# Looking for nice rural province for farming



## mbilich89 (Jan 30, 2013)

Hello,
My fiance and I are looking for a nice rural province to call home there in Philippines. She is from Davao City in Mindanao. We went there together to see her family in November 2012, and for me, there are waay to many people there for my likes. I am from a town of 9,000 population in rural Kentucky, USA. I've asked my fiance about this and she really is not sure of locations there in Philippines.

I am looking for a similar land to that of Kentucky's. I am looking for a house, with land enough to farm vegetables and fruits, in a nice rural province that is safe. I heard many of the rural provinces in Mindanao are not safe... She said that she has family who lives in a town called Mabini there Mindanao. She said there is a population of less than 1,000 there. Shes been there before as a child and really knows nothing more about it.

I am looking for a rural province, about 30 minutes to 1 hour away from a city... nice and safe for my fiance and I... where i can farm vegetables and fruits in peace. Does anyone have any ideas? Maybe close to Cebu? Any information would be greatly appreciated.


Mike B.


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

Hi Mike,

Best thing to do is read as much as possible here and in other forums as well. To put it bluntly, there is no safe place in Mindanao. There are expats there that seem to do okay but it is a truly dangerous place. Read the travel warning listed on the US embassy site in Manila.
I honestly don't know about places in Cebu at all. Here on Luzon island, the most rural area that is fit for growing is Tarlac Province. It sits about 2 1/2 North of Manila and to me, is a great place.
Also, no matter what any local tells you, to live here, the best thing possible is to live as far as possible from your wife's family. Otherwise, the pleas and requests for financial aid and unexpected/unwanted visits will NEVER end.


Hope that helps for starters.



Gene


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## raconnor (Oct 30, 2012)

Just want to Echo Gene's comment... don't live anywhere close to family or you'll regret it down the road.


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## raconnor (Oct 30, 2012)

raconnor said:


> Just want to Echo Gene's comment... don't live anywhere close to family or you'll regret it down the road.


Hit the submit button too soon on accident and didn't type the rest of my message quick enough for the "edit" feature to still work... here's the rest:

I'm from a little town in Arkansas that has a population of about 1,600 so I know the feeling that EVERYWHERE seems to have "too many people" even if the locals say it's a small town. 

You've got to remember that the Philippines is very, very small compared to the United States.. the entire country of the Philippines is roughly the size of Nevada but has nearly 100,000,000 people in it. 

That's not to say you can't find some relatively safe (as a general rule, this is not a safe country) decent farm land, though, if you look around. 

You might try looking around the Tuba area.. it's a big area where there are a few places with a lot of homes bunched together, but there's plenty of open space to get a piece all to yourself without a neighbor breathin' down the back door and there's lots of good farmland available up there.


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## mbilich89 (Jan 30, 2013)

Thank you for the replies.


yes, my fiance says she knows of places with just few people, then after research, the population is 750K lol.

I kind of figured there are not many places with wide open areas like here in Kentucky, so I would have to compromise some. I will look into those areas you have mentioned as well... I know it will take "boot-on-the-ground" searching to find the right place, just wanted to have a couple of destinations beforehand. 


Thank you for the information!

Mike


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

Raconnor brings up a ot of good points here too. On safety, being out and away from other people is nice for the sake of quiet--which there is little of here. But it can also make you more prone to criminal activity. Remember too, that you as a foreigner, can not own or even possess a firearm 
for protection. Having even one bullet ( not an exaggeration ) in your possession will get you arrested and deported.
Crops of any kind are subject to theft. Nothing is safe. If you hire security to protect the crops, you then will have the hired security to be concerned with for the theft.
Remember also that as a foreigner, you can NEVER own land in the Philippines. If you acquire land the ownership must be in your wife's name or that of another Filipino. That now makes you worth more dead than alive and here in this country that is not healthy. You think you know your fiancee? Think again several times. I know that sounds cold but its not as cold as the bodies of many, many others before you.
Best advise: rent a house in a town for several years first. If the marriage is still all you want it to be, then and only then invest in land. I'm married and have lived here for 10 years. I've seen a lot. More than you can imagine and heard of even more wild things. Don't let yourself be put into a position you find you can not get out of...


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## mbilich89 (Jan 30, 2013)

I see...
Thanks Gene... Perhaps, renting a little place for a while is the best way to go. I would like to think that she has proven to be trust-worthy, But I suppose those other poor guys thought the same way.
Thanks, your post has helped tremendously . Greatly appreciated.


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

Mike,

If you look around Pampanga and Tarlac provinces and don't find what you're looking for--and if ya decide to forget farming, try looking around over at and close to Subic Bay for good places to live. It's within two hours of Tarlac and about 30 minutes from Angeles. It's by or at the ocean and provides clean air and if living on the old US Navy base, the water is safe and drinkable straight from the tap. Also, electric power interruptions are very few compared to the rest of the country. The area is defiantly worth the time to look around and would likely be the end all of your searching. Even nice shopping malls and duty free stores there so most all foods from home are available. Below are just a very few photos of Subic Bay. Another very good site is the Subic Bay Chamber Of Commerce.
Less than one hour from Subic is Angeles City with even more shopping and restaurants. There also is the largest overseas United States VFW Post. It has a large restaurant, internet cafe, US mail services etc etc.

Also, if you collect or plan to collect social security while living here; direct deposits are available through a very few banks that are approved by the US government. Changing over to deposits here requires a US dollar acct at one of those approved banks and then a personal visit to the SS office at the US embassy in Manila...


Gene


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## DannyA (Jun 9, 2013)

> I am looking for a rural province, about 30 minutes to 1 hour away from a city...


I know an english guy and an american who farm west of Davao past Toril and also over near Gensan,spend time on the ground and make up your own mind whether the area is for you or not,beautiful place Mindanao,be lucky.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

mbilich89 said:


> Thank you for the replies.
> 
> 
> yes, my fiance says she knows of places with just few people, then after research, the population is 750K lol.
> ...


The Laguana area, try between Pagsanjan Falls and Calamba Laguna, you can live farther south from Pagsanjan falls but not much farther, nothing there but a few nice restaurants, it's where I live it's living in the country or small towns of 30,000 or less but you have easy access to the highway and 30 minutes in any direction to the city, I live in an area where they raise mostly ducks, I am raising pigs now and live next to the water, fresh water lake so you have plenty of water for animals, I use the hand pump and I have an electric pump for the house, no worries about running out of water like some cities far from the huge lake, you can grow, I'm taking care of almost a 100 different tree's, some are newly planted so they take allot more care when it doesn't rain, it was very hot and dry season and now the rain is welcomed.


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## mbilich89 (Jan 30, 2013)

Thank You all for your posts!


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## Guest (Jul 10, 2013)

mbilich89 said:


> Hello,
> My fiance and I are looking for a nice rural province to call home there in Philippines. She is from Davao City in Mindanao. We went there together to see her family in November 2012, and for me, there are waay to many people there for my likes. I am from a town of 9,000 population in rural Kentucky, USA. I've asked my fiance about this and she really is not sure of locations there in Philippines.
> 
> I am looking for a similar land to that of Kentucky's. I am looking for a house, with land enough to farm vegetables and fruits, in a nice rural province that is safe. I heard many of the rural provinces in Mindanao are not safe... She said that she has family who lives in a town called Mabini there Mindanao. She said there is a population of less than 1,000 there. Shes been there before as a child and really knows nothing more about it.
> ...


How about in Baguio City? It's a mountain you with a nice cool weather and perfect place to do some farming.  ~~~


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Water will be a factor in Baguio or lack of it the farming area's are in Southern Luzon starting at Calamba and working your way south, Calamba Laguna is one of the larger cities and its crowded but has the American restaurants, malls in this area, there are others but they lack many things, I wouldn't go any farther than Pasanjuan Falls area it gets desolate, I prefer the Pagsujuan Falls area though, the lake is nice and cost of living is very low, your minutes from a Mall and Macdonald's but KFC and Pizza hut will be about 30-40 minutes.

Best way is to use Google Earth and take a look for yourself, living next to the very large lake has its advantages when it comes to water and using deep wells, living in Baguio will be much cooler but i'm sure more expensive, if money's not an option then Baguio would be nice.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Haven't counted all the Papaya tree's in my front, side and backyard but it's probably close 60, I lost many tree's to floods though, I'm water front property, if you set yourself back just a block from the Lake you can do just about anything, fruits trees, pigs, chicken, duck, turkey, goats, I have raised all of these.

Once you get to know and get along with your neighbors there shouldn't be anyone taking your stuff, we had a couple of kids one time walk through the back, we have no fence and grab a couple papaya's, that was our only loss, most of your neighbors will also have tree's and animals so everybody watches and they are doing the same thing saving money by growing and raising also.


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## seram (Oct 12, 2011)

Dont Do It..Save your money.....cheers


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