Topics that will be addressed as I progress with this site.

Coming soon

The following is a list of topics that I am writing about and each will be delivered as I complete them.

Airlines in the Philippines
Real estate - Buying a home
Canadian Embassy
Clark Air Base
Cost of living - actual cost 2010
Expat associations
Getting a Phils driver's license
Dining out
Entertainment (other than bars)
Filipino foods
Finding a girlfriend
Getting married
Hotels
Hospitals and insurance
Immigration
Maps of Philippines and Angeles City
Personnal and residential safety and security
Renting an apartment
Shopping 
Transportation
Travel
Weather
Any other topics suggested or that I think of

Opening a bank account in Angeles or Clark

Opening a bank account in Angeles City can be time consuming like many other things we do here in the Philippines. Probably the best ID to open a bank account is the new ACR-I ID card or Alien Certificate of Registration

In the Philippines as in any other country opening a bank account can be difficult. The bank will require several documents to ensure you are who you say you are. But opening an account as a non citizen, non-resident is doable even without the ACR-I. After visiting several banks to learn of their requirements I opted for the Bank of Philippines Island - BPI as the staff I met were more helpful and interested than those in other banks. The bank location was also very convenient for me. Of course if you have lots of money to deposit just see the manager of any bank and things will usually get facilitated.

Another easy method to open a bank account is to ask one of your friends who is well known and connected to a bank manager, that and your passport is usually all you need. To open my account I was asked to provide copies of 2 pieces of ID, in my case my Passport and a Philippines driver's license. The bank also wanted copies of my long term lease and recent utility bills. I had those so within a week I had my bank account and automated teller bank card. My choice was to open a peso account but depending on the bank you can open an account in Canadian or US dollars. I suppose some banks would also handle just about any currency?

The only inconvenient aspect of banking here is that depositing money is only possible in a few selected teller machines so you generally need to walk in to your bank to make a deposit. On the other hand would I want to deposit in a teller machine here. I'm not sure about that.