Discrimination in the Philippines

[sonjack2847]

19 hours ago, scott h said:

Happens all the time in the States Sonja. The world famous San Diego Zoo gives a discount if you show ID that you are from a local zip code. Same with hotel rooms there, show local ID and you don't have to pay the VAT that is designed for tourists.

Now for your smokes? That's just being an entrepreneur really, charge (or try to) what the traffic will bear. I did the same thing when I was a salesman in my younger days. If a guy drove up in a BMW I would try real hard not to give him a discount. If he was in a VW, I would slash so long as I still made a profit.

Here in the Philippines? If I feel I am getting the big nose tax at a sari-sari store I just give my best skeptical look, if they don't lower the price, I go to the next one. 

In South east Somerset UK the locals also get a discount if they can show proof of address. They get the discount as id is deemed that they have already contributed by their property tax and spending money in the local community. This is not the same as advertising foreigners pay double which is blatant discrimination if they charged all tourists the same rate regardless of nationality it would be better.

[scott h]

5 minutes ago, sonjack2847 said:

This is not the same as advertising foreigners pay double which is blatant discrimination

I suppose it is a matter of point of view or semantics in my opinion Son. When a sign at an American tourist attraction says: General admission=$20, Senior Citizens=$15 etc. etc. and below is printed "with local ID"=$12. That is advertising that those who are not from the local area pay more. But like I said, I suppose it just depends on how a person interprets discrimination.

[Old55]

It's their sandbox they make the rules.

The first few times I was overcharged by hotels because I was white it pissed me off now I just let my wife deal with it. Oslob whale tour and other places have higher prices for non locals but are still a good value for the most part.

[Jollygoodfellow]

I was watching a Thailand video just last night, it was mentioned about a bar where a sign in english said beer at xx price and written in Thai underneath the same beer at a lower price.

Here in Queensland Australia if you go to the theme parks, if you show you are a resident then it's cheaper than for others.

Someone mentioned being a local expat but still charged a higher price but I wonder if one lives on a tourist visa are they really local? I would say technically you would be a tourist. 

 

[robert k]

I agree with Old55, it's their country, it's their game and rules. If you aren't willing to pay what they charge, don't go. It can be cheap but nobody promised it always would be.

I had also heard that tourism wasn't meeting their goals for visitors but that revenue goal was still being met. The money comes from somewhere.

 

[Jack Peterson]

2 minutes ago, robert k said:

I agree with Old55, it's their country, it's their game and rules.

 Oh yes how true. Only recently I was saying WE Chose to come here We should have known what we were getting into, if not then Homework not done, this Double pricing is not new and not Going to go away. To me it is Not Discrimination but Business awareness but then How many of us will charge extra to those that could afford it in our own Countries? Look at it this way, They may see it as not a bigger price to us but as a discount for the Local!

This issue has come up in quite a few Topics over time, maybe we are just not listening to our own advice and Tips on things. Anyone been to the "Tower of London" If you ain't got an English Accent, that Ice cream will cost you.

 

Just saying my Friends, Swings and Roundabouts.

[Gratefuled]

My wife likes to negotiate (barter). I don't. I'll pay the price if I like the product and the price. If there is no price tag, I'll not ask, I'll just walk away. 

[robert k]

18 minutes ago, Gratefuled said:

My wife likes to negotiate (barter). I don't. I'll pay the price if I like the product and the price. If there is no price tag, I'll not ask, I'll just walk away. 

Ed, I would go ahead and ask. If you don't like the price, then you can always walk away. You never know, the next time you ask how much, the price might be more to your liking. Depends on the business model they are following.

[Tukaram (Tim)]

36 minutes ago, Gratefuled said:

My wife likes to negotiate (barter). I don't. I'll pay the price if I like the product and the price. If there is no price tag, I'll not ask, I'll just walk away. 

I do not like bartering and neither does my wife.  Out in her province it is just not done - I am terrible at it, but better than her ha ha

[Gratefuled]

14 minutes ago, robert k said:

Ed, I would go ahead and ask. If you don't like the price, then you can always walk away. You never know, the next time you ask how much, the price might be more to your liking. Depends on the business model they are following.

Thanks, but no, not here. 

In the states there are some things that are negotiable but salesmen are not authorized to reduce a price. Only sales manager. Many things have huge markups in the states. Expensive furniture, automobiles, real estate, jewelry, appliances, etc. I've never paid sticker price for a new car. I've been able to negotiate to $100 over Dealer's cost and I have my own bank to finance it. Not even sales manager could give me that price. I had to deal with the owner of the car dealership. I've bought 2 brand new cars in my life. Both the same way.