Bob here, from Salt Lake City. Retirement is coming up, and…

🤔 KNOW BEFORE YOU GO…. Understand that I love living in the Philippines, this is just an FYI… Don't even think about moving until you've lived there for at least 3 months. It's nothing like you think. It's a developing country, and you have no idea what that means until you experience it. Yes, there are beautiful places, but many are almost impossible to get to, and that's only a tiny part of living there. Flooding also happens often on every island. Foreigners can't own land. Be careful: buy land, and she can run you off and keep the land. It happens. You can own a condo, but renting is usually the best option. There's no higher authority to complain to. If you think you've been wronged, walk away and chalk it up to experience. Medicare doesn't apply outside the country. You should buy accident and medical insurance. Some people think the VA hospital in Manila will treat them. Wrong. It's an outpatient clinic for military-related injuries and illness. Medical care is often cash up front before admission, no matter how serious. That's true in many places, but remember you can't choose where you have an accident or a heart attack. The jeepney driver will take you to the nearest hospital or the one he has a deal with. I know from personal experience. If you're in an accident you're automatically at fault and have to settle at the scene, so carry lots of cash. An acquaintance is currently unconscious in a hospital in Dumaguete after a motorcycle accident. 25 beds in one room, 2 people in most beds. The hospital is demanding payment, but nobody knows how to get into his bank account or ATM card, things we don't think about. He has since passed away. Ambulances are few and far between, and traffic is awful in most cities, so it's a long trip to the hospital. Not all doctors are trustworthy. One man said his doctor told him he needed open-heart surgery, so he went back to the US for a second opinion and was told nothing was wrong with his heart. If you need prescription drugs from the US, you're probably out of luck. Prescription drugs must be sent by a pharmacy with proper documentation, and controlled substances and any prescription drugs mailed by a private individual are strictly forbidden. Lawyers and bankers… be careful.. they don't always act in your best interest, and there's nothing you can do about it. One expat bought a resort through his wife, only to find out the seller didn't own the property. There's a skin tax, a foreigner tax, an upcharge for foreigners. They think you're rich, and compared to them, you are. Most areas are oppressively hot and humid. Mail, electricity, internet, phone service and water are on and off and unreliable. They shut down the power plants weekly for maintenance. It's very noisy: dogs barking, loud talking, everyone seems to have two roosters crowing all night, karaoke blasting all night. That's their thing, don't complain. You are a g…

PLEASE READ THIS!!!: I didn't see you say you'd been to the Philippines First, please.... visit. And get out of the city Not just the touristy places, drive yourself through several islands. The Philippines is NOT the beautiful beach photos we all see. Brownouts, no water for days, crowds, pollution, motorbikes cutting you off, humidity that's hard to imagine, and.... typhoons. I think 9? hit Luzon a year or two back, 6 of them major. Not trying to talk you out of it (I'm moving there next year), but it's so different from a few photos

That depends on your lifestyle. If you're young, the places you named might suit you. But if you're in your 50s like my husband and me, we chose to buy a property in Lipa, Batangas. It's about an hour to Manila, and you get a city-meets-country feel away from the hustle and bustle. From mid-December to February the weather feels like spring here in the States. We'll be visiting our home soon before winter comes.

BGC is the best if you have money.

I've been researching for 4 years myself since I retired. Manila isn't one of my cities. Way too much traffic. Iloilo, Roxas City and Malaybalay are my current picks. Malaybalay is most likely my number one. It's much cooler and less humid, and they welcome expats. No beach, though