Medic Mike Posted July 31, 2013 Posted July 31, 2013 Any of the places you wrote can be good as well as parts of North Mindanao. Are you planning to marry a Filipina? Who the wife is is a main factor when chosing settle place in my thinking. Even IF you don't want to live close to your family-in-law, it can be good to settle somewhere where your wife have same first language as the locals, so you know what the locals are saying about you :) (E g Cebuano =Visaya is a big language spoken at Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental, part of Eastern Visaya and part of Mindanao (north and around Davao too.) i have been told to live a couple of islands away. she is from north mindanao.what cities are you fond of on that island? she speaks 3 dialects and english, so i don't imagine it would ever be an issue. i speak spanish and i am surprised how many of the words and phrases are almost identical. hopefully i can pick it up quickly. If Subic was not an option, my next choice would be Dumaguete (a 5 hr ferry ride from Dipolog), Dipolog (north western tip of Mindanao, followed by Davao. Davao makes my list as the urban city is cleaner, more organized, better policed, has an international airport and decent hospitals. The first two would be good for me until I was about 60 or medical problems start to come around. Cebu and Manila are too crowded for me. My woman is from Mindanao and speaks all of the major and some minor dialects (Tagalog, Bisayan, Chavacano, Tausug) and English. She has always been able to find a way to fit in and adjust wherever we have stayed. Heed the advice about living away from the family by a couple islands away. The further away the less interference or hassles you will get from them. Your woman will not get caught in the middle as much and learn to appreciate the separation. She will still get homesick and a quick trip every 6 months or so will remind her why she has left and how much better she has it with you. just my .02 thanks thomas. yeah, i am not really sold as much on cebu, but i have a filipina from that just moved back from nica who is encouraging me to check it out. i have read a bit about dumaguete and it appealed enough to me to ask about it(on another board) and the response from 2 residents was not positive. maybe they were trying to throw me a curve eh? i heard that they are getting a new hospital,built though. my plans are to settle in first and decide on a small business for my gal to work at, so we will need somewhere that has a large enough drawing card of clientle. maybe a hair salon or something in the service industry just to pay the bills. hopefully i will have enough time to check the place out. Cebu is also in the process of building the biggest mall on the planet :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tukaram (Tim) Posted July 31, 2013 Posted July 31, 2013 What i enjoyed about Cebu was it is large, crowded, and noisy... not the best selling points for most people. But it depends on where you stay (and my hotel was quiet!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medic Mike Posted July 31, 2013 Posted July 31, 2013 What i enjoyed about Cebu was it is large, crowded, and noisy... not the best selling points for most people. But it depends on where you stay (and my hotel was quiet!). LOL....that is what I liked as well :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bc_hombre Posted August 1, 2013 Author Posted August 1, 2013 What i enjoyed about Cebu was it is large, crowded, and noisy... not the best selling points for most people. But it depends on where you stay (and my hotel was quiet!). ok, cebu might be out. don't do that lifestyle well. what about mactan? is that worth a look? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Posted August 1, 2013 Posted August 1, 2013 what about mactan? is that worth a look? Mactan is sinking. Center of the island may be ok for your lifetime. But the outer areas have flooding and septic issues. If you look at some of the outer areas housing projects of townhouses for sale, look for high water marks on the buildings and trees. Maybe only 6" higher than the ground or so but that shows past flooding in that area. Septic tanks full of flood water and the drain field unable to absorb any more water until the water table drops. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jollygoodfellow Posted August 1, 2013 Posted August 1, 2013 3 Best Reasons You Love Where You Hang Your Hat The posts going off into business ventures has been split from this topic into its correct area. http://www.philippines-expats.com/topic/16740-doing-business/#entry102256 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bc_hombre Posted August 1, 2013 Author Posted August 1, 2013 what about mactan? is that worth a look? Mactan is sinking. Center of the island may be ok for your lifetime. But the outer areas have flooding and septic issues. If you look at some of the outer areas housing projects of townhouses for sale, look for high water marks on the buildings and trees. Maybe only 6" higher than the ground or so but that shows past flooding in that area. Septic tanks full of flood water and the drain field unable to absorb any more water until the water table drops. wow. tragic. i think that i may give cebu a miss this time around and instead look at dumaguete and negros oriental perhaps. life is too short for leaching septic fields and wells. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Posted August 1, 2013 Posted August 1, 2013 Look for easy in / out transportation, food and entertainment available, cost of living, quality of life, healthcare and the ever important irritation factor! (chickens, smog, noise, chickens, traffic, chickens, crime, chickens etc.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spyke69 Posted August 2, 2013 Posted August 2, 2013 I read all the posts about mindanao..and finally I read what jon1 wrote...so finally a smart guy.... Davao Dr. Hospital has every facility up to heart surgery our new SM mall is the second largest mall in the country...not bad for a back water city.....taxis are metered and drivers dont even ask for tips, no smoking, bike helmet required, check points on every road into town,,, our mayor dont like crims in our town...so most dont even make it to jail...it's the Wild West all over again ...but where I hang my hat now.....homeland security exists for REAL in Davao City 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spyke69 Posted August 2, 2013 Posted August 2, 2013 and I got a concealed weapon permit for my gun registered in my wifes name..so anything is possible Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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