people up, prices up, wages up, pollution up, congestion up, quality of life down...

 

Completely agree with that statement. A friend of me was forced to move to Cambodia because his low income was too low for living in Switzerland. (What is better? To have a free and decent life or to be shackled by the goverment and have a surviving life?) He had to learn Khmer language just to get around and basic communications. Cambodia is even lay more behind than the Philippines. But the opposite is that you can live quite decent on a budget of US$ 400 to 500. Most stuff is cheaper there than in the Philippines because Cambodia is not an island country.
To come back ontopic: if the Philippines makes further things to scare off retiring people then even Dumaguete will fall back off.

 

That can you have everywhere in south east asia not just in NegOr.

 

If memory servers that was not the only article about Dumaguete, but you're right there has been a significant increase in tourists/visitors. Some people are so gullible they accept these articles as gospel, when often they are inaccurate.

I don't know why because Dumaguete is going downhill. substancially increased traffic, bad air, more intolerance. I've noticed they are honking their horns more and longer, not for signaling but because someone cut them off or did something wrong. Not as gentle as it was a few years ago.

Prices are up. And did you notice, I am guessing here, but I think they reduced the peso payout against the dollar over xmas month in order to boost their profits. One of the changers here does this during xmas. When I noticed he was one peso off the usual rate, I was told this was the xmas rate! xmas for HIM that is.

The pay rates expected here have gone up quite a lot. The economy is on fire and jobs are plentiful.

I have been here several years but I am told it was much better 10-15 years ago.