Filipinos are known for their resilience, generosity, and deep faith. But when it comes to preparing for retirement, many fall into the same painful traps.
Too often, the golden years become years of anxiety, debt, and regret. Stories of jeepney drivers left with nothing, seamstresses unable to work, and OFWs returning home broke are all too common.
Retirement should be a season of peace, not of begging or borrowing.
Yet the mistakes people make early in life — trusting too much in children, spending without saving, or assuming good health will last forever — often catch up with them in their 50s and 60s, when it is too late to undo the damage.
The following true-to-life stories show 10 of the most common mistakes Filipinos commit.
Each ends with a lesson from Scripture — wisdom that was always there, but often ignored until it was too late.
1. Depending Only on Children for Support
Mang Tonyo drove a jeepney for 40 years. He often said, “My children are my retirement plan.” Every peso he earned went to their tuition and needs. He never saved for himself, believing his children would carry him when he grew old.
But when arthritis crippled his knees, he could no longer drive. His eldest was paying a housing loan, his second had three kids in school, and his youngest barely earned. When Tonyo asked for fare money to see a doctor, they hesitated. His pride cracked each time he begged.
Soon, he was borrowing coins from neighbors. Once strong and proud behind the wheel, he now sat by the window, silent, ashamed, waiting for a child who might not come.
Lesson: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord.” — Jeremiah 17:5
2. No Clear Retirement Plan
Aling Belen was a skilled seamstress. Her motto was “bahala na si Lord.” Every peso she earned went to food and fiestas. She never asked herself, “What about when I am old?”
At 62, her eyesight weakened, her hands shook, and work slowed down. With no savings, she depended on handouts from relatives. Each time she borrowed rice, the shame grew heavier.
The final blow came when her landlord raised the rent. She cried, realizing she had nowhere to go. Her sewing machine, once her lifeline, stood in the corner like a coffin for dreams she never planned.
Lesson: “The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.” — Proverbs 21:5
3. Starting Too Late with Savings
Jun spent his youth on new gadgets, nights out, and balikbayan boxes. He thought saving could wait. At 55, his company held a retirement seminar. That’s when he realized he had nothing.
He began saving then, but the years had slipped away. At 65, his small fund barely covered medicine. He envied colleagues who had started earlier, now living modest but secure retirements.
Jun’s greatest pain came when he asked his daughter for grocery money. Each time, it felt like a dagger to his dignity. He entered old age unarmed, realizing too late that time cannot be bought back.
Lesson: “Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. She prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest.” — Proverbs 6:6–8
4. Overspending in Youth
Liza worked abroad for 15 years. She enjoyed life to the fullest — branded bags, expensive vacations, grand parties for relatives. She thought her good income would last forever.
But when she came home for good, her money was gone. No savings, no house, no investment. Just memories and pictures on Facebook. At 60, she rented a small apartment and borrowed for her maintenance medicine.
The real sting came when she met an old roommate from abroad. That friend had lived simply, saved carefully, and was now living in comfort. Liza realized her greatest purchase was regret.
Lesson: “Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.” — Proverbs 21:17
5. Trusting SSS Alone
Mang Dolfo believed SSS would secure his future. For 30 years, he worked faithfully, convinced the government would care for him.
At retirement, he received ₱6,500 a month. It barely covered rice, let alone medicine. He could not work again, and his children were struggling with their own families.
His pension became a prison — enough to survive, never enough to live. He realized too late that SSS was a small stream, not the river he expected.
Lesson: “Do not put your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.” — Psalm 146:3
6. No Health Insurance
Ate Vangie lived simply and thought PhilHealth was enough. But at 58, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. PhilHealth covered a fraction; the rest of the bill was crushing.
She sold her jeep, pawned jewelry, and borrowed heavily. Each chemo session meant another loan.
Her family spiraled into debt, and neighbors whispered about their struggles.
The hardest part was watching her children give up their dreams to help pay her bills. Her illness didn’t just attack her body — it devoured her family’s future.
Lesson: “The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.” — Proverbs 22:3
7. Assuming Good Health Will Last
Mang Pepe prided himself on never getting sick. At 63, he was struck by a stroke that left half his body paralyzed. Overnight, he became dependent on others.
The hospital stay drained his savings. His wife st
ruggled to care for him, carrying him to the bathroom, feeding him by hand. His children took turns skipping work to help.
He realized too late that strength is fragile. The man who once carried sacks of rice now couldn’t lift a spoon. His pride was broken by the weight of his own weakness.
Lesson: “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.” — Proverbs 27:1
8. Selling Land in Desperation
Mang Kardo inherited a piece of farmland. When his wife fell ill, he sold it quickly, half the value, just to pay hospital bills.
Two years later, the land’s price doubled. The new owner built a warehouse and earned thousands monthly. Mang Kardo passed by the property often, his chest heavy with regret.
The land that could have secured his old age was gone forever, traded for short-term relief. His wife recovered, but he never recovered from the loss.
Lesson: “The borrower is the slave of the lender.” — Proverbs 22:7
9. Borrowing Even After Retirement
Manong Celso couldn’t stop his borrowing habits. Even in retirement, he took loans from “5-6” lenders, using his small pension as collateral.
Each month, more of his pension went to interest. He was trapped, watching his debt grow like a disease. His children grew bitter, resenting the mess they would inherit.
When he died, the debt collectors still came, asking his widow to pay what remained. Instead of leaving a legacy, Celso left chains.
Lesson: “The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.” — Proverbs 22:7
10. Spending Retirement Pay Too Quickly
Aling Dory celebrated her retirement with a grand fiesta. She bought a shiny new SUV and gave cash gifts to relatives. For a moment, she was the queen of the barangay.
But two years later, the money was gone. She sold kakanin by the church gate just to get by. Relatives who once cheered at her generosity were nowhere to be found.
Her golden years turned bitter. What was meant to last a lifetime vanished in months, like smoke in the wind.
Lesson: “Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man’s dwelling, but a foolish man devours it.” — Proverbs 21:20
What about you? Are you making the same mistakes now?
Are you depending too much on your children?
Are you living without a plan?
Are you spending as if tomorrow will never come?
Are you leaving your future to luck and chance?
Are you trusting SSS or PhilHealth alone to carry you?
Are you assuming your body will never fail you?
Are you risking everything by borrowing or selling too quickly?
Are you preparing wisely, or will you be caught empty-handed?
What’s your action step today?
