Information on the Social Bookmarks Sites

I searched in the most popular of the social bookmarkers to see what others say about retiring in the Philippines.

• Digg
• Delicious 
• StumbleUpon

Digg was the most informative. One article emphasised the suitability of the Philippines as a retirement destination for citizens of the USA, citing a shared if sometimes stormy history from 1898 to 1946. It even pointed out that Ronald McDonald is here and he delivers! For my personal view of the American occupation of the Phillippines go to http://tglstuff.blogspot.com/2009/07/no-im-british.html.

A Digg entry rated the earthquake risk as no worse than living in San Francisco, on the San Andreas fault line.Others offered visa services and condos to buy and houses to rent.

Delicious has entries about the hospitality and helpfulness of the Filipinos. There is an interesting but unrealistic entry about the cost of living and Ernst and Young offers tax advice.

I found nothing relevant in StumbleUpon.

Cost of Living Update

The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) carried out a survey of the cost of living in various cities around the world totalling 140.

Manila, the capital city of the Philippines was placed at number 124, proving that the Philippines is still a cheap place to live.

The most expensive cities included Tokyo, Geneva, Osaka and New York.

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Philippine Retirement Authority Update

The Philippine Retirement Authority(PRA) has reduced the cash deposit requirement from US$50,000 to US$20,000.

It can still be withdrawn for the purchase of a condominium or golf or country club shares.

One Man's View about Living and Retiring in the Philippines

It would be very sensible for those peoples who are considering, living, working or retiring in the Philippines to browse the internet for information and opinions.

One site you may find is http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2FxUwdejwf7w4&h=RAQAVrAGk

However, review carefully what the Presenter says. It is his view alone based on his experiences and he has only been in the Philippines for five months. It is important to read or hear other opinions, preferably of those foreigners who have been here for several years.

• He mentions the amount of poverty and that is certainly true, unfortunately, wherever you choose to live it is inescapable. It is up to you whether you choose to ignore it or try to help a few of the poor. Remember, the Philippines is not the only country in Asia that has this problem.

• The Presenter mentions the hospitality of the Filipinos but translates this to mean that the expats will have to pay more than the local residents. In my experience there are situations where this can happen and also many where it cannot happen. In the markets when buying food ingredients, for example, the vendor may try to charge more. If you choose to have clothes or shoes made to measure it can happen. Tradesmen coming to your house may attempt to increase their prices. My advice is, be prepared to haggle over prices, and if you cannot get the price you want then walk away. Often, that will result in a lower price. My solution is to be seen in the markets or stores regulary, learn a few words of Tagalog and if you have a Filipino friend or relative or even a trusted house maid get them to come too for the first few visits. They will quickly tell you and the vendor if you are being overcharged. For more important products and services ask for written quotes from at least two suppliers. Prices in supermarkets and shopping malls are displayed and fixed as are the prices of utilities. Be wise and you will not have a problem.

• The Presenter talks about the cost of living. In general, it is cheaper than in more developed countries. Locally grown vegetables and fruit, local meat and seafood are not at all expensive but if you want a US Angus Rib Eye expect to pay more than in the US of course.Restaurant meals, local beers and spirits, locally made tobacco products are all cheaper but expect to pay more for any imported products.

• The Presenter must have experienced the public hospitals when he talks about low standards and poor hygiene and perhaps in the province where that can certainy be true. I strongly recommend that any body who is is going to be in the Philippines for a long time needs to arrange a health insurance policy which will enable them to use the private hospitals. There are several in Manila which are world class both in terms of equipment and the standard of medical care. Having had two operations and some diagnostic procedures in two of them. I can vouch for that.



Surgeon in operating room




Knee joint



• It is certainly true that there are Muslim extremists in southern Mindanao such as the Abu Sayaf. Most countries, including the USA and the UK warn their citizens to avoid these areas. This does not mean that all of Mindanao is unsafe.

Retiring in the Philippines

The Philippines is very often and very correctly regarded as an ideal country to spend one's retirement years, due to it's warm, mainly benign climate, the friendliness of the Filipinos, and the retiree will find that most things are cheaper than in more developed countries.

Accordingly, this site is to give guidance and information to potential retirees. We have used various official websites and to the right of this article you will find links to some of them.

We can also help with accommodation and transport to people who wish to see for themselves the advantages of living in the Philippines.

Why the Philippines you may ask? The real answer is that  you can enjoy a good life in the Philippines at an attractive and affordable price. Add to this the various cultures, the famous hospitality of the people, beautiful scenery everywhere and warm weather all year.

The Philippine Retirement Authority can provide a Special Resident Retiree Visa and give a large number of benefits and advantages.

• Property

We can help you find property to buy or rent, from condominiums to beach houses, from agricultural land to islands, from retirement property investments to beach lots. We can arrange for you to communicate with experts in these properties.

• Geography

The Philipines comprises three island groups-Mindanao, The Visayas and Luzon, where the capital, Manila, lies. It is an archipelago of 7,107 islands. The time is GMT+8.

• Climate 

The Philippines is in the tropical zone. The dry, hot season runs from March to June, the wet season from July to November. December to February are cooler but generally dry months. The temperature ranges from 26C to 34C depending on the time of year. The level of humidity can reach 77%.

• Language

Communicating is not difficult because many Filipinos speak English. It is the largest English speaking country in Asia.

• Faith

More than 80% of Filipinos are Catholics. Muslims comprise 5% of the population and there are others of different Christian beliefs and some Budhists.

• Living costs

A principal advantage of living in the Philippines is the lower cost of living. food, hosing and labour are relatively cheap. So people from other countries and expatriate Filipinos can enjoy a reasonable standard of living.

• Medical care

Many hospitals have equipment and medical staff that are world class. Filipino medical professionals are in demand in many countries because of the gentle, caring way they perform their duties, especially with patients.

• Filipinos

Filipinos are mostly friendly, courteous and helpful. A ready smile can usually be seen even in adversity.

• Telecommunications

Telecommunication services are constantly improving. So there is no problem in communicating with family and friends overseas. The latest global news is always available online. The Philippines is connected to Asia and the rest of the world by several high speed submarine fibre optic systems.

• The Philippine Retirement Authority 

 The PRA is well known for the help and advice it gives to it's members. Some some say it almost becomes part of the family.

• Eligibility

Unless the Department of Foreign Affairs or the Bureau of Immigration bars them foreign nationals and returning Filipinos are able to retire here provided they are:-

-over 35
-have no criminal record
-comply with medical requirements

-fulfill the investment criterion
Applicants must go to the PRA office in the 29th floor, Citibank Tower, Makati, Manila.

Top 10 Retirement Ideas in the Philippines

The links on the right will help you decide whether to retire, work or live in the Philippines and give advice on what is possible and on various things that need to be considered.

1. The Philippine Retirement Authority is a government department intended to encourage and assist expatriate retirees who have decided to make the Philippines their second home. A deposit of US$50,000 or equivalent is required but this can quickly be withdrawn for the purchase of a condominium or other investments, including golf and country club shares. I have several friends who have chosen this option and are pleased with the benefits it gives them.You can still work if you are a member of the PRA.
2. The Philippines has a mainly benign tropical climate, so no more worries about snow, ice or fog. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_the_Philippines
3. It is a beautiful country with great places to visit. There are many historical sites to view from the Spanish colonial period, 1561 to 1898, the WW11 Japanese occupation and the American rule of the country, 1898 to 1946.
4. There are beautiful beaches, fringed by palm trees, also clear seas and superb coral reefs to scuba dive on to see the myriad of wonderful tropical fish. http://www.cocobeach.com/ Parts of the country are in the protected "Coral Triangle". In some areas whale and dolphin watching by boat is very popular. There are many 5 star hotels and superb beach resorts. There are volcanoes to see both live and extinct.
5. The Filipino people are friendly, hospitable and very helpful and the majority speak English with an American accent and vocabulary.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filipino_people
6. Medical care is excellent and affordable, although health insurance is recommended. Many hospitals have world class equipment and the standard of medical procedures and nursing is very high.http://www.stluke.com.ph/
7. Non Filipinos cannot buy land under the Constitution but they are permitted to buy condominiums.http://www.viviun.com/Real_Estate/Philippines/Condos/ Many of these can be purchased fully furnished and on the higher levels there is often a superb view.
8. The cost of living is lower than in Europe or North America. http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/country_result.jsp?country=Philippines Fresh fruit and vegetables are abundant. Fresh seafood is always available and of high quality as the Philippines is an archipelago of 7,107 islands so fishing is a major industry. Meat products are also easily available, both local and imported. For a taste of home visit one of the delicatessen stores of which there are several around the country.http://www.santis-deli.com/
9. You will see from the photographs many of the beautiful places to go for leisure, water-sports, or diving. Just find a parasol, order a cold drink, relax and enjoy it all away from the noise, crowds and pollution of big cities like London or New York.
10. Many beach resorts offer scuba diving tuition. Among the favourites are Puerto Galera http://www.puertogalera.org/ and Boracay http://www.boracay.com/
11. Come and live in the beautiful Philippines. I say to my friends in England "Just another day in paradise". Be part of that paradise.

Mabuhay ng Filipinas

A place to relax

A beautiful white sand beach

A banca in Palawan

Dinner on the beach

Beach Girl

Photographs by Blue Horizon Travel Inc.