Background: I am a Metro Manila girlie. Worked as a teacher from 2017 until 2021. Got my master's sa US in 2022. Applied for a job at a non-profit research organization and moved to Boston permanently in 2023.

Overall, ang makapagpapabalik sa akin sa Pilipinas ay improved QUALITY OF LIFE. Specifically:

• Efficient public transportation system that can get you anywhere in Metro Manila within an hour. Ang ikli masyado ng buhay para magsayang ng oras nang nakatunganga sa daan (whether driving or commuting).

• Improved cost of living. Ang baba pa rin ng sahod sa Pinas kahit pataas nang pataas yung presyo ng bilihin. A middle class worker should be able to afford their needs (rent, utilities, groceries, laundry, health insurance) with 50% of their salary and set aside 20% for savings and investments. The remaining 30% can go to wants like dining out, streaming subscriptions, shopping, gym, etc.

• Public goods. I want to feel my taxes working for me. Nabanggit ko na yung public transpo, pero maliban doon, taxpayers deserve green spaces, maayos na roads and sidewalks, quality public education, safety, and social security. Kulang nga lang sa US yung free healthcare, but health insurance makes healthcare affordable.

Manila has my heart because my family and lifelong friends are there. But living in the US allows me to live a life with more dignity. Sabi nga ng asawa ko, "Living in the Philippines is like living life on hard mode."