Would you consider the Philippines

[georgegeorgia]

Well we had a thread on would you move to Cambodia....how about the Philippines?

 

Just met a 35yo Filipino lady here in Australia...she actually moved in next apartment from me only a few weeks ago.

Already she pops over does my dishes ...washing etc

 

Even knows how to use a drill ...lovely brown skin she works 3 jobs here in Australia

 

Anyway she has started telling me how good the Philippines is and how many foreigners are coming from Thailand.

 

I can't believe how cheap it is there according to her .

I want to go there asap to look.

 

Wheres the best place for farang to retire there ?

 

Would u consider the Philippines ?

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 3, 2021 by georgegeorgia

[ThaIrish Sean]

People are lovely.

Food is sh*"e.

UK has a reciprocating agreement with regard to pensions.

I do not feel safe in the Philippines.

Most things are cheaper in the Philippines.

The girls are on average fatter than Thai girls.

Most Filipinos speak some English.

The poverty is heartbreaking, especially child poverty.

Edited April 3, 2021 by ThaIrish Sean

[Oldie]

If the Philippines are so good why does your lady not live there? 

[Kwasaki]

49 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

Would u consider the Philippines ?

As a last resort if it were not possible to stay Thailand.

[georgegeorgia]

I'm thinking now more phillipines than Thailand to retire but I have to look first .

We all probably know a lot of Filipino girls are very attractive .

The country seems more modern than Thailand.

Money seems to go further 

 

 

 

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, georgegeorgia said:

Wheres the best place for farang to retire there ?

I always enjoyed Barretto, Olongapo,

NIce beach resort with a load of bars and resorts catering to foreigners, you could even buy Aussie meat pies. Didn't even need a VISA, you could turn up and stay for 3 years, many Australians and business managed/owned by Australians.

Baloy Long Beach was my favourite place to hang out, clear, clean water, beautiful sand.

 

 

Edited April 3, 2021 by BritManToo

[Destiny1990]

Easy pleasant Visa procedures just pay and stay , and nobody is fixated with ur 24/7 where abouts, no TM30’s, etc. Very hospital people, with decent English skills. Cebu is my favorite city. Malls restaurants  have all the international food that u want. Downsides : The internet is still slow and their roads are too narrow so easily get jammed up.

[Guderian]

I've looked at it many times and spent a lot of time travelling around the country. Booze is certainly cheap, but you won't get a fraction of the selection of bread or imported foreign edible goodies that you do in places like Pattaya. Hospitals are decidedly dodgy, pharmacies often run out of even basic medicines, and some places (like Dumaguette) now require a prescription for even simple drugs. English language is a big plus, but most people prefer to prattle in Tagalog or Cebuano, so proficiency often  leaves something to be desired. It's true that many Filipina ladies are far more honest and hard-working, and much less duplicitous than the Thais, though, they're not such natural-born gold-diggers. And they don't consider their people to be some sort of master race, either, which is quite refreshing after Thailand. Internet is expensive and far from great even in the cities, the power supply is unreliable as is well-known, and the roads are much less developed than Thailand's.

 

You have to balance all these pros and cons up against your own personal wishes and worries, given the limited health care available it's not really a place for old men unless you're in really great shape. At the end of the day, though, three things scare me witless about the place: earthquakes, volcanoes and typhoons. You can choose your location carefully to minimise the threat, but it will always be there.

 

I'm friends with a local family who live in Tagaytay CIty. It's a beautiful spot, up high with stunning views and a great climate. A while back there was a small earthquake that caused some damage to their house. They don't have a lot of money so it took them a while to get the damage fixed and the walls plastered and painted again, but not long after that the Taal volcano started spewing ash everywhere and their area was covered in it. Happily, that was the worst that happened this time, but living close to an active volcano isn't a great idea in my book. I just wonder when a typhoon is going to hit that area and do even more damage. Life is just too short, and these three things are liable to make it even shorter.

[samtab]

yes PI is better, this is why WE all the idiots are living in Thailand !

So funny that someone even ask...

 

[topt]

6 hours ago, ThaIrish Sean said:

Food is sh*"e

This for me was the biggest issue when I worked there many years ago and decent western style food in Manila was relatively quite expensive - not sure if that has changed?

 

5 hours ago, Victornoir said:

and finally Palawan, area of Puerto Princessa,

Are there not issues around there with any of the various Muslim oriented separatist groups?

[natway09]

Great place for a holiday, to live,,,,,,never.

Poverty far worse than here, they get every natural disaster going, roads 20 years behind 

Thailands, yes food very  average, girls yummy with a bit more substance on the whole from Thailand also many of the more beautiful parts unsafe to dangerous

[canthai55]

PI cancelled SRRV visa

When - If - it returns ... ?

[mikeymike100]

Worked and lived in the Philippines for 2 years.

There are some very nice spots there out of the cities, very nice beaches etc.

Nearly everyone can speak pretty good English. In general everyone is friendly, but there are more guns around in the Philippines. You go to a bank and see the sign, leave your weapons/guns with the guard, who is always armed.

Traffic is bad in the cities, pollution is bad, but once you get out of the city its OK.

Girls are friendly and pretty in general, they come in all sizes and shapes. Lot of poverty there in areas, also they have Typhoons blowing thru, can do a lot of damage.

All in all not a bad place, but the local food is a big disadvantage, not a patch on Thai food!

[Denim]

20 hours ago, georgegeorgia said:

Already she pops over does my dishes ...washing etc

 

I'm guessing that the etc includes some polishing and buffing.

 

I'd consider living there again. Some things are better there, some things worse. I always found accommodation  there to be a bit more expensive when compared to Thailand. Foods ok, but less variety than here. People are friendly but the greater poverty means you have to be more careful of scammers. Medical facilities also not as good as Thailand. Finally, I heard that there has recently been a shake up regarding retirement visas ( thanks to lots of Chinese using them incorrectly ) so staying there for retirement will require more stringent requirements than in the past.

Edited April 3, 2021 by Denim

[Denim]

20 hours ago, georgegeorgia said:

The country seems more modern than Thailand.

 

Definitely not.  Thailand way ahead. Internet in the Philippines is painfully slow compared to here.

[wwest5829]

Preparing for retirement I looked at Ecuador, the Canal Zone (Panama), Mexico, Philippines and Thailand. Sold all in the USA and came to Thailand. Only problem I have had after nearly a decade here as a full time foreign retiree, was when it appeared that the Kingdom of Thailand might be changing the immigration requirements so as to demonstrate they would not allow me to stay. That crisis was averted but I considered the Philippines as the “fall back” at that time.

[georgegeorgia]

What's the retirement visa options ????

[fordguy61mi]

I have been there as far back as ‘82 as a young US Marine in Subic Bay and the country hasn’t changed much. Yes the girls are beautiful and friendly, but you marry their whole family when you marry one, way worse than Thailand, and are the family’s ATM for sure. There is no divorce there if you get married in -country so better to marry in your own country in case you need to divorce later. Many Filipinas will marry any foreigner just to get out of the country and to earn some money to send back to the family. Just too much poverty there to deal with in my opinion. Some Thai women can be that way but not quite as bad. I agree with others that Thailand is more developed and the hospitals are way above PI. Beautiful beaches and most speak English is a big plus. My choice, Thailand.

[malibukid]

Philiippino woman seem to have more on the ball

Quote

 

 

[Jingthing]

18 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

What's the retirement visa options ????

Multiple variations of SRRV but due to the pandemic new applications are currently blocked.

[Jingthing]

Yeah the Philippines is high on my list as a backup to Thailand but Mexico and Colombia are a bit higher.

 

Areas I'm interested in.

 

Bacalod City

Iloilo City

Tagaytay

Cavite province

Mactan island outside Cebu City

Damaguete 

 

Edited April 3, 2021 by Jingthing

[Aomelia]

Not with that Twisted Monkey at the Helm Durty Duterte 

[Thingamabob]

My preference is Thailand. Better food, better hospitals, better infrastructure, slimmer women.

 

 

[xtrnuno41]

Have been there and traveled some. All because i met  a woman my age. But it was the wrong one after al. 

She lived in Manilla and also spend time living in a suburb of Manilla. She had a house there, due to working in Japan.

But just among poor people living there. Her sisters also lived there and one was married to an Oz.

Loved the kids over there , were really cheeky, absolutely not shy. They really loved me when i came out to distribute some candy. 

The woman had a "sell shop" an sold candy by piece also cigarettes and other things. Sometimes i was the seller.

 

Nearly bought a house there in Sorsogon. A very lovely place to be. I loved it there.

But was way younger then and didnt think about how to get around, just see.

IF the woman didnt act to me as she did, i would have lived in the Phil. Long story , other topic.

 

Been to the village of the phil woman's parents, even way smaller, but loved it, just plain country side.

Clean, to the coast, also the air. There was a house in that village and it belonged to a German ! Right on the dry sand at the coast.

Her father and others were living on making knives for harvesting in old fashioned way. Real blacksmiths !

Hammering away to  make knifes.

The iron was from broken down vehicles which had damping springs. Really dont know how it got there

And the fire was made with coconut shells. Amazing to see as foreigner.

   

Also going there i came in Legazpi, also a very nice "city", where there is an "airport".

The phil are islands, so everything has to be imported and you cant find easily things you maybe need.

Specially over there, i didnt orientated on hospitals or anything at that time, so dont know about that.

But guess it is not super standard and a lot of it.

Even in Manilla i had to search for electric connecting stones. Big shops are mostly American and prices are up. 

Dont know how it is now, as China came up and deliver far more cheaper then Americans.

 

Had absolutely no problems with the food. Depends on how your mind is set.

Ate in Manilla in a mall food market, you know like Thailand also have and picked a food stand.

Well i finished all and went to see the cook to tell them they made very good food. really had to  compliment him.

Once eat even crocodile in Palawan, deliscious.

Borocay same as a Koh Lipe or even Koh Samui (havent beent here yet). To reach it, it has the same obstacles as Koh Lipe.

Bohol where it is same like Lipe or Borocay, was swimming with and in plastic. Jeepers, such beautiful blue water but loaded with plastic.  

 

Yes , was really planning on living in the Phil. You needed then a RSTV, costed 1400 dollar/year , i believe. But then you were free to do what ever you like.

No reports, no work problem (if you want). Set and done with one permit.

However still as in Thailand and Indonesia, you cant own land.  

 

Lots of people are poor and i think it's a crying shame, however thats in all countries, but still not an excuse.

Once living in Manila, the neighbors of the woman were offering their son to me to take care for. Adoption.

Not directly of course, but ... They already had 4 kids and another was coming up and they really didnt had any money.

Yha , Catholicism. You want to f..., but then a kid is there again, if you dont get out before singing in the church.

No condoms, no snipping, no birth control pils. Stupid religion blocking people. 

Well thats a translated expression from Dutch, guess not many know that expression, but maybe know what i mean.

Last time i was there, was 2013, already long time ago. Of course it changed, but at that time the Phil was in my mind to live there.

[Jingthing]

16 minutes ago, Aomelia said:

Not with that Twisted Monkey at the Helm Durty Duterte 

He's up there in badness but not sure how relevant their leader is to expats.

[nickmondo]

she is not telling you the full story

i have been researching there for months

loads on You Tube, joined Ex Pat FB pages there, i have a wealth of knowledge about it

in a nutshell, Thailand is by far the better place to live for quality of life.

Phil is more expensive in nearly every way

the internet is very expensive and absolutely terrible, even Fibre

the food is awful compared to Thailand

Do what i am doing mate, get a Philli girl and bring her to Thailand

then you have the best of it all

in my opinion the Phil girls are 100x better than the Thai girls

[nickmondo]

8 hours ago, georgegeorgia said:

I'm thinking now more phillipines than Thailand to retire but I have to look first .

We all probably know a lot of Filipino girls are very attractive .

The country seems more modern than Thailand.

Money seems to go further 

 

 

 

the country more modern than Thailand???  your having a laugh mate.

apart from the beaches, the place is a toilet

no way does the money go further there.

[Jingthing]

4 minutes ago, nickmondo said:

she is not telling you the full story

i have been researching there for months

loads on You Tube, joined Ex Pat FB pages there, i have a wealth of knowledge about it

in a nutshell, Thailand is by far the better place to live for quality of life.

Phil is more expensive in nearly every way

the internet is very expensive and absolutely terrible, even Fibre

the food is awful compared to Thailand

Do what i am doing mate, get a Philli girl and bring her to Thailand

then you have the best of it all

in my opinion the Phil girls are 100x better than the Thai girls

I agree Thailand is better but its a matter of considering Plan Bs.

[GeorgeEboy]

Made many "trips" to the PI and was married to a Filipina for 23 years. The PI seems more like the US when it comes to certain things. Could I live there maybe in certain places? Thailand feels way more regimented and safe but Thais do not have the character (I don't mean good or bad) that Filipinos have. You can be happy in either place you just have to bend to local rules and customs. Just my observations not claiming expertise.

[pgrahmm]

After spending a lot of time there with Filipina women for over 10 years.....

 

Never....