English Language Schools in Bacolod City

Bacolod City is full of English language schools (properly referred to as EFL or English as a Foreign Language schools). English is not the first language of most Filipinos and in Bacolod it's not even a second language. English is Bacolodnons' (the people of the city) third language. However, that's not to say Bacolod isn't a fantastic place to learn English. Bacolodnons begin learning English starting in pre-school. In other terms, Bacolodnons are multi-lingual.

The city itself is friendly to foreign students who wish to study there. There are numerous Korean and Japanese restaurants and quite a number of shops owned by Taiwanese around the city. If you are of a different nationality, you will feel at home due to Filipino tutor hospitality.

How Many Foreigners Are In Bacolod? Answer: Not Many!

A recent report released by the Bacolod Immigration Office said that there are around 1000 foreigners registered in Bacolod City.

This number, however, is the total amount of Permanent and Temporary Residents. It does not include foreigners on tourist, student, business, or medical visas.

Staying Safe in Bacolod

Even though the Philippines is the self-proclaimed hospitality capital of the world, there are still many unsafe areas and traps that foreigners as well as non-Bacolodnons can fall into.

Common money traps:
The random "helpful" person. This trap happens when you are carrying something heavy or trying to get a taxi and a random person comes along and tries to help. However, afterwards they will demand money from you and if you don't give it, they may turn violent.

How to stay safe: wave off anyone trying to help you.

The "trapped in Bacolod" person. A random person will come up to you and tell you a sad story about how they are stuck in Bacolod with no money to return home. Afterwards, they will ask you if you can give them money for bus fare. They will sometimes even have small children looking sad next to them.

What's the True Cost of Getting Married in Bacolod?

Wedding rings placed on a Bible.

Bacolod is a fantastic city, so why wouldn't you want to get married there? There's great hotels, fantastic churches, resorts, and beaches and hot springs only a short drive away.

Nonetheless, you might be wondering how much it's going to cost you. You're a foreigner and you want to get it done smoothly without breaking your bank. That's something many Filipinos don't understand--that not all foreigners are rich. They'll try to charge you extra for almost everything. Whether it's for flowers, suits, or for even a church choir, they'll try to swindle you.

Requirements to Get Married in the Philippines - Foreigner Edition

Wedding rings on a Bible

If you fell in love with a Filipino or Filipina and want to get married in the Philippines, you might want to know how to get started with the process. I'd like to warn you, though. It's nothing like getting married in your home country. In short, you'll need an affidavit of legal capacity to marry, CENOMAR, passport copies, and attend counseling. If you are going to get married in a church, you'll be required to provide additional paperwork at that parish. If you are previously divorced, you'll be asked to provide divorce records at your embassy and at the government offices along with churches of any kind.

If you are a Filipino marrying a Filipina (or the other way around), skip steps 2 and 4.

1. If you are 25 or younger, you will have to receive permission from your parents. If your partner is 25 or younger, they'll have to do the same.
2. You'll have to secure your affidavit of legal capacity to marry. You do this by visiting your local embassy. Don't worry, it's easy and quick. When I got mine at the US Embassy, I was required to get an appointment a month ahead of time. I got there an hour and a half early and they let me right in. I got it after about 20 minutes. It'll cost around $40. You will be sworn in and asked questions. You will also be asked to answer some questions on a piece of paper.