My lovely wife just pointed this out in today’s news:
Investments in retirement industry seen to grow this year
By Ma. Elisa P. Osorio (The Philippine Star) Updated August 26, 2009 12:00 AM
MANILA, Philippines – Investments in the retirement industry are expected to increase this year in spite of the slowdown in the global economy, the Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA) said.
In a press conference yesterday, PRA acting general manager Reynaldo D. Lingat said they expect more investments in the retirement industry even if investments in other sectors are declining.
He said they are negotiating with several foreign investors for retirement villages. Lingat said an American firm will build a continuing care facility in Clark. He said the firm is looking at an idle land beyond Subic.
Lingat said a European firm has likewise expressed interest in investing in a retirement facility.
PRA chairman Edgar B. Aglipay said these investments came about as a result of a more integrated and wholistic approach combined with a sound partnership with the private sector.
…
PRA has adopted a program called Local Integrated Retirement Area (LIRA) system. “With LIRA local government units and private business organizations are bonded together to support our retirees in areas of safety, health and wellness,” Aglipay said.
Editor’s note: This would be a real plus if it can actually be brought to fruition, would be nice to have an example for present retirees to check out. As it is now, the same banks the PRA want retirees to deposit money in often erroneously require applicants to have a retirement visa before opening and account. Similar artificial hurdles from non-PRA agencies and organizations abound. Anyone you see ‘retired; here in the Philippines has persevered through many hurdles to get his or her visa, it is not made easy, and foreign investors can’t cure these anti-foreigner attitudes.
Aglipay said the new theme line for Philippine retirement captures the spirit of the lifestyle and mindset we can offer to retirees.
He said that no one else in the world smiles from the heart the way Filipinos can, and the phrase “Smile at Life” promises the retiree that the second half of his or her life can be the best it can possibly can. It is also a phrase that can mean many things to many people, wonderful landscape and climate; warm, friendly people; an affordable yet luxurious lifestyle, he added.
Very nice words. Now put those words into action. Make the PRA website a one stop shop to get a visa, rather than a list of requirements for a retiree to hurdle before s/he reports, standing tall, with all requirements in hand. There is already a cottage industry here in the Philippines of folks (I hesitate to use the term ‘fixers’, but actually that is what they are) who charge as much as $1,000 YSD or more to fill up an SRRV application. I can’t blame these folks for performing a service, but I can tell the PRA that they leave no doubt in the average retiree’s mind that they only want to deal with big money foreign investors and not with individual retirees who might be considering the Philippines.
The ‘smiles’ theme is nothing but fluff, the retired person who might want to come to the Philippines doesn’t get the ‘smiles’ until he or she has run a gauntlet and paid a lot of money. I’m pleased by the foreign investment, I am not at all pleased by the PRA’s attitude to potential clients.
Instead of crating a culture where the forms are so onerous people pay $1,000 just to get help in filling them up, why doesn’t the PRA have a staff section that helps people get visas and gets paid only for each approved candidate? This would turn the whole process around if staffers were paid by visas granted rather than by standard salaries that they receive no matter what kind of service they provide? Or so Dave opines.
Popularity: 7% [?]
Gee, Dave I was perplexed as to which of the two blurbs, I should respond to, so I chose this one as I’m too lazy to scroll back up.
Now to the subject; The State of Florida has done well off of Snowbirds retirees both US and Canadian. And there is no reason the Philippines couldn’t do as well. But as you pointed out so very well, it’s their own government that’s slows the process down. Visa, and unending rules and or rule changes.
As one who was totally ripped off by the “Fixer’s”, and as a last ditch measure did it on my own, requiring many trips to Manila, the suggestion of getting paid by the number of visas issued has one small flaw. The higher ups would slow the process down until they received their cut from the guy/girl doing the work.
Hi Paul, I just noticed the double post … wonder how that happened. Oh well, two for the pric eof one, I won’t charge for the second coming.
Yes indeed that is true regarding pay for performance … but you know, even given that your conjecture is true, it would still result in more visas being issued.
Little note of interest abut Florida. Years ago, before ‘snowbirds’ became popular, my aunt and uncle who hailed from New Jeresy liked to go to Florida to a cottage they had bought there for the winter. Florida, in the days before Disney World was downright hostile to tourists … my uncle used to have to change the registration/license plates on his car twice a year becuase Florida wouldn’t let him use his NJ pates for more than 60 days.
Florida was also a poor state, never a place that for example, figured prominently in presidential elections or lauched space vehicles. Think there could be an attitude connection?
Hey Dave;
I didn’t realize Florida acted like that towards Tourists, I was there in 1965 till 1967 on my first Navy Ship, and my tags were covered by The Solder Sailor Civil Relief Act of 1947. I guess I paid no attention to civilians and their plight.
I was Stationed in Orlando while they were building Disney World, and because of all the out of state workers it was hard to find a Florida tag.
I think the problem with Visa’s will never work itself out during our lifetimes, but Someday……
that’s just for folks from NJ Dave, it’s still like that ! lol my family has been going to florida to winter and work (my father, an engineer had several contracts with NASA and invented the fire extinguisher system on apollo 17) since the late 50′s and have nothing but plesant interactions with people there. Like anywhere else including attitudes you recieve what you get, a yankee coming from NJ acting like he knows better then them dumb ass hicks down south just isn’t going to get a very good reception from the native folks there
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Yeah there’s acouple lessons there, usb’t there? I’ve know a few people who have retired here in the Philippines that I wish the Phils government had been a lot more selective about *sigh*