Is it possible to retire to the Phillipines, what conditions are there?

[MrMuddle]

Looking at possible alternatives for  the future. Phillipines is interesting because it's mainly English speaking. Any advice / tips welcome.

[Woof999]

Used to live there and probably still would be if I hadn't married a Thai.

 

In comparison to Thailand, some points about the Philippines are:

 

1.) Long stay visa considerations are much easier. Just pay an amount every few months. So many travel agents and others can do this for you without any huge fees. You don't ever need to go to immigration yourself, but you will get lots of stamps in your passport so empty pages are a premium.

 

2.) Food is bloody awful. Like REALLY awful.

 

3.) Medical facilities and quality are almost certainly lower than those available here.

 

4.) In and around Manila is even more congested, polluted concrete jungle than Bangkok.

 

5.) Cost of living is somewhat lower, but the quality of many things, especially food as mentioned above can be lower.

 

6.) The fairer sex are, IMHO at least, generally more pleasant.

 

7.) A huge amount of islands in the archipelago so finding a beautiful, relatively cheap location is easier.

[BritManToo]

On 4/1/2023 at 9:04 AM, MrMuddle said:

Any advice / tips welcome.

No VISA required, turn up and stay for 3 years, buying an extension using an agent.

Costs about $300/year, after your 1st 3 months they give you a residency card so you can open bank accounts.

No need to ever visit immigration.

 

I always used to stay in Barretto, Olongapo beside Baloy Long Beach.

Edited April 3, 2023 by BritManToo

[Beachcomber]

If you are a UK pensioner you will have the pleasure being eligible for non frozen UK pension. ????

  

[Mike Teavee]

As others have said it’s easy to stay in Phillipines for up to 3 years (after that you leave & re-enter to do another 3) but if you’re interested in a longer term stay check out SRRV. 
 

https://pra.gov.ph/srrv/

 

If I were to move there I would avoid Manila & look for one of the Southern places (I really like Davao, Cebu & Bohol). 

[Lacessit]

On 4/3/2023 at 1:45 PM, Woof999 said:

 

2.) Food is bloody awful. Like REALLY awful.

 

 

What do they do to it to make it so bad? Cooking food is not rocket science.

[xylophone]

1 hour ago, Lacessit said:

What do they do to it to make it so bad? Cooking food is not rocket science.

I have been to Manila a couple of times on conferences, and didnt much like it, but there have been times over here when I have thought that Palawan would be a nice place to stay/visit.

 

And I agree with your sentiments about food, because as long as I can access any food from a market or supermarket, then I can cook it to my liking, as you say it's not rocket science.

 

Also, as I am a wine aficionado, I wonder what the price of wine is over there?

[gwapofarang]

On 4/3/2023 at 10:45 AM, Woof999 said:

Used to live there and probably still would be if I hadn't married a Thai.

 

In comparison to Thailand, some points about the Philippines are:

 

1.) Long stay visa considerations are much easier. Just pay an amount every few months. So many travel agents and others can do this for you without any huge fees. You don't ever need to go to immigration yourself, but you will get lots of stamps in your passport so empty pages are a premium.

 

2.) Food is bloody awful. Like REALLY awful.

 

3.) Medical facilities and quality are almost certainly lower than those available here.

 

4.) In and around Manila is even more congested, polluted concrete jungle than Bangkok.

 

5.) Cost of living is somewhat lower, but the quality of many things, especially food as mentioned above can be lower.

 

6.) The fairer sex are, IMHO at least, generally more pleasant.

 

7.) A huge amount of islands in the archipelago so finding a beautiful, relatively cheap location is easier.

I spent over a decade there myself. Pretty spot on points. I would recommend Cebu as the "vibe" there is like a different country and it's clean unlike most of the rest of the country. Electricity is more expensive in the Philippines and I would have to disagree on the cost of living but that would depend on your lifestyle.

 

The Philippines is a dangerous place to live. Never in my life have I known people to get murdered that I personally knew. Several for various reasons some not so savory. And I'm originally from Los Angeles.  The infrastructure is horrible and yes, the food is truly CRAP. A way around that is go to the local wet markets early and learn how to cook.

 

Buying Western food in a supermarket can be very costly, this is from someone in the food industry. Never seen so many types of sardines on many aisles before.

 

The PI is a beautiful place and yes, over 7,000 islands some of the most beautiful places on Earth. Thailand is much more affordable with common sense spending and a little ingenuity IMHO.

 

 

[gwapofarang]

On 4/3/2023 at 11:23 AM, BritManToo said:

No VISA required, turn up and stay for 3 years, buying an extension using an agent.

Costs about $300/year, after your 1st 3 months they give you a residency card so you can open bank accounts.

No need to ever visit immigration.

 

I always used to stay in Barretto, Olongapo beside Baloy Long Beach.

You must have bumped into Dave F a few times, good guy. I agree, Barrio Barretto is a nice small area to get in trouble, LOL...

[MrMuddle]

On 4/4/2023 at 11:57 AM, Beachcomber said:

If you are a UK pensioner you will have the pleasure being eligible for non frozen UK pension. ????

  

I didn't know that! Thanks for the tip!

[gwapofarang]

50 minutes ago, MrMuddle said:

I didn't know that! Thanks for the tip!

As noted above a few times the Philippines makes it way easier for expats from an immigration standpoint.

 

Here's an excellent tip not mentioned that you should really know. Before making any long term commitments for a condo be sure you fully investigate the neighborhood and what goes at night. I've known many expats make this mistake and end up either being in a rather dangerous area or have loud obnoxious neighbors whom you really don't want to get into a quarrel with.

 

Also, be wary of some of the foreigners there, they prey on "newbie" individuals. Be as low key as possible in terms of nice watches or gold chains, you are asking for them to five finger discounted. Filipinos are known for being cunning pick pockets, please look that up as there is ample information on their tactics and it normally involves multiple thieves. Avoid Jeepneys (public cheap transportation) as gangs tend to operate on those lines and the driver is sometimes in on it. They steal from their own people.

 

I have been going to the Philippines since 1991 and owned a business there for over a decade. During this time I saw a lot of violent things happen and Filipinas are very cunning and in many cases very manipulative. The society is family oriented much like Thais so keep that in mind if you get into a long term relationship. Again, this road should be traveled with care and by simple tests of loyalty and such. I have seen a lot foreigners get mixed up with the wrong girl. By the same token, I have seen a lot more find a perfect wife. The good ones are keepers mate.

 

Also make sure she's not married to Filipino guy. Believe it or not this is more common than one would think. I have seen scams run as divorce is not possible in the Philippines, annulments are but the process if not easy. The Filiipino husband tries to sponge off the foreigner even police get involved if it's more coordinated.

 

The Philippines is not dangerous to those who keep their wits about them and understand the environment dynamics going in. Along time friend and very successful business owner once told me the following statement which is 100% true "everything in the Philippines is stolen it just hasn't been moved yet". This is why you see security guards at most reputable businesses and banks. At the banks they have automatic weapons for a reason.

 

In any event, I truly wish you the best and if you have the time, take it to investigate everything above for yourself and ask local expats. You will find a helpful community there with various clubs for Americans, Brits and Aussies as well, Germans too. Beware of the coconut grapevine too, it's alive and well in the PI.

 

If you are an individual who needs to communicate clearly with the women than the Philippines is perfect. Be aware Filipinos are very uneducated this does not mean they are stupid. Many expats send their wives to college

Edited April 8, 2023 by gwapofarang

[gwapofarang]

On 4/4/2023 at 12:15 PM, Mike Teavee said:

As others have said it’s easy to stay in Phillipines for up to 3 years (after that you leave & re-enter to do another 3) but if you’re interested in a longer term stay check out SRRV. 
 

https://pra.gov.ph/srrv/

 

If I were to move there I would avoid Manila & look for one of the Southern places (I really like Davao, Cebu & Bohol). 

IMHO, those SRRV visas are really only necessary if you wish to do business and that business involves traveling. I did business and traveled a lot but in my case it wasn't necessary. Otherwise, you have to come up with about 2 million pesos (About $80K-90K USD) all in including attorney fees and deposits or property. I agree with your Southern disposition, Davao is quite nice as well, the girls are smoking hot too.

 

As i indicated above, the Philippines is a beautiful country outside of Manila, what a complete SH**HOLE. That said, stay in Makati when you are in Manila as it's very safe and has a lot to offer, just don't walk down a dark street at any time anywhere in Manila.

[Mike Teavee]

24 minutes ago, gwapofarang said:

Otherwise, you have to come up with about 2 million pesos (About $80K-90K USD) all in including attorney fees and deposits or property.

Are we talking about the same thing only When I looked at it the only cost (minus a couple hundred $ processing fees) was I had to put $20,000 into a Government Bank (was < 50 at the time, believe I could use $10,000 + a pension if I was old enough to get my pension ) which is less than the 800,000b I keep in a Thai bank for annual extensions. 
 

Accredited Agent fees were free (same with Thai Elite Visas), no need for a solicitor. 

 

[gwapofarang]

6 hours ago, Mike Teavee said:

Are we talking about the same thing only When I looked at it the only cost (minus a couple hundred $ processing fees) was I had to put $20,000 into a Government Bank (was < 50 at the time, believe I could use $10,000 + a pension if I was old enough to get my pension ) which is less than the 800,000b I keep in a Thai bank for annual extensions. 
 

Accredited Agent fees were free (same with Thai Elite Visas), no need for a solicitor. 

 

Thanks for pointing that out. I should have qualified my above information as approximately 6 years old maybe 7 years old in terms of the amounts. They made things a lot easier for foreigners to contribute to their economy since then. This is apparently one of them. Are you not require to  invest in property or a business? This used to be part of the equation.

[Mike Teavee]

2 hours ago, gwapofarang said:

Thanks for pointing that out. I should have qualified my above information as approximately 6 years old maybe 7 years old in terms of the amounts. They made things a lot easier for foreigners to contribute to their economy since then. This is apparently one of them. Are you not require to  invest in property or a business? This used to be part of the equation.

For the $10,000 + pension option it now seems you need to invest in property or a long term lease (I’m sure pre-Covid you didn’t & it was purely > 50yrs old + $10,000 in the bank) but for the >35yrs old + $20,000 in the bank that (+ processing fees) is all you need to pay. 

 

Also worth mentioning getting an SRRV entitles you to Phil Health coverage which whilst no where near as good as a private plan is better than nothing. 
 

 

 

 

[JustThisOnePostOnly]

What has to be mentioned is that you can extend your visa using an agent all the way up to three years, but once that time is up, you need to personally appear at immigration to obtain your exit clearance and receipt.

[WanderlustJoy]

Absolutely, it's plausible to retire in the Philippines. The country offers a specialized visa scheme to retired people named the Special Resident Retiree's Visa (SRRV), providing a long-term stay to foreign retirees. The SRRV is applicable to individuals aged 35 or more and who can demonstrate proof of a retirement or pension income of no less than $800 per month.

 

In addition to the age and income requirements, applicants are required to undergo a medical examination and submit a fee to initiate the SRRV application. The costs vary from $1,400 to $50,000 depending on the visa type and the applicant's age.

 

Once accepted, SRRV holders are granted a permanent residency permit, enabling them to stay in the Philippines without any time limitations. Furthermore, they are qualified for tax exemptions on their pension and retirement income.

 

It's crucial to note that the cost of living in the Philippines is relatively low compared to other countries, making it an appealing destination to retire. However, before making the decision to retire in the Philippines, it's essential to study and take into account elements such as healthcare, safety, and cultural differences.

[MrMuddle]

Thanks for all of the replies, some very useful information.

[liddelljohn]

Having lived in Latin America, Thailand , UK  worked in Africa ME , EU  and  many other remotes places and ships , The phillipines has without doubt the worst food in the world , thats the only thing that puts me off the place as  a  home

[Lee65]

On 4/15/2023 at 5:44 PM, WanderlustJoy said:

Absolutely, it's plausible to retire in the Philippines. The country offers a specialized visa scheme to retired people named the Special Resident Retiree's Visa (SRRV), providing a long-term stay to foreign retirees. The SRRV is applicable to individuals aged 35 or more and who can demonstrate proof of a retirement or pension income of no less than $800 per month.

 

In addition to the age and income requirements, applicants are required to undergo a medical examination and submit a fee to initiate the SRRV application. The costs vary from $1,400 to $50,000 depending on the visa type and the applicant's age.

 

Once accepted, SRRV holders are granted a permanent residency permit, enabling them to stay in the Philippines without any time limitations. Furthermore, they are qualified for tax exemptions on their pension and retirement income.

 

It's crucial to note that the cost of living in the Philippines is relatively low compared to other countries, making it an appealing destination to retire. However, before making the decision to retire in the Philippines, it's essential to study and take into account elements such as healthcare, safety, and cultural differences.

I can use ChatGPT, too!

 

Answer:

Yes, it is possible for a westerner to retire in the Philippines. The country has a friendly and welcoming culture, a lower cost of living, and a warm climate that appeals to many retirees. Moreover, senior citizens in the Philippines are treated with respect and care, which is why many foreigners choose to spend their retirement years in the country. In addition to these favorable conditions, the Philippine government has a retirement program called the Special Resident Retiree's Visa (SRRV) that provides benefits and incentives to foreign retirees who qualify for the program. The SRRV program allows foreign retirees to live and stay in the Philippines indefinitely and enjoy various perks such as tax exemptions on pensions and other benefits. The SRRV program has several categories based on age, investment requirements, and tenure in the Philippines. For example, a retiree who is 50 years old or older can qualify by depositing a minimum of US$10,000 in an authorized Philippine bank account. Other categories have different requirements such as investing in real estate or a Philippine-based business or having a monthly pension of at least US$1,500. Overall, retiring in the Philippines through the SRRV program is an attractive option for westerners who want to enjoy their retirement years in a sunny and welcoming environment while receiving benefits and incentives from the government.

[gwapofarang]

On 5/21/2023 at 3:52 AM, liddelljohn said:

Having lived in Latin America, Thailand , UK  worked in Africa ME , EU  and  many other remotes places and ships , The phillipines has without doubt the worst food in the world , thats the only thing that puts me off the place as  a  home

Lived in the PI for many years been going for decades. Their food quality is very low par indeed but if you know how to cook this can easily be overcome. Also learn to import your own more obscure items to suit your specific needs. This can be done by having friends bring in items or ordering online. If you are in the food business, learn about freight forwarding and customs imports into the PI.

[Shop mak]

Rent condo or apartment: Less options in Philippines. Many very old buildings. Small furniture and tiny flat screen tv. Queen bed at best, unless luxury condo where one might be lucky to find a King bed. Few condos have balcony.

Condos mostly require 2-3 months deposit and minimum 1 year lease, Notarized!

Many expats prefer monthly stay in hotels for that reason.

Rent is higher than in Thailand, if you compare similar units size, furniture and quality. The condos I rented was US$ 150-200 more than in Thailand.

Apartments are mostly old and very basic, often unfurnished. Owner can be more flexible than condo owners.

Electricity is expensive 12-16 Php depends on location (8-10 Thb)

 

Real estate agents mostly work individually, not all are licensed. Be careful, ask a expat.

 

Bad food indeed. Survived in malls who had western food. My food budget was twice than in Thailand.

Imported food in Supermarkets can be very expensive. Beer and rum cheaper than in Thailand.

 

Customs allow import up to 10,000 Php including transport cost. NO Vat Duty. I imported food and other stuff. No problem until I forgot the 10k limit, then customs wanted all kind of documentations and import clearance.

 

SIM cards must now be registered. Tourist sim for 1 month. Most long stayers get a native to buy a sim card for them.

 

Atm's are often offline or run out of money. Withdraw days ahead of the many holidays.

 

Friend stayed 3x3 years on tourist visa. Now Imm nagging him to get a proper Visa, marry or SRRV.

 

Traffic can be horrible standstill in rush hours. Poorly managed roads are the norm. Lots of drunk driving at night.

Police are friendly, checkpoints are frequent. I found driving safer than in Thailand, due to heavy traffic, proactive police and many checkpoints.

Road racing are very seldom, same with loud exhaust. Again thanks to Police.

Local driver license and opening a  bank account, ask the friendly expats, always a solution.

 

Purchase a motorcycle is easy, no finance for foreigners, but many pinays can get it (!)

Temporary registration plates for new motorcycles comes with strict restriction. Use for 7 days only, then park it until one receive permanent plates. That takes months (said to be faster now) If caught in checkpoint with temporary registration, your bike get impounded. This is why many prefer to buy second hand. Many big bikes of older models available, up to the newest monster bikes.

 

If involved in a accident, the foreigner get the blame, and are expected to pay for both parties. Also if the other part had no DL and or was drunk.

 

Pharmacy, many medicines mostly require prescription in the cities, easier without in the province. Philippines don't have all medicines available. Very limited medicines they sell without prescription. 

Customs are strict at airport, so be sure you have doctors prescription for medicine you bring in. Bring extra if vital for your health.

 

Hospitals: for severe serious conditions, head to Manila. Or Bangkok or Singapore.

Province hospitals are average at best, and public hospitals are horrible and overloaded to the extreme.

Need a doctor appointment? Sit and wait 3-5-8 hours or get appointment next week. Private hospitals excluded.

 

Life in general, you must be very patient and polite. Things one need to buy are often out of stock, or take many attempts to find. Waiting is the norm in taxi lines, 1-3 hours when it rains. Checkout at supermarket take 10+ minutes, banks and all offices wait wait wait.

 

While I never had a problem, foreigners do get pickpocket, attacked, robbed and murdered. 

 

Culture chock. Pinays are very marriage minded, read most profiles on internet and they write 'leading to marriage'.

'Children are a gift from God' ...

Contraception are available, but only for age 18 up (!!!) No surprise the country had a population explosion for the last 40 years.

A country so controlled by the catholic church, this is the result.

Ultra conservative pinays are still around. No bf since birth, no sex before marriage, meet in a mall with a chaperone. Early daytime meet only. Some of them go to church also at 2am or 4am Mass.

Don't deflower a cherry, unless you going to marry her. I knew expats who did just that and later tried to end the relationship. Quickly her extended family was on his door. 1 did a runner, never seen again. The other, I don't know the outcome.

 

1 mid-age expat had 3 or 4 live-in girlfriends, some less than 18 year old. Add on a gun, drugs and he uploaded x vdo's. He's now serving life sentence, in the Philippines.

 

Foreigner are not allowed to be with anyone less than 18 year alone, indoors or outdoors. A foreigner was arrested on the ferry pier together with a minor.

 

Section 10 (b) of RA 7610 prohibits any person to be in the company of “a minor, 12 years or under or who is 10 years or more his junior in any public or private place, hotel, motel, beer joint, discotheque, cabaret, pension house, sauna or massage parlor, beach and/or other tourist resort or similar places.

 

(The exact definition about this is highly debated among expats)

 

Police and undercover ++ are everywhere, so foreigners should strictly follow the Law.

Not only do we stick out, some locals like to report foreigners to police.

 

When in doubt about anyones age, demand to see postal identity card or voters identity card as a minimum. Fake express id are common.

 

Women who approach you should be handled with care. A typical pinay don't approach foreigners, unless pay for play. Newbie expats always get fooled by their lies and deception when they say they want a serious bf relationship. It's her day off from work, her rent is due tomorrow and she don't have money. Do you want company, and can you help her with money for the rent? A giveaway is that she tell her friends  that she has a 'guest', rather than boyfriend. She's on the game. 

Expats method to find a good women is to approach a sales lady in the malls. She's not too lazy to work, and she has some education. They have a contract for 1 year employment, so if she's single, she might exchange phone number or chat id with you. On her day off you can date.

 

A good pinay never demand silly amount to become your girlfriend. No sick buffalo or mother in hospital. Most expats give allowance, but nowhere same as in TH.

She love to take care of her man, and can be very hot in the bedroom. She rush to the pharmacy or supermarket for you. She do all houseshores without you asking. She can be very jealous, so be careful in public, and don't allow your eyes to stare at another woman.

If you have a affair with another women, she's likely to hear about it within few days. Gossip travel faster than light in the Philippines.

 

Meeting the family is no big deal, unless she was a unspoiled virgin. She will be nagging you to meet her parents, as a sign that you are committed to her.

I was never asked for money before or after meeting her parents. They are shy same you, plus likely a language barrier. It's mostly eat a meal together and smile. Now  if her parents know or think she was/is unspoiled, family members with good english ability will join the conversation about future plans and marriage.

 

When her parents know she had a bf before, they will always be relaxed, nice to the foreigner and no serious talks about when will you marry our daughter.

 

When a pinay had a baby already, she will gain weight very fast. She have a man and a child, she let herself go. Eat lots of junkfood and fatty food + rice 4-6 times a day. I've seen many who put on 20 kilos within 3 years. She now got the pinay tummy forever. (Blame the Spanish blood in them)

From these observations, I try to find a really slim pinay.

 

I have lived only 1 hour from gf's parents home. They never came on a visit, and they never asked me or her for money. She sent some of her allowance to her parents every month, and that was it. Both parents was working.

 

Philippines are very different to Thailand. Be prepared for the negatives, and life will be easier.

 

Friends married to Thais or Pinays, pinays seems to adjust much better if one later plan to move back home, with the wife. Worth considering.

[scubascuba3]

5 hours ago, Shop mak said:

Rent condo or apartment: Less options in Philippines. Many very old buildings. Small furniture and tiny flat screen tv. Queen bed at best, unless luxury condo where one might be lucky to find a King bed. Few condos have balcony.

Condos mostly require 2-3 months deposit and minimum 1 year lease, Notarized!

Many expats prefer monthly stay in hotels for that reason.

Rent is higher than in Thailand, if you compare similar units size, furniture and quality. The condos I rented was US$ 150-200 more than in Thailand.

Apartments are mostly old and very basic, often unfurnished. Owner can be more flexible than condo owners.

Electricity is expensive 12-16 Php depends on location (8-10 Thb)

 

Real estate agents mostly work individually, not all are licensed. Be careful, ask a expat.

 

Bad food indeed. Survived in malls who had western food. My food budget was twice than in Thailand.

Imported food in Supermarkets can be very expensive. Beer and rum cheaper than in Thailand.

 

Customs allow import up to 10,000 Php including transport cost. NO Vat Duty. I imported food and other stuff. No problem until I forgot the 10k limit, then customs wanted all kind of documentations and import clearance.

 

SIM cards must now be registered. Tourist sim for 1 month. Most long stayers get a native to buy a sim card for them.

 

Atm's are often offline or run out of money. Withdraw days ahead of the many holidays.

 

Friend stayed 3x3 years on tourist visa. Now Imm nagging him to get a proper Visa, marry or SRRV.

 

Traffic can be horrible standstill in rush hours. Poorly managed roads are the norm. Lots of drunk driving at night.

Police are friendly, checkpoints are frequent. I found driving safer than in Thailand, due to heavy traffic, proactive police and many checkpoints.

Road racing are very seldom, same with loud exhaust. Again thanks to Police.

Local driver license and opening a  bank account, ask the friendly expats, always a solution.

 

Purchase a motorcycle is easy, no finance for foreigners, but many pinays can get it (!)

Temporary registration plates for new motorcycles comes with strict restriction. Use for 7 days only, then park it until one receive permanent plates. That takes months (said to be faster now) If caught in checkpoint with temporary registration, your bike get impounded. This is why many prefer to buy second hand. Many big bikes of older models available, up to the newest monster bikes.

 

If involved in a accident, the foreigner get the blame, and are expected to pay for both parties. Also if the other part had no DL and or was drunk.

 

Pharmacy, many medicines mostly require prescription in the cities, easier without in the province. Philippines don't have all medicines available. Very limited medicines they sell without prescription. 

Customs are strict at airport, so be sure you have doctors prescription for medicine you bring in. Bring extra if vital for your health.

 

Hospitals: for severe serious conditions, head to Manila. Or Bangkok or Singapore.

Province hospitals are average at best, and public hospitals are horrible and overloaded to the extreme.

Need a doctor appointment? Sit and wait 3-5-8 hours or get appointment next week. Private hospitals excluded.

 

Life in general, you must be very patient and polite. Things one need to buy are often out of stock, or take many attempts to find. Waiting is the norm in taxi lines, 1-3 hours when it rains. Checkout at supermarket take 10+ minutes, banks and all offices wait wait wait.

 

While I never had a problem, foreigners do get pickpocket, attacked, robbed and murdered. 

 

Culture chock. Pinays are very marriage minded, read most profiles on internet and they write 'leading to marriage'.

'Children are a gift from God' ...

Contraception are available, but only for age 18 up (!!!) No surprise the country had a population explosion for the last 40 years.

A country so controlled by the catholic church, this is the result.

Ultra conservative pinays are still around. No bf since birth, no sex before marriage, meet in a mall with a chaperone. Early daytime meet only. Some of them go to church also at 2am or 4am Mass.

Don't deflower a cherry, unless you going to marry her. I knew expats who did just that and later tried to end the relationship. Quickly her extended family was on his door. 1 did a runner, never seen again. The other, I don't know the outcome.

 

1 mid-age expat had 3 or 4 live-in girlfriends, some less than 18 year old. Add on a gun, drugs and he uploaded x vdo's. He's now serving life sentence, in the Philippines.

 

Foreigner are not allowed to be with anyone less than 18 year alone, indoors or outdoors. A foreigner was arrested on the ferry pier together with a minor.

 

Section 10 (b) of RA 7610 prohibits any person to be in the company of “a minor, 12 years or under or who is 10 years or more his junior in any public or private place, hotel, motel, beer joint, discotheque, cabaret, pension house, sauna or massage parlor, beach and/or other tourist resort or similar places.

 

(The exact definition about this is highly debated among expats)

 

Police and undercover ++ are everywhere, so foreigners should strictly follow the Law.

Not only do we stick out, some locals like to report foreigners to police.

 

When in doubt about anyones age, demand to see postal identity card or voters identity card as a minimum. Fake express id are common.

 

Women who approach you should be handled with care. A typical pinay don't approach foreigners, unless pay for play. Newbie expats always get fooled by their lies and deception when they say they want a serious bf relationship. It's her day off from work, her rent is due tomorrow and she don't have money. Do you want company, and can you help her with money for the rent? A giveaway is that she tell her friends  that she has a 'guest', rather than boyfriend. She's on the game. 

Expats method to find a good women is to approach a sales lady in the malls. She's not too lazy to work, and she has some education. They have a contract for 1 year employment, so if she's single, she might exchange phone number or chat id with you. On her day off you can date.

 

A good pinay never demand silly amount to become your girlfriend. No sick buffalo or mother in hospital. Most expats give allowance, but nowhere same as in TH.

She love to take care of her man, and can be very hot in the bedroom. She rush to the pharmacy or supermarket for you. She do all houseshores without you asking. She can be very jealous, so be careful in public, and don't allow your eyes to stare at another woman.

If you have a affair with another women, she's likely to hear about it within few days. Gossip travel faster than light in the Philippines.

 

Meeting the family is no big deal, unless she was a unspoiled virgin. She will be nagging you to meet her parents, as a sign that you are committed to her.

I was never asked for money before or after meeting her parents. They are shy same you, plus likely a language barrier. It's mostly eat a meal together and smile. Now  if her parents know or think she was/is unspoiled, family members with good english ability will join the conversation about future plans and marriage.

 

When her parents know she had a bf before, they will always be relaxed, nice to the foreigner and no serious talks about when will you marry our daughter.

 

When a pinay had a baby already, she will gain weight very fast. She have a man and a child, she let herself go. Eat lots of junkfood and fatty food + rice 4-6 times a day. I've seen many who put on 20 kilos within 3 years. She now got the pinay tummy forever. (Blame the Spanish blood in them)

From these observations, I try to find a really slim pinay.

 

I have lived only 1 hour from gf's parents home. They never came on a visit, and they never asked me or her for money. She sent some of her allowance to her parents every month, and that was it. Both parents was working.

 

Philippines are very different to Thailand. Be prepared for the negatives, and life will be easier.

 

Friends married to Thais or Pinays, pinays seems to adjust much better if one later plan to move back home, with the wife. Worth considering.

Interesting post, the section 10 part about not being with someone 10 years younger, that can't be unusual with retired 60+ guys there, how do they get round that?

[Shop mak]

16 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Interesting post, the section 10 part about not being with someone 10 years younger, that can't be unusual with retired 60+ guys there, how do they get round that?

 

Good question. Often up for debate among the expats there. None have asked a attorney.

 

Many expats have a gf 30 years younger, and some still hook up with sideline ladies in their 20's.

Until now, no reports of any expat was arrested due to big age difference.

 

Until then, life goes on as before.

[El Matador]

I've been in Manila for 2 months and a half.

Absolutely amazed by how easy to extend the tourist visa. It takes around 15 minutes to get the extension when you go to their office at the top of a mall in Makati. Retirement and business visas are more doable than other countries but not compulsory IMO as the tourist visa extension is the best I have ever seen in my life.

Makati and BGC are totally liveable. I didn't like it much first, the architecture is bad, but now I know better the places, it is getting much better. Lots of international food in those areas so I don't need to get stucked on local food everyday. And the level of safety is good there. The other districts are not very attractive and you don't want to stay in the traffic in rush hours (which is awful) + it doesn't seem really safe there.

I would only stick to those 2 districts which are where rich Filipinos live anyway for good reason. BGC is completely walkable and Makati which is bigger will get a metro soon.

You will pay a premium to stay there but totally worth it and the budget is still reasonnable for a Westerner although your food budget might double compared to Thailand to get decent diversity.

Locals are friendly and it is nice to be able to communicate in English everyday. Be careful of scammers on online apps. The airport is not far so you can easily go there with Grab.

[Mike Teavee]

On 10/31/2023 at 5:31 PM, scubascuba3 said:

Interesting post, the section 10 part about not being with someone 10 years younger, that can't be unusual with retired 60+ guys there, how do they get round that?

I think you misunderstood, the 10 year age gap is to protect minors & only relates to under 18s...  So a 17 year old Filipina could be with a 27 year old guy but not a 28 year old guy & an 18 year old Filipina can be with a guy of any age

 

But there have been stories (I don't know how true) of guys being set-up by a girl bringing her <18 year old "Sister" to their hotel room, popping out to do something & the police raiding. 

 

 

1 other fun fact about the Philippines is as there's no divorce there (only annulments which are expensive & take a very long time) if you go with a Filipina who was married then technically you & she are committing adultery so can be prosecuted & if you were to have a child together then technically the child is considered to be the husbands.

 

Sound far fetched? A guy from Wales got into a lot of trouble over this with either him and/or the Filipina given a 14 year prison sentence. 

 

Google "Locked Up Abroad - 3 Forbidden Love" https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1961956/    

[Denim]

On 4/5/2023 at 10:27 AM, Lacessit said:

What do they do to it to make it so bad? Cooking food is not rocket science.

 

It's an oft repeated cliche about Filipino food being bad.   . Definately not as good as Thailand but if you are careful where you eat , reasonably good food can be found. I stayed there about a year and although many places were pretty grim , I usually managed to find something good enough without an excess of difficulty.

 

On the plus side , if you are a drinker they have a better choice of booze there and cheaper than Thailand.

 

A bigger problem was accomodation. Hotels and rentals definately more expensive than Thailand . Place I sometimes stay at in Petchabun only 350 baht a night. Super clean and very central. Much more difficult to find in the Philippines. 

 

Health care services also nowhere near as good as Thailand , especially out in the islands.

 

People are friendly though and the women more open minded.

 

 

Edited December 14, 2023 by Denim
spelling

[john donson]

On 4/3/2023 at 10:45 AM, Woof999 said:

Used to live there and probably still would be if I hadn't married a Thai.

 

In comparison to Thailand, some points about the Philippines are:

 

1.) Long stay visa considerations are much easier. Just pay an amount every few months. So many travel agents and others can do this for you without any huge fees. You don't ever need to go to immigration yourself, but you will get lots of stamps in your passport so empty pages are a premium.

 

2.) Food is bloody awful. Like REALLY awful.

 

3.) Medical facilities and quality are almost certainly lower than those available here.

 

4.) In and around Manila is even more congested, polluted concrete jungle than Bangkok.

 

5.) Cost of living is somewhat lower, but the quality of many things, especially food as mentioned above can be lower.

 

6.) The fairer sex are, IMHO at least, generally more pleasant.

 

7.) A huge amount of islands in the archipelago so finding a beautiful, relatively cheap location is easier.

 

if the food is bad, why don't you cook your own?

 

I do not use expensive private hospitals in thailand...

 

I guess if you move, better to a nice sea side place and not concrete jungle

[lopburi3]

23 hours ago, john donson said:

 

if the food is bad, why don't you cook your own?

 

I do not use expensive private hospitals in thailand...

 

I guess if you move, better to a nice sea side place and not concrete jungle

Poor quality fresh market as volcanic ash is not the best for quality growth.  Not to mention many of us are not keen to cook our own food.  There are imported food options in cities - but at a cost.

 

It is not expensive hospital issue - medical attention at all levels leave much to be desired - with only Manila having real international facilities.  But there has been recent activity to improve with chain facilities being built - but well below Thailand.

 

But most seaside places have very little outside of the sea - great for a few days but often not so much for longer.  And again food becomes an issue - with concrete jungle often the only option for edible meals.

 

But as said with shortcomings there are positives - better communications with others - better visa conditions - very friendly people.  But with the paperwork needs/delays not likely a good fit for type A personality.  

[saintdomingo]

On 4/3/2023 at 11:23 AM, BritManToo said:

No VISA required, turn up and stay for 3 years, buying an extension using an agent.

Costs about $300/year, after your 1st 3 months they give you a residency card so you can open bank accounts.

No need to ever visit immigration.

 

I always used to stay in Barretto, Olongapo beside Baloy Long Beach.

How about accommodation, are there many Pattaya style rooms for the equivalent of between THB5,000 to 10,000 per month.

I am thinking mainly of the Subic area.