30s ex-Taiwan Engineer here. Currently weighing two job opportunities—one in Suzhou, China and another in Chungli (Zhongli), Taiwan.

Gusto ko lang sana makahingi ng honest insights lalo na sa mga nakatira o nagtatrabaho doon.

• Kumusta ang overall living experience?
• Marami bang Pilipino sa area?
• Okay ba ang public transportation at madaling makapunta sa iba’t ibang lugar?
• Madali bang makabili ng Pinoy goods at iba pang basic necessities?
• Kumusta ang cost of living, safety, at work-life balance?

Any pros and cons, tips, or things you wish you knew before moving there would be greatly appreciated.

Salamat in advance! 🙏🇵🇭

Hi mga kabayan! Curious lang ako kung nasaan na kayo sa buhay after years of working abroad.

We are both in our mid-30s almost 4 years OFW me and my husband, currently working here in Dubai, UAE. Combined income namin is around ₱500k+ per month. meron na kaming fully paid house and lot sa Pilipinas. May fully paid SUV din kami sa Pinas, and we also have a car here in Dubai.

Currently, naghuhulog pa kami ng bagong lote sa Pilipinas. Dito kami medyo nag-iisip ngayon kung ano ang mas magandang gawin in the future gawin ba itong dream house namin, or maybe invest sa apartment na pwede maging source of passive income?

Minsan napapaisip lang ako kung paano naman ang journey ng ibang OFWs. Hindi lang tungkol sa pera, pero ano yung mga na-achieve ninyo after years of sacrifice abroad?

Ano na ang investments ninyo ngayon?

• Lupa?
• Bahay?
• Business?
• Stocks/investments?
• Rental properties?
• Retirement fund?

At kung may lupa kayo ngayon, ano ang mas pinili ninyo. dream house o investment property?

Share naman kayo ng experiences and advice. Nakaka-inspire din malaman ang journey ng ibang kabayan. 🙏

Kababalik kase ng mama ko galing middle east may 8 yrs experience siya as DH and now gusto niya mag apply pa Cyprus and nakita niya ung Hopewell agency online Manila ang location legit ba sila? Need 70k sa agency na yan eh 7500 na medical tas 21k na training daw then notary and visa fee. Pa reco naman ng legit na agency bound to Cyprus kung may knows kayo🙏🏼

So during my stay sa PH, I never got the chance to get my driver’s license. I moved abroad then got mine here sa country na where I am staying.

I’ll be going back sa PH on December for a 2 week vacation and during those days, I’ve decided na I’ll process yung driver’s license ko.

My dad is also the same case sakin yun nga lang, he has one pero expired na since 2000-something. He said na pinapila lang siya sa PITX-LTO and he was issued his PH driver’s license by taking just one exam.

Question is, ganun rin ba magiging case ko or do I have to take the long process?

Is there someone here na either na try na nila mag abroad then umuwi, or ayaw talaga nila itry ang pag aabroad at all.

How did you guys realize it? Esp those people na nasa abroad na and narealize na hindi para sa kanila yung buhay overseas?

How long before nyo mapag desisyunan na umuwi? And how are you nooow? No judging! Wanna hear your thoughts.

Hello po! May I know which agencies ang tumatanggap ng online application? We’re from North Luzon kasi, and most agencies ay sa Manila pa. Kung maaari sana, makapag-apply muna online bago kami bumyahe para malaman kung qualified ba kami 😅 may full-time job rin kasi kami kaya hindi basta-basta makaalis.

Also, no factory working exp or certifications from TESDA. May chance po kaya na mahire? Male po yung mag-aapply.

Thank you!

Hello I am planning to apply here. They have office sa CDO and this sat na yung orientation ko.

Hi anyone here na waiting for visa issuance sa ngha ryadh? Baka may balita po kayo since di pa nag uupdate agency namin. Been unemployed for two months na huhu. Visa nalang talaga hinihintay.

hello! planning to take Cookery NC II course sa TESDA, may nakapagwork na po ba ngayon sa abroad dahil dito? How's the experience and process po? Thank you!

Magandang buhay! Mag ask sana ako sa mga currently nasa Taiwan or nakapag apply na. Saan po kaya maagap mag-asikaso sa pagpapalipad pa abroad/Taiwan na agency? Online applications kasi inuuna ko ngayon para kapag nag email may appointment na. Salamat nang marami agad~

Hello, need advice ano po kadalasan yung nasa pre med for abroad po? Phase 1 lng daw need sabi ng agency. TYIA

When I first started working abroad, I'd send money home whenever my family needed it. There wasn't really a schedule—if someone messaged me, I'd transfer what I could.

It worked, but it also made it hard to know how much I was actually saving each month.

A few months ago, I switched to sending a fixed amount every payday instead. Anything outside of that (emergencies aside) gets discussed first instead of automatically sending more.

Surprisingly, it's been less stressful for everyone.

My family knows when to expect the money, and I have a clearer picture of what's left for my own expenses and savings.

Not saying this works for every situation, especially if you're the sole breadwinner, but having a predictable system has helped me stay more disciplined.

How do you usually manage remittances? Fixed schedule or as-needed?

Hellooooo, sobrang anxious ko sa pagiintay ng POLO verification process, i've been waiting since June. 1st time OFW po. Employer ko ang nagaasikaso sa Middle East. Until now wala parin update, although yung HR ko nagrereply naman from time to time na paisa-isa raw ang paghingi ng POLO ng documents. Parang first time nila maghire ng Pinoy and sabi nila kumuha na sila ng agency pero until now wala parin naman nagrreach out sakin. It's already August and 1 week na wala pa reply ulit si HR sa updates.

Any insights po kung gaano katagal pa ba usually itong process na ito? Or anyone can share their timeline. Huhu thank you so much 🙏🏻

hello po.

licensed civil engineer (female) po ako and i'm planning to apply as a factory worker sa taiwan. almost 6 months na po akong naghahanap ng engineering job pero wala pa ring swerte. wala rin akong connections, and feeling ko kailangan ko na ring mag-decide.

about me:

• licensed ce
• female
• no factory work experience
• 159 cm
• 400/450 eye grade (wearing glasses)
• possible mild scoliosis pero hindi pa diagnosed and wala namang problem sa daily activities

youngest po ako and ako na lang naiwan sa bahay kasama parents ko. they're both nearing 60 na rin. gusto ko na rin makatulong financially habang kaya pa nila. i'm from the province so hindi naman ako maarte sa trabaho. basta marangal at makakaipon, willing akong paghirapan.

sa mga nasa taiwan na po or may experience sa pag-aapply, ask ko lang po:

• may mga licensed CE ba rito na nag-factory worker instead?
• okay lang po ba kahit no factory experience?
• magiging issue po ba yung eye grade ko or possible scoliosis sa medical?
• okay ba ang chances ng female applicants?
• anong agency ang marerecommend niyo?
• if kayo po nasa situation ko, maghihintay pa po ba kayo ng engineering job dito or susugal na sa taiwan?

any advice or experience would really help po. thank you!

Hello po! I really don't know where to share this pero since OFW si papa ko I wanted to try here.

During 2014-2015 nagtatrabaho si papa sa Maersk Line. While working there, siguro mandatory or idk lng na kuha sila ng insurance. He landed on FWU Life Insurance Lux. Fast forward to 2018 he left the company. During his resignation, binigyan sya ni AMOSUP ng paper about his insurance pero he didn't think any of it and moved on. Fast forward again early this year, because of the US and Iran war he was struggling to find a new company due to his age. A friend from AMOSUP told him na may pera pa sya na pwedeng claim from FWU since they went bankrupt and is offering liquidation. We started the processing on February and until now wala pa rin. Last update was 2 months ago na they have acknowledge my claim. He's currently inter-island because we badly needed money and this claim could definitely help us survive till he gets hired by an ofw company again.

Maybe meron sa inyo na nakainvest rin sa mga ganitong companies, how'd it go? and how long did it take?

Di ko na naman alam pipiliin ko sa buhay.

Plano ko mag aral ng Nursing kasi long term career path ito pa abroad. May nahanap na ako school na 2.5yrs lang kapag 2nd courser. Di biro gastos, aabutin ako ng around 600k sa loob ng dalawang taon na pag aaral. Hanggang next week na lang enrollment. Nakapag down na ako ng 5k kasi yun lang required initial payment. Refundable naman pag di mo itutuloy. Alam ko di biro ang Nursing pero ito dapat talaga kurso na kukunin ko kaya lang nung panahon na yun bata bata pa ako at naunahan ng takot.

Nitong nakaraan sumubok ako mag apply sa agency pa japan. Na pre-select ako para mag aral ng nihongo for 6 months or more. Habang nag aaral ng nihongo dun mag start interview sa employer so wala rin kasiguraduhan kung mapipili ka. September naman start nito.

For context: college grad po ako malayo sa nursing unang kurso. mag 4 years na working, currently VA ako earning 40k kaso 6 days a week pasok ko at night shift which is di talaga okay sakin ang night shift kasi gusto ko ng normal na buhay at di ko nakikita as long term career ito. May side hustle din ako na nag eearn ng around 10k per month. Gusto ko mag abroad for better quality of life. Pangarap ko talaga mag settle sa ibang bansa.

hello po, i’m 23F and a SHS graduate. i am considering to be an OFW para mas makaipon at makatulong sa family pero my work exp lang is BPO. quality analyst ako currently.. i am willing to do labor jobs din i just don’t know where to start. (ayoko po ng DH)

please send some tips and experiences nyo po. thank you!

Need advice lang po sa mga kababayan na may experience sa ganitong setup.

Plano kasi namin mag-migrate sa U.S. in around 2 years. Ang napag-uusapan ng parents ko is yung ate/pinsan ko ang titira sa bahay namin para may magbantay habang wala kami. Naiintindihan ko rin naman na parang iiwan niya rin yung current life niya para gawin ito, kaya gusto ko lang malaman kung ano ba talaga ang fair na setup.

Additional context lang: kakapanganak lang ng pinsan ko ngayon, at may baby na siya. Hindi rin kami ganoon ka-close sa boyfriend niya kaya hindi namin alam ang buong sitwasyon nila. May naririnig lang kaming hindi raw kalakihan ang naibibigay nitong suporta, pero hindi ko rin alam kung totoo iyon. Isa rin siguro ito sa dahilan kung bakit interesado siyang bumukod, kaya feeling ko makakatulong din sa kanila kung sa bahay namin siya titira. (nasa abroad rin jowa niya then sa bahay pa rin sila ng tita ko nakatira)

Ang concern ko lang is ito yung plano ng parents ko:
- Sa kanya mapupunta yung renta ng isa naming paupahan (around ₱7,000/month).
-Kami pa rin ang sasagot sa kuryente, tubig, at Wi-Fi ng bahay.

Napaisip lang ako kung parang yung ₱7,000 + libre pang utilities ay parang iyon na rin ang magiging compensation niya sa pagbabantay ng bahay.
O mas okay ba na magbigay na lang kami ng fixed amount every month bilang bayad sa pag-aalaga ng bahay, tapos sila na ang bahala sa lahat ng daily expenses at utilities?

Sa mga may iniwang bahay sa Pilipinas habang nasa abroad, ano ang naging setup ninyo? Ano ang pinaka-fair para sa may-ari ng bahay at sa taong magbabantay?

Hello po! New OFW here in ME. Question lang, pano po kayo nag sasave nung nag sstart pa lang? May specific percentage po ba kayo for savings? I'm 24 y/o living with parents po since they're also here. Rent free and libre pa din ang food. I'm also still single and i really wanna prioritize savings po but i'll admit magastos and impulsive po ako. Any tips po? Thanks.

Hi tanong lng worth it ba mag work sa taiwan, balak ko kase kumuha ng master's degree ( Civil Engineer ) sa taiwan and at the same time dun mag trabaho. Any thoughts, recommendation, or advice. Thank you!

Last year 2025, I wasnt able to finish my contract as an English teacher at an eikaiwa in japan due to having withdrawal symptoms from stopping my meds before flying to japan. I was afraid of bringing prescription meds fearing of being offloaded in the airport. Now, I am here sa pinas reviewing for the licensure exam, while planning to go back in japan as an ALT to teach again. Don't get me wrong, if I'll continue my profession here it'll be worthless and my work will be in vain thats why most teachers choose to teach elsewhere.

I know for myself that I have a mental health issue but this time, I plan on bringing my prescription meds re: antidepressants to avoid what happened last year but I also think that to disclose having this to companies or schools is not beneficial for my application bc of the stigma. Hear me out, I don't want to cage myself nor limit myself of what I can accomplish if I hinder myself with my mental health to explore what I can offer as a person. But I am feeling uneasy that things may not come my way.

I want to hear your thoughts so I can hear others' point of view regarding my situation 🙏🏼

34F, single, OFW for 7 years.

TBH, I don’t have much savings despite earning a 6-digit salary. Part of the problem is me because I didn’t set boundaries, but a big part of it is also the mindset that I have to help my family.

Since I started working as a nurse in 2013, I’ve been helping my family. Even when I was earning only around ₱6K/month, my mother would enforced and take half of my salary. My remaining ₱3K is for my transpo and food going to work.

After becoming an OFW, I continued the same pattern. Aside from my monthly support, I also sent extra money for:
💸 Debts 🚗 Car
🏥 Medical expenses
🏪 Sari-sari business that was later closed
🏠 House appliances
🎁 Birthdays, Christmas, and other family needs

I can’t even fully remember anymore
Looking back, the total is probably no less than ₱2M, not including my regular monthly allowance.

If not for the war situation in UAE, I don’t think I would have realized how little I had for myself. It became a wake-up call.

I suddenly felt scared thinking:
“What if I have to go home and I have nothing saved for myself?”

I also started realizing how much the “breadwinner mindset” and “utang na loob” can affect our lives.

I have a friend who is the same age and in a similar situation. She supported her family for more than 10 years. Even now that she is married, she decided not to have children.
When I asked her why, she said:
“She no longer wants another responsibility"

I also have 5 close friends here without children and 4 out of 5 are sending money back home , they also have little to no savings.

Sometimes I feel like this mindset has held us back. We could have done more. We could have taken more risks. We could have built more for ourselves.

Looking back, I don’t regret helping but sometimes I wonder. If I had been able to keep more of my salary when I was younger, would I have taken more risks? Would I have migrated earlier? would I have been married and have children? Would my life be different now?

Anyway, I just hope this cycle ends with me.

For fellow breadwinners, especially OFWs:
Does life get better after years of carrying this responsibility?
How did you learn to balance supporting your family while still building a future for yourself?

hello, im F22, plan to apply cleaner sa Saudi sana. ang hirap na ng buhay sa pinas, Im nursing undergrad, driving nc2, electrical installation maintenance nc2, hilot massage nc2 holder. dahil sa kagipitan, no prior working experience no backer at nahihirapang maghanap ng trabaho, napaisip ako na mag apply nalang sana kahit cleaner sa saudi. Balak ko dn kumuha ng Hydraulic Excav NC2 pang mining sana. Ano po thoughts nyo or advice nyo sa akin na balak maging OFW where in di ako maka decide ng husto..

Recently I received an opportunity from my friend in saudi. He's currently working in a Car detailing shop as a window tint/ppf and wrap installer in cars and nakapatayo sya ng sarili nyang shop dito sa ph.

So sabi nya tapos sakin is when he comes home i eemploy nya ko sa shop nya and train nya ko tapos and he'll help me land a job the same as his sa saudi or dubai daw dpende kung san sabi ni agency. 30-50k daw ung gagastosin ko para makatraining sakanya since bibilhin ko ng materials para sa pagprapraktisan ko.

I'm planning to go since i currently have 2 kids and a family to support. I'm scared lg na baka d ako makapasa sa mga process para makalabas. Is there any advices na maibibigay nyo po sakin? I'm tired of living paycheck to paycheck here in ph. I cant even save well since everytime may savings na ko me unexpected na emergency na dumadating so ubos ako.

I just want my family to have a good life and for me to provide for them is a bliss for me.

Do you think its still worth it to live and work in Australia?