Do some research and you'll know where to expect the least trouble. I've never regretted moving here for a single day.

Since this is a volcanic country, earthquakes can happen anywhere. But they're more frequent in some places, like Cebu and parts of Mindanao. Generally, the east side of the Philippines gets slammed by typhoons because they move from east to west. If you want to live somewhere mostly free from typhoons, stick to the western side of the country: Bacolod City, Iloilo City. The one thing that can be a problem anywhere is flooding. With enough torrential rain, it can flood almost anywhere. You can look up flood plain maps for any area with Google AI. That's really important to know, especially when you're looking for a place to live.

Yes, these things do happen, and the Philippines is definitely more exposed to natural hazards than many European countries. But there's another reality once you actually live here. As foreigners, we're generally lucky enough to live in houses, condos, or developments that are far better built and protected than the homes of many local Filipino families. Sadly, when a major typhoon, flood, or landslide hits, it's usually the poorest communities and the most vulnerable housing that suffer the worst. After living here a long time, the way you see it changes too. At first, every typhoon warning, earthquake, or big weather event can seem pretty worrying. After going through a few, you learn what to do, what to watch for, and how to prepare, and in a way you start living with these realities the way Filipinos do. You don't ignore the risks, but you don't spend your life worrying about them either. For me, what matters is simply choosing carefully where you live and making sure your home is properly built and well located: flooding, drainage, landslide exposure, build quality, distance from the sea, and so on. There are natural hazards everywhere in the world. Probably more here than in many countries, yes. But after almost ten years in the Philippines, they're just part of life. You prepare, you take sensible precautions… and then you live. 🇵🇭

It happens all over the world.

Weather isn't the issue for me. All the Philippine holidays, the drinking, the loud music, the inconsiderate drivers, those are my issues with the Philippines. It's a very beautiful country, and the people are very polite and friendly, but all the drinking and inconsiderate drivers make me sad. This country could be such a wonderful place, but I remind myself that our own countries have their issues too 😢. For the most part, I love the Philippines and its people.

Well, this makes me wonder. Maybe I should look a little harder at Vietnam for retirement.