Will You Like The Philippines Or Wish You Never Came?

Pea interviews ten foreigners currently in the Philippines about what they love, what they hate, and whether they could actually live there long-term. The men come from the U.S., Australia, Europe, and the Middle East, with reasons ranging from business trips and scuba diving to retirement and escaping chronic sinus problems. Pea lets them speak in their own words, then adds her own honest commentary — agreeing with their complaints, calling out what they missed, and pushing back on the obvious omission that none of them initially mentioned women as a reason for coming.

Who these guys are and why they came ​

• The ten interviewees represent a wide range: a guy visiting his dad's promotional products office staff, someone who lived in Dubai for 5 years and met many Filipinos there, a 6-week Australian holiday-maker, a scuba diver hitting as many dive sites as possible, a fifth-time business visitor checking on his Australian company's Filipino staff, a retiree drawn by low cost of living and weather, an American who was bouncing around Europe (Romania) and impulsively booked a ticket to the Philippines with zero expectations (now on his third trip), a man who moved permanently for chronic sinus health reasons, a construction/agriculture worker who comes for 6 months annually to escape U.S. winters, and a first-time visitor who'd befriended Filipinos abroad and wanted to experience the culture firsthand
• Pea notes with obvious skepticism that not a single one mentioned women as a reason for coming: "I kind of have a hard time believing that"

What they love about the Philippines ​

• The Filipino people came up in virtually every response — described as happy, friendly, warm, singing shopkeepers, non-confrontational
• One American gave an extended reflection on how Filipinos are genuinely happy despite having far less material wealth than Americans, saying he wishes people in the U.S. could adopt the Filipino mentality — notes that Filipinos have families and children even without much money and seem to appreciate life more
• A visitor mentioned being "pleasantly surprised" after hearing both negative and positive things beforehand — came from Thailand and found the Philippines compared favorably
• Lower cost of living highlighted by multiple people — shopping, haircuts, services all significantly cheaper than Australia/U.S./Europe
• English-speaking population was a major draw for one retiree — also praised the generous visa policy that essentially lets you stay indefinitely as a tourist
• One man described the Philippines as "a whole other universe — very relaxed, very calm, non-confrontational" and contrasted it with the West where "you have drug addicts everywhere and crime"
• Nature, beaches, mountains mentioned by several as a major plus
• Pea's honest addendum: she confirms the people really are that friendly, but pushes back on cost of living (prices have risen significantly in recent years, now more expensive than Vietnam and Thailand) and natural beauty (argues most countries she's visited have comparable scenery)

What they hate about the Philippines ​

• Infrastructure was the most common complaint — terrible traffic with no stoplights, impossible-to-walk sidewalks, roads and buildings constructed "in the most expensive, nonfunctional way possible." One man said the infrastructure "could be built for half the cost and be twice as more functional." Another said this was the factor making him question whether he could actually live there long-term
• Poverty shocked multiple visitors — one Australian said he "didn't think this was such a poor country" and described it as pulling at the heartstrings daily, with homelessness and street kids being unexpected
• Pollution and environmental disrespect — trash everywhere, even on beautiful beaches. An Australian who comes from a culture of environmental respect said people in the Philippines "stay quiet" when someone litters on the beach, whereas Australians would "stand up" about it
• Language barriers — an Australian noted his non-American English accent was constantly misunderstood, and his humor fell flat with locals. A vegetarian visitor's father struggled to communicate dietary restrictions
• Food surprised one long-term American expat as a major negative — he found it genuinely challenging to find restaurants he enjoyed and keeps a personal repertoire of only 5-10 reliable spots. Heavy meat-centric cuisine was also a problem for vegetarian visitors
• Traffic mentioned repeatedly — even short distances take ages, motorbikes everywhere, several said they could never drive there
• Safety/scam concerns — one man mentioned worrying about typhoons, earthquakes, tricycle scams in the provinces, and aggressive ladyboys (bakla) who are touchy and hard to identify when you first arrive
• Pea's addition: she was disappointed nobody mentioned the horrible treatment of animals in the Philippines, referencing a video she made about it "that no one watched" and hoping more people check it out

The bathroom situation ("the issue with the tissue") ​

• This got its own extended segment because it's such a universal foreigner experience
• Multiple men confirmed: public bathrooms are scarce, many lack toilet paper and soap, plumbing frequently doesn't work, floors are flooded
• One man carries his own toilet paper everywhere; another makes sure to go before leaving the house
• An Australian described seeing people urinating in streets during his first week — shocking but something he'd also seen in other Asian countries
• One visitor pointed to an office environment where toilets don't work, there's no toilet paper or soap, and plumbers keep coming back but seemingly don't know how to fix the problems — suggested the government needs to invest more in training and infrastructure
• The bidet/tabo (water dipper) is available in most places as an alternative
• Pea highlighted one particular interviewee whose delivery made her laugh, noting "there's something about that guy that makes me laugh... He'd probably be fun to hang out with"

The real reason they came: women ​

• Pea circles back to what nobody initially admitted, saying "we all know there's a lot of cheaper places to live and there's plenty of better beaches in the world"
• One American was open about it: he wants to find a wife because Filipino women in relationships "are caring, they'll cook, they'll clean, they'll take care of you" — says Western women see this as "slavery or oppression" but it should be mutual caretaking. He encouraged Western men to come try dating in the Philippines because "they'll see it's a big, big difference"
• Another man admitted (after checking his current girlfriend couldn't hear him) that he dated several Filipinas and was blown away by the attention he received — his dating app inbox "blew up immediately." He acknowledged being motivated by which country's dating apps gave him the most attention. However, he warned that many women he encountered "don't have good intentions" and want to date foreigners "for the wrong reasons," though he still has hope of finding the right one to marry
• A third described dating in the Philippines as "fast-paced" and essentially indescribable: "Anything I say first of all will not be believable. And second, even if it's believable, I might sound like a crazy person"
• Pea says she's heard it all before — the jealousy, jumping into bed too fast, insecurity, getting more dates in a week "than the number of hairs on your butt" — and is glad most guys eventually find the right woman as long as they know how to spot warning signs

Could you be happy living in the Philippines long-term? ​

• The American pro-dating guy said yes emphatically — life is easier, cost of living is low, beaches and malls are nice, and making friends is absurdly easy. He told a story about having a karaoke session with their Grab driver who was singing along in the car
• One Australian offered a measured yes, but with the caveat: "don't keep your standards or your hopes too high. Don't bring your US culture with you. Don't expect the food to be made exactly the same"
• A European visitor said it depends entirely on the individual — if you can live simply and engage with the people and country as it is, there's no reason not to be happy
• The long-term American expat gave the most nuanced answer: he and his foreigner friends share a common mindset where "every month, even if they've been living here for several years," they're not sure if they'll still be there next month — "but something keeps us staying here." His philosophy: "Hope for the best but expect the worst." He says you'll constantly run into annoyances and "whatever bad can happen constantly ends up happening," but if you can get past that, the long-term benefits are worth it
• Pea's conclusion: the Philippines can work if you moderate expectations and accept inconvenience — it's like picking a restaurant, ultimately a matter of personal preference, and the best approach is to listen to many different voices

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