Hi @marianeil6630 ...actually, life insurance is good even if you don't have children. The spouse is provided for to cover immediate and in some cases, long term costs of living.

Hello @glenmckinnie8161 ... it's possible you could get it done that quickly, but you'd need to get on it today. 😀 I have had reports from others that have gotten their packet back within just a few days of sending it in. You can scroll down in these comments to see others experiences. I think it's worth trying if you can. Let me know how it goes. 👍🏻

Hello @roberth7748 ... I'm happy to hear you successfully got your 13A done! Congrats! As for your ACR card, when you come to the Philippines, you'll just go to your local Philippines Bureau of Immigration office and submit for that. The ACR card is not as critical as your VISA, but it's good to have for conducting business, like banking and things like that. Thanks for letting me know! 😀

Hey there @jaybee1597 ... it was a great time, we really enjoyed this place. 😀

Thanks! 😀

Hey THANKS! @gordonb1737 ...I appreciate your feedback. This place was so great, I thought it deserved a nice drone video. 🙂 I checked out your channel (subscribed) but I didn't see your Chicago video. I'd love to see it. 🙂

@@G5Philippines It’s on TikTok. I’ll have to put it on my channel. I really don’t do much with the channel, nothing on there really. Easy to forget I even have it

Thank you @Philippines-Anthony-Sandra ... kinda never left, but just haven't had a lot of time for making videos. Thanks for your support! 😀

Hey there @guydent9046 ... we do, and we were just in Dumaguete last week for a few days. We didn't venture over to Valencia because we heard that they had been flooded with recent rains. I'm editing our Dumaguete footage to upload later this week.

I will share your comment with her! 😄But yeah, she's in a serious relationship now. My wife knows many cute Filipina's just FYI. 😄

P.S., my wife just told me that our nieces sister is available. Let me know if you would like to see her FB profile.

Hello @guydent9046 ...thank you for your comments! An update on our niece, she is now in a serious relationship with an American guy. But yeah, we did 2 of these and the viewer response was lackluster, so we didn't continue. But yeah, most Filipina's will enjoy being approached, and find it flattering. Their reaction will be mixed of course, some being ultra shy and seemingly not interested, when it really is just that they are shy, or do not speak/understand english, (or unavailable). Others will just open up and smile big and answer your questions, even ask you questions. They are super curious in general, but they are never offended if you say hello and tell them they're pretty. The other one we did is 👉🏻 ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-GnVfygVEcfI.htmlsi=JDbvlfbqTtmpjjqk ...thanks for watching and commenting!

😉😊 Yes indeedy! 😂

Thank you friend! ☺

Hello @pgs6922 ... Thank you so much for watching and for the awesome feedback! Congrats on building your house! We want to build our own place, but just don't have the budget. SOMEDAY! 😊🙏🏻Regarding the solar panel and EB3A, I am in the process of making a follow up video, but the solar panel was and is perfectly compatible, I just didn't have it properly positioned so it was capturing enough sun. Since then I installed it on the roof. But I'll share all that stuff in the video. And yeah, the EB3A, for its size is a little beast. I have been so happy with it! Please let us know when you get back to SCC, would love to meet up!

Hello @carmille545 ... we're not affiliated with the resort, so we wouldn't have that information. Thanks!

Thank you! @loretafalcutila501 😃

Haha! @thebeachoflife ... yes those motors are SO loud. It seems like they would come up with a solution to reduce the noise. But, I had my earbuds, and they do a great job of isolating me from the noise, but they also isolate me from the goings on, so I just put up with the noise. 😄

Hello there @TheSeabeeMan 😊 Ok, so here's my thoughts on your questions/comments: It's great to see you're thinking ahead. And while I'm not an authorized immigration expert, I can share some insights based on general knowledge and what I've learned from others' experiences. 1. 13A Visa Duration: The 13A visa starts with a one-year probationary period, after which you can convert it to permanent residency. The visa itself doesn’t expire, but you will need to renew your Alien Certificate of Registration I-Card (ACR I-Card) every five years. Remember to keep track of these renewal dates to ensure your residency remains valid. 2. Considering Early Application: If you're planning several trips to the Philippines before you retire, getting your 13A visa early might simplify your travels. It allows for indefinite stays and would eliminate the need for frequent visa renewals or adjustments during your visits. The process involves several requirements for your documents and medical checks, which are standard for ensuring health standards are met. 3. Duty-Free Importation Benefits: Honestly, this is the first time I have heard about this potential benefit, and I will be exploring further! 🤓What I am seeing at a quick look, the duty-free importation of personal items like your motorcycle, 13A visa holders may be eligible for certain exemptions when moving personal effects to the Philippines. However, this typically requires specific approval. I would contact the Philippine Bureau of Customs or the Department of Finance for detailed and reliable information on how to qualify for these tax exemptions. Given this information, if you are looking to make your transition and future travels smoother and considering your frequent trips, applying for the 13A visa sooner rather than later might be a practical choice. Just make sure you are prepared to meet the initial requirements and manage the necessary renewals. Please consult with the Philippine Bureau of Immigration or a certified immigration advisor for personalized advice and the most current regulations. Keep me informed of your progress, and I hope your move goes smoothly when the time comes!👍🏻

​@G5Philippines Thank you for the quick reply and your insight. I really appreciate you. I'll be getting my 13A Visa while I'm in the USA, and it's my understanding that there is no probationary period if a person gets it here🇺🇲. My main concern is where I need to go in the San Francisco area for the medical requirements and the list of what those medical requirements are. If I can't get my motorcycle to the Philippines Duty/Tax Free, then I'm going to look into putting the title in both my name and my wife's name because my wife is still a Philippine Citizen and I think they have more tax exceptions. I'm going to do some more research on this specific topic, and I'll update you if I find anything out. Keep me posted if you find out anything on your end. Best Regards!

Hey there @@TheSeabeeMan I'm always glad to help if I can! On the 13A, I am fairly certain that the 1st year will be probationary. I originally thought that doing it in the U.S. got around the probationary, but some of my other followers that did it, were issued the 1st year probationary VISA. Just check that to verify. For the medical requirements, you should be able to go to your preferred MD, or clinic, just check with your Philippines consulate for recommendations and requirements. And yeah, putting the motorcycle title in both yours and your wife's names might be the ticket. I'm so glad you told me about that, I haven't had time yet, but I will be looking into this myself! Please do share any updates or findings on this; it could be very beneficial for many in similar situations.

Hey thanks @steveperyer4850 ☺ believe it or not, I'm a bit shy about doing karaoke, but I can be talked into it on occasion. It's been suggested that I should integrate some of my music stuff into the channel. Been thinking about that...

Ah, dear @willardwatson9291 ... 😊what a world we live in! They have fashioned marvelous gadgets called locks, designed to guard our treasured possessions. And a wise man indeed would never forsake the safety of items holding sentimental or priceless value by leaving them to chance. And yes, dreaming, oh, dreaming is among my most cherished pastimes. By the grace of the Lord, so many of my dreams have indeed come to true. May we all continue to dream and see our visions become reality. 🌟🙏 ☺

Hello @musictravel9928 ...yes, I compiled all my papers in legal folders with fasteners. I used four folders in total and punched holes in all the documents to secure them with double clips at the top. This made it easier to manage and present everything neatly to the Bureau of Immigration. Just a heads up, even though the requirements do not specify needing four copies, they asked for that many when I got there. So, it's a good idea to be prepared with extra copies just in case. Click this link to go back to the video where I talk about this. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-DYcLbCu7iS4.htmlsi=ebSuyGqINWMqyJ3q&t=733 Hope that helps, and I wish you well with your application!

@G5Philippines thank you so much sir for this response, it's a great help for processing 13a soon. Have a great day ahead.

Hey @scottbaldwin7133 , I totally get where you're coming from, 'easy' is definitely relative. When I say it’s "easier and faster," I'm really comparing it to my experiences doing this directly in the Philippines, which involved a lot more steps and in-person requirements. The process in the U.S. avoids a good bit of the travel and direct interactions, which simplifies the process. Appreciate your comment, and let me know if you have more insights or questions!

Thank you @blackdave8525 for your perceptive observation. Indeed, after seeing many wonderful women, I just couldn't find the woman of my dreams in the USA. But I'm forever grateful for the experience with those women because they led me to broaden my horizons and explore opportunities abroad where I found my amazing wife. Sometimes, the journey to find love takes unexpected paths, and after 12 years of blissful marriage, I wouldn't change a thing. Thanks again my friend. Peace and Blessings to you and yours.

Thank you so much @ciluvanlac6540 ...Very happy you enjoy the videos! 😀Greetings to you! 😊

Thanks! @Hoochie243

Hello @billlloyd9755, thank you so much for your kind words! 😊 It's been an amazing journey, every day brings a new adventure, and we're just enjoying the ride. Hope you're having an awesome day! Peace and Blessings to you and yours! 🙂🙏🏻

Hello @donaldlilly495 ... great question, I'm not sure how that applies in private/family arrangements, compared to a company with multiples of employees. If we had gone through an agency, or other formal process, we might have been subject to formal standards. In our case, I had become aware of the 13th month thing from one of my bro-in-laws. I may not have explained this very well in the video, but with 52 weeks in a year, being paid on a monthly basis, he is only getting paid for 48 of the 52 weeks, THUS the 13th month benefit. When we worked out the payment structure with our helper, she preferred weekly payments, so we just made it simple and paid her on a weekly basis. So, at the end of the day, she was paid the same identical amount as the 13th month payment structure. Regarding other benefits like PhilHealth, the amount we paid her included allowance for those, although we never asked her if she did any of that. I don't like to brag about the little stuff we do, but the thing about that situation was that while we needed help for that season, her and her family needed the income. She also enjoyed a lot of lifestyle perks, generous bonuses, way better work conditions and structure than what she was accustomed to. She is family, and was treated like family. However, I do think it's prudent, if we were to ever hire another helper, (and we have talked about it) to research these potential requirements. Since then, it's worked out well for us to just pay nieces and nephews for odd jobs which helps us and helps them. 🙂 Let me know if that answers your questions.

@@G5Philippines Thank you for your reply and hope you are well. You would know much better than others. A family circumstance is different than, as you said, hiring from an agency. One can all too easily find horror stories of domestic staff being taken advantage of as they are typically less familiar with their rights, or they are hired into a position in UAE or other country. The perks that one is able to provide for a domestic that would go largely unnoticed in other places are very much the exception in others and appreciated much more, e.g. paying for trips, transportation costs, food, etc.

@@donaldlilly495 thanks for raising the point. We tend to hear more about the instances where the worker takes advantage of the situation by being lazy, stealing or whatever. But you're right, especially with OFW's, I have heard about those horror stories also. It's like anything, there's risk vs. reward. Sometimes we suffer the blunt end of the risk stick, and other times we win the lottery. Other times it's a mixed bag of both! 😄 Anyway. thanks again for your input, and supporting my channel. Peace and Blessing to you and yours! 🙏🏻🙂

Hello @drleo6409 ...well, I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts, even if they're not exactly fun to hear. 😄I get that my experience and views might not line up with yours or what you've seen happening around you. Such is life and we all have our own unique experience for all things life related. Peace and Blessings! 🙂

Thanks for sharing your insight @ernieuson4030 ... I suppose order of birth can play a role in shaping familial responsibilities and expectations in Filipino culture. That's an interesting point to consider when thinking about marriage and family life in the Philippines. 🙂👍🏻

Hey there @PhilstoPhx ... I totally agree with you... forget making money, just do it for the enjoyment, and I do enjoy it. So then it just comes down to finding time to make the videos. Last week, and this week, I have so much going on with work, I haven't been able to make a video. Only so many minutes in a day. 😅

Hey there @twofarfromhome ... 😂you are absolutely right about that one! My wife doesn't do the dishwashing sponge thing, but here's one along the same lines. A few days ago, she went to the market and bought me a kilo of fresh pork. (P500 by the way - YIKES!) but anyway, later that day, I dropped the pork in my stew pot and made my homemade pulled bbq (sauce) pork. She loved it, but then asked me "did you wash it?" I said "huh?" and she said, "did you wash the pork before you cooked it?" to which I said "no?". Long story short, she went from loving the bbq pork, to losing her appetite. I explained that I cooked it for 3 hours, so any bacteria was cooked away, but she wasn't convinced. So, yeah, next time I'll wash the pork, but I thought that was funny. P.S., I didn't get sick from the pork. Haha! 😂🤣😅

Hey there @philam1973 ... it's been awhile! Yeah, so I was following along with your comments until you said "No opinions please. I would like official confirmation.", to which I would say, I'm not an official with the Philippines Bureau of Immigration, so my answers are purely based on my own experience and knowledge. So, if you're not interested in opinion, you don't have to read any further. 😄Peace and Blessings! 🙂 But, it is my understanding that if the Filipino spouse did pass away, then it is true that the 13A becomes null and void. However, I also understand that there are sometimes case-by-case instances where the BI will make considerations, for example, if the couple has minor children, it's possible the visa may still be maintained until those children reach adulthood. For me personally, I would not wait until my next annual report to notify the BI of something like this. I would proactively go to them and find out what the status of my VISA is. The potential implications of being without a VISA can be disastrous. If you read this far, let me know what you find out. Peace and Blessings! 🙂

@@G5Philippines I appreciate comments but I seriously want to know the legal impact. You Aline with my beliefs and potential actions but I still would like to know the law.

@@philam1973 I get it. You're wasting your time asking in the comments on a youtube video. Go to the BI office and ask the, they'll tell you.

@@G5Philippines tried this on other questions I had when I was first applying. Couldn’t see anyone without an appointment and always got the tun-a round when ai finally got in on appointment for the official process. Similarly, for the last two weeks I’ve been trying to contact a human because I’m locked out of my Gcash account.

Hello again @Hoochie243, thank you for your 30 years of service! That sounds like an amazing initiative you've got going on at the orphanage. Teaching kids cooking and integrating life lessons through the 'Fruits of the Spirit' is VERY COOL. Love how you're making a positive impact. Thanks for sharing this with us, and for the work you do. I'm always thinking about incorporating meaningful lessons into everyday activities. Godspeed to you and your great work! Peace and Blessings! 🙂🙏🏻

Hello @Hoochie243 ... thanks for bringing up a very thoughtful point. You're right, it’s important to see each person as an individual with their own strengths and challenges, regardless of where they are from. Keeping expectations realistic helps in understanding and appreciating them better. However, that being said, 'perfect' is subjective. I can say with absolute certainty, that my Filipina wife is perfect. Her inherent imperfections, are actually components of her perfection. As for Filipina's being idealized as the perfect wife is just based on a wide-spread knowledge of their general approach to life, love, marriage and family. Loyalty, devotion and on and on. I totally get what you're saying, I just wanted to respond with my sentiment. 😄I appreciate your insights, and thanks for watching and supporting my channel! 🙏🏻🙂

I found the misses on other videos excuse me she is a beautiful woman

Thank you for that @@claudellwoods552 ... I'm surely biased, but she's the most beautiful woman in my eyes. ☺

Hello @tj136 ... Thanks for watching and supporting my channel! What I remember about that is that I did prepare copies of the most recent 3 months checking and saving account statements. I believe it is required to submit financial documents as proof of sufficient financial capacity to support your stay in the Philippines. Different BI offices will handle things differently, I wouldn't feel obligated to give them everything, but checking/savings is enough to give them an idea of your financial capacity. I hope that helps!

Hey there! @gordonb1737 ...yes, I remember chatting with you in the comments. Thanks for your support! And you're right, I haven't published on a steady basis for the past year and half due to my work. If you have any ideas for stuff to talk about, I'm working on a list for future topics. I'm planning to do a new budget video this week. The one I did before was 2022, so a lot of changes 2 years later. 😯🙂

Hey there @thechanneldaily ... that's a great suggestion, but that's actually the origins of this channel. My wife started the channel in 2012 and it was ALL her, the kids and family stuff, but she got bored with it because it wasn't doing anything. She talked me into doing vlogs, so during the pandemic couple of years, I got into it, and the channel started growing like crazy until it plateaued in 2022 and then began to ramp down in terms of viewership. Then my work took over my day-to-day. Anyway, I agree with you, but we didn't have any success with that type of content. If you go back I have kept some of the original content up.

Hey @johnvalle3180, unfortunately, I don't have any info on dentures, but in the Philippines, the cost can vary widely depending on the type and the dentist. It's best to contact a few dental clinics for quotes. I wish you the best with your search!

Hey there @PhilstoPhx ... great to hear from you! Everything you said... YUP! It's very challenging... not only with car work, but with appliance work. We have a big split-unit A/C that for 7 years has worked maybe 2 or 3 years of 7. Everytime we try to get work done, it's hours of research, messaging on facebook, and you may or may not find anyone. There's a serious void for good 'ole service work. But as for my car, 2 weeks later, it's still blowing ice cold A/C. Praise the Lord! ☺

Thanks @steve3416 ... that's true... this video only took a couple hours to record it edit and publish. But, the same viewer results... only 40 views after 2 days and about 30% retention. I think a lot of it is that what seems important and interesting to some, is not necessarily a mass interest. But it's all good, I'll just keep putting up what I want to and let it do what it does. 😃 Btw, I found your channel, I subscribed and watched a couple of your videos. Let's do some collaboration stuff.

Hello @jack196144 ... ok, since your wife is a dual citizen of the US and Philippines and you were married in the United States, you may not necessarily need a Philippine marriage certificate to be recognized as legally married. However, I urge you to do go ahead and do your report of marriage. For the 13A VISA, you need to submit proof of marriage in the Philippines, so for that purpose, you will need to get that done. You can do this by filing a Report of Marriage at the nearest Philippine Embassy or Consulate. This will allow you to obtain a Philippine marriage certificate from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) after processing. Regarding your question about the physical exam for visa applications or other official processes, the specific labs and urinalysis tests required can vary depending on the purpose, but the instructions on the checklist requirements specify what labs are needed to submit with your 13A application. I hope this helps clarify things for you! If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.

Hello @jack196144 ... I responded to both questions in the other comment. 👍🏻

Hey there @twofarfromhome ... I love your comparison to being a test pilot ✈😂 It’s all about appreciating the quirks and embracing the journey together. Thanks for watching and commenting!

Hey @oceanproalaska2203 absolutely! Staying calm and patient is key when dealing with any government office here. Things move at a different pace, and understanding that can make the whole process a lot less stressful. Thanks for watching the video! Hope you're doing well.

Hello @thebeachoflife Yep! Sure is! Funny, I didn't know the name of the place until later. Haha! 😁

Hello @SolarMinerPH - thank you for your insightful comments, I'll just pick myself back up after the beatdown you just gave me and address your points directly.🤣😂😅 Panel Size: You mentioned that "You got scammed with that panel because by the looks of it it is too small to be a 200w panel, probably just 50 to 70watts." So, having no idea what the size of a 200W panel is supposed to be, I hit Google. Across three different sources, I found that typical 200W solar panels are usually around 65 inches by 26.4 inches (165cm x 67cm)​​​ (The Green Watt)​​ (SolarPanelHub)​​ (SolarPanelHub)​. My solar panel is 132cm x 67cm, which is slightly shorter but within a reasonable range for a 200W panel. But I feel your claim that it’s only 50-70W is questionable without testing the actual output. As you would have seen in the video, I bought a multimieter, but it doesn't seem to offer wattage. But even with all of that said, the Bluetti EB3A will work on a lower watt solar panel, it just has a maximum of 200 watts, which is why I went with a 200 watt solar panel. Here are the specs of my panel for clarity: Solar Panel: Max Power Output (W): 200W Dimensions: 132cm x 67cm x 3cm Weight: 12KG Voltage MPP (Vmp): 19.69V Current MPP (Imp): 10.21A Voltage Open Circuit (Voc): 24.08V Short Circuit Current (Isc): 10.72A Bluetti EB3A: Solar Input: 200W Max, VOC 12-28VDC/ 8.5A Sunlight: You mentioned that "the most common mistake by beginners when using a solar panel is thingking you got enough sunlight. That panel is not under direct sunlight. you really need it to be under the sun, I mean really under the sun.", which of course I know. As you would have heard me say in the video, the morning hours the panel is getting full direct sunlight coverage, but I just have it propped up there while I am getting the setup worked out. And I'll have a roof guy come over and mount it on the roof once I get it working properly. I do not believe the temporary placement to be the sole issue here. Current Handling: According to the Bluetti EB3A manual and support, as well as the facebook EB3A user group, the EB3A has strict thresholds and absolutely rejects inputs above 8.5A for safety. It’s designed to handle up to 200W, but if the current exceeds 8.5A, the mppt supposedly triggers safety features. While in theory, the unit should regulate excess current, that seems to be the main issue. 🙏🏻I genuinely welcome and appreciate your insights, and for all I know, you're absolutely right on all points. I'm just learning as I go, but I also pride myself on my research, and according to reviews of this particular solar panel, I feel like it's legitimate. However, I acknowledge that there’s a possibility I might have been scammed. It would be helpful to get some advice on how to verify the wattage and amperage, just to alleviate those questions and concerns. Thanks again! 👍🏻

@@G5Philippines 😁 I'm just guessing on the size, there are a lot of fake sellers online stating they are selling 500W panels when in fact its just 50watts. Another indicator if its fake is the price. A 100w panel is usually around 2000 pesos. Anyone selling significantly cheaper than that with a higher wattage is most likely fake. If you bought yours from a trusted seller, then I wouldn't worry about it. You did mention that it was sunny out there early in the morning but I still brought it up because a lot of my viewers made that mistake when testing their panels. they thought that just bringing it outside is enough and the fact that you showed an error about the PV low voltage which only appears when there is not enough sunlight. About the current, they are mistaken if they said 'EB3A has strict thresholds and absolutely rejects inputs above 8.5A" Current is not pushed it is pulled which means the EB3A doesn't exactly know if your panel has more than 8.5A or more. Well technically it knows because it will try to pull as much current as it can to generate the 200W limit but it will stop pulling more current once it reaches that 200W limit. Just like how your 65W phone charger only pulls 65watts on your 220V AC outlet which can deliver thousands of watts. You can actually install more than 200W of panel on the EB3A which means more current than 8.5A and it will only pull 200Watts. I've connected 400watts on mine and it only pulls 200watts. Don't want to sound rude but Facebook is full of people saying things they are not sure of. You could visit community dot bluettipower dot com as there are way more knowledgeable people there than facebook, especially the bluetti ph facebook group where it is filled with members that will say anything just to be able to push their affiliate links. The 2 things about the solar panel and the sun are usually the issue when it comes to problems regarding solar. If you are sure those things are not the issue then I just hope your EB3A is not the issue. Because if the sun is good and the solar panel is good and I can tell you that the current is not the issue then the only thing left is your EB3A. Good luck in troubleshooting. I hope I did not sound mean or rude to you, I'm just giving some pointers on where to look first. If you have any questions you can ask anytime just find me on facebook 😁

@@G5Philippines It looks like my new reply disappeared. Well I'm back just to say that a few weeks ago someone said that their EB3A was not charging and after updating the firmware it started charging. Just sharing it in case that fixes your problem.

Hey there @@SolarMinerPH Wow! I am just seeing your follow up comments. First of all, you were not rude or mean, but at that moment, I was in the midst of the aggravation I was experiencing, so I think my response may have reflected that. But since then, and I am actually in the middle of doing a segmented video that updates on my research and experimentation. But, through various different experiments, I have determined that the solar panel is fine and working properly. I also had my nephew install the panel on the roof so it can capture sun optimally. To confirm, you are 100% correct on your points about the EB3A, the way it 'pulls' as opposed to it having limiting thresholds, everything you said has turned out to be exactly correct. I have had moments of serious confusion seeing only 50 watts or 90 watts in the Bluetti app, never anywhere near the 200 watts that I expected, so that I still do not fully understand. But the way I discovered that the panel is producing 200 watts was multiplying the 22.4V(multimeter)×8A(solar controller display) =179.2W and was able to see that it was producing upwards of 180 to 190 watts. When I said I am learning in baby steps, I really meant it. I'm enjoying the process. As I mentioned, I am making a video, but also since then, I have lined up the solar panel with a controller, connected to an external battery, then to the EB3A, and that system is working, although not well enough to replace the grid on my computer workstation. My next goal is to build a big enough system to power my workspace, including my A/C and workstation... probably about 1500 watts total. My goal with all of this is to see how cheaply I can get by, while getting the results I want. Thanks for your follow up comments! Even if I am only just now seeing them. 😄

@@SolarMinerPH P.S., I just clicked on your channel, and WOW! I had no idea. I subscribed and will tune in! 😀

Thanks so much @thechanneldaily ...your support means a lot to me. I'm trying to get on a one-per-week routine/schedule. 😄