Where the Heck is Marinduque?: Is the Philippines Still a Good Place for Retirement ?

Planning to Visit the Philippines Soon?

There are hundreds of tourists attractions in the Philippines. But as a lover of the Island of Marinduque (Home of the Morions and Heart of the Philippines), I am indeed partial to its beauty, charm and its friendly and hospitable residents. Therefore, help me achieve my dream of seeing this island becomes a world tourist destination, by telling all your friends and relatives about this site. Welcome, to you all, new readers and faithful followers of this site! The photo above is Poctoy White Beach in Torrijos, Marinduque with beautiful and majestic Mt Malindig in the background. Some of the photos and videos on this site, I do not own. However, I have no intention on infringing your copyrights.

Saturday, April 13, 2024

Is the Philippines Still a Good Place for Retirement ?

Philippines Not in Top Ten Countries for Retirement, Dated 2020

Are you planning to retire next year outside the US? I have a number of friends who informed me that if Moron DJT( https://www.cbsnews.com/news/john-bolton-book-trump-revelations-the-room-where-it-happened/ ) gets elected, they will retire abroad. Is the Philippines still a good place to retire today? 💚💚

I did some search and here's the latest top 10 best countries for retirement from marketwatch.com dated February, 2020 based on housing, benefits/discounts, visas/residency, ease of fitting in, development, climate, health care, governance, cost of living and other factors.

Ten best countries to retire abroad
1. Portugal
2. Panama
3. Costa Rica
4. Mexico
5. Colombia
6. Ecuador
7. Malaysia
8. Spain
9. France
10. Vietnam

For details read:

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/this-gorgeous-country-is-the-no-1-place-to-retire-abroad-and-you-can-do-it-on-just-2200-a-month-2020-01-02

Note: Personally, Marinduque, Philippines is still my number #1 Choice for Retirement. https://whyretireinthephilippines.blogspot.com/search?q=place+for+retirement

The following video was made 4 years ago. It is a nice ad for the Philippines, but is it still applicable today? 💚💚

💜https://youtu.be/XuTow8dbWno?si=dpUW8Slfy9xm-oGx

Macrine and I enjoying the Sunset at Our Retirement Home in the Philippines

💜Nice video. But far from the truth of living in the Philippines. Philippines can be a good place, but a foreigner will always be a foreigner, even if married to a Pinay. Trying to start a business? forget it! You can lose the shirt on your back and there will be no one to help you, specially if you are in the province. Even the police will not help you there. Always remember, traveling through a country as a tourist, is not the same as living in that country and trying to make a living. Two different stories! If you marry a pinay, do not buy land or a house that will be in her name. She WILL eventually take it all from you. If you must, buy a condo in your name. If she insists, just walk. If you must prove your love to her, find another way. I know so many people, including myself , who have lost everything they paid for in Philippines to their wives, GFs, fiancés, in laws, and ended up with nothing. Oh, that's not true, they did end up with their heart broken.

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ABOUT ME

I am a retired (Chemistry Team Leader from USFDA) Filipino-American who loves writing, gardening and photography. My wife (of 58 years) and I enjoy the snowbird lifestyle between the US and the Philippines. We have a small but very private beach resort( see above video) in the beautiful island of Marinduque, Philippines. I have several blog sites(ten), a personal blog, blogs about retiring in Marinduque and our beach resort and conference center-CHATEAU DU MER. I also write for www.squidoo.com now owned by HubPages.com

Marinduque: A Photogenic Province and Tourists Destination

Marinduque is a photoblogger dream. The province is endowed with unspoiled white sand beaches, pristine blue waters, fringing reefs, virgin coral reefs, coves, limestone caves, meandering rivers, mountain peaks, cascading waterfalls and streams, fabled sulfur and hot mineral springs,old churches and of course beautiful sunsets. The Internet is filled with photographs of the scenic beauty of this island not only from the local professional photographers but also from amateur photographers all over the world. The province has more than six big islands popular to beach lovers, scuba divers and snorkeling enthusiasts. It has Mt Malindig known to mountain climbers and hikers. It has Bathala and Tarug Caves popular to spelunkers and just curious seekers. In one of the eight caves of Bathala, there is a resident python, believed to be enchanted. If he shows himself when you visit the caves, it is suppose to bring you good luck.

Sunset over Tres Reyes Islands- Photo from panoramnio.com The nearest and most accessible islands from the capital town of Boac are the Tres Reyes Islands ( Islands of the Three Kings), Gaspar, Melchor and Baltazar in the town of Gasan. The local names are Laki, Pangkog and Man-nga ( see map above). These islands are located southwest of the mainland. The other three group of islands bigger in area and more populated are Polo, Maniwaya and Mongpong Islands. These are located in the Northeast part of the mainland in the town of Santa Cruz. Maniwaya's Polo Maria White Beach is being develop as an alternative to Boracay. There is a bigger island, Salamongue Island which is not as well known to the tourists and residents.. I really do not know the reason, but I believe it is not as accessible from the mainland . Moreover, it is not as developed( no electricity or running water) compared to the other islands.

One of the most popular white beach located in the mainland in the town of Torrijos is Poctoy White Beach. It is about a 70 minutes drive from downtown Boac. Poctoy White beach with Mt, Malindig as the background is the most photogenic and the most photographed scenery in the island.

Just late last year, the former Elephant Island in Lipata, Buenavista, owned privately, was renamed Bellarocca Resort Island and Spa. It has been converted to look like Santorini Island, Greece with buildings all painted in white sticking in the cliffs. From what I heard, this resort is one of the most expensive and luxurious resort in Southeast Asia. The cheapest room charges $300 per night excluding meals and other amenities. When I was in Marinduque last year, I met a few rich and famous Filipinos( businessmen, actors and actresses, TV personalities)) from Manila as well as Korean and Japanese tourists at Masiga Airport in Gasan on their way to the resort. From the resort advertisement, I know that the most expensive accommodation is a 3-bedroom villa with its own pool and jacussi charging about $ 800 per night without meals. Dong Ho, Oggie Ramos, Ferdz Decena, Allan Barredo, Sydney Snoeck and Dennis Villegas are some of the photographers that I know who have photo blogs about Marinduque. Their pictures are beautiful, unique and mesmerizing. It is worth your time to visit their photo blogs sites. Looking at their photographs of Marinduque, its Tradition and Culture will surely make you proud of the beauty of our island paradise.

Planning to Visit the Philippines Soon?

Saturday, April 13, 2024

Is the Philippines Still a Good Place for Retirement ?

Philippines Not in Top Ten Countries for Retirement, Dated 2020

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