Anyone from Butuan City area?

[Bandit]

Anyone from Butuan City area? My wife and I are thinking about moving to the Philippines sometime late this year. She is Filipino. I am trying to learn as much about the area as I can before we move.

Cheers,
Joe

[jao_madn]

Yes im from Butuan City, what do you want to learn about the place, Butuan CIty is a lovely place, not so yet develop city, but a lot of potential, lot of beaches in nearby municipalities, with an hour of trip from the city proper. An advice thought if your buying a new house and lot much better to be 2 floors if in the city proper cause flood occasionally happens if heavy rain.

[Script Warlock]

ako butuan pod gikan pero lumad cebu gyud ko didto ra ko nag elem og hiskol.

[jao_madn]

ako butuan pod gikan pero lumad cebu gyud ko didto ra ko nag elem og hiskol.

@Script Warlock; so naa naka cebu now, tuod kng naa u cebu, marami ba hiring IT dyan sa cebu, like Admin linux or solaris,

Thanks in advance.

[Script Warlock]

@Script Warlock; so naa naka cebu now, tuod kng naa u cebu, marami ba hiring IT dyan sa cebu, like Admin linux or solaris,

Thanks in advance.

wa jud ko idea pero sila vlad sa orange brutus nag hiring man to dati ambot lang kaha karon kay lagi ako work is lahi man naa ko sa sound system.

[Bandit]

Yes im from Butuan City, what do you want to learn about the place, Butuan CIty is a lovely place, not so yet develop city, but a lot of potential, lot of beaches in nearby municipalities, with an hour of trip from the city proper. An advice thought if your buying a new house and lot much better to be 2 floors if in the city proper cause flood occasionally happens if heavy rain.

Hey thanks for replying. My wife is actually from Buenavista to the west of the Butuan, but being Butuan is the closest city I thought I would see if anyone on the forums is from there.
Yea just trying to get a good feel for the area, find out what computer or pc shops are in the area and such. I met my wife while I was in the Navy so I been around quite a bit of the world, but never been to the Philippines yet. But I honestly believe I can adjust easily to the area, going to have to learn Tagalog as I cant speak it yet.

Not sure about a house just yet. Mostly my wife cant decided what she wants to do. But her Mom owns some apartments in Buenavista until she makes up her mind. She mentioned Butuan floods often enough, so prob stay around Buenavista area and just go to town when needing stuff. Thinking about just buying some mopeds or small motor bikes. Dont want to have to deal with owning a car anymore since there is so much public transportation in the area from what I understand.

Dont plan on working if I can help it after we get there. I just plan on fishing mostly everyday unless something else comes up and hoping with the rest of my free time to get back into linux development, Ubuntu in particular.

My wife constantly tells me I cant find things like computer parts, good beer and fishing stuff. Which pretty much is everything i need in life. But then again she is a woman (of course) and never really looked for things like those. Just hoping to be able to know a few locals that can point me in the right direction until I learn the area. I am hoping to tan up pretty quickly or in my case burn 8 times in one week so I dont stick out as a white guy to much. hehe

Thanks,
Joe

[jao_madn]

Hey thanks for replying. My wife is actually from Buenavista to the west of the Butuan, but being Butuan is the closest city I thought I would see if anyone on the forums is from there.
Yea just trying to get a good feel for the area, find out what computer or pc shops are in the area and such. I met my wife while I was in the Navy so I been around quite a bit of the world, but never been to the Philippines yet. But I honestly believe I can adjust easily to the area, going to have to learn Tagalog as I cant speak it yet.

Not sure about a house just yet. Mostly my wife cant decided what she wants to do. But her Mom owns some apartments in Buenavista until she makes up her mind. She mentioned Butuan floods often enough, so prob stay around Buenavista area and just go to town when needing stuff. Thinking about just buying some mopeds or small motor bikes. Dont want to have to deal with owning a car anymore since there is so much public transportation in the area from what I understand.

Dont plan on working if I can help it after we get there. I just plan on fishing mostly everyday unless something else comes up and hoping with the rest of my free time to get back into linux development, Ubuntu in particular.

My wife constantly tells me I cant find things like computer parts, good beer and fishing stuff. Which pretty much is everything i need in life. But then again she is a woman (of course) and never really looked for things like those. Just hoping to be able to know a few locals that can point me in the right direction until I learn the area. I am hoping to tan up pretty quickly or in my case burn 8 times in one week so I dont stick out as a white guy to much. hehe

Thanks,
Joe

Buenavista is the right place to stay if your up for fishing, mostly the fish cage grower (FISH PIN) are located in that area. Im a Computer Pro/Enthusiast, Last time i check only general or small boutique style computer shop not exactly like "PC WORLD or A place/location in which a street full of electronics and computer shop" Mostly these shop is located in malls. How about doing business on computers, i believe its the right place since it not so crowded of business dealing with electronics or computers. Just drop me a buzz if you had something to ask regarding the area. By the way there are some online store i found on the internet which is location specific just put either "CARAGA REGION or BUTUAN or AGUSAN DEL NORTE" here some of the online store i used" http://www.ayosdito.ph/CARAGA/for-sale, http://www.sulit.com.ph/index.php/cl...usan+del+Norte, http://www.openpinoy.com/

[Bandit]

Buenavista is the right place to stay if your up for fishing, mostly the fish cage grower (FISH PIN) are located in that area. Im a Computer Pro/Enthusiast, Last time i check only general or small boutique style computer shop not exactly like "PC WORLD or A place/location in which a street full of electronics and computer shop" Mostly these shop is located in malls. How about doing business on computers, i believe its the right place since it not so crowded of business dealing with electronics or computers. Just drop me a buzz if you had something to ask regarding the area. By the way there are some online store i found on the internet which is location specific just put either "CARAGA REGION or BUTUAN or AGUSAN DEL NORTE" here some of the online store i used" http://www.ayosdito.ph/CARAGA/for-sale, http://www.sulit.com.ph/index.php/cl...usan+del+Norte, http://www.openpinoy.com/

Thanks for the links, actually those prices on openpinoy are almost the same as they are here, just with a little less selection. But still really good pricing.

Fishing is a hobby I used to really enjoy before going to the Navy for a few years. Since I moved back home here, I been trying to get back into the sport. Helps that my wife loves fish. My other I guess hobby or obsession is mostly Linux and computers. I been programming since I was in 2nd grade, though my skills are not that good anymore. Thats something I hope to improve again after we move and I have more time on my hands.
I am from a small a area here in the US. Butuan city is actually about 6 times larger then the closest city near us. Which is a good 20 to 25min drive driving about 100 kilometers per hour. Only about 2 or 3 small PC repair shops there. So anything I have to buy I get online anyway. So that is an easy adjustment. Just glad there is a few shops around the area in case a RAM chip or CPU dies on me so I dont have to fly up to Taiwan or Singapore to find something. That and I will need 220v batter backups when I get there. We use 110v here in the US.
I like good beer also. Red Horse isnt bad, its actually got a really good aroma to it for a light beer. But I am more into darker lagers and drafts like Guinness. My wife tells me I want find a selection there, and she may be right, but I was hoping somone on the island may be able to order a case or two of darker beers in from time to time if someone would buy them. Thats a hope of mine anyway.. If not I will just drink Red Horse everyday and be happy..

I really appreciate you taking the time to reply. Not sure what S-W posted, I havent translated it yet. I will have to learn the language when I get there that way I will have objects and stuff infront of my to associate the wording to. My wife told me they call all the foreigners Joe. So at least everyone will know my name when I arrive, since Joe is my name IRL..

Many thanks,
Joe

[knlgfx]

Anyone from Butuan City area? My wife and I are thinking about moving to the Philippines sometime late this year. She is Filipino. I am trying to learn as much about the area as I can before we move.

Cheers,
Joe

I live in Cabadbaran about 45 minutes south of Butuan, I am an american, and I live very close to the beaches one of the above members mentioned.

If you want to fish bring your own pole and tackle, because the idea of poles in Mindanao where we are are a bamboo stick with a rope and hook LOL most people here use electroshock in the rivers or the nets in the big ships. I am sure you can get a pole here and others surely have them but so far in my past year and a half living here bamboo is what i see.

Housing, Never NEVER NEVER purchase land thru a broker, NEVER. Always talk directly to the owner and get their true price. Especially if the broker is friends of your wifes family, close or acquiescence, and not even if the broker is the cousin of your wife, if they are a broker, tell them you want to talk directly to the property owner. Always get a clean and clear title, under no circumstances allow a seller to sell you property without a CLEAN tax declaration and a clean title, If they dont pay their taxes the past 20 years and you buy the property, you will then be responsible for the taxes they did not pay. If the title says the land is an inheritance and their are like 5 brothers and sisters on the title to be given the property, walk away, getting a clean title on that property could take up to a year.

Computer parts and everything is kinda easy to get, if you go to Cagayan or Davao you could probably find what you need if butuan does not have it, Davao will absolutely have everything we can get in America. Its a hefty trip, so maybe like 5 or 6 hours from you, But you can find things. Butuan does have plenty of computer parts, My wife and I are into arcade cafes and we are making a trip to Butuan this weekend and visiting maybe 8 computer shops in butuan so getting your computer parts there are OK.

If you are retired, I am not, Not working is super ok, besides that getting hired as an american here is almost impossible unless your in the technology and can do the work behind the scenes. The Filipinos automatically see foreign and assume we are all super rich and have money, and they will take advantage of you every chance you give them.

When shopping always ask for a discount. ALWAYS because if its a wet market or a bungalo shop you can bet when they see you they have added 100 pesos to whatever it is you are about to purchase. I solved that problem the first month i was here, I only shop where the prices are clearly marked on the package. And be sure to see the price, because I and my friends watched as a employee of a shop tried to remove the price off the package and add 100 pesos to the price for me. I laughed and picked the one up next to the one she had in her hand and said Ill buy this one, and pointed to the price tag LOL Not everyone is like that, I now have been here long enough and have business relationships with a few places, my bike shop, my building supply store, and other places, and I will only shop with those businesses, because I know bthe and they know me, and we have a great business relationship together.

This next section absolutely does not apply to all Filipino people. Just like america you have some good and some bad, but I especially wanted to share this experience with you.

Yes yes yes learn the language, most Filipinos do not know I understand tagalog and bisayan, and they will directly insult you to your face and smile like they are saying something nice, They will make fun of you and talk about how they are gonna scam you directly in front of you. Its nice to know the language but not let them know you know it. I have a pretty good amount of patience, so i dont blow up when they say rude things to my face, shake my hand and smile like they are giving me a compliment. I personally think it is funny and only belittles them and lets me know who is good people and who is not. I also do not let them know I understand the language, once I do that my cover is blown. LOL By doing what I do you quickly find out who are people you can trust and who is not, because they will just insult you with no problems if they think you do not understand the language.

Most Filipino people want to be hospitable and they actually are, they will give you food a place to rest, take very good care of you, and then you have the ones always looking for a quick buck. Most Filipinos do not understand 100 pesos today is not better than 100,000 over a years time. What they have now is most important to them. And then ther eis always some very good, wonderful people, you unfortunate job is sifting thru the people, finding the good apples and throwing out the bad ones, after a year and a half, I have finally accomplished that.

But to be honest this is not much different than america, we too have good people and very bad people, I personally like life in the Philippines, regardless of its negative things, I think the positive outweigh the negative, I think a lot of people here only need a small push in the right direction, and I personally would love to be able to give my community where I live something more than they could accomplish on their own. As Americans we have the ability to change a whole town, a whole community, with very little effort. We can bring happiness to so many Filipinos and it will barely cost us anything. I just wash away the bad stuff and keep pushing forward, i will not allow a few bad people to keep me from making so many people happy.