Hello
I am wondering whether anyone can give me some information regarding what It would be like to move to the Philippines (Calamba city)! My husband has been offered a job in an engineering company from which he should be paid fairly well. We have a 10 week old baby and are concerned about his and our quality of life, we have several important concerns
(1) what the healthcare system is like? Especially in the case of needing emergency treatment, ambulances etc...
(2) Has anyone found the heat and humidity a problem for a baby?
(3) What is Calamba city like?
(3) What is getting around on a day to day basis like for a British ex-pat- I hear that having a car might not be a good idea so perhaps i need to find an alternative reliable system. Can the taxi's be trusted?
(3) How does grocery shopping compare to the Uk or the USA?
(4) I hear the cost of living in the Philippines is much cheaper- approx how much cheaper? for example, with regards to accomodation. We would like to live in a medium-large house or appartment with airconditioning, approx. 3 bedrooms in a safe family orientated area.
(5)Is there a problem with crime? do you feel safe walking around in cities such as Manila?
(6) Are the tourist resorts safe?
(7) What kind of ex-pat employment packages are out there?
(8) Would anyone be up for meeting us for a chat once we arrive in Calamba City area late August? We would appreciate unbiased non-company information.
(9) We would like to get a good idea of the cost of living asap to discuss wages etc...
What I would like is some advice from someone that has done this already and would not mind me emailing them with questions as they come up. We plan to visit the Philippines before we decide to move there so hopefully we should get a taste for things- any hints on what to look out for, pros and cons would be gratefully received!
Thanks