Live in the Philippines

Live in the Philippines helps expats with visas, moving and other services regarding the Philippines.

A simple and important reminder!

Adjustment, Animals, Returning Filipino / by

I am writing here just a bit of a reminder to the anyone (foreigners or Filipinos that live abroad for a long time) that wanted to retire here in the Philippines. When we moved back here Bob and I had already been coming here many times for a visit. Bob’s been to some 5 star hotels and to lower end hotels here in Manila, Cebu, Davao, and GenSan. And, of course to my family’s house. Bugs and cockroach and mice were pretty much present in all of these places here in the Philippines. So seeing those critters was not really new to him. Bob doesn’t like it but we can’t just let those bugs spoil our vacation here. All those bugs are pretty common to majority of the households here in the Philippines. So don’t be surprised upon seeing one. I will tell you guys some of our experiences from before and after moving here:

One time when were visiting here with Chris and Aaron. Between the two boys, Aaron was the one having a hard time seeing flies around my mom’s house. We came here during fruit season. So many flies flying then. He’s always carrying bug spray with him around the house. Just for a few days he was ready to head home to the States.

Then there was one time when Bob’s mom came here for the first time to visit. She stayed with us. She’s staying in one of the bedrooms at our house. After she said goodnight to us and she went to bed just like minutes after she was screaming at the top of her lungs. My gosh, all of us were jumping out of bed and running towards her room. She pointed to the culprit – my gosh a 2 inch lizard on the ceiling. It was funny for us but really looking at mom it really terrified her. So Bob just explained to her that here in the tropics expect those kind of things. She understands but no more sleeping in the dark, she has to have  a night light during night time to know whats creeping in during her sleep. LOL

One of our vacation here that was in 1994, our visit for my dad’s first death anniversary. Bob and I promised my mom that we would be here in the Philippines for that since I was unable to come home for his funeral. When we came for a visit, our last lay over was in Cebu. And in Cebu, Bob and I usually stayed in Montebello Villa Hotel. We arrived so late in the night and our flight the next morning was really early. So the taxi driver was recommending these hotels in Mactan area. Bob told him that we really want Montebello because it’s nice and we’re used to that hotel already. The taxi driver said oh the hotel here in Mactan it’s nice too, the only difference with Montebello, they don’t have a swimming pool. We then agreed with him and headed to the hotel that the taxi driver recommended. Let me tell you, its not the same and can’t even compare. But we’re so exhausted and so tired to get out. Plus, Chris was sick already, he had fever ever since our flight from Hawaii. So Bob ordered room service, as soon as the food was brought inside our room after the waiter left, we could hear some noises on our roof. Bob and I just stare at each other and observed. Boy, as the food stayed in the room longer the more the noises were getting louder. My God as if the rats were having fiesta on our ceiling. You know what none of us touched the food. We just put the food outside our door and just went to bed. The rats went quiet after the food was gone from our room. We’re too tired to think about it. We had to sleep or we might miss our flight the next morning.

Just try to visit the public market here. You will see rats as big as the cat running around. I’m sure lots of cockroaches crawling around and flies buzzing around too. That’s just the way it is here in the tropics. I wished to God it was changed a lifetime ago, but it’s not. But this is the tropics we have to deal with it. You know what I mean? Think a thousand times before moving to the place that you’re not familiar with. So that you will not be sorry later.

***Hey don’t take me wrong we also have areas that’s clean too. If you’re a clean freak try shopping your food at the high end malls. Always have pest control services in your house and let them check every corner of your house.***

—- “Don’t be scared, exterminate them”—–

Reader Interactions

Comments

    • I was thinking of that too Dave. But I was just showing the really obvious one that’s so common inside the house. LOL

      Thanks for the comment. Have a great day!

    • Lucky you Greg. Lot’s of the expats are not so expose to it, and it scared them off…

      So feeling sorry for them… 🙂

  4. That is life in the tropics. In Hawaii the flying cockroaches are really common. You also want to have some good luck geckos hanging around the house to eat all of them and the other flying bugs. It is more fun in the Philippines right?

    • Hi Gary – We need to have that geckos inside the house then. But hold on a minute, I’m so scared of those critters too inside the house. Oh boy, I will just settle for the lizard and cats. LOL

      It’s really made life more fun and interesting here in the tropics. Ha ha ha… 🙂

      Cheers!

  5. Thanks for the warning Feyma, I’ll wear oversized shoes to stomp the roaches, bring fly swatters and pellet gun to kill the rats. The butiki are ok, they eat flies. Ants are another matter, in Mactan they are as big as Roaches I hear, hahaha! Also the snakes in Mactan bite you in the butt if you relieve yourself in the woods lol! What about the Mosquitoes, bees and wasps? any weapons against them? I have the Mosquito problem solved, already send Mosquito Sho Plants there. They’re a type of Geranium that emits a lemony scent which mosquitoes hate. My asawa says 1 plant takes care of a room, no mosquitoes in her house now. Beats lemony candles with their fire danger. The plants are a nice house plant, love the heat and sunshine and grow about 16″ tall, also have nice white flowers.

    • Hi Heinz – You’re welcome. “Stamping the roaches”… (check)… LOL…. For the rats, we have 4 cats that will take care of that. 🙂 … Flies, we have flyswatter and bug spray and we just make the surroundings clean. I’ve heard from my family about those plants too that will get rid of the flies and mosquitoes. I didn’t get around to it on planting the tree here at our yard. Soon we will.

      We have bees, wasps and moth here once in awhile. Not too bad for that.

      I think your wife already knows how to takes care of the bugs in your house. You just relax then and have fun. LOL.

      Thank you so much for stopping by. Have a wonderful day!

    • Hi John – With ants, if in our counter we wet the washcloth put some powder soap and a little bit of chlorine in it and don’t wring the cloth. Then wipe on the counter, leave it there for 10 minutes then wipe it with clean wet washcloth. If the ants still there after cleaning, spray then with the bug spray. If outside we usually put lots of powdered soap and chlorine inside the bucket and mix it good. Then use the mixture to water at the area where the ants are. We used lots of ways to kill ants here. Bugs spray works good too. Sometimes if were cooking charcoal outside, the ashes from that, that’s still a little warm spread that to the area where the ants are. Keep an eye too since the charcoal still hot.Might still fire there.

      Good to see you here. Thank you for the comment!

  9. Don’t forget the big Tuko lizards either. When one of them cries at night beside the bed you will definitely wake up! You also forgot to mention the droppings from these lizards – gotta keep the food and dishes covered. Mosquito net over the bed helps! I love here in the Philippines. It beats the blackflies, horseflies and mosquitoes in Canada!

    • Hi John – Ha ha ha… Oh yeah the tuko… But some people here they will get the blood of the tuko and sell it. People will really do anything for money. Ha ha ha…

      Good to know that you’re having fun living here in the tropics John.

      Take care!

  10. haha loved this post and all of the comments. In the 12 yrs. of coming to the Phil. i have encountered all of the critters mentioned. Personally, it’s the snakes that get me. A cobra was found beside the house last month. Gives me the heebe geebies. I love the Philippines so it’s worth it. Feyma your humor in the post made me smile

    • Hi Della – Yep the slithering snakes really are one of the scary and dangerous critters here in the Philippines. Just thinking about it makes my skin crawl. Yikes.

      So good to see you here. Have a pleasant day!

    • Hi Axel – Yep, I agree with you as the time goes by we’re all used to the bugs and critters here. ha ha ha :-)..

      Thank you so much for the link. Hmmm… I wonder if the beer addict would like it that the beer will be use to kill the bugs. The might just use the old way to kill it. They would rather drink the beer you know. Sayang. LOL

      Take care!

  13. Hi Feyma – We have no rats in our place that I have seen, but a friend in our subdivision with a nice enough house, has heaps around his yard. When I have been there at night having a Red Horse, the rats are running everywhere. He really has heaps of them. Rats and bugs really are a part of life here. Never seen any snakes yet, but other people in our subdivision have. Good article!

    • Hi Brenton – You’re lucky that you don’t have rats in your house. That’s really a problem, a nice house with a big eyesore. Maybe he likes pet rats. (big sigh, yuck). Bummer.

      ***Rats and bugs really are a part of life here.*** — AMEN

      Always good to see you here Brenton. Cheers!

  14. Feyma this is a great reminder to foreigners about the bugs.
    I don’t really like the smell of mosquito repellant so the first week of my first couple visits to the province I didn’t use any. The attention I got from the family about all the bites on my pasty legs and all of the scratching broke me of that attitude. Now on the first night I break out the OFF spray! My GF’s family all say the mosquitos must like the way foreigners taste because they don’t get bitten like I do!
    When we retire there I might have to find a bulk discount on spray! haha
    SteveC

    • Thank you Steve. I’m glad you find it a good info to foreigners to be retiring here. You’re the flavor of the month of the mosquitoes. LOL

      Don’t worry now with bugs spray and OFF spray they have so many in the malls and hardware stores here. They will have sale sometimes. 🙂

      Have a good day!

  15. Good infor. Is there pest services here? I ask my wife about and she did not know of any. So I am been doing it here at home and seem to be doing a great job so far but I have help from the Giekos

      • I think you will find that most”pest” control here, means termite control. Let’s face it, we will never get rid of ants, rats, mosquitos, etc. Just learn to live with them, and restrict them as much as possible.

  18. Feyma,

    You just brought back the memory of my first visit to my in laws farm, it was rainy season and the flies were bad. We sat down to dinner and I look at the bowl of rice and could not see it because it had so many flies. I could not eat after that, that night I heard a big screech and I jumped out of bed screaming and they laughed and expained it was a lizard. I could not sleep after that then heard the mice chewing on a bag of food that I had brought. The next I laughed it all off and quickly got used to it….

    • Hi Dirk – Really that bad of the flies? Wow, I never experience like that growing up in our farm that our food were loaded with flies. I think I would felt same as you do. I would not touched that food too.

      ***I jumped out of bed screaming and they laughed and expained it was a lizard.*** — You experienced same as my mother-in-law when she saw the lizard on our ceiling.

      *** I could not sleep after that then heard the mice chewing on a bag of food that I had brought. *** — Any left over food that’s not stored in the fridge. Put it in a plastic container and seal it properly.

      Thank you for sharing with your experiences here. Cheers!

  19. Mrs Feyma,
    Coming from Florida, I’m used to the lizards, roaches and mosquitos. The ants are another story. I have found water with dish soap takes care of the ants good. Really has cut down on the ants.

    • Hi PapaDuck – Good thing that you’re ready mentally. 🙂

      Yep the water with powder soaps works good with ants, add a little drop of zonrox or chlorine on that too.

      More fun in the PI. LOL

  20. When I was in Leyte this spring, a LOT of night noise up in the mountains.
    The Cicadas were very loud, just like in Iowa where I grew up.
    The Frogs were singing along like here in Oregon.
    and what I really miss is the Tuko at the chapel next door doing his regular “watchman” call.
    The Tuko would build up to his full call and it echoed out of the chapel he made his home. Only listened to him for a couple of weeks, but almost homesick for his call in the night.

  21. I live in a sealed house in the U.S. and have no problems at all. I do maintain outside perimeter spraying . I keep drainage well away from the house. I’ve been OK for 24 years. When I move to the Philippines, hopefully next year, I plan to build a sealed house on a large property. I am hoping I can beat the odds. Is there anyone that has?

  23. Well, I am going to try! I just bought a fly gun. It shoots salt. awesome. I will freak if just one fly is in my house. That only happens when I have company that can’t close doors. It’s on between my cat and me , who get’s him first. It won’t last 5 minutes.

  24. I think you could keep them outside if the house is built right and you run a very cold aircon all the time. Until the first 5.0 earthquake, then the house will have cracks and it is all over.. BTW a 5.0 happens about every other month. Learn to live in peace with them. for example, the big black ants are allowed, cause they drive the red biting ones away. Lizards are always welcome as they eat all the bugs.

  25. I hope you have a ton of money for the construction of your house. You will probably need to bring in a contractor and construction crew from overseas, because I don’t think that you will find anybody here who can build a house that will be up to your standards. I do sincerely wish you the best of luck, though, Philip.

  26. Daniel Bray hit the nail on the head. “Learn to live in peace with them.” Those are wise words. If you can’t learn to live in peace with them, you probably won’t be able to live here happily.

    • Now you’r talking sense Philip. Better stay there. You won’t fit in here with the rest of us!

    • Hi Philip

      If you move here then remember. Life is more fun in the Philippines!!!

      I was on a tricycle today and I saw a mouse running across the road. Just part of daily life really.

      It gets scary when I eat sonewhere, then local friends say “Bro I don’t even eat there, because that place is infested with rats”.

      Dodging rats is part of the fun of living in the Philippines. I was at the Boulevard the other day and a rat was running straight for me, I really did not know if I should jump and move, it just so happened I was covering the little dudes house entrance which happened to be between my legs. Rats or creepy crawlies don’t concern me as long as they don’t try to bite me.

    • Hi Daniel – I had experienced a 6.5 in Dumaguete, that is like surfing almost. We went into the bathroom, then my wife said what do we do now, to which I replied “Just pray”. A 6.5 is about the strongest earthquake Australia has ever had because we sit in the midde of a plate, but that is noral here, much stronger even. It’s the aftershocks that keep you on edge as well.

  29. No snow in the Philippines, Philip Nell. 🙂 I love living in the Philippines, but this is not the USA, you must make adjustments if you are to be happy here! Problem is… most expats can’t make the adjustment, and they end up miserable here, and always complaining. Those who are willing and able to adjust, though, are very happy.

    • Too true Bob. I’v met so many of them. Me? It’s the best move I ever made. Never been happier.

  30. Ran into a guy the other day in Dipolog City said he came here 2 years ago with 3 million pesos in his pocket. Lived the good life so to speak on wine and women now he is flat broke. He hates it here. Said on his small retirement it would take him 3 years just to save up enough money for a plane ticket home. He is stuck here with no way to escape. This my friends is the perfect picture of not researching and planing your retirement. And there are many here who have made the same mistake. And all the while he has over stayed his visa here so his fines are also adding up.

    • Hi Budrick – His embacy depending where he is from could get his fines waived for exit and assist him getting home, but he won’t be able to return unless he clears his debt to the Philippines. He clearly had enough, just didn’t manage it well. I have met many guys that have blown about 8 million in 2 years in the Philippines. Living like a king for 2 years, then living like a peasant ongoing.

  31. Hi Feyma,
    A very appropriate article. The first time I saw house lizzards 2 of them were on the ceiling. They were perfectly still while I looked at them so I thought they were some kind of ornament. Finally one of them moved and then the other so I asked about them. I was also informed that at a certain time of the day they climb down the wall to the floor and then back up to the ceiling. From what I heard they do not bother people but are good at mosquitoe and fly control LOL. I never saw such big cockroaches until I started vacationing in PH. I usually spray under the room door in the hotels because I caught a few entering that way. Also noticed when they die, they roll over on their back and then tiny ants come out of the wall to eat them. It was like ” Wild Kingdom ” insect style..

    I also bring several pump spray bottles od ” OFF Deep Woods ” insect spray in pump bottles when I come to visit. It has 25% deet best known type of insect repellent. I dont know what daily doeses of this stuff every day over prolonged periods would do but I make good use of it when I am there.

    Thanks for the very informative article. These are things all visitors should be well aware of prior to moving there or their first visit. Even the better hotels who do try their best to keep the critters under control may not be able to keep everything 100% insect and rodent free. Comes with the territory.

  32. Hi Feyma,

    I actually have not seen a rat on my visits to the Philippines thanks be to God, but I always see a mouse or two at Mama’s house. I think I would have a hard time sleeping with actual rats around.

    This summer when we first arrived in Bohol our family kept harvesting the small delicious bananas. One early morning, I was in the kitchen and I saw a large tarantula crawling around on the counter. I asked my brother-in-law who was also up early, “Is this dangerous?” At first glance he said, “No, harmless.” I think he mistook it for the 2-dimensional spiders that are about the same size, but are flat. About 30 seconds later he got a better look and said, “Very dangerous.” I got a stick from the firewood pile and on the third attempt killed the tarantula.

  34. Hi Feyma

    I hear fried rat tastes nice! Just kidding.

    The guy in question really doesn’t seem to mind them around.

    I personally would want them gone.

  35. If you want palm trees and sunshine and no snow, I found it right here in the USA. Have 911 and fire and police and good hospitals and my USA medical insurance, didn’t anyone hear of Florida. Got to admit 2 years of wine women and song sounds pretty good though, ha ha.

  36. Thanks guys,BTW, I have a brother in Florida, who has been trying to get me to move since my retirement. But the Philippines is my wifes home and I have been in contact with so many relatives who have been so warm. No I can’t come as well armed as when we first talked. Having to settle legal matters from my old business. It split me in half. but I can come with already paid land. The smallest plot is around 3000 sq meters , that one neat Amara in Cebu. I will come with at least 250 dollars to build my sanctuary and a retirement income of 60 to 70,000 dollars per year. I had planned to build a 2 story flat roof just above the middle. We are off the main road , which as an American , is just as I like it. If we need more money My wife has larger properties in Butuan we could sell as well as 7 hectors of paper trees. I would be able to live there with no mortgage.

  38. I remember my first visit to the Philippines I thought nothing of these things. The only issue with my room was the ants in the bathroom. If I left the cap off the toothpaste then that would drive them wild! Saw a strange bug that I’ve never seen before at my girlfriend’s mom’s house, it was a roach. Interesting. and on the streets of Makati during the night, I would see “something” scurry around, must have been a rat. So yes I know what you are talking about. I didn’t scream on any occasion though. The more I thought about the ants in my hotel room’s bathroom, the more I thought about my girlfriend when she told me that she could only feed her cats a little at a time, otherwise the ants will storm the food bowl. Yes indeed interesting story.

  39. Bruce Cinader, I have lived in the Philippines for 15 years. I live in Davao City. We have palm trees here for sure, and lots of sunshine. We also have 911, Police, Fire, great hospitals. Thank God we don’t have US medical insurance! The medical insurance we have here costs us about $50 per year and covers the entire family for that price! You can’t touch that in the States. I am not here for wine, women or song, I just live a good life here.

  40. Glad you enjoy your life there, my friend Eddy died there because 911 was not available, he called his wife to pick him up and was found dead when she arrived. My wifes very young aunt died about two weeks after child birth after going to the hospital many times to complain of pain, she died and the hospital did not even know what was wrong, they could not help her. Each time they saw her they said your OK, and sent her back home. Not every place in PI has 911 or good hospitals, in fact most don’t, glad your in an area that has it. Bud has admitted traveling to other islands to see doctors to save his foot or his life, the doctor he saw at first wanted to get out the saw and take the foot off. Glad I am here in the USA, but happy that your comfortable there.

  41. The city that I live in, Davao City, is one of only a couple cities in the Philippines that have 911, and it is excellent. You are right, not every place in the Philippines has 911 or good hospitals, I choose to live in a place that does, and I love it here.

  43. That is super, Tommy Seilheimer. I truly love Davao and living here is really great. It is certainly not perfect, but hey.. no place is perfect!

  46. Bruce your friend Eddie who was my best friend in high school and us army and ford mo. died because he would not listen. He had a bad heart and a broken leg in a very heavy full cast but took his young wife to Hong Cong Disney land any way and had a heart attack. When he got back home to Dipolog he did not follow up or take care of himself. 911 would not have helped him. What is the response time for 911? His wife was 5 min. away and the hospital another 5 min. away. 911 takes longer than that to respond.

  47. Hi Feyma,

    You’re right there are so many pests that we encounter in the Philippines, some more pesty than others!
    Lizards for some reason were never a problem for me I guess because they’re quiet, don’t bite and are cute looking and they eat mosquitoes.. Screens in the windows can keep flies and mosquitoes at bay if you’re inside,. We bought an indoor electric bug zapper at Ace Hardware here that we plug in the evening and leave it on all night and it really kills any mosquitoes that get in when going in and outdoors at night. The Off smooth & dry powder spray works great if you have to be out at night. Even just a spritz on your clothes here and there is enough.
    I find the flies to be the most annoying. People here in Cebu province said that around june july and august they are most plentiful as they are attracted to the sweet tassels on the corn before harvesting. I’m so glad they’re gone now for the most part.
    One pest you didn’t mention are the Bisaya name “buc bucs” or some kind of tiny termite. It’s kind of funny–at our seaside house we had some bamboo furniture built by some local crafts people. I wanted some big bamboo beds which came out nice, but even though as suggested we soaked them in the sea for a couple of days and then varnished and painted one white, the bucbucs came around.
    Every couple of days I have to sweep underneath them as they leave dust from their chewing. I picture that one of these days they’ll chew through the bottom completely and my Mandaue foam mattress and us will come crashing down on the floor. Funny though, all pieces were soaked and only some ended up having bucbucs.
    Oh well, it’s funny what you can learn to get used to..

    • Queeniebee5(????) I’m always weary of those mosquito “killers”, but if you say it works, maybe I will drop by Ace next week. Thanks for the input.

      • Hi John Power,

        My husband picked it up one day at ACE hardware at SM mall for I think about 500 pesos.
        It looks sort of like a small lightweight plastic lantern, with a florescent light enclosed in what looks like a wire cage. It’s not like those big outdoor noisy zappers that you’d expect, and the zapping sound is more like a soft zzzzt sound. I was thinking it wasn’t the greatest idea when he brought it home, but it turned out to be great. I notice that it zaps an occasional moth too, but unfortunately doesn’t seem to attract flies. The box said that it could be used outdoors too, but we haven’t tried it out there.

  48. THREE MILLION IN TWO YEARS, i WOULD SPEND MOST OF IT ON WINE, WOMEN, SONG, AND PARTIES. THE REST i WOULD PROBITY JUST WASTE. HERE IN FLORIDA ABOUT EVERY 2-3 MONTHS I SPRINKLE BORAX AROUND THE HOUSE PERIMETER, KEEPS OUT MOST ANTS, THE LITTLE ONES THAT ARE ALMOST SEE THROUGH THAT COME FROM THE WALLS, CEILING OR ANYWHERE AND EAT ANY THING THAT IS LEFT OUT, DEAD ROACHES FLIES BREAD CRUMBS NOT SO MUCH. THE CITY MOWS TWO VACANT LOTS NEAR US TWO TIME SA YEAR AND THE RATS RUN EVERYWHERE.THEY HAVE PLASTIC TRAPS NOW THAT LOOK LIKE MINI BEAR TRAPS GOOD FOR ABOUT 3-5 CATCHES.
    SOME OF THE CRITTERS ARE A MATCH FOR OUR 10# TERRIER. CITRONELLA IS THE MOSQUITOES PLANT BUT WE HAVE LEMON GRASS PLANTED AND IT SEEMS TO WORK AS WELL, MAKES GOOD TEA TOO.

  49. Hi Feyma,

    One trick my wife Daisy uses is the pan of water surrounding a plate of food to keep the ants away. A bit messy but it works.

    Another method against ants is to put the table legs in glasses of water. Not so good for wooden tables though.

    regards,
    Jade

  50. Keep your place as clean as possible to get the best possible outcome of ideal living here, though I hope you are adaptive and understanding cause that is also needed if you plan to move away to a place you aren’t farmiliar with, good luck to ye!