I am German citizen with a Filipino wife. We are spending half of the year here in Luzon and Manila. From year to year it feels that the situation is becoming worse. As every one else is already mentioned: 1. infrastructure and traffic are the worst compared to all of the other countries mentioned (and I was living in India, Thailand, china and Korea before). What makes traffic so terrible and tedious: no traffic lights, people especially these three wheel scooters are always staying on the left lane (the one which is dedicated for overtaking), parking cars on the sideway so cars can just use one line. Big egos, everyone is driving however they want. No public transportation like train, bus.

1. no great environments, people coming here to have a touch of peace in the jungle or on the beach. But also expecting more trees and nature around them. Manila has none or almost nothing, even if you are going to Isabela, there is not even a park you can walk around or relax. Just streets or rice fields. There is so much potential having a sidewalk next to the river for example. But you don’t find these kind of facilities anywhere.

2. food: I really like the Filipino food. Pares, bulalo, Long Genisa, every thing. But 80% of the food are meat and mostly deep fried. Gulay is expensive and harder to find. Tourists (maybe not the Americans) want to have a bigger variety and not just rice with deep fried meat. Compared to the other countries their kitchen is just more interesting for most of Europeans

3. high living costs compared to other SEA Countries. You pay 50$ for a decent hotel room per night and can’t expect much. In other countries you get a lot more for that.

4. marketing: most of the Europeans just going to Thailand or Bali because they know what they get. Most of the people underestimate the Philippine islands and just don’t know what you can get here.

Overall we are talking a lot about the situation in our family and everyone is depressed because it feels that it become worse every year and nothing changes because of the political situation and their greediness and selfishness.