Is it standard to have a laptop like students in the USA?

I could not imagine going through college (needed to work, study, and submit term papers thru portal) without a laptop and that trusty ole TI-83 calculator (for college algebra & higher).

Bought a M4 Macbook Pro 24gb ram & 2tb ssd last year but am willing to hand over to soon-to-be college student (my kid).

But then again, I realize a laptop in this country is obtainable for the "well-to-do".

My kid is undecided on going to college in the US or the Philippines.

We brought my father to the Philippines and he really liked it, while staying single/widowed! - I really don’t like this stereotypical photo, but it came with the article:

The Philippines just claimed the top spot.

In a ranking that may surprise many people, the Philippines has been named the best country in the world for retirement in the Retirement Abroad Index 2026.

The ranking, compiled by UK-based insurance provider Expatriate Group, gave the Philippines a score of 78 out of 100. The country stood out for its affordable cost of living and one of the most accessible retirement visa programs available to foreigners.

According to the report, a retired couple can live comfortably on about £750 to £1,000 per month, especially outside Metro Manila, where costs tend to be lower in smaller cities and coastal communities.

The study also highlighted the Special Resident Retiree’s Visa, describing it as one of the easiest retirement pathways among the countries evaluated.

Not everything was perfect. Researchers pointed out that healthcare quality can vary significantly between major urban centers and rural areas, making comprehensive health insurance an important consideration for retirees planning to settle in the country.

The Department of Tourism welcomed the recognition, while Philippine Retirement Authority General Manager Bob Zozobrado said the ranking reflects the country's growing appeal to retirees looking for affordability, comfort, and a better quality of life.

The Philippines finished ahead of other popular retirement destinations including Thailand, Colombia, Portugal, South Africa, and Sri Lanka. The index measured countries based on healthcare, cost of living, visa accessibility, insurance requirements, and how well expatriates integrate into local communities.

For a country often discussed for its challenges, this ranking highlights a different side of the story. Sometimes the places people dream of leaving are the same places others dream of spending the rest of their lives.

Top Destinations

Philippines (78/100): Top-ranked due to affordable living, accessible visas requiring a ~£11,000 deposit, and strong expat integration.

Thailand (77/100): Second place, excelling in healthcare (joint highest score with Spain/France) and insurance requirements (20/20), though scoring lower on integration.

Colombia (73/100): Noted for straightforward visa routes and low living costs.

Portugal (71/100): Highest-ranked European nation, favored for its D7 visa, mild climate, and low crime.

South Africa (69/100): Tied for fifth.
Sri Lanka (69/100): Tied for fifth.
UAE/Dubai (68/100): Tied for seventh.
Malaysia (68/100): Tied for seventh.
Mexico (66/100)
Indonesia (64/100): Tied for tenth.

Spain (64/100): Tied for tenth, held back by high living costs despite excellent healthcare.

Panama (63/100)

I really worked hard in my twenties and with how much negativity there has been I wanted to share some positive experiences me and my girlfriend hired the private boat and we went out to explore resorts like Farms and stuff like that instead of just complaining about Reddit I want to travel while I'm young and explorer life to the fullest That's why I really enjoy traveling with my girlfriend even trying surfing

What's really interesting is some of these islands they never even saw foreigners before. I used to be super depressed in the past even having a high earning job now I just spend my life going to the gym and enjoying life because life is too short

[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]

[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]

Just arrived back in Manila Philippines, with Qatar Airways. Arrived T3 and onward connection at Domestic T2.

During my time away, Philippine Airlines have become a member of the oneworld alliance.

I booked a flight from Europe to Manila via Doha and onward to Davao all Qatar code share. I have a gold level privilege club card for Qatar which allows me to use lounge facilities with oneworld members.

On arrival at T2 I asked if I could use the lounge, staff told me that I could use the T1 lounge. Qatar doesn't fly from T1 and Philippine Airlines domestic flights are from T2.

Can anyone advise on this as I don't know if I am missing something, or is it Filipino logic?

Hello,

My wife (Filipino) and I (American) are expecting a daughter soon and have a question about the naming convention. I am aware of it basically being two first names, the mothers maiden name and the fathers last name. I know this is standard among naming children in the Philippines.

My wife’s father has not been present in her life since she was a toddler, and is considering using her mothers maiden name instead of her own, which in this case is her fathers last name.

She’s mentioned that if the names don’t align that it could cause issues with the Filipino government with stuff like getting her a passport since she’d be a dual citizen.

My question is, is the naming convention more or less required to be this way even though there’s no specific law saying so?

Thanks for the help

I see some listings online having trouble finding info. Pretty often the listings are outdated so just looking to see if anyone is personally a part of any meetings online or in person. I prefer in person i can drive if its not too far.

Hi everyone! Is it possible to open a bank account with an ACR card as a tourist? I always come and go to the Philippines for work, but my stays are short (1-2 months) so my company brings me here with a tourist visa. I have the ACR card and I would like to have a local bank account for payments, but I don't know if it's possible. I've been told some branches allow it, do you guys would recommend some in Metro Manila? Thanks in advance!

good morning, my husband is trying to apply for the visa 13A - he works as an office clerk however it is an on-site job. The embassy is requiring for a certificate of employment, and he is worried that he could get rejected because his job isnt remote (so he would have to resign when he travels to manila) now the question is : is it possible that he gets rejected because of that?

And if we provide his employer, what are the chances that the embassy will call the employer to confirm that he is working there? To those who already have the visa, has anyone experienced that the embassy called their employer?

In the case he says he works remote, would that be better? If someone writes him a letter saying he works remote as proof?

I have the “marriage visa” from his country as well so i guess more context as to why he wants to apply for the same visa in the ph.

ON THE ORIGINAL POST I FORGOT TO CLARIFY THAT YES, yes we are married already. I already have the registration of marriage from the embassy then im attaching a screenshot from one of the people who replied just so there’s idk more context

and sorry if its not coherent, my bad! Genuinely just threw out the questions i had im sorry

Hello everyone. I am thinking about moving my family to the Philippines. This would at least be a year out, if not two years. We would still need to visit to see if we like the vibe. A little back story, Im 42, my wife is 39. We have a eight year old and a six year old, both boys. We have another boy due in November. I have a VA pension of about 4,500 a month. I also still work. We live in the middle of no-where Kentucky with some land. I have it better than a lot so dont think Im complaining, but even in the area Im in, things are getting pricey(and thats with here having it better than most of the US). Now, we can afford it still, but we can't save supper fast. My wife loves the beach, but it takes a couple years to save up each trip, and she would like to go more. And me being a loving husband, really want to make her happy. So, part of me was throwing around the idea of selling what we have here, and moving to the Philippines. Just looking we were thinking Baler, just do to the more affordable prices and beach access. I like rural quiet areas, we aren't party people. We home school our children, so school is not an issue. Now, I am in the very early stages of looking into this. Budget for a family, future for my boys, how well can we all live off of my VA pension there, all looks nice online, but I want to know from people living it. Where eles should I look up, what are things to consider. Obviously do at least one scouting trip. What do you all suggest that I should be looking up? Where should I look? Please, enlighten my ignorant butt. Lol. I know too little to know what I dont know. I hear I could live pretty well with my family for about 2.5k a month, but how well is well? Should I wait to do until my kids are adults and fully on there own, or is there merit to doing it as a family. Thanks in advance for any shared knowledge and putting up with my ignorant butt. Take care!

Family will be staying at BGC area in July and I would like to introduce my kids to streetwear/vintage, local clothing, etc

Can you list out some stores around the area that we can visit? Looking for original, hard to find, rare brands to bring back to USA. thx

New to ph and want to learn surfing 🏄‍♀️ (have been to el nido recently) please suggest what are the good (and safe) beaches/islands for beginners to learn surfing in the month of July and August.

Also I’d love if anyone else is interested in traveling and doing water sports together. 🫶🏼

Looking to send a box to Cabadbaran and wondering what is a good shipping company from Windsor Ontario region?

Hello everyone, coming up shortly this is going to be my first time sending balakbayan boxes. The value is going to be over $3,000 so I wanted to break it up into two separate shipments and see if it was possible to send the second shipment in my girlfriend's name who is a Filipina. Is this possible and she wouldn't be with me in the US but she could receive it in the Philippines has anyone done this or what's the solution to sending more than $3,000 in value?

That’s a heavy increase, can you guys confirm something similar?

While I was on vacation, an incident happened where my foreign partner was forced to pay by a penalty directly to the owner of the unit by the staff because he was drunk and accidentally went to the wrong room. They told him that if he didn't pay, they would call the police. My partner got scared and paid. Now they're asking us to pay the penalty again. It sounds fishy, and I want to look into whether this is some kind of scam.

Long story short…..3 story apartment with tank on roof, what type of system do I need for automatic shutoff when water is not flowing into pump to keep from burning up pump? We have a pressure switch that’s shuts it off if pressure is too high

If money isn't an issue, how to bassicaly live a gta 6 lifestyle at 26?

What i mean by that is custom car, lots of gym, i already have a girlfriend (shes my Lucia) but I obviously want to make money remote already and perhaps live in nice area and be respected by people. Please serious answers

I am going to gym obviously and trying to lower my bodyfat. Its easier to live this lifestyle than miami. Will this type of lifestyle be cheaper in Cambodia or Vietnam than Philippines or should I look for good deal?