KEY Thread Best Posts in Thread: If not Dumaguete then where?

Well it's now apparent that it's not more fun in the Philippines when you have a serious medical problem, a respiratory illness, or an accident for three. Sanitation is non existent, air pollution is a killer of locals and expats alike with no interest in improving those conditions when people have to eke out an existence.

There is no adequate and fast internet anywhere, and Negros has no major medical facilities and although Cebu does you'd have to get through the Manila-like traffic to actually get treated at a hospital. There are no trauma centers so nationwide that I've heard of so it seems your're just SOL there. No extrication for motor vehicle accidents at all. Only one decompression center for the central Visayas. Living dangerously. Cebu seems to have one major fire a year that displaces hundreds if not thousands (you know how many in each household can run high). The fire apparatus everywhere look like they're from the 1940's. No hydrant systems in many areas so once the "pumper" dumps you're also SOL for any more water.

In South East Asia Thailand is probably the best alternative where at least you have good hospitals and adequate and fast internet and even cheaper housing. Cebu and Duma are way overpriced for expats. In Thailand there's reportedly not much English spoken but they have way better food hands down (everyone in ASEAN does). Those are trade offs that are fairly weighted in Thailand's favor. Malaysia might come in third but you'd have to find a sponsor in Sarawak to get in if you can't afford the $40k+ deposit for immigration. Singapore doesn't allow immigration unless you are already lined up for a job there.

These are the realities not just pet peeves. You pays your money and takes your chances. This is NOT a place for older expats they may not last long and if you're a generally reckless person like the type who likes to drive and drive a scooter you'll have an even shorter lifespan.

 

Once again, button, zipper or Velcro pockets.

 

I agree with you on pretty much what you said. I'm not saying Dumaguete is a great place but I found it better then Bacolod at least for me. As usual the powerful and elite hate us foreigners because we do stir stuff up just being ourselves and they get pissed when we pose a threat to the way things are which honestly we do pose a minor threat. Dumaguete isn't real friendly but a lot friendlier then a few other places I have been. Here at least you can actually get a few good words now and then from a neighbor or even a good morning while plenty of places that just isn't going to happen. But you have to be friendly in return to get treated friendly as always.

I've been sick of Dumaguete honestly for quite sometime but due to my wants, my gals college, and budget not many places seem to fit our bill and Dumaguete manages. The traffic here is a killer and it will NOT get better. For it to get better will take some seriously major changes which will p*ss off a lot of people who aren't willing to accept what needs to be done to start fixing the traffic issue. But IF Dumaguete was the area for you I'd honestly suggest the Bacong area. Its where any future growth is going to go for the next 10 years at least but likely the Bacong proper area and not to far past the market.

And don't forget, Dumaguete is fairly safe from the serious weather issues and more safe even from a potential tsunami as numerous faults in line with the Philippines are 50+ years overdue.

 

Mom's basement?

Retirement home?

Rehab?

 

Define decent beach? I decided I wanted to take in a movie at Robinsons Mall Dumaguete. I was in Sibulan 10km away. It took an hour to get there in my jeep. I've driven in Cebu if you are going at off peak hours, it was not bad. Duma traffic is not that bad at off peak hours and I would drive in for a late lunch and shopping frequently in the 1:15 to 3:pm bracket. If you lived south of Duma, say in Bacong, Robinsons Mall is right on the highway and Hypermart isn't far enough away to make traffic unbearable most times of day. Dauin fram Bacong is probably within 30 minutes drive of Bacong most days and has fair beaches. A note on Robinsons mall. It is not like a major mall, it does have a movie theatre. Depending on where one lives in Bacong, you might find the internet lacking. Valencia would be a good choice for many although they have now blocked the street at the public market and it is full of carts and no car parking. A sub optimal solution in my eyes.

Robinsons mall is not fantastic, it has a movie theatre. I think a mall that doesn't have a movie theatre is just a big co-operative department store. Basically a Wal-mart in the US, with not as much stuff. I don't know where the next nearest movie theatre is but I wouldn't be surprised if it were Bacolod. Robinsons Duma is probably too small for the population it serves, but it is the only game in town at the moment. I don't know what is going to be in the new mall when it opens, whether it will have a theatre or whether it will be exactly the same as Robinsons. Someone told me there were at least 10 malls in Bacolod. I didn't look. I saw a couple that were as one would expect a mall to be in Cebu, saw it was accessable and that was all I needed to know.

Don't expect to get anywhere quickly in Duma unless you are on a motorcycle and then you will have to do things you wouldn't do elsewhere. I don't think Wrye is kidding when he calls the sidewalk just another lane to use. d*mn few useable sidewalks and most people walk in the street anyway.

I was looking at moving to Bacolod for liveabulity and I was fairly impressed. I took pictures of the wide streets to show people in Duma that I walked out in the middle of the street at 12 noon and took several pictures in both directions. That would be suicidal in Dumaguete. Of course after that the lunch rush started but that is everywhere. There is car parking in Bacolod downtown, d*mn little in Duma. I didn't start looking at beaches in Bacolod because I don't go in the water that often and any kind of beach is fine if you are just going to sit, drink beer and eat barbecue. When I want to go in the water, you can drive to a nice beach.