The Philippines

The Philippine islands are rich in natural beauty. Lying about 500 miles off the southeast coast of China and to the northeast of Borneo, the Philippines is made up of over 7,000 islands created from volcanic activity.

Yet the total land mass is about the size of Arizona.

Only about 7% of the islands are larger than one square mile, and only one third of them have names. They form three main groups: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

Colonized by the Spanish in 1521, their influence can be seen all over the Philippines, from the Spanish churches and religious observation to Hispanic last names and foods.

The Spanish language was the official language of the country for over three centuries and was the lingua franca up until the 21st century.

The Philippines is one of the world’s most affordable places to retire, and welcomes foreigners, to boot.

Offering one of the best retirement programs and an easy path to permanent residency (the easiest in Southeast Asia), plus top-notch health care (and the only remaining overseas VA hospitals in the world), established retiree communities, and stunningly beautiful beaches… it’s easy to see why so many retirees have decided to make the Philippines their permanent home.

Keep in mind that the Philippines is a poor country, so be aware of pickpockets or anything that sounds “too good to be true,” because it probably is.

However, the standard of living in certain areas is noticeably much higher than you’ll encounter in many other parts of the country, including Manila.

Still, it’s wise to keep your doors locked and exercise the usual level of common sense that you would use anywhere.

Aside fromunlikely natural disasterevents, the Philippines is a peaceful and mellow place to live. Expats joke that life can be so uneventful here that the whole expat community shows up to the opening of an envelope. When it comes to safety, that’s definitely good news.

Dumagueteis a safe place to live, though it isn’t crime-free. Pockets ofextreme poverty create an environment that leads some people to engage in petty crime. The local police are not considered overly effective investigators either.

Locals here complain about cat burglars, and most of the nicer homes in this area are surrounded by high walls and barbed wire, or have other security systems.

A common form of Philippean safety measures is found in nearly all of the newer housing developments.Most homes expats might considerare gated and guarded, and many people keep dogs to guard and protect their homes.

Robberies are not common, although they do occur frequently enough to mention. Security is visible in in the main tourist areas of the Philippines as a result of this.

Almost all restaurants employ at least one-armed security guard (who often does double-duty as a doorman) and shoppers are scanned by security personnel when entering malls.

Firearms are legal to purchase and carry if you are a Philippine national, though many places, including banks and other business establishments, prohibit them on their premises.

Foreigners are prohibited from owning firearms and the penalties for possessing them are severe. As a foreigner living here, the chances of becoming a victim of a robbery are low.