Singapore VS Australia VS Canada VS Pinas

beth_loggins · February 2013

Hi po,

I am an IT Executive living here in Singapore for the past 20 odd years. I am currently in my late 20s, but due to the high cost of living sa Singapore, I am thinking of leaving this country.
Imagine nyo po, a simple flat/apartment rental can cost between 60,000 - 80,000 Pesos a month!!!

I am currently on the verge of filing my Australia EOI, ksi po I just need to take my EILTS. Tapos derecho na po.

Knowing the fact, I have about 10 odd years of CPF saving sa Singapore, I was wondering, will I be better off sa Australia or Pinas.

Salamat po in advance sa comments nyo.

vhoythoy · February 2013

pinas its more fun

killerbee · February 2013

@beth_loggins cguro po ang mas mabuting tanong diyan, what do you want to do in the long run and what situations you are in? may pamilya ka na po ba?

mas maganda siguro, gumawa ka ng listahan ng pros and cons ng parehas na bansa.

as for me, i've been here in SG for almost 6 yrs now and some of the reason you mentioned above also pushed me to pursue my OZ dream. bakit hindi pinas? Kasi kung uuwi ako sa pinas, mas mainam cguro na pumasok na ako sa business pero hindi pa ako handa sa pagbubusiness eh. tapos me and my wife wants an stress free environment as much as possible to raise a family that's why we choose Australia. I could go on and on but this are some of the reason why... so ask yourself na lng kung ano ang gusto mo..

vhoythoy · February 2013

bakit wala canada? sama mo para may idea din ako hahaha. Ako 4 years na din ako sa SIngapore, pero pinaka naasar ako is sobrang higpt nila sa PR at Citizenship ngaun. Other than that ok naman. So kung ayaw nila wag hehe

lock_code2004 · February 2013

just the thought that you are in this forum means something...
a) you have doubts to come back to philippines
b) you are forced to get out of singapore..
c) you are looking for something else..

read the thread: Bakit Australia? may mga sersyosong sagot.. may patawa lang..
may mainit at emosyonal na talakayan... halo halo na..
but you will get the essence of it..

http://www.pinoyau.info/discussion/70/bakit-australia/p1

goodluck!!

alexamae · February 2013

Ako din, gustong gusto ko ng umalis dito sa Singapore.
Ang lifestyle na gusto ko d ko magawa dito at sa pinas kasi..
Sana ma approve na kami.

TasBurrfoot · February 2013

Here is my take on the countries I have lived previously:

(1) Singapore - nothing permanent as we were just on employment pass; good salary sana and low tax however super mahal naman ang bahay and kotse. and definitely it can get boring after a while.

(2) Philippines - coming from Singapore, you cannot help but compare that stuffs (food, transpo system, groceries, etc) are below par as compared to Singapore. i don't feel safe here - case in point may NPA attack in Bukidnon yesterday, an hour away from my hometown. i cannot stand the mediocre attitude of our gov't here. hight tax BUT ninanakaw lang ng mga corrupt official.

Time will tell if Australia will really be the place that we can finally call home but from the looks of it now, it seems promising naman. At least ngayon, nakikita na namin ng wife ko na magkaroon ng kiddies in around 2 years.

LokiJr · February 2013

Parang Samsung vs. Apple vs. Cherry Mobile naman to hehe

Sorry but you can't compare our country to those developed countries...malayo talaga hehe...the only thing we can be proud of the Philippines is our heritage, culture, GDP and optimism in life.

alexamae · February 2013

Gusto ko ang Apple hahaha.

TasBurrfoot · February 2013

Parang Samsung vs. Apple vs. Cherry Mobile naman to hehe

Sorry but you can't compare our country to those developed countries...malayo talaga hehe...the only thing we can be proud of the Philippines is our heritage, culture, GDP and optimism in life.

Funny thing is, I am never optimistic at all with the future of the Philippines...

Metaform · February 2013

Any place where you need to struggle in order to stay or live is a no-no. Seeing the news about the Singaporeans uproar against the expats automatically takes The Little Red Dot off the list. Kung maayos naman ang buhay mo sa Pinas and hindi ka nakatira sa Manila (a.k.a. Hell on Earth), better stay with your family and friends. Kung sawa ka na sa traffic, corruption, and Love Radio, or kung ang family mo ay nandito na down under, then Oz is the place for you.

LokiJr · February 2013

Hahaha...oo Love Radio....hahaha nakakarelate ako dito!!

There are some positive things in our country...it just so happens that everything terrible about the Philippines (traffic, pollution, crime, inefficiencies) is bunched up in Metro Manila.

My boss asked my opinion about this and I said to him, I would love to spend my 'strong' years in Australia and bask on my success in the Philippines when I am retired

yukie77 · February 2013

For some reason, same yung feeling ko sainyo dito sa SG, parang everything is temporary and walang assurance yung future. Yes we have jobs but you don't (or well I don't) see myself staying here nor raising a family here, considering baka ayaw na rin nila sakin eventually hehe.

Late 20+s young pa yun, ako rin pala late 20+s or mid late 20+s hehe, but the thing is if wala ka pa naman family you can do whatever you want, considering you have savings pwde ka start small biz sa Pinas, makatulong kapa sa mga walang jobs

... but if adventure is what you're up for then baka ok na sa AU, then eventually pwde mo rin consider ibang countries, I once read something that says - "Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go"

God bless sa plans mo!

Metaform · February 2013

I don't mean to sound like a pessimistic crab, but the thing about The Philippines' economic growth is that, hindi ito nararamdaman ng mga Filipinos sa Pinas. Kadalasan ang proud lang sa pag-unlad ng Pinas ay mga Pinoys overseas kasi wala sila sa atin. A friend in Dubai keeps bragging about Noynoy's accomplishments, saying our government is now the one lending money to other countries. So? Sino ang nakikinabang? Na-alleviate ba ang buhay ng mga families natin doon?

Fine, it may take another 50 years or so for The Philippines to bounce back. I really really hope our country can at least be at par with its neighbouring ASEAN countries.

LokiJr · February 2013

Without sounding too technical...we need good and consistent growth...Last year, nagrelease ang BSP tungkol sa issue na iyan. Para maramdaman ng lahat ng mamamayan ang kaunlaran sa bansa, kailangan natin magpost ng GDP growth rate na 6.5% tuloy tuloy sa 17 taon!

Malayo pa lalakarin natin, but it's a good start..kelangan lang tuloy tuloy.

You can't cure an "alcoholic" overnight...he needs to battle the addiction for years and years to be successful

TasBurrfoot · February 2013

GDP growth of Pinas is impressive but if you look at it, super baba kasi ng base na pinanggaling nya... If there is a wave of growth sweeping around the world, for sure aangat ang mga numbers natin BIG time.

Question is, will we replicate this for the next 17yrs - year after year? Sorry but I am incline to say never.

Meanwhile, to those invested sa stocks market.
Enjoy the good run!!

beth_loggins · February 2013

Hi guys, salamat pala sa mga post mo.
well, as mentioned, i was raised here in Singapore, came in the late 80s, my dad was an engineer, he recently retired and withdrew his CPF, nsa pinas na happy happy time.

Anyways, as for me, well I got an offered the apply for Singaporean citizenship, I have been a PR since 2005 (due to school scholarship fund, I just needed to serve 3 years bond sa SG, no NS ), but the weird thing is that when I applied, they rejected it about 3 months!... so I told myself, maybe Singapore isn't for me anymore.

Kaya ganon.. I was recently in Pinas, I would love to work in our country pero, it will be hard to live on its minimal salary.. hinde nman sa high maintanance ako, pero mahirap lang talaga ang bansa natin when you're working locally as a regular employee.

As for Singapore, yes its tightening its rules and regulations in accepting and taking in more foreigners, pero the bad thing is the locals don't make babies.. kaya ganon. nag kagulo gulo ang bansa na toh.
madami rin ako mga friends na EP/SPASSES who's got their passes rejected when renewed, as well as PR renewal, rejected din.

Personally for me, I think we've already experienced the PRIME of Singapore, I don't think it will further improved itself.. straight line nlang sha sa graph. I think it'll be worse for us pinoys and foreingers in the long run....

So I am looking forward in living sa down-under..

But is it easy to look for a job there?

I have a local NTU University degree in IT infrastructure and Security and have a distance learning Masters in Business IT from RMIT (galing sa SIM dito sa Singapore). Pero I have been reading alot of forums na its hard to get jobs in Aussie without local experience

Sorry po, super confuse lang po ako talaga... but I believe being 29, I am at the age where I am at a crossroad in which I need to stay or go elsewhere...

By the way, as you know, in Singapore, you can withdraw your CPF money once you've let go of your PR status, pero as for Aussie, can you withdraw the Super if you let go the PR po?

Sorry po for so many questions, but I know I am at the right place to ask for advise.. salamat po sa lahat!

P/S ok po sana CANADA pero masyadong malayo at wlang budget airlines hehehe... masayadong malayo sa Malate, Timog and Makati AVE..

Ingat po lahat and have a great Thursday

beth_loggins · February 2013

Ok po sana sa Singapore if we're earning at least S$10,000 here.. pero mahirap na po dito. grabe bahay super mahal.. tapos education for the kids they're killing our pockets...

TasBurrfoot · February 2013

As for Singapore, yes its tightening its rules and regulations in accepting and taking in more foreigners, pero the bad thing is the locals don't make babies.. kaya ganon. nag kagulo gulo ang bansa na toh.
madami rin ako mga friends na EP/SPASSES who's got their passes rejected when renewed, as well as PR renewal, rejected din.

Eto na naman ako ilalabas ko "bitterness" ahaahaha!!

Singapore rejected me and my wife twice when we applied for PR before... Guess we just applied too late lang though coz previously andami na grant!

Ngayon kahit kaibigan ko na Global Brand Manager of an FMCG firm, rejected yung PR Application niya... Ang binibigyan lang ata ng PR ay yung mga China people eh... lolz!

TasBurrfoot · February 2013

Ok po sana sa Singapore if we're earning at least S$10,000 here.. pero mahirap na po dito. grabe bahay super mahal.. tapos education for the kids they're killing our pockets...

@beth_loggins - to be honest we were able to get by with our salary sa Singapore, nakapag-save, travel and restaurant every weekend. But the thing is, yung nga it will come to a point wherein anong gagawin mo ba talaga?!

For us kasi parang hindi naman pwede na ipon lang ng ipon, travel lang ng travel... So hopefully, tama itong Australia na decision namin.

Nadine · February 2013

Makikisali po!

Mahal sa Singapore ang bahay, pero sa totoo lang, mas mahal sa Australia ang bahay ko ngayon.

Mahal sa Sg ang gamit or damit or food, pero so far, wala ding mura dito. In fact, some stuff are more expensive. Plan ko nga mamili sa Sg or Pinas ng damit.

But why would I still prefer to stay here?

Lifestyle po. Infinitely better. Hindi masyadong nagmamadali mga tao dito than Sg. Friendlier sila, more considerate kumbaga. Working hours heaps better. Back in Sg, I was busy but didn't have enough time. Here, I'm still busy but I now have time.

Plus pay is waaaay better for health professionals. Etong bansang to yata has some of the best pay in the world. Also, mas madami places to explore, things to do. Di ka mauubusan ng adventures.

Now if I were earning maybe half of my earnings here in Pinas? Pinas ako hands-down syempre. Iba pa rin ang Pinas. Naisip ko, I can visit Pinas naman anytime. So work here, get vacation in the Philippines.

I say go for it, you won't regret it.

stolich18 · February 2013

Comment lang ako about expensive clothes sa Au. Nakwento ng friend ko, even the locals in Au, nagpapabox daw ng mga nishopping online sa US. hahhaa! Mas malaki na buying power nila, mas mura pa lalo mga damit sa US lalo na pag may mga sale... hehehhehehe

vhoythoy · February 2013

Based sa experience/ nababasa ko eto lang comments ko:

Pinas:
Pros
1. Always at home ang feeling
2. Masarap ang food (for me) - di ko lang alam bakit laging mahaba pila ng jco donuts
3. Kasama pamilya, malapit sa kamaganak, kababata, tropa
4. Di nauubusan sa kalokohan at masayahin ang tao kahit sa simpleng bagay. daming activities
5. Will make you TOUGH citizen/person
Cons
1. Mababa sweldo
2. corruption
3. Mas risky sa mga crimes

Singapore:
Pros:
1. Malaki take home pay walang kaltas unless PR ka. Buo sweldo parang tax free kasi next year mo pa problemahin tax and mababa lang naman
2. Updated sa gadgets/electronics/ lhat ng bago/ shopping/ di nagpapahuli
3. Maraming pwedeng gawin

. Good for single
4. malapit sa pinas, at ibang southeast asian countries, almost no crime, no pollution, good transport, disciplined people
5. competitive environment, good career growth and experience
6. Will make you TOUGH professional if you know what i mean
Cons
1. Rat race living, laging nagmamadali at naguunahan sa lahat ng bagay (mrt, upuan sa hawkers, sale, iphone lunch, etc)
2. Tough for foreigners nowadays (residency, work pass)
3. Not for family in long term unless probably you got the #2 and have really nice job
4. Sobrang liit lang ng bansa puro man-made ang pasyalan. You will get bored after years of staying

Australia
Pros
1. Can be PR and Citizen
2. Laid back daw (im looking forward)
3. Big Country
4. Good benefits and best for raising family

Cons
1. Medyo isolated lang ng konti

beth_loggins · February 2013

Hi Vhothoy, thanks for the summary.
Tama medyo sisipan at shado mabilis ang lifestyle dito sa Singapore. Kaya gusto ko na umalis, kakasawa na... been here too long na. in fact the people here mashado focus sa work, yan tuloy d na naliligo before going to office..

if you know what i mean, yung smell sa MRT in the morning.

hehe, a close friend of mine (local), actually migrated to Perth, but before doing so, binenta nila flat nila, car, and umutang sa mga local banks sa Singapore ng approx 15K each.. tapos 1, 2, 3 ,4 takbo to downunder. Yan, written off the utang nila. hehehe.. I was thinking of doing the same thing pero, kunsensha lang habol sayo hehe... But I was thinking of politicians can eat our millions why can't we little people haha joke lang po.

How about CPF VS Super? Does it work the same? Kasi ang CPF pwede nyo withdraw when I decided to forgo your PR sa SG.

Also is it easier to find a job in SG or Aussie?

Also in terms of Aussie states, what's the best states for us Kayumangi? Or more or less same sila?

I was thinking of moving down under while I hold my PR for "just in case".

Pero if you ask me hands down, its always fun in the Philippines they say. hehe wla lang talaga pera, but freedom is there!!!
As for clothes, Pinas pa rin ako, dito sa Singapore, punta kayo sa G2000, pare-pareho design.. iba lang kulay. I am not sure about Aussie.

stolich18 · February 2013

@beth_loggins ung Super ata hindi basta basta nawwithdraw unless retirement age ka na (55 years old?)

May nagcomment na about super somewhere in the forum

vhoythoy · February 2013

Problema lang sa pagtakbo ng utang eh ma blacklisted ka nyan hehe. i audited one of the biggest retailer in singapore (courts) at yes, written off nila pag hindi na talga mahabol at mag gone in a wind na yung tao. pero submit nila records mo sa credit agency/ organisation so in the future yun ang magiging problema

TasBurrfoot · February 2013

hehe, a close friend of mine (local), actually migrated to Perth, but before doing so, binenta nila flat nila, car, and umutang sa mga local banks sa Singapore ng approx 15K each.. tapos 1, 2, 3 ,4 takbo to downunder. Yan, written off the utang nila. hehehe.. I was thinking of doing the same thing pero, kunsensha lang habol sayo hehe... But I was thinking of politicians can eat our millions why can't we little people haha joke lang po.

May Singaporean din pala gumagawa nito? AHhahaha...

beth_loggins · February 2013

opo madami gumagawa ng 1, 2, 3 ,4 technique. if ako, kailangan ko talaga ng pera hehe bka gawin ko rin hehe.. kung kaya nila Erap kaya din natin hehe joke joke.

LokiJr · February 2013

Kung napapansin niyo, kung may option ang tao mangibang bansa...pipirmi lang naman ang tao sa Pinas dahil sa emotional attachment nila (pamilya, kultura, love radio)...

Pero kung 'earnings capacity' ang magiging basehan...hands down, you're better off working abroad.

Khaosan_Road · February 2013

workwise, aling sa tatlo ang hindi patayan pagdating sa trabaho? lalo naman sa SG susulitin ka talga hanggang sa huling singko na binayad nila sayo. "correct or not?" hehehe

vhoythoy · February 2013

Yup, yung net na sweldo ko for one month sa Singapore hindi ko naipon sa 5 taon kong pagwork sa Pinas. Sa makati kasi ako nagwork tapos nakatira sa Laguna audit firm pa. Ang nangyayari, naka necktie ako pumapasok sa office, on the heart of ayala, makati kadalasan sa jolijeep pa ako kumakain. tapos after a month, kung hindi break-even eh may matitira na 3k-5k sa sweldo ko. Nag rent lang kasi kami ng bahay tapos help ko din yung grandparents ko. Wait ko pa annual bonus pag may gusto ako bilhin na medyo mahal. LOL. Pero salamat SG before ako lumayas, 1 year nalang fully paid na yung hinihulugan ko yehey