When I was studying in college, it was my greatest dream to travel around the globe. I made a promise to myself when I graduated and landed a job, and I would save up my salary for traveling.
Fortunately, I was hired as a Sales Officer in a company that traveling from one place to another is just a piece of cake. I travel with my client to showcase what our company has to offer. But it's just here in the country, so traveling abroad is still a daydream.
A year later, our company will join a property fair in Hong Kong and Macau, and I was so lucky that our boss has picked me to be part of the deployment. Ironically, my first passport was delivered to me a week before the announcement of the said property fair. Well, I applied for it just for the sake of having a valid ID for bank use and other related transactions. I plan to use it for six months as I am still saving and preparing for my first-ever overseas trip. I never knew it was just the right time, and I'm glad I have it then. So it goes, my first overseas trip was for work and play. I've got my first passport stamp of entry and exit from Macau and Hong Kong.
With my first deployment, I was assigned as an International Marketing Officer, and my dream of traveling abroad is now part of my job. It is overwhelming and my pleasure to handle the position where I can do my passion and work simultaneously. I had the chance to deploy multiple times in South East Asian countries: Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Malaysia, and Taiwan. My feet got even stepped into Middle East countries: Abu-Dhabi, Dubai, Qatar, and Kuwait, where the farthest place I've ever been.
I had the chance to explore different cultures and working environments while accomplishing the mission of delivering good sales. The primary purpose of my deployment is to raise awareness and conduct training where OFWs can spend their hard-earned money wisely. Since they cannot go home to inquire, invest and see the properties we are offering, we bring it to them. They had a lot of options to choose from, and one of the most affordable and value-for-money properties to invest in is real estate property investment.
Enlightening Overseas Filipino Workers with the easy-to-own packages of house and lot in Lumina Homes, condo units in Prima Tanza, Lessandra, and Camella Homes. It is truly satisfying when my work is to fulfill every OFWs' ultimate dream of having a place to truly call their own and, at the same time, to see and explore diversified cultures.
WHERE CAN YOU GO WITH YOUR PHILIPPINE PASSPORT?
Balancing the life of being a "Lakwatsera" mixed with the mentality of "I have to save for my future" is problematic. But in pursuit of happiness, I always stick to my mantra: Travel – Save – Repeat. To do that, I set my mind that I won't make any extra expenses and my salary will still be in my savings account so it won't suffer later when I come back from traveling. In short, I used my incentives from selling properties for buying plane tickets and pocket money.
I looked for the "budget-friendly" countries to step in, did some DIY Itineraries, and even purchased seat sale planes and boat tickets. Another tip is to subscribe to top Travel websites that give Freebies or Discount vouchers to tourist destinations and hotels in different countries.
· Klook
· Trip Advison
· Booking.com
· Traveloka
There are 60+ Visa-Free countries around the world for Filipinos. If you are a budget traveler like me, here are the Top 5 recommended cheapest countries to visit without obtaining a Visa:
1. Hong Kong:14 days Visa Free
Just an hour and a 40minutes travel, you can quickly enter a country with lots of tourist destinations not only for adults but most are for kids. And, if you were looking for a country where you can go shopping spree, Hong Kong is the place to be! The streets of Mongkok and Causeway Bay is the shopping destination that won't hurt your pocket. You can also experience cool weather during the winter season without spending much and traveling as far as the US or Europe. You can also bump in with thousands of Filipinos working there. Crossing the border of Macau is a plus, where you can visit this small region by riding a ferry boat. It's like hitting two countries in just one plane ticket. This country is considered the number one budget-friendly destination in Asia. Let's get along in Hong Kong!
2. Taiwan: 14 days Visa Free
Situated at the southern tip of the Philippines, for about 1,200 kilometers, nested a small but incredible country, Taiwan! Not so far, yet affordable and easy to travel around. Fan of night markets and food trips? There's a wide variety of foods to try, like their famous Beef noodle soup, Wontons, Hotpot, Stinky tofu, and other local foods that are available 24/7.
And wait, you can also possibly make Boba Tea hopping without spending the rest of your pocket money! You can't go wrong in choosing Taiwan as your first country on your bucket list. Conquer your fear of heights by experiencing their skyscraper, the Taipei 101, and go shopping to lighten yourself afterward. They have huge temples and museums where you can see preserved Polar and Brown bears up close. Make sure to create your own hashtag on your IG or Facebook post as you wander along with the unique and iconic landmarks. Feeling #Taiwanderful while #Taiwanderlusting the entire country yet?
3. Singapore: 30 days Visa Free
Known as the "Playground for the Rich Kids," Singapore is quite expensive, but it is the safest and easiest Asian country to travel to. If you are a fan of extreme amusement parks like me, food trips, or nature walks, this country can make your jaw drop. Their buildings and landmarks are spectacular, and their transportation is efficient; you may want to wish we had the same in our country. The DIY itinerary is highly recommended if you were on a 3-4 days' budget trip. Indulge yourself and your foodie-buddy in hundreds of hawkers where you can burp up for just $10. And a must-try excellent $1 Ice Cream Sandwich with exotic flavors like Durian, Coconut, red bean, sweet corn to lighten your day.
Accommodation Tip: avoid staying in a hotel if you don't want to spend a hefty amount to sleep in. Instead, stay in Dormitories, it's guaranteed cheap, and you can meet a lot of foreigners you can be friends with. Don't forget to take pictures in iconic Merlion Park and strike your best pose. Going to Singapore is not complete without that.
4. Malaysia : 30 days Visa Free
Do you know that Singapore became part of Malaysia during the 1960s? It was separated to become an independent and sovereign state. The separation resulted from profound political and economic differences between the ruling parties of Singapore and Malaysia, which created communal tensions that resulted in racial riots.
While you can cross its border via land travel, both countries have different rules and restrictions. However, it won't keep you away from visiting both of them in just one escape! This country has 13 states, but if you cross the border from Singapore for just one day, you can stay in Johor Bahru, where the LegoLand themed park is located. But if you wish to taste their fantastic cuisine, make Petronas Twin tower in Kuala Lumpur visible in your eyes, wild forests, stunning national parks; you may prefer to extend your stay!
This country has similar ways of living like us, the weather, rich in culture and history but differs in language. Most Filipino's working here are in the service sectors, plantation, and manufacturing. No wonder why our most regarded national hero, Jose Rizal, is tagged as the "Pride of Malay race" as we are both hard-working and resilient.
5.Thailand: 30 days Visa Free
Thailand is known as the Land of Smiles, there's no other country like Thailand, and you will miss half of your bucket list if you skip this. Do you know that Thailand is the only Southeast Asian country not colonized by a European country? In fact, in the Thai language, the country's name is Prathet Thai which means "Land of the Free." Sounds thrilling, yeah?
Thailand is another cost-friendly country. It is also a vibrant and colorful destination with pristine and picturesque white sand beaches, extremely affordable hostels and accommodation, and over 40,000 extravagant ancient temples to visit.
Like our country, they have tropical weather and have the best beaches globally. Did I mention that the taste of their Thai foods is changing as you travel across different cities? That's another Thai hack! Thailand is one of the most diverse, delicious, and relatively cheap dishes. You cannot eat the same meal twice because there's a lot to choose from. You can wrap up your visit with a shopping spree and get lost in their markets full of colorful clothing, and most are on sale. Don't you ever skip their famous floating market and get amazed at how people maneuver their boats to avoid jammed canals.
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