Check out this video of the inside of a home in a medium to upscale community in Bataan not far from the Subic Free port area. If you haven’t been in the area of the former U.S. Navy base you may be very suprised. Many Americans chose to retire in Philippines and pick this area which is used to having Americans around. Myself I choose to live nearer Manila although this area would be my second choice. Here is a link for you to get more information Anvaya Cove
Another fine community that you can consider for a place to retire in Philippines is Terrazasde Punta Fuego in Nasubo, Batangas. This seaside community boasts “14 hectares of mostly sloping terrain oriented towards the ‘morning sun’ — ideal for outdoor leisure activities in the afternoon” and features a coupple of mini-parks, a beach pavilion, basketball and tennis courts and a swimming pool. Very nice things in a community only a two hour drive from Manila (just far enough)
This is a private resort for the residents of Playa Calatagan an upscale community. If you were buying property in a place like this in the United States you would have to be a millionaire. But in the Philippines you can retire in style for much less.This is one reason many people choose to retire in the PHilippines. For more information, videos, and pictures of this community please click here
The basis for the official language of the Philippines is Tagalog which is spoken by about 22 million people. According to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Tagalog was selected as the basis of the national language in 1937. In 1939 Manuel L. Quezon named the national language “Wikang Pambansa” but 20 years later Secretary of Education, Jose Romero renamed it Pilipino to give it a national rather than ethnic label connotation.
In 1971, the language underwent another change and the national language was changed from Pilipino to Filipino. In 1987 under the new constitution Filipino became the national language and wording in the constitution specified “that as the Filipino language evolves, it shall be further developed and enriched on the basis of existing Philippine and other languages. So we’ve got the historical stuff out of the way let’s talk about some helpful phrases and words you should know when visiting or retiring in the Philippines.
Good Morning – Magandang umaga po (pronounced as Ma-gan-dang u-ma-ga po)
Good afternoon- Magandang hapon po (Ma-gan-dang ha-pon po)
Good evening- Maandang gabi po (Ma-gan-dang ga-bi po)
Maganda means” beautiful” or “good” and “po” radiates respect
How are you?- Kumusta po kayo? (Ku-mus-ta po ka-yo)
I am fine- Mabuti naman (Ma-bu-ti na-man)
What is your name? – Ano pangalan mo? (A-no pan-ga-lan mo)
I am John – Ako po si James (A-ko po si James)
How are you? – Kumusta po kayo? (Ku-mus-ta po ka-yo)
I’m fine – Mabuti naman (Ma-bu-ti na-man)
Thank you – Salamat po (Sa-la-mat po)
You are welcome – Walang anuman (Wa-lang a-nu-man)
What time is it? – Anong oras na po? (A-nong o-ras na po)
These are very common phrases that are easy to learn even though most people you encounter speak English very well. It is always nice to practice your Tagalog skills on Filipinos because then they see that you are at least trying to learn the language. For more on Philippines language just go to YouTube and search for Tagalog also check out some of the resources below.
Since I travel so much from the U.S. and other destinations to the Philippines I keep a good eye on the prices of flights on the discount flight and hotel websites. While doing my daily scan I noticed a couple of low priced flights for the person who would be leaving for the Philippines soon. I’m talking within the next two weeks. First I found on CheapOair.com a flight from JFK airport in New York to Manila via Hong Kong coming in at $709 including taxes and fees. This is for a round trip airfare on Cathay Pacific, one of my favorite airlines to fly on. The service and everything on this airlines has always been top notch. This is a one stop flight with about an hour stopover in Hong Kong which would be about enough time to get a cup of coffee and head to the departing gate. Like I said I looked for the 14th of August with a return flight of 14 September. On the other side of the United States from LAX Los Angeles a flight on Asiana Air going through Seoul Korea on the same days would cost you $591. These are good prices and if you don’t live near Los Angeles or New York a flight there from just about anywhere in the U.S. should be $200 or less if you shop around. If you are planning to go to Manila I would advise you to keep your dates flexible and keep checking the sites for deals because getting to Manila and back for less than $1,000 is always good. Click on the banner below to check prices from CheapOair.com
Posted in Uncategorized on 07/29/2009 08:41 pm by admin
Bacolod City, the capital of Negros Occidental province, is known as the “City of Smiles” and recently was voted the “Best Place to Live in the Philippines” in a survey by MoneySense Magazine. Adding to the reputation as the “City of Smiles” is the MassKara Festival, a week -long festival held yearly in the city. It is held every third weekend of October nearest October 19th which is the city’s Charter Anniversary.
First held in the year 1980, the festival didn’t happen at a good time for smiles because this was a period of crisis and mourning for the residents of the city. First, the province relied on sugar cane as the main agricultural crop, and the price of sugar was at an all time low. Secondly, on April 22nd of that year a collision between the vessel Don Juan and the tanker Tacloban City claimed the lives of 700 people. Many of the victims were Negrenses including those belonging to prominent families from Bacolod City. In the midst of these tragic events it was decided to uphold the city’s name as the City of Smiles and have a festival of smiles. The festival was held with the purpose of declaring that no matter how tough the times were, Bacolod City would in the end triumph.
The festival named from a combination of the word “mass” which means many people and the Spanish word cara meaning “face” features a street dance competition with colorfully dressed dancers. There is also a beauty pageant, food festivals, musical concerts and other events to make this one of the most visited festivals in the Philippines. Please watch the video below to get an idea of what the festival is like.
Silay City located in the province of Negros Occidental has a population of around 108,000 people. It includes a large commercial and fishing port and is the home to the Bacolod-Silay City International Airport. Often referred to as the “Paris of Negros”, it has a large collection of heritage houses that have been declared as historical landmarks. Silay City also has the distinction of being the second Philippine city to have been declared a museum city. (Reference: Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia)
What made me interested in this city is how much of a part of Philippine History and Philippine Heritage it contains especially the story of the Princess Kansilay who led against an attack by pirates and lost her life. There is more about this princess and Silay City in two different videos I have included below. If you’d like to visit the city’s website it can be found at: The Official Website of Silay City
Posted in Uncategorized on 07/22/2009 07:22 pm by admin
As many of you know the Philippines could be considered the country of Festivals. Every barangay and province has at least one Fiesta and usually many more festivals throughout the year. But one festival being held on July 23-25, 2009 is like no other. The Philippine Real Estate Festival is being held at the World Trade Center, Roxas Blvd and the corner of Buendia Street in Pasay City.
When Filipinos have festivals they go all out and even though this is a Philippine Real Estate festival you can expect the same. If you are in the Philippines and you are a first time buyer or you may want to invest in real estate, this is the place to be. This festival will give potential buyers a look at all the real estate listings and provide excellent advice from experts in the construction and architecture sectors as well. The real estate market in the Philippines is booming right now with more opportunities than I’ve ever seen. We own two homes right now and are thinking about investing in a couple of condos in different hot areas. If you are in the Manila area this would be a good place to visit as the final day will include a foreclosed property auction and a chance to win a house and lot and other valuable prizes. All seminars and events of the festival are free of charge. I refer you to the Foreclosure Philippines website for more information.
The Magic of Making Up (Get Your Ex Back) Now you can stop your breakup, divorce, or lover’s rejection…even if your situation seems hopeless.
Noted author Bob Martin, an expert on Americans and Foreigners living in the Philippines has just published the Philippine Immigration Guide: What Kind of Visa do you need to live in the Philippines. Mr. Martin is known worldwide as Mindanao Bob and has previously written such books as 49 Ways to Make a Living in the Philippines and Retire like a King. He has also co-written Culture Clash: Can You Handle the Culture of the Philippines with his wife Feyma.
Mindanao Bob’s latest offering is the Philippine Immigration Guide and he promotes it as a guide that “gives you all the information you need on what kind of visa you qualify for so that you can live in the Philippines!” He promises that there will be no more confusion when you need to know what visas are available and which ones you qualify for. As he says “Just open the book, answer a few questions, and the book will tell you exactly which Visas you qualify for.” If you’d like to pick up the newest publication entitled Philippine Immigration Guide What kind of Visa do you need to live in the Philippines. Click Here: Philippine Immigration Guide
For other books and material by Mindanao Bob see below.
The SM Mall of Asia opened on May 21, 2006 and is located at Bay City, Pasay City, Philippines. It is the 2nd largest shopping mall in the Philippines behind SM City North EDSA and has a land area of 42 hectares and a gross floor area of around 410,000 square meters. The mall is located near the SM Central Business Park and Manila Bay and attracts about 200,000 people per day. Its maximum capacity is a little over four million people.
Some of the popular features of the Mall of Asia include the country’s first IMAX theatre and the Center Stage Theatre where musical events can be held. Besides all of the anchor stores found in any SM Supermall this mall has the Taste Asia food court and SM Hypermarket. Another feature of the Mall of Asia is the Philippine’s first Olympic sized ice skating rink which measures at 61 by 30 meters. The skating rink was the venue for Skate Asia 2007 which was the first time the Philippines had ever hosted an international ice skating even. The mall also has an outdoor Music Hall which directly faces the sea and is often the site for popular concerts and events. Check out a video of this beautiful mall below.
