The network is full of articles that encourage Italians to go abroad.
If you are a frequent social networking user, you will definitely be stuck at least once in articles titled "Here are the countries where you can live with 300 euros a month."
Being also one of the many who dreams of fleeing from Italy, for some time I have started to study some of the most popular places for those looking for dream beaches and a good climate.
In this article I will speak to you about the Philippines.
Why go to live in the Philippines?
The Philippines is a Southeast Asian state located in the Pacific Ocean.
The Philippine Archipelago consists of 7,107 islands distributed in three main regions: Luzon to the North, Visayas in the center and Mindanao to the South.
What attracts thousands of tourists each year in the Philippines is the beauty of their beaches.
The Philippines, in fact, offers those who take the trouble of having more than 10 hours of air travel to visit them, beaches that have nothing to envy to those of the Caribbean, with the difference that the Philippines are a low-cost location.
For the lovers of the sea, unspoiled nature, snorkeling and diving, the Philippines are a must-see destination.
If you want to get an idea of their beauty, read this post on my trip to the Philippines.
Given the beauty of the Philippines, it's easy to understand why a person, enthusiastic about their vacation, can think of giving up everything and moving there.
If I have to be honest, even at first I had a thought, even before I went to visit them as a tourist.
I had discovered the Philippines looking for google places where it costs less to live, ending up on those infamous articles where only the beautiful things of a place tell you.
Enchanted by beautiful photos and promises of savings, I started to document me, I planned the trip, I went, I came back, I searched for land sales ads on the internet, and when I found out that with the money selling my current Home I could buy a whole resort in the Philippines, I started fantasizing ...
But then I've documented it better, I've done a lot of online searches, I've been enrolled in groups from Italians living in the Philippines ... and I understand that it's not all gold that glitters!
Do you really live with 300 euros a month in the Philippines?
The answer is no!
Anyone who claims the opposite is forgetting to specify some details not just recently.
Yes, if you want, you could live in a remote, non-touristy little village, in a hut, cultivating a land and buying only local products, and so you could really live with little ... but honestly, who would do it?
Filipinos live with little because they have little! Not everyone obviously.
The average monthly salary of a Filipino is only a few hundred euros, if it's fine.
It is no coincidence that Filipinos who come to work in Italy, with the money they send home, have a whole family.
I'm talking about people living in villages with few services. Do you really want to live that way? Yes? Even wanting you can not! Or rather, you can but it is complicated to implement (later I explain better why).
Great cities like Manila, where there is every kind of comfort and there are skyscrapers that we in Italy dream about, are perhaps even more concerned with Milan.
Pulling the sums, no one gives you anything, if you want to live with little, you have little.
If you want the services, pay them and cost almost like in Italy (if not more in certain areas), if you do not want them, it is a great risk considering the area you are in (read the pros and cons that I have Written below to better understand).
If one has to live almost in misery, then perhaps it is better to stay in Italy, going to live in some villages where life costs a little less.
How to move to the Philippines
To move to the Philippines is not enough to take the plane and leave.
I will briefly explain the chances you have to go to live in the Philippines.
Attention, all the information below is indicative and subject to change (if not inaccurate at startup: p), before making any decision on the internet for official sources.
First, if you do not have a fixed job / activity / rent and want to stay a little longer to study a little better the country, you will need a longer visa than the tourist one, which can be kind of 6 months if I do not remember (And of course you pay).
This visa can be renewed from time to time, with the obligation to leave the country every 3 years.
If you are retired instead, you can stay in the Philippines with a resident's visa, leaving a certain amount in a Filipino bank as a deposit, and making them pay your pension every month.
If you do not have a pension, the amount to be paid will be a bit higher.
After 10 years of permanent residence, you may also be able to apply for Filipino citizenship.
So on a level seen, if you have some money aside, being able to stay on the Filipino ground is a feasible thing and not too complicated.
Well, now that you understand how to stay in the Philippines, you just have to buy a home ... Alt! The real difficulties are coming now!
Buy a home in the Philippines
To buy home and land in the Philippines is not enough to have the money!
The Filipinos, probably to protect their country, have created special laws to prevent rich foreigners from acquiring all their lands (my personal hypothesis about the existence of these hateful laws).
First of all, the ground: if you want to buy land in the Philippines ... you can not!
Or rather, you can not if you are not Filipino.
But if you have a Filipino wife who you trust, you can put everything to her and you're affiliated ... but if you're litigating? Beware ... following the online groups I've read all about stories about scams and strangers scared by women or their families (although this actually seems to me much more in Thailand).
Another opportunity to buy land or open a business in the Philippines is to create a Filipino majority corporation with a minimum of 3 Philippine partners and a share capital of at least 4000 Euros (add approximately 1,000 Euro for its opening).
In this society you will be the president, with full decision-making powers, and you can then name the ground and everything else on behalf of the corporation, and thus actually circumvent the limit of not having land in the Philippines.
Okay ... but willing to find Filipino partners to trust ... it goes without saying that if you do not trust trusted risk of ending a victim of some scam.
There is then the possibility of renting the land for about 25 years (paying a decent nest).
In my opinion however, this solution is fine as long as you are young and shiny.
However, when you begin to lose strikes and maybe you are alone, at the end of the contract it may not be so easy to deal with the bureaucratic part ... maybe in the meantime the laws have also changed, or perhaps for some reason they no longer want to give that Land ... always remember that you are in a foreign land and your rights may not be guaranteed as it would happen in your country of origin.
Not to mention that if a child may want to leave everything inherited to them, so if they are Filipino one day they may be able to buy the land you have now rented, if they are Italian they will have to do them all the trafila ...
I will be old, or maybe I will only be possessive, but for my future I would like to live in a place all my own, not renting :)
Another solution is to go to rent or buy a house in a condo where there is a majority of Philippine condos / owners.
This is very simple in the cities, a little less if you want to live in a chalet.
You should look for some residential complex and then say goodbye to the idea of the lost and cheap cottage in the middle of nothing :)
However, by pulling out the sums, the more residential condo solution with deposit, would be the easiest option to implement, and perhaps even the one at less risk of scam.
There is another problem in the Philippines, of which the famous articles "all about it" do not talk to you ... corruption!
As I read, Italy in comparison with the Philippines is a country full of honest people :)
I've read about scams, scams, blackmails, where for example they get you started, but then you block them and they do not give you permission if you do not give up so many good soldiers.
But the scams that can be made through corruption are of another kind and can hit you in the daily life.
For example, a scam I've been told is that of some girls who are before us, and then they denounce you by finding some bruises on them (maybe made by their true boyfriends).
And there are serious problems, especially if I do not really care who gives you a loophole underneath ... so I can even tow in some countries!
With this obviously I do not want to discourage you, there are several Italians who have managed to live in the Philippines and are now more or less happy.
Even if it is true I understand that most of them have already started with a Filipino wife from Italy ... if you are alone and you do not know anyone is much harder and you have to be careful not to bother!
Working in the Philippines
I also add this paragraph to make you notice another thing:
In the Philippines, foreigners can not do all kinds of work.
There are in fact some foreigners' jobs, such as, if I remember (google for security), sell things.
I guess, however, if one looks for a job as an entrepreneur, a way to open his shop can also find it, but it always falls into the issues mentioned above.
If you are looking for an employee job and you can find what you can do even if you are a foreigner ... well, the Filipino paychecks are really miserable!
Different is the story if you live in the Philippines working for a foreign multinational that pays you well ... then you start thinking;)
Pros and cons of going to live in the Philippines
While some pros and cons are subjective, below I will list a list of reasons that may encourage or discourage anyone who thinks about leaving everything to live in the Philippines.
Pros
- Beaches, sea and uncontaminated nature
If you are looking for unspoiled nature and postcard beaches, in the Philippines your expectations will not be disappointed.
Several areas of the Philippines are also famous for snorkeling and scuba diving - Cost of living
Overall certainly lower than in Italy, as long as you do not decide to live in metropolis or in very touristy places - Language
A good news, most Filipinos speak English! - Religion
About 90% of Filipinos are Catholics.
This obviously does not guarantee a behavior to give the other cheek, but we say it is a cultural meeting point with our officially secular country - Health care
I put it as a pro if you live in town and if you have insurance, because it seems to be very high - Climate
Tropical climate where you do not really have the cold and you can bathe in the ocean at any time of the year.
Cons
- Difficulties in buying house and land
Read the paragraph above - Delinquency and Weapons
In large urban centers there is a bit of delinquency and you have to be careful where you go.
However, I have read that some small villages have been afflicted with this problem, where police might be a problem because of corruption ...
Let us also point out that in the Philippines anyone can buy a weapon, and the situation may start to look a bit worrisome - Different culture
There are some profound differences with our culture, as well as their way of doing and behaving.
According to those who live there, with the Filipinos it takes a lot of patience! - Culture absent
This may seem an offense for Filipinos, but if we compare Filipino to Italian culture ...
However, if you do not mind visiting museums, exhibitions and ancient architectural jewels (though in their small there are also them) ... in short this is a counter degustibus - Health care
I also put it in between for two reasons: the first is that you have to do health insurance if you do not care (if you do not have the money to pay), the second is that if you imagine living in the Philippines to stay Away from the city, in a quiet seaside ... maybe in those cases will have at least one outpatient clinic nearby, but in case of serious problems, now that the helicopter arrives and takes you to the hospital City ... bye bye - Poverty
Never underestimate the fact that it could be a problem to move to a relatively poor place.
First of all, unlike going to live in places like the Canaries, where you can easily camouflage among the many non-natives and no one will ever say anything, in a place like the Philippines you could always be seen as the rich alien (and maybe To be pushed).
In my opinion, the more a place is poor and the less life can be ... of the kind that can kill you for nothing ... but even without thinking of it as a pessimist, if you are considered rich, it will nevertheless be higher the possibility that someone may Knock on your door in search of something (money), who are the relatives of your Filipino wife or neighbors in your remote village - Corruption
As explained above, corruption in the Philippines is a big problem! - Climate
The climate is a strong point but also a weak point in the Philippines.
Being subject to the rainy season, there may be times of the year with uninterrupted rain, and yes one suffers ... but the really serious thing is that every year the typhoons arrive in the Philippines.
Mostly typhoons affect only certain areas, so if one studies well before moving, it slightly reduces the risk, but this is not always the case, and there have been cases like for Haiyan, where most of the Philippines have suffered serious damage There have been many victims.
It is true that most of the victims are poor people who can not afford robust homes, but considering the fact that with the rise of global temperature the climate is getting worse and there are also those who say that in future events such as typhoon Haiyan Can happen more often ... in short, the climate factor is not to be overlooked! - Religious and rebellious minorities
Like other countries in Southeast Asia, the Philippines have some problems with some armed rebels in some parts of the country.
In addition, there is an Islamic minority in the south, which attacks from time to time.
If you are careful where you go, there is no risk in theory, but let's say that having two issues in my country is not reassuring to me.
Let us also add that in some areas, even tourist-like Palawan, in the past have raped foreigners to ask for a ransom, and that this thing has happened recently in another area to an Italian restaurateur ... - Diseases
Even though it is part of the health system talk, it should be noted that in some areas of the Philippines there are still malaria and dengue diseases ... so be careful where you go. - Unspoilt nature
Nice to see, but not for everyone.
If you are afraid of spiders and snakes, maybe the Philippines will not do it for you - Distance from your country
If you are tired of your country, so much distance will seem just a good thing to you.
But if for some reason you have to return often, or even just occasionally, to your homeland (to go to your relatives or for other reasons), it's a great journey ... both as time and as cost!
Maybe when you decide to take the big step do not think about it or you do not have a chance to come back often ... but if you are forced to change the plans, it may be a great problem for your pockets.
It's all, I hope I did not have you too discouraged :)
As I said before, this is just my subjective assessment, matured after collecting some information on the internet and having seen some things in person.
For me the Philippines are still a beautiful country, which one day I would definitely visit again ... but as a tourist :)
Maybe whoever made the big step and did it was more motivated than me ... or simply more courageous :)