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paulgee
19th September 2009, 21:28
Most British guys will visit the Philippines once or twice, or 3 times in my case, and then welcome their Filipina fiancee/wife to the UK where they will settle down.

My question to you is:- having seen life in the Philippines would you rather live there than in the UK? I know financial constraints and circumstances limit our opportunities, but personally I felt so at home in the Philippines I would love to spend more time there when I retire.

Some members already live there, and seem happy with their lot, but is it the Utopia some of us imagine?

Paul

Tawi2
19th September 2009, 21:34
I have been there 50 or 60 times due to favourable geographic location for a number of years(Manila was £70 return)and its not utopia,I think 11% of the adult population work abroad,and the other 89% of the adult population WANT to work abroad(slight exaggeration)thats got to say something:Erm: I think if they had to live exactly,note that word "Exactly" like a typical pinoy most of the "I want to live in Pinas" crew wouldnt leave blighty :icon_lol: Theres plenty of places in the world you can be comfortable with a few quid stashed under the mattress :) Its a decent enough country to visit,but once your living there you become embroiled in family problems and your always the panacea for monetary ills :Erm:

Jamesey
19th September 2009, 21:43
I lived in the Philippines for a year when I was 24, as a single guy. It was probably the best year of my life! :xxgrinning--00xx3:

But having said that, I was glad to get back to the UK. I found that I missed quite a lot of things, like cold, clear mornings, sunday roasts, family & friends, decent TV channels, custard...... :rolleyes:

Since then I have enjoyed many, many holidays in the Philippines and now that I have a filipina wife, that will continue. But I'd like to go back there again for an extended stay, but I think that will have to wait until I've retired! :bigcry:

But overall, I'd highly recommend living in the Philippines, even if it is only for a few months. It's the best way of properly experiencing the country. :D

vbkelly
19th September 2009, 21:47
if you are in your retirement age living in the PI is good i reckon

Northerner
19th September 2009, 21:56
To live there for a year or so, temporary stay! I think would be a nice idea. But reality would soon set in and like Tawi2 said...

But ask me when I come back in 2 months :D

Tawi2
19th September 2009, 22:00
Well,theres a big difference between a holiday and an extended stay,you have to be there for a while,get your feet under the table before the cracks start to appear :icon_lol: Living there is a whole different ballgame from having a month in the sun,its like the difference between a honeymoon and 10 years of marriage :icon_lol: But all of the wives will say its great because they want to retire back there but in 30 years time the countries population will have doubled and with double population comes double the amount of social issues and problems :rolleyes:

Northerner
19th September 2009, 22:08
...but in 30 years time the countries population will have doubled and with double population comes double the amount of social issues and problems :rolleyes:

As an Englishman, I think I should retire in spain somewhere and grow old and grumpy complaining about "that foreign muck they call food":icon_lol:

Tawi2
19th September 2009, 22:14
As an Englishman, I think I should retire in spain somewhere and grow old and grumpy complaining about "that foreign muck they call food":icon_lol:

Thats my gameplan,spain,but I eat "Foreign muck" so I will be cool :icon_lol:

somebody
19th September 2009, 22:23
Well,theres a big difference between a holiday and an extended stay,you have to be there for a while,get your feet under the table before the cracks start to appear :icon_lol: Living there is a whole different ballgame from having a month in the sun,its like the difference between a honeymoon and 10 years of marriage :icon_lol: But all of the wives will say its great because they want to retire back there but in 30 years time the countries population will have doubled and with double population comes double the amount of social issues and problems :rolleyes:

Indeed and sadly it would seem things in Phill have been to calm and peaceful for a while now. With GMA being booted out soon, you do just wonder whats round the corner. I bet all the top Manila Hotels will be nervously looking out for Tanks though the reception:D

Im not sure if all the Wifes want to go back my Wife is happy to go back whenever but i know for various reasons she quite enjoys the UK so i think it would be more a case of six months here and there.

Northerner
19th September 2009, 22:34
Thats my gameplan,spain,but I eat "Foreign muck" so I will be cool :icon_lol:

I have a brother in law who is a typical brit abroad. Pizza is too foreign for him... :D

ukgangster
19th September 2009, 22:46
It's a bit of a no win situation really - it may be cheaper to live in the Philippines, especially in the provinces, but you do need a fair bit of capital to tide you over, buy a house, a business to generate income, etc. Then theres health considerations - its free in the UK, but not in Philippines, and what happens if it all goes wrong, you gotta come back and start all over again.

Having lived abroad in Malta and Spain for a period of 2 - 3 years and being a typical Sagittarius, I'd have no problem adjusting. Add to that Elsa and I already have a house and a small jeepney in Tacloban, it should be painless if we decide to go.

somebody
19th September 2009, 23:03
It's a bit of a no win situation really - it may be cheaper to live in the Philippines, especially in the provinces, but you do need a fair bit of capital to tide you over, buy a house, a business to generate income, etc. Then theres health considerations - its free in the UK, but not in Philippines, and what happens if it all goes wrong, you gotta come back and start all over again.

Having lived abroad in Malta and Spain for a period of 2 - 3 years and being a typical Sagittarius, I'd have no problem adjusting. Add to that Elsa and I already have a house and a small jeepney in Tacloban, it should be painless if we decide to go.

I can see your point soon we will have New Houses we are renovating or buliding three bulidings two in one location and one in another (not all for us i hasten to add!) on land we have plus plenty of income partly due to smart, petron and sm potentially plus farms and other smaller businesses paying rents on the Land the Wife has out there.

I think in five years we could live ok lifestle but i would never feel comfortable. Just as I didn't feel comfortable when the wife was on a spouse visa and then a ILR. From what i understand us Brits or "aliens" can never have the same rights as phills in their country.

pennybarry
20th September 2009, 01:11
As of now I prefer to live in UK to work and save.
Hubby also prefers to live in Pinas anytime.
Still young to retire. :D

How I wish to have a bigger house with big veranda overlooking Mom's farm, close to SM in a peaceful village.:xxgrinning--00xx3:

WillsG25
20th September 2009, 05:48
I have been in the Philippines 4 years now, I love places like Subic, 100 Islands and Cebu, Puerto Galera, there are some amzing and beautiful places here. But unfortunately we live in Pasig City at the moment and I must confess it is a :censored:. I would happily set up shop in a nice peaceful place in the province, you can't beat Filipino hospitality, however what will happen if something goes wrong, who can you trust out here?:Erm: At least the human rights record is good in the UK and life is valued quite a bit highier there to. Due to the weak pound, I wouldn't say I am any better off here, so roll on December, at long last I can enjoy driving on the UK roads again without having to put fenders around the car. :Hellooo:

johncar54
20th September 2009, 08:00
As an Englishman, I think I should retire in spain somewhere and grow old and grumpy complaining about "that foreign muck they call food":icon_lol:


I have lived in Spain just over 20 years. My wife has been here just over 3.
I don't want to return to UK, probably ever. My wife says she wants to stay here for ever.

Of course, the fall in the euro is a problem at present.

I have a friend here, 87 yrs old, who only has his OAP, he is selling up to go to Pattaya (Thailand). Where there is a large ex-pat community and where his £400 a month will go three times as far. Having been there, its not that different from a town on the Costa del Sol, just cheaper.

We have friends there and a good 2 bed apartment is about £18,000.

Ayjay
20th September 2009, 09:22
Most British guys will visit the Philippines once or twice, or 3 times in my case, and then welcome their Filipina fiancee/wife to the UK where they will settle down.

My question to you is:- having seen life in the Philippines would you rather live there than in the UK? I know financial constraints and circumstances limit our opportunities, but personally I felt so at home in the Philippines I would love to spend more time there when I retire.

Some members already live there, and seem happy with their lot, but is it the Utopia some of us imagine?

Paul

I lived in the Philippines for many years, during this time I was working for a large multinational company. The pay was good, healthcare and administrative issues were dealt with by the HR people... we did not have the hassle of dealing with the local government for visas, etc etc.

In short we had a western UK/USA life style in the Phils... and yes it was a good experience.

However, if you are a loner, where you have to provide everything for yourself, then the Phils can become a nightmare. People experiencing the Phils for the first time assume that it is a cheap place to live, and a few quid under the bed will go a long way..

Well it will not if you want to maintain a decent lifestyle... car.. house.. healthcare insurance... day to day expenses etc....

The chances are that you will not find employment.. the Phils has thousands of degree qualified candidates for these jobs. In short there is no shortage of skilled and talented labor.

Think about the Phils when you are comming up to retirement.. you have a nest egg, a pension, a house in the UK etc...

Your independemt means will then remove you from some of the above risks. However, just keep in mind that you will never have the sort of health and social parachutes that we all have become used to in the UK..

AJ

IainBusby
20th September 2009, 11:04
I think 11% of the adult population work abroad,and the other 89% of the adult population WANT to work abroad

That adds up to 100% but there is another slice to this cake that you forgot to mention, the ones who don't work abroad, don't want to work either in Phils or abroad and are quite happy to just sit around and wait for the next remmitance to arrive.


Its a decent enough country to visit,but once your living there you become embroiled in family problems and your always the panacea for monetary ills :Erm:

Very true and more often than not it's for wants not needs.

scottishbride
20th September 2009, 11:42
I prefer to live in UK for a change, now that I got my visa:D . My hubby and I have been in Manila for 4 years now and I guess its his turn to show me his country. :Kilt:

JimOttley
22nd September 2009, 23:41
i lived in the philippines for 2 periods in my life, as he wife of an expat. I had all the luxury, driver, maids, manicurs, massage, etc, but it is a shallow existence. I would never have lived there as just a normal citizen. Foreigners are seen as rich pickings for all. and remember you can never own that house. Your spouses family will demand all sorts of favours, and the heat is really bad and , humidity is terrible.. Medical bills can be high, and electricity for aircon etc is astronomical , cars are also expensive.. So if you want to live like a local ie chicken and rice, fans, pinoy tv. and a jeepney, then it would be cheaper, but you are a long way from home my friend, and you will always be a foreigner........
Its a mans life there, but for me as a women, i found it shallow and degrading. with not much in common with the upper class filipino, who is 2 faced and only wants you as a friend, do get something out of you.....Done it got the T-Shirt, but never again:ARsurrender:

Electricity is as you say extremely expensive in Manila and second hand cars are stupidly expensive it's a sellers market over there I guess.

You can get a 50 year lease on a property such as a condo but as you say you can't own a house without some very fancy legal shenanigans to ensure that you have the right to live in it and to dispose of it as you choose, it can be done though just not easy. Same for owning a business you have to get the rights assigned back from named locals, I know of two software companies that are set up this way.

I don't know any upper class Filipinos, I do know one middle class guy that works for ebay and earns a western style salary (still low but very good) I also know a number of very educated Filipinos who earn about 300 quid a month two of them lawyers and one a computer programmer and they are all very decent people, the rest are poor, some of them have motives for being friendly but many of them don't and are just good people.

I'd do it, manok and rice, electric fans, pinoy tv, jeepney's don't scare me, that's pretty much our life just now when I'm there :) (the living room in the house we rent is huge and I could never afford to air condition it :) )

I also have no problem with going out to a local pub rather than a fancy restaurant / pub / night club in Malate or Makati, there are lots of cheap places with good music that we like to go to.

I would need an internet connection though that would be essential if I were there for a long time.

What does scare me is women in combination with shoe shops and malls :yikes: and that's the main reason we'll be staying here for a good long time once I finally get Ana and the kids over here :)


Jim

Arthur Little
23rd September 2009, 02:00
Most British guys will visit the Philippines once or twice, or 3 times in my case, and then welcome their Filipina fiancee/wife to the UK where they will settle down.

My question to you is:- having seen life in the Philippines would you rather live there than in the UK? I know financial constraints and circumstances limit our opportunities, but personally I felt so at home in the Philippines I would love to spend more time there when I retire.

Some members already live there, and seem happy with their lot, but is it the Utopia some of us imagine?

Paul


Filipinos are a very friendly people in my experience. And the hospitality and warmth of welcome I received from Myrna's relatives during my first visit of 3 weeks ... and again, throughout my subsequent three months' stay, was second to none. Youngsters too, seem on the whole, to be a great deal more respectful of their elders, it has to be said. :)

But, for all that, there's nowhere else I'd really want to settle, :NoNo: other than the country in which I was born, and where I've lived all my life. The UK has its faults - there's no disputing the fact - but free health care here, is available to all, regardless of financial status, and I for one have every reason to be grateful to the NHS - which has been around for almost as long as I can remember. :rolleyes: Besides - and probably above all else - my immediate family all stay within reasonable travelling distance.

Last, but not least, the climate [apart from the incessant wind, rain and (occasional) winter snow] is more amenable to my lifestyle than the perpetual humidity of the Phils. And English food is much more in keeping with my taste.

So for ME it's :Britain: Always HAS been, and always WILL be!

IainBusby
23rd September 2009, 15:20
Electricity is as you say extremely expensive in Manila and second hand cars are stupidly expensive it's a sellers market over there I guess.

You can get a 50 year lease on a property such as a condo but as you say you can't own a house without some very fancy legal shenanigans to ensure that you have the right to live in it and to dispose of it as you choose, it can be done though just not easy. Same for owning a business you have to get the rights assigned back from named locals, I know of two software companies that are set up this way.

I don't know any upper class Filipinos, I do know one middle class guy that works for ebay and earns a western style salary (still low but very good) I also know a number of very educated Filipinos who earn about 300 quid a month two of them lawyers and one a computer programmer and they are all very decent people, the rest are poor, some of them have motives for being friendly but many of them don't and are just good people.

I'd do it, manok and rice, electric fans, pinoy tv, jeepney's don't scare me, that's pretty much our life just now when I'm there :) (the living room in the house we rent is huge and I could never afford to air condition it :) )

I also have no problem with going out to a local pub rather than a fancy restaurant / pub / night club in Malate or Makati, there are lots of cheap places with good music that we like to go to.

I would need an internet connection though that would be essential if I were there for a long time.

What does scare me is women in combination with shoe shops and malls :yikes: and that's the main reason we'll be staying here for a good long time once I finally get Ana and the kids over here :)


Jim

That's one thing that wont change whether she's here or in Phils. She'll soon know where all the shopping centres and shoe shops are. :NoNo::NoNo::NoNo:

Ayjay
23rd September 2009, 17:35
I don't know any upper class Filipinos, I do know one middle class guy that works for ebay and earns a western style salary (still low but very good) I also know a number of very educated Filipinos who earn about 300 quid a month two of them lawyers and one a computer programmer and they are all very decent people, the rest are poor, some of them have motives for being friendly but many of them don't and are just good people.

Jim

There are many Filipinos that earn or have an income that would make your eyes water..

Our Filipino corporate lawer (Harvard educated) was paid a retainer of $100,000 USD per year, plus time, travel expenses etc when representing the company. And we were only one of this corporate clients.

I agree that provincial jobing lawers doing business under a mango tree would pull in about $500 per month.

In terms of expats working in the Phils for multinational corporations; these guys are normally seconded from other overseas business units for specific projects, for well defined time lines. Normally, their home based salaries are paid into their bank accounts in their home countries. An expat engineering manager or specialist would normally have an in country allowance of 200,000 Pesos (2001 levels), car, driver, accomodation, medical insurance, kids education, yearly family return air travel.. etc..etc..

Prime locations for these expats are, Manila, Baguio, Santa Rosa, Marivelles Bataan, Limay Bataan... and other locations.

AJ

Ayjay
23rd September 2009, 17:47
Filipinos are a very friendly people in my experience. And the hospitality and warmth of welcome I received from Myrna's relatives during my first visit of 3 weeks ... and again, throughout my subsequent three months' stay, was second to none. Youngsters too, seem on the whole, to be a great deal more respectful of their elders, it has to be said. :)

But, for all that, there's nowhere else I'd really want to settle, :NoNo: other than the country in which I was born, and where I've lived all my life. The UK has its faults - there's no disputing the fact - but free health care here, is available to all, regardless of financial status, and I for one have every reason to be grateful to the NHS - which has been around for almost as long as I can remember. :rolleyes: Besides - and probably above all else - my immediate family all stay within reasonable travelling distance.

Last, but not least, the climate [apart from the incessant wind, rain and (occasional) winter snow] is more amenable to my lifestyle than the perpetual humidity of the Phils. And English food is much more in keeping with my taste.

So for ME it's :Britain: Always HAS been, and always WILL be!

Absolutely the right approach... Most Filipino familes are only one serious illness away from total financial ruin..

AJ

JimOttley
23rd September 2009, 18:43
There are many Filipinos that earn or have an income that would make your eyes water..

Our Filipino corporate lawer (Harvard educated) was paid a retainer of $100,000 USD per year, plus time, travel expenses etc when representing the company. And we were only one of this corporate clients.

I agree that provincial jobing lawers doing business under a mango tree would pull in about $500 per month.

In terms of expats working in the Phils for multinational corporations; these guys are normally seconded from other overseas business units for specific projects, for well defined time lines. Normally, their home based salaries are paid into their bank accounts in their home countries. An expat engineering manager or specialist would normally have an in country allowance of 200,000 Pesos (2001 levels), car, driver, accomodation, medical insurance, kids education, yearly family return air travel.. etc..etc..

Prime locations for these expats are, Manila, Baguio, Santa Rosa, Marivelles Bataan, Limay Bataan... and other locations.

AJ

Yeah there are clearly a lot of people making a lot of money, something has to support all the malls :icon_lol: but your average degree educated bloke in the Phils is not on a spectacular salary, that's why everyone has sidelines :)

The lawyers I was taking about are good friends of ours in their early 30's one of them just about to finish his bar exams and will be fully qualified then, they both work for local law firms and that is basically what you get paid if you're not running your own practice.

The Filipino lad working for ebay is on about 3 million peso a year and for a local lad that is pretty good.

I also know a software company in Makati (foreign owners) that has become very successful over the last 10 years and employs a couple of lads from the UK, they are on around 15,000 GBP a year but they are happy with that as they are young and are enjoying the experience of living over there. The locals working for the same company are the ones on ~500 dollars a month.

Me I'm too old and unlikely to ever find a company that would employ me in the Phils an appropriate role for for my skills, they could get 10 good local guys for the salary I would be looking for, the only thing they wouldn't get would be my experience :)


Jim

JimOttley
23rd September 2009, 18:50
That's one thing that wont change whether she's here or in Phils. She'll soon know where all the shopping centres and shoe shops are. :NoNo::NoNo::NoNo:

Yes but I'm the one with the car and she's not fond of walking ;)

Actually when Ana was here last time she got some great deals from the local charity shop, brand new suede coat, really stylish, for a fiver, we did spend a bit getting her clothes for the winter but she was a bit shocked when we went round Matalan as a lot of stuff was cheaper than Manila, it was "James why you not tell me about this place before?" :D


Jim

Ayjay
24th September 2009, 08:40
Yeah there are clearly a lot of people making a lot of money, something has to support all the malls :icon_lol: but your average degree educated bloke in the Phils is not on a spectacular salary, that's why everyone has sidelines :)

Jim




Indeed, the Philippines is awash with under utilised degree qualified talent. When the Americans pulled out of the Phils, principally from Clark Airbase, and Subic Bay; Bataan and Zambales had the dubious privilege of having some of the most qualified tricycle and jeepney drivers in the Philippines. Many of them having licences to work on many varieties of aircraft C130's C147's etc; and never found such work again.

Currently the Philippines continues to churn out graduates at an alarming rate, many of whom have very little chance of finding any employment, and do not have the experience to secure appropriate overseas work..

Hence the tendency to find teachers working as domestics; nurses are working as care assistants in retirement homes, engineers working as builders. The one thing they have in common is that they are all punching below their weight in terms of salary, and most are exploited by their employers..

AJ

fred
24th September 2009, 12:14
Here two years now without any UK pension to rely on..(Far too young for heavens sake)
The thought of having to go back to the UK where I would have to work for a living sends shivers down my spine!!
I couldn't possibly have the perks that I have here back in England and I am no longer prepared to do without them..Thoroughly spoiled and loving it.
Just built my wood burning oven that gets up to 900F on pizza nights..I can cook a family sized pizza in 59 seconds!!
In the UK the carbon tax would kill me.
Still love the UK and I might be back for the Olympics and a bacon sarny... only for 2 weeks mind!

Regards,

Fred.

PS...Brand new cars are pretty cheap now.

Arthur Little
24th September 2009, 12:40
Here two years now without any UK pension to rely on..(Far too young for heavens sake)

Fred.




:Erm: Just collected my first remittance as an OAP, Fred. I can see, from reading your posts, that you're a happy man ... having obviously adapted well to the Filipino lifestyle. And that's great! :BouncyHappy:

But how do you cope without seeing much of your immediate family in the UK ... ? :cwm24:

fred
24th September 2009, 13:32
Good question Arthur..To be honest as my family are spread pretty far and wide I only ever really got to speak with them via the phone or skype when I was in the UK so it doesn't feel that strange to connect with them in the same way here..Ive had two friends from the UK visit with plans to return next year..My cousin and sister are here for a month next year too.. The hardest thing is my son studying at Sheffield Uni..He says he can study part of his course in an Asian school partnered with Sheffield Uni so hes thinking Singapore which will mean lots of easy visits for us..Cant wait!
Cheers,

Fred.

steadyfornow
24th September 2009, 16:15
my boyfriend wants to stay here for couple of months and would love to try working here..i hope he will love it here..can you give him some suggestions of what he needs to do before coming over..

IainBusby
24th September 2009, 17:21
my boyfriend wants to stay here for couple of months and would love to try working here..i hope he will love it here..can you give him some suggestions of what he needs to do before coming over..

Lock all of his savings up in a 20 year bond. :D

fred
25th September 2009, 06:44
Tell him to save enough in the UK to enable him to pay his own salary whilst here..
Tell him to save a bit more if he wants to put in some overtime...
Now thats what I call being self employed!!

subseastu
26th September 2009, 03:12
I think I'm in a slightly different / better position than most of the people on this forum. My job (work offshore on a dive boat) means I spend 6 month away from home. This means my home for the remaining 6 months can be anywhere i choose. We're going to emigrate to the phils next years and I'm really looking forward to it.

When I talk to folk about living in the uk the list of negatives grows longer and longer. With the money I earn I can have a very respectable life style out there. I'm fortunate that my company provide private health care and will fly my to anywhere from anywhere to join my ship.

As long as you can work you can have a fantastic lifestyle in the phils.

Main drawbacks with living in the phils : Proper bread, beer, cheese, fillet steak, cream, decent roast dinner, pork sausages, back bacon. Oh yes family and friends

fred
26th September 2009, 12:21
I think I'm in a slightly different / better position than most of the people on this forum. My job (work offshore on a dive boat) means I spend 6 month away from home. This means my home for the remaining 6 months can be anywhere i choose. We're going to emigrate to the phils next years and I'm really looking forward to it.

When I talk to folk about living in the uk the list of negatives grows longer and longer. With the money I earn I can have a very respectable life style out there. I'm fortunate that my company provide private health care and will fly my to anywhere from anywhere to join my ship.

As long as you can work you can have a fantastic lifestyle in the phils.

Main drawbacks with living in the phils : Proper bread, beer, cheese, fillet steak, cream, decent roast dinner, pork sausages, back bacon. Oh yes family and friends


You can get most of the stuff on your list these days(steak etc usually from Australia Fillet steak about 1,200PHP per kilo.)..
Roast dinners taste even better now that my wood burning oven is up n running..
And my pizza`s are the bees kneez!

belfast_dude
26th September 2009, 17:54
i wud live anywhere my asawa and anak are....because i wud know then...i am happy

RickyR
26th September 2009, 19:13
I think it's a completely individual taste, what might be heaven for one person may be hell for another.
We're renting an apartment in Manila now, and have spent quite a bit of time living in the Philippines over the last few years.
The ex-pat retirees living in the Philippines seem very happy, well looked after, money goes further, warm weather, can afford to be pampered etc. Everywhere there seems to be a small ex-pat community, grouping together. The only groups to avoid are the 'permenant sex tourist' communities, but they are normally easy to spot.

For myself, I personally don't enjoy being in the Philippines for more then a few weeks at a time. I know this upsets Marvie and I do feel guilty when I tell her this. But often I feel a bit restricted there, simple hassles such as having to haggle over prices and regularly being stopped by the traffic police for no other reason then i'm white. Of all the places in Asia, I would really only live in Singapore or Hong Kong, as they are fast paced 24 hour modern cities. Thats my personal opinion, but I'm 24 and like to be busy. The only rewarding thing is that we get involved in local youth charities to keep ourselves busy.

subseastu
27th September 2009, 02:43
You can get most of the stuff on your list these days(steak etc usually from Australia Fillet steak about 1,200PHP per kilo.)..
Roast dinners taste even better now that my wood burning oven is up n running..
And my pizza`s are the bees kneez!

Thats good to know. Not a bad price for fillet steak either. where did you get your wood burning stove from Fred? Are you a budding Jamie Oliver? Quite like the idea of one of those, standing around outside watching it cook stuff with a cold san mig!

badrock
27th September 2009, 15:59
would love to live there in cebu

aposhark
27th September 2009, 22:40
It's a bit of a no win situation really - it may be cheaper to live in the Philippines, especially in the provinces, but you do need a fair bit of capital to tide you over, buy a house, a business to generate income, etc. Then theres health considerations - its free in the UK, but not in Philippines, and what happens if it all goes wrong, you gotta come back and start all over again.

Having lived abroad in Malta and Spain for a period of 2 - 3 years and being a typical Sagittarius, I'd have no problem adjusting. Add to that Elsa and I already have a house and a small jeepney in Tacloban, it should be painless if we decide to go.

Hi Rob, have you done any research on health insurance if you ever decide to go there? That seems like the biggest problem to me.

fred
30th September 2009, 03:47
Thats good to know. Not a bad price for fillet steak either. where did you get your wood burning stove from Fred? Are you a budding Jamie Oliver? Quite like the idea of one of those, standing around outside watching it cook stuff with a cold san mig!

Built it with the help of 2 Filipino masons and some red clay brick..
The oven is outside but the front of it is built into the kitchen wall (if you know what I mean)
we've done beef casseroles,shepherds pie,roast pork/chicken etc and the pizza s take 59 seconds at 900F!!

IanB
30th September 2009, 10:38
Actually . .. Thailand! Even Aida seems to agree having visited for a holiday last year. I am happy in the UK, but I love Thailand and think it is one of the easiest places to live.

Highest concern about the Philippines is the issue of personal security and safety.

darren-b
30th September 2009, 11:25
Actually . .. Thailand! Even Aida seems to agree having visited for a holiday last year. I am happy in the UK, but I love Thailand and think it is one of the easiest places to live.

Highest concern about the Philippines is the issue of personal security and safety.

It might be your opinion that Thailand is safer than the Philippines, but I think you'll have difficulty backing that up with any real facts. When looking at any crime figures you may need to bear in mind that the Philippines has a much larger population than Thailand (about 50% larger).

Tawi2
30th September 2009, 11:33
It might be your opinion that Thailand is safer than the Philippines, but I think you'll have difficulty backing that up with any real facts. When looking at any crime figures you may need to bear in mind that the Philippines has a much larger population than Thailand (about 50% larger).

He never said its safer Darren,he said its "Easier" and I will have to agree with him on that,Thailand has its act together for Tourists and Western retirees,its just "Easier" in most things,but its different strokes for different folks,we all have differing preferences.

darren-b
30th September 2009, 12:19
He never said its safer Darren,he said its "Easier" and I will have to agree with him on that,Thailand has its act together for Tourists and Western retirees,its just "Easier" in most things,but its different strokes for different folks,we all have differing preferences.

He did say "Highest concern about the Philippines is the issue of personal security and safety. ". My point was if that his highest concern about the Philippines he ought to have the same concern about Thailand as it is no safer.

johncar54
30th September 2009, 12:23
It might be your opinion that Thailand is safer than the Philippines, but I think you'll have difficulty backing that up with any real facts. When looking at any crime figures you may need to bear in mind that the Philippines has a much larger population than Thailand (about 50% larger).

The larger population would only be relevant if one could be sure that the reported crime figures are correctly given and also are NOT stated as a percentage of the population. .

Many countries 'doctor' the figures to give an impression which reflects better on the government.

When I was a police officer in UK I was aware that the Home Office figures were distorted. They still are.

In Spain I know too that the figures are not correct. The official ones show less crime reported and 'word of mouth' by mainly British living here claim it is much higher than it is.

I have worked as a volunteer translator in Spain for 15 years thus know that very few crimes reported.

I know that in all countries many crimes go unreported, however, bearing in mind that most tourists have holiday insurance, which requires them to make a police report in order to be able to claim, one would expect almost all such victims to report, thus the reported crime figure by them are more than likely to be correct: Giving the lie to those who talk of 'The Costa Del Crime' who are talking absolute nonsense!

darren-b
30th September 2009, 12:31
The larger population would only be relevant if one could be sure that the reported crime figures are correctly given and that are stated as a percentage of the population. .


Think you are saying that wrong - the larger population would only be relevant if the figures are stated as an absolute figure (eg number of murders in total). Obviously makes no difference if it is stated as a percentage of the population. Which is why I said "you may need to bear in mind...."

johncar54
30th September 2009, 12:35
He did say "Highest concern about the Philippines is the issue of personal security and safety. ". My point was if that his highest concern about the Philippines he ought to have the same concern about Thailand as it is no safer.

Sorry I missed the missing word when I checked my post. I have corrected in now, to read:-

"The larger population would only be relevant if one could be sure that the reported crime figures are correctly given and also, they are NOT stated as a percentage of the population."

adam&chryss
30th September 2009, 18:28
For me its England and its an easy choice too. I know one day i`ll live in Phil but i`m not ready yet.
And taking recent events into account the weather here isn`t too bad and even though it isn`t warm like Phil the upside is that also it won`t kill you unlike typhoons.

aposhark
30th September 2009, 23:56
As an Englishman, I think I should retire in spain somewhere and grow old and grumpy complaining about "that foreign muck they call food":icon_lol:

I lived in Spain for quite a while.

Spanish food is excellent.

It's the English "restaurants" that sell awful food :Blacklistthatsucks:

johncar54
1st October 2009, 05:46
I lived in Spain for quite a while.

Spanish food is excellent.

It's the English "restaurants" that sell awful food :Blacklistthatsucks:

Having lived in Spain just over 20 years, I thought Grumpy's remark was a joke. (that is was meant as a joke).

Some restaurants are better than others, but a good class one is a good restaurant. A bar run by a person with no experience of running such a business is usually a disaster.

We have an English bar nearby where my wife and her friends have eaten a few days. It's English owned and run. She likes the food and lunch, with a soft drink is 4 euros (£3.60). A half of beer or a good 'machine coffee' is 80 cents about 71 pence. And those prices in sterling are only that high because of the lack of confidence the world has in the UK economy, Thanks Gordon!

bornatbirth
1st October 2009, 23:24
As an Englishman, I think I should retire in spain somewhere and grow old and grumpy complaining about "that foreign muck they call food":icon_lol:

i was under the impression when someone from the uk moves to spain that they like everything to be english including there food?

that is one country i will never move too,to many english there.

i cant understand why anyone would move to spain to live in a neighbourhood full of english people? :Erm:

triple5
1st October 2009, 23:37
i cant understand why anyone would move to spain to live in a neighbourhood full of english people?

It's gotta be the weather.

bornatbirth
1st October 2009, 23:56
It's gotta be the weather.

the weather maybe better but the company isnt :D

scott&ligaya
2nd October 2009, 06:22
We currently have a place in Palawan and love it there, Small European expat community in Puerto Princessa, (no noisy brash Americans) and still very underdeveloped. Provided Governor Reyes and Mayor Hagedorn keep saying no to the hordes of Japanese, South Korean and even Chinese investors who want to build all manner of things from Casinos to golf complexes (with properties) then we may retire there. Alternatively we have an investment property in Kota Kinabalu and have looked at Koh Samui as well

johncar54
2nd October 2009, 07:45
Spain.

Where one chooses to live is a personal decision and obviously affected by one's personal circumstances, financial ability, family, likes and dislikes.

Having spent 5 months in USA, two 4 month visits to Penang, and 4 months in The Philippines, I think I am able to judge whether I would like to live in one of them.

Relying on the UK press, or a spending a couple of weeks holiday in any country, cannot give one enough experience to make a sound judgement.

Having owned a property in Spain for more than 6 years and having spent a number of month-long holidays in Spain before I decided to move here, I felt it was a reasonable decision to ‘give it a try.’

As the years have passed, I am more and more certain I made the right choice for me. I mix with a wide variety of people of varying nationalities, although my general lifestyle and diet are more British than Spanish. I speak reasonably good Spanish and, as a personal choice, I seldom use non-Spanish owned establishments.

The ‘stereotype' British ex-pat living on the Costas, unfortunately often based on (so called typical) Brits who live in UK and come here for holidays, as depicted in the UK media, is a long way from reality, rather like the overseas media impressions of the UK, which shows it is a crime ridden society (example, the lady who killed her daughter and then committed suicide or the 14 year old who died following an injection re cancer prevention) which are exaggerated and written to appeal to their readership.

As former career detective in UK, and for 15 years having been a volunteer translator here, assisting non-Spanish speakers, who need assistance from the police, I am aware first hand that the level of crime and the seriousness of offences here are very far below that of UK.

We live in Fuengirola (approximately 100,000 inhabitants, 20% come from other countries, mainly European from England, Ireland, Scotland, Finland and Sweden). My wife can walk around on her own, even quite late in the evening, without feeling fearful. I don't think she would feel the same in many other countries.

John

PS. Please don't all rush come and to live here: It would make it as overcrowded as UK and may encourage locals to resent foreigners which at present they do not.

bornatbirth
2nd October 2009, 11:21
you sold it to us john :D