Reading
Articles for living in the Philippines.
Cost of living, neighborhoods, utilities, renting, healthcare, daily life — every number verified against sources before we publish.
109 articles
Typhoon Preparedness in Iloilo City: A Renter's Reverse Clock
Iloilo City typhoon risk is water on a season, not wind on a calendar. PAGASA signals, the flood record by jurisdiction, and what a renter decides and when.
Iloilo Transport Costs: Jeepney, Grab and the Guimaras Boat (2026)
What an Iloilo City commute costs in 2026: the PHP 13 jeepney minimum, the Guimaras boat fare, and the published Coast Guard rule that decides whether it sails.
Philippines TIN for Foreigners: Forms 1901/1902/1904/1905, ORUS, Digital TIN ID, and Cebu RDO Mapping (2026)
BIR TIN registration for foreign nationals in Cebu: which of forms 1901/1902/1904/1905 covers you, the Digital TIN ID via ORUS, and the four Cebu RDOs.
Iloilo Water Bill: What MPIW Publishes and What It Does Not (2026)
Every Iloilo City water figure MPIW actually publishes, with its source and date: the PHP 28.67/cu.m. rate, the 2018 sheet still posted, and the missing bill.
Iloilo Electricity Bill: What Renters Pay on MORE Power (2026)
What a renter actually pays MORE Power in Iloilo City, worked from one 250 kWh household across all seven published 2026 billing cycles: what moved the rate, what aircon costs, the bill deposit rules, and the charge that may be about to disappear.
Can My Filipino Spouse Buy Land? Foreigner-Married-Filipino Property Rules (2026)
Constitution Article XII Section 7, the five Supreme Court cases from Cheesman to Beumer, the Anti-Dummy Law, and what married to on a TCT actually means.
Is Iloilo City Safe for Foreigners? (2026): The Sourced Reality
Iloilo City safety for foreigners in 2026: what the safety-index ranking actually measures, what PRO 6 and ICPO publish, the road-crash figures that dwarf the crime ones, and what an incident costs you in fees, statute and time.
First Month in Iloilo City for Foreigners (2026): The 30-Day Setup Checklist
Every transaction a foreigner makes in their first 30 days in Iloilo City, priced: BI extension and ACR I-Card fees, the MORE Power bill deposit rule, MPIW water, SIM registration under RA 11934, bank minimums, and the three statutory deadlines that start at the immigration counter.
Driving in Cebu as a Foreigner: License Rules, Accident Liability, and Why CTPL Is Not Enough
The 90-day foreign-license rule, RA 10586 drunk-driving penalties, the three liabilities you face after a fatal crash, and why the CTPL minimum leaves you exposed.
Complete Guide to Renting in Iloilo City for Foreigners (2026): Listings, Brokers, Deposits, Move-In
What the law actually allows when a foreigner rents in Iloilo City: the RA 9653 deposit cap and the PHP 10,000 line that switches it on, what a PRC-licensed broker may charge, whether the lease needs notarising, who owes association dues, and the real move-in cash.
Best Neighborhoods in Iloilo City for Foreigners (2026): The 7-District Honest Read
Mandurriao, Jaro, Molo, Arevalo, La Paz, City Proper and Lapuz compared for foreigners: editorial-baseline rent, commute times, hospitals, schools, and the utility boundary at the city line.
Cebu vs Iloilo for Foreigners (2026): The Honest Decision Framework
Cebu vs Iloilo, paired and dated: seven 2026 electricity cycles side by side, rent bands, water data gaps, airport reach, hospitals, schools and BPO depth.
Cost of Living in Iloilo City for Foreigners (2026): Real Numbers, Sourced
Iloilo City monthly costs for foreigners, sourced: MORE Power electricity, the unpublished MPIW water minimum, Mandurriao rent bands, PSA inflation and Region VI wage floors.
Tax Treaty Relief on Pensions in the Philippines: US, UK, Canada, Australia (2026)
What the four pension treaties actually say, read from the texts: US Articles 18/19, UK Article 17, Canada XVIII, Australia 18. Plus the residency-certificate gap.
Money Changers Cebu 2026: the BSP Mid-Rate, the AMLC Line, the Spread Nobody Publishes
The BSP mid-rate is public and live. Cebu counter spreads are not, and we have not measured them. What we can say, and the AMLC PHP 500,000 line.
Showing 15 of 109