Is Dumaguete the Best Retirement City in the Philippines? Ralph Thinks So

He Visited 3 Philippine Hospitals Before Deciding to Retire Here in Dumaguete In this episode of The Goldfinger Minute, I sit down with Ralph, a 70-year-old American from Long Island, New York, who has spent the last several months traveling throughout the Philippines searching for the perfect place to retire. After visiting Cebu, Negros Oriental, Albay, Sorsogon and other areas across the country, Ralph explains why Dumaguete rose to the top of his list. We talk openly about healthcare in the Philippines, hospital quality, medical insurance, retirement planning, transportation, scooter riding, expat life, local culture, food, safety, and the realities foreigners face when relocating overseas. One of the biggest concerns for retirees is medical care, especially for heart conditions and emergency treatment. Ralph shares his firsthand experiences visiting several hospitals in Dumaguete, including Silliman Medical Center, ACE Hospital, and Polymedic. He explains what he learned about cardiac care, heart stents, emergency treatment, and the actual costs involved compared to the United States. We also discuss Pacific Cross insurance, Phil-health, and how foreigners can prepare financially before moving abroad. Ralph explains how surprisingly affordable some major medical procedures can be in the Philippines and why having the right insurance matters. Beyond healthcare, this conversation also covers: • The pros and cons of living in Dumaguete • Transportation apps like Maxim and Grab • Motorcycle and scooter culture • Expat pricing and local transportation • Philippine traffic and road safety • Food, restaurants, and daily life • Why many retirees are leaving the U.S. for Southeast Asia Ralph also talks about staying active at 70 years old, climbing waterfalls with younger locals, embracing a fresh start in life, and why he feels happier and more optimistic in the Philippines than he has in years. If you are considering retiring in the Philippines, moving abroad, or simply curious about Expat life in Dumaguete, this interview offers real-world insight from someone currently living the experience. Cost of Ralph's 1.5 million Filipino Peso Pacific Cross Policy has a semi-private room health care coverage for a premium fee of 120,000 pesos per year. (That policy has a 20% deductible for a 25% lower annual premium. Phil-Health premium for foreigners is between 15k-17k annually, you would need to google the coverage and limits or liabilities. Welcome to The Goldfinger Minute — where every man has a story to tell and a reason to come to the Philippines. Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe to The Goldfinger Minute for more real stories and straight talk about life in the Philippines. Download my free eBook for foreigners moving or visiting the Philippines — "Philippines Made Simple" Get your FREE travel guide by simply sending a request to ; [email protected] Goldfinger FACEBOOK LINK: https://www.facebook.com/goldfinger.g... Want to Support our 3rd 2026 ANNUAL XMAS Elementary School Makeover😍 I provide information like e-books on coming to the Philippines and even FREE consultations by phone , if you feel my services are worth something, then please consider helping the elementary school children here with educational materials that I provide for Free. I match up to 35,000 pesos each month for any and all donations received. Anything I receive I give back 100% to the children: books, bookcases, tablets, laptops for the teacher, printers, ink, paper, Chalk Boards or basic items like pencils, pens, coloring books, crayons, children's story books, Curriculum lesson books, desk top World Globes for each classroom, Microscopes , wall maps, even repair and remodel bathroom, paint,,clean classrooms, replace doors and hardware or broken missing windows and anything that would help an elementary school, sometimes it's even fans to cool kids down ❤️ ✅ Would like to Support our next XMAS program ? I have started a fund raiser for this years 3rd ANNUAL CHILDREN'S ELEMENTARY SCHOOL & CLASSROOM MAKEOVER for the ISUGEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL located in Dauin provence Bud Browns Video link to the 2025 December Elementary School Computer Classroom :    • This School Got a Surprise from Dumaguete ...   Paul McGill's Video link to the 2024 Children's Elementary School Computer Classroom :    • CAN EXPATS REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE...   We need your help 🙏🏻 🔹My PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/goldfinger0007 My fiancé Carolyn rents scooters, she caters to only expats with new maintained clean scooters including 3rd party insurance liability policies, Top Boxes and upgraded phone holders with a USB power hub on every motorbike💕(see her information below) Here's the link for Carolyn's Motorbike Rentals:   / 1aq8kv3cqf   Intro and Outro is the work of Jim Doozy, Thank You Kind Sir 💖 Intro and Outro is the work of Jim Doozy, Thank you ❤️