Things you found strange about the Philippines

[marizzacdo 4]

anybody can buy alcohol drinks regardless of the age, no ID required

speeding is normal

traffic is very bad

not so much traffic lights

[Thunderstruck 1]

Love this thread...

• Plastic Surgery Offices in the Mall
• Drinking soft drinks from a plastic bag with a straw
• 10-12 people on a single motorcycle with a single sidecar (Have photos somewhere!)
• The roosters crowing at 4am or earlier (not only in the Provinces!)
• about 1000 minnows cooked whole and served to me in a pile for breakfast with rice and fruit
• Ads for jobs posted with precise age and gender requirements
• 10-packs of American brand cigarettes
• Coconut juice fermented in the coconuts and on the tree, drained and enjoyed
• Eating coconut and palm trees (yes the wood from the heart of the tree)
• A store in the front of most houses on any street
• 3 employees at every checkout register in a department store or supermarket
• The baggers neatly tie all the plastic bags closed using parts of the bag I never knew had a use here in the USA
• Taxis don't run on gasoline
• Gasoline is the only thing more expensive in the Philippines than the USA except parmesan cheese (That I saw)
• More public transportation vehicles on the roads than private vehicles, even in the Province
• You can travel from island to island to island without getting off the bus

[Derbo/Yamkins 4]

10-packs of American brand cigarettes

I saw eggs packaged inside reused cigarette cartons, which by the way weren't refrigerated. I don't think I had ever seen non-refrigerated eggs before then

...well I had... they were just on a farm, not a grocery store!

[gretchen_darren 67]

not being able to buy in bulk

no refridgerated items

no frozen fods

cleaning products sold in single use packages

laundry soap sold in single use packets.

almost as many aisles devoted to cleaning supplies as to food

fresh baked good everywhere

canned milk

taxis paying to use the "downtown" district circle road

walking across road at your own risk.... no one stops

walking beside road at own risk... even the side of the road is used sometimes to drive on.

Trucks parked on the road

Villages having the road blocked in one direction to limit or slow down two way traffic.

ALWAYS ALWAYS keep ALL body parts inside the vehicle. Stay away from the edges of the vehicle, Especially when moving.

[~happyndinlove~ 540]

not being able to buy in bulk

no refridgerated items

no frozen fods

cleaning products sold in single use packages

laundry soap sold in single use packets.

Obviously, you haven't gone to a big grocery stores.

Where? Go figure.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Squatters living on top of highway sound walls.

Armed guards opening doors for you.

Wrought iron security gates locked at night but back doors left open all night.

No maid service unless requested.

Laundry never completely dry.

Water smells septic.

Cockroaches everywhere.

No unsweetened tea, or anything for that matter.

Kenny Rogers Restaurants.

Nothing that can be recognized as beef.

[Ran4jenny 3]

This truly is a fun thread, thought I'd jump in on the action

The lack of safety (from jeepneys and the way they would end of with the passengers hurt if accident, to the motorbike with babies on them on headgear etc)

Kids boys 7 years old looking like a baby with no underwear or pampers in a few cases (yes parents was there)

Still Jeepneys price compared to a taxi, needless to say I fell in love with JEEPNEYS

Real Silverware, not plastic in Fast Food places

Portion Sizes (a super size was a medium here) hey just like clothes sizes comparison heck everything is smaller

No trash cans in their, but also bus boys for that real silverware

How friendly the staff was in all the stores and everywhere (starting with the airline), yet despite being taught english very young could not understand me therefore making an otherwise great customer service experience tough until she translated for me

Old fashion style quaint movie theatres

Church and state getting along peacefully like someone else mentioned

Still arcades like from the 80's and 90's but add the wonderful Videoke

Better little kid play areas in Malls

The stands in Malls fixing cell phones (where here there is few and the few that are around don't fix the cell they send it somewhere if you are lucky for a price you might as well buy a new one)

Street boys (kids hustling for anything in the city, with no parents) (no orphanage or foster care - WHERE IS ANGELINA JOLIE )Seriously sad not funny I wanted to help more but my fiancee told me they would swarm me and not give up til Im broke if i did that

Amount of Stray dogs

Porn sold in areas with children around alot

Toilet paper scarce and thin due too the sensitive sanitation system (not alot of real cr I used there I used more usa style but still different)

I know this one has been used many times (rice in every fast food place as only side item) I just had to give special honor to that one because that was when I KNEW for sure I was no longer in kansas Dorothy

Skin whitening commercials (before there I knew about it, but here it would be appalling to the black community to see those, for me I'm open minded and understand how and why they are so popular

No facial hair for men (I read about how they view beards before though)

Even that far from home the Korean still dominated nail salons and Chinese had hair places Some things never change

Prices once converted (so cheap) in Giasino City dept store I bought my daughter 60 items of clothes for under $200 usd

The fact that prices was cheap most places accept some alot of mall retail stores and Gas prices converted No wonder alot dont have cars

Being the only black gut there on my entire trip (I saw a few kano, but none african american) Also, just a few Americans One very friendly one in Jollibee on day 1

ALso not being stared at like I expected being the only black guy there (I'm lighter complexed , so as my fiancee said most just assumed I was part Pinoy) only samll kids looked twice

Once again safety hazards just everywhere

[BJZags 17]

The urine running across the sidewalk into the street . . .

No Kidding. In the province, the guys will just whip it out any old place and let it trickle! Pretty crazy if you ask me.

[Removed-02242014 19]

It's illegal to ride without a helmet.

False!

NOT SO ... I RODE ALL OVER NEGROS ORIENTAL AS DID THE WHOLE ISLAND....WITH NO HELMET. ONLY CEBU AND LUZON HAVE HELMET LAWS

[gretchen_darren 67]

Obviously, you haven't gone to a big grocery stores.

Where? Go figure.

I was in BOTH gingoog city and Butuan -- Guisano Mall. The only BIG item I could find was 3 Gallon water jugs besides HUGE bags of rice.

Plastic chairs considered a big modern convenience.

Beds are optional.

A/C is not everywhere. Stores have large openings to allow air to flow. those stores with A/C have it set to a higher temp (about 82F).

73F to 78F is cold in Philippines.

Parties never end. they pick up where they left off the night before.

An unescorted Kano is open season for ALL girls interested in marriage plus ALL guys are trying to set you up with their sister, cousin, niece, some female family member, etc.

Hotels change policies for Kanos expect things to change just for you and NOT for the better.

[~happyndinlove~ 540]

NOT SO ... I RODE ALL OVER NEGROS ORIENTAL AS DID THE WHOLE ISLAND....WITH NO HELMET. ONLY CEBU AND LUZON HAVE HELMET LAWS

Do you really have to use all "CAPS"? Did it make you feel better and stronger about yourself? Coz I thought I just heard my grandpa screaming at me.

And NO. The helmet law is not only in the Luzon and Cebu area but it is also a "strict" law in our province. It may not a "National Law" in Negros (and others) but it is a "Mandatory Helmet Law" in the (whole) Philippines.

Edited August 1, 2011 by ~happyndinlove~

[~happyndinlove~ 540]

I was in BOTH gingoog city and Butuan -- Guisano Mall. The only BIG item I could find was 3 Gallon water jugs besides HUGE bags of rice.

Well, Gaisano Mall is not a big mall. But you can still buy a BIG gallons of laundry (and other) stuffs from their store.

[gretchen_darren 67]

I am comparing bulk buying to that of America, cases of canned goods, cases of water, etc. Those I could not find..... Gallons yes. but that is not "bulk" items.

[Dan and Judy 614]

http://www.motorcyclephilippines.com/articles/philippines-traffic-vehicle-law-violations-and-corresponding-penalties/

according to this site there is a law against riding without a helmet. see bottom of #42. It is probably one of the laws that is enforced when the cop wants to nail you with something.

there are lots of people driving without helmets.

however inspite of the heat, the Phillipines is one place I would want to wear a helmet, even when walking down the street

[Ran4jenny 3]

Hotels change policies for Kanos expect things to change just for you and NOT for the better.

You aint kidding!

I found this out the hard way. On every site I could find when searching for my hotel said they offered free breakfast every morning. As soon as I arrive I was informed no free breakfast with no explanation. Yet, everything else I talked about was always strictly spoken about with the clerk able to recite some policy or another. I think the only reason my price for the villa didn't change was because I locked that in on my reservation.