The Art of Living Smart In the Philippines, life isn’t always easy, but it’s always madiskarte (strategic). From the Nanay who turns her front yard into a sari-sari store, to the Tatay who builds furniture out of scrap wood, to the student selling milk tea online after class, every Filipino household has its own brand…
Travel
Why Smart Men Feel Lonely After 40 (And What You Can Do About It)
The Quiet Loneliness of the Modern Man He’s successful by most definitions.He’s built a career, raised a family, or achieved financial stability.To the outside world, he looks composed, even enviable. But inside, many smart, capable men over 40 feel an unsettling emptiness. The meetings, metrics, and milestones that once gave life direction now feel strangely…
How to Reclaim Your Confidence: A Guide for the Modern Man
The Confidence Crisis Confidence used to be simple.Or at least, that’s how it seemed. A firm handshake, a steady voice, a man who knew his place in the world — that was the old archetype. But times have changed. Modern men are expected to balance strength with empathy, ambition with balance, and decisiveness with emotional…
Navigating the New Digital Nomad Visa: What Expats Need to Know (2025)
1. The Philippines Opens Its Doors to Remote Workers If you’ve ever dreamed of trading your grey commute for a beachfront workspace, the Philippines may have just made that dream a reality. In April 2025, the Philippine government announced a landmark policy: Executive Order No. 86, officially introducing a Digital Nomad Visa (DNV). This new…
Building a house in the Philippines Part 2
So you have finally decided on building your own house in the Philippines, the area you are going to build in and decided that the environmental tests the Philippines will throw at you constantly are worth it. So, take some advice from someone who spent hours on YouTube. If you decide to go cheap, you…
Building a house in the Philippines
So now you have decided to retire to the Philippines, you need to decide to buy or build a house in the Philippines. If you read my previous posts on retiring to the Philippines, you will have read that you cannot own land as an ex-pat. So, if you are single or not sure you…
Divorce in the Philippines
So as a single guy looking for your new love in the Philippines. You need to know that Divorce in the Philippines is illegal and not recognised. In fact, the Philippines is one of only two countries left in the world that does not recognise divorce. The other is Vatican City. However, like with all…
Cost of living in the Philippines 2024
If you search YouTube or Google for “The Cost of Living in the Philippines 2024”, there will be hundreds of hits. All clickbait and all trying to get your time watching their videos to increase their revenues and income. I do however recommend “The Filipina Pea” as a source of truth. Yes, my blog, affiliate…
Poverty in the Philippines
Poverty in the Philippines, currently after the Covid pandemic, rose from 15% to 24%. In the UK and the western world, poverty is judged on how much of your income you have left after essential bills. People who are unemployed in the UK will get benefits, and parents do get child benefit. To be honest,…
Cupid’s Philippines Scams
Apparently, Cupid has an evil sense of humour and punishes the weak. YouTube is now full of Cupid’s Philippines scams videos, so I decided to dedicate this week’s article to the subject. Now you are now single. You have probably decided to follow the enlightened men of the west. Heading east to find the love…