A German Expat in The Philippines - Ein deutscher Auswanderer auf den Philippinen

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!

Friday, August 21, 2026

The Philippine Peso closed at P61.67

The Philippine Peso closed at P61.67 against the US dollar on Thursday, August 20, 2026.

Visit www.bworldonline.com for the latest news and updates. 

May be an image of text that says 'FOREX AUGUST AUGUST20,2026 20, 2026 BW bworldonline.com com USD ₱61.67 EUR SAR HKD SGD CAD 72.24 16.47 47 7.89 48.67 44.80 bworldph SOURCE:BANGKDSE/TRALINGPLPAS SOURCE BANGKO SENTRALNG'

Pia Wurtzbach draws flak for vacation photos amid Manila storms, floods

By Ian Ureta

Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach drew criticism from a netizen after vacation photos of her and husband Jeremy Jauncey surfaced online while parts of Metro Manila were dealing with severe flooding.

The photos, shared by Jauncey, showed the couple enjoying a tropical getaway in Madagascar.

One netizen questioned the timing of the posts, saying Pia should have been more sensitive to Filipinos dealing with the effects of the storms and flooding.

“Manila is literally flooding right now. Konting pakiramdam naman. Your vacation dump can wait a day,” the netizen wrote, while also questioning whether Pia’s advocacy work was merely “a performance.”

The criticism caught the attention of popular online personality Miss Everything, who came to Pia’s defense while arguing that public attention should instead focus on government officials and the country’s long-standing flood-control issues.

“I understand that my twin Pia should be understandability of the super flood 3rd week anniversary, but it is the CONGRESSMEN FLOOD CONTROL FESTIVAL we MUST CALL OUT more!!!” Miss Everything wrote in her trademark humorous style.

She followed it with another pointed remark: “Hello, congressmen? Can you suitcase the flood?”

PhilHealth, DOH to pursue first shared agenda aligning benefits, health programs

By Jel Santos

Published Aug 20, 2026 06:57 pm

The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) and the Department of Health (DOH) will pursue their first shared health agenda to align PhilHealth benefits with existing government health programs, PhilHealth President and CEO Beverly Lorraine Ho said.

She said the Unified National Agenda for Health (UNA) will focus on cooperation, progress, and recognition of the contributions of local government units (LGUs), partner institutions, and healthcare workers.

“And we know at this point in time, PhilHealth can do so much more. So ang aming shared agenda po ay tinatawag na Unified National Agenda for Health or UNA. Una sa pagtutulungan, una sa pag-usad, at una sa pagkilala. (So our shared agenda is called the Unified National Agenda for Health or UNA. First in cooperation, first in progress, and first in recognition),” Ho said during a media briefing on Thursday, Aug. 20.

Ho said this marks the first time PhilHealth and the DOH will pursue a common agenda for the country’s health sector.

“For many of you who’ve been covering the health sector, this is the first time that we will actually be having a shared agenda with the DOH,” she said.

Under the agenda, she explained that every PhilHealth benefit will be aligned with existing DOH programs to ensure continuity in the healthcare services received by Filipinos.

“Una sa pagtutulungan, para tuloy-tuloy ang alagang dama ng bawat Pilipino, every PhilHealth benefit will be aligned to existing DOH programs. (First in cooperation. To ensure that every Filipino continuously feels cared for, every PhilHealth benefit will be aligned with existing DOH programs),” she said.

Ho cited the expansion of PhilHealth’s Yaman ng Kalusugan Program (YAKAP), which provides primary-care services such as consultations, laboratory tests, preventive screening, and prescribed outpatient medicines, in schools and workplaces.

“For example, we’re currently scaling up YAKAP in schools and workplaces to widen primary care access, while DOH strengthens interagency coordination and health promotion in those same settings,” she said.

She added that the DOH will promote healthy habits and health literacy, while PhilHealth will help ensure that Filipinos have access to consultations and medicines when needed.

“Para mapanatiling malusog ang bawat Pilipino, DOH will enable the healthy habits, health literacy, but PhilHealth ang magsisiguro na may access sa konsultasyon at gamot kapag kailangan. (To keep every Filipino healthy, the DOH will promote healthy habits and health literacy, while PhilHealth will ensure access to consultations and medicines when needed),” Ho said.

The new PhilHealth chief said the state health insurer will continue to expand access points, improve its benefit packages, and ensure the quality of care received by its members.

“Ang trabaho namin ngayon ay ituloy ang pagsulong ng mga programang ito by increasing access points, improving benefit packages, and ensuring that every member receives not just any care, but quality care. (Our task now is to sustain the progress of these programs by increasing access points, improving benefit packages, and ensuring that every member receives not just any care, but quality care),” she said.

“We want our progress to reach the people who need it most,” she added.

As such, Ho acknowledged the role of LGUs, partner institutions, frontliners, and other stakeholders in advancing the government’s health programs.

“Una sa pagkilala, every win is shared with our LGUs, partners, and frontliners, and that includes all of you. (First in recognition. Every achievement is shared with our LGUs, partners, and frontliners, and that includes all of you),” she said.

She said PhilHealth will remain open to feedback and questions as it fulfills its mandate under the Universal Health Care Act.

No limit but the sky

August 21, 2026

Updated August 20, 2026

By Klaus Döring

“No limit but the sky” is a famous inspirational phrase often attributed to the Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes, author of Don Quixote. It means that your goals and potential have no real boundaries.

Yes, but the “sky” is more poetic. You could argue that the “sky” is the atmosphere, and above the atmosphere, the sky is over. But if you look up from the ISS, what are you looking at? Isn’t there a sky on the Moon? What are you looking at when you look up from there? We say “the Sun in the sky,” “the Moon in the sky,” and “the STARS in the sky.”

I say the sky goes on forever. If you stood upon the edge of the universe and looked up, the multiverse would be the sky. Space has no up or down, but wherever you’re standing, the thing you’re standing on is the ground, down, and wherever you look that is AWAY from the ground is up, the sky. It’s the place over your head that can’t be reached from where you are standing.

Wherever you go, the intangible, mysterious area above you is the sky. The phrase “the sky’s the limit” is often used to convey the idea that there are no limits to what one can achieve or aspire to. It suggests that one should aim high and not be constrained by conventional thinking or perceived limitations. The phrase “the sky is limitless” emphasizes the idea that possibilities and potential are boundless, encouraging a mindset of endless opportunities and potential for growth. Both expressions encourage individuals to dream big and reach their full potential.

This anthology collects the most riveting, real-life adventure stories from America’s oldest mountaineering and conservation journal, Appalachia. Each of these essays, published from 1877 to the present, chronicles a tale of explorers who push the limits — of endurance, weather, altitude, or personal achievement. Some of these explorers make history, such as the first American climber to ascend Kilimanjaro in 1932; others, such as the leader of an 1895 team attempting the first ascent of Canada’s Mount Lefroy, never return.

Some people have money to burn! Every time I observe them, I feel that their money is going down the drain. Yes, “money talks.” The more money you have, the more avaricious you might become. Every time we have to dig deeper into our pockets, we might long to be like those people who don’t see the difference between a 500 or 1,000 bill.

I am really not rich! I also wouldn’t hesitate to say that I would like to be so! Being rich means having wealth! Wealth is abundance, opulence, and affluence. Affluent people can quickly become influenced. Dyed-in-the-wool millionaires or even multimillionaires lose sight of reality many times. They can’t even see the horizon, which could be the demarcation of their real estate. They don’t even recognize the wonderful flowers growing and blooming in their gardens.

Money calms you down! Sure. No doubt at all! We all need an income to survive and meet our daily needs — and, maybe, a little bit more. Many of us struggle through life and work like slaves for a pitiful daily minimum wage. If you’re rich, you might be on top. But believe me, once you are on top, you will have some unwelcome, mostly unavoidable companions, such as loneliness, so-called friends (!), parasites, and freeloaders.

These companions will let you scream in pain because you will start missing things you expected from them: real friendship, love, care, comprehension, understanding, sympathy, appreciation… Remember such things? Miss such things?

Yes, money can give you a wonderful sleep, and you might stay in one of the most luxurious beds — but be awake while your poorest neighbor sleeps better and more peacefully on the floor. There are many sayings about money. I like this one: Money can buy books but not brains. You might study a lot and gain a lot of experience; it’s just a pity if you don’t use it at the right time for the right people in your surroundings.

Money can buy food but no appetite. Who reaps the benefits of it? A full-to-overflowing storeroom will never be satisfying if sour freeloaders join your table and push away your real friends.

Our last earthly dress has no more pockets. The remembrance of how we acted and lived together with our fellow creatures will remain forever. With money, we might be able to let the devil dance. But money alone doesn’t make us happy. Money kills more people and friendships than a cudgel.

The more money, the more problems.

The more money, the more we have to pay, and the higher our bills become.

***

Email: doringklaus@gmail.com or follow me on Facebook or LinkedIn or visit www.germanexpatinthephilippines.blogspot.com or www.klausdoringsclassicalmusic.blogspot.com.

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Why is the Philippines tourism industry lagging behind other Southeast Asian countries?

Dayang Marikit

Philippine History Professor

Like some people here have said… the modern culture of the Philippines is boring and extremely Westernized, when Western tourists visit Asia they expect to be immersed in the rich, colorful and “exotic” cultures of Asia… if they would come all the way here just to see some old churches then it would be better for them to just stay in Europe, USA, Mexico or Latin America instead of paying an expensive plane ticket.

Because we don’t promote our pre-colonial heritage, a lot of foreigners tend to think that we were “uncivilized” before the Spanish colonization, which is why they think of us as “inferior”.

If I had extreme wealth I’d promote our pre-colonial culture even more… (Just to inform everyone, these are some of my fantasies and the stuff of my wildest dreams).

I’d make a huge replica of the Golden Tara, similar to the Statue of Liberty in New York, and put it in the middle of Manila Bay.

I’d buy a private island and make it into a pre-colonial themed resort.

I’d put up pre-colonial themed restaurants all over the city… we have (Dohtonbori) Japanese themed restaurants, so why not pre-colonial themed restaurants?

I’d have a fashion line focusing on the art of (SONGKET)… gold thread is embroidered into silk to create elaborate brocade patterns which gives the cloth a shiny, glistening effect… imagine these patterns with modern designs.

I personally find these ancient patterns perfect for the modern Kaftan dresses below.

I’d also have a jewelry shop mainly specializing in ancient inspired jewelry.

I know that these are just silly fantasies but I do hope that one day, they would all become reality, I sure as hell would want to be reincarnated just to see these for myself, I would want to see the day when all Filipinos are no longer mentally marinated with colonial mentality,

So far, one of my fantasies have already become reality… the government has already declared the ancient (Baybayin script) as the official national writting system of the Philippines.

Now it’s just going to be a matter of time before labels and signages would look like this.

On a different topic… I don’t think that Filipino food tastes bad and (no), I’m not biased because I know for a fact that foreigners don’t know how to eat Filipino food properly… Filipinos love dipping sauces and condiments, in many cases they are mandatory as they enhance or even completely change the flavor of the dish… so what I’m saying is that you need to know the proper dip that goes with the dish that you’re eating.