What are the "Pro's & Con's" of living in Philippines?

[Daveyh 625]

I'm thinking of moving to the Phillipines within the next twelve months to retire. Any advice on the best areas to live, what I'll need & general info on expat life there. I'm ex military so have travelled ........... I'm looking for the quiet life now, so island living & a few home comforts would be welcome. Even a beach house would do & a boat for fishing etc. ..... but I'll not be going very far south there as that would be a little extreme. Cheers.

[pgrahmm 7,453]

This topic should be preserved.....There have to be a dozen threads to this & they are not kindly to the PI......

I've spent a lot of time there & unless for a wedding or funeral to attend there's no compelling reason to step foot there again......

Too bad the topic isn't thumbnailed someplace......

[KittenKong 15,881]

12 minutes ago, pgrahmm said:

There have to be a dozen threads to this & they are not kindly to the PI......

I wonder if that's because this is a Thai forum and so people who read it and post on it would mostly be more likely to live here than in the RP? A bit like asking on a Ford owners forum why so few people own a Toyota?

 

Some things I like about the RP: Friendly people who mostly like foreigners. English is widely understood and all signs are in western script. The local language is very easy to learn, should you wish to. Few strange/inexplicable local customs. Filipinos mostly think like farangs rather than like Asians. The climate is a bit cooler than here. Fairly cheap imports generally. Cheap beer. Cheap cigars. UK pension increases paid in full. Straightforward visa requirements. Filipinos love western music, and you hear it everywhere.

Some things I dont like: Tax on worldwide income. Natural disasters. Poor infrastructure (largely due to the natural disasters). Rather boring local food. The Catholic church. Accommodation is often overpriced and often not very good. Less choice for international air travel.

 

Some say that living in the RP is less secure than it is here, but I'm not convinced. Maybe it's a different type of insecurity.

[Kwasaki 10,579]

I agree many negative things are said about the Philippines and unfair to compare, one man's meat is another mans poison.

 

OP it will take you a whiles to find what suits you I would suggest starting with the most popular tourist areas first and go from there.

 

You say an island living & a few home comforts would be welcome and a beach house, well you have aprox 7,600 islands to pick from. 

 

[watcharacters 4,501]

 

I'd direct the OP to take a look at a few of the videos posted by this fellow.

 

 

I've not heard anyone gush more about the PI than he does.    He likes the simple life and focuses on what he sees as a low cost life style.

 

If nothing else a look at one or two of his videos offers some  degree of entertainment.

[Kwasaki 10,579]

1 hour ago, watcharacters said:

 

I'd direct the OP to take a look at a few of the videos posted by this fellow.

 

You have to be joking why would OP wanna do that.

[BritManToo 44,441]

Booze and girls are much cheaper, VISA is easier (no financials) special VISA for former US military.

Short time accommodation is slightly more expensive, monthly around the same price.

Western food same price, but much more widely available and generally better quality.

Internet and power has a few more gaps. Beaches are nicer.

Everyone speaks English, really good English, and no conceptual misunderstandings they listen to the same music and watch the same movies (mostly in the same language) as us.

 

I like it, but then I like almost everywhere in Asia (apart from Laos which is very boring).

[watcharacters 4,501]

3 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

You have to be joking why would OP wanna do that.

 

If you looked at a few of the nut cake's videos you'd see he's an older fellow who enjoys assimilating in the Philippine culture, he leads a simple lifestyle, and he shares the company of more than a few nice looking ladies.

 

He's entertaining I think and not a bitter, complaining, old git.

 

Does that answer your question, Sir?

 

[rskdev 96]

https://www.philippines-addicts.com/

[namatjira 1,098]

19 hours ago, watcharacters said:

 

I'd direct the OP to take a look at a few of the videos posted by this fellow.

 

 

I've not heard anyone gush more about the PI than he does.    He likes the simple life and focuses on what he sees as a low cost life style.

 

If nothing else a look at one or two of his videos offers some  degree of entertainment.

He’s just a creepy old sex tourist....the only thing of interest to him for the Filipino girls is the pesos in his pocket...sex tourist that’s all

[watcharacters 4,501]

7 minutes ago, namatjira said:

creepy old sex tourist

 

I don't disagree with you that he seems to fit this bill, but my other comments however hold as well.    His videos can give some insight  to life for an expat in the Philippines.   

 

If one doesn't like it there's the free choice option to totally ignore it.

 

[topt 2,679]

20 hours ago, KittenKong said:

Some things I dont like: Tax on worldwide income

For foreigners living there? 

 

[quandow 6,581]

I know several retirees who moved there and regretted it wholeheartedly. Their major complaint was the crumbling infrastructure/lack of services readily available in Thailand. I would suggest you take as long a vacation there as you can and form your own opinion.

[Johnnyngai 144]

If your were in the USA military, live near a U.S. VA hospital.  Do they still have VA hospitals in the Philippine ?

The Philippine is a fourth world country, I saw many western retirees in Angle City with swollen angles.   

 

[andre47 1,186]

For me it seems too be not save enough. Armed securities in front of each shop with valuables. Many people have guns.

 

I don't like their food.

The only thing for tourism you can do is beach life or exploring the nature.

 

The Catholic Church has a very strong influence.