If you are an expat or a foreigner in the Philippines for the first time, you will have to get acquainted with the way traffic goes around here. Manila and Cebu are one of the busiest and most progressive cities in the islands. These are the centers of business and the most populated cities so expect that traffic will be heavy in these areas.
Traffic is something you can hardly ignore or avoid in these two cities. It is both boon and a bane. It does signify that these areas are economically viable and having your own car is a status symbol of wealth and luxury. It is easy to have ownership to your own car in the Philippines as long as you have the money for it. You can buy your own private car from car distributors or on websites that sell second hand cars like OLX. If you intend to stay in the Philippines permanently or on a long term basis like a few years, the convenience of having your own car is more than luxury. It becomes a necessity because it spares you from having to sit through traffic using public transport like buses or a taxi, which though economical, can be very inconvenient. You can also take a limousine service for special occasions.
With your own private car, you can navigate the streets of Manila and Cebu using alternate roads which are plenty. You can avoid traffic by being well acquainted with the side streets or the time when traffic is not so heavy during certain hours or days of the week. Once you know the urban landscape, you will find ways to get to your destination with the least inconvenience as long as you are the one driving the car. At the very least, hire a driver who is adept with the roads and the local language so that you can communicate where you want to go and how to get there.
However, buying a second hand car may be a big risk especially if you don’t know anything about maintaining a car. You’ll find it easy to buy a second hand car because there’s quite a lot when you do a search on the internet. But sometimes, if you’re not an expert mechanic or know a thing about cars, you may end up buying car that is below your expectations. Second hand cars are either old or needs a lot of repairs. It will end up being costlier to maintain than just buying a brand new car.
Renting a car is a better option. Having a chauffeured rental service is even better. You can select from a wide range of models that you would like to use for a specific period of time. If you are not satisfied with the performance of the vehicle, you can easily have it replaced with a better one. Reputable car rental services like Limoscanner are reliable when it comes to providing you with quality vehicles with the added service of hiring a driver if you prefer. You won’t have to worry about the cost of maintaining the vehicles because they make sure these are in top condition before letting them out on the streets. If you hire the driver along with the vehicle, you won’t have to worry about mundane things like how to find parking for the car (he can do that for you), or where to find the street you are looking for or even avoid getting into any traffic violations that you are not aware off.