The rise of low-cost air travel in SEA in general has been spectacular since about 2010. With a big hit for COVID, but recovering nicely now.
Depending on when @CairoCarol’s experience was, you could both be right.
When we lived in Aceh, I could take an Air Asia flight to Malaysia Friday afternoon for $45.
That’s true, Air Asia was unbelievably cheap. As was Lion Air, aka “Lyin’ Air.” I guess the inconvenience of the budget airlines outweighed the cost savings for me, except when I had to fly back and forth to Singapore on a regular basis for medical appointments. Dammit, I’d forgotten that rather annoying chapter of my life, and here you go making me remember it! 
Not to be a downer, but have you looked into the options as you get older and may need assisted living or more advanced medical care? I don’t believe Medicare or Medicaid will cover you overseas.
I avoided Lion Air, they crashed a lot. Air Asia was solid. We could be in Kuala Lumpur in 45 minutes. My time in the Philippines was all in Cotabato City and the environs.
Most people need to have some sort of community, or do better in a community, so being Catholic in a Catholic nation is likely to be a good thing. (And I even say that as an atheist.)
My WAG is that there isn’t a much of a problem with China for individuals living in PI compared to the risk to people in Taiwan.
The other problems would seem to be worse.
Yes, I can get several medical packages that provide excellant coverage within my budget. Some are only good in the Philippines and other can be used worldwide (except for USA). I have budgeted for the mid range of these options.
As for end of life care, the cost of nursing homes in the Philippines are way, way lower than in the USA. Basically most types of services are cheaper there becasue the labor rate is so low. And frankly, I don’t see any advanatage in going back to the states to die as I have mentioned before most of my friends and relatives are already gone or spread out all over the country. Better to build up a support family in my new location.
Yes, my wag is that China is just doing things to test the US response, possibly to cause an election issue. China doesn’t want to push the Philippines into needing the United States military to come back to Subic Bay, which would be a huge loss for China in the strategic chess game they are playing.
Their real target is Taiwan, always has been.
I just checked and I can get round trip ticket to Tokyo for about $300 and a round trip flight to Melbourne for a little more than $500. I’d say that is cheap.
Yeah, that’s not too bad!
Don’t plan to have a job in the Philippines. Legal restrictions on foreigners working are quite strict. Anyway there is nothing you can do that a Filipino won’t do for less money. Thinking of starting a business? Think again. Filipinos are masters of imitation. If you have a successful business there will be at least 1 Filipino imitator nearby in short order. Don’t try to beat the locals at their own game.
While I’m at it, I will give tips on dealing with heat. Wear a small wet towel around your neck. You can get chamois towels made for that purpose and have a method of fastening around the neck so they won’t come off easily. Also, there are things that look like stereo headphones that you wear around your neck which are actually rechargeable fans. We got some for our upcoming trip but haven’t tried them yet. I am curious about how long a charge lasts. And lastly, umbrellas are not just for rain. They are portable shade.
Snowbirding is more economical if you can use your US residence as an AirBnB or some such.
Agree w your whole post.
For clarity I wasn’t suggesting he would or could get a job there.
My intent was to say that the OP, having lived weeks or months in such countries while not on a vacation would have some advance insight into the realities of daily life there. Heat, traffic, groceries, medical care, etc.
Unlike, say, a tourist who has only flown into an all-inclusive for a week during the most tourist-friendly weather season then flies out a few days later, never having left the poolside bar.
I have no intention of ever working again once I am there. 
As for the heat, I acclimate to hot, humid weather better than your average guy. I grew up poor and we never had AC in our home until I was 18, and then not in my room. Also, my grandparents lived in west Texas with no AC and we visited them almost every summer during the hottest parts of the summer for at least two out of three months (but it was a dry heat). They lived much like poor Filipinos, only Mexican style.
Even today my co-workers are amazed that I will take a 4 mile hike at lunchtime no matter how hot and humid it is and just come back in and have a tall glass of water. I like it.
And I have spent much time in Mexico, staying with my GF’s family in Monterrey. It gets very hot and humid there, but I’m thinking the Philippines takes it up a couple of notches. My game plan is to not go out in the heat of the day unless necessary, buy lots of purified water (bottles and 5 gallon containers), make my own food so I don’t have to go out in the heat and have my air conditioned zones. One of zones will be a car I can go to if the power goes out and I can’t bear it (or just don’t want to) any longer.
I will acclimate. And yes a hat and a wet towel will likely beome part of my routine. Not sure about the umbrella, but I could see it being the thing to do.
Heh, it’s not just about growing up with no AC. My mother didn’t believe in AC, and thought that her children would acclimatize better to heat without it. I didn’t. But it’s good that you know that about yourself.
This post in a different thread might be of interest. In fact the whole thread might be. If nothing else, you two might usefully compare notes via DM:
I don’t have any special knowledge about any of this. But I did want to say that this is one of the more thoughtful discussions I’ve read about this sort of thing online. It is so interesting seeing the considerations that go into this sort of thing from a someone who is really interested and willing to put in the time.
I hope you will keep us abreast of everything going on, even if you wind up deciding on going somewhere else.
I can’t believe I actually agree with Big T about something, but this thread is like heroin to me.
Agreed - I’ve never looked into becoming an expat, so the questions and thought processes lined out here are fascinating to me. It also certainly explains what happened with the few failed expats I know of.
TBF, we probably agree on more stuff that we disagree on. I just often don’t feel I have anything to add when I agree.
I will soon be moving on from the information gathering phase of moving and to the initial boots on the ground phase in my target destination, Davao City. Although I have been to the PH on business and I am familiar with what to expect from various sources, nothing tests a plan like actual presence at the site.
For the information gathering I have used YouTube channels, my own observations there, Filipino friends and people here.
Also, I have made a penpal in my target area. She is a no nonsense younger single mom that has helped me consider many things, like looking at flood plain sites, criminal activities, food markets and groceries, transportation options and power grid dependability. We don’t discuss sex or make future plans other than meeting each other when I am there. So we will see where it goes, but we do video chat and she is real.
I am going for three weeks starting in late November. After that trip I will consider moving there or not., and work thru a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats analysis based upon my personal situation.
More to come, and your advice and insights are much appreciated.