philippine banks

ATM in the Philippines {4}

I’ve always been able to use my debit or credit card during my visits to the Philippines. Though it has always been a struggle to use an ATM, sometimes bordering on panic, when it appears that I may have been blocked out of using my cards.

Let me just say that the problems I encounter are, for the most part, due to not having lived in the regions that I’m visiting, and not yet experiencing what works and what doesn’t. I am sure that most expats have found reliable ATMs for their transactions on their US based cards. They have also learned the available limits and the required fees. Unfortunately, that doesn’t help the visiting tourist who doesn’t know these things. Even after many visits to the Philippines I still find myself in this later category.
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Last modified: 14th October, 2013

By Category: Cost of living, Davao, Technology Tags: , , , ,

Banking in the Philippines {0}

One Network Bank

There’s already been a lot written on this subject by expats living in the Philippines. Don’t expect that I’ll add anything new here, as I’m just more or less thinking out loud. I’m not really sure how I got to thinking about this, maybe I read one of their articles, but when you start to examine the situation it’s not really as cut and dry as one might assume.

It certainly isn’t a requirement to have a bank account in the Philippines, even if you are living there. From what I understand, many expats don’t. They use various money transfers and ATMs withdrawals for access to their overseas money. I’ve visited the Philippines many times now, and it hasn’t been too much of a problem to get to my money – yet. Even still, I want to have one or more local bank accounts when I retire there.
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Last modified: 14th October, 2013

By Category: Cost of living, Retirement Tags: , , , , , , , ,