the earliest departing ferry at 7 a.m.
An hour and a half into the two-hour ride, the water turned into a rich, clear blue—all the way to the port.
It heightened our excitement of exploring the majesty of Siquijor.
Cambugahay Falls
We rented a coaster and headed straight to our first stop on the island, the Cambugahay Falls.
When we got there, some went straight to the top of the falls and plunged into the lake. The others took their time, dipped in the water and positioned themselves right under the waterfalls to shower. Who wouldn’t want to start their day with a cold and refreshing swim by a waterfall?
After everyone was revved up and endorphins were high, we took a crack at the famous swing set up by the locals. This is probably one of the most known sites of Siquijor posted on social media.
We wasted no time in trying it and released the inner Tarzan in all of us. Successful and unsuccessful summersaults or backflips were attempted repeatedly.
It was an exhilarating experience to catapult up into the air and land in the water;  twice or thrice of doing this was simply not enough. Really, everyone must try this at least once!
Salagdoong Beach
Less than an hour away is a public beach called Salagdoong where locals and tourists can enjoy the crystal-clear and blue water. There are numerous cabanas along the shoreline, which was the setting for our lunch.
Adding to the beach’s charm were the 20-to 30-feet-high platforms for cliff-diving created by the locals. Confronting one’s fear of heights and plunging into the sea is a great way to build up an appetite for lunch.
Coco Grove Siquijor
Accommodations were at Coco Grove which was only an hour away. This developed resort has one of the best beaches in Siquijor. A large stretch of white sand is surrounded by turquoise water. There are also hundreds of coconut trees planted around the resort.
This was the place to revel or reflect, depending on one’s inclination.
It was hard to leave and our journey back to Manila came with a heavy heart. Still, the experience created many happy memories of an enchanting  island.
There were plenty of stories and photographs to bring back and share. That, I believe, is the true “magic” of Siquijor. It allows us to discover, and rediscover, and ultimately fall in love with our country—again and again.


Read more: http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/235652/235652#ixzz4HqpqmPsr
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Friday, August 19, 2016

International Media: Negative Philippine Image


 (The Philippine Star) 

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A close friend of mine has been sending news about the Philippines as reported outside our country.  I am shocked at how one-sided it can be: always negative and oftentimes demeaning about our leadership.  In my opinion, this negativity can be easily defused, even offset, if the Presidential communications team placed a priority on communicating with the international media in this country and abroad.
Allow me to cite some recent stories in the foreign press that highlight our challenge:
The Economist commented on a series of anti-crime measures carried out by President Duterte’s administration, arguing that the President’s “ill-conceived war on drugs” will make the Philippines “poorer and more violent”, and that investors will “flee” if the “rule of law erodes”.

The Economist, Aug. 13, 2016 – War against crime in the Philippines: A harvest of lead

 “Mr. Duterte would have the world believe that the Philippines’ corrupt and ineffective police have suddenly become omniscient—able to tell innocence from guilt and decide who may live and who should die. When he menacingly read out the names of more than 150 officials deemed connected to the drug trade, at least two of those whom he fingered were already dead. It would be comical were the consequences not so horrifying. One recent picture shows a distraught woman cradling her husband lying dead next to a sign, pusher ako (“I am a drug pusher”)—a tropical version of Michelangelo’s “Pietà”.
Right now Mr. Duterte seems beyond restraint. When the chief justice demanded proper arrest warrants, Mr. Duterte threatened to impose martial law. But Filipinos and their foreign friends must keep exerting pressure on him.”
“Filipinos’ desire for instant retribution will, surely, turn to horror, hatred and revenge. The rule of law will erode. Investors, who have made the Philippines one of globalization’s winners in recent years, will flee. The only winners will be the still-lurking insurgents. Mr. Duterte’s ill-conceived war on drugs will make the Philippines poorer and more violent.”

The New York Times, Aug. 11, 2016 – Killings of Drug Suspects Rise to 525 in the Philippines

“Human rights have been sacrificed in the conduct of the anti-drug drive, with those holding the gun assuming the roles of both accusers and executioners,” left-wing protest leader Vencer Crisostomo said. “It is impossible to ascertain innocence or guilt if the accused are simply shot on the spot.”
“The Duterte regime’s war on drugs is bound to fail if it continues to rely on extrajudicial killings led by a corrupt and abusive police and military hierarchy, Crisostomo said, adding that the illegal drug trade is a symptom of deeper social problems, like rising poverty, joblessness and hunger, “which cannot be wiped out by bullets alone.”

New Europe Belgium, Aug. 11, 2016 – Philippine president insults US ambassador

“As reported by The Washington Post, Duterte said: “As you know, I’m fighting with (US Secretary of State John F. Kerry’s) ambassador. His gay ambassador, the son of a whore. He pissed me off”. He was speaking in Tagalog, the main language of the Philippines……”
“But Goldberg is not the first dignitary to be subjected to crude comments from Duterte. Before becoming president, Duterte had used the same “son of a whore” word to describe the pope.”

Channel News Asia, Aug. 11, 2016 – Duterte’swar on drugs leaves jails bursting, sees mass surrenders

Another person feeling the effects of Duterte’s war on drugs is Don Morado Pacheco, owner of Pacheco funeral parlours. He says that since Duterte became president, the number of bodies being delivered to his 21 outlets across Manila has more than doubled.
 “Some people say funeral services are good business right now, but it’s really hard,” he said. “We’re exhausted. First, we’re physically tired because we pick up so many bodies. Second, it’s a sorrow for us because we are forced to ask for payment from families who are poor and have a hard time making payment.”
At a time when so much is going right for the Philippines it is a shame that the story that the international community is reading is not the story that will support efforts to promote more job-creating foreign direct investment, promote increased levels of tourism, and win our country support in the international affairs arena. 
Beyond local politics, our spokespersons have a responsibility to communicate the successes our country is achieving and the important role we are playing in world economic and political affairs. At the moment, it is clear that no one is focused on efforts to project a positive image to the international community.  I have always felt that every government should have staff assigned to address international communications 24/7.   During the time of President Ramos, each department secretary was tasked to report on newsworthy items on a daily basis. Using that input, the Palace press office was able to identify applicable stories for both the local and foreign press and this effort contributed to the rising reputation of our country and its leadership.
Experience has shown, if we don’t tell our own story, others will, and we won’t be happy with the results. Our countrymen are great story tellers, we just have to do a better job telling the very positive Philippine story to those around the world who are only getting one view of the change taking place in our country.

Thursday, August 18, 2016

Foreign Contractors Decry Tight Regulations in the Philippines

 (The Philippine Star) 

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ECCP president Guenter Taus said there is currently huge interest among European companies to participate and invest in the country’s construction industry but are being held back by existing equity limitations.
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines is missing out on a lot of opportunities in foreign investment and technology in the construction industry given existing restrictions on international contractors, the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) said.
ECCP president Guenter Taus said there is currently huge interest among European companies to participate and invest in the country’s construction industry but are being held back by existing equity limitations.
“There is a lot of interest from Europe coming in provided we can straighten out the issues we have in licensing, especially with PCAB (Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board). Once those obstacles are overcome there should certainly be a big boon for European companies to come and work on these,” Taus said.
“We have limitations in the engineering part of what foreign firms can do in the Philippines. There’s a 60-40 rule and in order to get it done you need to get a PCAB license in order to legally operate and that’s a challenge for multinational companies,” he added.
Taus said any investment in the construction industry is easily in the billion-peso range which is why the Philippines is missing a lot due to such restrictions.
Aside from foregone investments, foreign contractors and construction companies are also capable of introducing new technologies to the country.
Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1
“We hope under this administration we will finally get this issues straightened out,” Taus said.
The ECCP has long been lamenting the lack of full involvement of international contractors in the country as it is considered as one of the factors hindering infrastructure development.
“If the Philippines wants to continue growing the economy, the lack of infrastructure needs to be addressed. This can only be done with the involvement of international contractors that will bring latest technologies to the country. But you cannot expect these companies to bring the technology, bring the money, carry the risks and then control only 40 percent of the venture,” ECCP vice president for external affairs Henry Schumacher has said.