What Is Holding Me Back From Retiring In The Philippines?

Number five, the Philippines. I'm hot Number five, the Philippines. I'm hot and cold on the Philippines. The and cold on the Philippines. The and cold on the Philippines. The Philippines has one of the best Philippines has one of the best Philippines has one of the best retirement visas in the world, the SRRV, retirement visas in the world, the SRRV, retirement visas in the world, the SRRV, special resident retiree's visa. It's special resident retiree's visa. It's special resident retiree's visa. It's purpose-built for foreign retirees, purpose-built for foreign retirees, purpose-built for foreign retirees, well-structured, and genuinely well-structured, and genuinely well-structured, and genuinely accessible for people like us. English accessible for people like us. English accessible for people like us. English is everywhere. The culture has deep is everywhere. The culture has deep is everywhere. The culture has deep American influence. The beaches are American influence. The beaches are American influence. The beaches are legitimately among the most beautiful in legitimately among the most beautiful in legitimately among the most beautiful in the world. The people are the world. The people are the world. The people are extraordinarily warm to foreigners in a extraordinarily warm to foreigners in a extraordinarily warm to foreigners in a way that's real, not performative, and way that's real, not performative, and way that's real, not performative, and often turns into relationships. So, why often turns into relationships. So, why often turns into relationships. So, why is it on the list? Well, two reasons. is it on the list? Well, two reasons. is it on the list? Well, two reasons. Both of them are the kind of thing that Both of them are the kind of thing that Both of them are the kind of thing that doesn't matter until the matter it won't doesn't matter until the matter it won't doesn't matter until the matter it won't until the moment it matters enormously. until the moment it matters enormously. until the moment it matters enormously. First, there's a healthcare gap. Metro First, there's a healthcare gap. Metro First, there's a healthcare gap. Metro Manila and Cebu have solid private Manila and Cebu have solid private Manila and Cebu have solid private hospital infrastructure. Outside of hospital infrastructure. Outside of hospital infrastructure. Outside of those in the archipelago, it gets thin. those in the archipelago, it gets thin. those in the archipelago, it gets thin. A routine consultation, minor injury, A routine consultation, minor injury, A routine consultation, minor injury, anything serious, a cardiac event, a anything serious, a cardiac event, a anything serious, a cardiac event, a surgery, complex diagnosis, you're very surgery, complex diagnosis, you're very surgery, complex diagnosis, you're very likely getting on a plane anyways to likely getting on a plane anyways to likely getting on a plane anyways to Bangkok, Singapore, here. It's not a Bangkok, Singapore, here. It's not a Bangkok, Singapore, here. It's not a rumor in expat forum, it's just the rumor in expat forum, it's just the rumor in expat forum, it's just the documented reality of the medical documented reality of the medical documented reality of the medical infrastructure outside of a couple big infrastructure outside of a couple big infrastructure outside of a couple big cities. The practical implication, cities. The practical implication, cities. The practical implication, medical evacuation insurance is not medical evacuation insurance is not medical evacuation insurance is not optional in the Philippines. It is the optional in the Philippines. It is the optional in the Philippines. It is the cost of admission. If your retirement cost of admission. If your retirement cost of admission. If your retirement plan involves living in a beautiful plan involves living in a beautiful plan involves living in a beautiful small town island, and there are dozens small town island, and there are dozens small town island, and there are dozens of them that are genuinely gorgeous, of them that are genuinely gorgeous, of them that are genuinely gorgeous, your healthcare plan needs to include your healthcare plan needs to include your healthcare plan needs to include specific answers to the question, "How specific answers to the question, "How specific answers to the question, "How do I actually get to a hospital that can do I actually get to a hospital that can do I actually get to a hospital that can treat me and save my life if something treat me and save my life if something treat me and save my life if something happens?" Second, the Philippines sits happens?" Second, the Philippines sits happens?" Second, the Philippines sits in the most seismically and in the most seismically and in the most seismically and meteorologically active region on Earth.

meteorologically active region on Earth. meteorologically active region on Earth. It is squarely inside the Pacific It is squarely inside the Pacific It is squarely inside the Pacific typhoon belt. It sits on the Pacific typhoon belt. It sits on the Pacific typhoon belt. It sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire. The country experiences an Ring of Fire. The country experiences an Ring of Fire. The country experiences an average of 20 typhoons a year. Major average of 20 typhoons a year. Major average of 20 typhoons a year. Major earthquakes are not hypothetical, earthquakes are not hypothetical, earthquakes are not hypothetical, they're reoccurring. In 2013 in Bohol, they're reoccurring. In 2013 in Bohol, they're reoccurring. In 2013 in Bohol, an earthquake killed over 200 people. an earthquake killed over 200 people. an earthquake killed over 200 people. Typhoons killed over 6,000. They're not Typhoons killed over 6,000. They're not Typhoons killed over 6,000. They're not once-in-a-generation events, they're once-in-a-generation events, they're once-in-a-generation events, they're background weather patterns that shape background weather patterns that shape background weather patterns that shape your year annually. None of this makes your year annually. None of this makes your year annually. None of this makes the Philippines unlivable.