Adapting to the climate in the Philippines
Adjusting to new climatic conditions is key in any expatriation process. Moving to the Philippines is no exception.
What are the climate characteristics of the Philippines?
How does the local weather impact your daily life, mood or health?
What are the pros and cons of the climate in the Philippines?
Share you advice and help people adapt quickly to their new weather environment.
Thanks in advance,
Priscilla
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I just hope that that is true. Not everyone likes the hot weather and for those that don't do well in the heat there are areas that are elevated and offer cooler climate. So it seems that this is a true paradise... in my opinion
I'm Croatian and we have there 4 seasons with very cold winters, very hot summers, beautiful warm springs and colorful but rainy autumns.
I had very hard time during my first year in the Philippines because it is always very hot, I was very nervous and I missed winter a lot. But now I'm fine with it, I found it as paradise as sirrobcentral said
I was never sick here, so probably weather is good for health. I working from home and my air-con is turned on almost 0-24. It cost me around 3000 pesos ($70-$80). It is possible to decrease this price a lot who want.I like tropics, however I was born in four seasons country - Poland, followed by 22 years in rather wet UK.
I have travelled around the world, enjoying weather in extreme; countries like Norway or Alaska and Thailand, Japan and Bermudas. Here, in Philippines, I am 7 years but recent climate change is giving me hard time. 2-3 years back we had a cooler December, January... not anymore... hot and hot and walking (as I do - everyday) without handkerchief is grave mistake...
If I could, I will choose Baguio or Ilocos Norte, at least Tagaytay - as my home.
Piano, I really feel for you. I hope maybe in the near future you can relocate to one of the areas you mentioned. Explore the options so that your life here will be more comfortable.
I moved to the Laguna area in 2013, after many visits over the years to various locations and stays of 10-30 days during different months.
During those visits I stayed in hotels or the homes of my wife's family, friends or business associates.
We traveled in private, air conditioned vehicles. I noticed, from the beginning, that the locals almost always turned the temperature control to the coldest settings, in buildings and in vehicles.
I grew up along the coast of Southern California, USA, mild climate, no snow, very little rain. I spent most of my time outside.
During my visits to the PI's I didn't realize that, most of the time I was inside, in artificial, air conditioning.
I'd go from air conditioned building to air conditioned vehicle, spent as little time outside as possible, and then, usually in a screened veranda or next to a pool or the ocean or a lake.
Moving here to live year round woke me up.
My first night in my new home I slept with the windows open and no screens.
I was literally eaten alive by mosquitos (and whatever else was flying or crawling around).
Started using the aircon the next day.
Bought a new SUV.
Used the aircon all the time.
The bills started arriving. Having been accustomed to the mild climate in SoCal, I'd never owned a home aircon. My retirement income required me to budget my pesos.
Stopped using the aircon, got window screens.
Most of the time it's hot and humid, so I use fans, ceiling fans, wall mounted fans, desk fans, fans on floor stands.
Moved from the gated development to Greater Manila Area, not far from the airport. Found it difficult to find parking for the SUV, and it was expensive to own and maintain, got rid of that, started using public transportation.
Add to the heat, humidity, hot midday sun, and generous rain - pollution. Most vehicles have sooty, smelly exhaust, many use diesel fuel. And the noise. Seems as if most drivers remove quiet mufflers in favor of loud exhaust, especially the motorbikes - I've been told that's done so others can be aware of them on the streets.
With the aircon off to save pesos, and the windows open, the soot settles on every surface in the house, gotta clean constantly.
With the screened doors and windows open and fans for ventilation, there's also lots of noise and smells.
Farm animals, my neighbor's keep roosters and chickens that crow and cackle all day and all night. They have a few goats that ate my potted plants.
The many dogs bark incessantly (keeping the spirits at bay?), some roam the streets, leaving poop anywhere they choose.
There's an open drainage canal is used for rubbish and even raw sewage and it does not flow unless it's raining hard. Stagnant. rotting debris (lots of plastic bags and soda straws) can have a foul odor at times. Lots of mosquitos breed there, they swarm at dawn and dusk, they hide in any undisturbed box, pail, bushes, weeds, outdoor furniture, discarded tires.
This tropical climate makes ideal growing conditions for jungle foliage, and with the plants come pollen. This is common everywhere you may go in the Philippines
I've needed to acclimate to some new allergies.
And the bugs love the weather.聽 There are so many varieties of ants, they will bite you, they will invade your house, infest your food, some are so small they can get into a sealed container, some will gnaw through the plastic bags food is packaged in. Many types of flies too, some bite !
Concrete is the building material of choice here in the Philippines, Most roofs are Metal. Concrete is 'High Thermal Mass' which means it absorbes heat. when the hot sun shines on the concrete walls and metal roof of your home the inside becomes a virtual 'Pizza Oven' !
So, after 3+ years living in the Philippines I stay inside as much as possible wearing little clothing. When I go out I wear loose, cotton, long sleeves, long pants ( keeps the sun and pests off my sensitive skin). I got an electric motor tricycle (Etrike). I go to the mall, park in the covered parking structure and windowshop in air conditioned comfort. Still very noisy in the mall.
But the public library is cool and quiet.
I haven't mentioned the typhoons. Mother Nature has ways of proving whose in control.
Strong winds will blow your roof into the neighbor's property, where your roof will then belong to your neighbor.
The 'Storm Surge' will bring the surf to your front door if you choose to live by the beach.
Most of the islands are affected by the weather.聽 Most days are tolerable for most people.
I believe the climate of the Philippines is responsible for much of the 'laid back' lifestyle here.
" let's wait till the rain stops ", " let's wait 'till it's not so hot "!
And don't forget rust and corrosion, Mother Nature at work to reclaim metal objects, like your roof and your car.
Electric wires get corroded, We have "brownouts" almost daily, some last for a few minutes, some for a day or more.
Cellphones, computers, electronic devices, are all affected by the climate.
If you're addicted to air conditioning, you might consider getting a generator (but protect it from theft, the sun, wind, rain, ants will even set up housekeeping in idle equipment.
This is only a general story of my own observations and experiences so far !
Thanks Ray
聽 聽 聽 聽Despite that, why parts of Batangas, Dasmarinias, Ilocos Norte could be clean? Some people look well after their houses and even their surroundings. In our subdivision an old lady is sweeping the street on her own initiative... Why? Because drains are blocked by rubbish and nobody can pass wet, smelly street with dry foot. Yes, we have chickens, roosters opposite our window, too. Maybe that's why our subdivision is called "Village"!
When making our decision we first considered our budget. We researched for about four years and chose an area near Tagaytay which we could afford. For us the cramped conditions of and oft times poor maintenance of condo living was unappealing and the cost for a nice roomy condo seemed exorbitant.
We chose to build a home in an elevated area that is quiet and on a dead end street with a gate courtesy of the owner of the property who had hoped to develop the property and ran out of funds. Good for us as we are the only other home on the land which offers a clear running stream, waterfalls and some nice areas along the trail to site and relax to the sound of the rushing water. Yes we have a clear title.
The climate is consistently cool in the evenings and requires no AC. During the hottest months we sometimes use AC in the afternoon until the cooler air returns. We also find that there are simply days when we are both less tolerant of the heat use the AC. Most of the time we have our numerous large windows open throughout the house and the breezes will literally lift the curtains from the windows with only the help of a ceiling fan.
It took us both about a year to adjust to the climate after retiring here from the eastern U.S. and while building our home we lived in Imus where the temperatures are extreme and the air quality is poor at best. We were both glad to be out of Imus and I can honestly say that it is not an area I would have been happy retiring in, neither of us enjoyed it and even fans were of little help which had us scrambling to the one air conditioned room to escape the heat.
Our health is better in our new home than it was in the heat of Imus. We have found that visiting malls and crowded shopping areas on the weekend with many coughing and sneezing children and adults was something easily avoided by only visiting those businesses and malls during the week. My wife keeps sanitary wipes in her purse and we use them before eating in a restaurant and when entering our car for the trip home after leaving the mall or other establishment. While in those establishments we refrain from putting our hands to our faces and rubbing our eyes, etc. where the cold or flu virus can easily be transferred. These small changes to our lifestyle have rewarded us with much better health and neither of us experience a cold very often since making the changes. The wipes are much cheaper than the down time and the medicine.
Our choices work for us and were based on our likes, dislikes and budget. At this time we are both quite content with the choices we made for our retirement home and the climate is just right.

- grew up northeast USA, skated on ponds frozen in the winter... but later went to school in north carolina, so experienced this level of heat and humidity. In grad school took several classes in plant ID, so often spent the day outside in 99 degrees, and 95% humidity.. so not a stranger to this...
- then SoCal.... which is a pretty ideal climate, so I am back to adjusting...
- I am so happy to be here, and so fascinated by these surroundings that I really enjoy walking - I simply surrender to the聽 fact it will be hot and just push forward. Yeah, don't forget that handkerchief when going out the door... I notice many filipinos add a wash cloth at the back of their neck in shirts hehe. Also, somehow I think there is some health benefit to all that perspiring, and I think I lose some weight coz of it. Also, it gives me great excuse to stop at many sari-sari, have a coke or water and mingle with the locals...
- I bought some big aircon and don't feel guilty using it.... I use it when I want a "vacation" from the heat... but not as a substitute lifestyle....
- I make war on mosquitoes also... I think they love the Kano
- okie.... maybe a weird one... I had a good case of plantar fasciitis back in US... I was gaining on it through exercise etc.... which I still do now... and I love to walk... but when I came here.... not sure if its the humidity or what.... but its by the absolute best its been in 5 years... like, almost 100% gone. Not sure if its what I've been doing, or what.... but it makes the exploring so much better.
- yes, so I use walking to both explore and push myself through the acclimation process... I'm still a long pants wearer... hmm mosquitoes, and I just don't happen to go for tourist looking shorts... never a sandal guy and careful on shoes from what I noted above.
- I haven't been here that long, 3 months, after having been just a "vacation guy, but I can notice already the difference in adjustment... as noted in other threads... even on a hot day, I'll find myself standing outside in the shade, in the midst of a long walk, with a small breeze coming up and thinking.. Wow, I'm not feeling any heat at all... so I think time is a factor in this process....
- living Cebu City.... I like the city life, million things going on per block... living in a one story bungalow house (renting), circa 1962 near the provincial capitol of cebu, big mix of upper middle in the (older) gated neighbourhood (okie the gate is a tiny hut with arm.... and a guard that is one day in uniform and the next in shorts ha)... good thread, thanks.
You can't hear the waves in the Swiss Alps. You don't get a cool mountain breeze on a beach. Your house can slide down a mountain, your house can fall into the sea.
Bear with me...it may get relevant....
One 'key' issue mentioned in the original post was how the climate effects your mood?
Aside from all the well documented [and quite frankly blatantly obvious] reasons why you should avoid air conditioning wherever possible for numerous health reasons - I would suggest MOOD is a vital part of how 'climate' here effects one's health?
The TWO biggest killers [globally] are:
1. STRESS
2. OBESITY
I would argue that for the vast majority of expats living in the Philippines, number (ONE) vanished the moment you got on a plane and left your 'developed' country and number (TWO) - well; you have no excuses. If you live on a mountain - walk up it. If you live on the beach - go for a swim. Weather bad? Buy a treadmill. Brownout too? Well, you are probably living with a beautiful woman - so have some sexercise.x
I suspect the biggest threat for expats in the Philippines health wise is Type II diabetes.

It can be very hot during the summer. But it's not the heat that bothers me and my husband. It's the humidity, that uncomfortable sticky feeling, where the sweat and oil released through my skin take too long to evaporate, trapping dust and dirt from the air onto my skin. If it's just hot, then using an electric fan would suffice. But if it's humid, we would need to turn on the aircon to be able to fall asleep. A cool shower and a body scrub before sleeping also helps.
Our electric bill is just slightly higher when we use aircon during warm afternoons and at night. I think it's because we have inverter aircons. Also, we set the thermostat at 26 or higher, which is enough to relieve humidity and cool down our room.
In the Philippines, or at least where I live, there are micro climates. If you draw a straight line from my work to our house, it's just 2 kilometers between them. But sometimes, it can be raining heavily at home, and yet it would be dry at my work.
Then, there's the weird weather, where it can be hot and humid in the morning, and raining heavily in the afternoon. Sometimes, it rains even when it's sunny and the sky is clear. In Philippine folklore, it's said that when that happens, a tikbalang, a tall mythological creature with the body of a human but with the head and feet of a horse, is getting married. (There's a scientific explanation for the phenomenon.)
Summer is over now, and the monsoon rains have arrived. It's been raining heavily every day for the past 10 days. It's a nice respite from the heat and humidity. But it has a downside. Low lying areas can get flooded pretty quickly and residents there are already used to evacuating their properties to go to evacuation centers.
I think the most useful tool for Philippine weather is an umbrella. Back in SF, I would look like I'm crazy if I use an umbrella when it's not raining. Here, rain or shine, people bring it when they go out and use it against both the rain and the scorching sun. I would suggest buying a good one of durable material with anti-UV protection.
San Francisco weather is cold, but it's also dry. Over time, the weather there had made my already dry skin even drier. My dermatologist there suggested to refrain from using hot water for bathing or taking showers. (Yeah, right!) The humid air here in the Philippines has helped alleviate some of the dryness. And I can take cool showers too on most days.
There are weather extremes, like typhoons that bring with it strong winds and heavy rain. So, most modern houses here are made of concrete despite that it absorbs and retains heat inside the house.
For me it's hot a lot and humid in Philippines. The rainy season is a welcome break when it rains a lot. I love being comfortable here. So, I use air conditioning a lot. My electric bills is about 7,000 pesos ($146.00) a month. Use of 2 window air conditioners. This is cheap to comparing the cost of electricity in the USA. It would cost twice as much if not 3 times as much.

Plus like you pointed out we also pay water, gas heating and cooking, trash bill, cable, cell phone, ,electric, home insurance, car insurance, health insurance, dental insurance, life insurance, food, installment payments on automobile, repair bills for home and auto.,just to name a few.
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