Life in the Philippines

Introduction to the Philippines: Gary Heard has been an expatriate since 1972 and has lived in the Philippines since 1995.

The Philippines is made up of more than 7,000 tropical islands and has a population of 86 million (July 2004 estimate). The country has a tropical marine climate with a dry season (Nov-April) and a rainy season (May-Oct).

The capital Manila - Metro Manila - is a sprawling cluster of 17 cities with municipalities such as Manila, Quezon, Makati, Pasay, and so on generating a populace to guess at; perhaps start at ten million and keep counting.

Manila has a high population density, with one district having over 68,000 people/km² so at times it may feel a little crowded especially if you have just arrived from London which has about 8,000 people/km².

Manila is a 24/7 city that’s lively, fun and sometimes simply crazy. Sophistication is often missing but so too is snobbery.

Tagalog is the national language and English is used for official/business purposes. There are 54 other languages with over 140 dialect variations. The Philippines has the world’s third largest English speaking population.

The Philippines has beautiful beaches and is a scuba diving and golfing paradise. It has masses of wildlife, the world’s smallest volcano and holds the title for the world’s worst recorded eruption to date - Mt Pinatubo in 1991.

The country has the world’s lowest area, the ‘Philippine Deep’ at 37,782 feet, and boasts the world record for the heaviest downpour in a 24-hour period - Manila, 1967.

The people are friendly and quick to smile and have a reputation for linguistic skills and independent women. Filipinas have the greatest freedom and highest status among women in Asia.

The Philippines is overall a safe place to live. The people (when not driving) are placid and tolerant. They respect their elders however cantankerous the wrinkly in question may be, which in my case is rather helpful!

Filipinos do things their way and that is often not ‘our way’. If the Filipino way is unacceptable, don’t complain or raise an eyebrow, better to simply take the next flight out. Many choose to enjoy the differences and the laid back approach to just about everything, that way it’s a great place to be.