I am a filipina and currently living in uk...at first ,im dreaming of becoming a citizen here, and live my life to the fullest..everything is here ,fast internet, free healthcare, and i can earn...but after 4 years of trying to adapt myself here, i realized that this is not my world.i miss the traffic,the hustle and bustle of our small town,we may not have free healthcare but the service is the best..i can manage with slow internet.and especially,i miss my family...the point is, not only expats in the Philippines experience this, but to all the people who left their country and hope for the best in their life living abroad ...i am leaving uk this year, and going back home to the Philippines.and stay there for good...
I think any person in order to enjoy staying in any place must be willing to adapt himself or herself to the environment and to adjust to a different clture .
I just traveled back to Wisconsin with my wife and kids (4 of us). My first trip outside the Philippines for 14 years. I was shocked at how expensive everything was - from airfare, car rental, hotels, restaurants, clothing, etc. Think in the range of $18,000 for 16 days. Malls are a shell of what they were. Many restaurants are closed. Most businesses are understaffed. Lots of people have a more edgy attitude. I'm so happy to be back home on Siquijor. Nothing is perfect here, especially when the government gets involved, but life is just more pleasant, overall.
@@RobertSmith-xl2lc I'd rather live in Canada that the US. The US is too cut throat. Canada is kind of like a snowy version of Australia (where I live)
Dear Foreign Folks Who’ve Never Ever Visited The Philippines: You cannot retire to a country that you’ve never visited! Ever! Never do that! I don’t care how many vlogs and TH-cam videos you’ve watched, or how many blogs you’ve read. You have no idea what the country is like, and whether it’s for you, until you’ve visited God Bless Mark. But he’s broadcasting from the Dumaguete area. Judging the entire Philippines by that one small place is like judging the entire USA by Tucson, Arizona. I’ve been traveling throughout the Philippines for many years now, and I thoroughly love the country and its people. I’ve chosen to make my home base in the Bonifacio Global City (BGC) area of Metro Manila, and to visit the provinces for days or a couple of weeks at a time. I prefer the upscale, Western amenities that BGC offers. I watch all of Mark’s vlogs (Paul’s and Gio’s, too). Their comments in no way describe life in BGC and Metro Manila. You need to come here and experience the Philippines for yourself. Only then can you make the decision whether settling here is for you.
I love your comment.James.Oberman, you said it right..BGC my area but i am living abroad and having a farm with Resort 290km from BGC is perfect as i'm able to be in two places in 2 hours.. You should visit further North like Bagiuo too, I am sure youre likes in Upscale city will be devided. My advice, do not settle until you visit the whole philippines..
Been in the Philippines for 13 years now, and while it is far from perfect it is ok for me. We all have different views, we all have different tolerances to certain things, I live in Dumaguete and I like that it is a small city, I have lots of friends here, I am well known around the city, I have my favourite market stalls where I shop and get along well with most everyone here. I am married to a gorgeous Filipina, we have been together for just over 8 years and the age gap means nothing. We all want different things out of life, just don't expect too much when you are in Asia... For me, the Filipino people are among the warmest and happiest people you could ever wish to meet, despite all the poverty that exists here...
What I do not understand is people complaining about adding stuff up at a grocery store, I mean that was how it used to be as recently as the 1990s in loads of countries. Also with the cashless society being forced upon us - including The Social Credit System and total tracking - I would see non computerised shops as something to admire - not the other way around.
@@LAROSYJumpyLizard143 to be honest everywhere is more fun that North America like literally hundreds of countries on that list. But yea Philippines is nice
My situation was the opposite. When I met my future wife in the Philippines, she wanted to relocate to the states. She was tired of the poor infrastructure and bureaucracy over there. We would only go there to visit family. All in all, she loved the states and the better life and opportunities that were available. Because of the problem of property ownership in the Philippines, we decided not to buy and build there. We thought of retiring there, but a Filipino couple who lived here retired first back to the Philippines. Within 6 months they returned to the states. They were not satisfied with the healthcare system there. So, any potential expats reading this should explore the advantages of bringing your wife to the states, instead. We had 36 wonderful years of marriage until she passed away last year. I miss her dearly. We had a fabulous life here.
Thank you for sharing your insights and experience. What a wonderful life and love you two shared! My sincerest condolences to you on your tremendous loss. ❤️
In the USA I went to a Filipino church and got to know many people very well. I don't recall even one ever saying they wanted to go back. "It's more fun to VISIT in the Philippines"
The Philippines is a country of form over function. The correct form is to show respect (even if you don't mean it). It's also a country of adapting to your environment rather than adapting the environment to you.
Saying po is in our culture. A foreigner is not required to say that. But a foreigner should adopt to the environment of the country he is retiring/going in, not the other way around. A foreigner who expects everyone to adopt to him still has that colonizer mentality. We had enough of that.
There’s never ending of complaints from foreigner retiring in Philippines they want the country to adjust to their lifestyle i think these people are insane if you don’t like the Philippines stop complaining just leave and don’t come back.
@ Yellow Camera I read one article that says, Trump has divided America so bad that the country maybe leading to another civil war. Shooting here, shooting there, shooting everywhere. They allowed fireams so liberally that it is now a problem. No country in the world is perfect. Not every place in the US is nice. You can also see slum areas, very dangerous areas. I hate people describing another people as horrible, when they are themselves like that. Just saying that, makes you one. Be nice and you will hear nice. Be rude and you will hear rude. Nobody is perfect. Are you?
@ Yellow Camera Sorry I don't converse/argue with people like you. I have lived my whole over 72 years life in the Philippines and obviously still living. I just don't go down to people with mindset like you.
I've been traveling to the Philippines every year for vacation since 2005 (except for 2020 & 2021 due to Covid). I've been all over the country, from Ilocos Norte in the north to Davao in the south, and many places in between. While I recognize lots of difficulties with life in the Philippines, I cannot imagine not loving it there. I realize that there is a huge difference between vacation time and real life retired living in the Philippines. That's one of the main reasons why I follow a multitude of different TH-cam vloggers who do videos about life in the Philippines. Thank you Mark for sharing some of the real struggles expats have with retirement in the Philippines 🇵🇭!!!
@@herbigp Tablas Island (Romblon province) was actually my itinerary for 2020 but got canceled due to the pandemic. I had to cancel reservations I made with Footprints Beach Resort ⛱, thankfully they gave a full refund. TH-cam vlogger LOST LEBLANC din several videos on Tablas Island, Romblon Island, Sibuyan Island, and Cresta de Gallo Island. Check out his play list and watch those videos for more information.
Being an Expat, no matter how happy we are in a host country, it's understandable that one day, we want to go home.after all, there:s no better place than our home Country..
I've been here for over 9yrs now and will never leave. You just have to adapt as in all places you go. You take the good with the bad. I have the sweetest loving woman and we are comfortable. On covid, I agree it is dumb here.
I ve been super blessed w/ my wonderful Filipina wife ! Knew her a year and a half before we married here in the states. Her family is middle class and well educated. She is a super go- getter ,& very driven to succeed at whatever she tries . 20 yrs in the relationship… the best thing that ever happenned to me !
After living in Texas for four years we came back to the Philippines for one year. At the end of the year we decided to stay. I have no problem with people that come and try it out and go back, but this was a slam-dunk for me. The medical costs is what weighed the scale for me. We had been paying $417 a month for our premium in Texas. Here we have no insurance, no PhilHealth, just cash. A trip to the ER with my son cost a total of 6100 pesos, about $125. I had enough cash on me. Amazing. You have no idea how that feels. I can walk into any hospital and pay for the care without a problem. It feels incredible, no in-network, no pre-approval hahaha. Amazing feeling. That did it for me.
My experience as well. One caution for those who haven't been to hospital in the PI. They are pay to play. It's back and forth to the payment window prior to each and every procedure, test, consultation, etc, and often the payment windows are understaffed, so you're waiting 30 to 60 minutes to pay. I've never had a medical emergency where I'm so out of it that I couldn't do so - knock wood - but until the bills are paid you're in standby mode.
I'm a Fili living in the UK for 27 years have my family here. I'd been preparing returning to the Philippines since 2004, bought lands I could call my own or what I see as products of my own labour. I never regret it as I always wanted to return home and live by the land or whatever i can do as source of income when I come back, if done earlier than my retirement age. Philippines is home, and where the heart is. The Uk is under big recession, energy bills are skyrocketing, costing a chunk from the income. I don't like winters anyway, I don't like the cold, so it's not in my plate to remain in the UK. I love the tropical warmth, no winters, no grey skies for months. In case of ww3, there might be high chances of survival in the Philippines than living in the UK, Europe or US.
I also met my wife online (because she happened to be in Macau while I was in the Philippines). But I flew over to see her within weeks of our chatting. Getting too invested in a purely "online" relationship is always foolish.
The problems you mentioned are what I have missed living in the Philippines. I had more fun when I was needy. I miss this Godloving country, Philippines.
I am a fellow Kentuckian. I am engaged to a Filipina and visited this past June. Your summation was spot on. People should manage their expectations and decide what is really important to them.
@@Adventure5619 I am sorry you are so jaded. I work in healthcare and have several filipina working in our hospital. They all are loyal to their husbands and have good marriages. I would take a closer look at your friends and how they treat others.
@@PsychiatricParfums you find out when you bring her here my only hopes is she isn’t the first born and is over 35 then you have a chance. I belong to a huge Filipina community and I see it all the time never marry a village girl under 35. If your sending her 500 a month live on. Now plan on you have to still be sending that 500 a month to her family once she is here. I am not jaded I just seen what the younger generation of Filipinas do. Also if you have any female friends kiss them good bye now
I came to the Philippines in 2012, the first thing you talked about with black outs and bad road conditions exist all over the Philippines, especially the province, but you can live in places like where I live that doesn’t have brown outs at all, I mean I can’t remember when the electricity was off, and the roads are good and everything is the same as back home, I am from Australia. The part where you talk about guys giving money , OMG! I tell people all the time to not send money no matter what, but they get caught up with a pretty young thing that tells them she loves them and they fall for it. I found two girls I loved dearly and had long relationships with, there are plenty of good women here, if a girl asks you for money and she has never met you then that’s the only reason she is interested in you, as soon as you stop sending money , watch how quickly she leaves you. And the part about guys old and sick, don’t discourage those of us who have poor health , The Philippines saved my life literally, I came here after dying and in hospital in Australia with every doctor saying if I fly I will die, I came anyway with an oxygen concentrator to help my breathing, I had to beg my GP to sign off on me coming. I arrived in Manila by myself and with just a suitcase and some money, to cut a long story short, I went on a health trip, I lost 48kilos , in the first year and prior to this I couldn’t walk 10 feet without the need for oxygen, I had heart failure and I was in 18 tablets a day, not only did I get rid of the medication but my heart became good again my diabetes was gone , I was fit I could do anything, this I owe to the Philippines, no stress, and living a good life. I could show you before and after but there is no where to put that here, and I could explain more about my turn around but this would end up an epic, so coming here suck might just save someone’s life
@@ddbrown123 I virtually was on a vegan diet, I had a mango or two for breakfast every morning , I only drank water , I only ate fruit and veg and those instant noodles, because I was new to the Philippines I did a lot of travelling and site seeing, so I got a lot of exercise, my stress levels were always good, because the people are so nice to me, never any dramas and I think that was a big reason to, stress is the biggest killer, those well being clinics operate in the same principles
What truly saved you was your commitment to a change in lifestyle. Without good health, nothing else matters. Breaking away from your familiar surroundings helped encourage that commitment to change. You alone made the difference and should be proud of your accomplishments. Doesn’t matter if you flew off to Portugal or the P.I., it was you that made the difference. Well done and best wishes always.
Yeah. Just came back from MN after being in the Phil during the entire pandemic. Everything is expensive in the USA, and understaffed as you said, but it was nice to be around people who didn't just want to use me for money, who had everything they need, and to be around nature and trees, and to be able to walk around without having people stare at you, bother you, or have stray dogs chase after you. It was nice to be treated like a "normal" person again for awhile.
The Philippines to me, is exciting and the people are friendly and patient and create an atmosphere of calmness and stress free, back in Australia it is the best country in the world, free medical and free education and people are doing so well they give stuff away, but I am so bored , here there is not a day that goes by that I don’t feel at peace and happy. People have to look at coming to a developing country to accept what is good , if all things were efficient like in our countries it would just be another America or Australia or a European country, the reason the people are like they are is because of the inefficiency
I love Australia as does my wife. She will never return to the Philippines and nor would I. The heat, humidity, noise, chaos etc. It's awful. I'd rather have boring - which it's not anyway.
The Philippines is way overdue for cultural evolution. Malaysia and Thailand are perfect examples of South Eastern countries that evolved past the state of inefficiency. Do a youtube travel search to Penang or Kuala Lumpur pls. What's the Philippine excuse?
Marks, I am a filipina & I exactly agree with you on this. Thanks for being honest with your observation. Afterall, it is never perfect in every places where we lived. I lived here in Canada, here in British Columbia for 44 yrs.,& we have free medical care, but it is never perfect. We sometimes wait at the Emergency unit for heck 3 to 4 hrs., or +. We pay a lot of taxes here, tremendous amount of taxes, so we have si many homelessness here now. At least in the Phils., we can still live in simple life, you just have to adapt to it. The only thing what I don't like about our country is, most of us have good education or degree, but we don't get paid well enough for the education that we have. Filipinos are still fun loving people & still cheap to live. Thanks Mark.
you don’t get paid well because skills are lacking on an international level. what you consider a good education is below average in other areas hence the low pay. no disrespect.
@@drew9496 Not really, Philippines education is not far behind from other countries. Our nursing curriculum is the same as in the States. I am talking for my own experience. I don’t have to go back to school but just to take the NCLEX. I took my Nursing in the Philippines and have my first nursing job in California.
@@drew9496 Thats a ridiculous Comment. I work with many Philippine nurses, doctors, and physiotherapists in Vancouver and their education is excellent. It’s because they are paid so poorly at home that they come to places like Vancouver in the first place. Sadly for the Philippines their loss (brain drain) is Canada’s gain…..
You’re spot on regarding these issues 👍 however an adventure hard for anybody to believe that hasn’t been in this country 😀 (Married 27years 👍😀) we are now operating a resort in Siquijor and time flies no day is the same , things still seem to amaze me 😂
I'm 67, and though I grew up in a non-tech era compared to the present day. I can understand younger people that didn't know the days of rotary phones and black & white TVs with 4 channels and rabbit ear antennas. It's easier for a guy like me to adapt here, especially because I am a wilderness camper and love rusticity. These younger folks are so pampered by US culture, it's comical just to watch them in the US, it's uproarious here! It's like they were dropped on an alien planet. The problem with women ignores the reality of the biatches they left back in the US. They're more greedy than those here. At least they take care of their families with the money they con their foreign paramours out of. The ones in the US buy only for themselves.
i did 10 years in the Philippines. The whole "Dont Care, Dont Know" attitude gradually beat me down mentally. Not to mention the lack of logic for just about every aspect of life. I moved to Latin America, i have no regrets on the move.
That stuff drives me nuts too , but I’m sure stuff in western culture can be just as bad , like super rude entitled Costco and Walmart shoppers . At different ends of the spectrum you get lessons from the rich and poor alike how to act your worst when you enter a retail store and get away with it . Cause woke corporations don’t want to lose a penny because of a bad actor .
@@Anonymint-vj7bt you realize Mexico isn’t the safest place in the world and hasn’t been for the last 25+ years right ? Even at resorts people are turning up dead . Anyone can argue that the whole world isn’t safe and they’d be right also
I respect Filipinos who chose to migrate to US and other countries but personally I am very proud to have stayed permanently in my beloved home country after working/ living for so long as an expatriate in the Middle East. I have travelled the world and had a choice to migrate to other countries like the USA and UK but I am more than glad to have settled permanently in the Philippines that I considered 'HOME'' in the real sense of the word. MABUHAY!
I have signed up on Christian Filipina, but I will not start any kind of a relationship online. I just read the profiles and if I like her story I add her to my buddy list. When I arrive to the Philippines, then I'll try to reach out if necessary. Thanks, Mark for your solid advice.
20 yrs I came here every year, met many girls, finally found a girl to trust, IT TOOK 20 YEARS to find someone to trust , been together for 3yrs now, so far so good
The Philippines is not for everyone. If people come here there is a reason why, they are unhappy where they are, and left that country. They can always get the plane back home to where they were unhappy. A lot of men are here because of the attraction to a younger woman, something that they will never have in their country. There are also a lot of men here because of financial reasons, trying to live in their home country on Social Security can be very difficult and are attracted to the lesser financial aspects. Any major change in life is traumatic, some people cannot deal with this. Another problem I see here, as you touched on, is the health of some of the men that come here, like you, I don’t get that being in bad health and expecting to get better here, is a viable proposition. As I said, it’s not for everyone.
Agreed the more unhappy guys we’re in the U.S., the more they seem to tolerate in the ph. Although there are plenty of more world wise guys who genuinely enjoy the differences. Excessively rosy YT channels (monetizing our dreams) contribute to rose colored glasses too. This video in particular is way more real world than most.
Traveled to the Philippines a few times and instead of spending $2k on resorts every time, I invested in my Filipina wife's townhouse with hot water, air con, insulation, screens, filtered water, and enjoying the home improvement tasks while she attends school. Married her online and she is worth every minute. Her job is to keep me alive and happy 😘
@@vince7003 No mistakes yet. Opening Three types of businesses in her province and already completed her Visa for USA. All is well so far but it does not matter since there are Tens of thousands in the queue. It's the journey and adventure mate.
@@mrcoldshower2823 Perfectly legal and better to Marry in the US. There is no such thing as divorce in the Philippines. USCIS accepts the Apostilled Marriage Certificate since it is a State and County of Utah. The online ceremony allowed our families to witness the ceremony. Very cool and nice video.
@@aangelbf2 i have been to the PI (early 80s in the military) no legal divorce still? you can get divorced here though, one of my gfs told me that. Personally, i think this a scam u can marry some one you have not met yet, but thats me.
It's been that way for over 30 + because I got married in Philippines 30 yrs ago,I'm divorced now 20 yrs ago in USA so yeah takes long time for change here but I love the laid back Philippines that's why I'm here cebu city living where I married my ex wife and mother of my two grown kids ✌️
Im a filipina and for the RELATIONSHIP part.. it depends what is the background of the girl , what does she do and her family for a living. It is natural for us filipinos to help and feel responsible for each of the family member especially the parents. If you ask a child here what does he/she wants to be when he/she grows up, the answer would be, i want to be like this , so i can help may family.And we would love to do that, and if we fail to do so we feel guilty and feel like a horrible person. Now if you Marry somebody who dont even work, sadly you most likely you are going to be an ATM. Now, mostly of independent working filipinas they wanna get out of the Philippines and wanna work abroad especially the Europe and the Americas .because, thats the definition or standard success here. Now if you area foreigner and wanna live here, for good.....most likely you will find a filipina that will just be dependent on you and your earnings. Im not generalizing though... Just saying
This is why I made a comment since most of the placesi know now is jumpacked and spoken to some who came back to cebu and there was no issues about vx cards
Where I live in Puerto Princesa rentals are just being rented. In my complex which was popular with expats before pandemic is now empty. I am the only one. And very few inquiriesas well.
This is also why I went to the Philippines to meet my now fiancé to vet her, and she passed my requirements with flying colors, we will be getting married this October.
Yes, I’ve traveled in Bangladesh, India, Thailand, Philippines, Colombia and plenty of far more and less developed countries; -they weren’t perfectly safe, but I felt far safer than so many places in USA.
Thailand is hardly under developed. It's a bit more expensive [in some places] than the P.I. but it has many plusses. Everywhere is different. Comparisons are just that. It is the person that makes life difficult or easy. Location is just location. Some are safer than others. and some aren't.
@@keithrogers9741 seems a lot of older single guys go to Philippines for women and companionship. Color me wrong,but I don't believe Malaysia offers the availability of women as does the Philippines
@@brianphuket5951 Thats probably true and more important if you just want to play around but most of the older guys want a single relationship with some of the amenities that the PH lack appreciably .So get a Filipina and enjoy a Malaysian lifestyle. The Sarawak visa program is better than the PH anyway
I lasted 18 months in a medium to small town at the base of Mayon volcano in the Bicol region. The constant burning of trash, weekly power and sometimes water outages, hit or miss seeing a doctor at the local hospital, horrible restaurants, and unimpressive fresh food at the local markets, 2k a month for blazing fast internet of about .75 MBPS all wore me down. The endless red tape that all jobseekers or just trying to do some simple registration procedure was always an ordeal. I have traveled fairly extensively and now live a comfortable stress-free life in Thailand. I have never been to a more dysfunctional country than PI. I still love Filipinas most but not enough to live there again.
I m in PI for tourism. Food options are varied so ok. Inc American fast food if all else fails. Hypermarket had excellent fresh fish section better than what's available in my home of coastal Calif.
@@Dan-xx5jq It depends where you live. If you live in Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, Hua Hin or other places that have many tourists and expats it is not horrible. Plus, for shopping and such google translator is free on your phone and works well. For all the positives in Thailand when compared to Pi, it is more than doable. Everything is better in Thailand and contrary to what many say, cheaper, especially rent and electricity. Fresh and high quality food everywhere. Just no comparison.
@@timg5463 YES! I lived in Nong Khai for 14 years and Vientiane, Laos for 3 years, now I am in Laoag, Philippines sense May 2nd. The only thing better here in the Philippines is the Language Thailand is much cheaper with much better accommodations, utilities, and infrastructure.
@@Dan-xx5jq My understanding is the annual burning of the rice fields between January and March makes the air quality unsafe to breathe in Chiang Mai. Research if it may be a health issue for you. I believe this lasts for 2.5 to 3 months. I chose Pattaya simply because everything you may need from the west is here, food in markets and restaurants. There is a huge oversupply of condos here and you can rent a good, well-maintained place with great amenities from 150.00- to whatever you wish to pay for luxurious places. I think the best housing values may be in Pattaya.
It’s great to hear it how it is.thanks for your some great honest reality checks,lm heading your way very soon. Good luck and watch that ticker mate.cheers
Expat 🇺🇲 62 lives in Colombia 🇨🇴 everything works ..good Amenities close to the US ..$1400 a month live very well..very Tropical country great food ..lousy traffic..
Best info Ive seen on how business is done outside of the big cities. Carbon paper? No computers? Writing your credit card number down on random bits of paper? This explains so much! Thank you.
Glad I found your channel! You seem real down to earth and easy to listen to. I am married to filipina and I love the Philippines. I still live in Texas and waiting to bring my wife here.
Yes, it can be frustrating for many to live in Ph, I lived there for 6 years and know the routine, it's true Ph is not for everybody, I made a lot of friends among Filipinos and planning to visit next week, but to live there permanently, not anymore but fully understand those who choose to stay as well as those who choose to leave.
I have been married to a Filipina for 30 years. Back in the early 1990s when I would visit the Philippines I was amazed that they used carbon paper to copy legal documents and receipts, etc. It's amazing 30 years later the Philippines is still using carbon paper.
The reality is that the Philippines is not a developing country, it is a banana republic and will continue to be so for obvious reasons. Carbon paper was being used when I was there in the 70s, 50 years later they’re still using it. If people wishing to move would just use common sense and listen to sound advice they will stay out of trouble.
Yes to much of my surprise. When I moved in to a DMCI condo in Taguig in 2019 I had to fill up the properties I brought in in 3 copies. I had to ask for 2 pieces of carbon copy sheet from the PMO (Property Management Office). This is only one of the occasions I encountered. It's a shame. In Singapore and Indonesia where I lived 27 years, we didn't use carbon copy since the late 80' and then there is a bound carbon in white (original), yellow, pale blue, pink, green - 4 copies + original. It's used until now.
I've lived in Baguio since January 2020 and (being from Seattle) I can't imagine a more hospitable climate in this country, minus the rain. The thing about the Philippines is that it's an ACQUIRED taste. It's worked out fine for me but I would recommend that any expat spend at least 4-6 months here to determine whether The Phils are the place for you. Culture shock is going to get to you for the first months or two (at least) but as with any place you move to, it takes time to determine whether it's a good fit. You may know after 4 months, SHOULD know after 6 months and WILL know after a year. Until then, commit to NOTHING.
Same as me when i first came to Japan. However, my dad is from Mexico so we used to stay there almost all summer and spend time with family before. As for culture shock i was when i came to Japan the 1st time in April '96. Lucky i read about alot of it and what to expect even though i knew it was an expensive country. Hahaha 26yrs in Japan and still love it. Its what you make the best of it.
I travel from my home here on Cebu to Dumaguete and back on a regular basis..... Never been asked to see a vax card, and on Cebu, only a few air-conditioned places require a mask......
I am not sure if most people have noticed that services are available mostly in the area where rich people reside. If you have a medical condition that needs maintenance, just call a well known pharmacy and ask which branch that medicine is available, mostly Makati or BGC area. That means to say that if you want availability of services, you need to choose a more expensive place to live.
The people who were afraid of people that don't look like them there, are most likely the same back home. It's amazing how in what is really a large portion of the US, there are still people who rarely interact with people from a different race.
@@davidmarkmann6098 Just my experience. Yours may be different. Just as people use the excuse that "They can't be Racist" because they have a Black/Brown friend. That's far from the truth.
If infrastructure and healthcare are concerns, from what I've seen, Makati is more progressive (few power outages, better infrastructure and higher quality hospitals/healthcare), but, it's also more expensive. That being said, it's still cheaper than the West and beautiful Filipinas abound. One could retire in Makati (City) and take trips to more scenic areas of the Phils. to unwind.
Agree, America is scary to visit nowadays. Criminals are freed in the streets.. just recently a man just sucker punched a guy and he’s in critical condition and in California today on the news a flashmob robbed seven eleven.. so sad.. Can’t wait to come home to Bohol next month with my Canadian husband who loves Philippines so much.
Hey Mark, I'm Paul Caldwell. I lived in Dumaguette for about 15 years. And agree with your opinion. I had to come back to get my adopted at birth Filipino son a better education n medical. I may return this year for a visit. I used to hangout at McDonald's at the Park.
We have shopped at numerous grocery stores and use the card without any issues you describe. No carbon sheets and no manually written credit card #s. About the same procedure as in the US.
It's an interesting trend that I have noticed as well. I think the noise, the moronic infrastructure and constant barking dogs takes a toll. I've been in the PH for 6 months now and have to say I'm considering something different within the year.
Yes there is something wrong with marrying someone you don’t really know, never met in person, hell, even physically being with someone for a short while is not enough time to know them not to mention marrying them.
That's Hollywood thinking. How long do you think our grandparents courted? A short time. How long did their marriages last for? A lifetime. Today, we date/court for 3, 4, 5 or more years, and are divorced 50% of the times within 10 years. Which is better?
@@superbchannel3167 you’re putting the horse before the cart. In my grandparents time, women basically were not financially independent from men, couldn’t find decent work, often marriages were arranged, abuses was rampant without women having legal recourses, families were generally large with many siblings so women without a man suffered extreme consequences, the man ran families with dictatorship authority, so you’re right, marriages actually did last longer.but was it better? For who? Women independence from men began as they were needed to work, as men went off to world wars which of course men started. Underpaid of course by men who ran companies, but women could finance rent and food, and thus didn’t need men as they once had. Divorce, you’re right it is a reality of these times. I’m sure if you married a woman that made you unhappy, you’d be glad to divorce her. She now has that same right and because she can work, she can exercise that right.
Your observations are very head-on, Mark! Eventhough I never actually lived in the Philippines, I stayed there often enough to recognize many of the points your making.
Thanks for that video. I have been solo traveling the world for about 6 months now and am loving it. I am adaptable to new environments, lack of infrastructure etc. However, I. have to draw the line at vaccines. It is a moral and pragmatic red line in the sand. I am very grateful for you for informing me of that because going to the Philippines has long been in my travel plans. Since it does not sound like that will change any time soon, I am afraid I will have to give it a miss, at least until the government comes to its senses. Had I not watched your video, I could have stumbled headlong into a personal disaster. For the moment, I will be content to continue to explore central and eastern Europe.
Living unvaxxed in the Philippines is a challenge. The new government has voted to continue the extreme COVID-19 protocols until the end of 2022 and is likely to go beyond. The authorities appear to be ignorant of the science and the fact that most countries have returned to normal. Even Australia and New Zealand, the worlds most radical and notorious C-19 states, have dropped all mandates. Now the Philippines has taken their place in infamy.
I'm one of the guys that splits my time between the West and Asia. It's great for me, I'm currently in Thailand. Think of it like working on a cruise ship 6 months a year and living in Thailand where it's cheap when off. I passed on the Philippines this time because the 2 day online pass leaves too much room for problems and the PI website was so unclear I thought pre flight testing was required. Easier to just go to Thailand.
I visited the Philippines possibly a dozen times when I was aboard the USS Bon Homme Richard CVA31 between January 1964 through January 1966. It was always Subic Bay and we went on liberty in Olongapo, Zambales. The only section we’re allowed to visit was one street about a mile long with nothing but bars, night clubs and hotels with a few restaurants in between. The street food delicacy was “monkey meat on a stick.” I was 19 the first time we pulled into Subic and as a snot nosed kid from a small town in western Pennsylvania, I had never seen anything even close to this before. I never forgot my experiences in Olongapo. After going thru a divorce in 2010 I got on a plane and came back to the Philippines where I met my new bride. I stayed there for 18 months in Lapu Lapu, Cebu. We came to America together and were married in Colorado in 2012. We currently reside in South Carolina and have a good life together. My wife has an excellent job and she supports several members of her family who live in a house we are buying for her to live in after I’m gone. I’m 40 years older than her and if you read all of this and did the math you’ll know I’m now 78. Visit my channel: th-cam.com/users/doowopbabyt
Went to Olongapo in the 80’s.Had a great time but it seems the dogs hated me.When I found out the meat on a stick which I used indulge in was often dog meat I could understand why.
A foreigner can buy property through a corporation. A good real estate attorney can form the corporation. Then you can do a long term annually renewable lease on the property. Never, even if married, buy property in a filipina's name. It is a large incentive for family members to end you.
Gotta have that mental flexibility and a bit of patience but that’s a small price to pay for all the stress that gets offloaded and the happiness that begins to accumulate at a pretty good pace..same Thailand 👍🏻🇵🇭🇹🇭
"Why you moving to the Philippines?" Because it's great, like going back in time to the 1960s. "Why you leaving the Philippines?" It sucks, everything is ass backwards. It's like going back to the 1960s
I agree 100%. Mental flexibility is a must when dealing with developing countries. Unfortunaley you either have it or you don't, its not something you learn. I think if your a nautraly curious person you will be more resiliant too the crazy stuff. Just my opinion though.
I get the same thing here in Japan when people complain. You have to be ready to adapt and be flexible. The trade offs are totally worth it. The stuff I complain about in Japan and you in Philipines are just nit picking...the stuff I complain about Canada and US are life threatening. I'd choose Philipines and or Japan vs North American 100 times out of 100. You need the right mind set. If you like getting bothered by people, getting the finger every 5 minutes, getting robbed or shot at...then by all means...America is the place for you ;) All I need to do is travel back to my birthcity to realize how lucky I am to be in Japan.
I was born and raised in America and somehow I have never been "bothered by people, been given the finger, robbed, or shot at" Crazy how America got to be the greatest country in the world with all the issues you have pointed out. DELUSIONAL. FYI Japan and Philippines are nothing alike. Completely different countries. Your lunch hour is OVER.
"If you like getting bothered by people, getting the finger every 5 minutes, getting robbed or shot at...then by all means...America is the place for you." I live in the States, and I don't get "the finger every 5 minutes." In fact, I cannot remember when I have ever gotten the finger, and I'm 73 now. And the only place I ever was shot at was in Vietnam. Never been robbed, either. Strange, isn't it?
I've been all around the Philippines and although I love the country and the people I would never live there permanently - 1) Political instability 2) Lack of infrastructure as you said 3) Questionable health care quality 4) Unfortunately I hate the food The pros of course are mostly cost and of course the visa is a breeze to stay long term compared to some other places. Portugal is the most popular for expats now because it's the 1st world, relatively low cost of living for what you get, low crime, some of the best rated healthcare in the world that is very affordable, beautiful topography (sea, mountains), access to the rest of Europe and a relatively easy visa process. Now, this may change as due to it's popularity Portugal is getting expensive quickly.
Whats wrong with the food. McDonalds tastes just the same as in USA stores. Even the pizza here is like USA pizza. lol. Seriously dude, Ive been here 10 years and rarely eat Philippines food. There's literally thousands of restos here with western style menu's and all the groceries sell the ingredients for home cooked western style food.
I’m here in the PI and hate it. Looking for a new place to escape. I find the Filipino people to be awful and racist as hell. My family immigrated to America from Portugal in the 1890’s and I never been there. Gonna take a look at Portugal to visit and maybe retire. The language could be an issue even though it was the first language I heard growing up.
I just saw your video about expats. Im originally from Texas and my home of record will always be there. I came here to Japan as a former US Navy in April '96 (Im still here). Culture shocks is every place you go even for visits. I love it here in Japan since Day 1 even though its expensive, i dont see myself leaving here anytime soon. Ice been to many places in SE Asia including Philippines when i was active duty and on vacation. Being expats in foreign countries is not easy no matter what country it is. Especially here in Japan i make over 2k dollars a month working part-time hours as an English Teacher. I also have a Japanese tea business of my own and trying to expand in many countries especially to Pinas. Negros is awesome my cousin is originally from Bacolod now working in Dubai. I also have another cousin from Zamboanga City and Cebu. So i have reasons to go to there.😊 for those who loves traveling like me. Im glad we all have internet and its easier now to look up some information on any given country. Check them out even if you're just going to visit. Stay safe and waiting for my trip to Pinas sometime next July hopefully. Its been since Super Typhoon Yolanda which was the last time i was there for foreign humanitarian aide. Hello from Saga, Japan. 😊✌️🗾
If you keep a open mind. The Philippines is a perfect place to go to. I love meeting new people. I enjoy seeing new things. But, I don’t believe you should just pack up and come to the Philippines. Without testing the waters first. Come for a couple of days. Then later stay for a month. Trust me for some it will only take a day for them to know it’s not the place for them. But for others with a open mind, this place will be amazing and beautiful for them
Its good to know your statement.. as i am a Filipina residing overseas and fortunately managed to visit other countries, its always my pleasure to envite friends to come to my Country
Hi Mark I just got back to NY from the Philippines I went to cebu then a day trip to Bohal then 3 weeks in Dumigety. The poverty was a shock but no problem getting on the boats without proof of vaccine. I had a awesome time the people where great.when i rented a scooter i didn't know if I could handle the traffic by the 2nd day i loved the traffic. I didn't get the chance to meet you, maybe next time.
@@everymanhasastory could be that each island has its own restrictions. I was not allowed on a fast craft to Ormac, leyte without a vaccine card, but was allowed to travel on the Ro-Ro to leyte without one. We also traveled to Samar without anyone asking for vaccine cards. First time in 2 years that I have been able to travel in the Philippines not being vaccinated.
Hey I'm also a Vet my family is also there. I 'm just trying get back home to them ;You're right with the video .Just this is my real family an each person should be reserved an have patience.I'm the same way as you are with the same med issues an this is why; I have to get back .Nam was a eye opener but some never listened.I did .Just now ;I’m in the EU on the way trying to get back to my loved ones there without a fantasy .Your right with the whole video. There is for us with the realistic views possible .
Everyone should do their own "Due Diligence" trips before deciding to relocate someplace new. Thats just common sense. Anyone who doesn't has let their emotions run wild. I love visiting the Philippines but would not be comfortable living there. Main reasons for me is Infrastructure & Medical facilities. Thats why I brought my Filipina to the US.
Another thing about the Philippines (and this is me a local talking) - NOT all the information you need about places (especially those outside the main population and tourist centers) is available online and you only will learn about certain things when you are actually on the ground there... Perhaps that is the consequence of shitty telecom and internet infrastructure as well... 🤷♂️
I left the middle east in 2017 my plan was to live in a tropical country so after visiting the philippines, thailand and vietnam I chose Thailand and have since enjoyed a quality lifestyle on Phuket island, my monthly budget is USD 500 although I do go over budget depending on dating, dinners out etc.. aside from the low cost, high standard of living crime is almost non-existent, no walls, no barbwire, no security guards (philippines is very similar to living in africa) roads are in great condition, the people are friendly, the women in particular, no typhoons.. But the main reason I chose Thailand over the philippines (to the dismay of my Filipina gf in Dubai) was the food... Other than crispy pata, lechon and a couple of other dishes I personally cannot eat Filipino food, the medical care is superior to the Philippines and most of SE Asia. I'm retired from employment and quality lifestyle is paramount which is what I find in Thailand. BTW.. I noticed Old Dog is coming to Phuket, would be interesting to hear his thoughts, I wouldn't be surprised if he leaves the Philippines for Thailand.
Funny how most of the foreigners complained about things in the Philippines when the truth is where they came from is just as bad. There's just so many poor people here in the states.
I lived in Cebu City for 3 years with a Filipina I met online back in early 2011. Loved it, but I won’t return for the very valid reasons you explained, which I can personally vouch for as 100% correct.
I have experienced all the issues you mentioned. Being retired I think the most important thing to do is find something to keep you occupied instead of sitting in a bar getting trashed. You can die of boredom there.. Thanks for the video..
I agree 100%! I've been here 21 years. Having something to do that is productive is hard to find. Soooooo many turn to drinking and wither away. I have been to enough memorial service due to this problem. Having nothing to do is not what it's cracked up to be.
I have been here for 3 months, but I am leaving Philippines because of the distance from home, the USA. The distance gets to me and always thinkinf about in case of an emergency back home I have to fly back home and how it takes to get home. I like the country but I cannot stay because of the distance. I am retired and was thinking about making Philippines my retirement home, but I just can't do it. Proximity, family ,and friends are too important to me. I wish it was closer to the USA.
I've been here 6 months. I have been borderline diabetic for many years. No more, the doctor I have in the Philippines is giving me the proper medication. Medication I could not afford in America. Here the medication costs about 50 cents a day. In America the same medication was $600 per month.
@@bayareatanders thats what I was taking, metformin. I had many side effects from it. I have now been taking Gliclazide 30 milligrams. Within 1 month I cut my numbers in half. Absolutely no side effects 😁
Odd... was on Bohol, Palawan Island and Tagatay... I thought the roads were pretty darn good. In fact, exceeded my expectations by a long shot. Hell, I am here in central BC Canada and the roads suck by comparison.
Medical care is cheaper in the Philippines, but the medical care is sub standard, I had a root canal done and the work was very poor, the root was not completely removed, he also cracked my wisdom tooth, so now I have to go back to the USA to have my tooth fixed, Thailand has way better medical care than the Philippines.
@@Dan-xx5jq This doctor works at medical city hospital in manila, he's an orthopedic doctor he says he was trained in Australia which I doubt, had to go home and the surgeons there took care of the infection, I will never trust a Filipino doctor again, I had a molar root canal done in Cebu, doctor didn't remove the whole root and he even cracked my molar, occasionally I get pains, I went to the local dentist who said I needed surgery to remove the molar because he cracked the tooth slight above the gum line which will require an experienced dentist, so I am going home in 4 months, I'm not coming back to the Philippines.
biggest problem I had with healthcare as a senior was portability, finding doctors in your network -- I have Aetna PPO plus Medicare and doctors still won't accept that as insurance
The Philippines has long way to go not unless this digital issues will finalize by the government…Manila so far has no problem when it comes to technology but in the province has still more to do because the Philippines is an archipelago (7100+) island which the government can’t cope up because it’s too expensive.
Hey, Skip from Michigan here, great video. I plan to return to the Philippines soon. Olongapo is my favorite place to be . Thanks for the videos. Keep in touch.
If guys are introverted or shy, dont girl/women come and talk to you there. I mean if its hard to start conversation with a nice lady but when she comes to talk to you then things get going on. Thats always been my problem, when I see a pretty girl, even if I know I could get her, Im too shy to go and start to talk to her.
I am a filipina and currently living in uk...at first ,im dreaming of becoming a citizen here, and live my life to the fullest..everything is here ,fast internet, free healthcare, and i can earn...but after 4 years of trying to adapt myself here, i realized that this is not my world.i miss the traffic,the hustle and bustle of our small town,we may not have free healthcare but the service is the best..i can manage with slow internet.and especially,i miss my family...the point is, not only expats in the Philippines experience this, but to all the people who left their country and hope for the best in their life living abroad ...i am leaving uk this year, and going back home to the Philippines.and stay there for good...
I think any person in order to enjoy staying in any place must be willing to adapt himself or herself to the environment and to adjust to a different clture .
@@renesioanno-que658 thats my point 😍😍....
Of course you saved enough to enjoy life.
NO PLACE LIKE HOME SWEET HOME.
I'm happy to live in Boracay island for the last 17 yrs.
Hi mya I hear what you saying. Seeing that you miss home.. but what’s the best place to live
I just traveled back to Wisconsin with my wife and kids (4 of us). My first trip outside the Philippines for 14 years. I was shocked at how expensive everything was - from airfare, car rental, hotels, restaurants, clothing, etc. Think in the range of $18,000 for 16 days. Malls are a shell of what they were. Many restaurants are closed. Most businesses are understaffed. Lots of people have a more edgy attitude. I'm so happy to be back home on Siquijor. Nothing is perfect here, especially when the government gets involved, but life is just more pleasant, overall.
I agree and for now I'm stuck here in USA. Each year it gets more insane.
I live in Dumaguete and love going over to Siquijor, lovely little island...
Wow. It could be worse, you could be living in Trudeau's dictatorship a bit further North.
@@RobertSmith-xl2lc I'd rather live in Canada that the US. The US is too cut throat. Canada is kind of like a snowy version of Australia (where I live)
Thanks for shadowbanning my comment, YT.
Dear Foreign Folks Who’ve Never Ever Visited The Philippines:
You cannot retire to a country that you’ve never visited! Ever! Never do that!
I don’t care how many vlogs and TH-cam videos you’ve watched, or how many blogs you’ve read. You have no idea what the country is like, and whether it’s for you, until you’ve visited
God Bless Mark. But he’s broadcasting from the Dumaguete area. Judging the entire Philippines by that one small place is like judging the entire USA by Tucson, Arizona.
I’ve been traveling throughout the Philippines for many years now, and I thoroughly love the country and its people. I’ve chosen to make my home base in the Bonifacio Global City (BGC) area of Metro Manila, and to visit the provinces for days or a couple of weeks at a time.
I prefer the upscale, Western amenities that BGC offers. I watch all of Mark’s vlogs (Paul’s and Gio’s, too). Their comments in no way describe life in BGC and Metro Manila.
You need to come here and experience the Philippines for yourself. Only then can you make the decision whether settling here is for you.
Thanks, very thoughtful and informative reply
@@ekim0513 thank you, I’m happy that someone found my comments helpful.
Will be trying the province and large city life to see what fits best.
I agree it's not the whole Philippines - it's been good so far no issues whatsoever whether vac or not
I love your comment.James.Oberman, you said it right..BGC my area but i am living abroad and having a farm with Resort 290km from BGC is perfect as i'm able to be in two places in 2 hours.. You should visit further North like Bagiuo too, I am sure youre likes in Upscale city will be devided.
My advice, do not settle until you visit the whole philippines..
Been in the Philippines for 13 years now, and while it is far from perfect it is ok for me. We all have different views, we all have different tolerances to certain things, I live in Dumaguete and I like that it is a small city, I have lots of friends here, I am well known around the city, I have my favourite market stalls where I shop and get along well with most everyone here. I am married to a gorgeous Filipina, we have been together for just over 8 years and the age gap means nothing. We all want different things out of life, just don't expect too much when you are in Asia... For me, the Filipino people are among the warmest and happiest people you could ever wish to meet, despite all the poverty that exists here...
Its.more fun in Philippines
Malcolm, im a new expat. Are you available for a chat? may i pm you via email or whatspp?
Thank you, because i am a Filipina living abroad i am happy to hear you are happy in my Country
What I do not understand is people complaining about adding stuff up at a grocery store, I mean that was how it used to be as recently as the 1990s in loads of countries.
Also with the cashless society being forced upon us - including The Social Credit System and total tracking - I would see non computerised shops as something to admire - not the other way around.
@@LAROSYJumpyLizard143 to be honest everywhere is more fun that North America like literally hundreds of countries on that list. But yea Philippines is nice
My situation was the opposite. When I met my future wife in the Philippines, she wanted to relocate to the states. She was tired of the poor infrastructure and bureaucracy over there. We would only go there to visit family. All in all, she loved the states and the better life and opportunities that were available. Because of the problem of property ownership in the Philippines, we decided not to buy and build there. We thought of retiring there, but a Filipino couple who lived here retired first back to the Philippines. Within 6 months they returned to the states. They were not satisfied with the healthcare system there. So, any potential expats reading this should explore the advantages of bringing your wife to the states, instead. We had 36 wonderful years of marriage until she passed away last year. I miss her dearly. We had a fabulous life here.
Lost of a love one is very hard. God bless you brother. Stay strong.
Thank you for sharing your insights and experience. What a wonderful life and love you two shared!
My sincerest condolences to you on your tremendous loss. ❤️
In the USA I went to a Filipino church and got to know many people very well. I don't recall even one ever saying they wanted to go back. "It's more fun to VISIT in the Philippines"
Thank you for sharing your story ❤️
If I married a Philippina I would have reservations about bringing her to get westernized. I am sure it will depend on the Philippina.
The Philippines is a country of form over function. The correct form is to show respect (even if you don't mean it). It's also a country of adapting to your environment rather than adapting the environment to you.
Well said Guy
Saying po is in our culture. A foreigner is not required to say that. But a foreigner should adopt to the environment of the country he is retiring/going in, not the other way around. A foreigner who expects everyone to adopt to him still has that colonizer mentality. We had enough of that.
There’s never ending of complaints from foreigner retiring in Philippines they want the country to adjust to their lifestyle i think these people are insane if you don’t like the Philippines stop complaining just leave and don’t come back.
@ Yellow Camera I read one article that says, Trump has divided America so bad that the country maybe leading to another civil war. Shooting here, shooting there, shooting everywhere. They allowed fireams so liberally that it is now a problem. No country in the world is perfect. Not every place in the US is nice. You can also see slum areas, very dangerous areas. I hate people describing another people as horrible, when they are themselves like that. Just saying that, makes you one. Be nice and you will hear nice. Be rude and you will hear rude. Nobody is perfect. Are you?
@ Yellow Camera Sorry I don't converse/argue with people like you. I have lived my whole over 72 years life in the Philippines and obviously still living. I just don't go down to people with mindset like you.
I've been traveling to the Philippines every year for vacation since 2005 (except for 2020 & 2021 due to Covid). I've been all over the country, from Ilocos Norte in the north to Davao in the south, and many places in between. While I recognize lots of difficulties with life in the Philippines, I cannot imagine not loving it there. I realize that there is a huge difference between vacation time and real life retired living in the Philippines. That's one of the main reasons why I follow a multitude of different TH-cam vloggers who do videos about life in the Philippines. Thank you Mark for sharing some of the real struggles expats have with retirement in the Philippines 🇵🇭!!!
Thank you for watching Daniel. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts 😊
Have you been to Tablas? I want to go there.
@@herbigp Tablas Island (Romblon province) was actually my itinerary for 2020 but got canceled due to the pandemic. I had to cancel reservations I made with Footprints Beach Resort ⛱, thankfully they gave a full refund. TH-cam vlogger LOST LEBLANC din several videos on Tablas Island, Romblon Island, Sibuyan Island, and Cresta de Gallo Island. Check out his play list and watch those videos for more information.
Everybody loves Filipinos and want all the best for the country.
Being an Expat, no matter how happy we are in a host country, it's understandable that one day, we want to go home.after all, there:s no better place than our home Country..
I've been here for over 9yrs now and will never leave. You just have to adapt as in all places you go. You take the good with the bad. I have the sweetest loving woman and we are comfortable. On covid, I agree it is dumb here.
Good for you! I'm staying too.
I ve been super blessed w/ my wonderful Filipina wife ! Knew her a year and a half before we married here in the states. Her family is middle class and well educated. She is a super go- getter ,& very driven to succeed at whatever she tries . 20 yrs in the relationship… the best thing that ever happenned to me !
After living in Texas for four years we came back to the Philippines for one year. At the end of the year we decided to stay. I have no problem with people that come and try it out and go back, but this was a slam-dunk for me. The medical costs is what weighed the scale for me. We had been paying $417 a month for our premium in Texas. Here we have no insurance, no PhilHealth, just cash. A trip to the ER with my son cost a total of 6100 pesos, about $125. I had enough cash on me. Amazing. You have no idea how that feels. I can walk into any hospital and pay for the care without a problem. It feels incredible, no in-network, no pre-approval hahaha. Amazing feeling. That did it for me.
My experience as well. One caution for those who haven't been to hospital in the PI. They are pay to play. It's back and forth to the payment window prior to each and every procedure, test, consultation, etc, and often the payment windows are understaffed, so you're waiting 30 to 60 minutes to pay. I've never had a medical emergency where I'm so out of it that I couldn't do so - knock wood - but until the bills are paid you're in standby mode.
I’m from Texas as well sorry to say I had to escape the state and the country it has fallen too far and no signs of recovery
@@bigmikessenioradventures Texit is coming soon. Free cheeseburger and beer if you ever make it to Cavite partner.
@@joebombero1 how do you like it there ? My wife lived there for 2 years .
I think you are making a great case for the US adopting a single payer system.
I'm a Fili living in the UK for 27 years have my family here. I'd been preparing returning to the Philippines since 2004, bought lands I could call my own or what I see as products of my own labour. I never regret it as I always wanted to return home and live by the land or whatever i can do as source of income when I come back, if done earlier than my retirement age. Philippines is home, and where the heart is. The Uk is under big recession, energy bills are skyrocketing, costing a chunk from the income. I don't like winters anyway, I don't like the cold, so it's not in my plate to remain in the UK. I love the tropical warmth, no winters, no grey skies for months. In case of ww3, there might be high chances of survival in the Philippines than living in the UK, Europe or US.
I also met my wife online (because she happened to be in Macau while I was in the Philippines). But I flew over to see her within weeks of our chatting. Getting too invested in a purely "online" relationship is always foolish.
The problems you mentioned are what I have missed living in the Philippines. I had more fun when I was needy. I miss this Godloving country, Philippines.
More fun when you were needy?
I am a fellow Kentuckian. I am engaged to a Filipina and visited this past June. Your summation was spot on. People should manage their expectations and decide what is really important to them.
Nice to hear from you Roy. Thanks for watching
Don’t bring her to America. Trust me it’s even worse!! Every person I know who brought their Filipina to America divorced in a few years.
@@Adventure5619 I am sorry you are so jaded. I work in healthcare and have several filipina working in our hospital. They all are loyal to their husbands and have good marriages. I would take a closer look at your friends and how they treat others.
@@PsychiatricParfums you find out when you bring her here my only hopes is she isn’t the first born and is over 35 then you have a chance. I belong to a huge Filipina community and I see it all the time never marry a village girl under 35. If your sending her 500 a month live on. Now plan on you have to still be sending that 500 a month to her family once she is here. I am not jaded I just seen what the younger generation of Filipinas do. Also if you have any female friends kiss them good bye now
I came to the Philippines in 2012, the first thing you talked about with black outs and bad road conditions exist all over the Philippines, especially the province, but you can live in places like where I live that doesn’t have brown outs at all, I mean I can’t remember when the electricity was off, and the roads are good and everything is the same as back home, I am from Australia. The part where you talk about guys giving money , OMG! I tell people all the time to not send money no matter what, but they get caught up with a pretty young thing that tells them she loves them and they fall for it. I found two girls I loved dearly and had long relationships with, there are plenty of good women here, if a girl asks you for money and she has never met you then that’s the only reason she is interested in you, as soon as you stop sending money , watch how quickly she leaves you. And the part about guys old and sick, don’t discourage those of us who have poor health , The Philippines saved my life literally, I came here after dying and in hospital in Australia with every doctor saying if I fly I will die, I came anyway with an oxygen concentrator to help my breathing, I had to beg my GP to sign off on me coming. I arrived in Manila by myself and with just a suitcase and some money, to cut a long story short, I went on a health trip, I lost 48kilos , in the first year and prior to this I couldn’t walk 10 feet without the need for oxygen, I had heart failure and I was in 18 tablets a day, not only did I get rid of the medication but my heart became good again my diabetes was gone , I was fit I could do anything, this I owe to the Philippines, no stress, and living a good life. I could show you before and after but there is no where to put that here, and I could explain more about my turn around but this would end up an epic, so coming here suck might just save someone’s life
I had heart trouble in the US, high blood pressure and cardiac stenosis. It disappeared after 4 years here in Cavite.
Can you explain more how you turned your health around? That's amazing and congratulations!!!
@@ddbrown123 I virtually was on a vegan diet, I had a mango or two for breakfast every morning , I only drank water , I only ate fruit and veg and those instant noodles, because I was new to the Philippines I did a lot of travelling and site seeing, so I got a lot of exercise, my stress levels were always good, because the people are so nice to me, never any dramas and I think that was a big reason to, stress is the biggest killer, those well being clinics operate in the same principles
What truly saved you was your commitment to a change in lifestyle. Without good health, nothing else matters. Breaking away from your familiar surroundings helped encourage that commitment to change.
You alone made the difference and should be proud of your accomplishments. Doesn’t matter if you flew off to Portugal or the P.I., it was you that made the difference. Well done and best wishes always.
@@808pineapple thank you, I appreciate your kind words
Yeah. Just came back from MN after being in the Phil during the entire pandemic. Everything is expensive in the USA, and understaffed as you said, but it was nice to be around people who didn't just want to use me for money, who had everything they need, and to be around nature and trees, and to be able to walk around without having people stare at you, bother you, or have stray dogs chase after you. It was nice to be treated like a "normal" person again for awhile.
Was stuck in the Philippines for 17 month's, lived in the provinces lots of power cuts no internet and loved it. Looking forward to moving back
@@digitalpalmtrees same peace and quiet
The Philippines to me, is exciting and the people are friendly and patient and create an atmosphere of calmness and stress free, back in Australia it is the best country in the world, free medical and free education and people are doing so well they give stuff away, but I am so bored , here there is not a day that goes by that I don’t feel at peace and happy. People have to look at coming to a developing country to accept what is good , if all things were efficient like in our countries it would just be another America or Australia or a European country, the reason the people are like they are is because of the inefficiency
Cool reasoning.
I love Australia as does my wife. She will never return to the Philippines and nor would I. The heat, humidity, noise, chaos etc. It's awful. I'd rather have boring - which it's not anyway.
@S. Moore Plenty of action
between Valencia and Irvington on 12th. Didn't know we had another Tucsonan here.
LOL Australia sucks. I don't agree with you at all.
The Philippines is way overdue for cultural evolution. Malaysia and Thailand are perfect examples of South Eastern countries that evolved past the state of inefficiency. Do a youtube travel search to Penang or Kuala Lumpur pls.
What's the Philippine excuse?
Marks, I am a filipina & I exactly agree with you on this. Thanks for being honest with your observation. Afterall, it is never perfect in every places where we lived. I lived here in Canada, here in British Columbia for 44 yrs.,& we have free medical care, but it is never perfect. We sometimes wait at the Emergency unit for heck 3 to 4 hrs., or +. We pay a lot of taxes here, tremendous amount of taxes, so we have si many homelessness here now. At least in the Phils., we can still live in simple life, you just have to adapt to it. The only thing what I don't like about our country is, most of us have good education or degree, but we don't get paid well enough for the education that we have. Filipinos are still fun loving people & still cheap to live. Thanks Mark.
Jovita thank you for watching and for sharing your opinion. I agree with you 💯.
you don’t get paid well because skills are lacking on an international level. what you consider a good education is below average in other areas hence the low pay. no disrespect.
In Britain we are being told not to go to A&E during winter to help protect the health system. WTF? That is like a 4th world country mentality.
@@drew9496 Not really, Philippines education is not far behind from other countries. Our nursing curriculum is the same as in the States. I am talking for my own experience. I don’t have to go back to school but just to take the NCLEX. I took my Nursing in the Philippines and have my first nursing job in California.
@@drew9496 Thats a ridiculous Comment. I work with many Philippine nurses, doctors, and physiotherapists in Vancouver and their education is excellent. It’s because they are paid so poorly at home that they come to places like Vancouver in the first place. Sadly for the Philippines their loss (brain drain) is Canada’s gain…..
You’re spot on regarding these issues 👍 however an adventure hard for anybody to believe that hasn’t been in this country 😀
(Married 27years 👍😀) we are now operating a resort in Siquijor and time flies no day is the same , things still seem to amaze me 😂
I'm 67, and though I grew up in a non-tech era compared to the present day.
I can understand younger people that didn't know the days of rotary phones and black & white TVs with 4 channels and rabbit ear antennas.
It's easier for a guy like me to adapt here, especially because I am a wilderness camper and love rusticity.
These younger folks are so pampered by US culture, it's comical just to watch them in the US, it's uproarious here! It's like they were dropped on an alien planet.
The problem with women ignores the reality of the biatches they left back in the US. They're more greedy than those here. At least they take care of their families with the money they con their foreign paramours out of. The ones in the US buy only for themselves.
i did 10 years in the Philippines. The whole "Dont Care, Dont Know" attitude gradually beat me down mentally. Not to mention the lack of logic for just about every aspect of life. I moved to Latin America, i have no regrets on the move.
Where in latin america? As some places are real shit shows, jaja.
@@RobertSmith-xl2lc like Tijuana Mexico ? Although maybe you don’t consider that Latin America .
@@RobertSmith-xl2lc DR
That stuff drives me nuts too , but I’m sure stuff in western culture can be just as bad , like super rude entitled Costco and Walmart shoppers . At different ends of the spectrum you get lessons from the rich and poor alike how to act your worst when you enter a retail store and get away with it . Cause woke corporations don’t want to lose a penny because of a bad actor .
@@Anonymint-vj7bt you realize Mexico isn’t the safest place in the world and hasn’t been for the last 25+ years right ? Even at resorts people are turning up dead . Anyone can argue that the whole world isn’t safe and they’d be right also
I respect Filipinos who chose to migrate to US and other countries but personally I am very proud to have stayed permanently in my beloved home country after working/ living for so long as an expatriate in the Middle East. I have travelled the world and had a choice to migrate to other countries like the USA and UK but I am more than glad to have settled permanently in the Philippines that I considered 'HOME'' in the real sense of the word. MABUHAY!
A lot of your tips apply to anyone thinking of becoming an expat anywhere! Thanks
I have signed up on Christian Filipina, but I will not start any kind of a relationship online. I just read the profiles and if I like her story I add her to my buddy list. When I arrive to the Philippines, then I'll try to reach out if necessary. Thanks, Mark for your solid advice.
Good plan Ed
Great Video , you give extremely accurate description of life there in the Philippines! Take Care.
20 yrs I came here every year, met many girls, finally found a girl to trust, IT TOOK 20 YEARS to find someone to trust , been together for 3yrs now, so far so good
The Philippines is not for everyone. If people come here there is a reason why, they are unhappy where they are, and left that country. They can always get the plane back home to where they were unhappy. A lot of men are here because of the attraction to a younger woman, something that they will never have in their country. There are also a lot of men here because of financial reasons, trying to live in their home country on Social Security can be very difficult and are attracted to the lesser financial aspects. Any major change in life is traumatic, some people cannot deal with this. Another problem I see here, as you touched on, is the health of some of the men that come here, like you, I don’t get that being in bad health and expecting to get better here, is a viable proposition. As I said, it’s not for everyone.
Well said James. Thanks for watching
Agreed the more unhappy guys we’re in the U.S., the more they seem to tolerate in the ph. Although there are plenty of more world wise guys who genuinely enjoy the differences.
Excessively rosy YT channels (monetizing our dreams) contribute to rose colored glasses too.
This video in particular is way more real world than most.
I'm going to Dumagute for a year to try to avoid the recession in USA
What happen to a unhappy woman 👩 in the U.S 🤣🤣🤣
Well said James
Traveled to the Philippines a few times and instead of spending $2k on resorts every time, I invested in my Filipina wife's townhouse with hot water, air con, insulation, screens, filtered water, and enjoying the home improvement tasks while she attends school. Married her online and she is worth every minute. Her job is to keep me alive and happy 😘
@mrloco loco Seems like you had a bad experience. Sorry for you.
@@vince7003 No mistakes yet. Opening Three types of businesses in her province and already completed her Visa for USA. All is well so far but it does not matter since there are Tens of thousands in the queue. It's the journey and adventure mate.
marry online to a foreigner should not be legal
does the PI recognize that as legal there?
does US immigration recognize that as legal?
@@mrcoldshower2823 Perfectly legal and better to Marry in the US. There is no such thing as divorce in the Philippines. USCIS accepts the Apostilled Marriage Certificate since it is a State and County of Utah. The online ceremony allowed our families to witness the ceremony. Very cool and nice video.
@@aangelbf2 i have been to the PI (early 80s in the military) no legal divorce still? you can get divorced here though, one of my gfs told me that. Personally, i think this a scam u can marry some one you have not met yet, but thats me.
Vietnam is incredible as is Thailand. I keep bouncing between the two...both incredible!
It's been that way for over 30 + because I got married in Philippines 30 yrs ago,I'm divorced now 20 yrs ago in USA so yeah takes long time for change here but I love the laid back Philippines that's why I'm here cebu city living where I married my ex wife and mother of my two grown kids ✌️
Im a filipina and for the RELATIONSHIP part.. it depends what is the background of the girl , what does she do and her family for a living. It is natural for us filipinos to help and feel responsible for each of the family member especially the parents. If you ask a child here what does he/she wants to be when he/she grows up, the answer would be, i want to be like this , so i can help may family.And we would love to do that, and if we fail to do so we feel guilty and feel like a horrible person. Now if you Marry somebody who dont even work, sadly you most likely you are going to be an ATM.
Now, mostly of independent working filipinas they wanna get out of the Philippines and wanna work abroad especially the Europe and the Americas .because, thats the definition or standard success here. Now if you area foreigner and wanna live here, for good.....most likely you will find a filipina that will just be dependent on you and your earnings. Im not generalizing though... Just saying
I never trust pinoys!
This is crazy , we have so many expats moving there. Our condo project is packed. Plus now most are staying forever.
I think some places are more popular 🤔
This is why I made a comment since most of the placesi know now is jumpacked and spoken to some who came back to cebu and there was no issues about vx cards
Where I live in Puerto Princesa rentals are just being rented. In my complex which was popular with expats before pandemic is now empty. I am the only one. And very few inquiriesas well.
This is also why I went to the Philippines to meet my now fiancé to vet her, and she passed my requirements with flying colors, we will be getting married this October.
Yes, I’ve traveled in Bangladesh, India, Thailand, Philippines, Colombia and plenty of far more and less developed countries; -they weren’t perfectly safe, but I felt far safer than so many places in USA.
Thailand is hardly under developed. It's a bit more expensive [in some places] than the P.I. but it has many plusses. Everywhere is different. Comparisons are just that. It is the person that makes life difficult or easy. Location is just location. Some are safer than others. and some aren't.
Have you ever been to Malaysia, seems it beats out. the PH in most categories
@@keithrogers9741 seems a lot of older single guys go to Philippines for women and companionship. Color me wrong,but I don't believe Malaysia offers the availability of women as does the Philippines
@@brianphuket5951 Thats probably true and more important if you just want to play around but most of the older guys want a single relationship with some of the amenities that the PH lack appreciably .So get a Filipina and enjoy a Malaysian lifestyle. The Sarawak visa program is better than the PH anyway
I rode my bicycle across India
Felt safe and loved it.
Fair summation, Mark. I say, have a good think & research before coming to another country. I still miss my country of birth. 👏👍
I lasted 18 months in a medium to small town at the base of Mayon volcano in the Bicol region. The constant burning of trash, weekly power and sometimes water outages, hit or miss seeing a doctor at the local hospital, horrible restaurants, and unimpressive fresh food at the local markets, 2k a month for blazing fast internet of about .75 MBPS all wore me down. The endless red tape that all jobseekers or just trying to do some simple registration procedure was always an ordeal. I have traveled fairly extensively and now live a comfortable stress-free life in Thailand. I have never been to a more dysfunctional country than PI. I still love Filipinas most but not enough to live there again.
I m in PI for tourism. Food options are varied so ok. Inc American fast food if all else fails. Hypermarket had excellent fresh fish section better than what's available in my home of coastal Calif.
@@Dan-xx5jq It depends where you live. If you live in Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, Hua Hin or other places that have many tourists and expats it is not horrible. Plus, for shopping and such google translator is free on your phone and works well. For all the positives in Thailand when compared to Pi, it is more than doable. Everything is better in Thailand and contrary to what many say, cheaper, especially rent and electricity. Fresh and high quality food everywhere. Just no comparison.
@@timg5463 YES! I lived in Nong Khai for 14 years and Vientiane, Laos for 3 years, now I am in Laoag, Philippines sense May 2nd. The only thing better here in the Philippines is the Language Thailand is much cheaper with much better accommodations, utilities, and infrastructure.
@@Dan-xx5jq My understanding is the annual burning of the rice fields between January and March makes the air quality unsafe to breathe in Chiang Mai. Research if it may be a health issue for you. I believe this lasts for 2.5 to 3 months. I chose Pattaya simply because everything you may need from the west is here, food in markets and restaurants. There is a huge oversupply of condos here and you can rent a good, well-maintained place with great amenities from 150.00- to whatever you wish to pay for luxurious places. I think the best housing values may be in Pattaya.
Yes, concur. Wife is Filipina but PI is still developing. Thailand quality of life better and better value real estate.
Great informative video. Thank God I'm patient and love people. Can't wait to visit there again. Thanks!
It’s great to hear it how it is.thanks for your some great honest reality checks,lm heading your way very soon. Good luck and watch that ticker mate.cheers
Expat 🇺🇲 62 lives in Colombia 🇨🇴 everything works ..good Amenities close to the US ..$1400 a month live very well..very Tropical country great food ..lousy traffic..
Best info Ive seen on how business is done outside of the big cities. Carbon paper? No computers? Writing your credit card number down on random bits of paper? This explains so much! Thank you.
Glad I found your channel! You seem real down to earth and easy to listen to. I am married to filipina and I love the Philippines. I still live in Texas and waiting to bring my wife here.
Glad you enjoyed it 😊
Yes, it can be frustrating for many to live in Ph, I lived there for 6 years and know the routine, it's true Ph is not for everybody, I made a lot of friends among Filipinos and planning to visit next week, but to live there permanently, not anymore but fully understand those who choose to stay as well as those who choose to leave.
I have been married to a Filipina for 30 years. Back in the early 1990s when I would visit the Philippines I was amazed that they used carbon paper to copy legal documents and receipts, etc.
It's amazing 30 years later the Philippines is still using carbon paper.
I know. But you have to admit it works. And no jammed copy machine
Exactly no jammed 🤣🤣😂😂
The reality is that the Philippines is not a developing country, it is a banana republic and will continue to be so for obvious reasons. Carbon paper was being used when I was there in the 70s, 50 years later they’re still using it. If people wishing to move would just use common sense and listen to sound advice they will stay out of trouble.
Yes to much of my surprise. When I moved in to a DMCI condo in Taguig in 2019 I had to fill up the properties I brought in in 3 copies. I had to ask for 2 pieces of carbon copy sheet from the PMO (Property Management Office). This is only one of the occasions I encountered. It's a shame. In Singapore and Indonesia where I lived 27 years, we didn't use carbon copy since the late 80' and then there is a bound carbon in white (original), yellow, pale blue, pink, green - 4 copies + original. It's used until now.
Because of corruption.
I've lived in Baguio since January 2020 and (being from Seattle) I can't imagine a more hospitable climate in this country, minus the rain. The thing about the Philippines is that it's an ACQUIRED taste. It's worked out fine for me but I would recommend that any expat spend at least 4-6 months here to determine whether The Phils are the place for you.
Culture shock is going to get to you for the first months or two (at least) but as with any place you move to, it takes time to determine whether it's a good fit. You may know after 4 months, SHOULD know after 6 months and WILL know after a year. Until then, commit to NOTHING.
Good advice Bruce 👍
You are in the best place.. Congrats
Same as me when i first came to Japan. However, my dad is from Mexico so we used to stay there almost all summer and spend time with family before. As for culture shock i was when i came to Japan the 1st time in April '96. Lucky i read about alot of it and what to expect even though i knew it was an expensive country. Hahaha 26yrs in Japan and still love it. Its what you make the best of it.
couldn't have said it better myself, Bruce...culture shock is a very real thing.
- Well put, thank you. I was checking out Baguio for stays from 60 to 90 days. But the natural disaster level in the P.I. sent me to Malaysia instead.
I travel from my home here on Cebu to Dumaguete and back on a regular basis.....
Never been asked to see a vax card, and on Cebu, only a few air-conditioned places require a mask......
@@Matthew-gz4oh I am in love with her LOL
I am not sure if most people have noticed that services are available mostly in the area where rich people reside. If you have a medical condition that needs maintenance, just call a well known pharmacy and ask which branch that medicine is available, mostly Makati or BGC area. That means to say that if you want availability of services, you need to choose a more expensive place to live.
Those bureaucracy you've mentioned are also a frustrations for Filipinos.
The people who were afraid of people that don't look like them there, are most likely the same back home. It's amazing how in what is really a large portion of the US, there are still people who rarely interact with people from a different race.
I know
That is pure bullshit.
@@davidmarkmann6098 Just my experience. Yours may be different. Just as people use the excuse that "They can't be Racist" because they have a Black/Brown friend. That's far from the truth.
If infrastructure and healthcare are concerns, from what I've seen, Makati is more progressive (few power outages, better infrastructure and higher quality hospitals/healthcare), but, it's also more expensive. That being said, it's still cheaper than the West and beautiful Filipinas abound. One could retire in Makati (City) and take trips to more scenic areas of the Phils. to unwind.
I agree.
Agree, America is scary to visit nowadays. Criminals are freed in the streets.. just recently a man just sucker punched a guy and he’s in critical condition and in California today on the news a flashmob robbed seven eleven.. so sad..
Can’t wait to come home to Bohol next month with my Canadian husband who loves Philippines so much.
Really wish the Philippines National Police could come to my city in the USA and take care of business lol.
@@davidsorenson3188 so true! Democrats protects criminals.. we are supposed to visit to NY and with all these crimes happened recently, it deters us.
@@waterheaterservices , seriously? They wouldn’t last one day in the states. 🤣
Hey Mark, I'm Paul Caldwell. I lived in Dumaguette for about 15 years. And agree with your opinion. I had to come back to get my adopted at birth Filipino son a better education n medical. I may return this year for a visit. I used to hangout at McDonald's at the Park.
We have shopped at numerous grocery stores and use the card without any issues you describe. No carbon sheets and no manually written credit card #s. About the same procedure as in the US.
I use my card without issues in the mall and grocery store but its just a tedious checkout
It's an interesting trend that I have noticed as well. I think the noise, the moronic infrastructure and constant barking dogs takes a toll. I've been in the PH for 6 months now and have to say I'm considering something different within the year.
I could never deal with the God darn roosters
tmb31: Where in PH did you live?
Yes there is something wrong with marrying someone you don’t really know, never met in person, hell, even physically being with someone for a short while is not enough time to know them not to mention marrying them.
That's Hollywood thinking.
How long do you think our grandparents courted? A short time. How long did their marriages last for? A lifetime.
Today, we date/court for 3, 4, 5 or more years, and are divorced 50% of the times within 10 years.
Which is better?
@@superbchannel3167 you’re putting the horse before the cart. In my grandparents time, women basically were not financially independent from men, couldn’t find decent work, often marriages were arranged, abuses was rampant without women having legal recourses, families were generally large with many siblings so women without a man suffered extreme consequences, the man ran families with dictatorship authority, so you’re right, marriages actually did last longer.but was it better? For who? Women independence from men began as they were needed to work, as men went off to world wars which of course men started. Underpaid of course by men who ran companies, but women could finance rent and food, and thus didn’t need men as they once had. Divorce, you’re right it is a reality of these times. I’m sure if you married a woman that made you unhappy, you’d be glad to divorce her. She now has that same right and because she can work, she can exercise that right.
Fell in love online with a girl from Mogadishu, went there to Somalia to meet her.....Even worse there mate......Like your videos
Your observations are very head-on, Mark! Eventhough I never actually lived in the Philippines, I stayed there often enough to recognize many of the points your making.
Thank you 😊
This was a fair and balanced informative video about the contrast between culture norms
Thanks for that video. I have been solo traveling the world for about 6 months now and am loving it. I am adaptable to new environments, lack of infrastructure etc. However, I. have to draw the line at vaccines. It is a moral and pragmatic red line in the sand. I am very grateful for you for informing me of that because going to the Philippines has long been in my travel plans. Since it does not sound like that will change any time soon, I am afraid I will have to give it a miss, at least until the government comes to its senses. Had I not watched your video, I could have stumbled headlong into a personal disaster. For the moment, I will be content to continue to explore central and eastern Europe.
Living unvaxxed in the Philippines is a challenge. The new government has voted to continue the extreme COVID-19 protocols until the end of 2022 and is likely to go beyond. The authorities appear to be ignorant of the science and the fact that most countries have returned to normal. Even Australia and New Zealand, the worlds most radical and notorious C-19 states, have dropped all mandates. Now the Philippines has taken their place in infamy.
This very helpful and useful information, one of the best. Please keep us informed. Thank You! 🤝🏻
I'm one of the guys that splits my time between the West and Asia. It's great for me, I'm currently in Thailand. Think of it like working on a cruise ship 6 months a year and living in Thailand where it's cheap when off.
I passed on the Philippines this time because the 2 day online pass leaves too much room for problems and the PI website was so unclear I thought pre flight testing was required. Easier to just go to Thailand.
More power to you, Mark. I follow several expat’s vlog and most are happy to be in the Philippines.
I visited the Philippines possibly a dozen times when I was aboard the USS Bon Homme Richard CVA31 between January 1964 through January 1966. It was always Subic Bay and we went on liberty in Olongapo, Zambales. The only section we’re allowed to visit was one street about a mile long with nothing but bars, night clubs and hotels with a few restaurants in between. The street food delicacy was “monkey meat on a stick.”
I was 19 the first time we pulled into Subic and as a snot nosed kid from a small town in western Pennsylvania, I had never seen anything even close to this before.
I never forgot my experiences in Olongapo. After going thru a divorce in 2010 I got on a plane and came back to the Philippines where I met my new bride. I stayed there for 18 months in Lapu Lapu, Cebu. We came to America together and were married in Colorado in 2012. We currently reside in South Carolina and have a good life together. My wife has an excellent job and she supports several members of her family who live in a house we are buying for her to live in after I’m gone. I’m 40 years older than her and if you read all of this and did the math you’ll know I’m now 78.
Visit my channel:
th-cam.com/users/doowopbabyt
Went to Olongapo in the 80’s.Had a great time but it seems the dogs hated me.When I found out the meat on a stick which I used indulge in was often dog meat I could understand why.
A foreigner can buy property through a corporation. A good real estate attorney can form the corporation. Then you can do a long term annually renewable lease on the property. Never, even if married, buy property in a filipina's name. It is a large incentive for family members to end you.
Kudos, for the last two sentences. Perfect!
Gotta have that mental flexibility and a bit of patience but that’s a small price to pay for all the stress that gets offloaded and the happiness that begins to accumulate at a pretty good pace..same Thailand 👍🏻🇵🇭🇹🇭
"Why you moving to the Philippines?" Because it's great, like going back in time to the 1960s. "Why you leaving the Philippines?" It sucks, everything is ass backwards. It's like going back to the 1960s
I agree 100%. Mental flexibility is a must when dealing with developing countries. Unfortunaley you either have it or you don't, its not something you learn. I think if your a nautraly curious person you will be more resiliant too the crazy stuff.
Just my opinion though.
@@ekim0513 yeah, that’s good 👍🏻🤓
Thanks for the realistic view of Dumagete. This is very helpful. Still I can not wait to see the place soon.
Keep up the good work.
I get the same thing here in Japan when people complain. You have to be ready to adapt and be flexible. The trade offs are totally worth it. The stuff I complain about in Japan and you in Philipines are just nit picking...the stuff I complain about Canada and US are life threatening. I'd choose Philipines and or Japan vs North American 100 times out of 100. You need the right mind set. If you like getting bothered by people, getting the finger every 5 minutes, getting robbed or shot at...then by all means...America is the place for you ;) All I need to do is travel back to my birthcity to realize how lucky I am to be in Japan.
I’m sure that not everyone gets shot at in America if you stay in right places.
you can not compare Japan with Philli. Not in any way , shape or form.
@eBenkyou, exactly. Youa are right, Sir.
I was born and raised in America and somehow I have never been "bothered by people, been given the finger, robbed, or shot at" Crazy how America got to be the greatest country in the world with all the issues you have pointed out. DELUSIONAL.
FYI Japan and Philippines are nothing alike. Completely different countries.
Your lunch hour is OVER.
"If you like getting bothered by people, getting the finger every 5 minutes, getting robbed or shot at...then by all means...America is the place for you." I live in the States, and I don't get "the finger every 5 minutes." In fact, I cannot remember when I have ever gotten the finger, and I'm 73 now. And the only place I ever was shot at was in Vietnam. Never been robbed, either. Strange, isn't it?
My Visa is up. That's about it. No complaints.
I've been all around the Philippines and although I love the country and the people I would never live there permanently - 1) Political instability 2) Lack of infrastructure as you said 3) Questionable health care quality 4) Unfortunately I hate the food
The pros of course are mostly cost and of course the visa is a breeze to stay long term compared to some other places. Portugal is the most popular for expats now because it's the 1st world, relatively low cost of living for what you get, low crime, some of the best rated healthcare in the world that is very affordable, beautiful topography (sea, mountains), access to the rest of Europe and a relatively easy visa process. Now, this may change as due to it's popularity Portugal is getting expensive quickly.
Whats wrong with the food. McDonalds tastes just the same as in USA stores. Even the pizza here is like USA pizza. lol. Seriously dude, Ive been here 10 years and rarely eat Philippines food. There's literally thousands of restos here with western style menu's and all the groceries sell the ingredients for home cooked western style food.
I’m here in the PI and hate it. Looking for a new place to escape. I find the Filipino people to be awful and racist as hell. My family immigrated to America from Portugal in the 1890’s and I never been there. Gonna take a look at Portugal to visit and maybe retire. The language could be an issue even though it was the first language I heard growing up.
I just saw your video about expats. Im originally from Texas and my home of record will always be there. I came here to Japan as a former US Navy in April '96 (Im still here). Culture shocks is every place you go even for visits. I love it here in Japan since Day 1 even though its expensive, i dont see myself leaving here anytime soon. Ice been to many places in SE Asia including Philippines when i was active duty and on vacation. Being expats in foreign countries is not easy no matter what country it is. Especially here in Japan i make over 2k dollars a month working part-time hours as an English Teacher. I also have a Japanese tea business of my own and trying to expand in many countries especially to Pinas. Negros is awesome my cousin is originally from Bacolod now working in Dubai. I also have another cousin from Zamboanga City and Cebu. So i have reasons to go to there.😊 for those who loves traveling like me. Im glad we all have internet and its easier now to look up some information on any given country. Check them out even if you're just going to visit. Stay safe and waiting for my trip to Pinas sometime next July hopefully. Its been since Super Typhoon Yolanda which was the last time i was there for foreign humanitarian aide. Hello from Saga, Japan. 😊✌️🗾
If you keep a open mind. The Philippines is a perfect place to go to. I love meeting new people. I enjoy seeing new things. But, I don’t believe you should just pack up and come to the Philippines. Without testing the waters first. Come for a couple of days. Then later stay for a month. Trust me for some it will only take a day for them to know it’s not the place for them. But for others with a open mind, this place will be amazing and beautiful for them
Its good to know your statement.. as i am a Filipina residing overseas and fortunately managed to visit other countries, its always my pleasure to envite friends to come to my Country
Thanks for the great advise. Keep up the good work. Cheers from Australia.
I agree with you about the USA. I've moved 3-4 times for a job. Every place is different, and you have to adjust.
Sweden was never locked down or wore masks, with everything open; schools, government, bars, restaurants.
Bla bla bla
I’m glad to hear your honest thoughts. I’m glad you are flourishing in the Philippines.
Opted for Thailand myself after considering various factors
Hi Mark I just got back to NY from the Philippines I went to cebu then a day trip to Bohal then 3 weeks in Dumigety. The poverty was a shock but no problem getting on the boats without proof of vaccine. I had a awesome time the people where great.when i rented a scooter i didn't know if I could handle the traffic by the 2nd day i loved the traffic. I didn't get the chance to meet you, maybe next time.
Thank you for watching and I hope we get to meet next time you are in the Philippines
You are allowed to travel on a Ro-Ro(slow ferry) without a vaccine card. I went from cebu to leyte last month and I'm not vaccinated.
They required to go to Sigehor last week. No consistency here
@@everymanhasastory could be that each island has its own restrictions. I was not allowed on a fast craft to Ormac, leyte without a vaccine card, but was allowed to travel on the Ro-Ro to leyte without one. We also traveled to Samar without anyone asking for vaccine cards. First time in 2 years that I have been able to travel in the Philippines not being vaccinated.
Hey I'm also a Vet my family is also there. I 'm just trying get back home to them ;You're right with the video .Just this is my real family an each person should be reserved an have patience.I'm the same way as you are with the same med issues an this is why; I have to get back .Nam was a eye opener but some never listened.I did .Just now ;I’m in the EU on the way trying to get back to my loved ones there without a fantasy .Your right with the whole video. There is for us with the realistic views possible .
Everyone should do their own "Due Diligence" trips before deciding to relocate someplace new. Thats just common sense. Anyone who doesn't has let their emotions run wild. I love visiting the Philippines but would not be comfortable living there. Main reasons for me is Infrastructure & Medical facilities. Thats why I brought my Filipina to the US.
Sound advice Doug. Thank you for watching
Another thing about the Philippines (and this is me a local talking) - NOT all the information you need about places (especially those outside the main population and tourist centers) is available online and you only will learn about certain things when you are actually on the ground there... Perhaps that is the consequence of shitty telecom and internet infrastructure as well... 🤷♂️
Hi Mark, enjoyed this one. Looks like you got a very nice spacious place there. Gorgeous wood floors.
I left the middle east in 2017 my plan was to live in a tropical country so after visiting the philippines, thailand and vietnam I chose Thailand and have since enjoyed a quality lifestyle on Phuket island, my monthly budget is USD 500 although I do go over budget depending on dating, dinners out etc.. aside from the low cost, high standard of living crime is almost non-existent, no walls, no barbwire, no security guards (philippines is very similar to living in africa) roads are in great condition, the people are friendly, the women in particular, no typhoons.. But the main reason I chose Thailand over the philippines (to the dismay of my Filipina gf in Dubai) was the food... Other than crispy pata, lechon and a couple of other dishes I personally cannot eat Filipino food, the medical care is superior to the Philippines and most of SE Asia. I'm retired from employment and quality lifestyle is paramount which is what I find in Thailand. BTW.. I noticed Old Dog is coming to Phuket, would be interesting to hear his thoughts, I wouldn't be surprised if he leaves the Philippines for Thailand.
How about the language issue. I heard English is not very common in Thailand?
Hello Mark . I am Ross, from Brisbane . Australia . Thank you so much . You are a wonderful guy .
Funny how most of the foreigners complained about things in the Philippines when the truth is where they came from is just as bad. There's just so many poor people here in the states.
I lived in Cebu City for 3 years with a Filipina I met online back in early 2011. Loved it, but I won’t return for the very valid reasons you explained, which I can personally vouch for as 100% correct.
You said, “When you go to the doctor, you have to be ‘patient’”. That’s funny 😄
🤣🤣🤣
No it's not
Good advices and usefull experiences.thank you.
I have experienced all the issues you mentioned. Being retired I think the most important thing to do is find something to keep you occupied instead of sitting in a bar getting trashed. You can die of boredom there.. Thanks for the video..
I agree 100%! I've been here 21 years. Having something to do that is productive is hard to find. Soooooo many turn to drinking and wither away. I have been to enough memorial service due to this problem. Having nothing to do is not what it's cracked up to be.
Very simple come for the beauty stay for the people.
I have been here for 3 months, but I am leaving Philippines because of the distance from home, the USA.
The distance gets to me and always thinkinf about in case of an emergency back home I have to fly back home and how it takes to get home. I like the country but I cannot stay because of the distance.
I am retired and was thinking about making Philippines my retirement home, but I just can't do it. Proximity, family ,and friends are too important to me. I wish it was closer to the USA.
Just go home 1-2x a year
I've been here 6 months. I have been borderline diabetic for many years. No more, the doctor I have in the Philippines is giving me the proper medication. Medication I could not afford in America. Here the medication costs about 50 cents a day. In America the same medication was $600 per month.
Wow. That's awesome. So glad you are doing well 😊
@@bayareatanders thats what I was taking, metformin. I had many side effects from it. I have now been taking Gliclazide 30 milligrams. Within 1 month I cut my numbers in half. Absolutely no side effects 😁
A large amount of very useful information served here .... Chow down.
Thank you for watching
Thank you for informing us what the real Philippines is.
Odd... was on Bohol, Palawan Island and Tagatay... I thought the roads were pretty darn good. In fact, exceeded my expectations by a long shot. Hell, I am here in central BC Canada and the roads suck by comparison.
There's no place like a home..and I love it... every country is different....
Medical care is cheaper in the Philippines, but the medical care is sub standard, I had a root canal done and the work was very poor, the root was not completely removed, he also cracked my wisdom tooth, so now I have to go back to the USA to have my tooth fixed, Thailand has way better medical care than the Philippines.
@@Dan-xx5jq This doctor works at medical city hospital in manila, he's an orthopedic doctor he says he was trained in Australia which I doubt, had to go home and the surgeons there took care of the infection, I will never trust a Filipino doctor again, I had a molar root canal done in Cebu, doctor didn't remove the whole root and he even cracked my molar, occasionally I get pains, I went to the local dentist who said I needed surgery to remove the molar because he cracked the tooth slight above the gum line which will require an experienced dentist, so I am going home in 4 months, I'm not coming back to the Philippines.
My niece worked at St Luke's Manila and agrees medical is substandard.
@@journeytheworld8848 That'a any Philippine hospital, your treatment will be very poor and you may catch an infection like I did.
biggest problem I had with healthcare as a senior was portability, finding doctors in your network -- I have Aetna PPO plus Medicare and doctors still won't accept that as insurance
The Philippines has long way to go not unless this digital issues will finalize by the government…Manila so far has no problem when it comes to technology but in the province has still more to do because the Philippines is an archipelago (7100+) island which the government can’t cope up because it’s too expensive.
Parliament, Federalism, and open FDI are the keys.
I think we have the resources but it seems it is going to wrong places.
Hey, Skip from Michigan here, great video. I plan to return to the Philippines soon. Olongapo is my favorite place to be . Thanks for the videos. Keep in touch.
If guys are introverted or shy, dont girl/women come and talk to you there. I mean if its hard to start conversation with a nice lady but when she comes to talk to you then things get going on. Thats always been my problem, when I see a pretty girl, even if I know I could get her, Im too shy to go and start to talk to her.