Most people who read this website know a little bit about me, but not everybody. Certainly, Google sends people here based on the article content, not based on the fact of whether they know me or not. So, in order for this article to make sense, I will start off by telling you a little bit about myself.
In 1990, I became penpals with a young lady from the Philippines. Her name is Feyma. After we had been writing to each other for some time, I traveled to the Philippines, and we got married. That was in 1990, and we’re still happily married today, nearly 28 years later.
After our marriage, and going through the visa process, Feyma came to the United States to join me, and we lived there for 10 years. In 2000, particularly at my urging, together we reached the decision to move to the Philippines and to live here. I won’t go into all the reasons why that is not really relevant to this article. I have now been living in the Philippines, though, for about 18 years. The most popular website that I own and operate is a website about living in the Philippines, moving to the Philippines, etc. Because of that website I have many thousands of followers. Most of these followers are people who live in the Philippines like I do, or would love to move to the Philippines and start a new life here.
One person, a friend on Facebook, has been writing to me lately through Facebook messenger. His name is William. Like me, he has a wife who is from the Philippines. He has a strong desire to move to the Philippines as I did. However, he faces many health issues, quite similar to the things that I have faced in the past. He is older than I am, I would guess him to be in his late 60s, although I am not certain. He has severe diabetes, and other issues as well.
Lately, the basic theme of his communications with me has been that he wants to move to the Philippines but doesn’t know how he could do it. The thing that is holding them back his health, and the fact Social Security in the United States, he basically gets free healthcare. Well, nothing in life is free, but that’s an argument for a different time. Basically, in the Philippines, you more or less have to pay for your health care out-of-pocket. There is a government insurance plan called PhilHealth, but it only pays while you are hospitalized, and generally only part of the cost of hospitalization. In most cases, it pays for 50% or less of the hospitalization. There are certainly exceptions to that, but that really is not relevant to this website, or to this article.
In our last communication, William reiterated the fact that he was getting free healthcare, free medication, free doctors visits, etc., through Social Security. He asked me what he could do to get those kinds of same benefits here in the Philippines. Well, frankly, you can’t get those kinds of benefits here. There are private insurance plans, but given Williams poor health, and his financial situation which I am aware of, he simply would not be able to afford such private plans.
At the end of our last communication, William asked me what can he do to be able to move to the Philippines. He really has a dream of wanting to live here. Can William live out his dream?
Well, I believe William can live out his dream. However, it will require unconventional thinking, and do things in an unconventional way. Instead of the conventional way, which would be that he find somebody to pay for the healthcare that he needs, such as a government entity, William will need to take control of his health, make himself better, and put those ailments behind him.
If William has the will to do so, I know he can do it. The reason I know is that I have done these things myself. Now, don’t take me wrong, I am not claiming that I am in perfect shape, or that I’m going to live for the next hundred years, but I have made dramatic steps, I feel great, and I would like to help others do so as well. In this case, I would like to help William be able to live his dream.
It’s just a fact, if William cannot take steps to improve his condition, he will never be able to experience the dreams of a life in the Philippines. No matter what your dream is, taking charge of your health, making changes, will improve your life greatly, I can attest to that.
There are many things that William can do. If he does low carb, ketogenic diet, he can reverse his diabetes and the problems associated with it. It is, frankly, not difficult to get that under control. If William wants to go further, and improve his health, even more, he can go beyond a ketogenic diet and start doing intermittent fasting. Eat only once or twice a day, instead of the five or six times that most people eat these days. The next step beyond that might include extended fasting as I do. Perhaps there are other ways to improve his health, things that are outside the way that I do. I don’t think I have the only solution to improving your health, I know that what I have done as improve my own health, but it is an individual decision for each of us to make, including William.
Whatever he decides, I wish good luck to William, and I hope that he is able to follow his dream end enjoy the rest of his life. Good luck, my friend.
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That is great, Thank you!
I agree, he will not do well here in the Philippines with chronic illness. It will actually be easier for him to get these issues under control while he is still living in the US. While you have done this here, William will find it easier, with more resources and keto-friendly foods there. Wanting to make the move to the Philippines is a strong motivation as well! I hope he decides to take control of his life and health!
Luanne.. you are wise as always! I agree with everything you say, and William would be wise to listen! I am not so sure he will do that, but he should!
Is William a Veteran, if so he may be able to get his Healthcare from the Veterans Administration in the Philippines, as there is a VA hospital and clinic there.
I am not sure if he is a veteran or not. But, only Service Related Disabled vets are eligible for VA Medical Care in the Philippines.
No. Probably not. I, on the other hand, remain chronically ill here in Appalachia and I can get by in my Pinoy paradise without the aid of any of my prescriptions. Kind of makes you wonder.
Thanks for your input on that. Glad you are able to get by
Bob, if William is a veteran, he may be able to obtain US healthcare in the Philippines. But, Medicare, the healthcare of Social Security will not cover health issues outside the US. He may be able to travel and stay for a while and Medicare may pay for his bills. He would have to check with Medicare and travel abroad. As far as I know many US citizens collect social security there in the Philippines. You could also have a US bank account, and transfer money via Remitly to PNB or Banko de Oro. So, if he gets creative he can probably pull this off is he researches a little further. So, yes, I think he can come.
Hi Terry. I agree with most everything you say, and I have talked with William about these things.
However, this website and this article are more about how to get his health into order, rather than how to remain in poor health and still be able to move to the Philippines.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
I agree and have spoken about this with William. However, this particular article and this website are about getting your health in line.. I appreciate your input, though.