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 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

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

Life in Philippines

Financial shock

This month my pension payment was reduced for some reason and caused a worrisome time. I was wondering is there had been a change in the UK to reduce pensions. It made be realise that I need to find an additional source of income to protect me in the future. Happily it has been resolved it was an administration error and after speaking to the UK tax office it will be corrected in the next payment/

I have not been able to afloat since moving to the Philippines so now I am trying my hand at virtual sailing in the Vendee Globe around the world race. Tactics and reading the weather are the keys to success, At the moment I am in the chasing pack closing in slowly on a group ahead who have run into lighter winds. I am hoping to catch the front of a new low pressure system to get me to the first ice gate off South Africa. The only problem being is that when I arrive it could be a windless area and many people being me will be closing on my heels. the highest position i have been is 100 but I dropped back to 130 due to a computer outage and am now clawing my way back currently in 109.

My computer outage was caused by a typhoon passing across Mindanao, thankfully only a few 100 people lost their lives compared to over a thousand last year as they had warnings to get into shelter. These typhoons are part of the change in global weather patterns and it is always the poor and ill-informed that seen to suffer.

David Ogden
Dipolog city
+639991141149

http://seriouswealth.net

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