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It's been close to 9months since i've moved to Manila and im really liking it a lot. With the National Day hovering, some people have emailed me to comment how patriotic i am towards Singapore.

Erm. 

I think i need to correct you people. i am NOT pro-Singapore. The only reason i did up e flag on e blog was cuz i was 1) bored, and 2) thot why not just have some fun.

I mean seriously, how can anyone possibly be pro-Singapore?

Yea yea ok whatever, i know YOU (yea yea im pointing at YOU, e one with e wide eyes staring at me as tho i said something sooo wrong) are soo deeply in love with Singapore.

Don't get me wrong. I don't HATE Singapore. But really, it's just getting so bloody difficult to live there.

I mean yea like lots of Singaporeans are unhappy with e system and tons of them wanna move to Australia, US, Sweden, Canada, London etc. But how many of them actually even get out of e country? (And no, going to JB to do shopping is NOT counted ok?)

After staying in Manila, i've come to realise that i really don't wanna go back anymore.

Why? Why wud a sane person say something like that? It's like comparing moving to i dunno, Africa?

Well Manila ain't tt bad. I've come to like this place a lot more. In fact, with just spending less than SGD$2000/mth, im living an expat life.

That includes my rent in an upmarket condominium in the CBD area in the city, my cab rides to everywhere, my restaurant meals (I hardly eat at foodcourts, less than 5 times in fact), my grocery shopping, my clothes, toiletries etc. And did i mention i have $200-300 leftover by e end of e mth?

Now, why wud anyone wanna screw themselves up by staying in Singapore where even if u earn $3K, u're barely making ends meet?

I am of course comparing middle income Singaporeans with middle income Pinoys.

In Manila, everything is cheap unlike Singapore.

Parking in the CBD is average at 30pesos which is abt SGD$1. What's parking like in Singapore? At least $2 per entry or for e first hour.

Then what about shopping. here i can get clothes for under 500-600 pesos. That's like SGD$17-20.

Then there's food. 6litres of distilled water only cost 45pesos which is like $1.50. What does a bottle of mineral water of 500ml cost in SG? $1.50 too.

Ok let's compare Mcdonalds. In Singapore a McChicken meal is what? About $6? Here it's 90pesos. That's $3!!! I mean yea u get a smaller drink and smaller coke but that's like half e price. Even if u upsize ur meal, it's no more than $4.

If you go shoe shopping, you can get shoes for under 300-400pesos. That's under $10-13. 

And cab rides are so dirt cheap. A trip from like say Marine Parade to Bukit Batok costs no more than $4! 

I think u know what im driving at yea?

 

Well it's one thing to live in Singapore cuz it's safe in terms of security and all but in e long run, i think there's just too many flaws.

Things are so expensive in Singapore. Yes, you can get $2 chicken rice, $3 laksa, 60cents roti prata kosong…but is that e kinda life u wanna live in forever? Do you wanna put your family in that kinda predicament where you barely make ends meet yet u keep yourself in denial hoping that things will improve?

Education is becoming a war zone with kids fighting to be e best. Typical kiasuism. And u know what? I just dont think our future generation are fighting to be e best for e right reasons. I just dont see them doing e best so tt they can have a good future. I see it more as to show off and just be e best for e sake of it.

Security isnt actually improving considering everywhere in e world now face terrorist threats.

Competition is getting so stiff that it's getting harder to land a decent paying job unless you're like a specialist in banking, a doctor, an engineer, etc etc.

What then happens to the mass population who falls into e middle category of regular office workers with regular pay?

With e rate of inflation soaring so high, how sure are u that your $5k paycheck is ever gonna be enough?

To survive a good life without feeling 'pathetically' poor since everyone in Singapore wants to show off to each other, you'll at least need to live in a condo if not, at least an upmarket housing estate, you'd wanna get tuition for ur kids who u think are so dumb just cuz they only get 90/100 marks and not full marks like e neighbor's child next door, you'll wanna get a maid to look after e kids since both u and ur wife are working all e time. 

And then there's of course e other luxury items like e occasional dining at restaurants with e family, or an overseas vacation, or how u'll need to upgrade your fridge or TV.

How can anyone possibly live comfortably in Singapore at e rate things are going?

Don't talk about expats. They have tons of money.

Expats can complain in the forums all they want cuz they're typically pampered and have lots of money already. The only reason why they wanna leave Singapore is because they can no longer upkeep their luxurious lives.

Even then, it hits them hard and it says a lot. For a group of people who earn tons of money yet cannot keep up with the economic pace of Singapore.

Gee..says a lot hey? 

What abt you, Mr and Ms Singaporean?

What are your thoughts about staying in Singapore? I'm not like encouraging anyone to leave e country lest e govt cracks down on me and smack my butt silly, but truth is, Singaporeans need to start thinking and plannin before it's too late.

For me? I don't know. I might make Manila my home some day - afterall there is a small Singaporean community here already.

And if i don't it's ok, cuz i have applied to migrate to Australia and Canada.

And when that happens, i'll thank my lucky stars for making e move early. 

Expats aren't the only ones leaving Singapore. Are you going to continue staying till Singapore hits rock bottom?

Good luck…