Why Expats are Leaving the Philippines/Why Dumaguete is NOT For Him 

I got annoyed and bored, so I left and went to Cambodia. Couldn’t be happier. I’m spending less and living sooooo much more comfortable. It checks all my boxes, but everyone’s different.

I tell everyone ,if they ask, that Philippines is the place to go if you want cheap living,and the people you meet there,are the best people rver,but Thailand has sidewalks,street and traffic lights,and is more westernized,with better food choices.,and has nice people also

After doing my due diligence I learned that the Philippines is not a long term solution for me, so I'm not surprised by this. I certainly do not need to go to the Philippines to have fun in a bar. There are some fantastic drinking establishments here in the US of A, but that does not appeal to me, nor does whoring around. Thanks for flipping the Philippine coin and sharing this with us, Paul. 👍

I've been living in the Philippines for 8 months now. One month in Cebu City and seven month in Mandaue City. My favorite thing about the Philippines has been the weather. The temperatures here are better than the hot Texas summers and the cold freezing winters. Dumaguete sounds more suited for those that prefer a laid back relaxing lifestyle. Cebu City is very busy, crowded and has a bothersome exhaust pollution. Mandaue City borders Cebu City and has a better traffic and pollution situation. I will complete one year living in the Philippines this May. I came here with a commitment to stay at least one year before deciding whether to stay or go. I have my SRRV, my Philippines drivers license, and PhilHealth. However, I'm leaning toward moving back to the USA. I am returning to the USA in May to visit my family and complete some doctor appointments. I live in a higher end condo on the water but there isn't a beach access at this time. There are many grocery and department stores nearby and easy to access. I'm not that crazy about the restaurants here and I've tried many different ones. I still want to visit Thailand, Singapore, Japan, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Best of luck to those that come to the Philippines.

I rode my motorcycle 20,000 kilometers ( 12000 miles) all arount the Philippines. Spent a month in Valencia above Dumaguette. Dumaguette is the Last place I would want to be. I dont care about night life but there are far too many negatives about Dumaguette for me to ever want to live there for long.

It's a sad existence if drinking is your source of entertainment.

My younger days I was in the US Navy stationed in Subic twice. I spent 6 years there when I was in my 20's and 30's. I got off at 4:00 pm started drinking and continued till midnight 6 days a week. One day was duty, couldn't get drunk that day. There's no way that I could do that now at 68. I have been here for 2 years next month and I have not had a single beer or Rum and coke.

Never settle. Nice to see Simon again. Remember there's 2,000 inhabited islands in the Philippines.

Need subtitles for this guy!!! 😂😂 I worked in the UK for years but, his accent is rough…😂

great interview and good info

Great job.Paul and Mae

Private beaches are something that should never be allowed. It is a shame.

HI PAUL , great interview , cool guy. I am sure more guys will go there now.. TY GOD BLESS CIAO

Very interesting interview. Thanks guys !

Fun interview guys

Great Vlog

Good morning from Australia Paul. It's 0230 here so I'll have to watch it over almusal! Cheers to all described.

I like Simon and have watched a few of his vlogs. I’ll be back in the Dumaguette in ten days. Thanks for sharing Paul.

Okay, thanks for info

Love this guy he seems to be very happy with his life good video very good content thanks

Great video, thank you.

Simon Says: I have a strong accent! Good interview Paul and stay safe!

Cool I enjoyed the talk

Great interview with my good friend Simon mate. Probably one of the most popular expats on the island. I'm one of the guys that leaves early. The thought of staying out on the drink with him scares the shit out of me. Lol

Really like both these guys channels. Great interview Paul. And Simon’s interview with you was brilliant as well on his channel Speaking of Asia. Cheers from Seattle guys. Don’t freeze your ass off over there.😅

From one Londoner to another..... Slow down on the pigs ears and have a cup of rosy lee before you run out of bees and honey. Great interview, made me smile.

Very good video .. Paul, you couldn't be any nicer .. I watch both channels .. I go way back, in Phil (PI) .. Back in the 1980's, I knew only one guy who ventured to Negros .. And if you mentioned Siquijor, Filipinas would say "the Witches Island" ..

Nice video

Another great vlog Paul, I agree he was a bit hard to understand, the accent was thick and the vocal tone added to the difficulty but I could understand him if I paid real close attention, thanks again.

Simon, your English is excellent (as a Canadian, I understand every word clearly). Glad you are having fun there. One needs an income to do that.

This was a fun interview Paul. Yes, I did have a bit of trouble understanding him but towards the end I put on the closed captions😂 but he was and interesting abd different from the other expats. He likes the night life and it is much better off than the typical retired expat looking to live on the cheap and looking for a Philippina ... refreshing.

Hes got a cool name for his channel I follow old Camp over there too as usual Old Dog the best lol thanks good video

Nice to hear a cockney 'Geezer' accent from London guy. In fact, nice to hear lots of english accents from people living all around the world.

Even , I find, it is fascinating; the exposure to a new culture or lifestyle. Irregardless, if one is seriously moving to the P.I. or not. I want to hear about his life. I never met, in CONUS, a Philippino/Philifina that I did not INSTANTLY like; either gender, ALL ages.

Can’t understand him but seems nice. Definitely need subtitles!

Good Video Paul 😊. Keep the video's comin. Stay Safe 💕 💞 🙏 🙏

I am a nurse by profession with parents and ancestral roots from Siargao and Cagayan de oro city. I worked in the states and the UK but mostly in London England for 10 years and I can fully understand him as most black cabby drivers have his accent. I am guessing Simon is from east london as my British husbands grand mother is a true blooded cockney who have the same accent. I like east londoners actually they are no nonsense people. Straight to the point. When I worked in Louisiana for a year I couldn't understand their thick accents unless I pardon for them to repeat. I have been to Dumaguete in the 90s and way more quiter and the roads were so under developed but the people are nice as my nursing school classmate took me to her province of Negros and went to Sipalay which was very beautiful and full of late 1800s to early 1930s houses but very quiet. I am planning to turn our land in Siargao into an organic farm all 5 acres of it.

Was in the Philippines for a month, then the past 17 days in Thailand. Love Hua Hin and am considering it for retirement. I'm going back to the Philippines today for the next 2 weeks before going home. I do like the Philippines because of the English speaking, driving on the same side of the street, and quiet lifestyle as well as my Filipina girlfriend. Decisions/Decisions.

that was a good one.

sounds like an interesting conversation. unfortunately as a preson from non-English spoken country , I didn't understand well. I'll try it with subtitles again.

That is a London accent.

be back in March however iioiio city has a nice night life in the mega world festive walk. smallville is a nice area there to have a nice time.

Pollution in manila was like hell. Same with the traffic

My plane ticket is for Tuesday. So many ppl trash Dumaguete but i guess I’ll find out for myself. I really wasn’t sure where to try first, so I picked Dumaguete.

Love this guy, at the end of the day, honesty should be cherished.

Paul you're such a prude, lol. Hey, the Red Table was pretty fun, until about 8pm, haha. Whats that accent called? Cockney or something? Sicki is OK but every guy I knew who lived there hated it after awhile. Need a screw or a board? Ferry to Duma. Hassel. Can Sicki have "girlie bars"?

I'm a night guy. I WORK U.S. HOURS so I am up all night. BTW: we had a Simon in my crew and Simon was the WILD ONE. Different Simon but in Eastwood, QC means "the wild English guy." The name Simon is tied to a life style.

Hey Paul. Always love your show. I miss your old chats with Mark with the mountain in the back ground. Hmmm, you two were single then...

The best place to live in PH is Manila - hands down. Anything you want or need, it's here.

No, no, I'm too much of a day guy and would be happier out in the province, not TOO far away from a nice city, but I'd rather have a decent lot with banana and other crops, enjoying what the tropics gives you, soaking in a little sun, going to the beach to do a little swimming. You can do all that on $1000 USD a month very easily. But of course you need to like that lifestyle, and that's the thing about going to these countries is what they offer YOU.

Thailand or Guam for me is better because I am a Sativa Cannabis consumer. I don't really drink alcohol except for the occassiona Portugesel Port Sherry red or black currant wine like Mateus. I like smoking a fine blunt of Sativa weed which I often did back in Canada. It's kinda medicinal for me. And I smoked everyday morning, afternoons, nights. Whatever, it was very tame for us. We are not the loud, obnoxious, vulgar small group if friends but just chill and quiet with some normal jokes and laughs. We loved it.

Siquijor was part of Negros Oriental of which the capital is Dumaguete City, but it became independent since in the 1970's.

The Tonight Show has finally found a replacement for Johnny. "Here's Paulie"... Great stuff as always Paul.

I'm with this guy & like other islands like he does, though I'm not into the party scene or drinking. I've seen it totally destroy guys & many peoples health. I stopped drinking many years ago & feel great for it. The worst thing about Dumaguete, is the amount of expats there. I travel to get away from expats because I prefer locals & local culture.

Very interesting.I used to drink but I changed my ways

You're right, he talks funny! But I'm certain he would think the same of me. I have to really concentrate to understand him!

Atleast he got to taste Jollibee in siquijor 😅 I think the beer made him talk fast too ✌️

I am truly enjoying this interview Paul. Thank you for having this guest on your program.

I would agree that the view of 'cost of living' between Thailand and Philippines is very similar. The differences seem to focus on a couple items each may offer, that the other doesn't. Thailand seems to have the better infrastructure and medical services, while the Philippines offers the much easier and expanded visa options and the language. They each have their ups and downs, but it simply depends on what one's placing on their priority list. I would point out that recent years has shown the Philippines putting a lot more effort into improving infrastructure and making visa renewals even easier. Thailand is pulling in more foreign investments and businesses, especially with many of the world nations moving their business out of China, but also making it more difficult for those who look for long term stays in the country.

Hey Paul! Yeah, I know I'm on the wrong video but, I have an important question about Chris and the Heights above Santander... What is the plan for Visas and Visa runs? I was waiting for you to ask... but you didn't... Also, I assume, since I'd pay about $40,000 for my wife, even If I "pop my clogs" before she's 50, she still keeps the place for HER life?

Trying to economize at a bar using volume discounts results in getting drunker than you wanted. 🤣😂 Your friend seems the type that's fun to bar hop with, much to the disdain of a wife or girlfriend.

Nearly impossible for me to understand him 😂. First time as a Canadian using subtitles.

The Aussie guy George is running what used to be Bogarts. I can't remember what he named the place though. Why Not is a great place for food. Get the Calzoné and be prepared to take half of it home. Some of George's regulars brought me and my mate up to the North Pointe one afternoon. That should do well. We were there in October 2023. I wish that I had known about the party atmosphere while staying near San Juan. Get Wrecked with Nathan worked out very well though.

Refreshing to heat someone speaking English correctly in RU-vid!😆

I'm a beach guy I grew up in Sydney on the beach information on beach options is appreciated thank you

Love his accent, I have to listen closely to understand him though. 🤣 love my uncle Paulie🎉

I do understand Simon's English pretty well. The fact where the Original English language come from.... people should travel the UK, many accents to learn, travel also to Australia, NZ, SA, Ireland and easy learning of many diff accents, it's fun. Great vlog btw, I enjoy it!

Is that a Cockney accent? Where in the U.K. was he from? I would really like to know.

He said Pounds ... not dollars! 3,000 pounds is over $3,800 😮

We had a good time at Fibber Megees when we were in Dumagete

😎👍🇺🇲 I had no trouble understanding the UK accent. 🤷

Simon needs to be a regular on your channel, see what he gets up to.

Jeepers, can't you find find someone who speaks American???😅 Good interview ...liked the comparisons thialand/ Philippines...

Think Paul is in the Henry resort !

Were is the link to his channel ?

Fell over in the bar!!!

Hey Paul, planning on moveing there in Jan 2026, quick question, can you get heart medication refilled in the Philippines? Love your videos, keep up the good work.

I find Indonesia a lot cheaper than Thailand. Thailand to me isn't a lot cheaper now than Europe, apart from the much cheaper hotels.

I Love Siquijor i bought my wife a lot last year. The best move i made.

Camiguin is alot like Sicki. A sleeper. Also Anda & Jagna Bohol.

Wisconsin?? WTF Paul, we resemble that remark!! 😂

Its an awesome thing to not have mamy bars in a small town. An access of bars never do anything great for a beach town.

His accent is called “cockney”- specific type of London accent

What language is that?

Grew up In the Provence Of Bicol Camaarenesur with nothing till I was Taken To the United States. Now in 5 Years Going To Retire I don't need much to live in the Philippines. I could live on 100$ a month Lol I should Put that On the Blog on my retirement.

Simon,,,you’re being used as a meal ticket . Surely by now you’ve woken up to that game.

how do you spell the place are talking about "Stickyhore?"

What do you mean? He's speaking the King's English bruv.

Saturday Night Live - Simon likes to do drawings.

Siquijor- some great beaches for sure! Will be back there as part of a trip in a few months.

Do they play volleyball in a pool anywhere over there? It's very popular over here where I live in florida. Usa. I should be in the area there in the Philippines near you guys and gals sometime in June 2024. I'd love it if we could build the league or two based on volleyball in the pool.

It’s all relative. Siquijor is as sleepy as Duma. Our Brit friend here is specifically talking about San Juan on a Friday and Saturday night. Very embellished.

"94% of statistics are made up on the spot". LOL Just subscribed to Simon's channel.

Kind of like a Mr Ronnie O'Sullivan accent!

Traveling and staying put long term is different

Dumaguete don't need a lot of night life establishments most locals are conservatives. The city is also called the University town as it has four universities, aside from the four universities there are also vocational, computer, aquatic, Maritime schools, etc. etc.

I am a night person as well It is possible to go clubbing most of the time and not drink alcohol. I do it all the time and I have a thoroughly good time .

I find it fascinating that I watched this with a girlfriend and I understood every word Simon said, and she didn’t understand a word. I would think if you’re a big partier/drinker you’d be better off in Thailand with the better medical.

The party life is not a bad idea for a short term holiday but can't imagine that being my focus in retirement. A lot of guys doing it though. They've got nothing else going on in their lives so they end up in the bar every night. Gotta catch up with one eventually. Just sayin'.