Moving to Philippines

[robhankins 0]

I am married to a wonderful filipina. We are thinking of retiring to the Phils. Is there a forum to discuss this with other Expats? There are so many questions about shipping household goods, building a home, visas, etc.

[Jose Rizal 1]

I am married to a wonderful filipina. We are thinking of retiring to the Phils. Is there a forum to discuss this with other Expats? There are so many questions about shipping household goods, building a home, visas, etc.

AFAIK, there's none here in Visa Journey as its usually the other way around. Perhaps the links below may be of help:

http://www.alloexpat.com/philippines_expat_forum/

http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/philip..._culture/107669

http://www.liveinthephilippines.com/content/

http://www.expat-blog.com/en/directory/asia/philippines/

[RIDION 0]

More links to help you with...good luck.

http://www.livinginthephilippines.com/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LivingInThePhilippines3/

[Jasman0717 9]

More links to help you with...good luck.

http://www.livinginthephilippines.com/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LivingInThePhilippines3/

Yahoo has several expats groups. Do you know where you will be living? I am involved with a group from Cagayan that is a really great group of people from all over the world.

http://movies.groups.yahoo.com/group/cebucitytoday/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Expats-in-Cagayan-de-Oro/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Philippine_L...sland_Paradise/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Retiring-To-Philippines/

[tallcoolone 102]

This is the best one I have found.

No candy coating of answers and straight to the point.

Paul runs it and it a pretty good site.

On one of my visits to PI I stopped by and me and the fiance spent a couple of days at his house when he lived in Bogo about 100 kilometer north of Cebu.

http://www.livingincebuforums.com/ipb/index.php?act=idx

[Señor Bonito 2]

I am married to a wonderful filipina. We are thinking of retiring to the Phils. Is there a forum to discuss this with other Expats? There are so many questions about shipping household goods, building a home, visas, etc.

I guess we feel the same sentiment, my friend. I have been in the United States for more than 35 years now and will be of retirement age in 3 years. Matter of fact, I feel like a retiree right now because I mostly work at home, thanks to a very wonderful arrangement called telecommuting. And as the US economy goes south every moment, and could be worse with a new president taking over, retirement in my native Philippines beckons and it appears to a be sizable pot at the end of the rainbow.

My fiancee won't be here till probably early spring of '09 and she already knows that we might go back to the Philippines for good someday. And it's one of her ideas too. We reckon that 3 years in America would have afforded her enough time to enjoy the sights and sounds, the food and culture, the sports and music, etc. that this great country could offer.

We plan to live at Villa Mercedes, a master planned community located in the foothills of Mt. Apo, just outside Davao City. I think that we won't have any regrets if we finally retire in Davao. I know the place well enough as I lived there when I was in my early twenties and my future wife, who will be my second and also happens to be the sister of my first, is from that place too.

Have a happy retirement!

Edited December 9, 2008 by AJAnTESS

[Noh81 0]

This is the best one I have found.

No candy coating of answers and straight to the point.

Paul runs it and it a pretty good site.

On one of my visits to PI I stopped by and me and the fiance spent a couple of days at his house when he lived in Bogo about 100 kilometer north of Cebu.

http://www.livingincebuforums.com/ipb/index.php?act=idx

Agree to that...just try that link...

[Rocky_nBullwinkle 6]

I am married to a wonderful filipina. We are thinking of retiring to the Phils. Is there a forum to discuss this with other Expats? There are so many questions about shipping household goods, building a home, visas, etc.

My friend of many years, married a Pinay about five years ago. He is in his fifty's and tired of working. He is a Union Carpenter. So he cashed everything out, and took the family back to his wife's hometown. He thought it was a good idea: He could make his meager retirement funds go a long way.

The wife did not like the idea. She remembers how difficult life was in the Philippines. But, she will follow her husband. Where he goes, she goes.

The wife's one daughter from a previous relationship was already in grade school. She spent the last five years becoming an American. She forgot how to speak Tagolog, and had few memories of life back home. She would miss all her friends.

The daughter they had together was still young enough to adapt to the change easily, just barely learning to talk, or walk.

It has been about 9 months now. My friend seems to be making things work, and is reluctant to return. The wife complains she is bored, and everybody is always getting sick.

So, that is their story. I am thinking myself about doing the same, just not yet. For the man, it is an adventure, no doubt. For the wife? I guess it might seem a little less glamorous, having already "lived" the adventure. Maybe even a step backwards. But she will go, no doubt, hoping the man in her life will get bored and return to his senses.

Sonomacountygal's husband

[robhankins 0]

More links to help you with...good luck.

http://www.livinginthephilippines.com/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LivingInThePhilippines3/

Thanks to everyone for the information. It is really helpful. My wife is originally from Maao, south of Bacolod. I would love to live in Baguio but probably too expensive. Likely, we will live close to Bacolod. I will not have a lot of cash and my Social Security won't be much, but we plan to buy land and build our own home. We can live pretty well on 55,000 Php per month. I am looking for business opportunities and sure we can find something to augment our retirement.

I have 3 keys necessary for my life there:

Cable TV

High Speed Internet

Relatively cool location for home, e.g. 2000' elevation and trees.

It sounds simple but not in the Phils. Any ideas? Bacolod is not carved in stone.

[Rocky_nBullwinkle 6]

More links to help you with...good luck.

http://www.livinginthephilippines.com/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LivingInThePhilippines3/

Thanks to everyone for the information. It is really helpful. My wife is originally from Maao, south of Bacolod. I would love to live in Baguio but probably too expensive. Likely, we will live close to Bacolod. I will not have a lot of cash and my Social Security won't be much, but we plan to buy land and build our own home. We can live pretty well on 55,000 Php per month. I am looking for business opportunities and sure we can find something to augment our retirement.

I have 3 keys necessary for my life there:

Cable TV

High Speed Internet

Relatively cool location for home, e.g. 2000' elevation and trees.

It sounds simple but not in the Phils. Any ideas? Bacolod is not carved in stone.

Here is a lead. Bill and Lorna have been living the life for years, and they do like emails. I stayed at their place near Manila Airport, when I first met my fiancee.

http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/Island/7106/

[maritoni 3]

you also can check this link...

http://www.livinginthephilippines.com/housing.html

[tallcoolone 102]

More links to help you with...good luck.

http://www.livinginthephilippines.com/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LivingInThePhilippines3/

Thanks to everyone for the information. It is really helpful. My wife is originally from Maao, south of Bacolod. I would love to live in Baguio but probably too expensive. Likely, we will live close to Bacolod. I will not have a lot of cash and my Social Security won't be much, but we plan to buy land and build our own home. We can live pretty well on 55,000 Php per month. I am looking for business opportunities and sure we can find something to augment our retirement.

I have 3 keys necessary for my life there:

Cable TV

High Speed Internet

Relatively cool location for home, e.g. 2000' elevation and trees.

It sounds simple but not in the Phils. Any ideas? Bacolod is not carved in stone.

55K in PHP you should be set.

Try Camigun Island. Cost of living is cheaper than average in PI. Clean water, Clean Air, Very little night life.

I think you can take a Super Ferry from Cebu and it's 2 hours to get there. I think Asian Air also flies into Camigun. I have my eyes on this place as my future home...

[RIDION 0]

Try reading about condohotel investment in the Philippines. If you are open to living anywhere in the Philippines, try to look into Tagaytay, Laguna & Antipolo because, aside from being near to Manila which means savings on airfare, these places are considerably provincial in nature, have higher elevation & cooler weather plus beautiful scenery.

Here's a sample link:

http://www.sulit.com.ph/index.php/view+cla...ARS+TO+PAY+0%25

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tagaytay_City

Hope you'll find the best place for the both of you.