Life in Philippines - Year End

End of another year

So much changes in a year. A year ago we were looking forward to moving into our new house in Dipolog City getting married and being able to settle and start running a local business. The problem of the slow pace of life and the fact that local people have no financial resources, has forced a complete change of plan, the south of the Philippines is like a different country compared to the Capital area, and it will take sometime to change.

Jasmin's annulment was delayed by a technical error, this however was resolved yesterday so we now just have to wait for the official records to be adjusted, and can finally look forward to getting married in the Spring.

Once we are married we will be returning to Europe to live in Cyprus. It will be challenging due to the financial issues, however will provide a way into the housing market before prices start rising again. Cyprus will provide better possibilities for us in the long term and provide better communications with the rest of my family in the UK.

The year did not end well for either Jasmin or my parents, with my father being admitted to hospital with a heart problem just before Christmas and Jasmin's mother suffering a heart attack on a ferry returning from Manila. both it seems will require pacemakers fitting in the new year.

2013 promises to be a landmark year with everything finally falling into place.

David Ogden
Dipolog city
+639991141149

http://seriouswealth.net

Life in Philippines

Back to work

The Philippines have a strange way of celebrating Christmas a big build up, then a day of celebration and straight back to work. I do not understand the use of fireworks to celebrate Christmas, and to be honest find them most annoying, fire crackers and banger just serve to make a noise, disturb people and frighten pets and livestock.

I can only imagine it is some Chinese tradition but would have preferred that they restricted the noise to new year and provide some colourful fireworks.

My Father spent Christmas in hospital in the UK and the rest of my family celebrated at home.

Business wise, matters are quiet at the moment, but I will be starting a new campaign in a weeks time, in the mean time its a matter of just checking and updating websites in preparation.

Hopefully we will have a meeting with our lawyer this week to continue on with the great paper chase to relocate to Europe.

David Ogden
Dipolog city
+639991141149

http://seriouswealth.net

Life in the Philippines

Christmas is coming

Christmas is just over a week away and shopping is becoming a chore, with tricycles and cars clogging up the streets, the best way about town is by mountain bike, but I have noticed lately that air pollution is getting worse, there is a definite haze in the traffic areas. Last week I delivered my Christmas promotions to the local businesses and will see if they bear fruits in the future. Ben our dog is due for his annual anti rabies shot, but the vet informed me yesterday he is out of supplies, it seems that many more people are getting their dogs vaccinated these day, hopefully he will have new stocks next week. The vet confirmed my fears that when we move to Cyprus will be too costly to take the dogs with us as they do not have microchiping or suitable blood testing to meet European standards.

The first batch of carol singers made their rounds, but we are lucky that living in a gated community most are turned away at the gate. I am still not sure of what are plans are for Christmas , Jay and his grandmother are going to Manila next week but am not sure if they will return by Christmas Day, planning and organisation goes out of the window when living in the Philippines.

Business is quietening down for the holidays the only news in this area is the announcements of a change in direction for my veretekk business as it drops its affiliate program, which mean a drop in income from January, but a promise of more to come at ht end of the year.

David Ogden
Dipolog city
+639991141149

http://seriouswealth.net

Fully Automated Stock Trading

Auto trading stocks

I was reminded yesterday about a method of trading on the stock market with little risk, it involves using the worlds first fully automatic stock trading robot Cool Trade Pro. the program has been years in the making, I ran across it about 4 years ago but the price was to high for me. Basically it is your own home based stock broker which runs on your PC during trading hours and not only suggest stock and trades to make but enters and closes them for you.

It does not matter which way the stock market moves you can make money, no longer do you need to invest long term, there are three proven built in strategies which will cover every situation with out you having to analyse pages of information and charts, it is all done for you/

What more would you want, well the company now is offering the system for sale within the MLM market so that anyone can start earning money not only from using the software but also by selling it.

For the next six days there are some special offers which have been extended and offer some $7,500 in savings provided one moves quickly take a look at http://cooltrader.seriouswealth.net and you will see what I mean.

David Ogden

Ed Mercer- 100 millionaires
Prelaunch X

Life in Philippines

Life Drifts on

Very little happening in the Philippines this past week, yes they are gearing up for Christmas a major celebration time for them. Traffic is busier in Dipolog city. They have been repainting the pedestrian crossings, not sure why because most motorists ignore them. Maybe one reason is the paint seems to wear off in a matter of days, and there are no warning signs or beacons so they are hard to see.

I learn something new yesterday as there was another 12 hour power outage and that is that the ATM's don't work unless the banks are open, it was a national holiday so banks where shut and it seems they do not have auto start generators. As I was not able to work online we decided to go shopping but that came to an end due to lack of cash. Oh the joys of being in a third world country.

Jasmin is still awaiting for a legal document to be processed, it would seem some documents went missing and we had to obtain a legal document from the post office to confirm it had been posted. We are now in December and if we do not receive some good news this month all out plans for next year are in jeopardy.

I have finally made contact with my Son after a three year gap, something was blogging wither his or my email address, his news was not good as he has been made redundant, and at the same time I have become a grandfather.

David Ogden
Dipolog city
+639991141149

http://seriouswealth.net

Life in the Philippines - Driving

Driving in the Philippines

I had to replace my Alien Registration card which meant I could not extend my visa in Dipolog city but instead had to travel to Cagayan Del Oro some six hours drive away. We set of early in the morning since the roads are quieter, however were amazed at the number of motor Tricycles and motor cycles some carrying large pannier baskets on the back but showing no rear light and often front lights with either dipped or main beam, It was a case of now you see them or now you don't and the drivers do not seem to care.

Many expats resort to employing drivers to drive their cars, because if you are involved in any kind of accident as a foreigner it is always your fault. The standards of driving are poor to say the least and even the driving instructors do not follow the rules or teach people correctly often cutting corners on junctions which means they are on the wrong side of the road.

Roadworks are virtually unmarked with no advanced warning signs apart from unlit signs men at work or deep excavation one foot in front of a trench. at nighttime one way sections of roadworks become a free for all. One reason we chose a 4*4 pickup truck rather than a car was because it provides better protection and greater visibility but even so one has to adopt defensive driving techniques watching the road as far ahead as possible for hazards.

Thanks to picking up an ambulance on an emergency run we made our outward journey in record time, tailing him at 2 seconds distance which provides a safe stopping distance no matter what speed you are travelling (as the lead vehicle passes a fixed mark you count 1 second, 2 second before you pass the same mark) Of course at time in traffic you find other drivers will cut in taking your safety distance away.

Once in Cagayan we discovered that the immigration office had moved and we got lost trying to find it new location. We asked a policeman who directed us back to where we had started so instead took us my taxi back to within 500 yards of where we had asked the policeman's help.

On the way home we managed good progress until we reached Ozamis but from there onwards was a nightmare with workers heading home and once again hundreds of unlit or badly lit vehicles, at time one had to use main beam to pick them out, added to which were pedestrians some of home sit on the edge of the tarmac outside their houses.

Hopefully we will never have to make this journey again.

David Ogden
Dipolog city
+639991141149

http://seriouswealth.net

Dipolog City - House and Lot For Sale

Original Article @ Dipolog house and Lot for Sale

We had a nasty little surprise this week when we discovered we had not paid our property tax for the year. we had received the title to our property in August, which showed that Property tax had been paid for 2011 and we assumed that that we would be informed when we were due to pay the current year tax. Never assume anything in the Philippines, apparently in Dipolog City, the Tax falls due quarterly in advance and home owners are notified by the posting of a notice outside city hall. This is fine if you happen to pass city hall and see the notice, otherwise you are in the dark. We ended up paying interest, which having become somewhat cynical, we believe is another way of making money out of people, maybe they did mail a reminder but then in a place where mail delivery is also suspect that is not the answer either.

The good news however is we have paid the property tax for 2013 as well so that the purchaser of our house will avoid the problem next year.

Till the next time

David Ogden
Dipolog City
+63659082832