pros: warm tropical climate, unbearably low labor costs means all services are amazingly cheap, ie: $1 haircut, $3 massage, $30/month for a live in maid; some local foods are unbelievably fresh and cheap, such as tuna and other fish, fresh farmer market vegies cost about one tenth as US prices; most filipinos, espeically filipinas, are about the friendliest, most polite, people on the planet. very nice beaches, reefs for scuba or snorkling; one can rent a modest beach house or hut in the philippines for the cost of a boarding room in a major US city; exotic foriegn island/asian culture. all of the above will satisfy the exotic adventure needs of avg bored or retired western men tired of sofa surfing the TV.
cons: like most asian or 3rd world countires, the cities are crowded & polluted, violent crime is high; the outlands or provinces are mostly lawless, rife with bandits, murderers, kidnappers and thieves hiding under thinly vieled rebel disguises; poverty, sickness, disease and other social ills are rampant; little or no government social services by western standards. low wages means no possiblity of employment for foriegners. convoluted land ownership, systemic graft and taxes prohibits foriegners from any small scale business activity, so there is not much for a foriegner to do but drink and enjoy the scenery, which is heaven to some, hell for others.
