Planning
Consultation from the start of planning through the move, so the timeline and the home search have a local team behind them.
SETTLE
Your new life starts here.
A longer-term home and practical local support for independent veterans and retirees relocating to Davao City.
- Davao CityExtended relocation and local support, only here
- One-year startA minimum contract for the subscription and the home
- Ongoing supportA veteran-led local team while you stay independent
For people who are ready to relocate
A new home, with the practical work coordinated.
SETTLE is extended relocation and local support in Davao City only. It is for independent veterans and retirees who have decided to build a life there. You keep your own days. Escape Hatch helps with planning, a furnished longer-term home, the residential move, local orientation, and support after you are in.
Who SETTLE is for
Independent people making a longer move.
Ready to relocate
You are an independent veteran or retiree planning a new chapter in Davao City, not a short visit.
A home, not a holiday rental
You want a practical furnished residence you can live in, rather than vacation-style accommodation.
Help with the move
You want planning, housing, move-in, and local orientation coordinated, while you stay in charge of your days.
Support after arrival
You want a veteran-led team you can keep consulting about housing and everyday local questions.
Housing first
A furnished home you can actually live in.
SETTLE housing is in Davao City. It is fully furnished, practical, and meant for a longer stay. It is residential, not the vacation-oriented accommodation used for EXPLORE. A recommended budget starts from $350 USD a month. That figure is a planning starting point, not guaranteed inventory and not a fixed rent.
The actual home, inclusions, and rent are confirmed before you sign. That starting budget is a planning guide, not the confirmed rent. Early-cancellation fees apply, and those terms are explained before you sign.
What we coordinate
More of the move. Your independence stays yours.
SETTLE involves more legwork than EXPLORE. The subscription covers guidance and coordination. Professional tasks, from document processing to transportation and tech support, are available through the team when you ask.
Housing
Help matching a furnished longer-term residence to how you live. The property and the rent are confirmed before you sign.
The residential move
Coordination for the move and move-in, so arrival is organized rather than left to the day you land.
Local orientation
A practical introduction to the neighborhood and the ordinary tasks of living there.
Ongoing support
Continued help with housing questions and local day-to-day issues after you are settled.
Trusted providers
Access to, and coordination with, providers the Davao team already trusts when you need something done locally.
Why Escape Hatch
A veteran-led team that lives with the details.
Live your life knowing your support group is but a call away.
- Veteran-ledFounded and led by a U.S. veteran who understands leaving American routines for life overseas.
- In-house legal familiarityA lawyer and team who know local processing. Fair, transparent fees are explained before you agree, which helps you avoid unnecessary markups.
- Guidance, then the workThe subscription coordinates the move. Passport, visa, and document processing, in-house legal support, transportation, and tech help are available on request, with fees explained upfront and billed separately.
- Plain limitsNo guaranteed visa approval, no promise of the lowest price, and no government affiliation. This is not medical or personal care.
Everyday life
Your days stay yours, live them.
Morning coffee at the corner shop. A walk you take because the afternoon is yours. A neighbor who starts to know your name. SETTLE is independent living, so the days stay yours once the boxes are in. The veteran-led team remains a practical call away for housing questions and the ordinary local details, while you find the neighborhood and the people in it.
Clear costs
Your every dollar goes farther.
We keep it simple for you. At the core, we take care of your accommodations and back you up with U.S. veteran-led local support. For anything else you need, we have prepared options for you.
| Charge | Amount | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Escape Hatch Subscription | $50 per month | Planning, consultation, coordination, and access to providers in Davao. It is not unlimited professional work. Document, legal, transport, and tech work are available on request and billed separately. |
| Accommodation | $350* per month | *Recommended budget, from $350 USD a month, for furnished accommodation in Davao City. A planning starting point, not guaranteed inventory and not a fixed rent. |
| SETTLE requires a minimum 12-month agreement for both the resident subscription and the accommodation. Early-cancellation fees apply. The amounts and the other terms are explained before you sign. | ||
Document processing, legal assistance, transport, tech support, and other services are available on request and billed separately.
Accommodation
Housing charges are paid to Escape Hatch under the housing agreement. The home, inclusions, and payment terms are confirmed before booking.
Resident membership
The subscription that lets us support you during the stay. It is tied to active Escape Hatch housing, not a standalone product for housing you arrange yourself.
Personal expenses
Travel, local transport, food, utilities, personal spending, and third-party costs stay separate unless a written proposal expressly includes them.
Not ready to relocate
Want to try the country first?
EXPLORE is a separate three-month furnished stay for people who are still deciding. It uses vacation-oriented accommodation and its own terms. Choosing SETTLE does not require EXPLORE, and finishing EXPLORE does not enroll you in SETTLE.
Questions
Straight answers before you enquire.
Independent veterans and retirees who are relocating to Davao City and want a longer-term home with planning, move-in help, and ongoing local support. Extended local support is only in Davao City. You keep an independent life. SETTLE is not SETTLE+ and does not include care, housekeeping, or nursing visits.
It is $50 USD a month, starting when planning starts. It covers ongoing consultation, assistance, and support: guidance and coordination for the move and for life after you arrive. Passport, visa, and document processing, in-house legal support, transportation, and tech help are available on request, with the fee explained upfront and billed separately.
A minimum one-year Escape Hatch contract applies to both the subscription and the accommodation. Early cancellation fees apply. The amount and the other terms are explained before you sign.
Homes are fully furnished and practical, meant for longer-term residential living rather than a vacation stay. $350 USD a month is a recommended budget starting point. The actual home, inclusions, and rent are confirmed before you sign. Pictures on this page are illustrative, not available properties.
Planning, housing in Davao City, the residential move and move-in, local orientation, ongoing housing and local support, and access to trusted local providers. There is more legwork than on EXPLORE. Document processing and other professional work are available on request, billed separately, while consultation and coordination stay with the subscription.
Yes. Passport, visa, and document processing are available through the team on request, and an in-house lawyer and team know that work. The processing is optional and billed separately, with a fair, transparent fee explained upfront, so you are not left to unnecessary markups. Consultation and coordination stay with the subscription. Processing help is not a guarantee of visa approval. Escape Hatch is not a government office.
Food, utilities, and personal spending are everyday living costs you handle yourself. Transportation and tech support are available on request, with fees explained upfront and billed separately. SETTLE does not include medical care or personal care.
Look at EXPLORE, a separate three-month stay with its own agreement. SETTLE does not require it. You can also read Why the Philippines before you enquire. Either way, the written proposal is what you rely on, not this overview.
Start with a question
Ready to talk about the move?
Tell us your timing, the kind of home you want, and what you still need answered. We'll come back with what a SETTLE plan could look like.
Let's Plan Your SETTLE Move