Thursday, March 25, 2010

Great Things about The Philippines

Out of fairness and respect, I think sometimes we should share the great experiences and what is wonderful about the Philippines. I think we sometimes get so stressed and upset with all the bad things that happen to us a business owners, foreigners, and tourist. That we forget to mention some of the great things about the Philippines.

Of course, we must feel it has something great to offer of why would we be here. I can give my personal opinions and feelings of what I like and find great about this country.

* I will have to say, that throughout my travels I have never found more beautiful women in all the world as the Filipina. They posses a natural Asian beauty that far surpasses all other Asian culture's. To me Asian women are the prettiest in the world. ( Sorry Mom and Sisters back home).. Out of all the Asian women, the Filipina hold the most grace in their body, smile, shinny hair. They are capable of being warm, caring, loving, and loyal to their companion. The Filipina is very emotional, and also very smart. I have often said to my friends, the Filipina is the only woman who you know is scamming you, who you know is just playing with you, and you still like it... and you still want it.....

* We sometimes complain about the corruption and government, but I will also have to say, its easy to get things done. Pay a little "FEE" and your time is cut in half, not so much hassle, and not so much red tape. So its also a benefit for us who don't want to stand in line, or go through allot of procedures to accomplish something. The law of course works for us also. If you do something a little wrong, drink to much, run red light, you can easily pay a " PENALTY" and you are good to go. No big deal. So even if we complain about the corruption, we also benefit from it in certain ways.

* Beautiful beaches and oceans. We all love the beaches and oceans, the blue waters, the amazing scenery. Philippines holds some of the clearest and purest shallows in the world. Nothing more exciting then riding a pump boat across a shallow and looking down into 30 feet of water and seeing bottom. Its for sure a great feeling...

* Being treated like a VIP. Even though if your white your are considered a millionaire here. Us expats and foreigners know that is not true. But still even if we are not, it makes you feel good and boost your ego to be treated as such. As a foreigner especially white, you have a esteem that follows with you, where ever you go. It for sure is not deserving to us, but in The Philippines you still get it. So another reason why I think we like it here.

* Cheaper way of living. We can take the small amount given to us by our home lands and come here and live a comfortable live. That we could not have done in our home country. Another way that boosts our ego, and makes us want to live here. We can live a higher class of life, and feel better about ourselves here. Back in our country's we would be in the poverty class...

* Of course here comes the big one. No matter if you are old, fat, ugly and bald, you can have a very pretty, young lady who will want to be with you. We cant get those things back home. You can go to bikini bars every night. They is no regulation of those places, they are very plentiful. So you can find all kinds of young, pretty ladies who would love to spend a evening with you, no matter what you look like. ( Of course for a fee) ...... Even if you did not want to go to the bars, if you try, you can find a nice young lady who will want to have a relationship with you. Plus the fact that even when you are older, and little round in the middle, and not so much hair anymore. Walk the roads or the malls and you will still have young ladies looking and smiling. Wow, what a ego booster for us. Dam, makes you feel 10 feet tall.

So in all fairness, you will hear a lot of us expats (myself included) complaining about how the girls will take advantage of us, try always to get money, act like they like us but really don't. But in truth, if they stop that, we would be devastated. We like it. But we also like to complain about it. I often find myself so mad about going to a bar, talking with a young lady, and buying her a drink, and she will run off. I get so mad, but guess what, my butt is back there in a few days doing the same thing again....

Putting up with all the bad things, attitudes, and failures of the Philippines is just a daily thing. We should stand up and say what is wrong. We should not stand by and be taken advantage of, or we should not let others walk over us. But in fairness and not being a hypocrite, we should also realize and accept that we are here. We are here for some reason, and we stay for some reason. So they must be some benefit to us that we like, or we would get out.

Although the benefit of us being here still does not give others the right to be cheaters, stealer's, liars, or taking advantage. I think we both benefit from each other, but both cultures are to stubborn, or just to proud to admit it and learn to work on the quality's we have to share. I have tried here in my business at The Jungle Restaurant and Cultural Entertainment Center to learn to work with the " corruption" and not fight it so much.

Ending up, to say that they are lots of good things about the Philippines. It is not always bad. Lot of great friendly, nice folks here. We just have to learn that their culture is about getting and wanting as much money as they can, by what ever means they can. But also, our culture is a 60 year old man dating a 18 year old girl, liking the bars, paying off someone to get out of trouble, pushy, loud, and sometimes just flat out but holes. So which one is worse. In our eyes they look bad, in their eyes we look bad. Who's right, who's wrong???? Work together, and just realize what each other really is. Don't lie about it, accept it and work with it.....

Example of confutation:

Filipino to me : You always looking the girl walking down the road, talking about sex, making strict rules for employees, drinking, wanting everything so perfect, getting loud, acting like your better than some others, always complaining about things here........

Reply : Yep, that's me....

Me to Filipino : You always scamming the tourist, overcharging the white guy, always wanting something for free, only talking or coming around when you can benefit, not being responsible, always making excuses......

Reply : Yep, that's me....

Best result : OK, then i will help the Filipino to earn more money from tourist, through proper means, and giving of commissions. Set strict rules for him to follow so he can earn a bigger salary, but not scam the tourist, or over charge the white guy. Include free meals for him and incentives for working hard, help him to save money and provide for his family through connections and work that i have, he can help me with. Help him to earn.

He in return will help me with other Filipinos, and watch out for things that will hurt me. Protect me from any bad deals, learn me the best places to go, the right things to do. Places where i wont have to deal with bull. Introduce me to people that wont bring out my bad quality's.

So instead of us arguing who's right and who's wrong, we accept what each other are, even if we don't agree, and we work to help each other get out of life what we like and want....

Friday, March 19, 2010

Best Philippine Dance Group for The Resorts

The Jungle Cultural Entertainment Dance Group is by far the best and most qualified dance group in Cebu. If you are planning a conference, meeting, reception, welcome dinner, or any large group event you will want to choose the The Jungle Entertainment Filipino Cultural Dance group for your guests to enjoy.

Want your out of town, or out of country guest to see the Top quality Filipino Cultural Dance Group. Having your meeting or dinner at the resorts in Cebu??? Request you want The Jungle Entertainment Dance Group to perform at your Event.

Best Filipino Cultural Dance Group for the resorts. Request your resort that you want the Jungle Entertainment Dancers.

Look at the rave reviews from travelers about the group :

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g667507-d1483128-r58812389-The_Jungle_Restaurant-Mactan_Island_Cebu_Visayas.html

Find out more information here :
http://thejunglerestaurant.weebly.com

Don't let your resort give you the poor quality shows, Demand you want the best in Cebu.

Located very close to Shangri - La, White Sands, Maribago Blue Water, Hilton, Plantation Bay, BE resort, and many others.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Foreigners coming to Philippines - Dumbest - Smart People

I been holding this one back. But can't do it anymore. Got to let it out. I am going to have hard time typing from laughing. I know this is going to offend allot of foreigners and Filipina's. So let me start by saying quote " What i am writing about I done also, I am guilty, I learned my lesson the hard way." So if i sound a little cruel, I am talking about myself also when I first started coming here.

Foreigners coming to the Philippines, from all nations and western and eastern Culture's have more opportunity than Pinoy. They have better schools, better jobs, and educated. But I am here to tell you, most of them have to be the dumbest , smart people i know.

Foreigners coming here to meet their new Filipina gf, bride, will get on the forums, they will get on the Internet, they will read advice after advice, warned and warned many times what not to do, and what to watch out for. Dam, if they don't go right ahead and do it anyways.......

I am writing this experience from my own and the 100 of customers who come into my restaurant and who contact me online for information, bookings, and just advice. Its like putting a chocolate in front of a child and telling him not to eat it. He just cant help himself. Well lets start with ::: Please book my engagement party at your restaurant. You are American like me ( yes i am using American as example ) Its for my girl and all her family. I say OK, well now i can give you a great meal, affordable price, I know what to expect. I can tell you what her family will expect from you. I know what you should buy and should not. I will help you to not go way over budget and still have nice time. I know you really like the girl, but i have much experience here so don't allow her friends or family to talk you into something, just let me help you..

OK. thanks so much, I can trust you will help me. So here we go. I give all the prices for a nice budget meal, one a pinoy could be very proud of, lechon, the works. She stops by, talks, then next night a email comes. Remember my place is Native Style decor, with Filipino Foods and Sea foods. We serve all the high class Japanese Agency's here in Cebu. Well she says this is really a special occasion and its a once in lifetime for her, she wants her family to see the beach, and things like that. She said it would not cost much more, and her brothers and family will help with all the arrangements for what she wants... I say ok no problem. Where did she say your engagement party for 30 pax would be. Oh she said Shangrli La was reasonable. LOL. ha ha ha ha ha ha..... So i tell him, no don't do it. They will not tell you the whole story and at the end when the bill comes, you will die. What they will get here will be a great deal for them. Oh ok,

Well anyways i could go on and on, but bottom line, done it anyways. My cost for the whole party was close to 500 USD. He ended up paying 3500 USD. lol ha ha ha. Stoped here crying and just devastated, I had to help him get money from home..... lol.. ha ha ha ha.... I said dont cry, I tried to warn you what was going to happen.....

They will be three to four foreigners per week stop here, and come in with his new girl. WOW he will say. This is so cool, I love this native style, and man you show looks very nice.. I would love to witness this... Then of course here we go, The Filipina girl starts complaining, oh lets go somewhere I know, or she will say foods to long, not good, blah, blah, blah...... Now remember she was probably eating rice and dried fish up until now. ( no offense, truth is truth ) But what will he do, listen and out the door they go. See him next time. So how was your night. Well took her to a big expensive place, she called her two friends, then we went to disco, then to karaoke, i did not enjoy none, she talked and screamed with her friends all night. I as a foreigner wanted to see the culture, but ........ but....... I said don't cry...... I tried to warn you.

*Don't send them money. Ok i wont. Weeks later, oh Philip what am i going to do, i sent 1000 and now i cant contact her.
* She said her neighbor could take on on that tour, he has many friends to help. DON'T DO IT.
Next time, well took us forever to find a boat, thought it was going to sink, i had to buy her 4 cousins almost two cases of red horse, the man on the boat said i owed extra money for the gas. Blah, blah, blah......... don't cry. I told you.....
* She really great, she really is more beautiful then anything i ever seen. She said she never had a computer before. That's so sad, or even a cell phone, oh myyy... I am buying her tomorrow. DON'T DO IT, you only knowed her three days, wait she if shes real.............. Later -----
Sob, sob, sob. I give her the computer and cell phone, she said she was going to show her friends and family. That was 5 days ago... Cant find her..... sob, sob........ lol ha ha h aha....

They are thousands more, but i will save them for the next time i cant take it anymore and need to write about it... I told my friend, you know when you read 100 blogs on the Internet telling you these stories, and you have 3 or 4 expats telling you the stories. Maybe that should be a big red flag, and you should listen... We did not just make all that up.....

Smartest dumb people I ever met. ( I know i used to be one ). Only difference in me was I didn't read the blogs and know anyone here to talk to. So actually i got mine honest.... Some of these guys, dam I don't know what to say.... Thinking with the wrong head.......

Ok disclaimer : They are lots of great and wonderful Filipina girls, who do not,,,,, do like this.
They are lots of foreigners who come here and just use Filipina's and lie to them...
I am only writing my experiences, and what i know and witness in my life and business. Sorry but i don't have the one with the bad foreigner and good Filipina yet... But i know they are out there. So i promise when i experience that one. I will surely write about it also......

P.S. One more, cant leave this one out... Come here on Friday cause his girl did not show up in the airport on Friday. I took him night out. Met the girl on Friday night. DON'T DO IT.....
1 week later live in partner, DON'T DO IT, two weeks later start multi cab business with his life savings, her family is going to run it for him, DON'T DO IT, three months later, I am buying his dinner coz he is broke, the multi cabs are broken, the girl has left him, family is mad at him, wont give back the multi cabs, one actually got conveniently stolen. Oh well..... life goes on.... I should have been born a woman, i would be very rich by now.....

Monday, March 1, 2010

Cebu, Philippines - Applications of Life

While living here and operating one of the most successful Restaurants in Cebu. The Jungle Restaurant and Cultural Entertainment Center. Showcasing the Filipino Cultural Dance, along with Variety dance, Fire Eaters, and Fire Dancers. http://thejunglerestaurant.weebly.com/



I have often pondered the applications of life. I will share a few of my thought with you. Please apply these to what ever situation or group of people you might think fits.



Hungry or Full

A hungry young man walking along a beautiful meadow. Seeing a small apple tree in the distance, he noticed a large, red, ripe, single apple hanging just out of reach. Upon reaching the tree the young man sits down among a pile of rocks. " I will sit here and the apple will fall, then i can eat it and be very full" said the young man. After hours and hours of waiting, nothing had happened. Along came another young man who watched the other man sitting at the base of the small tree.

Wondering what he might be doing, the man asked.. " Sir, why do you sit in the heat of the day under a tree ". The other man replied, " I am waiting for this apple to fall so i wont be hungry."

Confused in his actions, the man said, " Sir why not pick up one of the stones in which you sit, and knock the apple off the branch." Never experiencing anything like that, the young man thought, what silliness to waist my time and energy throwing a rock. I will just wait for it to fall.

After hours and hours of waiting the apple never fell. So the young man got up and walked away, hungry and discouraged of all the time he had spent there. After a little while, the young man heard a noise. He turned around to see the other young man he had met before, walk up under the tree and pick up a rock, throw it and the apple fell into his hands. He ate and was very full.



MORAL : Nothing is given to you for free in life. You have to work at what ever you want. When given a opportunity and good advice to obtain a better outcome. Does not matter if you agree with it or not, if you have experience or not, give it a try and you will walk away full. Do nothing and be lazy, and wait for opportunity to fall into your hands, then you will go away hungry. Don't feel sorry for yourself or expect others to pity you. Stop making excuses, you done it to yourself.



Smart and Successful or Selfish and Failure

The End of Time has come. The world is destroyed. A small group of survivors are all that's left. Knowing to rebuild mankind and the world, they will have to work together very close and make good decisions. In the group was a male doctor, a female cook, and male carpenter, a female factory worker, and Johnny, a male farmer. Johnny had really become friends with everyone, except for the doctor. The doctor was a very strict man, with no room for irresponsibility, or acting foolish. While crossing the river to get to their home, a large wave came and overturned the boat. Panic set in and Johnny was the only one on board. All the people was screaming and saying save me, save me. Looking around Johnny only had three life vests he could throw out to the group. Being four people in the water, Johnny had a great delima facing him. This is the hope of mankind, this is the success or failure of a new start. Thinking very hard Johnny really liked the female factory worker. She was very pretty and they could marry and have lots of baby's together. Then he thought, oh we will surely need shelter, the carpenter can give us allot of shelter. Of course he said without a cook, we can not eat, that will mean death for sure to us all. Thinking of the strictness and dislike of the doctor, Johnny said, well even though i know he is important, i feel we can survive without him. We can do fine. So that's the way it went. The doctor slipped away from site and all the other were saved.

Johnny feeling so good about his decision, was very happy. So life went on, Johnny farmed, the cook cooked, the carpenter built, and the couple made baby's. One day after a great meal, inside their new home, everyone started feeling very ill. What has happened?? Johnny ask the carpenter, " What can you do ?" Then asked the cook " what can you do?" Then again he asked the factory worker and himself.... Soon everyone was so very ill, they all passed away. Johnny being the last one left, while laying on his bed. The last thoughts going through his mind was, what a great meal, and large harvest, and grand home, and beautiful wife. None of that could save us.. We all could have learned to build, cook, and farm. I should have made a more responsible decision, not caring for my wants and needs, but the good of the group as a whole.

MORAL : Sometimes in life, business, you have to make decisions and take advice from people you really might not like. Sometimes you need to allow those people as business partners, or accept their product. Sometimes you have to accept people in the lives of your loved ones, to have a better outcome. Its better accept someone you might not like or agree with, and let go someone who is a friend, but can not contribute. Making selfish decisions is irresponsible. It will only cause hurt to you and others. To hurt your self is your right. To hurt others - no one has the right to do that.....

Example : Here in my business, quality of shows and customer service is what keeps us going. I had a wonderful, nice, sweet young lady who worked for me as a dancer. Always nice, always on time, always trying very hard. Through many weeks of trying and practice, it was to the point that i seen, she was just not able to perform to standards in which will help this business prosper. Knowing she had baby to support, and needing work, with a heavy heart I still had to terminate her from the dance group. She had done nothing wrong, but not only was she hurting the quality of my show, which in return will hurt future business, which in return will cause others to loose their jobs.... ( But i did move her to another position in the business and things are working out well )

On the other hand, I have a dancer who works for me. Very talented, very great. Problem is has a very bad attitude, thinks they are the greatest. Always pushing rules, coming in late, and just in general a real but hole.... Sometimes i have to grit my teeth so hard even when they pass by me.. But i told my wife, " I just have to grin and bear it, even if it goes against what i believe in." They help bring customers in, which in return helps the business, which in return helps others to keep jobs, and others to get jobs in the future. The best i can do is search for someone to replace this person with the same quality's and talent. Until then, just take it .....