The best business in the Philippines is no business?

Thanks. 

That is the excuse, but land can be bought in a Filipino's name and many guys do just that. The problem is easy solved by a limit placed on the quantity of land that a foreigner can buy in his or her name. In fact there is a plan to put a law through to allow for just that, but the feet are dragging.

We in the west do not complain to much when Arab's and Japanese buy land and property in our own countries and they do own loads of land.. These rules are out dated as with the normal excuse nobody is going to buy up Hugh amount of land here in the Philippines. Many of those that have under a Filipino partnership have developed and created jobs and new employment and that is what is needed here as its not often that the rich Filipino businessmen invest in such away in their country. 

There is a new visa for foreigner's that employ more than 10 or more Filipino's in a new business venture. But starting a small business with so many employees is a gamble that most foreigners living here would not want to gamble on. The fact one can not own land also puts the dampers on.  Its seems that yes the government want us to invest here but one needs to be very rich and the investment is to much of a gamble and of course the need to bribe to achieve the aim and setting up the business.

Corruption stops many of the international companies from investing much here, with out bribing one would never get to base one. 

Corruption is more open here and people are very blatant about it.  Some foreigners also see that Filipino's deserve better governance and less corruption, however this problem does not effect them as they can live well in a hell and paradise.

Yes other countries are corrupt but the level starts higher within the political circles, here its at every level and very apparent even the police and the legal system is rampant with corruption. But does it worry most foreigners of course not the pay to be here and enjoy what they can and many get linked into the culture and become much more hospitable than the natives as they can afford too.

Its also nice to see those that try to make things much better for the people around them and those that give without expecting anything back to those that really need help.

I must add some Filipino's look down on all foreigners as they think all foreigners are the same as the dregs of our societies that come here hoaring. There is also a thing that most good businesses do and that's welcome complaints as this means they can see where the business is going wrong,. ie,. criticism is in fact useful for improvement. As foreigners pay to be here (Visa's). The advertising states how wonderful the place is, I ask why should we cut our visits short due to seeing the many problems here, why shouldn't we be critical when some one tries to fiddle us or we recieve bad services and people are rude. We actually do that in our own countries too.

By moaning about the things that stop foreigners investing here and there are many reasons they don't surely this is a way forward in the aim of effect the thinking of Filipino's and maybe such gripes will be heard at a higher level. The fact that someone like me wishes to start a business to employ people to improve their lives and not make a profit out of it should not be frowned on. In fact I all ready do this through my partner and have started many micro business that I do not receive a bean back. Its actual the Filipino's that need to accept change the old status quo keeps the country behind the rest of the world by about 50 years or so.

However thankful there are those normally well educated Filipino's that are pushing forward to modernize the country. Its normally those that have worked abroad in the west and seen the big difference in attitude and learned the profit of hard work and real effort.

If the Philippines wants tourism and decent people to come here it want to rid it self of the sex trade and the girly bars. It needs to learn to cater properly for its western visitors till thats done your country will be filled with the sex holiday crowd. They certainly don't want to go home and will complain even though to them the Philippines is a candy shop.

To me its not a real worry I can lead a very nice life here and I do as I have taken on much of the culture as my partners took on much of mine. I have many more Filipino friends than I do foriegners.

By the way these little quirks to some foreigners are big problems, Such as very very loud music with the base turned up high playing well after midnight. Vehicles passing there house   with very loud music in the early hours of the morning. Smoke drifting into their houses. We of course should not mention the cockerels crowing or the badly maltreated dogs on the street. Then the bad services that many business seem to think is norm (this actual make my partner annoyed more than me now days). Plus of course the no rules, I want to get there first and Kamikarsi coach drives on the roads of the Philippines. lol Then the salesmen that will not wait to you get out of a vehicle and get orientated and stick their wares under ones nose. Then there are those interesting moments in the Market place where a trades man thinks he can charge you twice or three times as much as a local. because of the dollar sign on your forehead that all white guys seem to have. lol 

I am not complaining as I have got very use to all the irritants and always expect the worst before it happens and its my partner that does all the complaining as I am more laid back than her. I also get charged the right prices in the market places mostly, as I have a good idea of the correct price and am well known as not being like most other foreigners. .

Now most of this I have got over and is not so noticeable as its the normal way of life here in the Philippines and the most of the natives do not like to complain or embarrassed the offenders. I just joke quietly and move on.

Most Filipino hate to see their country criticized by outsider's however within their own conversations they are very critical and most want to go overseas to seek an improvement to their lifes. Poverty is a trap that has many problems and many wish to take any path out even an illegal one can look promising especially seeing the corrupt doing so well. This country needs investors and its still hard for foreigners with genuine intentions to invest here. 

At present I have no intention to start a business in my name, i found a way around that problem and I really do not intend to make money for myself. However most foreigners would want a pay back on their investment and full control of what they invest in. I have personally seen many a foreigner lose a great deal of their savings by trusting a Filipino partner they have lost houses farms and property and of course thriving businesses. If land and business where in their names they would not of had to much of a problem. This is a big factor too why foreigners do not want to take the gamble of investing here and creating businesses and employment.  

Some foreigners have the right to bitch those that have invested and lost due to corruption and crime.

your welcome 158

No that's not actually true my sentiments have come from many sources, I was born with an analytic mind of which some times can be a curse as I can be over inquisitive. I have studied the culture's within the Filipino society and even the history and customs and law. I read the newspapers, listen to the news and question and talk to my Filipino friends.

I have learned from my mistakes and corrected my assumptions. My partner was actually surprised at my understanding of her culture when we first met.   I have wrote a lot about the Philippines and debate many an issue here in the land I have adopted. Most of my sentiments are my own and honed over the nine years I have lived here. That does not say I know everything, as I learn something new everyday. But I would say my knowledge of the Philippines is very extensive and not many foreigners that live here are as clued up as I am many do not know one word of the local tongue or have a clue about the culture. 

But if you want to write as a citizen journalist about the country you live in, you must know what your writing about or you have no credibility. That also concerns debating about the problems with Filipino's.