How to Make your new life a dream come true in the Philippines

Flying Between the Islands - Negros to Cebu

2009-09-16T04:15:00.000-07:00

Flying Between the Islands from Negros to Cebu on ATR 72-500

A rather pleasurable flight on board the Cebu Pacific's ATR 72-500 turbo prop aircraft on a short 45 minute flight from Bacolod City in Negros Occidental to Cebu's Mactan International Airport.

Medical Facilities in the Philippines

2009-09-16T01:57:00.001-07:00

Medical Facilities in the Philippines

Going to the Doctor in the Philippines is not like in the UK, the first thing I notice is that you don't get fobbed off on the phone, and told to come on Thursday for an appointment when its only Monday and youre sick as a parrot, and also, you don't have to go and see a GP when you know its a problem with your ear, or your eye, then have to be shunted for a specialist appointment in 6 months time, in the Philippines you can access excellent medical facilities within the same day in the majority of cases.

Medical Treatment is good value, speedy, and effective, a Doctor's consultation will cost you approximately P500.00 or about £7.50, if the Doctor prescibes, the prescription is paid by yourself, depending on the medicine, most Doctors can see a patient immedeatly, some take slightly longer if they are busy with many patients, a consultation would normally last from 15 minutes to 1 hour depending on the required diagnosis and treatment, not like in UK where youre allowed 10 minutes.

Many local people subscribe to Phlhealth, which is a Government plan, most people pay according to salary band, this is where the Government picks up some of the cost, and the individual pays a contribution, this is mainly used for hospitalization charges, however the point to note here is that Healthcare in the Philippines is a mixture of private and social, the social is for people who are unable to pay, Westerners can well afford to pay privately.

Dental treatment in the Philippines.

Dental Surgeons in the Philippines are highly trained and provide excellent standards of care, they are board certified but much more importantly, they are xcellent value for money.

A dental consultation costs around P500.00 or about £7.50 not £60.00 like in the UK, for that, you could obtain a tooth extraction and other root canal treatment, other work such as cleaning or time consuming work, would be priced on application, however all Dentists in the Philippines work to set charges which are universal among Dentists, access to dentists is widely availabe, no NHS Problems in the Philippines, dental care is good.

Many UK Expats who travel between the Philippines and UK, tend to leave any major dental work to their next trip in country, where they then arrange to have the work carried out.

The Increase in Medical Tourism.

The Philippines is fast becoming the destination for medical tourism, this is where waiting lists and inadequacies and lack of funds in certain NHS Trust area's are leading to an increase in interest for travelers to the Philippines looking for 1st class medical treatment.

The Philippines especially in the capital city Manila, has a wealth of private clinics offering everything from surgical transplants to liposuction and other cosmetic effect surgeries, plus the in care is superb, costs are much lower than in Western countries, and many foreigners are now traveling to the Philippines for major medical operations, which they cannot access back in the UK, due to waiting lists, and other considerations.

So How Much will it cost for everyday living ?

2009-09-16T01:42:00.000-07:00

Live like a King for less than you think

Few people in the UK take holiday's in the Philippines, and because of this, they know very little about this jewel in South East Asia, Thailand is more publicized and is a well known holiday destination, but the costs of a holiday in the Philippines, are so much better value, if you know the country, you might be surprised to know how far money goes in the Philippines if you know how to manage the money you have,

A grand a month now should give you a decent lifestyle, or about P2000.00 a day, should give you the essentials you need to live on but if you want a maid, depending on which province you live in, that should cost you anywhere from P4000.00 to P6000.00 and a driver if you need one should cost you P250.00 a day or about P1500.00 a week, your driver can double as your protector and companion, and also as a general helper when he is not driving you around.

Tourists who arrive in the Philippines for their first visit tend to stay at the 1st class hotels, they eat at the most expensive restaraunts, thats because they are used to spending heavily on holiday's ! (whats that British Phrase oh its ok, wer'e on holiday, you only do it then, but I wouldnt do it at home !)

When you retire in the Philippines or simply want to go there to live ahead of your retirement, thats a fine goal to have, but remember,you will not be staying at 1st class hotels, you will not be eating at the best restaraunts, life will be different, because you may be having to manage on a budget, unless you are fairly wealthy, money will soon go from your grasp, there are reports of Americans who live in Davao City area, who cannot afford to put on the Aircon, they sit around all day sweating, or end up going to the shopping malls to keep cool, imagine that, there is a report of an American who arrived in Manila, and now sleeps on the streets at night, obviously his retirement didnt work out, but remember, many people totally mis-understand what is required to live like a King.

Its for the things we do not think of or take for granted, that have to be budgeted for, for example, healthcare, yes its cheap in the Philippines, but not free as it is in UK, a typical Doctor visit will cost around P500.00 about £7.50, then there is prescription charge, now if you need a course of anti-biotics, Augmentin a very good well known non generic drug is around P80.00 per tablet, if you need 3 a day for 7 days, thats 21 tablets at 80pesos, that's P1680.00 or at today's exchange rate £21.00, so a Doctor's visit has cost you £28.50.

So what about hospitalization and serious illnesses, if you need to spend time in hospital because you have been infected or caught a serious disease, and there are plenty of those to be had from Dengue fever through to black water disease, it can be expensive, ok, you might be able to claim some back from Philhealth, if your wife or partner has you in on her membership, but to get out of hospital you will have to pay the bill, and that could be £375.00 to £1000.00 depending on the length of stay, treatment received and care.

Living in the Philippines is simply so much different to what youre used to at home, Learning to budget money is an art form, best put to good use by your Filipina companion, most of them are excellent money handlers, which is why you can live like a King for around £1000.00 to £1300.00 a month thats around P80,000 to P100,00 a month at the current exchange rate (Aug 2009).

Metro Manila the capital city is more expensive, the provinces, like Visayas, or Mindanao are much less expensive to live in, some have been known to live on less than P60,000 a month, thats around £750.00 per month.

Have you any idea's what things cost in the Philippines ? well as of (August 2009) first let me give you a short run down on the vices and other things you feel you should have. Beer, the local one is San Miguel is UK 70p a bottle and its a quality beer. There are other brands too. Rum is still around 65p per liter, can you believe it ? gin and Vodka a little more. There are also local kinds of liquor, like Tanduay and Emperador, and this is 45 pesos for a small bottle and 65 to 80 pesos for the larger bottle, So you can get drunk as a Judge on £1.00 a night, if thats your thing.

Some more vice for you, smoking - a pack of 20 costs around 30 pesos, the bars stay open all nights, but most close up at around 3am, there is snooker, pool, videoke, a kind of kareoke, but much better, with scenic pictures of swiss railway journeys for some reason, you can hire a private videoke room, if you want a private party.

Living in the Philippines, and making our life there needs some planning and thought about your budget, but the above information will help you to start thinking about your life there, I hope this article has helped.

So How Much do you really want your Philippine Dream ?

2009-09-14T06:16:00.000-07:00

The Republic of Philippines has to be the place you always dreamed of, firstly though a beautiful paradise needs a great people to welcome you, thats not hard to find, the Filipino people, through their unconditional hospitality, and amazing respect for foreign visitors, their amazing grasp of what is important in life, there bright smiles, not just the ladies, but the Filipino men also, their respectful tone of conversation, culture, food and amazing night life, will become a magnet to the would be Westerner looking to make a new life in the country of his dreams

I would not be the first to admit, that something seems to draw you close to the Philippines and fall in love with the country, its people, and culture, if you visit, you rarely want to return home, that has already happened to me and its history as they say, its in my blood now, let us not paper over the cracks, it is true to say there is no doubting that the Philippines is hard hit with incredible poverty, yes, there are not enough jobs for the people, there is no income support or social security in the way that we know it.

Firstly lets talk about the Filipino people themselves, they somehow show the most incredible spirit of survival, they find the most imaginative ways of overcoming the most trying of personal situations, to be in a Filipino group is to see the Bayani spirit of togetherness that overcomes all things and endures for a lifetime, so wherever you travel in the world, there is sure to be a Filipino Community living somewhere, I want to tell you about this country of 7000 + Islands, Sa Mahal Kong pilipinas ( My Beloved Philippines ), the country where I am making my home

Why Should you live amongst the Filipino people ?

The question above is very easy to answer, firstly because the Philippines is an english speaking country as a native language, Tagalog, Ilongo, Cebuano, Hiligaynon, and English are widely spoken by the Filipino people, but English is the language of business and a language you can easily converse in with the Filipino people.

Secondly, the Filipino people are very warm, and welcoming to foreigners who wish to settle amongst them. Providing their customs and traditions are respected, the Filipino people can be the most welcoming people in the world, for the first time visiting the Philippines as a foreign traveller is pretty exciting but living and retiring in the Philippines is said to be a dream come true.

Many dream of living an expatriate lifestyle, beautiful beaches, clear blue oceans, and amazing mountain views, can be the first thing you see when you wake up
every morning, but this is all to no avail if you are broke, cannot afford to put on the air conditioning and are living with your girls family because you cannot afford to live in your own house, the great thing about visiting and living in the Philippines is that the sun always shines there, and that can make a lot of difference to your state of mind, however your state of mind will be one of depression if you cannot afford to live to a similar life you have in UK.

I have found througout my travels, that almost all Filipinos and Filipinas adore foreigners, expatriates, (expats) who live here or retire here. And they welcome and appreciate the tourist visitor, wherever you travel around the Islands, you seem to attract stares, but not the negative stares you would expect in Western Countries, more of a admiring stare, I love to see beautiful Filipina's smile, no seriously, you cannot beat those beautiful bright smiling faces around the shopping malls, along the beach fronts, going about their business down a busy street, I also love to see the smile of the Filipino, that is the guys as well you find the smile is genuine and tends to come from their hearts, that is why so many foreign tourists end up in the Philippines, and sometimes just never come back.

I first arrived in the Philippines in early 2004, it was not long before the Filipino way of life was in my blood, Even after the first visit, I knew I would be back. But it did not take long before I went back, exactly 3 months, I could not stay away, I had to get back to my bit of paradise, and you will too become addicted to the sunshine, smile and laughter if you come over to this best kept secret in the world, or it was until the Internet gave people access to information about the joys and wonder of living in the Philippines.

You can make Philippines yours too !

Generosity is part of the culture in the Philippines. Getting to know the Filipino culture will greatly enhance your living or traveling experience. But it is not something you have to do.

The Filipino people are very tolerant of foreign culture and customs. They understand it's hard to adapt to another country right away. Filipinos have traveled the world as contract workers, and know the problems of acculturation, thats what I love so much about them, they seem to accept anyone, doesnt matter where you come from, you will be immedeatly accepted into the Filipino Community in which you visit or live in, they will treat you as one of them, if a Filipino makes friends with you, you are like a brother to him, if you are lucky enough to be married on in a long term relationship with a Filipina, then your very fortunate in deed.

The Filipino people make you feel needed and wanted here. Sometimes in the UK, I feel we have lost the plot, we have become consumed by our own greed
to clamour for materialism and acquisition of material goods, in the Philippines, its more about living a quality of life, rather than living to work. admittedly, you cant't be poor in the Philippines and expect to live like a King, but you can live like a King if you have a reasonable amount of income coming in, which we will discuss in future articles, so be sure to follow my blog and you will find some interesting ways to help in your quest to make a life in the Philippines.

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Making Your Dream Come true - A life in Philippines

2009-09-14T04:15:00.000-07:00

How long have you been considering living in the Philippines, and leaving for good standard Britain or standard U.S.A.? I have been a regular visitor to the Republic of Philippines and with over 15 tours of duty behind me, can truly say, that I have come to love and consider the 7000+ islands of the Republic of Philippines my Home of choice, so much so, that I have decided its the only place for me to be when I retire.

What can you do now to plan your dream retirement in the Philippines.

Firstly, what do you really know about the Philippines ? have you read any guides, or do you read about what other's have said, isn't it worthwhile now just stepping back for a few moments and reading the experiences of others before you take the plunge, I know I read as much as I could before I decided to invest my hard earned money in my future retirement.

Firstly, before you start selling everything you own, and buying flight tickets, there are many factors that you need to research before making any permanent decisions to make the move, for those who are considering an expatriate lifestyle in the Philippines, there are 2 major considerations for you to start planning for immedeatly, firstly, Where will you derive your income from to have a comfortable living when you reach the Philippines.

Could this be from savings ? and perhaps a pension or two ? if you are lucky enough to be well off in your retirement, then thats great !, however if your not at retirement age and are not lucky enough to have pensions and perhaps some investments to fall back on, you need to seriously give this issue much thought, whether it be a business, interest from capital savings, or even local job, it is not impossible to get local jobs, but experience suggests that its hard for foreigners to get jobs, and when they do, the financial rewards may not be worth the effort.

Secondly, and just as important, where will you live ? housing is of prime concern when it comes to trying to make that dream come true of living in the Philippines.

Many expat's who go to live in Philippines from the UK and from the U.S.A. with a one sided view of the life they will have, recent stories have surfaced, have grossly underestimated what life will be like when it comes to the amount of income needed, not only that, but they have completely forgotten to think about other issues in life that need addressing such as, Medical treatment, Dentist treatment, schools for children, local issues, cultural issues, and a whole host of other factors known as the Filipino factors.

Many used to say, you could live like a King on about £700.00 a month, or even less, depending on which part of the 7000 plus islands you live on, firstly, it won't cut it any more, things in the Philippines have simply gone up, inflation has hit the country just like everywhere else, so lets take a reality check.

Secondly, its almost likely that you will want to settle where your girl comes from, this is common, and makes sense, since her family structure will be in place, my travels tell me that Davao City is one of the cheapest places to retire to, whether it be to manage your food budget, or rent a property, or even build one.

My consultations with expatriates living in Philippines have recently told me that many UK or US retiree's simply under estimate the cost of living in Philippines, everything from basic food stuffs, to Diesel for your car, electricity and other utilities cost more than they did 4 or 5 years ago, inflationary pressures infect the Philippines just like anywhere else.

Therefore some consideration has to be given to how you will live, and what your budget will be, at present estimates, I think £1200 to £1300 is probaly more in line with what is required to live in Philippines to a comfortable standard, but again depending on which area you live in, provincial towns will always be cheaper, than say, Metro Manila, Cebu City, or other cities in central Luzon, Davao City again gets a mention because of its busy restaraunt culture, and there are thousands of them to choose from, hence lower prices.

Lets go back to housing requirements, the simple way to plan your move is during the initial 12 months of your stay in the Republic of Philippines, you are advised to start by renting a property, house rentals in the provinces are very reasonable, and can often be from P7000.00 to P20,000 to P30,00 depending on the level of luxury required and the type of sub division you wish to live in, and of course the level of facilities you require to complete your dream move.

More luxurious properties are available for higher rents, however if like me you want a permanent base to call your own, you can look to start the process of acquiring your own property some time before you are actually going to make your move, you would do this by building your own house by buying a parcel of land called a lot, and self build, by engaging your own architect, and building team.

In my case I have built a 3 bedroomed modest beautiful house, with gardens, a Gazebo, and Swimming Pool area, I have done this over a period of about 2 years, working slowly to achieve the final project in stages of completion, I have spent every penny I have spare on making my Filipino dream come true, how does that sound to you ? - trust me, you can do it, if you really want it !

Some expats who are not in a hurry to start their dream move, do this in stages, this is sensible, and its what I and many others have done, first, you need to make a plan of action, as to how you will move to the Philippines, here is an idea for a plan that you might consider.

A Sample Plan of Action for living and retiring in Philippines.

Housing - ? location, City town, Area, subdivision, Barangay, rent or buy ?
Self Build - Acquiring Lot (parcel of land) price per square metre - Buy Cash, or finance, UK Finance or local developer finance, short term, or longer term.
Main construction of House - Budget ?P1M to P3M P3M to P6M or P6M and upwards.
Income - Pensions - investments - Savings - Local Business, Buy one or start one.
Medical - Philhealth - Private medical - pay as you go, etc.
Timelines - set a date for completion and moving, vague plans with no times never work.
Break down each task into smaller achievable worthwhile goals, then tick them off when completed.

Now if you have given it some thought, take a rest break with a coffee and watch this video, when you have watched it 2-3 times, start believing in yourself and plan the work, then simply do as I did, work the plan ? and then follow my blog and get some more hints and tips on what to do next.