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Taiwantroll
Joined: 10 Sep 2006
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 Posted: Thu Jun 28, 2007 9:15 pm Post subject: Money in the Philippines |
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Hello,
I will be going on vacation for 3 weeks in the Philippines in August and I don't know what to do about money. I want to bring about $1000 - 1500, but how do I bring it? I don't want to bring cash in case I am robbed. And my Korean bank account is not accessible outside of Korea, or at least that is what I am told. So how do I do it?
Taiwantroll |
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ajgeddes
Joined: 28 Apr 2004
Location: Yongsan
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| Posted: Thu Jun 28, 2007 9:24 pm Post subject: |
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| I would take more money than that. Unless you are going to stay in cheap hotels, you will go over that. |
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Tiger Beer
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2007 12:07 am Post subject: Re: Money in the Philippines |
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| Taiwantroll wrote: |
Hello,
I will be going on vacation for 3 weeks in the Philippines in August and I don't know what to do about money. I want to bring about $1000 - 1500, but how do I bring it? I don't want to bring cash in case I am robbed. And my Korean bank account is not accessible outside of Korea, or at least that is what I am told. So how do I do it?
Taiwantroll |
Even though it'll cost you extra, I always wire $ back to a home bank account. You can always withdraw from there if you need to. |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2007 12:40 am Post subject: Re: Money in the Philippines |
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| Taiwantroll wrote: |
Hello,
I will be going on vacation for 3 weeks in the Philippines in August and I don't know what to do about money. I want to bring about $1000 - 1500, but how do I bring it? I don't want to bring cash in case I am robbed. And my Korean bank account is not accessible outside of Korea, or at least that is what I am told. So how do I do it?
Taiwantroll |
Take the money with you. You're only talking about 15 pieces of paper (easy to hide). Put $100 in each of your pants pockets, and $1000 in the change pocket of your jeans.
After you arrive use the safe deposit service of your hotel or if you are in an upscale hotel, the safe in your room.
Unless you are flashing wads of cash when you are out and about you are not likely to be a specific target. Most other thefts are simple grab and dash. As long as they get something they won't look any farther.
You can use travellers checks but they are a pain in the ass to cash.
Perhaps take US$1000 in cash and $1000 in TCs. You can always bring back anything you don't spend AND it sucks to run out of cash when you are a long way from home and have no credit cards. |
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rickvaughn
Joined: 15 Jun 2007
Location: near Honorary Seoul Drive, Chicago
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| Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2007 9:11 am Post subject: |
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If you use KB Bank, they have an International ATM card that works in the Philippines. When I opened an account there in Cheonan, they gave me one of these. Works in Korea too...
Or: Money belt.
Philippines has a lot less crime than people think, you just need to take ordinary precautions that you would take if you were going to, say, New York City.
Koreans in the Philippines never seemed to understand any of this. I taught in an ESL center for Koreans in Cebu - I walked one of my students to the ATM down the street and she came out of the bank holding a huge pile of cash and counting it in public.
A Korean coworker and I went to a dance club in Makati and she kept leaving her purse and cell phone unattended on the table when she went to the bathroom or to the dance floor. Club security had to constantly remind her not to leave her sh** lying around like that.
That's a positive thing, you'll see LOTS of security guards everywhere! If you go to a bank, hotel, government office, restaurant, supermarket, shopping mall, drug store, etc., Filipino security guards will be your most reliable sources of information. Treat them well and they'll look out for you in return.
My boss in Cheonan took his family to Manila, they stayed at a fake Holiday Inn (I think it was spelled Holliday In or something like that, Koreans wouldn't notice the difference, especially if they're cheap...) and got their money, passports and everything taken. He said he'll never go to the Philippines again.
I personally have NEVER had any problems with theft or security in the Philippines. But I'm from the inner-city of Chicago and know how to recognize dangerous people or places and stay away.... |
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Gamecock
Joined: 26 Nov 2003
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| Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 8:24 pm Post subject: |
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DON'T PUT YOUR FAITH IN A KOREAN "INTERNATIONAL" ATM CARD! I know too many people who have suddenly had their card quit working in another country, or one that worked on a previous trip suddenly does not work!
If you have money in a Western bank account with a visa/mastercard debit card you can get money from ATM's, or withdraw from your account at any bank.
I would agree with a money belt. I have known several people who have been pickpocketed in the phils. I always stay at hotels with an in-room safe. This is fantastic for peace of mind. |
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Tiger Beer
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 8:50 pm Post subject: |
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| rickvaughn wrote: |
| If you use KB Bank, they have an International ATM card that works in the Philippines. When I opened an account there in Cheonan, they gave me one of these. Works in Korea too... |
My KB Bank card USE to work internationally. Then it became demagnitized and I went to get a new one.
The new one had all the provisions against foreigners meaning I could no longer withdraw $ abroad.
In other words.. don't count the international ATM cards always working for foreigners.. sometimes you get lucky and they don't prohibit them abroad for foreigners, and most of the rest of the time, they do prohibit it to you as a foreigner. |
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