Planning on retiring in the RP

[jnj2337]

Hello Everyone,

My name is Jose and I am married to a wonderful and beautiful Filipina and we have a wonderful family together.  I am currently serving in the military but I am coming up on my retirement and my wife and I are planning on retiring in the RP.  I just would like to know everyone's 2 cents for what I should expect.  We are planning on retiring in the Bataan area close to her family.  I do plan to continue to work but mostly part time for an export business.  I don't need to work as my military pension will be more than sufficient for my family.  But a little more never hurts.  I have been to the Philippines a few times and I will be making a few more trips there before I retire as well.  My next trip will be this coming August and I will be there for 2 months before I go off to my next assignment.  I am mostly looking for peoples thoughts on the little things to think about that would aid me and my family in setting up our household there.  We have 3 children and we are planning on having maybe two more, God Willing.  I would appreciate your comments about what to do with my property that we own in the states. (House and Cars mostly)  What about banks?  Should we keep a bank in the states or just get a local one instead.  What about buying a house and lot there now and getting our home built from scratch or just buying one of many homes that are already there?  What are the disadvantages of doing both?  Like I said earlier, my wife's family is from the Bataan area but we are thinking of living in and around the Subic area as there is an excellent school for my children there.  Is there anyone that is from that area that might be able to shed some light on what life is like there?  Also if there are any VFW members that can give me some information about the local club I would appreciate that as well.  Thats it.  I look forward to getting and reading all of your posts.  Thank you all.

Jose

[Gray Wolf]

Jose,

I see this is your first posting so let me start off with "Welcome to LinPC!".  Also, thank you for your service to the US!  You'll find quite a few US ex-military members here, including myself (US Army 1970-1977) as well as vets from the UK, Australia and other parts of the globe. 

Phew!  Lots of questions at once, bro!     If you look closely you'll see that the forum is divided into boards or categories of subjects.  You'll find info on housing, banking, schools, doing business in the RP, et al in specific boards dedicated to each subject.  If we try to answer all of your questions here, it would defeat the purpose of the boards.

Suffice it to say we have lots of answers/opinions to all of your questions.  Try to break down your questions and ask each in the proper place.  By doing so you'll most likely find many of the answers already in place.

For most banking questions, try this link:
http://livinginthephilippines.com/forum/index.php/board,14.0.html

Real Estate questions? Try this: 
http://livinginthephilippines.com/forum/index.php/board,94.0.html

Building in the Philippines:
http://livinginthephilippines.com/forum/index.php/board,16.0.html

In fact, most of your basic questions are answered in this main board:
http://livinginthephilippines.com/forum/index.php#5

Take your time.  We aren't going anywhere.     Get to know all of us better, as we do the same with you.  You'll soon find that this is the best Philippine forum going!  Again, welcome to the group!   

[GWG]

Jose,

I'm an old Navy Vet married to wonderful Pinay for 25 years now.
I still work in Saudi but live in PI.
I will also be moving very soon to the Subic area. Subic is great, you will love it. There's a pretty good size expat community there but not too many, if you know what I mean.
I lived in Olongapo for several years back in the day.
I'm a Life member of the Angeles City VFW post 2485. This is our Website, http://www.vfwpost2485.com/. We are the largest overseas VFW post in the world.   
We have a great group of guys that can sit around and tell you anything you want to know about living in PI from a
Vets point of view.
Maybe you can stop by and see us if you ever come through Angeles.
There is also a VFW chapter in Subic but I don't know much about it yet, but I'm sure you would be welcomed there as well.

[Pinoy Art]

Jose,

Just on this forum alone, like Jack mentioned will probably answer most of your questions and concerns living in the Philippines! Read as much as you can on every topic here that may pertain to your particular situation. I believe in your situation, you should look into the "SRRV" retirement program which is mentioned here too on this forum, I think it will interest you the most, but it's not for everyone. I'm retired USAFR and Civil Service 1967-1997 and been living in the Philippines since 1998, just using the "Balikbayan Program" for now until such a time we decide to change our immigration status. You have a hugh undertaking and a lot to consider prior to and after your military retirement, because you still have children to raise. I know, you have tons of questions! Didn't we all at first? Just ask, but first, read all the topics on this forum! Well, good luck with your moving to the Philippines!

Art

[Marko]

Hello Jose and welcome....Best advice I can give is try to set up your banking before you plan to move to the RP Permanently, that goes for in the US also.

 Just read the Forum like I did and most of your questions will be answered. 

Me, military also 1971-1997 Navy/Coast Guard.

  Welcome!!!!

[kel]

hey gray wolf...70-77 your very lucky to have missed the combat in nam.  those dates are post combat.  68-69 was the marking of the end of the offensive when we pulled out.  thank god your still with us today.  i see so many combat vets. coming home today with such destroyed lifes...it's a shame.

god bless you
kel

ps  what unit were you with? 

[Gray Wolf]

hey gray wolf...70-77 your very lucky to have missed the combat in nam.  those dates are post combat.  68-69 was the marking of the end of the offensive when we pulled out.  thank god your still with us today.  i see so many combat vets. coming home today with such destroyed lifes...it's a shame.

god bless you
kel

ps  what unit were you with? 

Wrong, Kel!!  I didn't "miss" anything.  I spent 9 months and 22 days in combat until our entire brigade was sent back home.  We didn't pull all our troops out until 1973, the year after I left.  Our Embassy staff stayed until 1975 and had to be evacuated by helicopters as Communist troops invaded the Embassy compound.  Check your history books for the details.

[Robin]

Kel??? I know we were still in Viet Nam after 69. I arrived in country February 72 and was one of the last Army AirCav units to leave Da Nang (F Troop, 4th US AirCav) in 73.

Robin

[southern92]

I am wondering if anyonw here has had any experience with the military moving household goods overseas upon retirement from the military?  I believe they will move your stuff anywhere CONUS for up to 1 year after retirement, but not sure about overseas. . .and who pays the 'tax' on stuff.  I have moved overseas before, but always on PCS orders.  I think retirement move might be different.

Jeff

[OldSchool]

I am wondering if anyonw here has had any experience with the military moving household goods overseas upon retirement

You should check on that before your last PCS. I believe the rule was, they will move your stuff from wherever you are, back to your Home [state] of record, or someplace closer, and that's it. Changing your Home of record to the PI would be a cute trick, but I don't think they would go for it. Might we worthwhile to change it to LA or Long Beach California and save you some on onward shipping costs.

[southern92]

I will find out once I attend my seperation class, but after looking at your post I believe you are correct in that they will only ship to your home of record.  I'm in San Diego now so unless I PCS I'd guess I'm about as close as I'm going to get.

Jeff

[southern92]

Talking to one of my reciently retired friends I found out that the military will infact ship world-wide. . . does a cla. king size bed fit in a standard appartment?

[Mr. Lee]

Talking to one of my reciently retired friends I found out that the military will infact ship world-wide. . . does a cla. king size bed fit in a standard appartment?

Most apartments are small and IMO a king size bed might be a problem. My wife and I were able to fit a queen size bed in our units but I feel a king size bed would have looked massive. I have also had many expat visitors who told me that our place was bigger than what they were renting, so that leads me to believe it could be a problem in most places. We have also looked at many new homes in the up to 3 million a few years back which would be higher now and I do not think that bed would have fit in any of those either. Maybe someone else can give you ideas on their areas, because I am only talking about Cebu and Cagayan de Oro.

[southern92]

Is there a standard celing height in condos/apartments?  8' ish?

Jeff

[Mr. Lee]

Is there a standard celing height in condos/apartments?  8' ish?

Jeff

Ours is about 9.5 feet high except where the cross beams run and those are about 8 feet high. I looked at some others and they seemed to be at least 8 feet but one unit I saw in our building had a dropped ceiling in the kitchen and at the entrance door area, so I could touch it when I reached up with my hand and I am an inch or so less than 6 feet tall but I did not measure the ceiling because it gave me a closed in feeling, so I would not buy that unit and left.