⌛ Why do people choose to live/retire to the Philippines

I have lived in the Philippines a total of 16 years. It isn't paradise but it ain't bad. Panama is more welcoming and so is Uraguay and many other places in Central and South America. We can't own land here and property transactions often turn into nightmares. Residency here is a hassle; not that hard to get if married to a filipina, but exit and reentries are a big hassle. But then there are filipinas. Without a doubt the greatest women in the world. They define femininity. I've been married to one for almost 30 years and rarely regreted it.

 

good for you kenny..

..i guess that proves the fact that we can't have everything is this world, huh?

My point being, nothing is perfect! Live with what you have and be content with it. Or else one will only lead a miserable life.....

Enjoy!

 

Native or tenderfoot

With that in mind why not also tell us if you are living in a new sub-division with western style housing or are living in bahay kubo just so we know how you are living in the PI and from which perspective you speak.

 

I am renting in a gated subdivision and am about a month away from moving into a new house we are having built in Ayala North Point here in Bacolod ... but I don't really understand what this has do do with any of this.

You either love living here, you hate it here, or if your like me ... have a love/hate relationship with the place ... I'm in the middle. I like many aspects of life here, and on the other hand, don't like some of the stuff I see daily here. I'm sorry, but I don't own a set of rose colored glasses.

I think that anyone that tells you this is pure "Paradise" is not giving the foreigner that is considering a more here the true picture.

On the other hand, if you are not financially strapped, don't have continual problems with the inlaws and live somewhere where you feel safe, life can be rewarding in the RP. Just don't loose site of the fact that this is a poor 3rd world country with all the problems associated with a 3rd world country ... Nope, your not in Kansas anymore!

 

Paradise maybe

I lived in the Philippines for five years. I have a house in a brgy. My life is nothing special I love the Philippines the freedom I feel there is something I could never have in the west. I am not retired never had the money to retire yet. I work in Taiwan as an English Teacher still nothing special. I make a good living. I am saving to open a few Businesses in the Philippines when I go back home.

I have been married for six years now to my Filipina Angel. I was a Plant Engineer for 14 years one year short of being vested when my plant closed. Then I had a nasty divorce after being married for 18 years. So all in all I felt pretty screwed in life. So I set out to make a new life in Asia I tried Thailand but the women only seem to want is a green card to go to the west and a few other things, but no point talking about it.

Well I ended up in the Philippines. This didn’t work out the way I planned it. But all in all I am happy with my life in the Philippines I learned how to make money and live there. But it wasn’t really enough to do what I wanted. So after five years my wife and I left to put some money way to complete our plans and go home to the Philippines.

The Philippines is no picnic for anyone. But a new land with a lot of challenges are the expats ready to face a challenge and make a good life in the Philippines or are you just going to sit around crying in their beer for a life that never really had. In the west I had no time to enjoy life I work, slept and worked again. I had no time to complain about my life I was too busy trying to pay the bills. The Philippines may not be paradise but it is as close to it as I have found yet.

 

hi. my reasons are very simple. i meet my wife there 3 years ago. i love the place and the pepole. we were married here in australia 8 months ago while she was here on her last vist. but the aussie imagration wont let her move here. so i have sold up and now will be there liveing there permently.

 

Why Philippines ?
The country fits my needs at the present stage of my life.

Why Duma ?
Job as a instructor and DS manager brought me here, great diving in the central Visayas with many places to go in the neighborhood islands.

Will I retire here ?
Very unlikely, as there are too many things not existing and will never be here in Dumaguete. I don't wanna have any serious medical issue here and die in a fancy new hospital building cause of missing medications and lousier equipped than my old diveshop in Puerto Galera.

 

At least Rhoody is straightforward.

I'm sure the fishes in APO Island will miss you Rhoody.

 

I am still sweet 38, so I guess I may have a couple of weeks left here

 

weeks? now your making the fishes really feel bad.....