# Howdy from Texas



## xcntrk (May 19, 2013)

Howdy y'all,

I just wanted to introduce myself. My name is Todd and my dad and I are planning to move to the Philippines. I am 48 and a disabled vet, my dad is 80 and a disabled vet also. I have a fiance in Cotobato city and we have been talking for about three years now on Skype, by email text phone and smoke signals if they would go that far LOL

After some study here and around the web our original plans to move to Malabalay city are questionable. My realtor is from Bohol and she says that it is a lot safer than anywhere in PI especially Mindinau. Any information on Bohol would be great, especially about any of the towns in higher elevations where it is cooler. Malabalay city looked so good because of the average temperature and something similar would be awesome to find.

I have a friend living in La Trinidad outside of Baguio and he says that it is really nice and being on Luzon would be great for having faster access to the Veterans Affairs clinic but really is not that important.

Thanks and I look forward to meeting y'all

PS: Have not been to PI since the early 80's but have always wanted to move there ever since.


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## dezzirae (Jul 28, 2012)

Howdy right back from someone who's married to someone who was born in Galveston and raised in San Antonio!

Bohol is gorgeous and it's safe. 

My uncle is married to an architect who belongs to one of the most illustrious families on Bohol. Even though they have an architectural firm in Manila, they always find time to go back to their vacation home in Bohol, which is where they intend to eventually retire.


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## renewedfaith2day (May 14, 2013)

Howdy. I live in Waco, TX and we plan on moving there real soon. 
We have friends from Bohol and I know folks who have been there for extended periods of time.
However, I must caution you about Cotobato City. Please use extreme caution as this is within, if I am not mistaken, the "Autonomous Region" of Mindanao. Mindanao is okay when you are close to Davao City. My wife is from about 40 miles outside of Davao in a province and it is about as close to Cotaboto that I will go. There are groups like the Moros Liberation Front and the New Peoples Army. Cotaboto has also been known to be home to some Islamic extremist groups. Having said this, I am sure that the vast majority of the people there are good folks. But please, I cannot stress this enough. I went down the National Highway from Bansalan to Davao and passed about 20 Jeepneys full of MLF soldiers on their way back to Cotaboto. Thank God for tinted windows... 
You can always arrange for transportation for your sweetie to meet her someplace else. Davao City is good. Or you can fly her out to Cebu or Luzon. 
Hey, I know that us Texans can be tough, but let's be smart too.
Best of luck to you.

Keith from Waco

Mindanao Bob


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## lv_artist (Feb 22, 2012)

renewedfaith2day said:


> Howdy. I live in Waco, TX and we plan on moving there real soon.
> We have friends from Bohol and I know folks who have been there for extended periods of time.
> However, I must caution you about Cotobato City. Please use extreme caution as this is within, if I am not mistaken, the "Autonomous Region" of Mindanao. Mindanao is okay when you are close to Davao City. My wife is from about 40 miles outside of Davao in a province and it is about as close to Cotaboto that I will go. There are groups like the Moros Liberation Front and the New Peoples Army. Cotaboto has also been known to be home to some Islamic extremist groups. Having said this, I am sure that the vast majority of the people there are good folks. But please, I cannot stress this enough. I went down the National Highway from Bansalan to Davao and passed about 20 Jeepneys full of MLF soldiers on their way back to Cotaboto. Thank God for tinted windows...
> You can always arrange for transportation for your sweetie to meet her someplace else. Davao City is good. Or you can fly her out to Cebu or Luzon.
> ...


Davao is great. Safest city in th PI......many consider it to be the safest city in all of SE Asia. 

I am well aware of other posts on this forum by those who insist that all of Mindanao must be avoided. So, no need to rehash that debate. 

If I were moving to PI permanently Davao would be my first choice followed closely by Bacolod. Iloilo Iloilo, Dumaguete and Tagaytay would also be short list. Since the original poster is a vet he might also like Olongapo. I have a friend here in Las Vegas whose wife is from Bohol. They own property there and will eventually live there. He loves Bohol.


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## renewedfaith2day (May 14, 2013)

I did mention that I was recently in Davao as well as a province outside of Davao. And yes, it is safer there than, say, South Waco...

I am new here as well and didn't know if you knew about it or not. I saw the reference to Cotobato and I just wanted to make sure that you weren't going in there blind. But apparently you already have made provisions.

Didn't mean to offend you...Was only trying to help.

Keith


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## Billfish (Apr 13, 2013)

renewedfaith2day said:


> I am new here as well and didn't know if you knew about it or not. I saw the reference to Cotobato and I just wanted to make sure that you weren't going in there blind. But apparently you already have made provisions.


Cotabato and Cotabato City are two different places though, the latter being in Maguindanao province. Ironically it is probably a lot safer in the latter even though it is officially a part of ARMM whereas Cotabato is not.

EDIT: I should that actually technically Cotabato City is an exclave and not a part of ARMM, but since it acts as the administrative capital of ARMM for all intensive purposes you can treat it as in ARMM.


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