Cost of private school education for a local

A good private school for him would be 30k pesos a year. He is on course to graduate at age 16 yrs old. I presume. Because that is the age kids graduate provided there has been no setbacks.

College education doesn't have to be Ivy League simply because the university here are set at very high standards anyway. Just look at the trends for international businesses. They are scrambling for Filipino workers who are college trained because all colleges here big and small use American English and western business standards as the base for their curriculum. That cost is around 50 to 60k pesos per annum.

I sponsor five students a year, books,fees, tuition, and housing. Total cost for me is $10k US dollars a year because, I don't allow them to work part time. That way they concentrate on the books. All are 3.5 or better.

I invited a Pinoy friend to dinner a few years ago. I told him to bring his family. He showed up with three brothers, their families, his wife's two sisters and brother, and their family. His mom and dad her widowed father. Uncle Joe and Aunt Emma. I may be exaggerating a tad bit but it was a total of 22 at Pizza Hut that evening and yes I booted the bill.

I then learned that family in Filipino is different from in America. So please understand her working there making a good salary she will be compelled to over extend herself for her family. They do it all the time here.

I hope I helped you understand as well as provided the information that you need.

If you decide to sponsor, make sure you pay the school directly.

dhnindc wrote:

If you decide to sponsor, make sure you pay the school directly.

That is absolutely right. Never give that responsibility to a students or parents. I love my kids to death but I would have never trusted them to pay their school fees. My kids all went to US college. Can you imagine what Jr. Would have done with 30k? Hahaha....

Yeah whatever school it is they will have an account for him. Tuition office will work directly with you and send you his grades monthly.

MAGZK wrote:

We also would want to make sure the money was used for the sons education and not for her husband to live like a king.  They live in or near Angeles City.

Thank you.

Angeles City !! Probably the most expensive place to try to exist, and everyone seems to try to take from anyone that may have access to western money.
An 800 metre trike ride is 100 pesos, but only 8 peso in most other places.
After spending time there,  I realised that they have learned to use anyone (relatives included) to get at western money.  Some say the Philippines is like that in general, but Angeles beats anywhere else by 10 times +

Your housemaid is being used.  Someone providing 20k pesos per month, is considered good.  You say you pay yours 44k at current rates.  She is a gold mine to her extended relatives, who just sit back waiting for their next income.   Hers may not be like that, but its a subject that I can't help feeling strong about after spending time here, even though I've been married/involved with a Filipina for 25 years.  The people/attitude in Angeles was an eye opener for me.

ABC is right. I just asked a lady who was working there about this post and she concurs. Her family is cleaning her clock and yours also.

If you really want to help her find a way to get her out of that mess.

To help with the actual question though:

Westfield International School in Angeles City, Pampanga was about  $2,000 US in 2011, but extra for books and uniforms etc.
The Hillcrest Heights Institute in San Francisco, Magalang, Pampanga was about 13,000 pesos for one year of pre-kindergarten.

Holy Angel University in Angeles City is quoted for 2014/15:
Tuition fees:
Bachelor's P 30,000-35,000 per semester
Master's P 14,500 per trimester

This link shows an idea of a school in Subic, (but too far to travel) http://www.brentsubic.edu.ph/admissions-schoolfees.html
Year 9 - 12  is about US$9,000 PLUS 320,000 pesos, so about US$17,000 per year
(Pre-Kinder for [comaparison to Hillcrest] is about US$ 3,000 PLUS + P135,000) so about US$6,000 (267,000 pesos) for the year.

Maybe not much help, but an indication  of what some costs may be.

You should contact some schools directly, as they rarely publish their fees.

Oh wow,  thank you for all the great replies.   

Sirrobcentral, thank you very much,  you made me laugh about the invite for the family dinner.   It is very kind of you to support so many young kids in their education.

ABC,  Actually I got her home town wrong,  she lives in a place called Isabella.   I realise we get our strings pulled (emotional and purse), we have lost count of the number of 'funerals' we have contributed to, broken bones paid to be re-set, medicals bills to be paid etc.  Find it hard to say No, when I see the worry and strain on her face, even if I am not always 100% sure the excuse is not embellished.     In many ways,  that is also my motivation for helping her son get an education, we will be doing something positive that hopefully will help him move out of that trap, and it will be money that her family can't  pressure her to divert for their own benefit.   

We would definitely pay directly to the schools if we go that route.    She mentioned that her son would like to go to boarding school in Manila, but I don't think we can stretch to boarding school fees.

Would appreciate any help on ideas of costs for schools in Isabella.

Thanks again for sharing your thoughts and the wonderful insight from people on the ground.

By the way,  we have tried to help her manage her finances.    We have offered to open a bank account here for her, where she can save her overtime money and bonuses,  her family need not know anything about that money.   She keeps saying, oh next year I will do it.  They just spend whatever she has and it seems that it is never enough for them.

First of all, I would like to commend you and your family for being kindhearted and caring and giving.

Private school tuition is PhP35k minimum per year. This does not include things like school supplies, transportation, allowance, school field trips, etc. If you want to foot the bill for tuition, I would suggest you pay the school directly, such as though bank transfer. With private school, you might also have to buy a computer and printer for research and homework assignments. A school year is divided into 4 quarters. Request a copy of his report card every quarter and also, from the son, a letter from the son in his own handwriting (not printed).

It's saddening to hear that your helper doesn't even have savings and her son has to go to public school with a large student / teacher ratio, because her current salary should be more than enough for her immediate family, i.e. husband and child and even parents, to live by, send her kids to private school, live in a decent apartment, save up for the future.

I truly believe the extended family (brothers, sisters, her nephews, inlaws, etc.), are just waiting for her paycheck, and spending the excess in needless things. They might not even have motivation to work despite being able bodied because they can rely on your helper.

While it is admirable that she helps her extended family, it is also detestable that the family is abusing her generosity. When she's too old to work, what would she live on? Try to convince her to put her future and her son's welfare before anybody's. She could end up as like one of those relatives, just waiting for money, that is if there is someone to help her. Or if there's no one, then she could end up in the streets.

MAGZK wrote:

Would appreciate any help on ideas of costs for schools in Isabella..

Is that Isabela City in Basilan Province ?
or is it somewhere in Isabela Province ?

You and your husband may want to do the following:

1. Put all help in writing in the form of a contract with the mother & student.
2. Require that your helper pay 25% of the fees & that she maintains 15% of her pay as a savings account in a bank.  Offer to make the bank savings a direct deposit with no other family member being aware and or having access.
3. Make a direct communication with the school where the mother and you (as sponsor) will have permission to get grades and all related fees, before payments are made.
4. Make sure all understand that if the student does not keep grades at a certain level, you will not support that grading period.
5. Stop supporting the extended demands and make all understand your intentions and limits in writing.
6. Try to determine the student's current level and availability to go to a National Science High School, not a regular HS if a Private school is not workable.
7. Research, research … find schools that have proper country and perhaps international acceptance when the student is ready for University studies.
8. Go to Philippine Statistics Authority and review the best/worst school ratings. ( http://www.nscb.gov.ph/headlines/StatsS … chools.asp )

Example:  "Regional Science High School (RSHS Region II) is located at Camp Samal, Arcon, Tumauini, Isabela. It is among the top performing schools in the Cagayan Valley Region. Its present principal is Sir Inocencio Balag. Past principals include Dr. Fabio M. Macalling, Jr. and Ma'am Nelia Z. Angoluan. Regional Science High School has a curriculum that specializes in science, research, mathematics and English."

Clearly, your best response is "Next year we will start the sponsorship, added responses to help & aid in sudden emergencies, after you start the required savings in a bank without family access".  If you don't stop the soft yet subtle ATM expectations, what will be learned and what is the point of seeking viable answers?

I have been living in the Philippines for almost 14 years now and I have 3 kids in private school.
Education is probably the most expensive item in our budget and we spend at the very least $1000 USD per kids per year. That does not cover for all the other cost associated with schools like: books, school supplies, uniforms, transportation, food/snacks, activities and projects, year book, parties and on and on.

At times it feels like there is no end to it so your maid must feel pretty desperate if she is going through the same.
Now if you want to help you just have to give what you can and not look back. Filipinos are not very good at saving and they will spend every pennies as soon as they get it. She is also probably getting lots of pressure from the other family members because as an OFW everybody think she is rich.

I admire your generosity but I think all you can do is YOUR BEST.

Good Luck

Regis

Hi
There are two replies to your query.
Ans. 1
I have been a teacher here at an international school here in Clark (next to Angeles) for two years, and in the Philippines for four years.My child goes to a local school- Air Force City Educational Center (500USD per annum- Elementary only) and it offers a reasonable education. Because there are many western/ blended families there are existing international schools in the area that would suit your needs. (search for Westfield, Noblesse and St Pauls )  These will come in from 6000USD upward.
Ans 2.
If your helper is being paid 1000USD per month then she is being paid very generously. A local teacher here would take home 20 000p (480USD) per month. She is already getting the equivilent of two teachers wages. There should be no problem paying for a school and health insurance (30USD for 3 months) out of that.
You would only be adversly propergating her extended family's dependance on your good nature if you continued. Local schools are fine. Philippinos are world renowned scammers.This is not to say that she is a scammer, but those hitting upon her probably are. The Filippino way is that 'family' will look after medical bills and 'what goes around comes around'; meaning that they all help each other. You should not be paying for medical expenses. My best advice is that you should limit your exposure to funding the excesses of the extended family. What you are being asked to do is quite unreasonable. Better to give money to a bone fide charity.

You two seem like a loving and caring couple. I am trouble as why your maid is asking you for money for her family and extended families funerals, medical bills, emergencies, etc etc. It is very gracious of you to offer to pay for her son's education. The thing that gets me is instead of sending her son to an affordable college , she asked you to send him to, I assume, a much more expensive boarding school. Most Filipnos would be ecstatic  that you would offer to send their child to college but she is asking you to send him to a boarding school. It appears that she is using you. Maids don't ask their bosses to help their family. Her family survived long before you two came into the picture and they'll survive long after you are gone.

Our three daughters attend University of Cebu, Mandaue - Lapu-Lapu campus (K through 4th year High School and College) which is one of the finest school in the Philippines. Our eldest just completed her first year towards her BS in Computer Science, our middle daughter just graduated High School and will be pursuing her BS in Business/Computers next term and our youngest is going into sixth grade. Tuition, uniforms and books are approximately ₱30K each per semester. This College has Associates and Bachelors Programs in all Computer disciplines, Business, Nursing, Law Enforcement and Merchant Marine.

Job placement out of College can be a very tricky thing here, The Magna Cum and Suma Cum are wooed by major companies but for the rest of the graduates it is more often a matter of knowing someone within the field they are pursuing. University of Cebu however has one of the highest job placement record of any College/University in the Islands. For example, 100% of last year's graduates from Computer Science immediately placed with companies.

As the gentleman just before me said you can find decent schools for about ₱30K per year but here it is more than simply the education, it is the follow after.

BTW, family wheedling away all the contract workers wages is very common for the Philippines, most do NOT prepare for the future and unless you pay the tuition directly to the school there is no guarantee the child will go to the school you think you are paying for. I love my extended Filipino family, but Filipinos look at lying much differently than you or I do.

Hope this helps.

Ralph, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu PHL

A most excellent reply.

Thank you very much for all your replies and insight.  She lives in Isabella which is about 1 hour from Clark airport, is what she told me.

We really like her and would be happy to help in a positive way,  we have been lucky to get an education and my kids will get an education, so we thought that would be a good way to help her and her son.   We would definitely pay directly to the school and we will not be sending him to a boarding school.   

Have to say though, my DH is losing his patience, when a few weeks ago another 'disaster' had befallen her family and we were asked for a loan, how can one person have so much bad luck?   at this point, there will be no family members who are not either dead and buried or in hospital LOL.   This time we refused to give the loan, but offered to advance her one month salary.    We also sat her down and explained that we would not be giving loans or long term advances anymore and that she has to manage her family's expectations and her finances.

There also seems to be little or no motivation on her part for some positive action,  last year we offered to pay medical insurance for her husband and son and in the end I gave up asking her for the information to get the ball rolling (I had forgotten about that until my DH reminded me). 

She has told me how her sister wanted to come to the UAE to find work,  which would also help her out with supporting her family,  but she couldn't afford the costs of flight and visa,   and we offered to help out with initial costs and finding her a job here,  but she then said her sister decided she was too scared to come here.

Anyway, we will follow up with the schooling option,  and see if she is serious about it.

Thank you all.

MAGZK.  I am puzzled by the information she gives you.  I Googled Isabela to Clark, and got the travel time and distance as: 5 h 44 min (320.6 km)

Angles City to Clark airport often took me about 30 minutes. Although Google quotes 21 min (10.1 km)

Thats strange.  Last time she went home, she flew into Clark airport as she said it is only about 1 hour from her home,  whereas Manila Airport is about 5 hours (by bus).

Its all just a confidence trick, I tend to believe. Seen it so many times. One family bankrupted a friend of mine with all sorts of "help" to purchase "property".

Ok, I finally found out the name of her town,  it's called Moncada and it is about 1 hours from Clark Airport.   The school she would like to send her son to is in San Manuel, it's called Kartell International school (or something to that effect).  Don't get why everything is so vague with her, it was like an inquisition to get the info.

Anyone any ideas how much this would cost, is it a good enough school.

Hey my wife is a Filipina and getting information from them can sometimes be like pulling wisdom teeth. LOL It is not being vague it is cultural.

MAGZK wrote:

Ok, I finally found out the name of her town,  it's called Moncada and it is about 1 hours from Clark Airport.   The school she would like to send her son to is in San Manuel, it's called Kartell International school (or something to that effect).  Don't get why everything is so vague with her, it was like an inquisition to get the info.

Anyone any ideas how much this would cost, is it a good enough school.

Both Moncada and  San Manuel are municipalities in the province of Tarlac, and yes, about an hour from Clark.

The only private schools in San Manuel, Tarlac that I could see are:

Carthel Science Educational Foundation, Inc. - Barangay, San Vicente.
OLRA College Foundation - McArthur Hi-way, Barangay, Poblacion.
San Felipe Adventist Multigrade School - Barangay, San Felipe.

No record of a 'Kartell International school' in Google that I can find.
Maybe someone else in that area will know something.

You could of course ask her to get the school to email YOU with the fees and details direct. That would be easier I think.

Ok, I think it is the Carthel school,  I probably just spelled it wrong.    Can't find a website or an email address for it.  She said it's a middle school, high school and university.

I learned about this from my assistant: In Pampanga, people uphold the motto "all for one and one for all" within their family. It's all good in concept. A business exec pays for college for her construction worker sib's kids. . . A business owner aunt gives a nephew, whose father currently cannot find work, a job . . . All pitch in for the betterment of the group or family.

But that motto becomes flawed when those helped just decide not to work because they have someone to rely on for their needs. It could explain why your maid's sister declined to go the UAE - because she is already getting support from her sister (and also from you and your hubby), and if she goes to UAE, then family members would also be asking her for hard-earned money. For her, it would be better to sit at home and wait for support rather than work and have someone else enjoy the fruits of her labor. Unfortunately, this type of attitude riding on a flawed "all for one, one for all" motto is passed on among extended family and probably to the next generation. 

By the way, most Filipinos are not like this. Most are hard working individuals and do not take advantage of other people's generosity.

US$1,000 (around 44,000 pesos) is a large salary. (In comparison, my American husband, who works at a call center here in the Philippines, takes home just 28k pesos per month.) With 44k pesos, here in my area in Quezon City, she can already rent a small 2 bedroom apartment, pay for utilities, cable tv, phone and internet, groceries, entertainment such as going to the movies, and send a kid to college and still have over 10k excess for savings.

Sir/Madam:

If you really wanna help your  your helper, the best thing you can do to her is give here some money for her to start a business. I am sure and confident she will used the money wisely. Its  not practical to send a money for his school every year. Life is hard in philippines you will never know if the money will be use for his education. I think you should get a college plan for his son to ensure he can really go to college. As your helper told you Isabela is far from angeles city or even to tarlac. I checked moncada is in tarlac.  I don't think  sending him to private school is too practical for you.  We cannot predict what will happen in the future.

There lots of situation happened like this and mostly the money were not use for education or the child didn't go to school. Sometimes the sponsor are suddenly had financial problem and stop the sponsorship. I hope that this will help you decide.

When she lies what province she is from, she might be lying about everything... She may justify it, because you are rich compared to her and her family and you owe her for what she does for you.... Isabella province is no where near that airport, nor the town she has finally told you about.... I have driven it many times. My retired brother lives near by in the same province, just outside Tarlac city. I also know from my asawa and my sister in law (filipina) married to my brother for 25 years... whom when I mentioned your story... both laughed and said you are being conned... as she would never ask nor even mention that she needs money for a funeral, etc... over and over again from an employer, no matter how close.... Reminds me of the stories how the bar girls in the Philippines get really good at conning for emergencies from all their foreign boyfriends....

Ha, her sister doesn't want to come and work... that is a lie and a joke, they dream of getting a job outside of the Philippines so they have a chance of a better life.... I brought my sister in law here to Canada as a nanny, then four years later, helped her (with the paper work, not money) to bring her husband and son to Canada.... (her husband had 2 full time jobs in the first 2 weeks here...at McDonalds etc....)

This sister in law, now has her employer working on bringing her other sister over as a nanny.... whom has taken the required 6 month training in Manila and is ready and willing... (she paid for that course,  with the money she saved over four years, with more then enough saved after working here for four years, for all the expenses, airfares, fees for immigration and setting up an apartment for her family when they moved here 2 months ago..) They are all now Permanent Residents of Canada and pitch in for those few emergencies that happen back home.... but will not be taken advantage of by all their extended families.... Not all Filipinos are hard working, a large amount live off the OFWs working around the world... Those 10 million whom left the country to help their children have a chance in life--- are hard working....I find it heart breaking and amazing to see a mother leave her family and children for years, decades, what must feel like a lifetime... for love like that.... Unfortunately, many are bleed dry by heartless lazy relatives.

Did she say she was from Angeles City first... that is the hot spot for prostitution in the Philippines so references and job history from there would be scary. It is no where near Isabella.... Isn't that funny...When someone lies or avoids giving details, it maybe they don't want to be caught in a lie. Why would she lie to you about that...????

I would demand for her to tell you what barangay she is from, ask her who the mayor is, or the barangay chief, what school her son goes to....right now.... and if she lies or makes it up,  fire her to protect your family. Every school, barangay etc. is on Facebook so you should be able to verify most of it.... DO NOT give her time to look up answers... she should know this.... immediately.... Have her spell it all out in writing.... NOW.

So much smells fishy here.... and you suspect it as well in your statement..    "I Don't get why everything is so vague with her, it was like an inquisition to get the info"    yet she has no problem borrowing money... WOW,  Common sense tells me....something is very wrong here ....If you catch her in more lies... (like Isabella province  or answers for the above questions)... FIRE HER IMMEDIATELY as trust is absolutely non negotiable when some one is entrusted to care for your children.....

mtcretired wrote:

Hey my wife is a Filipina and getting information from them can sometimes be like pulling wisdom teeth. LOL It is not being vague it is cultural.

My Ex Wife (Filipina) was very clear most times in getting/giving information, but became, in your word "Cultural" when trying to hide things.

"getting information from them can sometimes be like pulling wisdom teeth"  Those "sometimes" are the times they wish to hide things

I agree... being shy, evasive, private is one thing, but lying is another. If someone is  able to borrow money, and accept gifts, for family funerals, emergencies etc. from you, you deserve enough respect to be told the truth especially on simple things as where they are from. Isabella province is not Tarlac province... no more than London, England is Paris, France. If someone you lend or give money to, lies about such simple things as where they are from... you have a big problem. 

Filipinos have no problem asking very personal questions, because that is the culture... They may ask why you don't have children, say things like "you are taba "(fat), not because they are being rude...it is because they are curious and being friendly... So when a nanny, living with you, being part of the family, lies to you and is extremely evasive about everything, including where they are from, etc.... WOW, alarm bells should be going off ...

The sweetest smiling person in the world, who hints that something stinks inside... are the ones you hear about in the papers who steal their employers blind, or do much nastier things that I wont mention... and there was always hints at something was wrong, something didn't make sense, that people ignored in til it was too late... Don't be a fool... be safe...

I spent 30 years looking people in the eyes, asking questions and listening closely to their answers in order to decide if the bank should lend them, or their company money.... I learned very early on, that if you catch them in a lie, or something didn't make sense, to turn them down....You have to trust your gut, your instinct - especially when you question yourself and say something doesn't make sense....

WHAT, you say lend her money to start a business... ????? who are you..????
the nanny we are talking about, or her husband, friend in crime... Get real, 90 % of  new businesses fail in the first 6 months when they run out of money and that is with people whom have all the necessary skills such as management skills, accounting, planning, marketing, skill sets in that particular business etc. etc. etc..... NOT a nanny unless she has her MBA and comes from a background where she learned all the needed skills...

Holy smoke.... something smells here... I would ask the people running this website if the posters IP addresses are recorded to see where that posting is from... It might be surprising, and I really doubt this stupid suggestion is from an expat looking at retiring in the Philippines - as their English is extremely poor and the suggestion made.... loco loco and very suspicious....

This series of postings reminds me of the Indy 500 where each lap there is a caution flag (with bad/wet surfaces) for the racers to slow down and yet each lap a few selected "fans" are saying give it more gas…. "give her more money…" ignore the caution flag for each unanswered question or new request for "emergency funding".   From any point one may choose to use, her stories are not filled with truth and direct answers to easy questions (so it seems).  I also find it very interesting to see a post that says…

"If you really wanna help your  your helper, the best thing you can do to her is give here some money for her to start a business. I am sure and confident she will used the money wisely."….  wow!   What happened to the concept of a loan or hard work to earn/save for a business.  Why must the foreigner be the "gift giver"? At $1000/month pay (now P46,000), she earns more than some retired expats here in the PI receive monthly for retirement.

There is a pervasiveness of "owed entitlements" among many in asia and the PI seems to be the training country for such thinking.  As others have mentioned, a clear and unrehearsed session on Brgy history, former school records, Postal ID, and other local information seems to be in order.  If such info is not shared or provided without drama and delay, a reasonable person will have the real answers needed at that point. 

Advice here is free and much of it is with many collected years of experiences by expats that have traveled and lived globally.  It seems it is time for a well informed decision on this matter.  I hope you will share with this blog group your final thoughts/decision.  Happy investing :-).

Calif-Native wrote:

Why must the foreigner be the "gift giver"? .

That is a comment that is in some ways self explanatory.  They think we are all millionaires.

Take an example like this:
Large Filipino Family, each working child sends money to support the family in the Province. Then one daughter gets a foreign boyfriend.  All siblings then  stop sending help to the parents and the responsibility turns to the daughter with the walking ATM.  All family members then send requests to that daughter. And she then has the pressure and guilt to do something.

Are you seeking information on a private school, or international school?

For a good private school (not an international school), I would be looking at the following:
All the figures below are based on the best private school in a regional city (The college is in Manila, and one of Philippines most expensive private colleges)

Of course you then add the extra's, between 35% and 75% of the costs shown.



Age    School    Cost
3    Pre school -           PHP 40,000
4    Kinder garden 1    PHP 40,000
5    Kinder garden 2    PHP 40,000
6    Elementary (Primary) School Grade 1    PHP 50,000
7    Elementary (Primary) School Grade 2    PHP 50,000
8    Elementary (Primary) School Grade 3    PHP 50,000
9    Elementary (Primary) School Grade 4    PHP 50,000
10    Elementary (Primary) School Grade 5    PHP 50,000
11    Elementary (Primary) School Grade 6    PHP 50,000
12    Junior High School Grade 7    PHP 56,000
13    Junior High School Grade 8    PHP 56,000
14    Junior High School Grade 9    PHP 56,000
15    Junior High School Grade 10    PHP 56,000
16    Senior High School Grade 11    PHP 75,000
17    Senior High School Grade 12    PHP 75,000
18    Tertiary (College) school 1    PHP 175,000
19    Tertiary (College) school 2    PHP 175,000
20    Tertiary (College) school 3    PHP 175,000
21    Tertiary (College) school 4    PHP 175,000
22    Tertiary (College) school 5    PHP 175,000

?

Is that monthly, annual, or bi-annual charge?

vetretreat wrote:

Is that monthly, annual, or bi-annual charge?

So sorry I have not checked this post for a while.  The prices are per year.

Personally I think that preschool is a place where children get prepared for actual academic education. Toddlers learn better through fun activities. I am looking for a reputed Phoenix preschool for my daughter. Hoping to find a right preschool soon!