How I can start business in Philippines !

[MUSTAFA AWADALLA]

Hi everyone,

I been in east Asia for almost 8 years , mostly based in Thailand.

Planning to relocating in Philippines next November..

After long searches, Iam into moving to Dauin and get my start there !

Is it easy to find free lance work there !?

Are local ok with foreigners dive instructors to work around!?

Is it expensive for rent and food !?

What I need to consider when I move to there ?

Thanks in advance

Diaa

 

[Divenut1959]

I am far from an expert but I strongly suggest you contact the Philippine immigration authorities on rules regarding living in the Phils on an extended basis and what work permits (if needed) you need to get. If you have never lived in the Philippines it might be a good idea just to go for like a month or two and check out the area before deciding your going there permanently.

 

[D_Fresh]

+1 Divenut (hmm, I'm seeing a trend here lol)

Definitely research Visa and Work Permits with Bureau of Immigration. There are many options/routes available depending on your citizenship.

Regarding starting a business in Philippines, it can be complicated. In most circumstances, a foreigner cannot be the sole owner of a business; at least one Filipino is supposed to be involved. They are simply trying to lookout for their own people first.

Rent and food can be as cheap or as expensive as you choose. Many families are able to live on as little as P 2,000 a month.

As Divenut said, come check it out for a while before committing 100%. I live in Philippines and I love it, but the Philippines can be...annoying?... at times. But that is usually small stuff that just makes you scratch your head a bit LOL. If you're already living in Asia, then maybe you're already well aware of such things

 

[Rred]

Sounds like you are planning to work for shops or businesses that are already there. In which case, you should probably be contacting those businesses NOW to ask them ahead of time, whether they would have any interest in hiring and what qualifications you might need. And of course, take their replies with a grain of salt.

In the US there are some businesses (trucking companies, taxi companies, medical nursing) that are constantly advertising "help wanted, great pay!" and they are constantly advertising because the burn-out rate is so high, the work isn't as easy and lucrative as they promise. Have a fall-back plan.

 

[D_Fresh]

Bred has great advise on contacting potential employers ahead of time. I believe that Philippine Work Visas are prearranged visas only. The (or an) employer is required to sponsor the visa, i.e. you cannot just get a work visa then pursue a job. (But there are exceptions based on visa type; retirement, spousal, or balikbayan visas)

I would think that Filipino DMs and DIs are plenty happy to work alongside a forigner; Filipinos are generally wonderful people. I would point out that in some areas there are many many locals willing to DM/DI for less pay than what a foreigner would consider acceptable. BUT, if you have foreign language skills, that would Greatly increase your marketability (especially Kroean, Thai, Chinese, Japanese, German).

 

[Rred]

"DMs and DIs are plenty happy to work alongside a forigner; "
Maybe, maybe not. Many businesses are happy to exploit, ergh, HIRE, illegal labor off the books on a spot rate. The same way contractors in the US often pick up day labor of illegals. But depending on the local market and how much competition there is...

The first time I was in Bermuda, we had a pre-dawn shuttle bus heading from the hotel back out to the airport. Stormy all night, bus arrives late, the hotel doorman (a Bermudian) sees how slow things are going and how antsy we are about maybe missing the flight, so he picks up a suitcase and walks it to the rear of the shuttle, puts it in. The driver sees it on his next trip and rips into the doorman "Who the hell you think you are mon, that MY job, take it back off NOW" because the competition for jobs and tips was that stiff. As one "native" to another, still no slack.

The days of casually bopping around the globe and playing it as it lays...I think ended in the 1950's, mainly. Some folks still manage to pull it off.

 

[Mango's Dive Center]

"Are local ok with foreigners dive instructors to work around!? "

With this statement I am presuming that you are a Scuba Instructor and want to find a job as an instructor in Dauin. You did come out and say that, this is just my guess, because of the statement and you are on a Scuba related board.

If so, Easy peasy...just google dive shops/centers and resorts in Dauin and send all you can find an email asking them if they are in need of Instructors. Plus a little introduction about yourself... (rating, training agency..etc) you don't need an entire CV at this point. Then see what they have to say.

If you are a PADI professional, then you can also check the PADI Pro's site under the "On Line Services" dropdown and then to to Employment/Classifieds. Shops can list jobs available there and there is also a section for individual members looking for employment. You should put a listing on that.

Instructors come and go, and go and come so if there is not something right now, there may be something next week. You never know. Now is a good time to plant some seeds and November is the start of high season. Shops will be looking.

As far as area's in the Philippines go, Dumaguete (Dauin) is a very nice area to live in the Philippines with a good expat community and reasonably good infrastructure. It is a fairly inexpensive area to live, plus you are only an hours flight to Manila and a boat ride to Cebu.

That area was my second choice when I moved to the Philippines. I have this "wreck thing" going on, so, Subic was my first choice.

 

[partha]

Ive done a fair amount of diving around Dauin. There are lots of off the book foreigners who work freelance between the dive shops. I did my DM in Siquijor- just across from Dauin. DMs are one of the lowest paid in Asia. Reflects the fact that diving is also the lowest priced in Asia. Also because costs of living there are very inexpensive. Instructors fare slightly better but not by much. Keep in mind, the Philippines, as opposed to Thailand, has a large local dive pro population. Ive met very few Thai DMs in thailand. In the Philippines every shop ive been to has local DMs and more and more of them are turning instructor- which I think is great. If you are looking to make money then look at opening up a shop. Its not that difficult, but as someone stated already you will need a local partner. Which is easily arranged. Something I'm also mulling. Do a fact finding trip. Good luck.

 

[Mango's Dive Center]

Ive done a fair amount of diving around Dauin. There are lots of off the book foreigners who work freelance between the dive shops.
.........
If you are looking to make money then look at opening up a shop. Its not that difficult, but as someone stated already you will need a local partner. Which is easily arranged. Something I'm also mulling. Do a fact finding trip. Good luck.

I agree with partha's first statement and yes there are freelance instructors in most of the dive areas in PI. Yes, they work as sub-contractors and cash is king. Bear in mind, that many shops utilize a "staff" instructor first vs a freelancer. The freelancer being a back up. A staff instructor in most cases is still a freelancer, but only works for that particular shop. Again, cash is king.

As far as the second statement, I will have to humbly disagree with partha on that. In today's day and age, unless you have some real business sense (not just dive passion), have done some good homework and are willing to risk a "minimum" of about $50K USD upfront for the startup costs of a small, but "proper" dive operation, you are better off maybe considering a Sari-Sari store to make money. (joke lang!) I owned a large shop in the US and I am a partner here in a shop. Trust me, after the honeymoon, it ain't as easy as one would think. However, the lifestyle can be a lot of fun.

I am happy to chat with either yourself or partha if you get more serious about starting or owning a dive business in the Philippines.

 

[partha]

...Trust me, after the honeymoon, it ain't as easy as one would think. However, the lifestyle can be a lot of fun.

I am happy to chat with either yourself or partha if you get more serious about starting or owning a dive business in the Philippines.

Absolutely. The dive business isnt likely to make you rich. It is about the lifestyle. I'd love some pointers. I'm back in the Philippines next month and will be in touch to have a chat.