Questions About Philippines

[IanB]

I admit I am a complete newbie as far as the Philippines are concerned. So I hope you don't mind if I ask the occasional stupid question!

Chatting last night with Mae, she was enthusiastic about foreign food. She said it was hard to buy imported food because it was expensive and you had to be a member to go into the special shops. Maybe I misunderstood - it certainly sounds odd. She might be referring to special shops for retired US military in AC?

Ian

[bigtombowski]

from what i understand, imported goods are hugely expensive in the phils, and far out of the price range of the average filipino!

but i don't know ... i know someone here will enlighten us

[Alan]

Maybe this calls for a thread I have been thinking of for some time.

See my new thread 'Cheaper here.'

Al.

[kimmi]

i see the connection of ur threads Prof AL and IanB..he he he

[fred]

I have no idea as I eat local food which can also be expensive in England..
Have you seen the price of balut in Luton??
Horrendous!!

[KeithD]

Have you seen the price of balut in Luton??

I may have 20/20 vision Fred, but it's not that good........

[andypaul]

Dont know about being a member but i know duty free shops in phill are basically huge hypermarkets, foods, clothes and elctrical goods. Booze and fags are just small sections in comprasion.

When we land in Manila we go up the road to the duty free place (others will know where it is exactly) and mostly buy choclate by huge bags (you normally get some naff free gifts like a water dispenser or a scooter if you buy so much. Also tins of corned beef, coffe and other bits and bobs. You need to show your passport and plane ticket to enter but can bring as many guests as you like.

[Alan]

Dont know about being a member but i know duty free shops in phill are basically huge hypermarkets, foods, clothes and elctrical goods. Booze and fags are just small sections in comprasion.

When we land in Manila we go up the road to the duty free place (others will know where it is exactly) and mostly buy choclate by huge bags (you normally get some naff free gifts like a water dispenser or a scooter if you buy so much. Also tins of corned beef, coffe and other bits and bobs. You need to show your passport and plane ticket to enter but can bring as many guests as you like.

Where is this place mate?

Al.

[andypaul]

http://www.dfp.com.ph/modules/content/index.php?id=10

There you go sir

[aromulus]

Dont know about being a member but i know duty free shops in phill are basically huge hypermarkets, foods, clothes and elctrical goods. Booze and fags are just small sections in comprasion.

When we land in Manila we go up the road to the duty free place (others will know where it is exactly) and mostly buy choclate by huge bags (you normally get some naff free gifts like a water dispenser or a scooter if you buy so much. Also tins of corned beef, coffe and other bits and bobs. You need to show your passport and plane ticket to enter but can bring as many guests as you like.

Thinking of doing the smart thing, Jet and me, did visit the one at the Waterfront Hotel in Cebu City.
Nothing really to write home about.
Loads of bagged chocs, naff giveaways.
We mainly shopped for the kids and to get a few bottles of decent bubbly for our wedding reception.

Some things looked rather interesting, no doubt we will go there again, for white appliances and aircon units for our future house . They are a lot cheaper there.

[andypaul]

Apart from small bits and bobs we find it easier to buy all the chocs and little bits for the kids there as it lightens the luggage and choclate left in a suitcase in the heat of phill and possibly your transit airport won't be too good.

At Naia there is a diddy one by the waiting area but it is worth if you have your own transport poping round the corner and stocking up. As im told by the mrs things are slighty cheaper and older realtives mucho grateful for the 12 packs of corned beef, spam and coffe etc.

The bigger store takes a good couple of hours to get round if you go round with a big group.

Also you can go on a later day if its more suitable.

I also noticed apart from ensuring everything was paid for no one seemed to care how much you actually bought well within reason.

[gracia143]

Maybe it's a double intendre Ian? But when we talk about price of food in the Philippines it depends on the area where you are getting them from. In Manila it certainly would be far too expensive compared to buying them from the provinces. If she is from Manila she can go down to Divisoria where it would be cheaper but she should buy them in bulk. Most imported goods are from China(blush). Was she thinking of buying some? Maybe the topic just came out of the blue? Anyway, when I was in the Philippines all I crave for were ginamos og saging.

[IanB]

Corned beef. She says imported corned beef tastes better than the stuff she normally gets. Surely corned beef is corned beef? It all seems very strange to me!

Ian

[bigtombowski]

I have no idea as I eat local food which can also be expensive in England..
Have you seen the price of balut in Luton??
Horrendous!!

here in belfast we can only get penoy, and it's £1.30

[andypaul]

Corned beef. She says imported corned beef tastes better than the stuff she normally gets. Surely corned beef is corned beef? It all seems very strange to me!

Ian

Well i guess like here in the uk people can tell the difference between tescos own and sainsbury alcarte version some people think they can taste the difference.

part of its due to better beef used and what have you and part is just in the mind.

But trust me a 12 pack of corned beef will go down a storm as will coffe and other similar goods

Also for most they can be stored most of our familes houses have a mini store/disply of longlife goods tins/pasta etc.

[IanB]

I am just amazed that people would buy corned beef when there is so much fresh food available. I never heard of poor families in Thailand buying tinned food?

Also, Mae seemed to say that you needed to be a member to buy imported food in certain shops?

Ian

[Bridget]

Hi IanB,
I think your Mae is refering to those multi-level direct selling companies that distribute imported products. You have to be a member to avail discounts when you purchase a products. About corned-beef, way back early 90`s when PX goods or imported products are big boom in the market and most people purchase corned-beef, meat loaf and etc buy in bulk and store them in the cupboard and not all big shops sell imported items. But now, imported products are every where, you can even find them even in the small sidewalk shops in Manila.

[Alan]

I LOVE the corned beef in the Phils. Fried and mixed in with some diced boiled potatoes. Rice on the side. Bottle of San Mig. and half a bucket of Tanduay.

Magic!!!

Al.

Hmmmm. Wonder why the Sallie Army kicked me out.

[andypaul]

I am just amazed that people would buy corned beef when there is so much fresh food available. I never heard of poor families in Thailand buying tinned food?

Also, Mae seemed to say that you needed to be a member to buy imported food in certain shops?

Ian

i guess the yankee connection most likely selling their dodgy meat to the colony and phills love fatty, stodgy bad for you food.

[scotsfiancee]

Corned beef. She says imported corned beef tastes better than the stuff she normally gets.
Ian

IMported corned beef is not that nice as our local corned beef . If she had not tried yet the PUREFOODS CORNED BEEF they are the best

[ervenescence]

IMported corned beef is not that nice as our local corned beef are. If she had not tried yet the PUREFOODS CORNED BEEF they are the best

I agree and our lucky me pancit canton is a lot nicer compare to other noodles

[andypaul]

I agree and our lucky me pancit canton is a lot nicer compare to other noodles

Tesco own brand far better.....







well on my pocket when bought in the UK anyway

[jimeve]

I always send beans, can't seem to get them in rp, unless you buy
the ones with pork inside the tins of beanzz, make yer fart:

[gracia143]

Corned beef. She says imported corned beef tastes better than the stuff she normally gets. Surely corned beef is corned beef? It all seems very strange to me!

Ian

Sounds really interesting tell her to try Argentina if she wants a good one, surely it isn't that expensive back there.

[gracia143]

I always send beans, can't seem to get them in rp, unless you buy
the ones with pork inside the tins of beanzz, make yer fart:

We do have baked beans in the Phils. minus the pork. Can't remember the make but I'm sure we do as I use them when cooking Chicken Afritada to enhance the taste.

[gracia143]

I am just amazed that people would buy corned beef when there is so much fresh food available. I never heard of poor families in Thailand buying tinned food?

Also, Mae seemed to say that you needed to be a member to buy imported food in certain shops?

Ian

Must be Macro?

[andypaul]

Thankful the missus is happy with the corned beef from the tesco store. The Corned beef in the phill shop is just a little expensive, due to the weight.

The one thing the wife insists on buying from the phill shop which im sure we can find in a uk supermarket. Is sardines in sauce!!

[aromulus]

We do have baked beans in the Phils. minus the pork. Can't remember the make but I'm sure we do as I use them when cooking Chicken Afritada to enhance the taste.

It beggars belief....

How can the humble baked bean enhance the flavour of any food...???

I will go as far as having skinheads on rafts, but that only happens once in a decade, when I check the best by date in the cupboard....

[bigtombowski]

i lived on beans on toast for a year when living in birmingham coz i was doin the bachelor pad (and cheapo) thing

tom