Readers take interest in retirement villages
Last week’s column about retirement villages becoming the next tourism hotspot drew reactions from readers. An American citizen, who is about to relocate here in the Philippines, confirmed the observation that retirees will do come to the Philippines to live a more comfortable life because “retirement income in the US enables me to barely make ends meet.”
The reader, who lists his address as Colorado Springs, however, has raised several valid concerns that authorities will find worth looking into. He requested anonymity if I decided to air his concerns to proper authorities so I will call him simply Mr. Retiree and quote parts of his letter. I hope that retired general Edgar Aglipay, chairman of the Philippine Retirement Authority, receives the message and realizes the urgency of Mr. Retiree’s concerns.
He wrote: “I’m a US citizen moving to the Philippines full-time mainly because of the financial advantages you mentioned. My retirement income in the US enables me to barely make ends meet. In the Philippines, I’ll be able to live very comfortably.
“However, if it were not for the fact I am married to a former Filipino and, thus, have family there, the Philippines would not be my first choice. There are a number of negative issues that the country could address quickly and economically. Right now many official policies actually drive visitors/retirees away, rather than encourage them.
“[On medical care], as you mentioned, improvements must be made. In many cases, this could be done without major overhauls. An example: An acquaintance was recently hospitalized in the Philippines. The gentleman had top quality US commercial health insurance which provided worldwide coverage.
“The US company reviewed the charges and faxed the Philippine hospital that charges were approved for payment. But the hosp[ital refused to accept the agreement and my friend had to call upon friends to max out their debit cards to bring in stacks of pesos to settle the bill. What do you think the chances are that this gentleman will stay in the Philippines? It doesn’t take a government program or investment in infrastructure, it takes an attitude on the part of the hospital to do business based on trust [backed up in writing].”
Visa and auto perks
Mr. Retiree also has something to say about the special resident retiree’s visa (SRRV) offered by Manila. He finds visa rules complex and “permitted investments limited and risky.”
“To tell a visitor to deposit up to $75,000 in a bank account that’s only insured for about $5,000 sounds silly to any thinking person, especially an older retiree who is very cautious with his nest egg. You want a foreigner to cough up $75,000 in cash and almost the first thing that is mentioned in requirements is “police clearance.” I realize law enforcement checks are needed but you don’t call a curious potential client a criminal off the bat. Again this isn’t a money thing or even a legal thing, it’s strictly attitudinal.
“The tourist visa is another impediment to long-term visitors. A foreigner can come to the Philippines and stay for up to a year as a tourist. So why make him trek to BID [Bureau of Immigration and Deportation] offices every two months to renew, when his intention is to stay for the maximum term? Charge the money upfront and make the tourist happy and reduce overhead and expense for the BID... win-win, di ba?
On car imports, Mr. Retiree finds the local rules funny. “A foreigner who owns a car cannot [realistically] bring it in, even if he avails of the SRRV program. But he can take a trip to Subic and buy cheap, poorly converted semi-legal imports of Japanese cast off vehicles any day of the week.”
On land ownership by foreigners, Mr. Retiree has this to say: “Controlled land ownership is one of the key factors the Philippines could do to attract visitors and it would cost nothing except a change in attitude.”
Paging developers
Tony Villa-real, a director of Canyon Woods Residential Resort in Tagaytay City, also took interest in last week’s column and invited this writer to visit his company’s project. Canyon Woods, he says, responds to government’s program to make the Philippines a retirement haven.
From Australia, reader Janice Chia wrote to ask if I can recommend the names of Philippine developers that might be interested on the Australian market. Ms. Chia, conference manager of Retirement Communities World Australia 2007, says her group is staging the major conference in Australia next year, with the theme “Institutional investments in retirement villages in Australasia.”
She said the meeting aimed “to discuss issues in retirement real estate property developments and funding in Australasia.” The Philippines will certainly learn a thing or two from Australia’s retirement community concept. Ray Enano - Manila Standard Today
The reader, who lists his address as Colorado Springs, however, has raised several valid concerns that authorities will find worth looking into. He requested anonymity if I decided to air his concerns to proper authorities so I will call him simply Mr. Retiree and quote parts of his letter. I hope that retired general Edgar Aglipay, chairman of the Philippine Retirement Authority, receives the message and realizes the urgency of Mr. Retiree’s concerns.
He wrote: “I’m a US citizen moving to the Philippines full-time mainly because of the financial advantages you mentioned. My retirement income in the US enables me to barely make ends meet. In the Philippines, I’ll be able to live very comfortably.
“However, if it were not for the fact I am married to a former Filipino and, thus, have family there, the Philippines would not be my first choice. There are a number of negative issues that the country could address quickly and economically. Right now many official policies actually drive visitors/retirees away, rather than encourage them.
“[On medical care], as you mentioned, improvements must be made. In many cases, this could be done without major overhauls. An example: An acquaintance was recently hospitalized in the Philippines. The gentleman had top quality US commercial health insurance which provided worldwide coverage.
“The US company reviewed the charges and faxed the Philippine hospital that charges were approved for payment. But the hosp[ital refused to accept the agreement and my friend had to call upon friends to max out their debit cards to bring in stacks of pesos to settle the bill. What do you think the chances are that this gentleman will stay in the Philippines? It doesn’t take a government program or investment in infrastructure, it takes an attitude on the part of the hospital to do business based on trust [backed up in writing].”
Visa and auto perks
Mr. Retiree also has something to say about the special resident retiree’s visa (SRRV) offered by Manila. He finds visa rules complex and “permitted investments limited and risky.”
“To tell a visitor to deposit up to $75,000 in a bank account that’s only insured for about $5,000 sounds silly to any thinking person, especially an older retiree who is very cautious with his nest egg. You want a foreigner to cough up $75,000 in cash and almost the first thing that is mentioned in requirements is “police clearance.” I realize law enforcement checks are needed but you don’t call a curious potential client a criminal off the bat. Again this isn’t a money thing or even a legal thing, it’s strictly attitudinal.
“The tourist visa is another impediment to long-term visitors. A foreigner can come to the Philippines and stay for up to a year as a tourist. So why make him trek to BID [Bureau of Immigration and Deportation] offices every two months to renew, when his intention is to stay for the maximum term? Charge the money upfront and make the tourist happy and reduce overhead and expense for the BID... win-win, di ba?
On car imports, Mr. Retiree finds the local rules funny. “A foreigner who owns a car cannot [realistically] bring it in, even if he avails of the SRRV program. But he can take a trip to Subic and buy cheap, poorly converted semi-legal imports of Japanese cast off vehicles any day of the week.”
On land ownership by foreigners, Mr. Retiree has this to say: “Controlled land ownership is one of the key factors the Philippines could do to attract visitors and it would cost nothing except a change in attitude.”
Paging developers
Tony Villa-real, a director of Canyon Woods Residential Resort in Tagaytay City, also took interest in last week’s column and invited this writer to visit his company’s project. Canyon Woods, he says, responds to government’s program to make the Philippines a retirement haven.
From Australia, reader Janice Chia wrote to ask if I can recommend the names of Philippine developers that might be interested on the Australian market. Ms. Chia, conference manager of Retirement Communities World Australia 2007, says her group is staging the major conference in Australia next year, with the theme “Institutional investments in retirement villages in Australasia.”
She said the meeting aimed “to discuss issues in retirement real estate property developments and funding in Australasia.” The Philippines will certainly learn a thing or two from Australia’s retirement community concept. Ray Enano - Manila Standard Today
posted by OlongapoCity Zambales at
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