Initially, when I got here to Makati I was told I need driver. And its true - expats need one. Especially if you have a family and need everyone to get around.
Sending ones young children on Jeepneys is just not going to work.
Well I started looking for what I should pay a driver in Metro Manila when I got here on all the online forums and by asking around.
All the online forums are misleading and the information is very old. The prices are out due to inflation and some very bad misuse of desparate people.
Most forums were saying that you can get a driver for 7000 php - This is just not realistic - especially if its a sleep out or if the guy is married and has kids. Its to little on many levels - dont expect hiim to value the job, behave well or be loyal/honest to you.
Some local people pay that type of little money, but then their driver is a cousin or someone from the sticks who has no education and is happy to be on that. What you must realize is that that type of driver will be very young and immature and not what you want driving your loved ones around.
Who knows how he will drive when you are not in the car!!
After being misled by the old online information I adjusted to a better higher pay grade. I still feel guilty about it anyway.
I pay my driver 15000 php per month plus 2000k for food money.
This is to cover getting me to work Monday to Fridays and also the time in between and getting me home. So coding day he is there 6am and other days it varies according to my schedule.
If I dont need him I tell him to stay home - just to give him "some" benifit. Its not kind to just have someone sitting around all day.
I know that some people pay for a pool cleaner and a gardener. So if you want you can get your driver to do all three, but you should pay him that money saved!
He will also have a lot of free time, so its good to talk up front that he is not just a driver but expected to run errands, get stuff delivered, get appliances fixed. If he is good he can act as you butler and assistant. I bonus him on this if he has saved me time and money.
His hours are from morning to about 7pm.
After 7pm I pay him 100php per hour (the deal is 60php, but I discretionary moved it to 100 without telling him he just gets more)
If its weekends or after hours, and we go away I let him buy food out the kitty money and pay about 1000 per day (it’s neg) – cant pay him on a 24 hour basis.
If its a couple of days I make him an offer wrt cash for it and let him decide.
Luckily my driver s super honest.
I provide accommodation costs obv if we go away with him etc. He is normally happy to get out and see Luzon etc and make some extra weekend cash.
He also sleeps out as he has a small house about 30 minutes south of me. We like out privacy.
Sometimes he sleeps over if its late – (we have a small drivers room which he has kitted out)
Anyway good luck with your driver hunt and remember to pay them a living wage!
note: I really feel that we should be trying to bring wages in line with decent standards. What's a few extra thousand pesos? A family meal, three big trips to starbucks?
