New Member here

Hi I lived in the Philippines for 2 yrs 2008/9 and hope to retire there in the near future so any advice gratefully accepted. I'm thinking to start a small Karaoke Bar any comments welcome. Ozzy62

You should consult an attorney or accountant before opening a business.

Karaoke/Bar business is very popular but the issue really is you are not allowed to own the business 100% except if you have a partner who is a Filipino Citizen.

I've seen karaoke bars open and then close.  Probably the neighbors complained of the noise.  Or drunk customers damaged the equipment.  My observation is these businesses are short lived.

hi And I thank you so much for your information, I run A mobile night club here is Cairns Disco Karaoke Music files and Appreciate all you have offered. Equipment damage drunks , cant be worse than here. I am looking more to a venu for Foriegners there but fit in with locals otherwise just party with friends.

aware of the Legality's and the culture I lived there and study the laws but I only know Manila and the worst of it sticks in my mind a friend tells me Cebu is better. Ozzy

My mother is actually from Cebu and have visited the place several times.

Having lived in Australia for 10 years, I can understand very well your predicament. Cebu is not better but its not worse. Cebu is just a smaller island but have the same problem.

The friendliest and more discplined bigger city in the Philippines is Davao, that is if you would like to live in a proper city. It is less corruption there, less traffic and nearby Samal islands for your get-away is just 20 minutes boat ride.

Whenever I come to Davao, I always admire this city, because the locals have dignity left in them despite the fact that its a developing city.


ozzy62 wrote:

aware of the Legality's and the culture I lived there and study the laws but I only know Manila and the worst of it sticks in my mind a friend tells me Cebu is better. Ozzy

Thank you all for your comments, thinknig now maybe forget the karaoke bar, and travel around before settling. I'm hoping to rent a reasonably nice home, house, apartment for around 15000Php per month, calculating a budget on that basis. i'm corrosponding with two filipina lady's maybe form a permanent relationship from this but my online dating experiences so far have not been encouraging. Will most likely go to Davao and check it out.

I agree with you.

The worse of it sticks to my mind as well. I was a civil engineer in one of the road projects and I can tell you it was the worse of my career to work in Philippines.

I doubt if I would like to come back!



ozzy62 wrote:

aware of the Legality's and the culture I lived there and study the laws but I only know Manila and the worst of it sticks in my mind a friend tells me Cebu is better. Ozzy