⌛ Retiring in Dumaguete / Cebu ?

Hi
I am Dutch and work in Indonesia since 15 years. As this is not the 'ideal' country to retire taking the many (alcohol++) restrictions , i am looking around where to retire and settle down.
Dumaguete or Cebu look interesting to me. Maybe someone can help me out a bit. Just wondering how many (rough estimation) expats live in Dumaguete and are there mainly USA or an equal number of Europeans living there ?. Same question also for Cebu.
As i like to play golf a lot i would also like to know what golf opportunities there are in Dumaguete and Cebu and a rough idea on costs as there is no info abt this on any website.

what's this i read on this forum that Dumaguete is heavily polluted, safety is an issue and with elections coming up there are checkpoints where you have to pay (foreigners a lot) ? . True or false ??. Living in Indonesia for so many years i am used to a lot but above sounds even worse then here....

thanks for any info on live in Dumaguete or Cebu.

 

... yes, your assumption is 100 % true, but you forgot the moslem problem, corruption, lacking girl supply, missing entertaining opportunities, brownouts, bad internet, no good food, warm drinks and that annoying nordic, dutch and german fellows.

 

Hi Gass. thanks for the info. Annoying Dutch ..... i read in your profile under friends "Gass has not made any friends yet", what a surprise....
but partly you are right abt religion, bad internet, no good food, warm drinks. Corruption is a way of living everywhere in S E Asia. But don't under estimate the entertainment in Jakarta. as to the nordics, dutch what to say, disagree ?. There is a former Jakarta expat living in Dumaguete now, thats how i got to know about Duma.
Anyway keep the info coming, appreciated

 

I read somewhere (and if I had the time I would search out the source for you) that their were 6,000 foreigners living in Negros Oriental. (Seems like that information was based on Immigration statistics but I can't remember for sure.) I also remember a friend saying that the US Social Security (old age pension program) sent a Field Representative to Dumaguete from its office in Manila because their were over 1,000 people receiving checks in the area. Of course those numbers would not reflect those who direct-deposit their money into US bank accounts or who maintain a house in the US and have a check sent there and of course many of them are Fil-Ams who have come home to retire.

Just a guess...but, seems like their are a lot more European than American ex-pats in both Cebu and Dumaguete but I don't think anyone has a majority. If it were based on a plurality, the largest number of foreigners in both places are probably Koreans, then probably Germans, with lots of Scandanavians, Americans, British, Swiss and so on.

I'm not a golfer, but I can tell you, there are three courses around here: Ang Tay, Bravo and another one in Tanjay. Based on overhearing local golfers talk, Ang Tay is the best, but the membership is closed now. I don't remember the costs, but remember that if you golf frequently they had monthly rates that seemed reasonable to me. I gather that none of these courses are world standard courses. Probably not like what you find in Thailand or Malaysia.

Well, this is all relative. Compared to what? I have not been to Indonesia, so I can't really compare Dumaguete and Cebu to Indonesia. Compared to Thailand, they are very polluted, safety is a bigger concern and the Philippines is ranked as the most corrupt country in Asia. (And that corruption always gets worse before an election.) Compared to most of Manila, Dumaguete and Cebu seem to be paradises...so, I guess it depends on the comparison you are making.

By the way, in terms of air pollution, I think most people are referring to the congested downtown area of Dumaguete during the day. It becomes clogged with thousands of two-stroke, smoke-belching trikes that make breathing a chore. However, their is not a problem with air pollution outside of the downtown. Of course, you do have litter problems, etc.

P.S. On the upside, their are basically no restrictions on alcohol here and it's very cheap! ;-)

 

Kees, the percentage of foreigners/expats related to the local population, is in Dumaguete very high.
Indeed many thousands and I still do believe that the majority is American.
If you have to believe the local kids here then we all are Americans :D:D
"He Jo, Americano ....!"
But enough other nationalities here.
You name it. Even several Dutch fellows (like me).
I cant believe (but do lack reliable statistical info) that the area in and around Jakarta is safer than Dumaguete.
I did not face an alcohol shortage when I visited Jakarta, but that was a short visit only.
Polluted ? Yes if you look to the amount of trycicles, motorbikes, jeepneys and the "excellent" application of the yearly (obliged) smoke test here and see the many people with tissue-protections in front of their breathing apparatus, then it is clear that Dumaguete is not winning the prize of being a clean city.
Add to that the (temporarily ?) dust from the road construction work and the picture is complete.
But .................Jakarta is not clean at all. As told by DG, outside the city it is a different cake.
BEST WAY FOR YOU: Take a short holiday and smell the things you're worried about yourself (also smell the smoke )

 

Hi Jellyfish. Bedankt voor je info !!
Yes Jakarta is safe as is Surabaya where i live. Thugs will think twice to rob a 'bule = westerner" as then the police will actually search for hem. Also here NO ONE carries a gun whereas in PH there are many available. I have some Filipino friends here who show me pictures when they return from PH holidays with a Kanelnikov (or whatever the name is) which they bought. real big guns freely available there....
anyway fear is never good anywhere.
I plan to come to Cebu , Duma in August for 2 weeks (if not too long) to have a look around. do you live in Duma (Negros Orientos) or....

Q : is it possible in PH to open a US$ or Euro bankaccount (they have HSBC in Duma/Cebu ?) as a foreigner ??

cheers en groet

 

Kees, as my profile indicates, I live in the municipality Zamboanguita, Negros Oriental. My place is 24 km south of Dumaguete.
You are right that a lot of people possess a gun in the Philippines. Scary yes !
I however guess that in the USA they have more guns per capita (you don't hear me now saying that it is safe there !).
Cebu is certainly not safer than the area of Dumaguete (the safest place in the Philippines if you may believe the local press publications ).
Yes you can open dollar/euro accounts. I don't believe that Dumaguete has a HSBC branch (never seen here one) but they exist in the Philippines.
Succes met je plannen.

 

Many european expats and americans, friendly town but beware they take advantage of the foreinger. Dumaguete is pleasant, cebu is busy but more to do and malls and better hospitals, cost of living a bit higher there too.Weather is tropical but great with aircon. Have a visit to both towns and see what you like. Good luck.