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Why You Will Want to Live,
Retire, Travel or Do Business in the
Philippines?
The Philippines is the only English
speaking country in Asia. It has a
culture known for its hospitality, beautiful beaches and warm and friendly
people. You can experience a high quality
standard of living for a very low cost.
And that means with loyal live-in maids
and helpers, cheap taxis, fine rental
homes in quality neighborhoods, with rents
so low you will have a hard time believing
it. And it has a wide range of
entertainment from exciting night life to
golf, international restaurants to stunning resorts beyond compare. It also
has many intangibles to bring you joy for
no money at all.
Ask
any of the Americans living in the
Philippines and ask of the foreigner
living here too!
[TOP]
Why Will You Love the
Philippines, the Filipinas, and the
Filipinos?
Living,
Traveling and Retiring in the Philippines
as a foreigner or "expat," is a dream come
true for me. Beaches, ocean and mountains
are all at my doorstep. The sun almost
always shines here, where I live, out of
the northern typhoon belt.
Almost all Filipinos and Filipinas adore
foreigners, expatriates, (expats) who live
here or retire here. And they welcome and
appreciate or just tourist too, the only
English speaking country in the world were
foreigners from any country are respected
and admires.
I was first here in 1980, two times. But
in my two stays of several months, it got
in my blood. Even after the first visit, I
knew I would be back. But it took ten of
the longest years in my life. I counted
the days though I was reasonably happy
where I was until I got back to what I
consider my paradise. You too, will become
addicted to the sunshine, smile and
laughter if you come over to this best
kept secret in the world, or it was until
the Internet gave people access to
information about the joys and wonder of
living in the Philippines. Filipinos are
too shy to promote their "poor," country,
to me the richest in the world because of
the Filipino people, the beauty of them
and their culture of happiness, sharing
and love.
So we expats who live here help promote
the Philippines. It is truly a fantastic
place to visit for many reasons. You will
find out more on the website and if you
join our
free mailing list,
Living, Retiring Traveling, and Doing
Business in the Philippines. And if you
want it all with you and more, do get
the package of valuable information
books and newsletters at
Philippine Dreams
As a man, I
love to see the beautiful Filipinas smile.
I even enjoy the smile of the men, coming
from their hearts. I know many foreign
women find the Filipino men polite,
romantic and attractive. Many foreign men
are attracted to Filipinas and marry them.
Some stay here, some take their wives back
to their countries. Some return to the
Philippines later, to live or retire. Some
only return every year to visit. Once you
have been here, you will come back. The
Philippines and the Filipino people are addictive.
Generosity
is part of the culture in the Philippines.
Getting to know the Filipino culture will
greatly enhance your living or traveling
experience. But it is not something you
have to do. The Filipino people are very
tolerant of foreign culture and customs.
They understand it's hard to adapt to
another country right away. Filipinos
have traveled the world as contract
workers, and know the problems of
acculturation
The
Filipino people make you feel needed and
wanted here. When I lived in the States
as a retiree, I felt lost in my own
country. But here I feel wanted and
appreciated, not yet put out to pasture.
I can be a provider of help and
information, and an asset to this
developing country. I'm not just a
barnacle on the bottom of the ship of the
United States. Other foreigners living
and retired here share this feeling with
me. I hope you also get to experience the
hospitality and the joy of being needed
here. If you find it hard to understand
or accept another culture, you will not be
happy in any country, certainly not here.
This website and our Yahoo list, Living,
Retiring, Traveling and Doing Business in
the Philippines, are great places to start
learning the Filipino way.
[TOP]
Do You Want to Find Romance in
the Philippines?
Many
of our members are married to or involved
in a relationship with Filipinas. This
website has a link to a page called,
Romance Philippine
style. We
are not an international introduction
service nor a mail order bride service.
Neither are we connected or linked with
any. What you read here and on our
list about members' marriages and
relationships are not exaggerations.
When we discuss challenges in
relationships, we don't sugar coat.
We talk
about the challenges involved in trying to
relate to another person's culture and
about the family relationships of the
Filipinas. We discuss the pleasures and
the challenges, the involvement with a
Filipina present. It is important to know
all this, and of the inherent risks of
getting into a long distance relationship.
And it is important to understand how
valuable it is to first take a trip here,
before becoming involved or falling in
love. It is very easy to come here and
meet wonderful women, in person. Surely
you will find the one who will appreciate
you. And you will know who they really
are, not just their "Net Face" . If you don't
know anything about the culture, you will
not know your Filipina friend though you
may swear you do. Take it from the guys
who have found out the hard way. You may
find a Filipina wife, bride,
fiancé or girlfriend, but will you be happy
together?
On the mailing list, soon to be a Forum here, we have people discussing how there relationship prospered or failed, relationships in progress, hear from those who have had many relationships with Filipinas, Filipinos, mostly foreigners who have had at least one Filipina wife. Many are the first and last Filipina marriages. But some have problems the first time, get addicted to the Filipina, go for the second, even the third. But so many are the first, the last and the only. Join our list and hear the stories and the comments. Our archives are full of them.
That is what makes this website and the
discussion list an even more valuable
resource. You can learn about the culture
of the Filipina and Filipino, so you can
be a better guest, boyfriend or husband. Or
just a friend of the Filipino people.
[TOP]
Do You, As an Ex-pat, Want
a Life with Maids, Helpers and Drivers?
Can You Afford Eating Out? What Amenities
Do You Want?
Lifestyles - Costs - Who is Here.
Some foreigners here are retired or
semi-retired, like I am, doing what they
like. Sometimes that is doing nothing,
the hardest thing to do. Others are
working on "Ex-pat packages," provided by
companies based in their home countries.
Some are here as investors, staying on
tourist visas and extending their stay for
long periods of time. They may have
investment, such as bars, restaurants,
hotels, and other businesses. Maybe only a
share of that business, as allowed by
local law. They may watch their
investment very closely, like some who own
bars, and visit their investment every day
and night for hours on end. (The bar
business is not recommended. See the link
on Jobs, Business and Investments) Some
are tourists who came and forgot to leave
the Philippine Paradise they found. Some
play a lot, what else, with beaches,
nightlife, golf and hoards of other things
to do at discount rates. See the link
"Other things to do", only a partial list
of what could be an inexhaustible one.
I live in
Cebu City, the Paris of the Philippines.
and its second largest city. I rent a
six-bedroom, four-bathroom house in a 24/7
guarded compound (don't know why it is
guarded, it certainly is safe here,) near
Midtown and several huge malls. For this
house, which is way too big for me, I pay
$380 (U.S.) a month. In more remote areas
of the Philippines, housing is cheaper. In
Manila, housing can cost much more. To
me, Manila is not worth it unless you need
the excitement of a big city that never
sleeps, and all the business opportunities
there. I am a former U.S.
Peace Corps staff member, retired, with a
modest pension, a little Social Security
and some savings. I do some consulting on
e-commerce and outsourcing to and from the
Philippines across borders. I am still
active in medical hypnosis, biofeedback,
psychotherapy and cross cultural
counseling, resolving Filipino Foreigner
relationship conflicts, but by appointment
only. I believe I am the only individual
practicing hypnosis in the Philippines and
certainly biofeedback. But I try to
reserve a lot of time for this Net based
labor of love, the Philippines, this
website and the Yahoo List. And I reserve
a lot of time to play, while living a fine
lifestyle, at low cost, with hospitable
Filipinos and friendly expats, many of
whom I have met through this website.
[TOP]
Manila and the Other Places
To Live.
Manila has everything, and is
the heart of the Philippines. It is the "National Capital Region",
consisting not only of the city of Manila, per se, but the
contiguous cities around it. Manila is a very big, exciting city,
hard for some to deal with and not reflective of the Philippines as
whole. If you have only been in Manila you have not been to the
Philippines. There are many places to live,
save with amenities. Check the links.Some are very inexpensive, remarkably so. On a $1,000 a
month in some places you will feel like a millionaire and be treated as
one, a strange experience for some, certainly for me.
Depending on your comfort level. in a small city or town you can have a
good life on as little as $600 per month. In Manila you will not be
comfortable with less than $1,000, unless you don't have many
materialistic needs. $I,500 is better, but not required.
On
the low side I lived by the beach, for more than a year. My house was
a Nipa hut on bamboo stilts, actually in the South China Sea.
My monthly expenses were $400 per month including food and the few
amenities I had. I had more than most around me, and money left
over to loan, really to give away. (When you "loan" money to
poor people, it is folly to think they can pay you back.) I did
not have steady electricity or indoor plumbing, but it was a good life
and many helpers around to fetch water, cook and such. I had music,
even TV when I had electricity. I used batteries when the power
failed. I fished from the porch of my house and from my bamboo
raft. And, I had many wonderful, loyal friends who provided me with
lot of happiness, a life full of laughter and smiles.
As I said earlier, to live in Manila, you will need $1,500 per month
to live comfortably. And, you need to be careful with your money. In
Cebu you will do with less.
And in Davao, Mindanao, cost of living is even less than in Cebu. Budgets, posted by members, are on the Link, "Cost of
Living, Houses, Food and Other Expenses." These budgets include Subic.
Olongapo, Angeles City and others.
[TOP]
Maids, Domestic Helpers,
Nurses, Employees
My two live-in maids
make me feel like a king. I can't remember
when I have not had breakfast in bed. I
pay the maid and cook $40 per month each
(above average in the Philippines) plus
the cost of their food. Registered nurses,
licensed vocational nurses, gardeners and
drivers are available at similar rates.
When you hire people at the market rate
they appreciate you and appreciate their
job. Pay much more, and you may be asking
for trouble.
For those like me,
who sometimes or always have minor or
major physical disabilities, you may want
to hire a caretaker. Those will help you
get around, travel in comfort, and enjoy
life, rather than being cooped up watching
TV and doing Internet. My physical
challenge does not require the services of
a caretaker because of the excellent
physical therapy I receive. I am very
active with no help. But I know if I ever
need help, here I can afford a batch of
caretakers.
[TOP]
Eating in and Out
I
spend less than $200 a month on food for
me, my wife, and my sweet Filipina maids
who are getting fat. I am a more of a
vegetarian than not. But I do love the
bacon. It is fresh and excellent as are
other meats. If you like eating out, there
are KFC, McDonalds, Pizza Hut and other
fast food chains. You will also find
excellent world class, upscale but
inexpensive, international restaurants.
I have
all the amenities: cable TV, two
telephones, fax, DSL Internet connection,
air-conditioning, exercise machines, a
flower-filled yard and a dog. But, the
best thing about living in the Philippines
costs nothing: the legendary friendliness
and hospitality of its people. Filipinos
and Filipinas know how to have a good
time, and they want to share it with you.
There is no place on earth where a
stranger is welcomed so quickly and
sincerely
[TOP]
You need a steady income or investment
money and serious business skills to live
here. This is a capital starved country.
With just a little capital and a lot of
study you can double your money every year
and a half in the provinces. You can do
the same in two to three years in the
cities,
if you know what you are doing.
However, very few do that when they
arrive here. (See the link on
Investment and Business.) No one in
their right mind is going to tell you
business is easy for a foreigner here.
But business it is not easy anywhere. It
is much easier if you have a loyal and
smart, business minded Filipina wife.
That may be your best asset, almost a
necessity. And if you have
the right one, she will bring joy and
happiness into your heart and life.
Beware of local Filipino "friends".
There will be many who "just want to
help you". Most folks, like humans tend
to be, are interested most in helping
themselves, not that there is anything
wrong with that. But as you know,
free help is usually worth exactly what
you pay for it.
[TOP]
How Can You Have a Job,
Business, and Investments in the Philippines?
Cheap labor is a big plus in living
here. The few that have capital and smart
Filipina wives, do very well. That is, if
they take the time first to learn about
the Philippine culture and business
regulations, the Filipino mind, culture
and sensitivities. Jobs for foreigners
are extremely scarce, There is more about
special situation jobs, jobs available for
those married to Filipinas or Filipinos,
consultants and others on the "Jobs,
Investing and Business," the Link on the
left. But here is the bottom line for
most of you:
Though business opportunities abound even
with little capital, a job, unless it is
with a foreign company, is hard to find.
If you don't work for a foreign based
company, with a few exceptions you need be
married to a Filipina to legally work
here. Most foreign based companies send
members of their existing staff here.
Since Philippines is considered a nice
assignment, there is competition even if
you are in the company. There are many
well educated, experienced and highly
qualified English speaking unemployed
Filipinos and Filipinas in the labor
market, who can't get jobs for even $3 per
day.
Work permits are not necessary if you are
married to a Filipino citizen. You only
need to register with the Department of
Labor and Employment. But do you really
want to work for local wages, maybe less
than $3:00 a day?
So, It is much better to have your own
business in the Philippines, the only real
option unless you are married to a
Philippine citizen. Even then, working for
yourself in your own business or
profession is the best option. But it is
tricky. (Again, see the Jobs,
Investments, Business Link, on the left.
for more) You must know the local
culture and customs. And former
successful business experience is a
requirement. Don't try to hit the ground
running and cut you teeth as a business
man in the Philippines, a culture much
more different from yours than you may
think.
If you have even a
modest pension, you are in good shape too.
And you can still probably save enough to
run a small business, for additional
income and something to do. But business
as a hobby is often costly. If you are
going to do it, most of the time you have
to be watching the store. Remember, you
may find better things to do here to keep
occupied. There are many things that are
a lot more fun than business, especially
in a culture you may not understand. If
you still want to do business, start with
learning the culture, reading the
appropriate civil codes on taxation,
labor, corporations, and such and tread
softly until you get your Philippine
business legs.
[TOP]
How Can You Get More First
hand Information, on How to Live, Retire,
Travel and Do Business in the Philippines?
Not only does this site
provide a multitude of information you
won't find anywhere else. It also connects
to a to a FREE Yahoo! Group!,
Living, Retiring, Traveling and Doing
business in the Philippines, This is a
Free Yahoo Groups! Discussion list where
you can get answers to your questions
from expats living here. Some them you may
want to know better and interact with, on
and off line. They may become your friends
and contacts, and even provide
inside information, to help you
before you come to the Philippines,
not
when it is already too late. more below...
[TOP]
How This List, Website and I Can
Help You?
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I have been living, traveling and
counseling foreigners in the
Philippines since 1990. My first
visit to the Philippines was in
1980.
Because I have been married to three
Filipinas, lived here and in the US
with the first one, I have a broad
perspective. Living with a Filipina
wife in a western country can be
very different from living with one
here. That is assuming she has never
been to your country. Luckily I am
married to a wonderful one now, Ani,
as lovely on the inside as the
outside. But the first two were
good learning experiences
The Philippines is a great place to
live. Special to me is Cebu City
where I have lived since 1996. I
relocated from Hundred Islands area,
Pangasinan, Luzon, my former wife's
home. That is a beautiful area too,
with great people, but not as
cosmopolitan as the Queen City of
the South.
Since I am a psychologist, former
contact cross culture trainer, US
Dept of State and the US Peace
Corps. Lay Philippine Cultural
anthropologist, retired US Peace
Corps staff, and having studied the
culture so many years, I feel
uniquely qualified to comment on it
from the perspective of an
ex-pat.
By creating and managing the List,
Living, Retiring, Traveling and
Doing Business (jobs) in the
Philippines since 1999 I have
learned even more..
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