#tax services in philippines

[tokyoconsultingfirms]

Navigating Taxation: A Guide to Tax Advisory Services in the Philippines

Taxes are an integral part of any country's economic landscape, providing the government with the necessary funds to finance public services and infrastructure development. In the Philippines, a developing Southeast Asian nation, the taxation system plays a crucial role in sustaining economic growth and societal progress. For individuals and businesses alike, understanding and managing taxes can be a complex endeavor. This is where tax advisory services come into play, offering expert guidance and support to ensure compliance and optimize financial strategies.

The Complexity of Philippine Taxation: The Philippines has a multifaceted taxation system, encompassing various taxes such as income tax, value-added tax (VAT), excise taxes, local taxes, and more. Navigating through this intricate web of regulations and requirements can be daunting, especially as tax laws evolve to keep up with the changing economic landscape. Tax advisory services in the Philippines offer clients the expertise needed to interpret and apply these regulations effectively.

Key Services Offered by Tax Advisory Firms:

Tax Planning: Tax consultants analyze clients' financial situations to develop comprehensive tax planning strategies. This involves identifying potential tax-saving opportunities, such as deductions and credits, and devising long-term tax strategies to minimize liabilities.

Compliance Assistance: Keeping up with ever-changing tax laws is a significant challenge. Tax advisors help individuals and businesses ensure compliance with current regulations, avoiding penalties and legal issues.

Tax Structuring: For businesses, selecting the right corporate structure can have significant tax implications. Tax advisory services assist in choosing the optimal structure that aligns with business goals while maximizing tax efficiency.

International Taxation: Companies engaged in international trade or with overseas operations must navigate complex international tax regulations. Tax advisors provide guidance on cross-border transactions, transfer pricing, and foreign tax credits.

Tax Audits and Disputes: In the event of a tax audit or dispute with tax authorities, advisory firms offer representation and negotiation services to resolve issues efficiently and fairly.

Estate and Succession Planning: Tax advisors work with high-net-worth individuals to develop estate plans that minimize tax liabilities and ensure a smooth transition of assets to the next generation.

Employee Taxation: Businesses often require assistance in managing employee-related taxes, including fringe benefits tax and other compensation-related matters.

Why Opt for Professional Tax Advisory Services?

Expertise: Tax advisors are well-versed in the intricacies of Philippine tax laws and regulations, ensuring accurate advice tailored to individual and business needs.

Risk Mitigation: Non-compliance with tax laws can result in significant financial penalties and legal consequences. Professional tax advisory services mitigate these risks by keeping clients compliant.

Cost Efficiency: While hiring a tax consultant involves an investment, the potential tax savings, improved financial strategies, and minimized legal risks can far outweigh the cost.

Focus on Core Activities: For businesses, outsourcing tax matters to experts allows management to focus on core operations without being bogged down by complex tax issues.

Choosing the Right Tax Advisory Firm: When selecting a tax advisory firm in the Philippines, consider the following factors:

Expertise and Experience: Look for firms with a proven track record in providing tax advisory services in the Philippines.

Industry Knowledge: Choose a firm that understands the specific tax challenges related to your industry.

Customized Solutions: The firm should offer tailored solutions that align with your financial goals.

Reputation: Research client testimonials and reviews to gauge the firm's reputation and client satisfaction.

Accessibility: Communication is key. Ensure the firm is responsive and accessible when you need assistance.

[lr31o]

i’m gonna go feral this job is asking so much from me in terms of government requirements, i hate pointless bureaucracy so much i’m just going to be working retail come fuicking oooon

[carlocarrasco]

BIR confirms that more medicines have been exempted from VAT

In case you missed the news, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) recently announced that several more medicines have been exempted from the value-added tax (VAT), according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article. The newly exempted medicines cover those related to cancer, high cholesterol, hypertension, and mental illness. To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from…

[darrenwalleyconsultancy]

Expat Living

Photo by Helena Lopes Last week I commented that I believe Western expats are a dying breed and that the modern generation is not equipped for Expat living. Expat living can give you an incredible outlook on life. It can show you the world’s wonders, and if you are lucky like me, you can finally find your life partner. What is an Expat life? An expatriate lives in a foreign country away from…

[copperbadge]

Radio Free Monday

Good morning everyone, and welcome to Radio Free Monday!

Ways to Give:

maryellencarter is homeless and has recently moved cross-country to be closer to friends, but is facing issues with local social services being hostile to non-locals. They are fundraising for a local ID plus food and meds until they can get on state assistance; you can read more, reblog, and find giving information here.

Anon linked to a fundraiser for Varda, who is facing a large ambulance bill in Australia (AU$1.2K) that they've already had to get an extension on once. You can read more, reblog, and find giving information here.

a_phoenixdragon is fundraising to get through the end of this month and the beginning of next, covering bills, food, and other necessities. You can read more and find giving information here or give directly via PayPal to phoenixdragondreams@gmail.com.

deesarrachi's husband is a high school ELA teacher, and is looking for Pride merch to share with his students for the third year running; the goal is to have a bin of merch for each ELA class, since for a lot of kids, this is the first time they've owned anything they can use to show their Pride or support friends and family. You can read more and reblog here or buy direct from the Amazon wishlist here with some stuff starting as low as $7.

Recurring Needs:

loversdoom is a college student from the Philippines, studying away from her family, and her parents are unexpectedly unable to support her education; she is dealing with a number of expenses and is now looking at costly medical procedures as well to do with likely PCOS. You can read more and reblog here or give to the fundraiser here.

onedollopofsourcream is raising funds to help with food, transportation, medication for their family of seven, including two small children, and other expenses after a string of financial issues; they are also currently dealing with an abusive home situation including food control. You can read more, reblog, and find giving information here.

rilee16 is raising funds to get out of an abusive home situation; with irregular work hours and a tax debt due on top of chronic illness issues, they also need funds to repair their phone, which is dying, and cover utility bills. You can read more, reblog, and find giving information here.

And this has been Radio Free Monday! Thank you for your time. You can post items for my attention at the Radio Free Monday submissions form. If you're new to fundraising, you may want to check out my guide to fundraising here.

[darkmaga-retard]

The president of voting machine software company Smartmatic has been indicted on multiple federal charges over an international bribery scheme.

Smartmatic was a the center of voter fraud allegations following the 2020 election after it was alleged that the company’s voting software was used to rig fake votes on voting machines.

The company even successfully sued conservative news outlets that reported on the allegations while the liberal corporate media insisted the company and its software are “secure.”

The “trusted” company’s software is used on voting machines all around the world to supposedly “secure” elections.

On Thursday, Smartmatic’s founder and president, Roger Piñate, was indicted by a federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida on charges involving a bribery and money-laundering scheme used to secure elections contracts in the Philippines.

Two other company executives were also indicted.

49-year-old Piñate of Boca Ratón Florida, along with Jorge Miguel Vasquez, 62, of Davie, was among those charged over the alleged payment of $1 million in bribes to the former chairman of the Philippines Commission on Elections, Juan Andres Donato Bautista.

“These bribes were allegedly paid to obtain and retain business related to providing voting machines and election services for the 2016 Philippine elections and to secure payments on the contracts, including the release of value-added tax payments,” according to a press release from the US Department of Justice.

[pannaginip]

“While the people are paying high out-of-pocket expenses, [the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation or] Philhealth is earning so much profit that the Department of Finance wants to get the surplus funds for other unprogrammed expenses like Maharlika investment,” [Dr. Edelina De la Paz, chairperson of Health Alliance for Democracy (HEAD)] said.

The Department of Health (DOH) earlier announced that there is P89.9 billion unused government subsidy for Philhealth, the national health insurance program of the government. They sought to transfer the unused funds for “unprogrammed appropriations” in the 2024 budget.

During the pandemic, the Duterte administration was urged to hold accountable ranking officials of Philhealth over the alleged P15 billion ($307 million) corruption. Concerned groups and individuals have been calling out the contribution premium hike for workers, adding layers of burdens amid massive price hikes and inflation, as well as unresolved issues in the Philhealth.

Dr. Jamie Dasmariñas of the Coalition for People’s Right to Health (CPRH) said that utilizing Philhealth requires health institutions to be accredited. “If you are poor and you do not have a barangay health station, and the nearest station is also not accredited by Philhealth, there is no other option for you,” she said in Filipino.

Dasmariñas stressed that Philhealth funds should be reallocated to barangay health stations and local government units because the process of Philhealth is also taxing for patients, and mostly falls under layers of red tape.

In a unity statement, CPRH called on the Marcos Jr. administration to set up health centers in every barangay with a complement of adequate health personnel, basic laboratories, supplies, and equipment in the wake of severe understaffing and subpar working conditions of healthcare workers.

2024 Jul. 19

[cleolinda]

Weekend links

My posts

It was cold. I was under blankets. There were chickens.

What are the current covid vaccine effects like, so I can schedule some time to be laid out? I did not expect this many replies.

Reblogs of interest

Happy New Year! Naughty and delicious children go into the S O U P

Pantone Color of the Year 2024: Peach Fuzz

Tumblr Live is dead... as announced by Tumblr... on Instagram

This post about US tax-filing services has been... updated

“So apparently the pro-Tetris scene is exploding right now because a 13 year old nerd just reached the game’s true killscreen for the first time ever” 

Love a train: “Amtrak doesn’t build new tracks, we use existing tracks. We are not destroying protected lands, we are using land that has already been clear for a century.”

Creators punishing the audience they got for not being the audience they want is extremely real and I will die mad about it. 

While we’re talking about creative mindsets that ruin everything: the mystery box

What’s Clown Code, you ask?

Return of the Rat Gun

Are you a mind wanderer?

“Dangerous” “dogs” behind Beware of Dog signs

BIRD

Video

300 days in 60 seconds

“tarot version of L + Ratio + You Fell Off + Don’t Care + Didn’t ask #laugh.wav”

The sacred texts

Remember that time Yahoo decided to make the site safe for kids?

Always reblog: timeless memes

Personal tag of the week

Apo Whang-Od, the last and oldest living Kalinga tattoo artist, and the posts about the Miss Universe Philippines 2023 gown designed in her honor. So much went into the symbolism of the homage and I am obsessed. 

[beardedmrbean]

A seaside hotel and former bank offices on the Isle of Man have been used by scammers conning victims in China out of millions of dollars, a BBC World Service investigation has found.

The dining room and lounge at the Seaview Hotel in Douglas were packed with dozens of Chinese workers, we have been told, on computers hooked up to fast broadband. A specialist wok hob had also been delivered to the hotel’s kitchen.

The deception, which happened between January 2022 and January 2023 according to Chinese court documents, used a method known as "pig-butchering". It is so-called because the process of “fattening the pig” - gaining the victim’s trust - is vital to its success.

The BBC spent nearly a year establishing how the investment scam was carried out from the island, which is a British Crown dependency with an independent government.

We also uncovered other details, such as how bosses had big ambitions to build a state-of-the-art office complex overlooking the Irish Sea.

As well as obtaining court papers, we have accessed leaked documents and spoken to company insiders.

One former member of staff, Jordan [not his real name], told us he had no idea of the murky world he was entering when he arrived on the Isle of Man. He says he was relieved to have found what he thought was a stable administrative job.

He did notice, however, that his new employer seemed quite secretive - for example, he and his colleagues were forbidden from taking photos at company social events. What he says he didn’t realise was that many of his Chinese colleagues were actually scam artists.

In late 2021, nearly 100 people had been transferred to the Isle of Man to work for a company which Chinese court documents refer to as "MIC". They had come from the Philippines where they had worked for another scamming firm. The BBC has discovered that MIC stands for Manx Internet Commerce.

On the Isle of Man, MIC was part of a group of associated companies - all with the same owner.

An online casino, run by King Gaming Ltd, was the most prominent. In mainland China, gambling is illegal. Setting up halfway around the world meant the group's founders could target Chinese customers, but also take advantage of the Isle of Man’s low gambling taxes.

A few months after being based at the Seaview Hotel in Douglas, the MIC workers were moved to former bank offices on the east side of town.

And this is where Jordan says he would hear sporadic cheering from his new colleagues - who worked in groups of four. He now believes they were celebrating moments when they had successfully scammed another victim, some 5,000 miles away.

Six people who worked for MIC in Douglas have now been convicted - upon their return home to China - of carrying out investment scams against Chinese citizens.

The cases, heard in late 2023, detail the illicit money stream. Victims were lured by the defendants and their accomplices from bases on the Isle of Man and in the Philippines, according to the Chinese court papers.

They say the defendants would work in teams to pull Chinese investors into chat groups on QQ - a popular Chinese instant messaging service similar to WhatsApp. One scammer would play the role of an investment "teacher", and others would pretend to be fellow investors.

The BBC has seen evidence - including in the court papers - that many of those who arrived in Douglas from the Philippines were engaged in the scams. All used the same computer equipment, depended on QQ for their work and, with the exception of a few managers, all held the same job title.

The fake investors would build an atmosphere of hype and excitement around the money-making skills of the "teacher", who would then tell the victim to put money into a particular investment platform, the Chinese court found.

Dazzled by the hype, the victim would comply, only for their funds to be syphoned off by the scammers, who actually controlled these platforms and could manipulate them from behind the scenes.

The Chinese court said it was difficult to verify the victims' total losses - but it said 38.87m renminbi (£4.17m/$5.3m) had been taken from at least 12 victims.

Relying on evidence including the defendants’ own confessions, as well as travel and financial records and chat logs, the court found the six defendants guilty.

This was not only a profitable but also a sophisticated scam, say the court documents, requiring front line teams to deploy the "pig-butchering" techniques with persuasiveness and skill.

The BBC has discovered the identity of the companies' sole beneficiary. His name was hidden behind layers of administrative paperwork.

MIC and its affiliate companies were all held by a trust set up by an individual named "Bill Morgan" who, documents show, was also known as Liang Lingfei. Employees called him "Boss Liang", says Jordan.

The Chinese court papers refer to a man called Liang Lingfei being the co-founder of MIC on the Isle of Man - which it described as "a fairly stable criminal organisation established in order to carry out scam activities". Mr Liang was not one of those prosecuted or represented at the hearings.

The court stated that Mr Liang was also co-founder of the scamming organisation in the Philippines. The BBC has seen evidence that many MIC employees worked there before being transferred to the Isle of Man.

Our investigation has also found that Mr Liang obtained an Isle of Man investment visa and attended multiple company events on the island. His wife also owns a home in the town of Ballasalla, near the island’s airport.

The group of companies on the Isle of Man was ambitious, having signed a planning agreement late last year for a glitzy "parkland campus" headquarters on the site of a former naval training base. A spokesperson for the developers described it as the "largest single private investment in the Isle of Man".

Architects’ images show office buildings set on a hill above the seafront in Douglas. Inside would have been penthouse apartments, a spa, multiple bars and a karaoke lounge.

The campus was to be used by MIC staff and those working for MIC's "affiliate" companies, including those involved in online gambling, planning documents state.

Conservative estimates put the global annual revenues of the "pig-butchering" industry at more than $60bn (£46.5bn).

"This is the first such case we've seen of one of these [pig-butchering] scam operations setting up in a Western country," says Masood Karimipour, South East Asia representative at the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.

Trying to stop the scams is like a "game of whack-a-mole", he says, and it is a battle that "organised crime is currently winning" as criminals engage in what he calls "jurisdiction shopping" where they perceive there to be legal loopholes and little oversight.

Any ambitions the group of companies may have had on the Isle of Man - legitimate or otherwise - appear to have come to an end.

In April, police raided the former bank offices. They also targeted an address next to the island's Courts of Justice building - using a ladder to enter through a first-floor window in the early hours of the morning.

In a statement released shortly afterwards, police said the raids had been in connection with a wider fraud and money laundering investigation in relation to King Gaming Ltd IOM. Seven people had been arrested and released on bail, they added.

Since then, a further three people are known to have been arrested.

Receivers were appointed earlier this month for companies in the group - including MIC and King Gaming Ltd IOM - at the request of the Isle of Man's attorney general.

The island's gambling regulator has stripped MIC's gambling affiliate companies of their licences.

The parkland campus site was cleared of trees and signage went up - but the redevelopment is now on hold indefinitely.

The BBC has made repeated attempts, via several methods of communication, to contact the companies involved - as well as Bill Morgan/Liang Langfei and company directors - but has received no replies.

We have also attempted to contact the Seaview Hotel, but have received no response, though there is no suggestion that anyone there was aware of any illegal activities taking place on the premises.

[kulay-ng-banaag]

Filipino* Hetalians are bothered by how vocal people are to criticize the US state but not CN. We only wished for others to be as critical, because Filipino Hetalians have been criticizing the CN state for trespassing — no, literally violating international law that was settled years ago and ineffectively implemented after our former president elected to court the CN state in the name of anti-US imperialism. The coast guard of the CN state rammed the boats of our fisherfolk — one of the, if not the, poorest sectors of the Philippines. It doesn't matter who you are, if you are in their way, they won't hesitate. Why they do this has more to do with capitalism than racism per se (even while racism is ultimately rooted in capitalism).

We're critical because WE DON'T WANT IT TO ESCALATE INTO A CONFLICT THE LIKES OF PALESTINE RIGHT NOW. The White House is literally intervening because the CN state refuses to take accountability. We are forced to invoke a law that most of us did not even exist to protest before. It doesn't help that they have used the military bases they built here as a jumping point for other wars (one example with the keywords: Clark Air Base, Allen Lawrence Pope, 1958 PRRI/Permesta Rebellion). What happens is we end up holding some level of responsibility for something we as a people did not sign up for. Then, we have to pay reparations but our taxes literally get pocketed, so we only further suffer for the sins of capitalist pigs.

But since no children have died yet, I guess it doesn't matter? Our government is debating over the reimplementation of mandatory ROTC for university students. One student was killed years ago for exposing the hazing rituals that have been normalized in the ROTC system. This is the same ROTC that obliges us into military service when the state calls for our specific names, only this time everyone has to go through it, and therefore anyone can be called on. Of course, that is unlikely unless there is war. Now put that next to our West Philippine Sea issue and you see the dots connect.

You would have known that if you had just listened to Filipino Hetalians from the start, instead of scrambling for excuses and copy-pasting racist rhetoric as a clapback to defend your victim complexes.

Nobody asked for you to explain your trauma. Nobody asked because we're completely aware and SYMPATHIZE with that. That's not our problem. That was never our problem. Your trauma is not our oppression. The problem is a neighboring government refuses to acknowledge and intervene in the aggression of its own resources. Nobody said iT's yOuR fAuLt ThEy'Re DoInG tHiS, it's honestly worrisome how people hear things that were never uttered...

But what are we supposed to expect when you have informants everywhere to keep track of any form of disagreement so you're basically a panopticon over the fandom that nobody wanted in the first place? Do Filipino Hetalians have to go into detail now about how we here are under constant surveillance from the Philippine state because any form of vocal disagreement will get us red-tagged and possibly killed as retaliation for offending the egos of those in power?

You demand we respect your trauma while irrationally labeling someone else's trigger as racism? Did you actually believe that would contribute one step closer to a ceasefire? Be honest with yourselves and think it through realistically: Did you actually believe that your online, inflammatory retaliation will contribute a step towards a ceasefire?

The honest and realistic answer is NO, because you wasted energy that could have been put into organizing on the ground. You wouldn’t have to get snarky about how you spend time helping elsewhere because your lack of training in working with fellow organizers with mental health issues indicates your lack of experience. Your lack of experience indicates you have yet to touch real grass and organize beyond huddling your friends into online harassment campaigns.

You don’t get to sprinkle disclaimers of not harassing people while adding #hater tag. You literally gossiped about me in your circle. You cherry pick receipts in your favor. The worst part is I’m not the first person you’ve done this, and I doubt I will be the last one. You only visibly condemn public harassment in order to wash your hands clean of your private harassment.

And I’m not even white, yet you spit inflammatory statements about me as if I was a white racist. Between us, who’s the Westerner to the other?

This is not about racism from white supremacists anymore. This is elitism, and we Filipino Hetalians have too much of that already. It’s elitism because you constantly enforce your intellectual superiority over us like some evangelizing conqueror holding dominion over the poor, unenlightened savages. It’s elitism because being Asian by blood doesn’t change the fact that you’re entitled to privileges not so within the means of non-migrants. Note that I write “by blood” because tying identities to the state is conclusively dehumanizing. Does my being Filipino automatically make me anti-indigenous? Does someone being American by citizenship make them racist freaks, regardless if they are also black/indigenous/Asian/Pacific Islander?

We’re as upset over the racist-motivated attacks of Chinese people because of the racist framing of the CN state as the source of COVID-19. We’re as ashamed of the lingering sinophobia in SEA. At the same time, we here in SEA are in closer geographical proximity to the CN state puts us in a higher vulnerability to exposure to aggressions on a state level. You could have also learned of our genuine opinions if you had just asked. Instead, you assumed for us. We may both be Asians by blood, but what happened to the whole respecting our nuances because Asians aren’t a monolith? Please understand where the nuances lie.

Elitism is also satisfying your freedom to freely speak of your traumas while policing the traumas of other people not shared by you, because the conditions you have grown under have instilled a hostile and ableist perspective for mental health breaks in general. That is the fault of the normalization of capitalism that every one of us must live under. The good news is that it can be dismantled. The bad news is having a petty fight with someone you dislike because they explained why they disagreed with your fandom opinion on the internet is not going to leave a scratch on the foundation of capitalism we mutually want to destroy.

Lastly, elitism is also the combination of residing in Western countries — all the more in the core of all cores of imperialism today that is the United States of America — and having a significantly larger following, and therefore influence, on social media than most non-migrant SEAsians in the Hetalia fandom. You hold a privilege and leverage over other voices; I mean, just look at how much traction the racebending disk horse received. As far as I can speak for my commentary — though I wasn’t the only one — we only wish for acknowledgement of the nuances alongside the impossibility of total depoliticization of nation-state personifications.

You speak of fighting racism, yet you constantly patronize the people from the communities you demand more representation of. It should not be any harder to realize the unappreciated double standards than the history of racism against diaspora communities in white-majority countries. I hate that it happens. We hate that it happens. But the internet is not restricted to the Western experience alone. The internet is not occupied solely by Westerners. Sheesh, guys, I know the US is even colonizing the digital space but don't give them that validation lmao?

And at the end of the day, this bizarre drama was never about the Chinese identity or the anti-Asian racism or the genocide of Palestinians. It was about a neurodivergent SEAsian expressing that her sudden quiet presence on social media is because she needed to recover from an anxiety attack that was preventing her from functioning, which includes platforming her support for Palestinians and other obligations in her every day life with sincere intentions. Understand that you are enforcing an unwanted power dynamic every time you make everything about you, again and again and again and again.

Understand that in creating a false rumor in mocking someone's trigger, you are establishing that the Hetalia fandom is not a safe space for the neurodivergent.

Understand that in creating a false rumor in mocking someone's trigger, you are establishing that the neurodivergent are useless, and therefore have no right to participate, in the fight for the freedom of Palestine.

UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE A VICTIM OF RACISM AS MUCH AS YOU ARE AN ENABLER OF ABLEISM.

THE GOOD NEWS IS THIS: It can be unpacked. Here are some articles on the impact of frequent media exposure to extreme violence. Mental health wellness is as much a part of the peace process.

Media Exposure to Collective Trauma, Mental Health, and Functioning: Does It Matter What You See?

Witnessing images of extreme violence: a psychological study of journalists in the newsroom

Media’s role in broadcasting acute stress following the Boston Marathon bombings

You are free to email the authors to argue about why dedicating time for recovery is morally wrong and a privilege that can never be a right. Don't take it to me or to any other Filipino Hetalian anymore, take it to the specialists in the field. Argue against the foundations of their profession. Shake them to the core, for all we care. Tell them how you think their works supplement racism because you want so desperately to be right about your bad-faith reading. Understand that your stubborn inability to hold others in good faith for once is toxic and destructive.

EDIT (01/09/24): Here are abridged infographics of a webinar addressing mental health and systemic violence, and organized by an advocacy network that works with indigenous communities and environmentalists. To quote them: "mental health must be addressed with collective care that is inseparable from collective action in solidarity with the Palestinian people's national liberation movement." If that still does not humble you, then accept that there are Hetalians — not just the non-migrant Filipinos — who are actually uncomfortable with your constant aggression and you just don't know it because you don't listen when they choose to speak up about it.

Now that that’s all said, take the time to comprehend how our pains now stand as equals in magnitude with respect to our dignities as humans.

*Bluntly, me and my friends and mutuals in the Hetalia fandom who are all non-migrant Filipinos. I don’t want to assume for others not in my circle, but I am extremely tired of all the cop behavior over us. This is not Martial Law.

P.S. Stop using “mainlander” like a slur. Not even as a joke. Stop it before it blows into full-out racism.

[mwcowan]

A Whole New Chapter

In past blogs I’ve written every week or two. Here I am nearly 3 months into this current adventure and I finally sit down to write. I was really planning to give this up but I’ve endured a fair amount of grief from some of my readers, and with a hopefully blog-worthy event coming up (road trip!) Georgia has encouraged me to get back with the program.

Lots of catching up to do! But before I even get to the Philippines, I’ll take you back all the way to our previous trip. One day, as I was paying the bills necessary to maintain a home in the mountains of California, I thought about the monthly costs for electricity, propane, water, sewer, home & auto insurance, property taxes, etc. and wondered why we were paying so dearly for a home we only used half the time, and planned to use even less in the future. Georgia and I thought about it and talked and decided to downsize and relocate our base in the US, and spend most of our time over here – maybe 9-10 months a year.

And between May 2023 and our return here in March, that’s just what we did. We first found a small home on a ¾ acre lot, still under construction, in Fernley, Nevada. This promised much lower expenses than Graeagle, plus Nevada has no state income tax. As one example, our homeowner’s insurance is $328 per year, while we paid more than that every month for the house in Graeagle. Everything else has scaled accordingly, and though we’re not particularly in love with Fernley, it gives us what we need when we’re there, and we feel safe just locking up the house and leaving for 5-6 months at a time.

The new US Headquarters in Fernley

The house in Graeagle was put on the market in September, and in one day we had a buyer, with cash, and the deal was done! We stayed in the house until after Georgia’s son Matt was married (in Graeagle) then began the move to Fernley. By November 15 we were Nevada residents.

Max

Although Max was well taken care of while we were gone, by Georgia’s sister Dignah, we were the ones who suffered, missing him terribly. We decided to bring him with us, and leave him here during our short return trips to the US. Our caretakers love dogs so it should work out well.

I asked my nephew, who flies for a major airline, about the best way to fly a dog overseas. “Easy” he said, “he just needs to get registered as a medical service dog then he gets to fly in the cabin, for free.” Lucky for us, he’d done that for one of his own dogs and knew the ropes. Soon enough, Max was a “trained and certified” service dog, able to alert to Georgia’s condition. And no, ADA laws do not allow you to ask what that condition is.

Doesn't he look handsome on his ID card?

That was indeed the easy part, and only guaranteed Max a comfy seat on the plane. The path started with Max’s vet, who researched the health and vaccination requirements both for import to the Philippines and export from the US. Max got to know his vet well over the next few months but, as attested to by the lengthy USDA export form, he was perfectly healthy. A complete medical and vaccination history was provided to the Philippines Bureau of Animal Imports to receive an import clearance, and various US DOT forms had to be completed.

Thus armed with a large stack of paperwork, and a suitcase full of Wubbas and Chuckit balls, we set off for our flights from Reno to SFO, then SFO to Manila. The gate agent in Reno didn’t want to see any of the papers; she told us that it would be handled at SFO before the international flight. Nope, at SFO we just walked onto the plane and settled into our business class seats. Max had it pretty good for sure!

Surely we’ll have to provide paperwork to get Max through the airport in Manila, right? Well, again, no. Through Immigration, baggage claim, and Customs, Max just trotted along beside us. The whole trip and not once were we asked to provide any documentation. Welcome to the Philippines, Max!

The most amazing thing though, was Max’s bladder control. He used an animal relief area outside the Reno terminal before our first flight, wouldn’t go near the stinky in-terminal relief station in SFO, held it through both flights, then through the terminal in Manila, finally taking a potty break outside the terminal. Super-human!

Kawayan Cove

It was nice to get back to our home, after being back in the states for a very busy 10 months. Nice especially as the caretakers had done a good job maintaining both home and gardens. Ready to move in and relax!

After greeting everyone and making some instant friends, Max spotted the swimming pool. It was a hot day (and he soon found out that every day is hot here!) and in he went. A quick lesson on where the steps were so he can get in & out and now swimming is a daily activity. Usually when one of us is there to throw the Chuckit ball, but we’ve seen him go down by himself and sit on the bench with water up to his chest, just cooling off.

Mabini

Last trip, I wrote about our visit to nearby Mabini/Anilao, a famous dive spot in the Philippines. We noted that the second hotel we stayed in was dog-friendly so for Georgia’s birthday this year we decided to go back, taking Max this time. We all enjoyed relaxing, swimming (both pool and beach for Max), getting massages (sorry, not you, Max), and of course the bar and restaurant. We went diving one day and I got in a couple enjoyable dives, spotting lots of fish, octopus, nice corals and crinoids, turtles, and a number of colorful nudies (nudibranchs).

Where's Dad?

New Car

I had a plan for this trip to replace our Innova with a Toyota Fortuner SUV (a model not available in the US but similar to the Toyota Highlander). More luxurious, better ride and handling, but still retaining a lot of utility for hauling people and stuff around. Georgia had a better idea (as she's prone to have), to get a really small car mainly for use in and around town, something that will be easier to drive and park in the crowded markets.

We originally settled on a Toyota Wigo (again, no equivalent in the US), a very compact “city car” with a mighty 1.0L engine. Buying a new car here isn’t like in the US, where you practically have to shake salespeople off your legs. Even a test drive isn’t standard here; we actually had to go to 3 dealerships to get one. OK, one dealer did let us drive a Wigo, but only around the dealership parking lot! In the 3rd dealership though, we noticed a little bit larger mini-SUV called the Raize. About the same height and width as the Wigo, but somewhat longer and with lots more room inside. Comparison drives between the Wigo and Raize convinced us that the Raize’s even mightier 1.2L engine was worthwhile, plus it was more comfortable overall. A deal was struck and we’re now enjoying our new mini-SUV!

Georgia’s mom is also wanting a car for the Philippines, and it turns out that our Innova is exactly what she’s looking for. We’ve made a deal to sell it to her, so now we’re looking for its replacement. I may get my Fortuner after all!

Driver’s Licenses

Regarding the story above, I got to test drive the cars; Georgia didn’t. The salesperson noted that her license had expired the day before, which was her actual birthday. Mine didn't expire until July so I was good to go.

We’d been clued in to the existence of a Land Transportation Office (LTO) branch in a nearby shopping center that only handles driver’s license renewals, which was said to be very efficient compared to dealing with the full-service LTO. The requirements for renewal are basically passing a medical exam and a written test. We went to the medical office, conveniently next door to the LTO, for our exams. After filling out a short medical history, my exam consisted of getting weighed, height measured, and reading one line of inch-high letters on an eye chart. Every other result of the required “exam” was just filled in by the staff. And then, as I was waiting for my exam results to be registered, I was handed a certificate stating that I’d passed the written test with a score of 92%. VERY efficient indeed, considering that I’d never seen a test. I do wonder what questions I got wrong though…

In less than an hour overall, we both walked out with 10-year renewals on of driver’s licenses. I’ll be almost 80 when this one expires, hope I’m around to get it renewed!

And BTW, I’m mad because Georgia outscored me on the written test, getting a 96!

Billiards

Billiards is a popular activity in the Philippines, probably because it’s played indoors in air-conditioned rooms. I’ve played occasionally here with Herve, who has a table, but this year we’ve hooked up with Kawayan Cove neighbors Graham (of English garden fame) and Andy (a New Yorker who lives mostly in Singapore). Also in our group, from neighboring developments, are Jean (Belgian), and Robert (Canadian). We call our informal group the “Sandy Balls Billiards Club” and we play a “tournament” every weekend, each putting 100 Pesos (about $1.75) into a winner-take-all prize pool. I’ve won once, hoping to continue to improve my game.

L-R: Robert, Jean, Graham, me, Herve (Andy not pictured)

Road Trip!

We’ve been talking about a road trip to the far northern reaches of Luzon for some time; we finally decided to do it. And just like our road trip to Baguio and Sagada in 2018, we’re not driving or taking our car, rather hiring both. Reminds me of an old commercial…

Car rental = $40/day

Driver = $20/day

Food and Lodging for Driver = $10/day

Sitting in the back and enjoying the ride = Priceless!

Our itinerary will include La Union, Vigan, Pagudpud, Santa Teresita, Tuguegarao, and Baguio. Stay tuned!

Sunset(s)

We’re still enjoying our sunsets, nearly every evening. Since it’s been almost 3 months I’ll throw in some bonus photos!

From our home:

From Mabini:

All for now, take care everyone!

[kuqix]

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[anjhelysworld]

Greetings and blessings to all. This speech addresses the Philippine government's corruption.

Government corruption, a barbaric and deeply troubling issue, is often associated with the rise of kleptocracy, where those in power use their positions for personal gain. This epidemic of graft and stealing has far-reaching ramifications that ripple through society, making many citizens feel queasy as they witness their hard-earned tax dollars waste for the benefit of a few unprincipled jackleg individuals. These corrupt practices not only destroy trust in the government but also divert resources meant for essential public services, leading to social inequality, a weakened rule of law, and an overall failure of the nation's well-being. The fight against government corruption remains an essential task for ensuring a fair and just society. That is my speech thank you for listening.

[carlocarrasco]

BIR task force raids vape festival in Las Piñas City, seizes over 5,000 illicit vape products

Recently in the City of Las Piñas, a task force of the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s (BIR) raided a vape festival and seized more than five thousand illicit vape products, according a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article. To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface… The Bureau of Internal Revenue’s (BIR) Illicit Trade Task Force…

[shop-korea]

Live Chat - Jasmine - Why is

being attacked associated

with Boost Infinite as Partially

Blind - Example -

Lee County - Fort Myers

Front of my Opthalmologist

Eye Centers of Florida - est

10:28A - FAT - Hispanic Pig

was - 215 lbs - Raped - Kate

early morning - on - Heroine

Homeless - Divorced - Half

Pinay - Daughter - Pinoy Hubby

Divorced - Get Lost - More

Beautiful than Marilyn Monroe

Same Birthday - Being on yes

Heroine - Effective Rape as FL

watch - Illegal Screen Doors

Property Manager always

Trespassing with Hispanic

Lawyer - Hispanic Maintenance

Fooling around - Dead Tenant's

Restroom - All murdered asthma

Oldest - and - Original tenant

since over 20 years - Can't

lock screen door - Section 8

Hud - Illegal - No Landlord

Past - Karen - Prune - Bag

failed 2 give reasonable yes

Protection 4 Criminal Intrusion

Tanaka Films

Ning Ning - takes - Kate's

Place

Karina - Aespa - takes my place

10:28A - getting laundry - was

yelling from outside fat hispanic

'Little Mermaid' - Like Stork was

already there

Grieving Kate - and - Jonghyun

2nd Amendment

No fully auto machine gun

No knife 2 gut - Japan girl

who grabbed my baby boy

8th month - He sang as my

As my 5th baby

Public Park - American blond

ordered his taking 4 auctions

Asian Babies - Talent - Smart

8th month - was - hard

Pregnancy paid - Twins

or regular - Called me - fat pig

tub - Fat ugly train - Show your

breasts - ugly fat porky pig

Tokyo female police - Ugly pig

That night - Male Tokyo Police

2 - brought me 2 paid hospital

2 - held my twins - 9P - 9:10 P

Identical - felt was coming out

10 min - they came out

Boost Infinite - No exception

New Babies - Baby - Taken

Jasmine - Your baby stolen

from you - what has that to

do with - Billing Questions

Jasmine - Live Chat - Finger

Typing - South Korean Girls

Where safe - Stand like you

are removing dust of shoes

sandals - say for the evil

men and women of Boost

Infinite - Lousy Service but

Google Fi - Illegal and Worst

Both - shake your - Sandals

HDG - App - Daily - Shake

Foot Apparel them and the

United States - Age 246

Shake Feet about Haiti

American Blks - Hispanics

500 Billion Won - x - 500

Tax Paid - Daily

Never go 2 USA - same Won

Daily - Tax Paid

Janette Rivera - Apt 1

gave - Blow Job - 2 - Apt 2

Mental USC - David Iorio

No beatings happened

Forgive with a knife he

wanted me 2 stay - Clean

his toilet and apartment

Looked like Hunchback

Notre Dame - Dad former

NYPD - family wealth other

relatives - Hispamic male

police - looking 4 hole on

forehead wanted 2 arrest

me 4 not allowing more

beatings - not enjoying rape

Fort Myers - Roaches Rabbies

Humans - Illegal Courthouses

Lee County Courthouse

Marilyn Monroe St

Apt 1 & 2

Me partially blind

Partly Quadraplegic

She boxed L and R arm

Didn't feel anything

No Bruises - R arm

Courthouse - Prove beatings

b4 - Midnight - Internal Bleeding

Top L Shoulder edge - Beautiful

Light Blue circle - showed white

male worker - was chat she is a

Philippines - Mental - Psychiatrist

Hispanic Fat Doctor - Subscribed

Meds - You are on Heroine and

Cocaine from urine sample

Janette Rivera Fat Lesbian

Hispanic Pig - Kicked me &

boxed and kicked touched

breasts - Yelled while I was

Sony listening 2 Jonghyun

'Always be with you'

You want 2 hit me with

chair - Grabbed - Steel

chair what I used for

Thanksgiving Dinner

Hit my head several times

Faint and suck mouth live

Suck vaginal area for city

of Fort Myers - Rabbies 2

Not Jews and Rabbis

then grabbed left and

right ear area and hit

my face on cement

several times told deceased

now - Joe - asthma - former

Apt 3 - a knife - finished off

Kidney - Bladder - $9,000

each - kept slamming

[copperbadge]

Radio Free Monday

Good morning everyone, and welcome to Radio Free Monday!

Ways to Give:

Anon linked to a fundraiser for mousedetective, who needs to pay off loans so she and her family can get off the street and into affordable housing; you can read more, reblog, and find giving information here.

Anon linked to a fundraiser for a friend, Hope, who is raising funds to cover housing debt from roommates who left abruptly, as well as medical bills; she worked through the pandemic in food service but has no emergency savings left after that. You can read more and support the fundraiser here.

Anon linked to a fundraiser for dashnite, who is raising funds to escape an abusive living situation and immigrate to be with their partner; you can read more, reblog, and find giving information here.

wolvereaux is raising funds to cover the unexpected replacement for their car's windshield; they drive delivery for a living and are losing several days of work until the replacement is done, making it even harder to cover the cost. You can read more, reblog, and find giving information here.

Follow Up:

melayneseahawk wanted to let folks know that after appearing in RFM, the Worlds Elsewhere Theatre Company's stream and fundraiser of Musica Universalis Book 2: Regenerational Trauma went extremely well! As of Sunday they had passed their fundraising goal and were working through the stretch goals; you can watch the recording of the stream here (or split into acts here) and they are still taking donations, which you can read more about and support here. They wanted to thank everyone who attended, donated, or shared the links so others could!

Recurring Needs:

Anon linked to a fundraiser for their friend dyken, a nonbinary lesbian from Latin America who along with their partner has been having trouble covering bills, food, and mental health treatment; their family is abusive and unwilling to help financially. They are accepting donations via paypal and commissions via ko-fi; you can read more, reblog, and find giving information here.

rilee16 is raising funds to get out of an abusive home situation where their roommate has been aggressive and stealing from them; with irregular work hours and a tax debt due, they also need funds to repair their phone, which is dying, and cover utility bills. You can read more, reblog, and find giving information here.

loversdoom is a college student from the Philippines, studying away from her family, and her parents are unexpectedly unable to support her education; she is dealing with a number of expenses and is now looking at costly medical procedures as well. You can read more and reblog here or give to the fundraiser here.

Anon linked to karla-hoshi or Hoshi on TikTok, who is raising funds for cancer treatment for her cat Naku; they caught the cancer early and hope that he can survive it, but can't continue treatment without funding, and they have recently had other emergency expenses to cover. You can read more, reblog, and support the fundraiser here.

And this has been Radio Free Monday! Thank you for your time. You can post items for my attention at the Radio Free Monday submissions form. If you're new to fundraising, you may want to check out my guide to fundraising here.