How do Filipinos feel about so many foreigners marrying Filipinas?

 

Talitha Koum

 · 

Lives in Wales

How do Filipinos feel about so many foreigners marrying Filipinas?

I will give you a non politically correct answer… no offense to anyone please!

Background: I grew up in Metro Manila, spent college years in Manila where I saw a lot of Western guys dating Filipino ladies. Saw same couples whenever I go on vacation esp Boracay.

Have also worked in the medical field and treated Filipinas (or gay transvestite Filipinos… no judgment) with their adoring Caucasian hubs by their side.

Dated a European fella myself.

One common perspective: that these Caucasian gentlemen have a different standard of beauty that Filipinos have. Our country was colonized by the Spanish so we have grown to admire fair skin, high bridged noses, and light colored eyes, as most Caucasians have. Curiously, the Caucasians we see are enamored of their spousies with native features: pug/pert noses, nut brown skin. My gay buddies term these girlfriends as “island souvenirs” with the unspoken thought, “How did *she* manage to bag this guy?!?”

Another pervasive thought: these girls are in it for financial benefits or visas and the guys are in it for cheap s*x. My European ex (who I met in the medical field) visited me in Manila, and people we encountered (service workers, taxi drivers) assumed that 1) he's made of dollars/euros 2) I'm with him for monetary self-gain. (Actually I probably made more money than him at the time.)

Unfortunately, this view is not entirely wrong. One hears of so many stories of Filipinas milking their foreign boyfriends and then leaving them once they get the money or the citizenship. Though other South East Asian girls also have this reputation, the perception about poor, gold digging Filipinas is wide spread. (Heck, even some well-off Filipino guys think their girlfriends are after their money, so it’s not necessarily a foreigner-Filipina issue. It’s just that in such relationships, the foreigner is more likely to be more financially stable. A guy with a modest income in his home country will look like a millionaire here once the currency is converted to pesos.)

Another popular notion is that if the couple has kids, they will be 100% gorgeous. This is not an utter delusion. Our more well-known beauty queens (Venus Raj, Pia Wurtzbach) are of mixed blood. We Filipinos are crazy about certain Caucasian features such as round eyes, straight noses, light coloured hair and fair complexions.

In general most people accept that this happens all the time and that there's a wide range of outcomes. Older generation is a bit suspicious, while younger ones who are globally exposed are indifferent. We are mostly pretty cool about it.

„In die falsche Richtung“: Bundesregierung beschließt Renten-Reform – zufrieden ist trotzdem niemand

Stand:06.08.2025, 14:16 Uhr

Von: Moritz Maier

Das Rentenniveau bleibt bis 2031 stabil. Doch das reicht nicht, die Altersarmut ist hoch, die Finanzierung unsicher. Die Forderung: Merz muss bei der Rente endlich Mut beweisen.

Berlin – Die Bundesregierung will die Rente stabilisieren. Dazu hat das Kabinett unter Bundeskanzler Friedrich Merz am Mittwoch die Stabilisierung des Rentenniveaus auf 48 Prozent bis ins Jahr 2031 festgelegt. „Gerade in unsicheren Zeiten sendet das Rentenpaket 2025 eine klare Botschaft an alle Generationen: Die Rente bleibt stabil und gerecht“, sagte Arbeits- und Sozialministerin Bärbel Bas (SPD) dazu. Stabile Renten – was gut klingt, wird aber trotzdem von vielen sehr unterschiedlichen Seiten kritisiert. Einig sind sich die Lager in einer Sache: Die Bundesregierung aus CDU, CSU und SPD tun nicht genug, um die Rente tatsächlich zu sichern. 

Arbeits- und Sozialministerin Bärbel Bas (SPD) will die Rente stabil halten. Trotzdem prasselt auf die Bundesregierung von allen Seiten Kritik an ihrem fehlenden Mut bei der Zukunft der Rente ein. © IMAGO/ Hanno Bode/ Funke Foto Services

Grundsätzlich positiv wertet der Sozialverband Deutschland (SoVD) die Stabilisierung für die mehr als 20 Millionen Rentnerinnen und Rentner in Deutschland. „Aber: Bei der Stabilisierung des Rentenniveaus darf natürlich nicht Schluss sein. Das Rentenniveau muss perspektivisch wieder steigen, um die Lebensstandardsicherung zu gewährleisten“, sagt SoVD-Vorstandsvorsitzende Michaela Engelmeier der Frankfurter Rundschau von IPPEN.MEDIA.  

Für Millionen Rentner wird das Rentenniveau stabilisiert

Der Sozialverband will besonders die gesetzliche Rente stärken. „Generell wünschen wir uns von der neuen Bundesregierung den Mut, eine echte Rentenreform anzugehen, mit der Abkehr vom Mehr-Säulen-Modell [gesetzliche, betriebliche und private Altersvorsorge; Anm. d. Red.] hin zur Lebensstandardsicherung über die gesetzliche Rente“, so Engelmeier. Die ehemalige SPD-Politikerin fordert ein Rentenniveau von 53 Prozent, eine höhere Grundrente und, Selbstständige, Beamte sowie Abgeordnete in die gesetzliche Rente einzahlen zu lassen. „Parallel braucht es Maßnahmen auf dem Arbeitsmarkt für gute Löhne, gute Arbeitsbedingungen, zur Vereinbarkeit von Familie und Beruf und für ein langes gesundes Arbeiten.“

Zukunft der Rente in Gefahr: Kostenexplosion oder Leistungskürzung?

Grund für die Kritik ist die unsichere Finanzierungslage der gesetzlichen Rente. Nach und nach geht mit den Babyboomern die mit Abstand größte Einzahlergeneration in Rente – und wird somit zur mit Abstand größten Empfängergeneration. Zwar dürften mit Blick auf die Bevölkerungsentwicklung in Zukunft einmal wenige Enkelkinder für wenige Kinder zahlen und das Umlagesystem damit wieder stabiler dastehen. Doch bis dahin muss die gesetzliche Rente noch die Herkulesaufgabe stemmen, auch den Boomern ein auskömmliches Altersgeld zu garantieren. Deshalb fordern Fachleute seit Jahren weitreichende Reformen der Rente, um die explodierenden Kosten irgendwie stemmen zu können. Schon jetzt geht zusätzlich zu den Rentenbeiträgen jeder vierte Euro des Bundeshaushalts in den Ausgleich der Rente.  

Renten-Meilensteine in Deutschland in Bildern – von Bismarck über Riester bis Müntefering

Fotostrecke ansehen

Die Bundesregierung unter Kanzler Merz sowie Arbeits- und Sozialministerin Bärbel Bas (SPD) hat bisher keinen großen Reformplan vorgelegt, der die Zukunft der Rente in Deutschland festlegt. Fakt ist: Die Kosten für die gesetzliche Rente werden mittelfristig explodieren, wenn es weitergeht wie bisher. Entweder müssen also mehr Steuermittel zur Kompensation herhalten, das Renteneintrittsalter erhöht, Leistungen gekürzt werden oder die Sozialversicherungsbeiträge noch weiter steigen. So oder so: Unangenehme Entscheidungen stehen an – werden von der Bundesregierung bisher jedoch nicht getroffen. Stattdessen einigte man sich im Koalitionsvertrag auf die Einrichtung einer Rentenkommission, die bis 2027 Maßnahmen erarbeiten soll. Diesen vom SoVD kritisierte fehlenden Mut von Schwarz-Rot bemängeln auch Beobachterinnen und Beobachter aus dem anderen politischen Lager.   

Union und SPD trauen sich nicht an die Rente – auf Kosten der jungen Generationen

Marcel Thum, Professor für Finanzwirtschaft an der TU Dresden erklärte nun in einem Gutachten für die FDP-nahe Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung, dass Deutschland vor einer „dramatischen demografischen Herausforderung“ stehe. „Ohne Reformen droht der Beitragssatz in der gesetzlichen Rentenversicherung bis 2050 von 18,6 Prozent auf 22 Prozent zu steigen – mit gravierenden Folgen für Beschäftigte und Unternehmen“, so Thum. Auch auf liberaler Seite werden der Kabinettsbeschluss und die Stabilisierung des Rentenniveaus meist wohlwollend bewertet. Kritik gibt es dort vor allem, dass die Bundesregierung nicht mehr tue und sehenden Auges in eine Finanzierungskatastrophe laufe.

„Die Lebenserwartung der Deutschen ist angestiegen und die jüngeren Kohorten sind deutlich dünner besetzt als die Babyboomer-Generation. Die Kosten der Alterung dürfen aber nicht einseitig den jüngeren Menschen zugeschoben werden“, sagt Finanzexperte Thum und nimmt die Bundesregierung in die Pflicht, echte Reformen anzustoßen: „Deshalb sollte der Nachhaltigkeitsfaktor wiedereingeführt und das Renteneintrittsalter an die Lebenserwartung gekoppelt werden. Mit Mütterrente und Haltelinie geht es leider gerade in die falsche Richtung.“

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Dass sich bei der Rente etwas tun muss, ist allen klar. Wie, darüber wird eifrig gestritten. Beliebt werden die nötigen Entscheidungen nicht, ohne bittere Nachrichten wird es nicht gehen. Doch selbst die Konfliktparteien sind sich einig: Nichts tun ist keine Option. Der Druck auf die Bundesregierung steigt also.   

Rente: So kann man online seine Informationen einsehen

Alles im Blick: Viele Rentenangelegenheiten lassen sich heute bequem online erledigen. © Benjamin Nolte/dpa-tmn

Wie viel Rente bekomme ich am Ende meines Arbeitslebens? Eine spannende Frage, die man überraschend einfach schon jetzt online klären kann. Was der Service der Rentenversicherung sonst noch bietet.

Berlin - Mit der Rente beschäftigen sich viele nur einmal im Jahr - nämlich dann, wenn sie die Rentenmitteilung abheften. Wenn sie sich überhaupt mit Rentenpunkten und Co. auseinandersetzen. Dabei können zukünftige Rentnerinnen und Rentner schon heute viele Rentenangelegenheiten online erledigen. In den meisten Fällen ist erst einmal kein persönlicher Termin bei der Deutschen Rentenversicherung (DRV) nötig.   

Was man braucht: eine Registrierung beim Kundenportal der DRV mit einem Personalausweis, Aufenthaltstitel oder einer Unionsbürgerkarte mit freigeschalteter elektronischer Ausweisfunktion (eID).

Dafür braucht man außerdem:  

einen Computer, ein Tablet oder ein Smartphone 

ein NFC-Kartenlesegerät oder ein NFC-fähiges Smartphone

Kontenklärung, Übersichten und Anträge

Online lassen sich unter anderem diese Rentenangelegenheiten schon heute von daheim klären:  

• Rentenhöhe ausrechnen
• Rentenantrag stellen
• Antrag auf Kontenklärung stellen
• Versicherungsunterlagen wie Rentenauskunft, Renteninformation, Beitragsrechnung oder Lückenauskunft anfordern
• Rentenbescheinigungen anfordern
• einen neuen Sozialversicherungsausweis beantragen

Diese online angeforderten Unterlagen werden von der Rentenversicherung per Post zugesandt. Wer sich bei der DRV registriert und mit der eID legitimiert, kann außerdem noch diese Dinge erledigen: 

• online auf das Versicherungskonto zugreifen
• Mitteilungen und Bescheide elektronisch zusenden lassen
• Versicherungsunterlagen direkt am Bildschirm ansehen, sie auf dem eigenen Gerät speichern oder sie ausdrucken

Da das Registrierungsverfahren mit dem Personalausweis je nach verwendeter Technik etwas kompliziert ausfallen kann, hat die DRV ein Erklärvideo auf ihrer Website bereitgestellt. Wichtig für Menschen, die als Bevollmächtigte die Renten anderer verwalten: Auch hierfür gibt es bei der DRV ein eigenes Kundenportal. dpa  

LPA enters PAR, may bring rains in coming days — PAGASA

 

A low-pressure area (LPA) entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) Monday evening, Aug. 4, and may bring rains over parts of Luzon and Eastern Visayas in the coming days, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said on Tuesday, Aug. 5.

By Ellalyn De Vera-Ruiz

Published Aug 5, 2025 09:12 am

PAGASA weather specialist Chenel Dominguez said the LPA was located 895 kilometers east of southeastern Luzon as of 3 a.m.

She added that the weather disturbance has a low chance of developing into a tropical cyclone within the next 24 hours.

Dominguez said two possible scenarios are being monitored. Either the LPA will make a close approach to Luzon before veering northwest and moving away from the country, or it will cross the Luzon landmass.

“Anumang scenario ang mangyari dito ay inaasahan natin magdadala pa rin ng mga pag-ulan itong LPA sa Luzon at Eastern Visayas (Whichever scenario occurs, we still expect the LPA to bring rains over parts of Luzon and Eastern Visayas),” she said, adding that rains are expected in the coming days.

Meanwhile, a monsoon break persists, as the southwest monsoon or “habagat” has little to no effect on most of the country.

For the next 24 hours, generally fair weather is expected, although localized thunderstorms remain possible, particularly in the afternoon or evening.

PAGASA still advised the public to remain alert for possible flash floods or landslides during severe thunderstorms.

Highly intelligent minds don’t worry about tidiness!

Genocide by starvation, bullets and bombs

 

By Fr. Shay Cullen

The world lacks strong and outspoken leaders who can forcefully take to task the Israeli government and what its forces are doing in the Gaza Strip right now: killing the Palestinian civilians there through violence or starvation — a move that many have condemned as genocide. As many as 111 humanitarian organizations around the world have denounced Israel’s denial of sufficient food, medicine and humanitarian aid to the Gazans.

In a recent statement, these agencies “denounced the Israeli government’s ‘siege’ of Gaza, and urges governments to act to open all land crossings; restore the flow of food, water, medicine, shelter items and fuel into Gaza ‘through a principled, UN (United Nations)-led mechanism’; end the siege; and agree to an immediate ceasefire.”

They noted the near-daily massacres of Palestinians at food distribution sites in Gaza, and cited the UN in saying that 875 Palestinians have been killed while seeking food and thousands more have been injured.

“The starvation of civilians is a war crime,” the organizations said.

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, a global hunger monitoring system, said the “worst-case scenario of famine” was now happening in Gaza. In a statement, it said: “Latest data indicates that famine thresholds have been reached for food consumption. Under this international outcry and pressure, the Israeli government is allowing a trickle more of aid to enter the Gaza Strip. It is far from what is needed to stop an impending famine. This is a genocide by starvation; many UN officials are denouncing.”

Also, more voices from inside Israel are being heard. Israeli-Palestinian human rights group B’Tselem recently released a report titled “Our Genocide,” in which it says Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. The report strongly condemned the war on Gaza, which has so far killed more than 60,000 people and wounded at least 145,000 others.

“An examination of Israel’s policy in the Gaza Strip and its horrific outcomes, together with statements by senior Israeli politicians and military commanders about the goals of the attack, leads to the unequivocal conclusion that Israel is taking coordinated action to intentionally destroy Palestinian society in the Gaza Strip,” the report said. “In other words, Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.”

Palestinian militant group Hamas, whose attacks on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, sparked the war, is far from defeated. It is holding as many as 20 hostages as bargaining chips in negotiations for a ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. Several nations have called on Hamas to disarm and release the hostages.

Crimes worsening

The Israeli armed forces and private mercenaries are gunning down civilians as they rush to get insufficient food rations at the distribution areas, killing and wounding them as though these sites are shooting galleries — or Israel’s version of the killing fields.

These crimes of war and against humanity continue to get worse. There is little or no compassion or solidarity from developed nations for the over 2 million civilians in Gaza. There is talk, but no decisive action to stop the suffering. The only words that United States President Donald Trump said were for Israel to allow “every ounce of food” into Gaza, as he acknowledged for the first time that “real starvation” was occurring there.

Trump was reported as saying: “We can save a lot of people, I mean, some of those kids. That’s real starvation; I see it and you can’t fake that. So, we’re going to be even more involved.” But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied there was starvation, calling it a “bold-faced lie.”

Are Trump’s words empty or would he follow up on that by halting the supply of bombs and other weapons to Israel and compel the country to allow the supply and distribution of food by the UN to resume and stop its blockade? The European Union and other countries are weak in responding to the genocide in Gaza. They fear the US president and his tariffs if they openly oppose Israel.

What is needed is for governments, as well as ordinary people around the world, to boycott products made by and exported from Israel; and protest and block weapons and other goods flowing into that country. Trade between the EU and Israel is conducted based on an association agreement. In addition, relations between the two are framed in the European Neighborhood Policy, the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership and the Union for the Mediterranean. These give Israel preferential treatment, or no or low import tax and restrictions. The EU could cancel these privileges if it has the moral and political strength to do so.

The EU is Israel’s biggest trading partner. In 2013, the total volume of bilateral trade reached €27 billion. That year, 32 percent of Israeli exports went to the EU and 34 percent of imports came from the EU. Other countries have large trading deals with Israel. China has a 17.7-percent share of trade worth $14.7 billion; the US, a 12-percent share worth $8.45 billion; and Germany, a 6.28-percent share worth $5.22 billion.

Recently, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that his country would recognize Palestinian statehood at the UN General Assembly in September. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said London would also do the same. So will Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

As many as 147 member-states out of the UN’s 193 members recognize Palestine as a state. That is a staggering 75 percent of UN member-states that recognize Palestine but one completely occupied by Israel. Palestine has been a nonmember UN state since November 2012. This strengthens efforts for a two-state solution, which Netanyahu’s government strongly opposes. After a three-day UN conference on reviving a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the said states would “reiterate our unwavering commitment to the vision of the two-state solution where two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, live side by side in peace within secure and recognized borders.” It stressed the “importance of unifying the Gaza Strip with the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority.”

Spotlight on style: Vice Ganda, Carla Abellana, Sanya Lopez at GMA Gala 2025

 

Stars descend on the GMA Gala 2025 blue carpet (from left) Vice Ganda, Sanya Lopez, Angel Guardian, and Carla Abellana. The annual gala was held at the Grand Ballroom of the Manila Marriott Hotel in Pasay City on August 2, 2025. Philstar.com / Anjilica Andaya

Kathleen A. Llemit - Philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines —  “It's Showtime” hosts Vice Ganda and Jhong Hilario, Carla Abellana and the stars of “Sang’gre” all served looks at Saturday’s GMA Gala 2025.

For two years now, some hosts of the popular noontime show “It’s Showtime” have attended GMA’s annual gala. The ABS-CBN show began airing on GMA-7’s main channel in April last year.

Vice stunned in a royal blue ball gown, completing the look with a wavy blonde wig. His fellow “It's Showtime” hosts also impressed, Anne Curtis dazzled in a black ensemble, while Jhong sported a shiny red suit paired with a stylish hat. Darren Espanto and Ryan Bang were also among the attendees.

Carla, dubbed the “Voice of the Voiceless” and “Callout Queen” by social media users, looked resplendent in a yellow couture gown by Mak Tumang.

The actress has earned admiration online for speaking out against poor service from providers.

“Encantadia Chronicles: Sang’gre” stars Sanya Lopez, Gabbi Garcia, and Angel Guardian were also spotted at the event.

Both Sanya and Gabbi opted to break from their characters’ signature colors, Sanya dazzled in a sexy black dress instead of her usual brown, while Gabbi wore a simple red gown instead of green. In the show, their roles as gem keepers are traditionally identified by these colors.

Angel, however, channeled her popular TV character by wearing a blue gown, fitting for her role as the would-be air gem keeper, traditionally associated with the color blue.

The GMA Gala 2025 was held at the Grand Ballroom of the Manila Marriott Hotel in Pasay City.

8 in 10 Pinoys want polluting firms taxed for environmental damage

 

Fisherfolk hold a protest in the waters of Batangas City on April 22, Earth Day to denounce the expansion of fossil gas plants and liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in the area.

Mara Manuel for Center for Energy, Ecology and Development

Dominique Nicole Flores - Philstar.com

August 5, 2025 | 7:00am

MANILA, Philippines — Who should pay the price for environmental destruction? The answer is a no-brainer for most Filipinos: corporations whose actions have contributed to disasters. 

A recent study commissioned by Greenpeace International and Oxfam International found that 84% of Filipino respondents support taxing corporations for environmental damage contributing to wildfires, floods, droughts and health issues.

Filipinos also overwhelmingly reject passing costs to individual consumers, whose environmental impact is significantly smaller than that of enabling firms and policies.

Instead, three in five believe oil and gas companies should shoulder the tax burden, while nearly one-fourth favor taxing businesses in general.

Impact on Philippines

The Philippines has become a showcase for climate extremes, with floods submerging towns for days and temperatures hitting record highs. 

Beyond local factors like inadequate waste management and flood control, experts have identified a more uncontrollable force: climate change exacerbated by continued fossil fuel use and expansion. 

The effects of worsening global warming are visible, with cities facing stronger storms more frequently and even more rainfall regardless of weather patterns. Extreme heat has also resulted in more class suspensions in recent years as temperatures breach 50°C. 

The Philippines endured a brutal July as storms and an enhanced southwest monsoon unleashed torrential rains across Luzon and Visayas. 

Four consecutive tropical cyclones — “Bising,” “Crising,” “Dante” and “Emong” — battered the islands alongside the habagat, leaving 254 local governments with no choice but to declare a state of calamity. 

Due to the last three storms, classes were suspended for a week in several areas where floodwaters were waist-deep and even worse in other areas.  

Climate justice sought

Filipinos are all too familiar with the effects of climate change, and environmental watchdogs say the survey demonstrates the growing urgency to demand climate justice for vulnerable nations like the Philippines.

“The poll results affirm what we’ve known for a long time: Filipinos have a strong sense of justice and majority support taxing the climate polluters to compensate for the damages they cause,” Oxfam Pilipinas Climate Justice portfolio manager Cheng Pagulayan said in a statement. 

These taxes should rightfully go to the vulnerable communities most impacted by the climate crisis and to supporting community-based renewable energy investments,” he added. 

How should the taxes be imposed? About 79% of Filipinos said the government should not just raise taxes on oil and gas companies, but also require revenues be directed toward communities most affected by the climate crisis.

Meanwhile, 81% called on the government to close loopholes that have allowed wealthy individuals and international firms to evade financial and ecological accountability. 

At least three in five Filipinos also believe the government is not doing enough to curb the political influence of wealthy and polluting industries.

Only in his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) did President Bongbong Marcos slam the billions poured into flood control projects that failed to prevent recent flooding, seeking an immediate audit and review of their implementation.

Right to seek damages. The study’s findings come as the Philippines reels from recent storms and as the International Court of Justice (ICJ) affirms that vulnerable nations have the right to seek damages from major polluting companies and states.

A nationwide survey commissioned by Greenpeace and Oxfam and conducted by Dynata from May 9 to 28 sampled 1,200 Filipino adults, with a margin of error of ± 2.83%.