Life in the Philippines Has Its Advantages: My Story

I first arrived in the Philippines in November 2010, nervous, like anyone going alone. Sixteen years later, life in the Philippines is the reason I write this site and the reason my wife, Cirila, and I are planning a seasonal retirement home on Samal Island. Life in the Philippines has its advantages, and this is how I found them.

How it started

In 2010 I was running a marketing business in Florida. My business partner was married to a Filipina he had met on a dating site, and he had traveled to the Philippines to meet her and her family before they decided to marry. At first I thought that sounded long, hard and not for me. Like many men, I assumed the process was too difficult. I also thought I was unusual for considering it, but I was not: the United States is the Philippines’ largest source of visitors, with 926,575 arrivals in the first eight months of 2026, according to the Department of Tourism.

I was wrong about that. Cirila and I met on an online dating site, and I will always be upfront about that, including if we ever recommend a service. Together we have now spent sixteen years building a life, and meeting her was the best decision I ever made.

I arrived in Manila in November 2010 and flew on to Davao Oriental, Cirila’s home province, to meet her in person and to look for office space. It was just before the Christmas holidays. The weather was perfect, and with Christmas around the corner everyone seemed pleasant to be around. What amazed me most were the smiles and the laughter. Even in times of great poverty for many people, the spirit of good times shines through.

Two years in Taguig

I had come to open a private office providing financial marketing to the brokerage community in the United States. After about three weeks in Davao Oriental, we realized that internet in the bigger city was faster and more modern, and we decided to go to Manila. The recently built city of Fort Bonifacio, now known as Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig, was a perfect fit. Many of the biggest tech companies and banks were there, and staff were readily available to hire. It was a win-win. I ended up living in the Philippines for two years, in a condo in BGC. I hired and trained a staff of Filipino citizens, and working side by side with them taught me more about the country and its people than any guidebook could.

I did not arrive with a perfect plan. I had to learn how daily life really works: the culture, the paperwork, the relationships and the surprises. Some lessons came the easy way and many came the hard way. When family responsibilities called me back to the United States, I went home, but the Philippines never left me.

The advantages I found

• The people. The warmth, the smiles and the laughter are real, and they are the first thing most visitors remember.
• A different culture. Many of the men this site is written for want a change from the pressure and expectations of life at home. I understand that, and living in a different culture can bring a real sense of relief.
• Family and community. Families stay close, and relatives and friends welcome you into their lives.
• A guide who understands people. Cirila understands how people think here, and many of the lessons on this site came from her.

What I had to learn

The biggest lesson was about money and family. The life I grew up in is what I consider normal, but many people in the Philippines have never been exposed to it, and something I might waste without noticing can feed a family for a week or more. You will be asked for help, and you cannot please everyone. Be patient, think each request through, and help your partner understand how cash flow and money work. Cirila guided me through it. Get this right and everything else gets easier. I will tell the longer story in a future article.

Where we are going next

I believe everyone deserves an oasis. I caught a glimpse of mine in 1992, teaching scuba on Kaanapali Beach in Maui, and that place is gone now. Cirila and I are working toward the next one: a seasonal retirement home on Samal Island, close to her family. If the plan changes, I will tell you here.

Samal Island is one of the places the US State Department names as an exception to its warnings about Mindanao. Advisories change, so always read the current Philippines travel advisory before you book.

If you are thinking about it

Start with a visit and take your time. These guides cover the questions I wish I had asked before my first trip:

• Is the Philippines Safe for Solo Travelers? What To Know
• Solo Travel in the Philippines: A First-Timer’s Guide
• Best Time to Visit the Philippines, Month by Month
• A 2-Week Solo Itinerary for the Philippines

You can read more about us on the About page. Cirila and I love speaking with people who are planning a first visit, so feel free to get in touch.

Frequently asked questions

How long did you live in the Philippines?

I lived there for two years, mostly in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, and I have visited Davao Oriental and Samal Island. Family responsibilities then brought me back to the United States.

Is life in the Philippines right for every foreigner?

No. It has been wonderful for me, but it suits some people better than others. Visit first, stay long enough to see daily life and check current visa rules with the Bureau of Immigration before you make any big decision.

Are you moving to the Philippines permanently?

Our plan is a seasonal retirement home on Samal Island, so we can spend part of each year there and stay close to Cirila’s family.

The bottom line

The Philippines gave me a wife, a staff I still think about, and a way of seeing the world that has changed me. It is not perfect, and I had to learn a great deal, but life in the Philippines has its advantages, and I hope this site helps you find yours.