Retiring in the Philippines
Where Do I Start?

Thinking of retiring in the Philippines? Great!

Here's where you should start...

If you haven't been to the Philippines at all and have only read or heard about the wonderful prospects of retiring in the Philippines, we strongly recommend that you first take a "look-see" trip or vacation to the country.

This will be an excellent opportunity for you to get a first hand experience of what life is like in the Philippine islands.

Get to know the Filipino people. Meet new friends.

Find out which city or province best fits your ideal retirement lifestyle.

Who knows, while you're there you may even be able to pick up several business opportunities.

A trip to the Philippines will enable you to:

• Visit your preferred retirement destinations and compare costs of living
• Get a better feel for the pace of life in the city or province
• Look into real estate - rental apartments, condominium, homes, beachfront properties, or properties within retirement villages. There's a wide range of choices available to you. You'll surely find one that best fits your budget and lifestyle needs.
• Learn more about the Filipino culture and the local culture of your preferred destination. The Filipino culture is a rich blend of east and western cultures, as such retirees find it almost too easy to adapt to the Filipino culture.
• Assess the medical facilities, and check out costs of different types of treatment. You will find that some of the best medical treatment centers are concentrated in major key cities -- Metro Manila, Cebu, Baguio, Davao.

  This is why a lot of retirees choose to live within the city suburbs or in islands that are highly accessible by air travel, such as Palawan and Boracay.

  Medical treatment costs in the Philippines are significantly lower than that of the US, which truly makes the idea of retiring in the Philippines even more appealing.

• Explore work, business or investment opportunities. There's a lot of retirees who found exciting new careers in the Philippines as consultants, teachers, leaders of various organizations including chambers of commerce.

  Others have ventured into food, retail, even export businesses. Still several have invested into real estate properties. Of course, if you no longer wish to do any of this and simply want a relaxed lifestyle, then the retiring in the Philippines remains to be the perfect option for you.

• Check out recreational facilities. If you wish to lead an active lifestyle, you will find that the Philippines has a lot to offer - from adventure water sports to golf and everything else in between. You'll never run out of things to do.
• Visit universities and colleges. If you have children, now is the time to check out the educational system in the Philippines and find out the admission requirements. You will find several quality educational institutions all around the country.

Travel to the Philippines is inexpensive, easy and fun. And it's definitely a wise investment that will set you off towards the right direction as you consider retiring in the Philippines.

All you need is a valid passport and a tourist visa (and of course your plane tickets, hotel reservations and a little cash) and you're all set.

If you're a Balikbayan, or a foreigner who's been to the Philippines before either for business or short getaway, we still suggest you make a trip to the Philippines.

This time look at the Philippines using a different set of "lens." You will find tremendous positive changes in the past few years that may just pleasantly surprise you... and will convince you to stay for good!




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