Philippine Retirement And Healthcare Summit

[JJReyes]

While there is no official announcement yet, I received word that the 2nd Philppine Retirement & Healthcare Summit is scheduled as a day long affair on April 24th. More likely the venue will be the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati, where it was held last year.This is a joint event sponsored by government agencies, the various chambers of commerce, and business and industry associations. I plan to attend and hopefully, participate in round table discussions involving visa issues and healthcare insurance. Any imputs from the forum members either about retirement or healthcare issues will be helpful. Our small group of Filipino-Americans, Filipino-Canadians, and several companies in the Philippines will try to push for changes.For example, we plan to propose a 90 days visa waiver instead of the current 21 days or the recent recommendation to increase it to 30 days. The purpose is to attract Canadian and American "snowbirds" to the Philippines during the winter months. Mexico is the number one foreign destination for snowbirds because the Mexican government issues a visa good for six months. Mexico charges a visa fee, but it is only around $20.Any suggestions?

Edited February 22, 2012 by JJR

[Dave Hounddriver]

For example, we plan to propose a 90 days visa waiver instead of the current 21 days or the recent recommendation to increase it to 30 days. The purpose is to attract Canadian and American "snowbirds" to the Philippines during the winter months. Mexico is the number foreign destination because the Mexican government issues a visa good for six months. Mexico charges a visa fee, but it is only around $20.

That is such a great idea. Keep in mind that what is missing most in convenience rather than getting something for nothing. A good compromise may be charging 3,000 Pesos right at the gate (instead of 21 free days) and then everyone pays it and everyone gets 90 days without visiting BI etc. (Charging too much would be seen as another 'gouging' attempt so I suggest 3,000 as the high side. Less would be better)

[Mike S]

OH MY GOD ...... guess I'll be relocating to the province ..... just what we need American snow-birds ... walking around with their shorts pulled up to their boobs and black knee socks with saddles ..... large black sunglasses .... with Hawaiian flower shirts and panama hat and a big fat cigar hanging from their fat lips ...... bitching about the cost of cornflakes and how much better everything is in the US ...... oh yea ..... the locals are gonna love them ...... especially the little guys that hang out in groups around outside Robinsons ..... easy pickens ..... but I guess if I don't like it the old saying "if you don't like it ... leave ... and don't let the door hit you in the a*s on the way out" ...... is apropos seems to be the normal trend for those that disagree with someone else ...... just saying ...... :attention: :hystery: :hystery:

[Dave Hounddriver]

bitching about the cost of cornflakes

That's 'cause we can't get bran here. I need bran flakes in my diet to keep me regular, ya know. But I don't think we need worry about snowbirds because they live in Motor Homes and you can't get them here.

[Mike S]

:hystery: :hystery: Good one Dave ...... actually you are right bout the snow-birds ....I was trying to make lite of a situation that will never happen ..... having lived in Florida for the past 20 years I know all about snow-birds ...... first off they are the original "cheap Charley's" and mostly stay with friends and relatives or vacation homes and cheap condos ..... they tend to gather in huge herds (depending on the states they come from) of milling bawling cattle ......They complain about everything and always tell how much cheaper it is back home here they came from (hummmm ... does that sound familiar) ...... they block the aisles in stories with their carts and stand an talk for hours ..... and are insulted if you ask them to move out of the way ...... they feel because they are staying there for 3 months that they are the only means of revenue coming in to support the whole damn state ..... and you should be grateful as hell to have them there (hummmm ... that also sounds familiar) ......The plane trip to the Phils would absolutely kill them as it takes them 5 days to come down from New York or other places as they have to stop and terrorize relatives and friends along the way ...... so 20+ hours in the air with frequent trips to the toilet in the rear of the plane would not be acceptable ......The healthcare system here would cause most to have a heart attack the first time they had to go in for their daily blood pressure check (as there is no Walmart or Walgreens to get their free one) but they would like the cheap cost of health care ... but still they know a doctor back home that will do it cheaper ..... and besides the pills here don't come in huge bottles and individual packaged pills by the each is unheard of ..... they don't have those back home either so it can't be right .....And the food ...... well lets just not get into that ...... also grandma is going to be exceedingly pi*sed off at grandpa when he starts popping those Viagra after seeing all the pretty Pilipinas giving him the eye in the malls ..... she ain't gonna wanna make whoopee after all these years ..... OK tried to give a humorous look into why the snow-birds will never be a factor in the Philippine tourist scene ...... all of the examples given above I have actually heard these people say ..... and until I started this I never realized that these are the exact same remarks I have heard many foreigners either living or visiting here also make ...... could it just be a coincidence ..... I think not ....... :hystery: :tiphat: .... IMHO

[JJReyes]

My request for suggestions regarding Philippine retirement and healthcare issues is serious. Sometime during its 28 years of existence, the Phlippine Retirement Authority (PRA) set a goal that by 2015 there will be one million international retirees, $20 billion in annual economic activity, and 5 million new jobs. Obviously, they won't make it. A non-profit organization was created known as The Philippine Retirement, Inc. (PRI) to assist PRA achieve their goal, which has been reset to 2030. The PRI includes representatives from the large land development companies, hospitals, insurance companies, hotels, resorts, etc. I believe visas and the visa fee structure is discouraging Americans to consider relocating to the Philippines in retirement. Are there other reasons why only a few Americans are in the Philippines compared to Mexico?

[Mike S]

The obvious answer is the distance from the US ..... in Mexico you can go back and forth with no problems ..... you can also own land in Mexico as long as it is not water front .....

[JJReyes]

The obvious answer is the distance from the US ..... in Mexico you can go back and forth with no problems ..... you can also own land in Mexico as long as it is not water front .....

I originally thought that distance was an important issue. Yet the new market for Mexico are European retirees. The travel distance for them is the same as Americans and Canadians from the West Coast going to the Philippines.I have not followed the issue closely, but it is my understanding the Mexican Supreme Court ruled that only Mexicans can own property. This is similar to Philippine law regarding property ownership. Foreigners who thought their home purchases included the land were told they would have to lease the property from the original owners.If the Philippines cannot attract American & Canadian snowbirds, Japan, South Korea and China also have harshed winters. A 90 days visa waiver or inexpensive 180 days visa maybe attractive. Philippines could serve as a warm climate destination durning the winter months.