What is life like in the Philippines?

I was born, raised, and probably will live to old age here in the Philippines.

I am 21 and in my early age I live in the small but progressive city of Cagayan de Oro, so far away from Manila. Our city has all the modern amenities you could ask for, but unlike the larger, more highly urbanized cities like Manila and Cebu, the pace of life here is much more relaxed. I come from a middle income family. One thing you should know is that the middle class of the Philippines continues to expand due to the improvement of economic conditions.

To give you a better idea of ​​how to live in the Philippines as a Filipino, it is better to describe the most important aspects of life here:

• jobs and livelihoods,

• living expenses,

• and transportation.

Work and livelihood

Most Filipinos get their high school diplomas. That being said, our education system desperately needs an overhaul. Despite graduating from high school, many Filipinos still find it difficult to find good jobs because they lack analytical and expert skills for knowledge-based jobs. This is why many settle for jobs in the service and manufacturing industries.

College and university education is expensive so only those in the upper middle class and those who are privileged can get higher education.

Previously, the government provided scholarships to deserving but poor students. However, the government's strategy has shifted to improving the quality of state-run universities and colleges, making it possible for many Filipinos to get a free college education.

That said, the Philippines still needs to change its investment policies to encourage new companies to set up and create new jobs. There is a strong opposition to mining and exploitation of resources given the fact that our country is one of the most devastated disasters in the world. This means that the government must prioritize the developing industries that focus on the strength of the Filipinos - creativity, innovation, and love of hard work. One such industry is Information Communication Technology and Business Process Outsourcing. The other is in tourism. “Sunshine” industries can help quickly monitor economic growth if the education system is seriously improved to match the growing demand for skilled workers.

You will see many Filipinos with lower educational attainments working in offices as clerical staff. College graduates typically work as experts in private companies, or as BPO employees. Many young professionals such as engineers, nurses, architects, and computer programmers gain experience before traveling abroad to any of Singapore, the Middle East, US, New Zealand. Many often settle there later. Most of these Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) come from poor families and graduate as low-wage earners in more advanced countries and have worked for many years, sometimes under impossible conditions, just to send money to support their families returning to the Philippines. Some Filipinos do not earn college degrees working in factories and industrial parks, aging machinery or electronics.

Cost of living

As the average wage in the Philippines rises, so does the value of goods. Despite being an agricultural country in the Philippines, the level of productivity of our farmland and agricultural sector cannot match the growing population and demand for food. As a result, we import food staples such as rice from our neighbors in Southeast Asia.

A middle class family of five living in the provinces can expect to spend up to Php1,000 (USD 20) per day on food and water. Rental or amortization can cost between PHP 15,000 to PHP 30,000 (USD 300 - 1,000) per month. Private school-related expenses, including tuition fees, allowances, and books and supplies can cost approximately PHP 5,000 (USD 100) per child. If a family owns a car, expect a monthly amortization costing between PHP 15,000 to PHP 30,000 (USD 300 - 600).

Transportation

Living in the provinces can be a blessing and a curse, depending on how well the roads are built and how often local transportation is used. The most popular and iconic mode of public transportation is the Jeepney, a small bus-style vehicle styled by American military jeeps. These "kings of the road" can accommodate up to 20 people. They walk the national highway and roads and connect business areas with each other. The average fare is PHP 8 (USD 16c). Next is the "tricycle" or a motorized pedicab. Importantly, a motorcycle with a full covered sidecar that can fit 3-4 passengers. It is mainly used on smaller, secondary roads connecting national roads to housing subdivisions, etc. Fares are the same as jeepneys. Buses (40 passengers, PHP 100 / USD 2) and vans (15 passengers)

Living in the Philippines requires a lot of patience due to the unreliable nature of transportation and infrastructure. Perhaps this is the main reason why Filipinos have become strong. This is certainly not a reason to allow basic infrastructure and services to remain the same, but as long as Filipinos are more aware and involved in all aspects of governance, we can expect more of the same.

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All images attached is from google.com