Retire In The Philippines Now

Since I have been involved in internet marketing and affiliate marketing for awhile I have seen many offers for companies wanting me to add their link or promote their products on my various sites. I spend many hours researching the offers that seem interesting to me. I have been seeing banners for SwagBucks on many of the sites I frequent lately and then recently my ebay selling coach Suzanne sent me a link to it and I checked it out.

I found out that SwagBucks is a search engine that rewards you for searching from it’s site. You earn credits or SwagBucks when you perform searches. You can then use the credits to purchase merchandise on their site. Some of the merchandise you can redeem for includes gift cards to such places as Target, Amazon, or Macy’s which you can either use to buy things or sell them on ebay. Other things you can redeem for are DVD’s, books, and video games.

If this sounds like a good deal for you click on this link to sign up for free. You start out with 3 Swagbucks just for registering and then you will be rewarded with other bucks periodically. So you can search on the other search engines and get nothing or you can search on Swagbucks and get rewarded.

The Island Garden City of Samal is a beautiful and exotic destination in the Philippines. It is part of Metro Davao in Davao Gulf located very close to Davao City. The name was derived from Sama, a tribal group found on the island. This place flourishes with beautiful white sand beaches, plentiful marine life, and interesting rock formations. It is also home to the Famous Pearl Farm Beach Resort , which was once actually a pearl farm. Another landmark on the island is a cave that holds the distinction of containing the world’s biggest colony of fruit bats and could contain over 1 million bats.

Getting to The Island Garden City of Samal can be accomplished by first reaching Davao City. There are numerous flights from Manila and other major cities arriving in Davao City daily. Flight time from Manila takes about 1.5 hours and from Cebu it is a fifty minute flight. Bus service from Manila to Davao is about 48 hours and Superferry service from Manila is 40 hours.

As far as accommodations in Samal there are 30-40 resorts scattered throughout the island, most notably the previously mentioned Pearl Farm Beach Resort and Paradise Island Resorts. Most of these resorts offer all amenities at a reasonable price per night. Check the links to the websites for more information.

For a foreigner’s view on Samal Island and Paradise Island please check out American in Davao.  This blog writer lives in the immediate area and has provided pictures and posts from Samal.

Moving to a different country from where you were born and raised can be difficult. Even though you may have visited this country or married a native of the new country there are unexpected things that will show up. Sometimes these can be embarrassing or harmful to you or your family. Something so simple as a wrong word spoken that causes a person to lose face could even be harmful. Learning by making mistakes is not always the best option. It would be better to have an idea of what to watch for and be careful of. I believe I have found a very good guide for experiencing the culture of the Philippines. The name of the book is Culture Shock! Philippines: A Survival Guide to Customs and Etiquette written by Alfredo Roces.

This book has been said to be an excellent reference for travelers to the Philippines and required reading if you plan on living there.  Some of the highlights of the book include Tagalog phrases not normally known by non-filipinos and what is expected in social gatherings in the Philippines. Another part of the book talks about how important it is for you to meet the parents of your expected bride and interaction with the family. It even covers the “required gift” part of social interaction and gives suggestions for appropriate gifts. Just a hint this chapter alone could save you much embarrasment later on.

Again I recommend this book highly not just for the knowledge of Philippine culture but as a guide book in your dealings with folks in the Philippines. You can get a copy by clicking on the link above or the Amazon button to the left. Salamat Po!

Many people look forward to retirement so that they can do the things they enjoy. One of the top activities of retirees and nine to fivers is golfing. The Philippines offer the golfer many courses of different levels of difficulty. The lush tropical scenery is one of the best situations to golf in. Couple that with the affordability of golfing in the Philippines and you have the perfect paradise for the avid golfer. Here at Retire in the Philippines Now we have researched and personally golfed at a few of the following golf courses. This is not a comprehensive list but just a few of the many golf courses available in the Philippines.

Alta Vista Golf & Country Club in Cebu has been described as short and mountainous with narrow fairways. Although this is a very good description, the view as you golf on this course can only be described as awesome. You can see a couple of islands, I believe one is Mactan Island and you have a beautiful view of the bay. Some of the facilities include a driving range, putting green, pro shop, and a great restaurant and lounge. Alta Vista is about 20-30 minutes from Cebu airport depending on traffic. Green fees the last time I was there were P2,000 ($40) on weekdays and P3500 ($70) on holidays and weekends. Caddy fee was P250 ($5) with rental fees for a cart at P500 ($10). Rental of clubs will cost you another $10. Alta Vista is listed as a private club but there is a program available for tourists to play at the above prices. Phone number I have listed for Alta Vista is (032)232-7971.

Cebu Country Club is a fine golf course located within Cebu City. It also is a private golf club but like Alta Vista it makes arrangements for tourists. This par 71 course features white sand traps with coral rock that adds to the tropical scenery of the Philippines. Faculties include a restaurant with bar, locker rooms for male and female, a tennis court as well as a swimming pool. Of course there is an adequate pro shop and a barber shop where you can get a great haircut with neck massage. Fees are P2,000 ($40) on weekdays, P3500 ($70) on weekends and holidays. Caddy fee is P250 ($5) and cart rental will cost you P1500 ($30). If you need to rent clubs it will cost you P300 ($6). Contact the Cebu Country Club at (032)231-0345.

Apo Golf & Country Club is located in Davao City. This club as is the case with almost all of the courses in the Philippines offers views that stop you in your tracks. Apparently there are great views of Mount Apo from many places on this course. For more information on this course contact the club at (63-82)296-0048.

Tagaytay Highlands is one of the best in the Philippines. Unique to this 72 par 6820 yard course is the availability of a helicopter ferry from Manila. Also the golf course is about 500 meters above sea level. There is a cable car system that ferries golfers from the 9^th to 10^th hole and from the 18^th back down to the 1^st hole. Because of its elevation this course provides a much cooler and comfortable golfing experience. As I stated in the opening article the Philippines offers so many beautiful and affordable golf courses. The mentioned courses are just a sampling of the available courses and are not necessarily the best courses. For more information on these and other courses please utilize the search bar below.

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Has this happened to you before? You visit a place on business or vacation and while you are lying on the beach drinking your favorite adult beverage, being waited on hand and foot, you think “Hey I could just move here and do this forever”. But when you return home you realize that the thoughts of retiring or moving to that tropical island were just fantasies that probably will never come true. You would have to work somewhere to make money to live on. Oh, you may be able to move there and retire in your 60′s or 70′s and live off a pension but then you will be too old to really enjoy it. Let me tell you, the Philippines is one of those tropical paradises with all the above mentioned luxuries and you don’t have wait until you are old and gray to live there.

Bob Martin, the author of the book 49 Ways to Make a Living in the Philippines moved there in his 30′s and has lived there for eight years. He moved to the Philippines with a good amount of money but found that the way he was living and spending would make him broke soon after he arrived. He faced a decision of either returning to the US and finding a job or finding some way to earn money while living in the Philippines. In other words Bob learned from his mistakes and is now sharing the ways he made it in the Philippines with us.

Bob’s story in itself is an inspiration to anyone wanting to move to the Philippines or any other country actually. In fact most of the ideas found in this book can be applied in the United States or Europe or wherever you may choose to live or retire. I have spent many days and nights pouring through this book and applied many of the 49 ways in preparation for my move to the Philippines. I have built my business model on the information provided by Mr Martin and I thank him. So if you are thinking of taking that step and finding a new life in tropical paradise or just looking for ideas on supplementing your income, order a copy of this book now.

Dan Mihaliak, webmaster-My Move to the Philippines

The city of Manila (pop. 1.6 million+) is the capital of the Philippines and one of the cities that make up the Greater Metropolitan area of Metro Manila. Located on the Manila Bay in Southern Luzon it is the center of government for the Philippines. Manila is the second most populated city in the Philippines behind only Quezon City. The city gets its name based on a flowering mangrove plant called “nila” that grew on the shores of the bay. “May nila” or “Ma nila” in Tagalog means “there is nila” or “nila is prevalent.”

Originally Manila was inside the fortified walls of Intramuros meaning (within the walls) and was the seat of government during the Spanish occupation. During World War II much of Manila was destroyed especially during the Battle for Manila from 3 February to 3 March 1945 which ended three years of Japanese occupation of the Philippines.

Today Manila and Metro Manila offers the tourist and the resident many things to do. In the business district of Makati you will find business related spots such as the Philippine Stock Exchange and offices for Fortune 500 companies. Also in Makati there are 4 and 5 star hotels and some top rated night clubs.

For sightseeing, visit some historical sites such as the 400 year old walled city of Intramuros or Fort Santiago within the walls. Also there are tours to Manila’s Chinatown, known as the Binondo District. Manila is also home to the National Museum of the Philippines and Rizal Park.

For the bar hoppers check out the nightclubs in the Malate area of Manila as there are numerous forms of entertainment nightly. Also check out the Hard Rock Café in the Makati district for good food and live music.

Whatever your mood Manila offers something to do day or night all year round!

The U.S. State Department estimates that the total number of US citizens living in the Philippines is more than 250,000. About 22,000 of those are permanent settlers and another 81,000 are non-citizen residents such as business, missionaries, and educators. Of those 250,000 the majority probably live in the Metro Manila area but many are living in Cebu.
Why Cebu? After all, Cebu is known for its narrow coastlines, limestone plateaus, and coastal plains which are typical of a tropical island paradise. Cebu ‘s rolling hills, and rugged mountain ranges and white sand beaches with beautiful hotels and casinos, world-class golf courses, and shopping malls has long made it a favorite destination of tourists. Conte Nast Traveler Magazine named Cebu the 7th best island destination in the Indian Ocean-Asia region in 2007. Cebu is also one of the most developed provinces in the Philippines and the main center of commerce, trade, education, and industry in the central and southern parts of the country.
Cebu’s extensive international port facilities and access to major points worldwide has led to more than a hundred firms such as Mitsumi, Pentax Corp, Lexmark, Timex, and others to set up manufacturing plants here. Due to its extensive furniture –making industry, Cebu is known as the furniture capital of the country. It is also fast becoming an IT hub for many international companies and a favorite site for U.S. call centers.
Cebu is the home to over 1,000 private and elementary schools, 200 secondary (high) schools, 9 universities and 29 colleges. It’s average annual college student population is 130,000 with prominent universities such as Cebu Doctors’ University, University of the Philippines, Cebu College, University of Cebu, and University of the Visayas. Many foreign students attend Cebu’s universities with Korean and Iranian students being the largest group of students from outside the Philippines.
If it’s entertainment you are looking for Cebu is the place. If you are an outdoor type there are dive shops like the Blue Abyss in Moalboal where dive gear can be rented for $22 and diving lessons are given for a very reasonable price. Other dive shops include Club Aquasports and Dreamers Water World in Lapu-Lapu City. If you just want some serious beach time check out Camotes Island and experience an island of white sand beaches, limestone rock formations, caves, waterfalls and a river that empties into Lake Danao.
Bars with live bands abound in Cebu with genres from Jazz to Heavy Metal, which would be expected in an area with such a large population of college students. And don’t forget one of the things that the Philippines is famous for worldwide, FOOD. From the unique seafood to the tropical fruit and pastries that are native to the Philippines Cebu is one of the major food destinations of the Philippines. Of course there are also typical American fast-food restaurants such as McDonalds and KFC if you prefer that kind of food.
All in All, you can see that foreigners wishing to retire to Cebu will be very comfortable and find many of the things they thought were left behind in their native country.

Traveling to the Philippines from anywhere in the world has become quite expensive. With rising airfare prices we now need to do things to find discount prices on our flights.

Do your research

The best way is to check the discount airfare sites first such as CheapTickets.com and see what type of fares they list. Compare the prices between them and the airlines websites to see if there are any discounts offered from the carriers that aren’t advertised anywhere else.

Be Flexible

The off season for travel to the Philippines would be June to October because this is the rainy season. During these months airfare should be cheaper but during the summer months you may have to contend with families traveling from the US because of school being out. November through February should be the most expensive as the weather is at it’s best especially during the Christmas season. Try booking your flight in the middle of the week and at odd times during the day when airfares are cheaper.

Different Airlines Different Service

Sometimes the cheapest way is not the best way to travel. The difference in levels of service can be a determining factor for the experienced traveler who has flown a couple of different airlines. One airline might serve a food more in tune with a certain passenger’s diet than another. I’ve found that the host country airlines, for example Philippine Airlines or Japan Airlines serve the best food and treat their customers the best. It’s a sad thing but US airlines have really taken a dive in the customer service department. While flying PAL a few months ago I was given a package containing slippers to wear during flight as well as one of those masks you put over your eyes while sleeping. The flight attendants on PAL and JAL are much more friendly and willing to make your flight as comfortable as possible. Of the US based airlines Northwest Airlines does a pretty good job also.

To sum it up, the best advice is to research the websites of the airlines and discount airfare providers, be flexible of the times you travel and decide whether you are willing to give up comfort over convenience. See you soon in the Philippines!

The Philippines was once the wealthiest country in Asia but slowly became one of the poorest after gaining independence in 1946. During the 1980’s, corruption within the government coupled with the American military pullout caused a decline and demand for Philippine products suffered. According to some sources up to 10% of the GDP was lost during this period.

The 1997 Asian Financial Crisis affected the Philippines to the extent that the value of the peso declined but not as bad as other Asian countries due to fiscal conservatism by the Philippine government. In 1997 economic development was at 5% and dropped down to 0.6% in 1998. It increased to 3% in 1999 and in 2004 the economy experienced a growth of 6%. In 2007 the GDP experienced growth of 7.3% and the goal of the government is 9% by 2009. One interesting statistic is that in the Philippine budget provisions for servicing debt are higher than the budget for education and defense together.

The Philippines is largely an agricultural country but light industry and the service industry continue to grow. Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has vowed to make the Philippines a developed country by 2020. She has instituted 5 super regions: the North Luzon Agribusiness Quadrangle, Metro Luzon Urban Beltway, Central Philippines Region, Mindanao Super Region, and the Cyber Corridor. These Super Regions will concentrate on the economic strengths of the various regions of the Philippines. Add to that the implementation of tax reforms, continued privatization of state assets, and the building up of the infrastructure of various areas.

Even though the economy is growing, the Philippines have several problems that will still have to be addressed in the future. The regional development is happening much faster on the island of Luzon and Manila in particular. This uneven balance must be addressed by the President and government leaders if the Philippines expect to achieve the status of developed country.

The Philippines is a member of the Asian Development Bank a bank established in 1966 to promote economic and social development in Asian and Pacific countries through loans and technical assistance. The headquarters of the ADB is in Mandaluyong City in Metro Manila. They are also members of the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the G-77 as well as others.

If you are serious about retiring to the Philippines now or in the near future here are a couple of ideas on how that can be done.

The Special Residents Retiree’s Visa (SRRV)

The Special Residents Retiree’s Visa (SRRV) is a special non-immigrant visa which entitles the holder to reside in the Philippines for an indefinite amount of time. This includes unlimited entry and exit to and from the Philippines as long as the visa is in good standing. Other advantages of having the SRRV is exemption from the Exit-Clearance, Re-Entry and Annual Registration requirements of the Bureau of Immigration and all included fees. The holder of the SRRV can also bring up to $7,000 worth of household goods without paying customs duties and taxes. Also there are fewer restrictions on owning land and property to holders of this visa. At first look this would seem to be the way to go for someone wanting to retire in the Philippines. But this visa requires a deposit to be put down and this deposit could be as much as US $50,000 depending on your age and how many family members you are bring along. Please visit the Philippine Government website for more information.

Dual Citizenship

On September 17, 2003 President Arroyo signed Republic Act 9225, Citizenship Retention and Re-acquisition Act of 2003 also known as the Dual Citizenship bill. This act declares that former natural born Filipino citizens who acquired foreign citizenship through naturalization are deemed not to have lost their Philippine citizenship.

The procedure for reacquiring/retaining their Philippine citizenship begins with proving he/she is a natural born Filipino by acquiring an NSO-authenticated copy of his or her birth certificate. The birth certificate is submitted with the Petition of Dual Citizenship and Issuance of Identification Certificate form and (3) 2″X2″ photos. These items are then turned in to a Philippine Consulate/Embassy with a copy of a valid ID. If married and the citizen wants to retain their married name a copy of the marriage certificate must be included. There is also a US $50 processing fee to be paid with submission. After turning in the forms you have to schedule an appointment to take the Philippine Oath of Allegiance by a consular officer. Foreign spouses of Filipino citizens cannot become citizens under this act but unmarried minor children under 18 years old retain the same rights as the dual citizen.

If the former Filipino Citizen is the married the spouse is eligible to enter the country as Balikbayan. They would be able to stay in the country for one year without a visa and then the spouse could leave for one day and then return to the Philippines and start the one year stay again.

Another advantage to dual citizenship is the dual citizen retains the rights to own property and land in the Philippines with no restrictions. Please visit the Philippine Government website for more information.