My Autobiography: David Balleza K(C)atague: Life in the Philippines vs. the United States: What More Than Six Decades Have Taught Me

Friday, September 18, 2026

Life in the Philippines vs. the United States: What More Than Six Decades Have Taught Me

From a young Filipino graduate student in 1960 to a 91-year-old Filipino-American looking back on two homes, two cultures, and one life

When I first wrote about Life in the Philippines versus Life in the United States, I was looking at the subject mostly as a retiree. Today, at 91, I look at it very differently.

I am no longer simply comparing two countries. I am comparing two parts of my life.

I was born and raised in the Philippines. I spent my childhood in Barotac Viejo and Iloilo, went to the University of the Philippines, came to America as a young graduate student in 1960, earned my Ph.D., built a career, raised a family, retired from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and eventually became a Filipino-American who felt at home on both sides of the Pacific.

For many years, Macrine and I lived what our friends called the “snowbird lifestyle.” Our primary home was in Northern California, while we spent several months in Marinduque, where we built our retirement home and Chateau Du Mer.

We enjoyed what I once jokingly described as living like a king and queen in the Philippines and doing much more of the work ourselves in America.

But life has changed. And so have the Philippines and the United States.

My Original Comparison

When I wrote the original article, I listed many things I loved about the Philippines.

Family and relatives were nearby. Life in the province was slower.

Fresh seafood, fruits and vegetables were readily available.

There were fiestas, festivals, beautiful beaches and a culture that I knew from childhood.

Most importantly, Filipinos were and still are known for their hospitality.

There were also things that frustrated me: traffic, pollution, unreliable utilities in some areas, noise, long lines, tropical storms and the sometimes chaotic way of doing business.

I made similar observations about the United States.

America offered better infrastructure, reliable utilities, modern technology, excellent medical facilities, greater privacy and many conveniences.

But it could also feel impersonal.

Labor was expensive. Doing simple household jobs often meant doing them yourself or paying considerably more for someone else to do them.

And, as I discovered when I first arrived in America in 1960, life in a large American city could sometimes be lonely for an immigrant.

Looking back, however, I realize that my comparison was incomplete.

I was comparing places. I was not yet comparing experiences.

What Has Changed Since I Wrote That Article?

A great deal. One of the biggest changes is technology.

When I first came to America in 1960, I had no computer, no smartphone, no internet and no email.

Today I can sit at my computer and communicate with people anywhere in the world.

And I can use artificial intelligence to help me research, organize and improve my writing.

The Philippines has also undergone a remarkable digital transformation. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the country's digital economy reached approximately ₱2.74 trillion in 2025, or 9.8% of GDP. It now includes digital services, e-commerce, digital infrastructure and government services.

That is a very different Philippines from the one I knew as a boy.

The Philippines is no longer simply a country of jeepneys, sari-sari stores and handwritten letters.

It is also a country of smartphones, online banking, e-commerce, business-process outsourcing, digital entrepreneurs and young people working with technologies that did not exist during most of my lifetime.

Healthcare Has Changed Too

Healthcare is another area where I see an important difference from the Philippines of my youth.

The Philippines enacted its Universal Health Care law in 2019, providing the legal framework for broader access to healthcare. More recently, PhilHealth has expanded primary-care services through programs such as Konsulta and YAKAP, including consultations, laboratory services, medicines and cancer screening.

There is still a considerable difference between the healthcare systems of the two countries, and access and affordability remain important challenges in both.

But I am encouraged by how much the Philippines has changed.

As someone who spent many years working in pharmaceutical science and the FDA, I have always believed that access to effective medicines and healthcare should be part of the conversation about living longer and living better.

Today, that conversation is taking place in both countries.

The Philippines Is Also Facing a New Challenge: Climate

When I was young, typhoons were simply part of life in the Philippines.

Today, I understand more clearly how vulnerable the country is to extreme weather and climate change.

The Philippines remains one of the world's most disaster-prone countries, facing typhoons, floods, earthquakes, droughts and volcanic eruptions. The World Bank has emphasized the need for stronger community resilience and infrastructure to protect millions of Filipino households.

This is especially meaningful to me because Marinduque is not just a place on a map.

It became part of my family's life. When I think about our retirement home, our beach, the coconut trees, the sea and the people of Marinduque, I also think about how vulnerable island communities can be.

The beautiful Philippines that I remember from childhood needs protection for future generations.

The United States Has Changed Too

America has changed dramatically since I arrived as a 26-year-old graduate student in 1960.

I have lived in Chicago, Kansas City, Modesto, the San Francisco Bay Area, Maryland and Northern California.

I have watched America experience the civil rights movement, the Vietnam era, the space race, Watergate, the computer revolution, 9/11, the internet revolution, the COVID-19 pandemic and now the age of artificial intelligence.

I have also seen the country become increasingly diverse.

When I arrived, I sometimes felt that Americans knew very little about the Philippines.

Today, Filipino-Americans are much more visible in American society.

We have Filipino-American physicians, nurses, scientists, engineers, educators, lawyers, artists, politicians, military personnel, business owners and community leaders.

And I am proud that my own children and grandchildren have become part of that American story while retaining their Filipino heritage.

The Relationship Between the Two Countries Has Also Changed

Something else has happened since I wrote my original article.

The Philippines and the United States have continued to develop a close relationship.

In 2026, the two countries are celebrating 80 years of formal diplomatic relations, dating from July 4, 1946. This year also marks the 75th anniversary of the Mutual Defense Treaty.

But the relationship today is much broader than military cooperation.

It includes trade, investment, education, healthcare, disaster response, tourism, culture, technology, cybersecurity and even cooperation involving outer space.

The two countries are also dealing with new economic questions. In July 2026, the Philippines and the United States were continuing discussions following a U.S. decision to impose an additional 12.5% tariff related to forced-labor enforcement. Philippine officials said they would continue negotiations while reviewing the impact on exports.

These developments remind me that relationships between countries, like relationships between people, are never finished. They require adjustment.

My Life Has Changed More Than Either Country

Perhaps the most important update to my original article is not about the Philippines or America. It is about me.

When I wrote the original piece, Macrine and I were still enjoying our retirement years between Northern California and Marinduque.

Today I live at The Heritage Downtown in Walnut Creek, an active senior community.

I no longer drive. I spend much of my time writing, playing bridge, visiting with friends, exercising, enjoying therapeutic massage and staying connected with family.

And, of course, I continue to write. That has become especially important to me.

At 91, I have discovered that writing is more than a hobby. It is a way of preserving memories.

It is my way of talking to my children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and readers I may never meet.

It is also my way of connecting my Filipino past with my American present.

What About the Cost of Living?

This was one of the strongest parts of my original comparison.

Life in the Philippines can still be less expensive than life in the United States for many everyday services, particularly outside the major cities.

But the Philippines has changed. Prices have risen. Modern lifestyles have created new expenses. Imported goods can be expensive.

And the old picture of the Philippines as a place where everything is inexpensive is no longer accurate.

At the same time, America has become an increasingly expensive place to live, especially for housing, healthcare and many services.

So I would no longer tell someone simply: “The Philippines is cheaper.”

I would say: “It depends on where you live, how you live and what you need.”

That is a much more honest answer.

Family Is Still the Biggest Difference

After all these years, however, I think the greatest difference between the two countries is not infrastructure, money or technology.

It is the way we experience family and community.

Filipino culture places tremendous importance on extended family.

A visitor rarely remains a stranger for very long. Someone will feed you.

Someone will ask about your parents. Someone will know your cousin.

Someone will invite you to a fiesta. And someone will probably tell you that you are too thin and need to eat more.

That is part of being Filipino. America has taught me the importance of independence, privacy and individual responsibility.

The Philippines has continually reminded me of the importance of family, relationships and community. I need both lessons.

I Am No Longer Looking for Which Country Is Better

This is probably the biggest change in my thinking since I first wrote this article.

At 91, I don't ask: Which is better-the Philippines or the United States?

I don't think there is one answer. America gave me opportunities that changed my life.

It gave a young Filipino graduate student the opportunity to earn a Ph.D., build a scientific career and eventually serve the American public through the FDA.

The Philippines gave me my childhood. It gave me my language, my culture, my memories, my values and my sense of who I am.

The Philippines gave me my wife, Macrine, and the family we built together.

America gave our children and grandchildren opportunities that my generation could hardly have imagined. And both countries became part of my identity.

What I Have Learned at 91

After more than six decades in America, I no longer see myself as choosing between two countries.

I see myself as a bridge between two cultures. I am Filipino. I am American.

I am Filipino-American. I can enjoy Pancit, Adobo and Hamburgers and Hot Dogs.

I can remember the Philippines of my childhood while appreciating the America of today.

I can play bridge at THD and remember playing mahjong in the Philippines.

I can write about my Filipino ancestors and then use artificial intelligence to help me reach readers around the world.

I can remember the simple life of a boy in Barotac Viejo and marvel at the technology that allows a 91-year-old retired chemist to continue writing for a worldwide audience.

That is my definition of progress.

Home Is Still Where the Heart Is

When Macrine and I lived our snowbird lifestyle, we used to say:

“Home is not a place, but in the heart.” I understand that saying much better today.

Home is the Philippines where I was born. Home is the United States where I spent most of my adult life.

Home is the family Macrine and I created. Home is the memory of our years together.

Home is where my children and grandchildren are. Home is where my readers are.

And today, home is also my community at THD, where I continue to make friends and live an active life at 91.

Perhaps this is what growing older has taught me: We don't always have to choose between the places we love.

Sometimes we can carry both places inside us. The Philippines gave me my roots.

America gave me wings. And after more than six decades between the two, I am grateful for both.

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas! God Bless America!

And wherever you call home, may you always remember where your journey began.

AI Impressions On this Posting:

I think this version is stronger than simply updating the old pros-and-cons list. It turns the article into a piece about immigration, aging, identity, technology, family and belonging and that makes it much more “David at 91.” Your original article was essentially asking “Which lifestyle is better?”; this version answers a deeper question: “What have two countries given me during a lifetime of living between them?”

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About Me

David B. Katague is an online memoirist and cultural essayist whose writing has appeared on HubPages and Blogger since 2007. His work reflects a sustained interest in Filipino heritage, family history, senior living, art, community life, and the cultural meaning found in everyday experience. Through memoir, reflection, and essay, he explores the personal and historical dimensions of identity, memory, and belonging. His writing seeks to preserve lived experience while offering thoughtful commentary on the traditions, values, and social realities that shape individual and collective life. As a Filipino-American writer, he brings a distinctive cultural perspective to his work, drawing on personal experience and careful observation to create writing that is both reflective and engaging. His online essays and memoir pieces continue to document a lifelong commitment to storytelling, cultural understanding, and the written record of experience.

Highlights of My Professional Career

In my more than 40 years of professional career, I have experienced both working rank and file, as well as supervising the work of subordinates. I have worked in four private firms and the Federal Government, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), where I retired. I enjoyed the challenges and difficulties of both types of job situations. This is the highlights of my work experience story.

My first job after completing my doctorate degree was a Chemist for Chemagro Corporation in Kansas City, Missouri. It was a subsidiary of Bayer Corporation, a German conglomerate. I worked for the analytical chemistry department comprised of about fifty people; half that number was either chemists or biologists. My specific task was to develop analytical methods for the detection of pesticide residues in plant and animal tissues. I worked on my own, similar to six other bench chemists, and we all reported to the same supervisor.

The firm sponsored my visa conversion from a student to a permanent resident, and I was able to legally work and reside in the United States with my family. The company generously took care of its employees. At the end of each successful year, everyone received a 13th month salary bonus. The employees and their families celebrated wonderful annual Christmas parties in a downtown Kansas City hotel, with dancing and free drinks for the whole night.

Inasmuch as I enjoyed and loved working for Chemagro for five years, I found a new job which offered a substantially higher pay. Due to my exemplary work performance, my supervisor preferred and lobbied for me to stay with the company. I had to turn him down because they could not match the package presented by my new employer. It was also a chance for me and my family to move and live in the US west coast, where the mild winter climate is bearable compared to the Midwest.

My next job was at the agricultural research division of Shell Development Company in Modesto, California. I was a Research Chemist, and again I worked individually, same as five other chemists who all reported to a supervisor. My specific duty was similar to my previous job. I worked for them for five years, until the company decided to get out of the pesticide business. They closed their research facility affecting the jobs of more than 200 employees.

My third industrial job was with the agricultural research division of Stauffer chemical company, located in Richmond, California. I was a Senior Research Chemist doing the same project as my two previous jobs. I worked for twelve continuous years for the company, with outstanding annual job performance. I became a Principal Research Chemist, the highest attainable non-supervisory position.

One day in 1986, my supervisor informed me that my job had been eliminated, and I had one day to vacate the facility. It was the most dreadful lay off experience in my life. I felt anger, sadness and humiliation to be dismissed from work with one day notice, after all the years of hard work invested for the company. This was an unforgettable incident and was the gloomiest point in my professional career.
The company terminated sixty research employees, who were upset of the bad news.

One of the chemists was distressed and expressed his outrageous anger by threatening the company and its workers. He told his supervisor of his intention to bomb and burn down the laboratory. He was immediately escorted by the security staff out of the building and into his car. He was informed to leave behind his personal belongings; they will be mailed to his residence. He was warned never to show up again near the company premises or risk getting arrested.

My supervisor was kind and allowed me to take my time to pack up my belongings. It took me two days to clear up my workplace, after toiling for a long period in the same jobsite. We were provided clerical help and office space, in preparation to look for another job, such as updating our resumes, and using the computer and copy machine. We were given six weeks of separation pay plus benefits.

Fortunately, with the help of a friend who is a Church parishioner, I found another job thirty days after leaving Stauffer chemical company. He hired me as a senior research chemist and as a group leader with two technicians to supervise. It was in the same field as my expertise in my previous three jobs spanning the last twenty one years. My new employer was Chevron Chemical Company, and which was located in the same area as my former employer.

This job gave me the introduction and basic knowledge of managing the work of subordinates. I worked for Chevron Company for four and a half years. The company decided to consolidate their research facilities in Texas, and lay off all its research employees. This time I had enough distress and agony from working, and eventually getting laid off from several private companies. To avoid going through any more miserable layoffs, I made a vow that I would never again work for a private company.

In my work experiences, there were noticeable and unavoidable jobsite occurrences. One can never miss the office romantic relationships between co-workers, both illicit and permitted. Though it was frowned upon, there was a boss and staff relationship, which was used as a ploy to get ahead in the company. Some relationships had chemistry, no pun intended, but some never worked out. Oftentimes, there was a sense of distrust among bench chemists for some workers who unjustly obtained preferred work assignments.

Some employees resorted to bribing superiors to get special privileges, such as being able to attend choice conferences and meetings in exciting venues or locations. Likewise, politics was always present at the worksites. It was during an era when various forms of harassment, equal opportunity and discrimination laws were not yet enforced in the workplace. Occasionally, an unexpected chemical explosion happens in a laboratory setting, where luckily no one got seriously hurt.

In the three private companies I worked for, I was able to publish scientific journals for some of the research studies and analytical methods which I developed for the respective companies of Chemagro, Shell Development and Stauffer.

After deciding and making a vow to avoid working in the private sector, I made my new goal which was either to work for the state of California, or the Federal government in Washington, D.C. Four months after I lost my job in Chevron, I was lucky and joyful to be hired by the Food and Drug Administration as a review chemist in the fall of 1990.

In 1994 I was promoted as an Expert Research Chemist with a GS-14 rating. My expertise was on Anti-malarial and Anti-parasitic drug products. In 1997, I was again deservingly promoted to Chemistry team leader, supervising the work of six Chemistry reviewers including five with doctorate degrees.

As team leader, I was responsible for prioritizing, assigning, and assuring the technical accuracy of all chemistry, manufacturing and control issues for all new drug applications submitted to the Division of Anti-Infective Drug Products, Center of New Drugs.

It was part of my responsibility to give advice, instruct and promote high morale and teamwork in my group. My work in the FDA is confidential, until the drug patent on the products I worked on has expired. There are manufacturing supplements that I have approved that are now open for the public in the Internet.

In 1998, I won the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Award. The citation reads, “For outstanding accomplishments in fostering the objectives of the EEO Program by hiring minorities and encouraging their professional growth while providing excellent leadership.” I have received numerous certificates of appreciation, awards in leadership and communications, commendation for teamwork and excellence in the accomplishment of the FDA mission. I have also received several letters of appreciation from private industry for my review work.

There are many good things working as rank and file while enjoying doing one’s job individually. It is a humbling, satisfying and productive experience, if one can work in harmony with one’s immediate supervisor. Working individually develops one’s skills in goal setting and scheduling. But in general, the financial rewards are less than a person who has supervisory responsibilities.

Managing the work of others has its challenges. Moreover, it develops one’s skill in handling and developing people, and the compensation rewards and benefits are better. Due to additional duties, responsibilities and leadership, supervisory work can be more stressful than working as a subordinate. However, supervisory jobs give one more personal growth and satisfaction, based on my personal experience. My work in FDA as a team leader managing the work of six scientists had been the happiest and rewarding work experience in my career in Chemistry. You might also like: