The Philippines can be a wonderful place to retireābut it isn’t right for everyone. Before selling everything and booking a one-way ticket, answer these 12 questions about money, healthcare, climate, relationships, culture, adaptability, and what happens if your retirement equation changes.
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Why do some foreigners eventually leave the Philippines and return home? Sometimes it isn’t because the Philippines failed them. Family, health, finances, relationships, loneliness, and priorities change. At 77, my own retirement equation still worksābut someday yours or mine could change.
Bayanihan is more than a Filipino tradition. After a landslide struck our property in Puerto Galera, I experienced firsthand what happens when a community comes togetherāand why an American retiree may come to the Philippines alone but doesnāt have to remain alone here.
Why is he pointing with his lips? Why did that child put your hand to his forehead? And why does “come here” look like “go away”? Filipino gestures can puzzle American newcomers, but learning a few of these silent signals makes everyday life in the Philippines much easier.
One of the biggest culture shocks I experienced in the Philippines wasn’t the food or the languageāit was discovering that while Americans spend money trying to get tan, many Filipinos spend money trying to get lighter skin. The reasons have everything to do with history.