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- Park and MacArthur landing beach. Tacloban Leyte
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- A beautiful Sunrise seen from the Sea as the ferry approaches Biliran Island
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- A small house of native materials in a rural provincial area.
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- A small community of houses in the hills
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- A Municipal Hall in Biliran
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- A busy street scene in Cebu City
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- A view of the Ormoc Waterfront from a departing Ferry.
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- Sunset viewed from the heights above the city.
The Philippines is a Beautiful Country that is filled with hospitable people. It is possible to live a comfortable lifestyle for less than in many parts of the world. I have been traveling to the Philippines for over 25 years. There have been many changes and improvements over the years and overall the standard of living of many of the people has risen.
I would however like to add a word of caution. The Philippines is a developing nation and the poor people here tend to be very poor. The Infrastructure in most areas is what those in the West would consider poor. Many areas suffer brownouts due it insufficient power generating capacity. Many roads and bridges are in poor condition due to poor maintenance. Building codes are nonexistent or unenforced in many areas and poor upkeep is apparent in all but a few areas. Public transportation in many areas is inadequate and inefficient as are many government functions.
I am not meaning to paint a gloomy picture to frighten but merely to inform those unfamiliar with the Philippines the kinds of things they can expect to encounter when they visit. For those not accustomed to these things it takes getting used to. This is a big reason why I recommended in an earlier post that people who are unfamiliar with the Philippines visit at least once or twice to become familiar with these differences. Some might even decide the Philippines is not the right place for them.
The culture of the Philippines is a unique mixture of east and west. Like much of the rest of the developing world they face problems with a growing population. They have their own unique way of doing things which may not seem to make sense to the average foreigner. Always remember that you are the stranger with strange ideas not them. There is no place you can go that doesn’t have it’s own set of problems. The question is can you adapt to the differences and learn to appreciate the good things the Philippines has to offer.
I thought public transportation is pretty good. Well, true not up to standards of some US cities but many US Cities have very weak public transit systems. Takes two or three hours just to take a bus from one side of Memphis to the other. Iit is more comfortable as their is aircon and buses in better condition and they don’t drive as aggressive in the states but at least you can find a ride where every you want to go. If all else fails you can get peddle power.
It depends on where you are and where you want to go. In the cities you can get around pretty well though you may have to change jeepneys a couple of times in more remote areas there is much more limited transportation available and most still do not own private transportation. Even in the city you can hit dead spots. A friend looked at an apartment on the outskirts of Cebu city the closest jeepney stop was a 10 minute walk.
You are certainly right on in regards to life style differences here versus there wherever there might be . I know for myself i did tons of research on the Philippines before coming to visit but no amount of research can fully prepare you for some of the things you will encounter . For me at least just learning how not to ” take for granted ” things that westerners tend to take for granted like a steady power supply or good water pressure or sidewalks that you can actually walk on was maybe the biggest adjustment .
Yes you can’t cover everything in one post I just don’t want people to get the impression that it is a trouble free paridise.
I think the good far outweighs the bad but not everyone does.
hi tom nice post. have been in the philipinnes twice now and married in 2007. am living in bikol since oct 2008 and plan to retire here. just came for 6 months to be with my wife.. since we are having visa problems (canada). and to see what problems i will incur when i do decide to move here. I laughed when i read about they have different ways of doing things.. cause that is the biggest problem i have here. just dont understand why or how they do the things they do. but it is their life and I am not here to change anyone. cause in most cases i find it enjoyable to be here. just need to not live with her family.. hahaha. have been persuing a piggery and chicken raising to make income here. if anyone can help me.. i need to know more about making bio gas with manure. where i can get containers to hold it etc.
nice site and am sorry i found it now.. as i go back to canada next week.
Yes you will greatly increase your stress levels if you have to have things your way. There is no right or wrong to most of it just a different perspective as to how things are done.
Filipinos are normally very close to their families so you will most likely not seperate her from them completly.(nor do I recommend you try to) Just try to find a compromise situation that will give you a little space. If you really want to be happy in the Philippines you have to go with the flow as they say.
If you click on the Tropical Penpals Link in the right hand colum (Nothing to do with internet dating I promise) He has several topics in the forum area that talk about the very thing you are interested in. He has a number of business topics you might be interested in as well.
Nice post and pictures.
Thank you. I am trying to include as many pictures as I can. It gives a much clearer look than just my words alone.
without permanent residence, how many days a year ,may a foreigner stay in philipiines?
If you arrive on a tourist visa you can obtain extensions for up to two years. Then you have to leave the country. You can return and begin the process again. Many people do their visa runs at about 16 months because extensions beyond that require the approval of the head of the BI.
You can also obtain a 59 day tourist visa from a Philippine consulate before your arrival. From most western countrys if you arrive without a visa you are given a visa valid for 21 days. There is a link to the BI site on the links page.