Expert guidance, practical solutions, seamless transition. E636 helps expats start their new lives in the Philippines with real estate and expat services.https://e636expat.services/en-ushttps://e636expat.services/blog/1-self-employment-prepping-offshore-strategies/https://e636expat.services/blog/1-self-employment-prepping-offshore-strategies/A personal journey of rebuilding after divorce, working 80+ hour weeks, and pursuing goals of prepping, offshore strategies, and financial diversification—all while navigating the challenges of setting up life and business in the Philippines.Mon, 27 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/10-the-time-the-generator-died-during-a-typhoon/https://e636expat.services/blog/10-the-time-the-generator-died-during-a-typhoon/OK, in reality, the generator just sort of clunked out and I couldn’t get it to start again. It wasn’t quite as dramatic as the photo. Still, I like the photo's raw emotion.Thu, 04 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/11-preparing-to-move-to-ph/https://e636expat.services/blog/11-preparing-to-move-to-ph/Relocating to the Philippines offers a warm climate, friendly communities, beautiful islands, and a more affordable lifestyle than many Western countries. But like any international move, it requires careful planning.Fri, 05 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/13-dont-wait-forever-to-receive-your-acr/https://e636expat.services/blog/13-dont-wait-forever-to-receive-your-acr/Have you recently applied for an Alien Certificate of Registration (ACR / I-Card) or planning to apply? Make sure you understand the requirements and process.Sun, 07 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/12-hidden-costs-of-moving-to-the-philippines/https://e636expat.services/blog/12-hidden-costs-of-moving-to-the-philippines/Are you moving to the Philippines? Here are hidden costs that can catch you off guard.Sat, 06 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/14-top-apps-every-expat-should-download/https://e636expat.services/blog/14-top-apps-every-expat-should-download/Moving to the Philippines? Make life easier with these must-have apps!Mon, 08 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/15-whole-home-battery-backup-solutions/https://e636expat.services/blog/15-whole-home-battery-backup-solutions/So, you are living in the rural Philippines or even a more urban area and the power goes out fairly often. I touched on this topic briefly in a previous post where I was talking about recent issues with my generator. Having stable electrical power can be a challenge in an under-developed (maybe I should call it “developing”) region.Tue, 09 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/16-find-a-trusted-relocation-advisor/https://e636expat.services/blog/16-find-a-trusted-relocation-advisor/Finding a trusted expat relocation provider can save you time, money, and stress.Tue, 09 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/18-philippines-cost-of-living/https://e636expat.services/blog/18-philippines-cost-of-living/Here’s a realistic breakdown of what it takes to live comfortably in Manila and in the provinces.Fri, 12 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/17-relationship-expat-green-flags/https://e636expat.services/blog/17-relationship-expat-green-flags/Here are some signs you're dating someone real, grounded, and not trying to turn you into an ATM.Tue, 09 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/19-things-to-see-in-the-philippines/https://e636expat.services/blog/19-things-to-see-in-the-philippines/This is a practical Top 20 List of things a tourist should see in the Philippines — mixing natural wonders, culture, history, and only-in-the-Philippines experiences. No fluff, no influencer nonsense.Sun, 14 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/2-what-kind-of-expat-are-you/https://e636expat.services/blog/2-what-kind-of-expat-are-you/If you are thinking about living in the Philippines as a foreigner, it helps to know what kind of expat you might be. Everyone has a different motivation for leaving their home country. Most people fall into familiar categories, and you will probably recognize yourself in one or two of them.Mon, 10 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/21-renting-a-condo-in-the-philippines/https://e636expat.services/blog/21-renting-a-condo-in-the-philippines/About to sign a condo lease in the Philippines? Check this out.Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/20-filipino-love-for-karaoke/https://e636expat.services/blog/20-filipino-love-for-karaoke/Karaoke holds a special place in Filipino culture, functioning as a form of entertainment, social bonding, and emotional expression. More than a pastime, it is a shared experience that cuts across age, income level, and region.Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/22-water/https://e636expat.services/blog/22-water/Drinking water in the Philippines can be a problem—for locals and foreigners. If its good enough for the locals, you still may want to boil it if you are a foreigner.Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/23-internet/https://e636expat.services/blog/23-internet/There are several options available for internet access in the Philippines.Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/24-the-ber-months/https://e636expat.services/blog/24-the-ber-months/In the Philippines, the “BER months” refer to the period from September to December — so named because each month ends in “-ber.” While seemingly casual, the term marks the unofficial start of the Christmas season, which is the longest and most culturally significant holiday period in the country.Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/26-writing-a-filipino-address-correctly/https://e636expat.services/blog/26-writing-a-filipino-address-correctly/I had trouble with Filipino addresses when I first got here. So, here's a summary of what I've learned since then.Thu, 18 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/25-shopping/https://e636expat.services/blog/25-shopping/If you've lived in the United States, Western / Northern Europe, or a few other places in the last ten years, you've probably become accustomed to, if not spoiled by, online shopping plus delivery within a day, maybe a couple of hours. The situation is more complicated in the Philippines.Wed, 17 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/27-security-cameras/https://e636expat.services/blog/27-security-cameras/So, you've gone to all the trouble of building a house in the Philippines. Even with the lower cost of living, there's still a notable investment that has been made. You want it to be safe. You want to be safe while you are living there. No guarantees in life, but one common approach to improve the overal security situation is to deploy a set of security cameras.Sat, 20 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/28-fiestas/https://e636expat.services/blog/28-fiestas/Filipino fiestas are community celebrations held in towns, cities, and barangays across the Philippines. They are typically tied to a patron saint, a religious feast day, or a local historical event, and they blend Catholic tradition with pre-colonial customs, family obligation, and social display. Nearly every locality has at least one fiesta each year.Sat, 20 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/29-latest-generator-hiccup/https://e636expat.services/blog/29-latest-generator-hiccup/I was traveling for a couple of weeks in early December for work. One day after I left, the girlfriend texted me with a picture of a puddle of diesel fuel that was accumulating under the new generator we just bought two months ago. Insert profanity-laced, sarcastic tirade here.Sat, 20 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/3-choose-plan-execute/https://e636expat.services/blog/3-choose-plan-execute/Are you reading this site, this blog, dreaming of living the life of an expat (Philippines or elsewhere), but have no idea where to get started? Or, maybe you are a professional procrastinator. Or, maybe you struggle with ordering coffee in Starbucks?Mon, 03 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/30-tools/https://e636expat.services/blog/30-tools/Living in rural Philippines means one thing very quickly becomes clear -- you are your own maintenance department. Skilled labor exists, but availability, timelines, and quality vary. When something breaks, waiting days or weeks is often not an option.Sun, 21 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/31-dirty-kitchens/https://e636expat.services/blog/31-dirty-kitchens/In the Philippines, the term “dirty kitchen” doesn’t mean unsanitary. It means practical. A dirty kitchen is a secondary cooking area—usually separate from or adjacent to the main house—designed for heavy, messy, smoky, or high-heat cooking. It exists because Filipino cooking, climate, and household life make a single pristine Western-style kitchen impractical.Sat, 20 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/32-christmas-carolers/https://e636expat.services/blog/32-christmas-carolers/In the Philippines, Christmas doesn’t arrive quietly. It announces itself early—sometimes as early as September—and one of the clearest signs that the season has truly begun is the sound of children singing carols, pangangaroling, outside your gate, hoping to earn a few pesos.Sat, 20 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/33-non-human-guests-in-your-home/https://e636expat.services/blog/33-non-human-guests-in-your-home/In many parts of the Philippines, a perfectly sealed, pest-free home is not the baseline expectation. Instead, there is a widely accepted understanding that some creatures will live with you, not because of neglect, but because of climate, architecture, and cultural pragmatism.Sun, 21 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/34-parts-and-replacements-to-keep-onhand/https://e636expat.services/blog/34-parts-and-replacements-to-keep-onhand/This post outlines parts that one should have on-hand for routine maintenance and emergency repairs.Tue, 23 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/35-smoke-carbon-dioxide-detectors-fire-extinguishers/https://e636expat.services/blog/35-smoke-carbon-dioxide-detectors-fire-extinguishers/What does "finished" mean when building a house in the rural provinces?Wed, 24 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/36-car-and-motorcyle-repair-maintenance/https://e636expat.services/blog/36-car-and-motorcyle-repair-maintenance/A car or motorcycle is only as reliable as the maintenance schedule the owner follows. In the rural provinces, you are going to have almost no choice but to do these activities yourself.Sun, 21 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/38-skills-every-expat-living-in-the-rural-philppines-should-know/https://e636expat.services/blog/38-skills-every-expat-living-in-the-rural-philppines-should-know/This post completes the 'Be Your Own Maintenence Department' Series. What skills sets should you have if you are living in the rural Philippines?Thu, 25 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/37-finding-competent-professionals/https://e636expat.services/blog/37-finding-competent-professionals/There comes a moment in every expat’s rural Philippines journey when optimism dies.Thu, 25 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/39-shower-plumbing-misadventures/https://e636expat.services/blog/39-shower-plumbing-misadventures/So, about four weeks ago, I left the house and headed for Manila. The night before I left, the shower stopped working in the master bathroom.Fri, 26 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/4-online-expat-communities-and-resources/https://e636expat.services/blog/4-online-expat-communities-and-resources/If you are planning to move to the Philippines, you probably started by joining Facebook groups, browsing Reddit, or reading long forum threads at two in the morning. Online spaces can be incredibly helpful, but they can also be full of outdated information, mixed opinions, and the occasional troll who seems to be allergic to optimism.Mon, 17 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/40-tools-parts-knowledge/https://e636expat.services/blog/40-tools-parts-knowledge/This is a series of articles about being your own maintenance department to improve your overall quality of life in the provinces.Fri, 26 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/41-filipino-languages/https://e636expat.services/blog/41-filipino-languages/The Philippines is one of the most linguistically dense countries on Earth. For a relatively small land area, it manages to pack in 180+ living languages, most of them Austronesian.Fri, 26 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/42-how-to-survive-a-rolling-blackouts/https://e636expat.services/blog/42-how-to-survive-a-rolling-blackouts/Unreliable electrical utilities are a fact of life in the Philippines. If you have a reliance on electrical power (meaning, you can't have it down for hours or days, potentially weeks following a major natural disaster), you need to have a backup plan that will likely be some combination of generators, solar, and battery solutions.Fri, 26 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/43-filipino-holidays/https://e636expat.services/blog/43-filipino-holidays/This is a summary of the 2026 Filipino Holidays and special daysSat, 27 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/44-door-to-door-at-christmas-asking-for-gifts/https://e636expat.services/blog/44-door-to-door-at-christmas-asking-for-gifts/In many parts of the Philippines, especially urban poor areas and rural communities, there is a long-standing Christmas Day habit where people—often children, but also adults—go door to door asking for gifts, food, or small amounts of money. This typically happens on December 25, sometimes starting early in the morning.Sun, 28 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/45-grocery-shopping/https://e636expat.services/blog/45-grocery-shopping/Grocery shopping in the Philippines is going to be a different experience from what you are used to back home.Sun, 28 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/46-what-to-stock-up-on-in-the-rural-provinces/https://e636expat.services/blog/46-what-to-stock-up-on-in-the-rural-provinces/If you live in the rural Philippines, there are some things that you as an expat should stock up on.Mon, 29 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/47-gossiping-filipinas/https://e636expat.services/blog/47-gossiping-filipinas/A culturally accurate, non-demeaning explanation of gossip in the Philippines because this topic is real, observable, and widely acknowledged by Filipinos themselves.Mon, 29 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/48-real-estate-transactions-volume-1/https://e636expat.services/blog/48-real-estate-transactions-volume-1/Foreigners cannot own land in the Philippines. Anyone who tells you otherwise or suggests creative work-arounds is ignorant, lying, or running some kind of scam on you. If your country had been occupied for 400 years, you'd be sensitive to foreigners owning anything within your borders as well.Tue, 30 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/49-the-filipino-tricycle/https://e636expat.services/blog/49-the-filipino-tricycle/The Filipino tricycle—part transport, part engineering experiment, part rolling sociology lesson. This is the primary mode of local transportation in the rural areas.Tue, 30 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/5-scams-red-flags/https://e636expat.services/blog/5-scams-red-flags/If I had sum up all advice I could give in this area, it would be the old, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.Mon, 24 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/50-the-guests-outside-your-home/https://e636expat.services/blog/50-the-guests-outside-your-home/Witness the unofficial wildlife of the rural Philippines; feral dogs, semi-feral cats, chickens that have achieved full philosophical detachment from human authority, and cows following the sacred art of going nowhere very slowly. Let’s take the grand tour.Wed, 31 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/51-us-culture-vs-filipino-culture/https://e636expat.services/blog/51-us-culture-vs-filipino-culture/From an attitude and cultural perspective, the United States and the Philippines are in different places, physically and spiritually. What's the best strategy for long-term success for the American expat living in the Philippines?Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/52-european-vs-filipino-culture/https://e636expat.services/blog/52-european-vs-filipino-culture/Let's explore cultural differences between Northern / Western Europeans and the Philippines.Fri, 02 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/53-expat-rural-philippines-bug-out-bag/https://e636expat.services/blog/53-expat-rural-philippines-bug-out-bag/Here's a Philippines-specific 72-hour bug-out bag loadout, written for an expat in a rural coastal or near-coastal area evacuating due to tsunami or similar sudden natural disaster.Fri, 02 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/54-expats-filipinos-friends-family-borrowing-money/https://e636expat.services/blog/54-expats-filipinos-friends-family-borrowing-money/Never lend informallySat, 03 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/55-new-years-fireworks-karaoke/https://e636expat.services/blog/55-new-years-fireworks-karaoke/New Years in the Philippines means lots of food, karaoke until dawn, and lots of fireworks all day--and, all night. We actually slept from earlier evening to just before midnight. Then, it was time for dinner. Shortly after that, karaoke started.Fri, 09 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/57-my-favorite-restaurant/https://e636expat.services/blog/57-my-favorite-restaurant/Filling Station Bar & Cafe on Burgos Street in Makati — one of Manila’s most talked-about retro diners and night-owl hangouts. A tribute to my favorite restaurant in Manila.Mon, 12 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/58-health-insurance-options-for-expats-philippines/https://e636expat.services/blog/58-health-insurance-options-for-expats-philippines/Let's talk about health insurance options for expats in the Philippines.Fri, 16 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/59-inch-bag/https://e636expat.services/blog/59-inch-bag/There are always unlikely edge cases. A once in a millinium (eon?) tsunami, earthquake much stronger than usual (for the Philippines), war / invasion, use your imagination. For the last one, hanging around in country is probably a bad idea in any scenario. For the larger, natural disasters that directly impact your area, there are variables that are hard to plan for, but there are plenty of conceivable scenarios where the smart move is going to be to leave your home and probably leave the country.Sat, 17 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/56-mailboxes-american-expats/https://e636expat.services/blog/56-mailboxes-american-expats/An American living outside the United States is generally going to need some way of receiving domestic United States Postal Service mail within the USA. There are several options for how to do this.Sat, 10 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/6-thinking-of-moving-to-the-philippines/https://e636expat.services/blog/6-thinking-of-moving-to-the-philippines/Here's what no one tells you...Sun, 30 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/60-income-inequality-filipino-edition/https://e636expat.services/blog/60-income-inequality-filipino-edition/Let's talk about income inequality in the Philippines, contrasted with trends in the United States, including why the perception that the Philippines is worse holds water--and where the nuance lies.Sat, 17 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/61-the-state-of-philippines-healthcare/https://e636expat.services/blog/61-the-state-of-philippines-healthcare/Healthcare in the Philippines is a mixed system — part public, part private — with large differences in quality, access, and cost depending on where you live and how much you (or your insurer) are willing to pay.Tue, 20 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/62-us-phone-number-while-living-abroad/https://e636expat.services/blog/62-us-phone-number-while-living-abroad/A practical breakdown of the main ways a U.S. person can keep or obtain a U.S. phone number while living overseas, with pros, cons, and best-fit use cases.Wed, 21 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/63-filipino-martial-arts-and-where-to-learn/https://e636expat.services/blog/63-filipino-martial-arts-and-where-to-learn/When people think of martial arts, they often picture karate dojos in Japan or Muay Thai gyms in Thailand. What’s frequently overlooked is that the Philippines has one of the most practical, combat-tested martial traditions in the world—collectively known as Filipino Martial Arts (FMA).Thu, 22 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/64-taxes-for-foreigners-in-the-philippines/https://e636expat.services/blog/64-taxes-for-foreigners-in-the-philippines/Taxes for foreigners and expats can be complex in any country. The Filipino love for paperwork and beauracracy takes it to another level. There are edge cases that can get you.Fri, 23 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/65-technology-for-expats/https://e636expat.services/blog/65-technology-for-expats/This is a collection of blog posts describing how to use common technologies and services while abroadSat, 24 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/66-srrv-visa-2026/https://e636expat.services/blog/66-srrv-visa-2026/The SRRV is a long-term residency visa issued by the Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA). Despite the name, it’s not strictly limited to “retirees” in the traditional sense—many holders are under 50 and still actively managing businesses or investments abroad.Sat, 24 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/67-extending-tourist-visa-2026/https://e636expat.services/blog/67-extending-tourist-visa-2026/US passport holders can typically enter the Philippines for 30-days, visa-free on arrival. From a practical perspective, you are issued a 30-day tourist visa with minimal requirements. The tourist visa extensions are fairly straightforward. Many people opt to do the renewal themselves, but our firm can assist with it as well if you are more comfortable with that approach.Sat, 24 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/68-visa-services-2026/https://e636expat.services/blog/68-visa-services-2026/A collection of blog posts describing various visa options for the Philippines.Sun, 25 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/69-rural-philippines-infrastructure/https://e636expat.services/blog/69-rural-philippines-infrastructure/When you think about the Philippines, images of powder-white beaches and high-rise skylines might come to mind first. But for millions of Filipinos—and for the growing community of expats living outside the major cities—the backbone of life is in the rural provinces. Here, infrastructure isn’t just about convenience; it’s about access to education, healthcare, economic opportunity, and basic dignity.Sun, 25 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/7-discover-the-top-1o-expat-friendly-cities/https://e636expat.services/blog/7-discover-the-top-1o-expat-friendly-cities/Whether you’re relocating for work, retirement, business, or remote living, choosing the right city makes all the difference.Sat, 29 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/70-digital-privacy-for-expats/https://e636expat.services/blog/70-digital-privacy-for-expats/Living abroad is freeing. New country, new routines, new systems. But, here's the part most expats don't realize until it's too late--you become more digitally exposed the moment you leave your home country.Sun, 25 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/71-acr-acceptable-form-of-id-airlines-domestic/https://e636expat.services/blog/71-acr-acceptable-form-of-id-airlines-domestic/Can an Alien Certificate of Registration (ACR) I-Card be used by an expat to board a domestic flight in the Philippines?Mon, 26 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/72-extending-your-tourist-visa-while-living-in-the-rural-philippines/https://e636expat.services/blog/72-extending-your-tourist-visa-while-living-in-the-rural-philippines/So, during my first long-term stay in the Philippines on a regular tourist visa, I wanted to stay about three months. To do that I needed to extend my tourist visa. I was at the house in the rural Philippines. So, the closest BI office is a few hours drive away. This was a while ago before I had learned aboout how the Filipino immigration system works. So, I hired an immigration firm to take care of it for me.Thu, 29 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/73-vpns-and-expats/https://e636expat.services/blog/73-vpns-and-expats/For expats living abroad, a Virtual Private Network (VPN) is less about secrecy and more about functionality, access, and stability. Whether you’re dealing with government portals, banks, streaming services, or everyday browsing on questionable Wi-Fi, a VPN often becomes part of your digital survival kit.Wed, 28 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/74-spousal-visa-2026/https://e636expat.services/blog/74-spousal-visa-2026/If you’re married to a Filipino citizen and planning to live in the Philippines long-term, the 13A Non-Quota Immigrant Visa (commonly called the spousal visa) is the path that turns you from “perpetual tourist” into a legal resident.Mon, 02 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/75-sirv-visa-2026/https://e636expat.services/blog/75-sirv-visa-2026/If you want Philippine residency without being married to a Filipino and without renewing tourist visas forever, the SIRV is one of the cleanest legal paths available.Sun, 01 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/76-realestate-shinanigans-part-2/https://e636expat.services/blog/76-realestate-shinanigans-part-2/This blog post chronicles the multi-year effort to obtain clean titles for the four lots of land we bought that make up our small farm.Wed, 11 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/77-plan-b-and-the-philippines/https://e636expat.services/blog/77-plan-b-and-the-philippines/For a growing number of Westerners, 'Plan B' no longer means a vacation home or a retirement fantasy. It means something more practical. The Philippines can be part of that plan.Wed, 04 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/78-for-the-love-of-notary-public-services/https://e636expat.services/blog/78-for-the-love-of-notary-public-services/If you’ve spent any time dealing with Philippine government offices, banks, utilities, or even private corporations, you’ve likely encountered a familiar refrain -- “Sir/Ma’am, this needs to be notarized.”Mon, 09 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/8-starting-a-business-common-pitfalls/https://e636expat.services/blog/8-starting-a-business-common-pitfalls/Thinking of starting a business in the Philippines? Many expat entrepreneurs fall into the same pitfalls.Tue, 02 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/80-philippines-international-schools/https://e636expat.services/blog/80-philippines-international-schools/Choosing an international school in the Philippines is one of the biggest decisions expat families make. Quality education that’s recognized internationally, especially with US or European accreditation and curricula, can ease transitions between countries and help with future university placement abroad. International schools here typically offer English-medium instruction, globally recognized programs like IB (International Baccalaureate), US-style standards, British and other European systems, and a diverse, multinational student community.Sat, 07 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/79-real-estate-series/https://e636expat.services/blog/79-real-estate-series/A collection of blog posts describing real estate transactions in the Philippines.Mon, 09 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/81-digital-nomad-visa-2026/https://e636expat.services/blog/81-digital-nomad-visa-2026/If you’ve been eyeing the beaches of Philippines while answering Slack messages and cashing overseas invoices, you’re not alone.Sat, 14 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/82-finding-a-fedex-shipping-location-in-tacloban/https://e636expat.services/blog/82-finding-a-fedex-shipping-location-in-tacloban/So, a few days ago, I had to go to Tacloban to mail some documents. At the risk of revealing what part of the Philippines I live in, that was the closest city that had a Fedex shipping location. Things did not go as planned.Tue, 17 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/83-data-protection-and-personal-privacy-philippines/https://e636expat.services/blog/83-data-protection-and-personal-privacy-philippines/Many people will tell you that privacy is dead in the modern age. I think that's a pessimistic view of the world. Yes, you've got to put some work into it, but a reasonable level of privacy can be achieved. Of course, it depends upon which country we are talking about. This blog is mainly focused on North American and EU-based audiences. So, what laws and regulations exist in the Philippines to protect citizens and residents' data and privacy?Mon, 16 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/84-how-the-usd-2-php-has-changed-while-building-the-house/https://e636expat.services/blog/84-how-the-usd-2-php-has-changed-while-building-the-house/During the time we have been buying land and building our house here in the rural Philippines, the foreign exchange (FOREX) rate between the US Dollar (USD) and Filipino Peso (PHP) changed about 15% in our favor. That made buying the land and paying for the house to be built cheaper by around $25K USD. Which is awesome.Wed, 25 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/85-ups-batteries-it-equipment-outage/https://e636expat.services/blog/85-ups-batteries-it-equipment-outage/I've recently had to work my way through a couple of technical glitches in my power systems.Sun, 01 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/86-philippines-energy-crisis/https://e636expat.services/blog/86-philippines-energy-crisis/The ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran has triggered what may be the most significant global energy disruption since the 1970s. At the center of the crisis is the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow maritime chokepoint responsible for transporting roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply. For highly import-dependent nations like the Philippines, the consequences have been immediate and severe.Wed, 25 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/87-gates-rusting-after-a-year/https://e636expat.services/blog/87-gates-rusting-after-a-year/A year ago, we had iron gates installed with a pattern that the girlfriend liked. This replaced a temporary set of gates that was installed by the original construction crew using cocolumber and sheet metal.Sun, 15 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/88-locks-rusting/https://e636expat.services/blog/88-locks-rusting/News Flash: Metal Locks + Tropical Heat + 85% Humidity + Salty Sea air = Rusted, Non-Functioning Lock In About Six Months.Sun, 08 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/89-solar-project-2026/https://e636expat.services/blog/89-solar-project-2026/If you live in the rural Philippine provinces, trying to maintain reliable, highly available power systems for your home can be a frustrating and expensive proposition.Tue, 07 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/9-things-that-surprise-foreigners/https://e636expat.services/blog/9-things-that-surprise-foreigners/Here are the biggest culture shocks expats experience when they arrive. 👀Wed, 03 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://e636expat.services/blog/91-water-well-part-2/https://e636expat.services/blog/91-water-well-part-2/I wasn't in the Philippines when our well was originally dug. The girlfriend took a couple of pictures, but didn't save them. So, I didn't have any good pictures of the local crew digging ou r well. Fortunately, my girlfriend's sister bought land near our house and is building a house.Mon, 13 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT