My wife is originally from Cebu. Her family is wonderful and the birthday parties are fantastic. And no, I don't go around handing out bags of cash. I've tried before to explain why I love the Philippines so much, and mostly failed miserably. It's too hot, it's messy, the bureaucracy is excessive, and there are rabid stray dogs. It's chaotic, the traffic is insane and there's too much petty crime. And yet I love it 🤔 The vibe just makes me feel alive. I'm one of those odd people who loves the food, karaoke and jeepneys. I also like exploring old churches, and there are so many amazing ones (be sure to visit the basilica in Taal). Our neighbors in Cavite (my wife has a terrace house in a subdivision there) are great too. I feel truly part of the community, and nobody has ever asked me for anything. If anything, they're always offering me food or drinks. I also love the beaches and the countryside around Baguio, and we've had great holidays in Subic (a friend from Wales has a place there). Mindoro is just a few hours away, with beaches, waterfalls and scenic drives. My wife prefers Australia and has a good job here, so we split our time between Australia and the Philippines. To sum it up, sometimes I can't wait to leave, but the moment I've left I want to start planning our next trip. Sorry for rambling.

People sing everywhere. One of the biggest things I noticed in the Philippines is that people are just singing all the time. I guess karaoke has something to do with it, but it's only a small part. It's just nice.

I love the food. My wife cooks it at home and I like carinderia food. I also like the chains (24 Chicken, Mang, Jollibee, etc.) and what I've had at buffets and food courts. Oh, and BBQ places where you pick the meat and they grill it right in front of you. I had no idea foreigners hated the food this much until I found this subreddit.

The pros are also the cons...

I do. I feel like it's easier to meet people and make friends (or at least acquaintances). For the most part, people are more welcoming and seem genuine. Of course, that could be because I'm a white foreigner in a developing country, but it's not only lower-income people who act that way. If I had to boil it down to one thing, it's that the sense of 'community' is much stronger than in most Western countries. Here in South Louisiana I couldn't name more than one or two of my neighbors, let alone say I've talked to them, but it's not like that in the Philippines. It probably depends a bit on where you live and how approachable you are. And if you speak even a little of the language, people are much more inclined to like you, or at least consider liking you, for whatever that's worth. As for the food, I agree with wrongdoer... I prefer Thailand or Indonesia. The Philippines is mediocre at best.

It almost feels like they don't have a culture. It's just whatever was trending in the US when they were teenagers, and that stays their culture for the rest of their lives.