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

[rhodie]

IMHO the PI is like Thailand was 30 years ago in a lot of ways. There are some really great places in the PI that you can live very cheaply and stay for as long as you like with lots of cheap entertainment. Thailand has got a lot more expensive, the Baht is stronger and rules are being enforced. Yes, health is better and the infrastructure is good. But I kinda liked the old Thailand that I discovered 30 years ago. The girls back then also wanted out, just like the girls in the PI now.

Disclaimer: For now I live in Thailand, but I try to be objective.

[KittenKong]

1 hour ago, andre47 said:

Do you really want to tell us that it is ok if a president of a country is murdering people for a good cause?

Donald Trump is a total a**hole. Did that stop me from spending a month in the USA and enjoying it immensely? No. Would it stop me from living in the USA if I wanted to (and if I could afford the health insurance)? No.

[KittenKong]

20 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

Like you said the people in PI are poor and all want to leave the country.  Thailand is rich in comparison and everybody wants to stay (see the 3 threads running now).

Does that include the 10,000+ Thais recently deported from S Korea for overstaying their visas?

 

 

[janclaes47]

9 minutes ago, rhodie said:

Thailand has got a lot more expensive, the Baht is stronger

I agree that Thailand has got a lot more expensive in the past few years,especially for Thai produce, which i think is ridiculous.

 

The currency however is been weaker against almost every other world currency prior 1997. That year, and the few years afterwards,  was an extreme and should not be taken as a benchmark.

[janclaes47]

3 minutes ago, KittenKong said:

Does that include the 10,000+ Thais recently deported from S Korea for overstaying their visas?

 

 

He was talking about foreigners, not Thai hookers who were tricked into a lucrative employment in Korea

[andre47]

13 minutes ago, KittenKong said:

Donald Trump is a total a**hole. Did that stop me from spending a month in the USA and enjoying it immensely? No. Would it stop me from living in the USA if I wanted to (and if I could afford the health insurance)? No.

You are funny....

 

yes DT is a AH, but not a murder (as far I know ???? )

[andre47]

31 minutes ago, rhodie said:

Did it ever occur to you that Thailand is a military dictatorship! 

I did not write that in Thailand is everything perfect, but as far as I know the government here is not killing thousands of people.

[janclaes47]

1 minute ago, andre47 said:

I did not write that in Thailand is everything perfect, but as far as I know the government here is not killing thousands of people.

You must have missed the news about the thousands of drug suspects being killed, same as what is going on now in the Philippines, under Thaksin

[rhodie]

6 minutes ago, andre47 said:

I did not write that in Thailand is everything perfect, but as far as I know the government here is not killing thousands of people.

I will give you a challenge. Ask any expat in the PI if life is better in the PI since D30. 99% will say it is better. Ask the locals and every single one I have met in the PI and in other countries agree. Sometimes drastic measures are needed to stop certain activities in these places. Corruption is still rife as it is here, but the drug problem has been curtailed in a big way and life for the majority of those in the PI is better.

I will also say that the MD here in Thailand have improved many things, but unfortunately they are not really helping the poorest 80%.

[whaleboneman]

9 hours ago, rhodie said:

Has she got a sister? 

Sorry, three brothers. If you change sexual orientation, give me a call.

[EVENKEEL]

The Subic area is all I know about PI, was there 70's and 80's off and on. Back when Olongapo was the Pearl of the Orient. A truly outrageous time. Started visiting again in 2006 till now. It was sort of sad to see what became of the US Navy Base. Barrio Barretto is a fun place. But...….anymore I feel like I have a bullseye on me there. Taxi's are always on the Con, meters are never used. Small things there really get on my nerves. Everyone calls you "Sir", soooo many ladies have this wart next to their nose....why is that? They do speak English, but with an extremely irritating accent.

 

The upside for me is eating out. Delicious Tuna steak dinners for $10. Cheap beers.

 

A taxi from Manilla Airport to Subic will run about $100. and can take anywhere between 2-5 hrs depending on traffic

[KittenKong]

9 hours ago, janclaes47 said:

He was talking about foreigners, not Thai hookers who were tricked into a lucrative employment in Korea

No, he was talking about natives. See my quote.

 

And those Thai "tourists" are also foreigners when abroad.

[KittenKong]

9 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

They do speak English, but with an extremely irritating accent.

So do about 200 million Americans.

[phycokiller]

so to summarize, the people are friendlier but the roads, supermarkets and hospitals are worse. as someone who moved from Pattaya to Cambodia because starbucks, hooters and mcdonalds and seeing police everywhere doesnt interest me, and as I have no interest in living in a western condo and driving to a supermarket, and have never visited a hospital, are there any other reasons I might not like living in the Philippines? 

[marcusarelus]

2 minutes ago, phycokiller said:

so to summarize, the people are friendlier but the roads, supermarkets and hospitals are worse. as someone who moved from Pattaya to Cambodia because starbucks, hooters and mcdonalds dont interest me, and as I have no interest in living in a western condo and driving to a supermarket, and have never visited a hospital, are there any other reasons I might not like living in the Philippines? 

Christians.  Too many of them there.  Don't trust them.  Dangerous people.  Look at history. 

[BritManToo]

16 hours ago, andre47 said:

By the way...
The President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte is commanding killer groups and he treats the law with his feet. He is not far of being a dictator.

Think twice before moving to such a country.

 

Yeah, but he doesn't want to kill us white folk or our gfs, so who cares.

You want to risk death, go and work as a teacher in the south of Thailand, they really will kill you.

[pgrahmm]

3 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Yeah, but he doesn't want to kill us white folk or our gfs, so who cares.

You want to risk death, go and work as a teacher in the south of Thailand, they really will kill you.

Try around Mindanao then.....

[ChakaKhan]

10 hours ago, marcusarelus said:

Christians.  Too many of them there.  Don't trust them.  Dangerous people.  Look at history. 

Evangelicals in the states..

[ChakaKhan]

On 11/4/2018 at 10:37 AM, rhodie said:

IMHO the PI is like Thailand was 30 years ago in a lot of ways. There are some really great places in the PI that you can live very cheaply and stay for as long as you like with lots of cheap entertainment. Thailand has got a lot more expensive, the Baht is stronger and rules are being enforced. Yes, health is better and the infrastructure is good. But I kinda liked the old Thailand that I discovered 30 years ago. The girls back then also wanted out, just like the girls in the PI now.

Disclaimer: For now I live in Thailand, but I try to be objective.

Great places--live cheaply...Elaborate pls~in PI

[smotherb]

On 10/31/2018 at 12:24 PM, KittenKong said:

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.

Have to agree with  most of what you said; except, I have never had to pay taxes on income earned outside the PI. How did they tax you?

 

[smotherb]

On 11/4/2018 at 7:50 PM, tropo said:

These 3rd and 4th world terms are meaningless and worthless.

 

There's no point discussing this topic with a person who calls themselves "Thainess". Thai people generally consider themselves superior to Filipinos and look down on them. I've noticed this time and time again as my wife is Filipino. There are many pros and many cons that can be discussed here, but an open and balanced mind is required, which is probably something you don't possess.

 

Here's one big plus to consider. If a foreigner is married to a Filipino, you can stay in the Philippines forever without a scrap of paperwork or even a single visit to immigration. To do that you need to exit once a year with your wife, and when you return you're stamped in for one year, no questions asked. In fact, if you are married to a Filipino they are extremely welcoming and friendly toward you at the airport. Contrast that to the unfriendly attitude Foreigners need to endure from Immigration Officers when married to Thais... and all the hoops they have to jump through, and all the financial requirements.

Although,  I agree with most of your post: I do not have the impression that Thais look down on Filipinos any more than any non-Thai. My wife is also Fiipina, we have lived here for over eleven years. My wife has many Thai friends and she feels the Thais much prefer the Filipinos to Malaysians or Singaporeans. In fact, here in Hatyai where many Malaysians visit; the Thais are openly pleased to learn my wife is Filipina rather than Malaysian. 

[tropo]

37 minutes ago, smotherb said:

Although,  I agree with most of your post: I do not have the impression that Thais look down on Filipinos any more than any non-Thai. My wife is also Fiipina, we have lived here for over eleven years. My wife has many Thai friends and she feels the Thais much prefer the Filipinos to Malaysians or Singaporeans. In fact, here in Hatyai where many Malaysians visit; the Thais are openly pleased to learn my wife is Filipina rather than Malaysian. 

Saying they look down on Filipinos doesn't preclude how they feel about other nationalities, but here we are specifically discussing the Philippines.

 

I had no idea about their feelings toward Filipino until a conflict arose a couple of years ago, which opened my eyes.

[smotherb]

23 minutes ago, tropo said:

Saying they look down on Filipinos doesn't preclude how they feel about other nationalities, but here we are specifically discussing the Philippines.

 

I had no idea about their feelings toward Filipino until a conflict arose a couple of years ago, which opened my eyes.

I said, "I do not have the impression that Thais look down on Filipinos any more than any non-Thai."

 

Your conflict may be a single occurrence or it may be something my wife and I have never encountered. My wife has interacted with Thais in many areas; she is well-known in our all-Thai community, is active in the Rotary, is a volunteer at a local hospital, and she taught at local schools. I just asked her, she has never felt looked-down upon.

[smotherb]

On 11/1/2018 at 1:42 PM, KittenKong said:

As far as I know, yes. They do have some dual-taxation agreements but I'm not aware that the RP has the blanket exemption for earnings not repatriated in the year they are received that Thailand has. I could easily be wrong though as the last I looked into it was about 10 years ago.

I doubt the PI has ever taxed foreign-earned income--at least from US. I have lived there for 10-12 years, over the last 50 years. Only income earned there was ever a concern. I just checked on fb with two of my bros in the PI, both Brits, one there 15 years, the other 27 years--no tax on foreign-earned income

 

[Lacessit]

1 hour ago, smotherb said:

I doubt the PI has ever taxed foreign-earned income--at least from US. I have lived there for 10-12 years, over the last 50 years. Only income earned there was ever a concern. I just checked on fb with two of my bros in the PI, both Brits, one there 15 years, the other 27 years--no tax on foreign-earned income

 

How would they know?

[rhodie]

On 11/5/2018 at 11:25 PM, ChakaKhan said:

Great places--live cheaply...Elaborate pls~in PI

It is a generalised comment about the PI vs TH. Please let me know what you would like me to elaborate on. What I can say is you can live in a very friendly expat community in a small town on a beautiful beach for a lot less than you can in Thailand. 

[ChakaKhan]

3 hours ago, rhodie said:

It is a generalised comment about the PI vs TH. Please let me know what you would like me to elaborate on. What I can say is you can live in a very friendly expat community in a small town on a beautiful beach for a lot less than you can in Thailand. 

Just info as ive put in a decade here in LOS and was interested in cheap simple living in PI but wondered about cost--where to stay etc....never been there....as Ive been here in CM off-on since 2008

[rhodie]

8 hours ago, ChakaKhan said:

Just info as ive put in a decade here in LOS and was interested in cheap simple living in PI but wondered about cost--where to stay etc....never been there....as Ive been here in CM off-on since 2008

OK, I have not traveled extensively but have been to quite a few islands and bigger cities. I really enjoy Mindoro island, next one down from Luzon and easy to get to. A good example is Puerto Galera on the North point. There are plenty of places to settle in the area. Quite a few expats. A fair amount of restaurants and pubs. Sabang is close if you want a bit more nightlife. The good thing about the PI is you can stay longer, easier than in Thailand. I know a guy who has a 1 br condo on the beach for $150 a month. Another pays 5000 pesos a month for a 2 br house on the water. Food costs about the same, but western food is better and cheaper IMHO. The exchange rate is a lot more favorable as well. Really worth a look see. 

[andre47]

16 minutes ago, rhodie said:

 but western food is better and cheaper IMHO.

Maybe better than in Isaan ???? But they cannot compete with Pattaya, Phuket, Chiang Mai or Bangkok....

 

It is still the 4. world. A lot of poor people, bad infrastructure, a lot of plastic waste in the nature.

 

The main obstacle for me is that it is quite unsafe. I don't feel secure in the Phils.

 

[Tony125]

Mindanao

3 hours ago, rhodie said:

OK, I have not traveled extensively but have been to quite a few islands and bigger cities. I really enjoy Mindoro island, next one down from Luzon and easy to get to. A good example is Puerto Galera on the North point. There are plenty of places to settle in the area. Quite a few expats. A fair amount of restaurants and pubs. Sabang is close if you want a bit more nightlife. The good thing about the PI is you can stay longer, easier than in Thailand. I know a guy who has a 1 br condo on the beach for $150 a month. Another pays 5000 pesos a month for a 2 br house on the water. Food costs about the same, but western food is better and cheaper IMHO. The exchange rate is a lot more favorable as well. Really worth a look see. 

You enjoy Mindanao ?  "Sorry I see you mean Mindoro  north of Mindanao

 

 

 

Cagayan de Oro is a hub city in Mindanao, a giant southern Philippine island that you may have been taught to avoid. At least four Muslim rebel groups operate on the island and once in a while they set off a bomb or kidnap foreign tourists. The vigilante group Abu Sayyaf, for example, beheaded a Canadian hostage in April. No wonder the Canadian government’s September travel advisory for the Philippines “advises against all travel to the Mindanao region due to the serious threat of terrorist attacks and kidnapping.”

That type of common advice keeps direct investment out of Mindanao despite a wealth of natural resources, leaving the island poorer than other parts of the Philippine archipelago.

 

https://www.worldnomads.com/travel-safety/southeast-asia/philippines/areas-to-avoid-in-the-philippines                 

One mans meat is another man's poison. JUst visit both places for awhile , rent a place travel around and make your own choice,