£38,600

The biggest job market there are OFWs, their government have made agreements with other countries to hire Filipinos to do basic jobs like care working, housemaids, even coffee shop assistants at a much lower rate than hiring a local.
Take the middle east for example, their average monthly wage would be about $400 (US), even the most basic of a UK job would be far more than that, the UK did the same thing though with skilled migrants where they allowed companies to hire overseas workers to fill skill shortages at a rate lower than the minimum wage, it's a mess of a system and imo shouldn't be allowed.
When you have that kind of system it makes sense to want to live/work in the place you can make the most money, the UK has to be up there on that list.

For brits wanting to live there, the cost of living here is at a ridiculous level, you take £20 and see how far that gets you here, if you are lucky it might buy you a meal deal and a tshirt.
Over there that same amount of money could pay your rent, buy some food, and still have enough for some fresh clothes.

https://www.intentionalexpat.com/positive-attitude-abroad/

For the money.
And a lot more go to USA and other countries.

Yep...and when they have 10+ family members with their hands out, even that money has to stretch a long way .

I think floods may be one of them.
Dagupan City declares state of calamity due to 'Egay'

The city IS a low-lying coastal one (with lots of fish farms), but I think the 'calamity' label was to ensure sufficient funds were forthcoming, rather than reflecting anything negative about the place 'long-term'.
The Mrs went into the city during the flooding, and it didn't appear too calamitous, going by what she said, and looking at the video footage she took. I've seen much worse in the UK...where it costs a bit more than pocket change to fix up your property afterwards ! lol

You are quite right, twice I have been here in PH for long spells more than two years and one time 3.6 and then went to UK to have medical treatment even when it was recorded I had been away for this 3.6yr spell and returned with serious eye sight problems likely caused by the high UV rays of the sunlight there in PH I was given the operation to remove my cataracts all done on the NHS.

I have always had a house in UK, pay council tax and a small amount of income Tax on my pensions which are paid into a UK bank account, perhaps in my case it may look like I am still living there in my times abroad? At the age of 15yrs in 1968 I paid my first insurance stamp which was 10s and 6d at that time and continued this right up till 2014 when I retired aged 62yrs, 47yrs in total I think it fair to say I have paid my dues into the state system of UK.

Now at age 71 and beyond my 3 score and 10, officially a coffin dodger, I makes more sense for me to stay in UK and have my Filipino partner there with me, eventually I will be destined to require good professional medical services, the chance to get that there in PH is slim to none, they are just Doctors of death there and still believe in bleeding techniques, they will bleed every centavo out of a Foreigner before killing him off.

I had 8 great years living there in PH sowed a lot of wild oats and had some supersex there, but now I am quite happy just to have the soup on its own, as an Auld Bar Steward I am much better off to be back in Bonnie Scotland.

my last national insurance stamp is now worth more than a penny black.

72 now, I started paying National Insurance in 1967, when working as a 'Saturday Measurebook Boy' at Burtons The Tailors.
Suits you sir !

Which side do you 'dress' ?

Last flood at the house couple of years ago now picture of the drive taken from the verandah, the house is in Mangin district of Dagupan famous for its pond raised Bangus (milk fish)Dagupan itself is criss crossed by 7 rivers and 14 creeks

Our house flooded too, in its early build stage. We are right next to a local 'creek'.
I just raised the floor level of the next stages by 1 metre. Not a big deal in a building with concrete floors. , and that extent of flooding maybe one day a year. Sure beats paying rent.

Those were happy days..all the lads wore suits..much smarter than the trackies the scruffs live in today. Saturday ritual was going with gang of pals to Burtons..or Hepworths..for one of them to get measured up. Discussing styles. I had 5 suits back then different one for each day at work. I was 19 in 67...married in 68.

https://uk.yahoo.com/news/home-secretary-james-cleverly-apologises-220200910.html

sandbags at dawn when centurion was a rank not a tank haha

With £20 you can buy much the same amount of food in both the UK and the Philippines in the supermarket, living on a western style diet in the Philippines costs a lot more than in UK, Potatoes, Carrots and Onions are more than double the price in PH, Aldi UK sells a KG of long grain rice at around 52p, this is just an essentials brand however I would suggest it will be just as good as what they have in PH and they pay 52 pesos per KG for a short grain there. A smart shopper in UK can make great saving there, but there is little chance to do this in PH a bargain there is unlikely to have any more than 10% off?

Sins of the flesh, Drinking and Smoking plus travel there in PH is so very cheap, this does attract so many Foreigners, however a Foreigner with a family there leading a cleaner lifestyle, perhaps living in a 3bed house and keeping this comfortable with AC throughout? his energy costs will be much the same as myself for my house in UK, this being very comfortable with AC in every room for summer use and Central heating in Winter, now if he wants his two children to have a good education there he must put them into private Schooling, to get something even close to the mainstream education standard of UK comes at a hefty price.

Anyone from UK having a Holiday in the Philippines will get the impression that it is so very cheap they are looking at the place through their rose tinted sunglasses, however settling there as an Ex-pat may not be as cheap as you think it is? plus many compromises have to be made by the Foreigner and he must keep his expectations low, the worst of which is dealing with the noise pollution this is just about everywhere and in the land of the stupid they have no comprehension (just too stupid to know) that their booming sounds have an affect on others, or that it may compromise the hearing of their young children, these kind of people are just too stupid to know they are stupid.

Those pipes made to make a very loud bang, I don't know what they call them here. Anyway they are making my dogs crazy with the consistent explosions.
I do hope that the kids that make these are prone to get Tinnitus, that and loud disco noise.

Ah well Maayong Pasko everyone.

Yah... Merry Xmas all, don't overdo it

Guy in his 30's dead here this morning - too much tuba ... 2 yr old son

Do you not have any regrets building so close to sea level, surely you would advise against doing this?

Our property is above sea level, but next to a small creek, which sometimes floods. I have raised the level of our land, and also that of the house, accordingly. No I have no regrets. I have lived on/in this property for 7 years now, and in other places in the Phils over the past 33 years. I am a retired surveyor, and no longer need to advise others....thankfully.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-67856720