The cell phone is the most important thing in a Filipino's life even closer to the heart than karoake and lechon manok.
One peso texts are a cheap form of communication and the Philippines is reputed to have the highest per capita texting population in the world.
Cell phone accessory shops line the boulevards in Cebu City on Colon Street where new, reconditioned, pawned and stolen cell phones are widely available.
New phones have a one month service warranty but you are pretty much on your own once you've made your purchase.
With the right plan you can have unlimited texts but all your friends would have to have the same sim card which is highly unlikely. Globe and Smart seen to have the widest coverage but TM (Touch Mobile) and Sun have a strong following is some areas.
Some people carry a couple different phones with different sim cards so the can take advantage of the different plans.
Try to find out which company has the strongest signal for the area that you plan to spend most of your time. Some mountain regions have limited access and it will make a difference what sim you are using.
You can get the most basic Nokia for around 1700 pesos and the price climbs steadily upwards from there.
Being a "cheap Charlie" I use the most basic phone available not only because I have no image to preserve but they function equally well and are a high theft item. Replacing a cheap one is less costly.
Status is critical to the Filipino so an extra 20 dollars spent on the phone can really improve one's standing in the social pecking order.
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