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It is always the most difficult decision to make, quitting your job in the Philippines to look for greener pastures abroad OR staying at your current job for the security it provides then just wait for lady luck to touch you. It would be best if while you’re still employed, a job offer abroad will fall into your lap and all you need to do is take your sweet time resigning from your current job then serve the 30-day notice period. After which you fly abroad and start your new career. It happens. However, it doesn’t happen a lot.

For the rest of you whose career path is less than ideal, here are some tips I can share with you before you quit your job in the Philippines. Quitting a job is always difficult; it entails charging into unknown and sometimes sacrificing a great deal of pride due to a respectable position earned in your current company. It is especially hard if you have a family to support or siblings to take care of. The key in succeeding in anything is to take a respectable amount of risk without being stupid.

1. Know the country you’re planning to go to well. And I mean know it WELL. Not just some basic facts but the real situation in that country. The cost of living, the economic condition, how are receptive to foreigners, the pay (of course) and many things. Nothing beats preparation and right information.

2. Get some practical tips from people already working in your target country. These tips do not come handy and normally are a product of practical experiences of people who have been through your situation. These tips are priceless and you should remember them always.

3. Create a very impressive resume. I couldn’t emphasize this more. Your resume is a reflection of yourself in the eyes of prospective employers. Moreover, it’s your resume that will open doors for you to get a personal interview and eventual job offer. An impressive resume is what separates the successful professional from the rest of the pack.

4. Utilize online job portals. Thanks to Internet, you can now apply to 100 companies without leaving your office desk. Use this tool to submit your application and get a phone interview. Take note though that a popular job portal in one country might not be as popular in another. Jobstreet.com.ph is popular in Philippines while in Singapore, it’s Jobsdb.com.sg. Do a little research first so as not to waste your time.

5. Make sure your savings will be enough to cover your expenses for at least 2 months. If you have savings that can cover longer the better. The point is, since you will be quitting your job, the next few days or weeks will all be cash-out. You don’t want to run out of fuel when you’re just a meter away from the finish line, so to speak.

6. Start to turn over your responsibilities before resigning. This is not a formal turnover but just a simple exercise to make sure when you finally quit your job, no work will be disrupted and life will still go on for your company. Make sure everything you do on a day-to-day basis can also be done by someone else in your company, either by a colleague or by your superior. This will make it easy for you to quit once that job offer abroad comes. This action also does not burn bridges between you and your current employer so if and when you still want to come back, they will still accept you with open arms.

7. Consume your unused leaves. Note: if your leaves are convertible to cash, then just select cash. If not, then by all means, use it. The leaves you will consume will give you time to focus on job-hunting abroad while still getting paid since you have not yet officially resigned. This advise might not bode well with your ethics but if you want to be practical, you might want to consider it too.

8. Pray Hard. Of all the advice I’ve given above, I think this one is the most important. I always like to say, Work hard, pray even harder. Prayer adds power to your determination to succeed and find a good, high-paying job. Praying hard worked for me and a lot of people I know who are now happily working here in Singapore.

Doing the things stated above put you in a better position to succeed in your career abroad while minimizing the risks involved. All the best to you! (orig: 7/7/08)

Let me know your thoughts. Send in your comments or suggested topics at sugarpinoy@gmail.com. Click on the links below for other useful Singapore and Pinoy information

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These are difficult times and Singapore is not spared. According to some news reports, “employment growth in Singapore slowed in the third quarter, with the job market expected to deteriorate further as the global financial crisis takes its toll on an economy already in recession”

Although Singapore’s unemployment rate held steady at 2.2 percent in September, some analysts warned that tough times lie ahead. One expert even predicted that unemployment is expected to “rise to 2.6 percent in the fourth quarter.”

Among the jobs created in the third quarter of 2008 – total of 57,800 – the services industry accounted for the biggest slice of the pie at 63 percent, followed by construction sector at 28 percent or 16,400 workers, then manufacturing sector added 4,900 workers.

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My dear SuGar Pinoy readers, today we celebrate a milestone. SuGar Pinoy ranked Number 1 in Google.

As most of you might be aware, Google is the world’s largest and most widely used search engine in the world. Almost anyone in this planet uses Google search engine to find information about anything and everything on the Internet. The information that Google churns out is deemed by many users as highly relevant and useful. After all, its corporate mission is: To organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. Nice job Google.

Just recently, I tried typing “how to get a job in Singapore pinoy” just to see what I will get. I was surprised when I saw SuGar Pinoy at the top of the list out of about 264,000 related websites. I was elated at what I saw because this means the information we’re sharing here in this website can reach a lot of Pinoys and help them, even just in a very small way.

Truth be told, I’m not sure how SuGar Pinoy landed on Google’s Page 1 – maybe because of the number of readers, maybe because of the relevance of the topics, or it could just be plain and simple luck. Whatever that is, the most important thing is even in our small way, we’re creating a difference in this world by sharing information that our “kababayan” can use to somehow improve their status in life.

Before I end, let me thank you my dear SuGar Pinoy readers. By visiting this site and promoting it to your friends, you are making us Pinoys proud. Please continue to do so as I promise to come up with more relevant topics and discussions. All the best to you.

Send in your comments or suggested topics at sugarpinoy@gmail.com. Click on the links below for other useful Singapore and Pinoy information.
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It is a phenomenon that more and more people seem to notice – the rise of Pinoy singers in the world stage. The latest sensation, Charice, has wowed the world that even Oprah, upon seeing her perform on her show for the very first time, became an instant fan. Many Pinoys located in different parts of the world are also making some "noise". Here in Singapore, the phenomenon continues.

Recently, the Straits Times – Singapore’s leading newspaper – came out with an article entitled: “Loving Thai, Filipino songs.”

“Sunday evenings are hardly a popular time slot for clubbing” the article says, “But pop down to The Arena Live at Clarke Quay and you will find the nightspot is often packed to the brim.”

The reason is many Pinoy singers are holding concerts in Singapore and local residents are taking notice. Popular artists such as Bamboo, Kamikaze, Parokya ni Edgar and Aiza Seguerra has pumped up the energy of the clubbing scene here and Pinoy audience, expats and Singaporeans alike groove to their music.

If you want to read the article, click here.

Send in your comments or suggested topics at sugarpinoy@gmail.com. Click on the links below for other useful Singapore and Pinoy information.
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In our previous article, we discussed why Singapore’s high cost of living is just a myth. We mentioned that contrary to popular belief, Singapore’s cost of living is not that high. Consider the following: Basic necessities like food and transportation is low; considering the salary you will receive, expenses in Singapore is proportionately lower; electronics and other gadgets are generally cheaper compared to Philippines; and most of all, important things we pay for in the Philippines, we get it here for FREE.

Given these things, it doesn’t mean living in Singapore is cheap. Of course, there are still some things which are expensive here. These are the following:

1. House or room rental is expensive and will eat up a huge chunk of your budget. In our article, HDB vs Condo, we extensively discussed house and room rental in Singapore including price range and some tricks in the business. It is true that to rent a flat in Singapore, it will cost you about S$ 2,000 per month and that’s just a typical 2-bedroom HDB unit. Even before you move in, you will have to shell out 2 ½ months’ worth for deposit and advanced payment. That can be very expensive. To minimize the impact of this high cost, I suggest you read “HDB vs Condo: A guide to get the best yet cheapest place to stay in Singapore”

2. Liquor, cigarettes and other similar items are expensive. A pack of cigarette in Singapore costs roughly S$ 11! With that amount, you can have 3 Chicken Rice meals already. Also, beer and other liquor are priced exorbitantly. If you are the type who smokes 1 pack or more a day, or drinks a bottle or two everyday, then Singapore can be very expensive for you. If you don’t have any vice, you should do fine.

3. “Services-to-pamper-yourself” are generally expensive. I heard “pampering” services like manicure, pedicure, facial, spa, massage and the likes are generally expensive. Manicure is about S$ 25 (PHP 750), Facial is about S$ 45 (PHP 1,350), Spa is about S$ 100 (PHP 3,000). These things are not really necessary for your survival but if you really must avail of these services, just do it moderately and you should be fine.

4. Utilities (electricity, water, gas), Internet and cable subscription, are neither expensive nor cheap. They’re just ok. In Singapore, almost every Pinoy has internet and cable subscription at home. This should factor in your monthly expense. The utilities of course is a given as well. These monthly payables are neither expensive nor cheap. They’re just ok.

In the final analysis, you will discover that costly items in Singapore can be managed and reduced to bare minimum. What’s important is that essential stuff like food, transportation and decent place to live, are affordable. Over-all, the true cost of living in Singapore, given that you are not living a lavish lifestyle, is “affordable”.

And considering that many things here are accessible to almost every individual the quality of living becomes a lot better and pleasurable. That’s the best thing about living here, the Quality of Living is elevated in such a manner that you start to see Singapore as your home away from home.

Send in your comments or suggested topics at sugarpinoy@gmail.com. Click on the links below for other useful Singapore and Pinoy information. Read more on this article...

Impressions are usually the ones most difficult to erase or even change. One such impression that many Pinoys had for so long is that in Singapore, the cost of living is very high. I must admit, even I had that impression until only recently. Back when I was still living in our beloved country Philippines, I’ve heard many stories that tell me cost of living in Singapore is high. Meaning, in order to survive, or at least live a comfortable life here, one must “pay” a lot. After spending some time here, you know what I discovered? It is a myth.

What?! You ask. The high cost of living in Singapore is just a myth? Baloney! Ok. Let’s put it into proper context so we would be on the same page. If you are like me the first time I set foot in Singapore where everything I buy I always convert into pesos, then yes you can immediately conclude that cost of living in Singapore is high. I’ll cite you an example: one pack of Cigarette here costs roughly SGD 11 or, in today’s exchange rate, PHP 330. I agree, That’s high, exorbitantly high. But that is not the right way of thinking. I’ll tell you why Singapore’s high cost of living is a myth:

1. Basic necessities like food and transportation is low. If you are not the type who always wants to eat in fancy restaurants, there are a lot of hawker centers (a collection of individual stalls selling food at very reasonable prices) here where you can get a good meal for a range of just SGD 3 - 5 or PHP 90 – 150. That’s cheap considering basic Jolly meal in the Philippines now costs less than a hundred bucks. In a hawker center, you can find food of mixed variety – Singapore, Chinese, Indian, Malay, Western, and yes, even Filipino. If you are the type who likes cooking and you are sharing with other people, then it can still get even cheaper as food ingredients are also relatively cheap here.

Another necessity is transportation. We have already discussed how good the transportation system here in Singapore. Given the convenience and security that it provides, basic fare in Singapore only ranges SGD 0.50 – 2.00 or PHP 15 – 60 pesos. That’s cheap even in Philippine terms. What with the recent hike in transport fares and the incessant demands to increase it even further in the Philippines, transportation cost in Singapore is comparatively cheaper. I’m not even putting monetary value to the lost time due to heavy traffic that you are sure to encounter EVERYDAY.

2. If you are working and earning here, expense is proportionately lower compared to working and earning in the Philippines. I have some friends here who compute their expense in nominal amount. Meaning, if they spent SGD 800 in a given month (food, transportation, rental, utilities, etc.) they compute it in peso terms so that’s about PHP 24,000 in monthly expense. That’s high considering they only spend less than PHP 10,000 in the Philippines to cover their monthly expenses. Right? Wrong! I always tell them, in the Philippines, do you also earn the same amount as you earn here? Proportionately, your expenses eat up a major part of your monthly income when you are in the Philippines while in Singapore, your expenses could just be a fraction of it, leaving you with some savings which you can send back to your loved ones.

3. Electronics and other gadgets here are cheap. I’ll share you a little secret. Here in Singapore, almost every household owns a wide-screen TV. I’m not talking about those old-fashioned CRT monitors but flat, full-HD TV sets. Size range from 32” to 48” sometime even bigger. You know why? Electronics here are cheap. I have a friend who bought a 40” full-HD, flat-screen TV for only SGD 1,300 or PHP 39,000. He bought it on a promo but the actual price is also not that far. Laptops, cell phones and other gadgets are also relatively cheaper. Again, in proportion to your income, these things are affordable and would not be a major problem for you to have.

4. Things that we pay for in the Philippines, we get it here for FREE. Let me clarify. If we want to feel a little bit safe and comfortable while traveling in the Philippines, we take a cab. That costs money. The farther you go the costlier it gets. In here, you can take a bus and you can get the same comfort and security without paying extra. If we want to get some fresh air, we go to some good place away from Metro Manila. Again, costs money. Here, you can be anywhere and air is equally fresh. These things and many more make living in Singapore relatively cheap.

So what are the expensive things here? Stay tuned for Part 2 of our article.

Send in your comments or suggested topics at sugarpinoy@gmail.com. Click on the links below for other useful Singapore and Pinoy information. Read more on this article...

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There are many reasons why Pinoys choose to work abroad. But, why Singapore? Here are the top 10 things why Singapore is the best place for you to work.

10. Going to Singapore requires no visa. If you are an American or even a Singaporean, you can go to almost any country that you like and visa will not be a requirement. Unfortunately, it’s not the same for Pinoys. Luckily, we are not required to get a visa if our point of destination is only within ASEAN countries, and Singapore is one of those. You can go to Singapore under a tourist visa (Social Visit Pass) and you will be allowed to stay in the country for up to 30 days. This can even be extended for another 30 days so that’s almost 2 months in total. Use that time to find work and chances are, you will find one.

9. Singapore is just close to Philippines. Even have same time zones. Why is this important? Pinoys who will be leaving a family back in the Philippines will definitely encounter some bouts of loneliness. Working in a country just close to Philippines allows you to come and visit your family often. Moreover, since there is no time difference, you and your family will be sleeping and waking up at the same time. Talking on the phone or chatting on the internet can be done at a time convenient to both of you.

8. Easy to adapt to local culture and language. Like in the Philippines, almost everyone in Singapore knows how to speak in English. That means there will be no problem communicating and moving around the country. Also, local culture mostly follows Asian tradition so you will not be “culture-shocked”

7. Many Pinoys are working here already. According to information culled from Wikipedia, there are currently more than 136,000 Pinoys working and residing in Singapore. That number is definitely higher now. It’s a common fare to see a “kababayan” here whichever part of Singapore you go.

6. Very convenient transportation system. Singapore’s transportation system is considered one of the best in the world. From trains to buses to taxicabs, no other word can best describe it but “convenient”. Trains and buses are fully air-conditioned, they come at the exact time as stated, they are strategically located, almost no traffic for most of the day and drivers are polite. Did I also mention that some taxicabs come in elegant white Mercedes Benz?

5. Very low crime rate. Singapore is a first world country, that’s already a given. But how many first world country can boast of a very low crime rate? Singapore may be the only one. In here, walking on the street at midnight, even after you’ve just gone from an ATM machine and withdrew lots of moolah, you don’t have to keep looking over your shoulders for fear of getting nabbed. I also know of a mother whose main reason she brought her kids here is because safety is her primary concern.

4. There’s discipline in everyone. Some say Singapore discipline is actually getting overboard to the point that sometimes, there’s not enough freedom anymore. You really can’t have everything of course but last time I checked, order and discipline in Singapore is still the envy of the world.

3. Get Permanent Residence status easily. Getting a PR means you get almost the same benefits as Singapore citizen without necessarily giving up your Filipino citizenship. That way, you can reap the full benefits of both. If you are a Singapore PR, you are allowed to stay in the country over a long period of time, you can sponsor your family to come over and stay legally, you can set-up a business here, and many other benefits. We will discuss that in detail in separate article as well as the steps to become a PR. Watch out for it.

2. There are MANY jobs available. Last I heard, there are about 1.5 Million foreigners working and living here in Singapore. That’s about 1/3 of Singapore’s total population. Reason behind that is Singapore is creating more and more jobs because of its booming economy. Good news is local population cannot sustain all the demand so they turn to foreigners to provide the necessary talent and skill set. Needless to say, NOW is the best time to work in Singapore.

1. The pay can make you RICH. As of this writing, the value of Singapore Dollar compared to Philippine Peso is 1SGD = 30PHP. That’s a lot, considering salary range here for Pinoy professionals can range from SGD 1,800 – SGD 8,000. It can go lower or higher of course depending on several factors but you get the drift. Use the money you earn to put up business in the Philippines, buy a property or simply support your family and send your kids to school. The point is, your earnings will be enough, use it wisely and it can get you rich!

There you go. The top 10 things why Singapore is the best place for you to work. Let me know your thoughts. Send in your comments or suggested topics at sugarpinoy@gmail.com.

(Note: This is a re-post of an article that first appeared on April 2008)

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One thing you have to be mindful of when you’re in another country is the place to stay. Sure, you have a friend or a relative staying in that country, but do you really want to just “hitch” with them forever? Do THEY want you to “hitch” forever?

In our previous article, Survival Techniques for Tourist Pinoy, we recommended that you stay first with a friend, relative, acquaintance or whoever while you’re still looking for a job. It saves you money plus it helps you deal with the initial bouts of loneliness you will feel being away with your loved ones for a long time. Now that you have a job already, it’s time for you to become independent and start living your life in Singapore. First thing you must do is look for a place where you can permanently stay. Here are your options:

1. Rent the spare room from your friend or relative. First option here is to check if the place you’re currently staying has a spare room which you can rent. This is the best option as you don’t need move your stuff from one place to another. Also, you are already familiar with the surroundings and the people you will be dealing with on a day to day basis. Plus, that place will most likely have TFC (The Filipino Channel) subscription so you can still watch your favorite Kapamilya shows.

2. Rent HDB Room. HDB stands for Housing and Development Board. It is the government agency here in Singapore in-charge of public housing. Most of the flats (apartment) here are built by HDB, hence, they refer to the flat as HDB. Renting an HDB room is a bit cheaper and normally, it already comes with basic room amenities like aircon, bed, closet, etc. Price range is around SGD400 – SGD700 depending on the location and your negotiation with the owner. Contract duration is typically 1 year and they normally require 1 month advance and 1 month deposit plus agent commission which is about ½ month. Overall, you need to shell out about 2 ½ months payment before you can move in. Tips: 1) Avoid agents. They are allowed here in Singapore and there are plenty of them. As much as possible, try to negotiate directly with the owner. That way, you don’t need to pay extra ½ month. 2) Also, try to negotiate that utilities bill be inclusive of the monthly rental fee. 3) Ask if they allow 2 persons in the room. Find a friend and split the rental fee with him/her. You can checkout PinoySG or ST701 for HDB room listings. The Saturday edition of the Straits Times newspaper is also a good source.

3. Rent Condominium Room. The process for renting HDB room is almost similar to renting Condo room. The only difference is rental fee is higher and condominium has better amenities. If the job you got allows you to spend a little bit more on a good room, then I suggest you get a Condo room. Generally, Condominium has amenities like swimming pool, gym, 24-hour security, etc. Price range is around SGD600 – SGD1,200 depending on the location and your negotiation with the owner. Also requires deposit, advance and agent commission. Follow the tips above and you’re good to go. You can checkout PinoySG or ST701 for Condo room listings. The Saturday edition of the Straits Times newspaper is also a good source.

4. Rent whole HDB unit. This is what most Pinoys prefer. The way to do this is to find a 3 or 4 bedroom HDB flat then find 3 or 4 friends to share the unit with. That way, all of you can split everything – from utilities to internet to house maintenance. Plus you can have fun because you will be sharing same interests and you can set your own rules. Good thing about Singapore, almost all HDB units for rent here comes fully furnished. Air-conditioned rooms, TV, washing machine, dining table, bed, etc. basically everything you need. All you have to do is bring your clothes and you’re good to go. Price range for whole unit is around SGD1,300 – SGD2,500 depending on location and number of rooms. Also requires deposit, advance and agent commission. One of the tenants must also be an EP (employment pass) holder or a PR (permanent resident). A friendly caution: Singapore sets maximum number of people to stay in a given HDB unit. They are strict about this so you must negotiate this very clearly with your landlord. If it is a 3-bedroom unit, try to negotiate maximum of 6 persons (2 per room) to stay even if you are just 3 at the moment. At least it gives you some leeway to add more people in the future. But once maximum number is set, make sure you do not go beyond the limit. You do not want to get into trouble because of this. You can checkout PinoySG or ST701 for HDB whole unit listings. The Saturday edition of the Straits Times newspaper is also a good source.

5. Rent whole Condominium unit. This is great if you have the money to pay for it and your family is already here. This is not an advisable option if you will be staying with friends as you will be tied up with at least 1 year contract. Who knows if before the contract expires, your friend decided to go back to Philippines or move to another company very far away from your place, etc. You do not want to be saddled with a responsibility to cover his share for the rent. That’s a very expensive proposition. If, however, you are stable and your family is here, condo is great. You have all the amenities provided above and you get to enjoy a certain prestige that comes with living in a condo. Price range for whole condo unit is around SGD3,000 – SGD8,000 depending on location and number of rooms. This is fully furnished and comes with basic condominium amenities mentioned above. Also requires deposit, advance and agent commission. One of the tenants must also be an EP (employment pass) holder or a PR (permanent resident). A friendly caution: Singapore sets maximum number of people to stay in a given Condo unit. They are strict about this so you must negotiate this very clearly with your landlord. If it is a 3-bedroom unit, try to negotiate maximum of 6 persons (2 per room) to stay even if you are just 3 at the moment. At least it gives you some leeway to add more people in the future. But once maximum number is set, make sure you do not go beyond the limit. You do not want to get into trouble because of this. You can checkout PinoySG or ST701 for Condominium unit listings. The Saturday edition of the Straits Times newspaper is also a good source.

Deciding on where to stay depends on several factors. Be guided with the right information and be smart with your decisions.

Send in your comments or suggested topics at sugarpinoy@gmail.com. Click on the links below for other useful Singapore and Pinoy information. Read more on this article...