Philippines a place to rest weary bones

The Philippine Star ^ | September 7, 2013 | Ray Butch Gamboa

[chasio649]

My wife is from San Carlos City, Negros Occidental....Right across from Sipaway Island....It’s a pretty place....I DO need to go....she has not been home in years...Her folks are both dead.

[chasio649]

http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/07/19/pakistan-is-no-fan-of-the-u-s-but-the-philippines-still-likes-us/

[Georgia Girl 2]

Maybe you better take a trip to Thailand before moving there. Everyday temps in the 90’s with 100% humidity. Ongoing civil war and the air is so polluted you can hardly breathe it. Well you could live at the beach I guess but then there’s always the TSUNAMI’s.

[Marcella]

With any location, what you see on the surface is not what you get if you live there. Any island cannot produce all the population needs. I have been to Hawaii and lived there as the full time residents do, and there is no power there unless fuel comes in by ship. Electricity is so expensive, most homes do not have air conditioning. I was living in a big two story lovely home but no air conditioning due to the expense. Food of all kinds, how about breakfast cereal, must be imported. The cost of food is high due to it having to be imported.

The Philippine islands are no different. They must import or be in serious trouble. “The state of Philippine farming and agriculture is so bad that it now imports more food than it grows for its own population.”

In considering any location, how does water and food and power get to your location? On an island, in case of an emergency when no ships can arrive, what happens to your water delivery, food, power, security?

I would not live on any island as none can be totally independent without serious loss of standard of living and even what one needs to survive - water, food, power, security.

[stbdside]

My wife’s parents are also deceased. Her brother is a barangay captain (Balabag). We are thinking of visiting there again in the next year or two.

[listenhillary]

Good point.

[AlexW]

“I would not live on any island”
________________________________________________
Well you could not live here. The Philippines consist of nothing BUT islands, 7,107 of them.
I live on the island of Cebu, rated by Travel and Leisure magazine, as the third best island in all of Asia.
While I live on a beach, the highest point on Cebu, Osmena peak (3100 ft.) is only several miles from me, and in the same municipality.

I also live in the “vegetable capital of Cebu”. Food shortage would be the very least of my problems. Our local market has so many outdoor food stalls selling produce, I have not even seen all of them. The central market building has maybe 50 shops, providing most anything one could need, and yes, many food products are produced and packaged in the Philippines. Out of the 7,107 islands, food is the least of their worries.
Our municipal water is very cheap, but electricity is higher then TVA in the states. Transportation is so good, one does not need a car. Air conditioned buses travel the length of Cebu, and we rarely wait more then 10 min. to catch one. They are air conditioned, and many have on-board movies and wi-fi.
While one can walk most anywhere in town, most of us use a bicycle. The town market area is only 5-10 min. by bike. Pedicabs and motorcycle powered cabs are plentiful and cheap...20 cents for a trip, anywhere in town.

If I need something special, I wait till I am in Cebu city, or Dumaguete, over on Negros Island. In Cebu city, I go to one of the huge malls that have anything one could want.
Some of the top ten malls in the world are located in the Philippines. The Ayala mall in Cebu city is my favorite, but a bit overwhelming in size, even though it is just number three in size. If one wants a special name brand product, there is a shop for it.... Not bad for a third world country.

There are numerous expats from the US and Europe all over the Philippines, and I have helped maybe six of them to move here.

Dennisw, yes, I still sell ice to the fishermen who have their boats at my beach.

[Ann Archy]

WOW....it sounds better every day!!

[WVKayaker]

... In considering any location, how does water and food and power get to your location? ...

Ormoc City is a port. There are daily runs to Cebu, and connect to the other islands. There is an airport on the other side of Leyte, at Tacloban. It costs about $3 for a van ride, and I can fly round trip to Manila for under a hundred bucks with advance purchase,

Here in Leyte, there are public water systems providing pipelines full to most residents, even up in the hills and mountains. My water bill last month was 35 PhP, about 80 cents.

I live in the city, but have friends that live in the "country". Along the roads, you will find rice fields galore, and every house I see has a small garden. Many have goats and chickens, and piggeries abound. (Water) Buffalo are eaten like beef, and taste is similar. There are lots of cows, but this is not their staple. Seafood is all around us, of course, and it is cheap. Most families here are large, and few go hungry. Though the wages for most are very low, they are happy to eat rice, dried fish, and home-grown veggies.

As for power, nearby (within eyesight of my house) is a geothermal power plant. God has provided plenty of fuel! I run my air con all day and night, have a frost-free fridge, and leave outside lights on all night. I use ceiling fans, cook with gas, but heat water with electricity for my showers. My power bill last month was about $89.

Hawaii is an American tourist trap! The Philippines are home to millions of the nicest, friendliest people on Earth!

[Lazamataz]

I wish I was a bird.

[AlexW]

“I use ceiling fans, cook with gas, but heat water with electricity for my showers. My power bill last month was about $89.”
________________________________________________

I also use 30 inch ceiling fans, three of them, and they cost only 150 pesos (less then $4) each ! I have no idea how they can be so cheap, but they are great. The one over our bed runs 24/7.
We use the aircon (bedroom) only at night when going to bed.
Our electric bill is high, $100 per month, but that is because we make ice for the fishermen, selling 100 tubes per day. I have no water heater, but I have learned to accept cold showers. I do not trust the electric heaters that mount on the bathroom wall.
Our power comes all the way from just south of Cebu City, 60 km.
For TV, we have G-sat

[dennisw]

Nuthing wrong with no hot showers in the summer. I unplug the electric water heater in the summer. It is unplugged 5 months out of the year. The only hassle it makes shaving more difficult. I recently went back to ye ol double blade Gillette razor adjustable model. Those are still popular in Asia, instead of the disposable ones.

[AlexW]

“Nuthing wrong with no hot showers in the summer.”
_____________________________________________
Well, every day is summer here. I have not seen winter since leaving Slovakia in Jan. 05.

I also use the double edge blade, very available for me,”Gillette Rubie”.
My wife had one of the very old razors from an uncle, where you unscrewed the handle to open the other two parts. The problem was that the screw was stripped and became a pain in the ass. Fortunately, they make plastic versions that hold the double edge blade.
I found the disposables to be pretty much worthless and junk, regardless of brand or how many blades they had.

[dennisw]

If you have a USA friend visiting you he could get you this>>>>>.....

You can get 100 double edge Persona on ebay and Amazon for ~$13. I bought a 100 pack.

Ingenious they have plastic shavers that will hold the double edged blades. I see $2.60 metal ones on ebay (China) http://www.ebay.com/sch/Health-Beauty-/26395/i.html?clk_rvr_id=518496392424&_nkw=double+edge+razor&_sop=15

[LadyDoc]

for health care in the Philippines try Asian Hospital, where my niece studied nursing.

There are hospitals up to American standards in Manila; not so much in the provinces, but basic care can be found even in some smaller cities.

My US based insurance will pay for my care here, but only if I use their doctors. If you plan to move, check it out.

And we have a lot less HIV here than in Thailand, in case you need a blood transfusion.

[LadyDoc]

ah Bagiuo...I love that place. Nice and cool, in the mountains.

We have a plot there to build a house for vacation, but we never got around to it (the neighbors grow roses on the plot in exchange for keeping squatters from taking it over).

And lots of Koreans there: They go to learn English as a second language.

The main problem with Baguio is earthquakes.

[Justa]

“I do not trust the electric heaters that mount on the bathroom wall.”

We had those for our hooches in Iraq. They were mounted on the outside wall. Never had a problem other than a loose hose.

[AlexW]

Hi, Dennis

RE: Razors
I just got around to seeing what I pay to shave.
Gillette “Rubic” double edge stainless blades cost me 50 pesos (little over $1) for pack of 6.
The Gillette razor is only 20 pesos (very cheap). It is all plastic. The top is on a hinge and flips up from one side...quite nice.
This is sooo much better then the crappy disposables.

I do not shave every day, more like a few times per week, unless I am going to some function.

Thanks again for the information.....Alex

[Phosgood]

Don’t know about retirement but Olongapo City. Lucky to get out alive after dark in the 50s. I’d take my chances with an occasional earthquake in Bagio.

Too old to run OR fight.