I hear from so many people that once they retire, that’s when their life gets real busy! They can’t figure out how they ever managed to work a 40 hour week, because they seemingly have no left over time in retirement! I consider myself to be somewhat retired, since I kind of do whatever I want anyway, and I know that I am way busier now than I ever was when I had a “regular” job.
So, what keeps me busy? Well, I like to travel around the Philippines (primarily traveling around Mindanao), I have picked up a new hobby – photography. In conjunction with my travel, I enjoy trying to learn about new cultures (particularly the various Muslim cultures in Mindanao). I like meeting people, which also ties in with my travel. I am in the midst of trying to learn a new language (Bisaya). Have you noticed any pattern there? They all kind of tie in together. I am in heaven when I take a trip to a Muslim area (especially in the ARMM – Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao) with my camera in tote, take a lot of photos of the area, feature my pictures on my various blogs, meet the people, try talking to them, etc. I can tie this all in together, and I have a great time! In addition, I have figured out a way where I actually make an income doing these things that I love! That’s right, by publishing articles and photos both on my various websites and also in print media, I have been able to earn a fairly nice living by doing the things that I enjoy.
What about you? What will you do when you settle in here and retire? A lot of people enjoy kicking back and the beach and drinking beer. Hey, that sounds nice too, but after a few days of that I’d get pretty bored! Honestly, there are so many things that I look forward to doing, it could be years before I run out of things to keep me busy! Don’t take me wrong, there will certainly be more than a few days at the beach, and 3 or 4 bottles of beer to go along too. Actually, though, I don’t drink much. On average, I probably drink 4 beers in a year, so I guess I’ll keep busy with other things too!
How about you, what things do you look forward to keeping yourself busy in your golden years? Do you have a plan, or will you “play it by ear?” For me, I’ll do a “little of both,” I guess.
hi bob iwas planning to retire next year may be relocate to davao.but ihave desided to extend my working life for another 3 years.my phil wife is adament we stay where we are in south africa when i retire. like many ladies who have lett phil she has no desrie to return. so iguess i willdo my travels around phil when i retire on my own.
Its still a long way from now. But i shudder think of retirement without casual island hopping in Samal.
Allow me to dream — I'd be into photography and shirt design. I'd never ever quit my job. I love my work but I will cut down to a bare minumum. Enough for me to enjoy it as a hobby and not stress out over deadlines. I'd then set my sights in travelling the world using a convenient and low cost homebase like Davao.
Aah, the beach, a camera and sketchbook and 2 tickets to Katmandu, Palawan or Siem Reap (and other amazing places).
Hi Bob
I guess I would crack up if I had nothing to do in the long term, meaning after about 2 weeks. So I decided last year (we decided sorry) to make this beach resort in Plaridel. I suppose it will take another year to finish it to the point where we can start taking in visitors, we do have some facilities going there at the moment (by the way this is not a plug).
Anyway I plan on working for about another 3 years to get it into shape and do what I have planned with the place and have enough money left over in case it dosn't work out or not do as good as I am hoping for.
I just can't wait to retire now. Phewwww another 3 years to go.
By the way Bob am I allowed to put my URL here, I would love to get some feed back on it and find out what ideas people could give me.
Jack, all I had to do was click on your name and I was taken to the JCON website. Looks like you have quite a nice project going! Do you think any of the rooms will be quiet if they are all sort of facing the bar area? Looks like a good location too! Good luck with this venture!
Thanks AmericanLola,
I dont know how my name linked me up, my apologies Bob that was not intentional. The rooms, American Lola are facing the sea so the noise in the bar if I do get noise (I hope do I get some otherwise it would be kind of dead) won't br a problem. I hope I see you there sometime. We should all meet up there sometime and have a bit of a craic.
Hi Bob.
The reason why I keep coming back to this blog even if i'm a local is I really miss Davao City and the whole of Mindanao. It''s due to tremendous homesickness that I stumbled on your mindanao blog and was rather surprised we live on the same street.
I do feel how it is to be an expat but there's a lot of difference being an expat here in Dubai comapred there. In the Phils. you can integrate yourself completely as there are quite a few ex-foreigners there who is more filipino in their ways (except for the bad sides though) if you care to look around, even in the muslim areas. Here in Dubai you can't ever have that chance no matter how many generations your family has been living here as you'll always be considered a visitor always.
I'm so envious of you people who are there while i'm here and cannot do the things i've always been doing there along with my family and friends, more so during this month where you can smell the durian everywhere in the city. Jeez, now i'm drooling…
How I wish I could retire immediately!
Hi Rey – I understand what you mean, and I feel sorry for you having to be separated from your family like that. That is one thing that really amazes me about Filipinos – the ability to be apart from Family for long periods of time in order to provide support. It is a trait that many other places in the world don't (or won't) follow, but the Filipino really does whatever he has to do to support his family. I applaud you for that, Rey. When it comes to earning a living, I have been lucky that I have been able to figure out ways to make money and also be with my family. Whenever you are back in Davao, Ray, please let me know, and we'll go have a cup of coffee, or maybe lunch!
Hi Jack – Yes, when somebody clicks on your name, it automatically takes them to your website! That's the way blogs work, so there is certainly no need to apologize about that! You are free to post any links as long as they are Philippine related.
Hi Jack – you are like me! I really must have something to keep my interest, otherwise I will go crazy! I am not even certain that I can make it for 2 weeks! 😉
Good luck with your resort!
Hi Macky – You are always free to dream! That's practically what this blog is about! I think you have a good plan for retirement. Should we meet at the beach? Which one? 🙂
Hi frank – nice to hear from you! Don't fret – maybe your wife will come around to your way of thinking!
Hi Bob,
There are so many things I'd like to do when I settle back in Davao, not necessarily "retire". I'd like to get involved in promoting ecotourism (here we go again), NGO's – child welfare, environment – maybe teach kids English, computer literacy, environmental consciousness, etc.; get involved in community development, like Gawad Kalinga.
I'd like to spend more time with family and friends who I left behind 20+ years ago. I've already started reaching out to high-school classmates on my last trip, some of whom I haven't seen since high-school graduation. Like Macky said, it's like going back in time. I enjoy it, though, because we were like a bunch of teenagers, laughing and giggling all day that my cheeks hurt. Literally!
Like Macky, I'd like to travel around Asia, using Davao as a hub. We probably won't be living there full time as we don't plan on selling the house in NY (yet). But, hope this happens in the next 5 years, if not sooner. Can't wait. Let's see what happens…
Till then, I'll just keep dreaming…. 🙁
Hi Tina – You have some nice plans there, and based on our meetings when you were here, I can really see you doing these things. When it comes to teaching kids English and Computer skills, I would really enjoy participating in that too!
Sounds great! I'm all excited!!! 😀
If ever I'll retire, I'd rather retire back home there in the Philippines. Yeah it's a cliche, but really there's is no place like home. May I be living currently and working in a more developed and prosperous country like here in SG, because I am a Filipino, my home the Philippines will be in my heart always till the end of my days.
I'd rather spend my retirement near the beach, a home near the beach or ocean front. Raising my family in a quiet serene ocean front while doing the things I love to do – drawing, painting, blogging (ehehe), and lots more.
Rey's comment caught my eye there. I feel that it's true that expats and foreigners can have an easy time integrating in the Filipino community (sooner or later) and regarded not so much as an outsider but one of their own. Unlike in other countries (experiences like here in SG), there is that bugging feeling that you're always treated as a second rate citizen and never fully integrate in the lives of the citizens here.
Hi Jio – Your post is interesting. The part about foreigners being integrated as "part of the community." I feel somewhat the opposite is true, maybe not completely, though. I often feel an "outsider" here, but I feel that a big part of it is due to not being able to converse in the language, and I am trying to do something about that. Going to a party or get together, and everybody there is speaking a language that you can't understand – it's hard to feel "part of the group" in that case. But, I also do feel integrated into the community in other respects, so it is hard to say yes or no in those hard terms.
Hi Bob, wow! its good to hear 'retirement'…iI have been wishing it for quite sometime now….but we are not ready yet.
I would love to be back home . BUt need to keep things settled first, i would like to have my own source of income when Im already in Davao. And spend the weekend with the family, at the beach or in the farm..
I can hear Rey very well, Hello Rey:grin:, im working in Abu dhabi, I am lucky that I am staying with my family here. Nevertheless, it does not stop me to wish be home soon!
Hi Bob
When I 'retired' and moved here (Pagadian City), I had no plan to do anything that involved that four letter word…..work! My wife and I spent the first few months just learning each others good and bad habits. We did some traveling…Manila, Cebu and some places in the Zamboanga peninsula. We built a store for the parents, bought a house and lot, renovated that and are now involved in completeing a house for the Mom and Dad. Beyond that, my retirement plan is 'no plan'. Just enjoy life day to day.
You seem to be a little younger and, as such, you apparently still have a strong sense of adventure. My main work in the States was in the transportation business (Trucking…..but I like "transportation business" better"). Dooing a lot of trraviling to me, would be akin to a mailmain takeing a walk on his day off.
One thing that would definatly not be in my plans, if I had any, would be to visit ARMM!. To me that would mean Basilan, Sulu, and I can't see that being a real good idea given what is going on there now. Although, Illanao del Norte may be a little safer. But, what ever we do for enjoyment during retirement, the main idea is to have fun and enjoy, as you call it, "our golden years.
Hello Bob,
Im way too young retire, still 30, but Im always planning to retire in 10 years time. When I retire, I plan to maybe open a small cafeteria or carenderia, maintain my houses for rent, buy a small pump boat to go fishing and have a small farm to keep myself busy.
When I was young around 7 to 12yrs old, I always go fishing on our basnigan with my family and its so much fun except that theres not much fish at Davao gulf now. I grow up 30 meters away from the ocean so I enjoy going to the beach. I also hope to have a small land near the beach at Samal someday for a weekend getaway. Hayyyyyy, someday…..
Hi Jeff – sounds like a nice plan! When you do retire, I might join you on the fishing trip from time to time! 🙂
Hi Frank san giorgio – Indeed, I have been to Basilan. I have actually been to every Province in the ARMM except for Sulu. I will go to Sulu when the time is right too, which is not right now. Lanao del Norte is not in the ARMM, though, but Lanao del Sur is. I do consider such travels as an adventure. 🙂
Hi marygrace – just keep those thoughts of retirement in your mind and it will happen sooner than you expect!
Hi Bob,
Retire!…..Myrna will not let me retire hahaha, though not being the most " active " person, she keeps me pretty busy, and Im sure that will continue when we get there too.
Whenever the time permits, both James, and I like to do Archery, go fishing, and just walk around the area, getting to know the people. I, like you, dont speak the language very well, and am trying to learn, but all in all, we can manage to communicate.
Of course, when we are there, we will, no doubt, do a bit of travelling around.
Ian
Hi Bob.
Here's my piece.
I have a lot of things in mind to do when I retire working abroad. The first six months would be just travelling around the Visayas and Mindanao area visiting relatives and friends. I would like to do a trip around ASEAN countries by train – backpacking (except for those countries that you need to travel by air). My dream house (have one already in my farm where my mum lives) is near the beach (probably at Samal Island too..:roll:) where I would also like to operate beach bar/restaurant even just enough to cope up daily living expenses. I'll be coming home (Kidapawan City) on all Saints Day to visit my father's and after that I'll spend the rest of my visit by hunting location for my dream house. For me, plan for retirement from here would be around 1 to 2 years from now.:roll: Can't wait that day to come.:???: Hope to meet you Bob in November.
Hi Teng – We will be looking forward to meeting you too!
I am like you, frank san giorgio, post #19.
I don't like to plan, plan, plan. I only plan when it comes to business and work. Beyond that, my private life is always based on "the moment," "going with the flow." I'm your carpe diem kind of person.
My friends/family always remark at what an enigma I am. And I probably am; I can get so driven and precise when it comes to shooting for results on the professional/business side. And then I am the exact opposite outside of that. But isn't life really a continuous stream of polarities? That's how I look at it.
Probably because I see how in business we get so worked up on all the what-if's and most of those don't happen anyway… but we plan around them and spend a lot of time planning around them. Well, that's business. The bean counters are involved.
In my private life, who's going to tell me otherwise? Okay, honestly some do, (like my accountant, my broker, and others who are "supposed" to advise me but in the end I just do anyway what moves me). I am not fearful of too many things because I don't want to detract from enjoying my moment on the many what-if's that may never come to pass.
So retirement to me is not well planned. I retire at any given time and go back to work when I want to.
And that is the lifestyle that I planned for which was about the only major planning I ever did. I did that right after my university years and sought to achieve that status as soon as I could; so the rest can be just mostly "unplanned" — the way I live my life now. Very little planning, I love it.
The corollary to my lifestyle is a mindset that is "open to everything and attached to nothing." Probably that has taken much of the fear out which allows me to enjoy. What I mean is, I love material comforts that money can buy. Who wouldn't? At the same time, I am just as at peace when I am without them. I've tried that many times in my life already. So I've lived it and I know it/me. I don't grieve when I find myself in a place without (all the comforts I am used to).
To sum this up, my retirement is a mindset. It is around the corner at any given time. I don't plan. I allow myself to be guided by inspiration. I seize it when it comes.
Hi Teng, my Mom is from Kidapawan too. Can I have your email address if you dont mind. Thanks.
This is my first time to reply but I have been visiting this blog for several weeks now and I find it quite interesting. Well, I’m a Pinoy expat in Toronto, Canada. I have been living and working here for the last 16 years. I don’t regret coming here. Canada is a very nice country. I’m very grateful for taking me in. However, the call of home is getting louder and louder every passing year especially after I hit the magic 50 recently. The thought of a simple lifestyle away from the rat race, cheaper cost of living, fresh and cheap tropical fruits and sea foods, no more winter, live in house helps and a driver, well prepared home cook hot meals, great night life in Manila, etc., are becoming more and more appealing to me; maybe because I have always spent my holiday in Manila every year for the last 11 years. I just try to ignore totally the politicians lest they will spoil my holiday :lol:…LOL. My parents live north of Manila. I always stay with them when I’m around. I’m 50 now and I wish to come home and semi-retire at least when I reach 55.
In my semi-retirement, I plan to buy a small farm in Batangas or Laguna maybe near Tagaytay, build a modest house and do something different when I want to. As long as I have a computer and high-speed internet connection, I will not get bored. I can live without a TV but not a computer and internet connection. Then travel around the Philippines with my wife. I have realized that for practical and financial reasons, there is no way I can live here on my pension alone. It will actually go a long long way in the Philippines than here in Canada. I can live like a millionaire with my pension there. I just don’t feel I want to wait till I’m 65 to experience the kind of retirement I have been dreaming about. I might as well pack up and enjoy it while I still have the energy. For one, I can feel that the extreme winter here is starting to wear down my body as I get older.
On the other hand, this is just a short note to our foreign friends. Please don’t forget that the Philippines is still a third world country and a poor one too; so I personally think it’s not fair to criticize too much the infrastructures and facilities and compare them with first world and more progressive countries. So expats should be more understanding when they see the poverty, corruptions, inefficiencies, etc. They should actually expect these before coming over. But the Philippines can offer other good things like its hospitality to foreigners.
Eric
Hi Eric Rodriguez – Welcome to my blog! I'm glad that you have found it and that you also find it useful. It sounds like you have some wonderful thoughts there – thoughts of returning home! Keep working hard, and you'll be back in the Philippines before you know it!
Thanks Bob. Just call me Eric. You will see me around quite often from now on. 😀
Hi Eric – I'll be looking forward to reading what you write! Thanks again for sharing with us!
Hi Bob,
Thanks for your reply. I'll send you an e-mail when I arrive in Manila and arrange to meet somewhere in Davao. I'll stay a couple of days in Davao before going to Kidapawan.
Hi Marygrace,
I was not on line for two days and just saw your request now. Here's my e-mail address: [email protected]
Hope to hear from you soon.
H i Bob
just a quick question is it possible for an american to buy property that is
a non condo
Hi scott – The short answer to your question is NO. A foreigner cannot own property. However, if you obtain a resident visa and live here legally for 5 years, then there are some things you can do to protect your investment. Your wife (assuming you have a Filipina wife??) can own the land, with your name on the title as the co-owner. This is only available if you have been a legal resident for at least 5 years, and if you are living here on a tourist visa, that time does not count.
Hi Bob,
Actually I am married to a filapina and I was under the impression that if I deposited 50k in an approved account in Philippines that aftr about a year I could withdraw the money and have it to purchase a house with full ownership rights. My wifes cousin is an attorney there and explained the situation once over the phone to me. He claimed one of the president`s goals was to turn the Philippines into the premiere retirement destination of the western world and so got some new laws passed in the last year or 2. I probably misunderstood him. My kids would also be considered Philippine citizens under the law with rights to inherit the property when I die. However , I really dont see any advantage to them living there past graduation from say college. So who would that leave property to… I`m wondering besides my wife?
Also, I`m wondering if being related to elected officials is a positive thing or negative. My wife has a few relatives in high office in the country.
Just curious. Keep up the good work on your website. I enjoy it quite a bit.
Yours truly,
Scott
Hi Scott – OK, so you are looking at getting an SRRV visa for retirees. Personally, I don't recommend that type of Visa, there have been irregularities in the program in the past, and investments have been lost. Maybe it's OK today, but I steer clear of it.
Now, that being said, the information you have is incorrect. Having an SRRV does not change the Philippine laws regarding ownership of real property. A foreigner cannot own land here, regardless of what type of visa they have. Now, you CAN buy a Condo, but you can do that with any kind of Visa, not just an SRRV.
Your wife's cousin is right about the President wanting to get new laws that would allow for some ownership of property and such. Only problem is that the last 3 Presidents have wanted to do the same thing, but they have not been able to get it through. Also, the current President is very unpopular (although I personally tend to like her), and she will have a very difficult time in getting things through, especially since her party was soundly defeated in the last Senate/Congressional election a few months back.
Being related to elected officials could be good or bad, I really don't want to comment on that, because there are too many variables involved.
I'm glad that you are enjoying the site, Scott! Good luck to you with your possible move here.
Hi Bob,
To me retirement means not having to worry about what I'm doing
tomorrow, if I want to stay in bed, if I want to lay on the beach, if I
want to go to the airort and catch a plane anywhere they are all OK.
In other words I am a take it day to day, play it by ear type of guy.
Rick
Hi Rick Austin – We all have our own desires and ways of doing things. For me, I need something to do, retired or not. I would go crazy if I didn't have some activity to keep me busy!
That being said, I am much like you in that I am a play it by ear kind of person too, I do a lot of things on the spur of the moment! 😆
Hi Bob,
I understand about needing something to do but I'm a few
years older,
Rick
I'm a filipiono living here in the Southern part of the U.s. In fact, I moved in the U.S. when I was 11 years old and I have been back to visit several times. I still have family there in Baguio City. I enjoyed reading your blogs and I happened to read this blog about what to do in reitrement. We are planning to retire in the Philippines in about ten years. I have a daughter who has cerebral palsy. It would be a really advantageous for us to go home and take care of her there in our old age. Since I'll be 62 by then, hopefully we can live with my pension from the U.S. government along with disability income for daughter from Social Security and with both of our nest eggs invested for the future. As far as health care, our health care can be carried anywhere in the world. We plan to rent in Cebu or further south. Our goal is start a foundation in the name of daughter and take care of the children iwth disabilitities there. My wife has been thinking of feeding the children breakfast and lunch through the foundation. We are currently doing fundrasing here in the South to benefit children with disabilities. So far we have been successful by installing automatic door openers for the schools around the city. So we are carrying a lot of experience with us with fundraising of sorts. I really believe that we can make a difference with the children there someday.
Marco
Hi Marco – Since Feyma and I have a son who is mentally retarded, I can see and understand your situation. I can only say that for us, living in the Philippines has really been a blessing in assisting our son. Good luck to you.