Why did you decide to retire in the Philippines?

[Gary D]

We're retiring to the Philippines, yes dear.

[Old55]

2 hours ago, Gary D said:

We're retiring to the Philippines, yes dear.

The one who must be obeyed. 

[OzeMike]

I retired to the Philippines for the third and hopefully final time, just under 2 years ago.

After living here with my first Filipina gf and her two wonderful children who I helped raise we eventually moved to live in Australia....where they are very happy and my ex step children have done well for themselves and are both now married.  We remain very close and even though it didn't work out with their mum, she and I remain mates. 

I then retired here again (with my finances significantly reduced) and eventually met a lovely Filipina (no children) and... yep you've guessed it... after 4 years here took her to live in Oz... 3 years later she left me sadly for a younger wealthier Aussie....and I wish her happiness. 

So....I have retired to the Philippines for the third and at 72 for the last hurrah

After one wrong gf I have settled in Dumaguete with a lovely lady who is almost 33 never been married (CENOMAR verified) with a great little lad turning 6.....and we are coming up to our first year together.

To answer the original poster's question... I retired here because of finding a wonderful future wife,  cheap cost of living, nice warm weather, many expat friends and the friendly happy Filipinos in this colourful country which I love. 

So here's hoping this is my final retirement to the Phillipines

Edited September 15, 2019 by OzeMike
Typo

[Dave Hounddriver]

2 hours ago, OzeMike said:

I retired here because of finding a wonderful future wife,  cheap cost of living, nice warm weather, many expat friends and the friendly happy Filipinos in this colourful country which I love. 

Well stated.  I could say the same, but things change and I have not yet had your learning experiences of packing off a couple of wives to my home country.  I should expect a similar result, and yet some people have reported success from doing that.  So I can only surmise it is another case of Your mileage may vary.  As such, there is a very good chance that I shall follow in your footstep, a few years behind you.  Time will tell.

[Mike J]

12 hours ago, jimeve said:

I think it's called the Bohol sea, There's a fish sanctuary where I snorkel a place called Dauin on Negros Oriental. For me it's a great location It's possible to be in Cebu in 1 hour. Love it.

So we here in Moaboal are almost neighbors, except for the 80 km swim. 

[Dave Hounddriver]

12 hours ago, jimeve said:

It's possible to be in Cebu in 1 hour.

I am trying to think how you would do that.  Hmmmm,  half hour to the airport, an hour until flight leaves, 40 minute flight, an hour waiting for a cab, hopefully only a half hour drive to the city.  I can see how it is possible to be in Cebu in 4 hours but an hour?  Are you hiding your own private helicopter out there?  With a helipad in the city?

[jimeve]

2 hours ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

I am trying to think how you would do that.  Hmmmm,  half hour to the airport, an hour until flight leaves, 40 minute flight, an hour waiting for a cab, hopefully only a half hour drive to the city.  I can see how it is possible to be in Cebu in 4 hours but an hour?  Are you hiding your own private helicopter out there?  With a helipad in the city?

Sibulan to santander. half hour. 

 

Liloan Santander to Sibulan Fastcraft New Fare Rate and ...

[Tommy T.]

I sailed to Philippines back in 2011. I really liked the country, the friendly people and the generally low prices (compared to USA or Canada) for most food products, alcohol. I actually sailed the yacht here to sell it back in 2015 and never looked back. No wife or girlfriend at the time so I joined FaceBook and an online dating site.

I met a number of gold diggers and a few nice women too . Eventually I met two who I got along well with online and met both of them in person. One was really a good match but too young for me in my mind - not yet 34. (I found that the younger ones seemed immature and I wanted someone who I could share some interesting conversation, not just a physical relationship and no "high school" mentality. I am not saying that ALL young Filipinas are immature, just that the ones I met seemed to be stuck there.) I met her in person a few times and she was very nice and beautiful too, but just not quite "the one." She now has found an American guy who has paid for her to go to USA and live with him and his kids and she is very happy. I am pleased for her too since she deserved a good guy - better than her dastardly, womanizing, abusive ex...

The other I met was L, who is older and mature, smart, beautiful and hard working as a school teacher. When we met the first time in person, we both felt a connection and it has just kept getting stronger and better.

That's the long answer. So far, after almost four years, I feel like this is the place where I will grow old(er). Sure, there are irritants here that we have all discussed to great extent, but there were irritants in USA and everywhere else I have been...so what? I may complain a bit, but I am also trying to make a positive difference, no matter how small it may be. So I guess that's also part of the long answer.

Here's the short answer... Before I got to the Philippines in '15, I was already tired...

I noticed the proliferation of "Vulcanizing" shops everywhere and always their prices are cheap... So I decided it would be economical here to be "re-tired!"

Edited September 16, 2019 by Tommy T.
Fix spelling and additional comment

[OzeMike]

8 hours ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

Well stated.  I could say the same, but things change and I have not yet had your learning experiences of packing off a couple of wives to my home country.  I should expect a similar result, and yet some people have reported success from doing that.  So I can only surmise it is another case of Your mileage may vary.  As such, there is a very good chance that I shall follow in your footstep, a few years behind you.  Time will tell.

The problem was Dave I'd sold my house when I retired to the Philippines (the first time) and the house or apartment rentals in the Australian cities are really expensive.... so this created a financial pressure from the get-go. Add to that my last girl I took there sent home to her family nearly all her salary as a care giver unlike a western lady who would have put it into the family finances.... 

[Clermont]

3 hours ago, OzeMike said:

Add to that my last girl I took there sent home to her family nearly all her salary as a care giver unlike a western lady who would have put it into the family finances....

Mike I'm pleased you opened up about that sentence, maybe it's not in the right section but I believe it will get read. To all you gents out there wanting to take your new found partner to your home country, Mike has summed it up in a nutshell, your partner is committed to their family more than their spouse. Don't worry, they will cook, clean, attend to a mans needs, just about anything you want, but if the family needs finance back home, the family comes first. So before you take your new found friend home, be aware the PI women are very family orientated and learn about their sense of respect towards their oldies back home before committing. DO NOT bank on them swelling the bank account with their wages, if they chip in, it's a bonus. 

Mike don't take this personal, it is how we all think a relationship should work, both chipping in to the household budget, not a PI. This was just to let anyone thinking of a long term relation or a commitment back home what to expect.