Cyclone Dispalced Fiancée: $ of Supporting in Cebu, & Refugee Question.

[LucidDreams 1]

My Fiancee is from Sta. Elena, Sta Rita, Samar. She was house sitting in Tacloban for her cousin when the cyclone hit. As I understand, her hometown was destroyed (I hear over 15 ft in water) by the cyclone Haiyun / Yolanda. In Tacloban, she hid under a small part of roof that reminaed in the house, and survived on the stored food and water for 3 or 4 days until rescue teams We all can see how devasted Tacloban is from all of the images they've shown on the media. She texts me now and then when she can, but there is not always a signal and her cell phone loses battery life quickly. Rescue forces have taken her to Ormoc, where she has access to food water and sometimes to charge her cell. Last night she stated that Tacloban is 18 ft high in water.

First, despite this tragedy, I'm happy that she survived! She was lucky to be in Tacloban house sitting instead staying in her hometown, which seems far worse off.

Second, unforuntely, despite her best efforts, she has yet to make contact with anybody that she knows except myself here in the states. (I keep a cell phone with a Phils sim card in it to make texting me super easy). We hope that her entire family survived and are simply unable to contact, but fear that... well you know. She now has no home, no known surviving family members, only myself.

She is searching for her family members for one more day, then heading to Cebu. She asked me if I would support her, and of course I will. Otherwise, due to the cyclone she has nothing. I will support her until she joins me in the USA once the K1 Visa is finished.

Where we are on the Visa process: the I-129F was recently confirmed as received two weeks ago on November 1st.

My first question is, how much does it cost to support a single Filipina in Cebu? I understand that it will vary depending on various factors, but I serioiusly need some numbers to calculate my finances. While I have a good job (nurse, LPN), I only work part time as I'm going to school full time so I can have even a better job in May (getting my RN).

One the one had, I hear that a family of 5 can be supported for $180 (a factoid from cebuanas.com, where we met). "An average Filipino family that has five members needs a monthly income of Php7,600 ($180.95) to breach poverty line, according to National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB). " On the other had, I hear that a single person living in the Phils needs at leat $500 a month just for the basics. There is a big difference between supporting five for $180, and supporting one for $500. What's the real likely cost for rent, utlities, food, etc.? I was looking at http://www.rent.ph/ to get some ideas but this is all making my head spin.

The goal is to support her until she get her K1 visa and live with me happily ever after. Also, is Cebu the best city for this?

My second question, is there any sort of way she can come to the U.S. earlier than the K-1 visa processes related to otherwise being homeless related to her entire town being destroyed, submerged and unlivable (no power, no electricity, thousands of diseased dead bodies everywhere, etc.) as a result of a Natural Disaster with no known surviing family members to take her in? Any kind of U.S.A. or International Refugee program (or something like that, not sure what it would be called) that could likely help bring her to the U.S. now while she waits for the K1 visa?

Thank you in advance!

Edited November 14, 2013 by LucidDreams

[LucidDreams 1]

Or, am I mistaken and there will be financial aid to help support her and all of these countless victims until they get back on their feet? What happens to the millions of affected souls who do not have any individual to help them? Will the Phils government or international community support all of these countless displaced people until they can support themselves again?

[Bugs 455]

Sheesh. My apologies and condolences. Keep both of your heads up, no matter what happens, as you have each other. She needs you more than ever before, and you are doing a great job of being there for her.

I'm guessing your K-1 process will take roughly 3-4 months at the going rate these days. The first thing that concerns me is a new mailing address for her that they will need, although one can go through it without having to receive anything via mail. That aside, I don't think there is any way you can speed up the process. You might be able to convince USCIS so speed up the I-129F petition, but they are getting approved in mere weeks these days, so it's not really worth the effort.

Cost of living. I really cannot tell you. It's hard to say. I'm guessing $500 a month might work. I'm also that it might be wise to have her move to Manila while you support her, so she can easily go through the K-1 process and get all her needed paperwork and the medical done, CFO, etc. (not to mention a new passport, NSO birth certificate, and things that might have been lost in the typhoon?) That might speed things up too.

Edited November 14, 2013 by Leon & Mylen

[icedblu15 5]

Hello LucidDreams, sorry for what happened , all that matters is that she survived and looking forward to be with her in few months time, IMHO $180 /month is not enough to support 5, lets say cost of living in the province is cheaper than when you live in the city, i live alone in Manila but $180 is not enough to cover my basic necessities here, the reason i work hard to support my family as well in the province and to cover all that i need, but i think $180 - $200 will still be okay for one or 2 in the province and it depends on how good she is in spending money.

Good Luck.

[Greenbaum 12,259]

I support my fiancee on about 400 to 500$USD a month. That's rent. Cable. Landline. Internet. Water, food and college and grade school tuition for mom, daughter, son and Lola. For your fiancee count on $300 to $350 less if she is a good stewart of your money.

Good luck and may God bless you an easier road for what you are now facing.

[kev_n_jena 89]

In 2007 my wife lived on P5000/ month in a boarding house where she paid about P1000 rent. That included internet and a small load for phone. We figure that a single person can live in a small province town for P10,000/$250 usd. now providing they find a good deal on rent.

[LucidDreams 1]

Okay, now I have a better idea of the price range. It looks like it will cost between $200 to $350 per month, which is definitely okay.

[roseann01 2]

I dont think its true that a family of 5 can be supported by $150. You may need around $300-$350 per month to support her when she is living in the city.

[altonbebe 48]

You cannot support a family of 5 on that amount unless they are supplimenting it.

Here is my budget per month.

Rent : 18000 peso ( metro manila - 2 bedroom condo)

phone / internet : 4410 pesos ( best broadband you can get from PLDT)

electric : 2500 to 8000 pesos ( upper end when I am there)

condo service fees : 2000 pesos

These are real figures in Manila.

These do not include food, transportation, or cell phone cost.

This is for a 2 bedroom condo with 2 AC units, hot water heater for shower, kitchen (no dishwasher), with FULL SIZE fridgerator.

Hope this helps you out.

I think in light of what is happening there now, you really should budget $ 500.00 / month. Remember the rule of supply / demand. Rent will start going up in that region. Not to mention, cell phone prepay cards get expensive.

[kev_n_jena 89]

You cannot support a family of 5 on that amount unless they are supplimenting it.

Here is my budget per month.

Rent : 18000 peso ( metro manila - 2 bedroom condo)

phone / internet : 4410 pesos ( best broadband you can get from PLDT)

electric : 2500 to 8000 pesos ( upper end when I am there)

condo service fees : 2000 pesos

These are real figures in Manila.

These do not include food, transportation, or cell phone cost.

This is for a 2 bedroom condo with 2 AC units, hot water heater for shower, kitchen (no dishwasher), with FULL SIZE fridgerator.

Hope this helps you out.

I think in light of what is happening there now, you really should budget $ 500.00 / month. Remember the rule of supply / demand. Rent will start going up in that region. Not to mention, cell phone prepay cards get expensive.

I know families of 5 or 6 making it on less than $200 usd per month that own their property (no rent), in small province towns. It's not easy but it can be done.

[Bugs 455]

You cannot support a family of 5 on that amount unless they are supplimenting it.

Here is my budget per month.

Rent : 18000 peso ( metro manila - 2 bedroom condo)

phone / internet : 4410 pesos ( best broadband you can get from PLDT)

electric : 2500 to 8000 pesos ( upper end when I am there)

condo service fees : 2000 pesos

These are real figures in Manila.

These do not include food, transportation, or cell phone cost.

This is for a 2 bedroom condo with 2 AC units, hot water heater for shower, kitchen (no dishwasher), with FULL SIZE fridgerator.

Hope this helps you out.

I think in light of what is happening there now, you really should budget $ 500.00 / month. Remember the rule of supply / demand. Rent will start going up in that region. Not to mention, cell phone prepay cards get expensive.

Yes, you are on the high end. People can survive on less.

[icedblu15 5]

You cannot support a family of 5 on that amount unless they are supplimenting it.

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Here is my budget per month.

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Rent : 18000 peso ( metro manila - 2 bedroom condo)

phone / internet : 4410 pesos ( best broadband you can get from PLDT)

electric : 2500 to 8000 pesos ( upper end when I am there)

condo service fees : 2000Â pesos

Â

These are real figures in Manila.

These do not include food, transportation, or cell phone cost.

Â

This is for a 2 bedroom condo with 2 AC units, hot water heater for shower, kitchen (no dishwasher), with FULL SIZE fridgerator.

Â

Hope this helps you out.

Â

I think in light of what is happening there now, you really should budget $ 500.00 / month. Remember the rule of supply / demand. Rent will start going up in that region. Not to mention, cell phone prepay cards get expensive.

You are on a high end.. i live in Manila as well, and yeah 18k condo if ypu live around eastwood.ortigas or makati..

[icedblu15 5]

My actual expense in Manila, 10 minutes to libis, eastwood is only $100 that includes rent and utilities expenses.. that is with a.c and shower too

[moonlightdreams 0]

500 is too much, 200 is enough for one person and that would fetch the electricity groceries and clothes the ones she lost.

i worked online before my salary was just 12500 (350 dollars?) a month and i paid for the electricity groceries and a little bit set aside for my needs. i lived in the south, davao, but it is a city and not a province. province is a lot lot cheaper, nothing to go to,nothing to buy, nothing to do.

someone mentioned eastwood libis, that is in manila, a different issue altogether. kind of like comparing new york lifestyle to some small towns/cities in the u.s.

Edited November 17, 2013 by moonlightdreams

[TripleG 3]

I concur with the $200 to $300 range per month. I base this off what an SM mall worker brings home. My wife worked at Cebu SM before and she brought home 12,000 php per month, as of right now that would be about $279.00 USD. She could make it on less. A single room, shared bathroom boarding house can be had for 2000 to 2600 per month if you look hard enough. Less per month for just bed space. Food is minimal expense. She could probablly find a job to help supplement.

Also the $150 USD figure for a family of 5 is accurate if its in the province, in a Nipa Hut with no electricity, no running water (yay! river baths) and they walk everywhere. Its tight but people do it. My wife was raised like this in the mountains of Negros Oriental (1/2 Negrito). They gathered bannanas, kumungay, grew corn, raised their own chickens and goats and her dad fished a lot. When your that poor rice is a delicacy. Bottom line is it can be done, but its a different type of lifestyle.