Philippinisches Kulinarisches in Deutsch und Tagalog (III)

Es hat lange gedauert - nun gehoert auch das folgende Gericht zu meinem Essensplan:

- CALDERETA = das ist geschmortes Fleisch - meistens von der Ziege (kambing). Ist wirklich Geschmackssache. Ich esse nur, wenn ich weiss, wer es zu bereitet hat und woher das Tier kam.

- LECHON / LITSON = ein Spanferkel. Oftmals nicht mehr Spanferkel sondern ein 50 kg schweres Schwein. Gehoert zu jeder kleineren und natuerlich grossen Feier auf den Philippinen dazu. Vegetarier sollten lieber wegschauen ... .

(Fortsetzung folgt!)

PNoy's Speech on Marwan's Death, Purisima's Resignation and Mamasapano Clash

The path to peace is not easy to tread. Many Filipinos have given their lives in the fight against those who wish for continued violence and discord. It is our policemen and soldiers who are the most opposed to war, precisely because they are the first in line, and because they make the greatest sacrifice when fighting breaks out. As President and Commander-in-Chief, I am fully responsible for any result—any triumph, any suffering, and any tragedy—that may result from our desire for lasting peace and security.

 

On January 24, our Special Action Force conducted an operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao. Their targets were two notorious terrorists: Primarily, Zulkifli Bin Hir, alias Abu Marwan, a Malaysian, and Basit Usman. The operation against Marwan was successful.

 

In exchange for this triumph, we paid a heavy price. 44 heroes from the Special Action Force gave their lives. To the bereaved families: Last Friday, I made a request to meet you, and I am thankful that you agreed to have that meeting at a time when I could speak with you, with sufficient knowledge on what had happened, and concrete proposals for your futures. Just as I was responsible for your loved ones, so too am I responsible for you; it is my duty to ensure that the sacrifices made by your relatives are repaid. My promise to you remains unchanged: During my remaining 17 months in office, I am doing, and will continue to do, everything I can to guarantee your families’ well-being.

 

I am the father of this country and 44 of my children were killed. They can no longer be brought back. This tragedy happened during my term, and I will carry this to the end of my days. They were my responsibility, together with the rest of the forces of the SAF involved in this operation, as well as those who rescued them, and whose lives were likewise put in danger.

 

Terrorists such as Marwan and Usman murder innocent people without hesitation or remorse, which is why operations to neutralize them are inherently dangerous. Marwan was an international terrorist, who had been long sought not only by us, but also by other countries. We did not expect them to follow like obedient sheep when presented with an arrest warrant.

 

When it comes to the operations reported to us, we have always reviewed them to learn the lessons they may carry, especially when our troops are slain. This is why I continue to ask: Was there anything more that could have been done to avoid this tragedy?

 

Marwan and Usman have been wanted since 2002. There have been many operations conceptualized to neutralize them, even before I became president. This latest version of the plan has likewise been aborted many times. Like you, I want to know the whole truth behind this incident, and I have complete confidence that the truth will be uncovered through the comprehensive and unbiased investigation of the Board of Inquiry. We are awaiting its results. However, as President, it is part of my responsibilities to determine, at this very moment, the mistakes that were made in order to correct them. It is my responsibility to find justice at the soonest possible time.

 

It is precisely because of this that I undertook my own investigations and conducted my own interviews of those who participated in this operation. It has clearly emerged that: The situation our troops found on the ground was vastly different from what was expected under the plans.

 

The commander of the operation should have been aware of this, especially since he has long been assigned to Mindanao. Situational awareness is demanded of him. As commander, he had full knowledge of the entire plan, together with the dangers that came with it; he would be the first to know if the plan was being executed correctly. He should have known what was happening at every moment.

 

While studying what had transpired, precisely because the situation on the ground was so different from what had been envisioned in the plan, we saw that there were no fewer than three separate instances when the mission could have been aborted or postponed, or when the plan could have been dramatically changed. There was an even greater need for this, especially since he was well aware that no coordination had taken place regarding expected assistance, and since the Armed Forces could render little aid, if at all, because they were not given sufficient time to prepare.

 

How and why did it happen that there was no coordination? Why did the mission continue, when it had deviated so far from the original plan, and our troops were already in grave danger? These, and many others, are the questions that plague my mind. The former SAF Commander will have an opportunity to answer these, and explain himself, in the appropriate proceedings.

 

In all our efforts to capture Marwan and Usman, General Alan Purisima played a vital role. He contributed greatly to the long preparations and in the many operations in pursuit of the two terrorists. The public is likewise aware that Alan and I have known each other for a very long time. During the coup d’etat, or the attempted coup d’ etat in 1987, before we were ambushed, I was confident that our security personnel had sufficient skills to protect us. But because almost all my escorts fell during that ambush, my confidence was shaken. It was Alan Purisima who designed, executed, and trained us in a modified VIP protection course; this played a great role in restoring my confidence. From then, until today, Alan and I have gone through so much; he was with me in opposing powerful vested interests who were capable of threatening our lives. In the days when I was part of the opposition, even though it was detrimental to his career to be close to me, Alan did not leave my side.

 

For this reason, perhaps you will understand why I find it painful to see him leave the service under these circumstances. I have accepted, effective immediately, the resignation of General Purisima. I thank him for his many years of service prior to this tragedy.

 

I assure you: We are doing everything to uncover the truth. The report that will emerge from this investigation will provide invaluable lessons, to ensure such a tragedy will never happen again. There will be changes.

 

I fulfill, and I will continue to fulfill, my duties as President. The morale of our Special Action Force troops needs to be raised. Their status as a fully operational unit needs to be restored. As there are those who seek to drive a wedge between the AFP and PNP, we will make sure they do not succeed; we should not waste the good working relationship between the AFP and PNP, a relationship we have seen in rescue operations in the wake of calamities, or in other operations where they have worked together to respond to threats to our security, such as the Zamboanga siege. Let us remember, our work is not yet done: Usman is still at large.

 

To the members and leadership of the MILF: From the onset, I have considered you brothers on the path to peace. Until now, I am confident that you will help us in seeking justice; that those who have done wrong should be held to account, especially if it is confirmed that there were  SAF troopers who werel executed despite being wounded and defenseless. Your efforts to limit the movement of the BIFF are a good first step.

 

Now about Usman, let me point out the following: If he remains within your territory, or is protected by one of your members, we expect you to surrender him to the authorities. If not, we expect you to do everything you can to help capture him. And if even this is not possible, do not interfere with our pursuit of Usman.

 

May this serve as a warning and a reminder: We will get Usman, whatever you decide, regardless of who provides a safe haven for him, regardless of where he may be hiding. Let no one doubt: We are partners in pursuing peace and justice. To those who have lost their way, who would still stand in our way, remember this:  You are fighting the State, and we will run you over.

 

To the members of our uniformed services: We are with you. We will stand in front of you, beside you, and behind you, as needed; whatever is required of you, be assured that we are with you. I assure you: You are not alone.

 

Again, to the families of the fallen SAF members: No words can fully alleviate the pain of your loss. To each one of you, and to each person whose life was imperiled, I say to you today what the Filipino people said to us when we lost our parents: You are not alone.

 

To all those working with us towards peace: We are fully committed to continuing the fight. And I say to those opposed to our objective, especially those who resort to violence: Mark my words, you will feel the sharpened and strengthened might of a unified Filipino nation.

 

Let us all remain focused on our primary goal: a widespread and lasting peace. This is what our Special Action Force fought for in Mamasapano. This is what every decent Filipino who wishes to leave behind a better future for coming generations continues to fight for. Through solidarity and partnership, we can attain justice, pay tribute to the sacrifices of our policemen, and turn our collective dreams into reality.

 

Thank you, and good day.

Philippininisches Kulinarisches in Deutsch und Tagalog (II)

Nicht alles, was ich vielleicht als "philippinisch-kulinarisch" mag jedem gefallen. Fuer viele Gerichte habe ich lange gebraucht, um sie eines Tages doch geniessen zu koennen.

Zum Beispiel:

BALUT - ein angebruetetes (wie gesagt angebruetetes - nicht ausgebruetetes) Entenei, das meistens abends von fliegenden Haendlern verkauft wird. Es ist in der Tat Geschmackssache und sieht innen nicht gerade appetitanregend aus.

Als Naechstes wollen wir mal Fisch probieren - und zwar 

 BANGUS - der Milchfisch (milk fish) ist in der Tat einer der propulaersten Speisefische der Philippinen. Es gibt ihn auch geraeuchert - und schon vermisst man nicht einmal geraeucherten Aal ... .

(Fortsetzung folgt!)

JP Morgan Hikes Philippine Growth Forecast

By Kathleen A. Martin (The Philippine Star)

US-based JP Morgan raised its forecast for Philippine economic growth this year following the faster-than-estimated expansion in the last quarter of 2014.

“The upward revision of 2015 (estimated) GDP growth forecasts following the better-than-expected (fourth quarter 2014) GDP growth print and the material monetary policy flexibility amid easing inflation and softness in oil prices reinforce the positive macro story of the Philippines,” the financial services giant said in a research note.

JP Morgan now sees the Philippine economy expanding by 6.4 percent this year than its earlier projection of 5.4 percent.

Gross domestic product (GDP), a measure of economic output, grew by a surprising 6.9 percent in the fourth quarter last year, accelerating from the 5.3 percent seen in July to September. This brought the 2014 economic growth to 6.1 percent, still below the government’s 6.5 to 7.5 percent target and also slower than 2013’s stellar 7.2 percent growth.

“The key highlight of the GDP print was the recovery of government spending in the [fourth quarter] which assuages concerns regarding the potential pull factor from the government infrastructure spending bottlenecks,” JP Morgan said.

It noted the government last week committed to further accelerate spending, the lack of which pulled down growth in the third quarter of last year.

Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1

“We remain confident on growth over the next few quarters as consumption remains robust and the government is expected to accelerate spending ahead of the six-month moratorium on project approvals prior to the May 2016 national elections,” JP Morgan said.

The government hopes to grow the economy by seven to eight percent this year, fueled by domestic consumption and the service sector amid the run-up to the national polls in 2016.

Meanwhile, British banking giant Standard Chartered forecast growth this year at six percent, noting a faster print could materialize if the government hastens spending and more infrastructure projects are started.

“Growth is likely to be supported by the domestic and external sectors, with low oil prices providing additional upside. Our macro tracker for the Philippines shows that the economy has continued to benefit from solid external demand in recent months,” Standard Chartered said in a separate research note.

“At the same time, inflationary pressures have eased, most notably from energy. Tighter monetary conditions… should rein in inflationary pressures for now,” the bank said.

Standard Chartered stressed that the sound macroeconomic fundamentals should continue supporting the peso even with a strong US dollar.

The banking giant said it expects the peso to settle at 45 to a dollar by mid-2015 and at 43.50:$1 by the end of this year.

Philippinisches Kulinarisches in Deutsch und Tagalog (I)

Viele Menschen reden ueber's Wetter - "wir" Deutsche auch - viele Filipinos ebenfalls. Nun, Essen ist auf den Philippinen ebenso ein wichtiges Thema. Nach fast 17 Jahren permanentem Leben auf den Philippinen habe ich mich von vielen europaeischen und amerikanischen Gewohnheiten entfernt. Das bedeutet aber nicht, dass ich meine deutschen (europaeischen) Vorlieben fuer besondere Gerichte ganz vergessen haben. 

Aber, mit der Zeit lernt man auch philippinische Spezialitaeten kennen - und lieben! Ich werde hier in Zukunft einige Dinge vorstellen: Kulinarisches - und fuer manchen unter Ihnen -  weniger Kulinarisches.

Ehrlich gesagt, man muss oftmals laenger versuchen, um auf diesem kulinarischen Neuland bestehen zu koennen.

Eines der ersten Gerichte, die ich mit Vorliebe genossen habe und noch geniesse, ist

- ALIMANGO oder ALIMASAG. Ds sind gewoehnlich gekochte Krebse.

Ein weiteres, besonders beliebtes und billiges  Gericht ist das ARROZ CALDO auf den Philippinen - dicker Reis mit Huhn und Ingwer.

(Fortsetzung folgt!)

MILF Names Their Dead in Mamasapano Clash

By RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News

Iqbal says it was pure, simple misencounter

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) chief peace negotiator Mohagher Iqbal has released the names of 18 fighters killed and 14 others wounded in the January 25 "misencounter" between the Philippine National Police - Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) and the 105th Base Command of the MILF's Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

The dead MILF members are:

Mahmod Saga Monib,
Salahudin Salindato,
Esmail Abid,
Abdorahim Abdila,
Daglala Kamed,

Ali Esmail,
Musib Hasim,
Omar Dagadas,
Rasul Zukarnin,
Mamarisa Omar,

Batrudin Langalen,
Gibinun Angkay,
Suweb Kemod,
Nasrudin Saptulla,
Salahudin Salindatu,

Mahmod Salah,
Kaharudin Baluno, and
Abdulrahim Abdullah.

The wounded MILF are:

Ali Surab,
Zainudin Lampak,
Salahudin Kunakon,
Zumaidi Untong,
Jomar Zailon,

Abdulgani Ramos,
Hamza Lampak,
Joel Guiman,
Abdulmaguid Pindi,
Norhak Sekak,

Saad Saya,
Ketay Muhammad,
Mustapa Pindi, and
Mahmod Lumbatan.

Iqbal released the names in a joint press conference of the MILF and Philippine government at the Palace of the Golden Horses in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia following the signing of the protocol for the terms of reference of the independent decommissioning body -- the rules governing the decommissioning of the MILF.

Iqbal expressed his condolences to the families of all those fallen in Mamasapano.

He also maintained their full commitment and determination to the facilitator for the successful conclusion of the peace process with the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law.

"Rest assured that no amount of obstacles along the way can stop us from pursuing the path of peace in Mindanao," he said.

Iqbal appealed to the media not to fan the emotions of hatred.

"Bangsamoro have also suffered a lot as a result of several massacres. The encounter in Mamasapano wasn't intended by either side -- from side of government and MILF. It was a pure and simple misencounter," he said

.

He said the operation was intended for the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), which, he insisted, was the one coddling wanted suspected terrorists Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan and Basit Usman.

'UGLY TURN'

Government chief peace negotiator Miriam Coronel-Ferrer described the January 25 incident as an ugly turn of events, grieving as well for the nameless civilians who were also killed.

Nevertheless, Ferrer urged everyone to press on with the peace process despite questions on the sincerity of both sides.

To address the issues of confidence building, she said the independent decommissioning body, coordinating committee for the cessation of hostilities, joint normalization committee, and joint peace and security teams will prepare for the turnover of the first batch of MILF weapons under Phase 1.

She reported that last January 22, MILF chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim personally handed over the list of 75 weapons, including the make and serial number, to the IDB head ambassador Haydar Berk.

Ferrer also reported an initial batch of 145 MILF combatants will be decommissioned, the list of which will be handed to IDB this week.

In exchange, the combatants will be given a socio-economic package in March. The actual ceremony will be in March.

Aside from the first batch to be decommissioned, both panels also agreed to a joint security assessment of the situation to address criminality and terrorism in MILF areas.

Ferrer maintained there are standing protocols. They will have a joint security assessment workshop with high-ranking officials of both sides.

Ferrer also announced that investigations into the Mamasapano incident will continue, with members of the international monitoring team on a field verification mission in the areas concerned.

"We managed to come up with concrete solutions soberly. The results will not become immediately evident. We will remain under scrutiny. We will have to regain the people's trust. Let our actions then speak louder than our words in due time," she said.

Iqbal stressed that the decommissioning is a sacrifice on the part of the MILF.

Ferrer, meanwhile, maintained confidence that lawmakers who are now having second thoughts about passing the BBL will come around.

"When the emotions go down and we go back to concrete task that will provide answer to complex situation, they certainly would respond to challenge."

Iqbal is hoping the MILF will be vindicated.

IDB Chief Ambassador Haydar Berk, one of three foreigners sitting with four local experts in the IDB, appealed for more trust in the process.

"I believe the important message is to keep peace process on track. It goes on track on basis of mutual trust. It will continue on basis of trust from both sides," Berk said.

Philippines: Growth Shows We Are NO Longer Sick man of Asia

 

By OLIVER TEVES

• 
  

.

View photo

Traders blow horns at the trading floor of the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) in Makati city, metro Manila, December 29, 2014.The Philippine stock index rose 0.62 percent on its last trading day for the year. It ended the year at a two-week high of 7,230.57, rising 22.8 percent in 2014, among the region's outperformers. REUTERS/ Romeo Ranoco (PHILIPPINES - Tags: BUSINESS)

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A Philippine official says the country no longer deserves to be branded the "sick man of Asia" after its economy grew more than 6 percent for a third consecutive year.

Hampered by natural disasters, growth of the $300 billion economy slowed to 6.1 percent in 2014, but still outpaced most other countries in Asia, officials said Thursday.

The 2014 performance ranks the Philippines as the second fastest growing Asian country behind China, which posted 7.3 percent growth, and ahead of Vietnam's 6.0 percent growth, Socio-Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said. The Philippine economy grew 7.2 percent in 2013.

"Our country can no longer be called the sick man of Asia," Balisacan said. "Our economic growth is becoming more competitive with our East and Southeast Asian neighbors."

The Philippines has been blighted by decades of corrupt governments and the archipelago nation is also vulnerable to frequent natural disasters such as typhoons and floods. Investor perceptions of the country have improved under the government of President Benigno Aquino III, who was elected in 2010 with promises to combat endemic graft and poverty.

"The numbers tell us that we are moving in the right direction," Baliscan said. "Clearly the economic policies and strategies we are implementing to achieve sustained and inclusive growth are bearing fruit," he said.

National Statistician Lisa Bersales said the "robust performance" of industry, particularly manufacturing and construction, lifted growth in the fourth quarter to 6.9 percent from 6.3 percent a year earlier.

She said services contributed 3.4 percentage points, industry 2.5 percentage points and agriculture 0.2 percentage points to the 2014 GDP growth of 6.1 percent.

Business process outsourcing was one of the contributors to the expansion of services, according to Balisacan. Outsourcing currently employs 1.052 million Filipinos and the industry is targeting 1.3 million full time employees and $25 billion in revenue by 2016.

Davao City Eyes Higher Outsourcing Ranking as Space Increases

By Carmelito Q. Francisco, Correspondent 
and
Marifi F. Jara, Mindanao Bureau Chief

BusinessWorld online

DAVAO CITY -- With available office space for business process outsourcing (BPO) and other information technology (IT) operations increasing to 37,000 square meters from only 7,500 a year earlier, stakeholders are optimistic that the city will improve its rank of 69th among the world’s top 100 outsourcing destinations.

The Matina IT Park, located in the southern side of the Davao City central area, is in the final stages of construction for the first of three buildings and is expected to open this year. -- Marifi F. Jara

The ranking is based on the December 2014 report of Tholons, Inc., an international consultancy firm for outsourcing research, ranking Davao City at 69th, the same spot it held when it was first included in the list in 2010.

Davao, considered as an “aspiring” city, held the same rank except in 2013 when it fell one step to 70.

Samuel R. Matunog, president of the group Information and Communication Technology-Davao, Inc. (ICT Davao), said the additional space is expected to be ready by July this year, including the new Matina IT Park and the Felcris Central mixed-use complex of Felcris Hotels and Resorts Corp.

“The industry is confident that the spaces will be filled up,” Mr. Matunog said.

New locators are expected to settle in the city within the year, while some existing operators are expected to expand.

NEW LOCATORS

In the Board of Investments’ list of approved projects in 2014, two in Davao City are classified as ‘new export services providers’, both controlled by foreign companies.

One is Cybercity Teleservices (Phils.), Inc., a 99% British company that will operate a contact center with an investment of almost P119 million and a projected labor intake of more than 2,000.

The other is US-controlled Flatworld Solutions (Philippines), Inc. for BPO operations. Its project cost is P13 million and expected work force is 349.

Meanwhile, among those expanding operations is Sutherland Global Services, which is hiring in the first quarter of the year about 700 call center agents, customer sales representatives for voice and chat, and IT support experts.

Grace P. Garay, Sutherland senior manager for recruitment, said the US-based company, which has been operating in the city for seven years, currently has about 2,000 employees.

Another company official, Marsy Iñigo, manager for talent management, said there are other expansion plans but these are still in the drawing board.

Sutherland is looking at locating in other key cities within Mindanao, including like Tagum in Davao del Norte, Cagayan de Oro in the north, and General Santos within the Central Mindanao Region.

Ms. Iñigo, however, stressed that growth will be highly dependent on the “availability of talent.”

In August, ICT Davao, the umbrella organization of ICT groups in the Davao Region, initiated a partnership with several academic institutions in Davao City to review and strengthen the existing curriculum for ICT-related courses.

The group has acknowledged the lack of employable graduates for BPO and other ICT-related positions compared to the existing demand and industry growth projections.

In the Tholons top 10 are Metro Manila and Cebu, both considered as “established” outsourcing cities, at 2nd and 8th, respectively.

Other aspiring Philippine cities are Iloilo (95th) in the Visayas and Sta. Rosa (82nd) in southern Luzon.

The World Can Learn from The Philippines ...

The  world can learn from the turnaround of the Philippines' disaster awareness as shown by its experiences with super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) in 2013 and Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit) in 2014, a US surgeon who took part in the response to both disasters, said.

 

Michael Karch, a surgeon with Mammoth Hospital in Mammoth Lakes, California, said learning lessons from Yolanda and applying them during Ruby may have saved the lives of some 1.7 million Filipinos.

 

"The preemptive actions of the Philippine government, military, medical, and civilian sectors should serve as valuable lessons for the rest of the world as we collectively begin to embrace mass casualty education and preparedness on an individual, national, and international platform," Karch said in a blog post.

 

Yolanda, which tore through the Visayas on Nov. 8, 2013, left more than 6,300 dead.

 

In contrast, Ruby - which, like Yolanda, packed powerful winds and posed a major threat - resulted in 18 deaths. The lower casualty count was in part due to massive evacuations in areas Ruby was projected to hit.

 

Karch said Yolanda's destruction had been described as the "Night of 1,000 Knives,” due to the flying debris that "wreaked injury and death on the Filipino population."

 

In contrast, he said, Ruby could be dubbed the "Night of a Million and a Half Flames" referring to 1.7 million plus people who survived the typhoon.

 

"Widespread public health and civil defense measures that had been established in the interim between Haiyan and Hagupit were initiated in the days before landfall," he said.

 

Karch, who said he served as a team leader in Civilian Mobile Forward Surgical Teams (CMFSTs) in the aftermath of both typhoons, found certain patterns that he said are reproducible.

 

"Valuable lessons can be taken from each and applied to the next. The initial differences between the disaster response to Typhoons Haiyan versus Hagupit are striking. The simple fact that the Philippine government was able to evacuate more than a million and a half million citizens out of harm's way is a testament to their dedication to learn and evolve as super storms occur on a more frequent basis," he said.

 

"Although the response to Hagupit was not perfect, it was much improved from that of Haiyan. The use of progressive communication through social media and Short Message Service (SMS) texting played a large role in this success," he added.

 

Karch likened the turnaround to super storms Katrina in 2005 and Sandy in 2013 in the US.

 

"As with Haiyan, the Hurricane Katrina experience was a glaring low point in terms of public opinion and confidence in governmental response to natural disaster. The government response to Hurricane Sandy showed marked improvement in pre-emptive planning and execution on the part of federal, state and city government," he said.

 

"The recent Philippine Hagupit experience provides us with another opportunity to learn. Although no system is perfect, if the motivation to continually improve our national disaster response is a driving force, we must study all storms, especially those with successful outcomes, and determine how we can apply these lessons to our own public health and disaster preparedness programs," he added.

 —  By: Joel Locsin/JDS, GMA News

Philippines Cited as One of World's Cheapest Countries to Live in

By:  Alixandra Caole Vila (Philippine Star)

On a venture to find out the living cost around the world, Movehub, a site that provides information to those looking to move across countries, mapped out an infographic showing the countries with the cheapest and most expensive cost of living.

The infographic was made based on figures taken from Numbeo, a site where global users including supermarket companies, government institutions and press reports among others, submit the prices of goods and services in their country.  Specifically, data from July 1, 2013 to Jan. 2, 2015 were used in the study.

This infographic shows the countries with the cheapest and most expensive living cost based on data taken from Numbeo. Screengrab from Movehub.

According to Movehub, “the Consumer Price Index, used to determine the difference in the living costs between countries takes into account the prices of groceries, transportation, restaurants and utilities.”

The living costs in each country are measured against a base of 100, which represents New York City's cost of living.  For example, the data below show that living in Philippines is 60 percent less expensive than living in New York City. Below are the 15 countries with the cheapest costs of living, according to Numbeo's data.

Photo showing the15 countries with the cheapest costs of living, according to Numbeo's data. Screengrab from Movehub.

Meanwhile, the study found out that Western European countries are among the most expensive places to live in. Switzerland's cost of living is highest, barely edging out Norway. The data show that living in Switzerland is over 26 percent more expensive than living in New York City. Singapore is the only Asian country on the list.

Photo showing the15 countries with the most expensive costs of living, according to Numbeo's data. Screengrab from Movehub.