Photogenic Cities in the Philippines - Compiled Threads [Archive] - Page 3

kiretoce

March 17th, 2007, 04:31 AM

Ledesco, The New Ancestral Home
March 16th, 2007

More balikbayans are coming back to the Philippines to retire. After years of working hard in a foreign country, they're yearning to go back to live the Filipino life that they missed.

However, the familiarity of home is not quite the way they remembered it. Two decades of breathing the air of highly developed countries have created standards that mostly they can’t experience when they come home.

“Most balikbayans still have homes in the province, or what they call ancestral homes. When they return from abroad, they want a place where they can relax and have extended vacations. But they also want to have the services similar to the place they left abroad right at their doorstep, which they cannot find in their old houses,” says RJ Ledesma, Executive Vice President of Ledesco Development Corporation, a family-owned real estate company that has been actively involved in developing residential and resort-oriented properties outside Metro Manila.

“Though excited to see their relatives and friends,” Ledesma reiterates, “the thought of traveling another four hours from the airport to their provincial house seems exhausting and time-consuming.” Despite the fact that they miss home, they opt stay in hotels because they want to experience the same facilities they’ve experienced in the more advanced countries abroad.

Thus, the need to build a new place, for the home they left in the province has lost its allure.

Modern Community Infused with Filipino Culture

Balikbayans are looking for a place where their children can stay, hold family reunions and spend the holidays.

One property that epitomizes what the returning Filipinos want is the 30-hectare Taal View Heights Country Homes. “It is the first and only property designed for new ancestral home,” says Ledesma. “I want the Filipino to live in a Filipino home,” Ledesma states. “Returning Pinoys are hungry for their culture. That’s why we’ve created a place where they can embrace their culture at arm’s length.”

Strategically located in a tourism magnet and in an area of rich cultural heritage & history (along the rolling hillsides of Tagaytay and in the historical province of Batangas), this modern Filipino community caters to returning Filipinos, retirees, overseas Filipino workers and former Filipino citizens. It is an hour ride from Manila—close enough to access the airport, hospitals, shopping malls, prestigious schools and other commercial areas but far enough to be safe from the pollution and hassle of the Metro. Moreover, it is the only place in the area that offers an unobstructed view of the Taal Lake & Volcano.

However, don’t get the impression that it’s made for balikbayans alone.

Mid income to high-income families will find Taal View Heights an ideal site for their resort/second homes. Those who are into planting will find the place ideal for gardening due to its rich volcanic soil, cool climate and great amount of moisture. Lots are dotted with numerous fruit trees and lush flora. Moreover, the property provides a convenient retreat from the stresses of the city—it soothes the tired mind and revives the spirit with its tang of fresh air and the beauty & majesty of nature. Homeowners wake up to a beautiful morning, enjoy the slow easy life and forget the frenzied city pace.

Another good thing about Taal View Heights is that it keeps up with the worldwide trend of conserving heritage architecture and concurrently building new ones supportive of the local traditions. “The property is near Taal, where old century churches and bahay na bato-inspired houses stand until today,” Ledesma explains. “Also, it is located in a place that has a deep connection with the hero Apolinario Mabini and the revolutionary group Katipunan.” This is the reason behind the construction of Filipino-inspired homes in the property.

“As a developer, we want people to know that we do not exist to ourselves alone. We want to bring into our community the rich cultural heritage of the place along with the preservation of the natural assets of the site for the owners to enjoy,” Ledesma adds.

Architectural Design

Those who are not familiar with Filipino-inspired homes, Architect Augusto F. Villalón, renowned crusader for heritage conservation and author of several books including Lugar, explains, “There are many Filipino architectural homes—pre-Hispanic, American, 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. If there’s any distinct feature common to these houses, it’s the fact that they are created to fit the Filipino culture, taste, lifestyle and environment during the decade that they were built.”

Architect Villalón, the chair of the Heritage Conservation Society, designed a house for Taal View Heights. “That’s a 2006 Filipino house, which is actually a house done in today’s vocabulary,” he says. The UNESCO Cultural Heritage Planner describes his design as distinctly Pinoy, with its characteristic high-pitched roof and large windows that open all the way to the floor. The floor is raised, patterned after the old Filipino houses located in areas where floodwaters enter the house during rainy days. A part of the ground floor is made of stone, similar to the bahay na bato, while the upper part is wooden.

The house designed by Architect Villalón offers an unimpeded view of the Taal Lake & Volcano. “It’s not specifically a Taal house but it matches the Taal environment. It is very, very open especially at the back. The large windows allow cool breeze to enter during hot summer days, collect natural ventilation and take advantage of the view of the volcano,” he explains.

“I followed the guidelines set by Ledesco. In fact, I find the guidelines as a beginning of something else, of something bigger. It serves an educational purpose for those who have no—or little—knowledge of Filipino architecture,” the architect says.

By creating an architectural guideline, the property encourages the development of a community that lends itself to manifesting and rediscovering the rich Filipino heritage while at the same time ensuring that construction is finished. The regulations are also meant to protect the interest of everybody in the village and to make sure that the houses look tastefully designed—an answer to balikbayans desire to show the fact that they’ve arrived.

Taal View Heights is a residential/resort estate located in the heart of Tagaytay/Talisay, Batangas. It is the ideal getaway for those who are tired of the hustle and bustle of the city. Average lot sizes range from 750 to 1000 square meters at very affordable prices. For inquiries, please call tel. nos. 811-6420 or 811-1169 or e-mail inquiries at inquiry@ledesco.com. Also, visit their website at www.taalviewheights.com.

Rene Ybardolaza

March 17th, 2007, 05:11 PM

^^ Love the Taal area. Cool climate, provincial atmosphere, and beautiful sights. Unfortunately, access to the area is becoming congested especially on weekends. Last concern is the volcano itself. Major devastation if that beautiful piece of land explodes.

Sinjin P.

March 18th, 2007, 01:30 PM

Navotas
by imanifest - Flickr

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/184/423501263_2b46d0e902_o.jpg

Just South of Manila
by rainkaos - Flickr

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/157/422870103_31d938a372_o.jpg

habagatcentral1

March 19th, 2007, 07:30 AM

^^ The realities of every Philippine city nowadays. Everytime I see these signs of poverty and neglect, it really hurts.

Hoping that progress would trickle down all the way to the poorest of the poor.

venntro

March 19th, 2007, 08:09 AM

Banks going into havens for retirees

By Manuel T. Cayon
Reporter

DAVAO CITY—Banks are joining in the Philippine push to get a slice of the total foreign retirees by getting themselves accredited with the Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA) as conduits of foreign retirement pensions expected to be plowed into the country with the government’s renewed drive.

Retired police general Edgar Aglipay, PRA chairman, said the reactivated government campaign to get at least one percent of the world’s retirees migrating to developing countries may generate for the country $44 billion by 2015. “Banks are lining up at our office for accreditation.”

In a news briefing here Saturday, Aglipay said the country generated $32 million last year from the pension spending of 1,000 foreign retirees. The PRA estimated that number would increase four-fold this year, and increase the dollar inflow to $140 million. By 2010, the agency hopes to attract 68,000 foreign retirees, who are estimated to be spending $2.79 billion annually.

He added a rosy picture—that should they succeed in attracting more with the “happy and smiling nature” of Filipinos, they hoped that by 2015, there would be about 860,000 foreign retirees, who in turn would be expected to generate $44 billion for the Philippines.

The retirement authority said the estimate for 2015 of those choosing the Philippines only constitutes less than one percent of the over 60 years old and the 45-59 age group of young retirees from six developed countries.

The PRA said that retirees would be expected to spend here their monthly pensions of between $1,000 and $1,500, on top of the $20,000 fee required for each to settle here.

The Philippine competitors who are now getting the major portion of the retirees from Europe is Spain, while those from the Oceania region prefer Australia; North Americans favor Canada while Panama and Mexico are the retirement areas for South Americans.

The Philippines’ strongest rivals for the retiree dollars for Asian retirees are Thailand and Malaysia.

The bulk of the retirement villages are in Luzon—Subic in Zambales, Mabalacat and Mexico in Pampanga, Los Baños in Laguna, Sto. Tomas, San Isidro and Lipa City in Batangas, Aurora and Gen. Nakar in Quezon, Caliraya in Laguna, Camarines Norte, and in Sorsogon City, Sorsogon, all in Luzon.

Only one is in the Visayas—Cebu City, and one in Mindanao, in Zamboanga City.

Aglipay said the Puyat family is building a retirement village inside a 600-hectare area in Tagaytay, while the SM Group has prepared a 5,000-hectare site fronting its Mall of Asia for a future homesite.

A local developer here, the Pacific Heights, has prepared a half-kilometer beach front of Samal Island, fronting Davao City, for a retirement village of 400 units.

He has also asked local governments in these areas, and in localities where subdivision and property developers have expressed interest in constructing retirement villages, to send their workers for training in retirement facilities.

diehardbisdak

March 19th, 2007, 04:55 PM

^^ i've lived for 2 years in a nice area in Navotas (San Jose)... glad that the residents there are cooperating with the government regarding garbage disposal and recycling... those garbage did not come solely from Navotas residents but from those irresponsible residents in the neighboring coastal communities...

Rene Ybardolaza

March 19th, 2007, 11:04 PM

More retirees = more banks. More banks, means more money for them to invest. As a retiree, I will have a choice of parking my money either in the US or in the Philippines or both. Less risk for the former, but higher return for the latter. Another concern is taxation. Less means more in my pocket. Choices, choices.

There's a lot of opportunities here for the government of the Philippines to capitalize on this coming phenomenon. I hope they don't blow it by being too greedy or bureaucratic.

Mootown

March 20th, 2007, 05:16 AM

DWAWguyZ6x8

watch the video...
Boundary dispute Between The city of Cebu and Talisay city over SRP :bash: ...
And WTF is talisay doing with the squatters Nothing!!! their letting them get out of control and they want a part of SRP... irresponsible:ohno:

Thanks for the video to Alindasay of Youtube

amras

March 20th, 2007, 09:44 AM

is this an squatter area? kasi nagpapataasan na sila ng bahay...

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/157/422870103_31d938a372_o.jpg

Waldenstrom

March 20th, 2007, 03:53 PM

is this an squatter area? kasi nagpapataasan na sila ng bahay...

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/157/422870103_31d938a372_o.jpg

There is no doubt this is a squatter's area in Bacoor, Cavite! :ohno: I just don't know if this is Brgy. Longos. It's really a major eye sore and a shame not just to Bacoor but to the whole province of Cavite.

This picture was taken in a flyover going to Coastal Road and there, you will see more squatters on the shore near the on-going construction of Manila-Cavite coastal highway.

kyle@1008

March 20th, 2007, 06:41 PM

^^ Kind of, reminds me of gotham's ghetto , in batman begins...

Nabartek

March 21st, 2007, 12:19 AM

Baguio:

Land Grabbing
Discrimination against the Igorots by the lowlanders, tourists or immigrants or even those effing students who are supposed to be "educated"
Big time squatting
Proliferation of criminals
SM Baguio..darn that.... darn you Henry Sy..just go back to China and build your malls there!
That short-budgeted flyover
high in-migration rate from the lowlands
Ukay-ukay proliferation(darn you Paolo Bediones for promoting ukay-ukay...)
Proliferation of substandard and unhygienic establishments
Ill-disciplined PUV drivers...mostly lowlanders =(
Collorum taxis
The "rich" beggars
increasing land and air pollution
Overwhelming large number of tourists.

kiretoce

March 29th, 2007, 10:53 PM

RP best retirement haven for foreign nationals, says Gen. Aglipay (http://www.pia.gov.ph/default.asp?m=12&fi=p070329.htm&no=58)
By Cathy Apelacio

General Santos City (29 March) -- Smile at life…in the Philippines!

Retired Police Director General Edgar Aglipay, chairperson of the Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA) proudly enunciated the agency's battle cry shoving the Philippines as retirement hub in the world.

"We have this branding because Filipinos are by nature happy people and it is the kind of service Filipinos provide - from the heart," he explained.

PRA, a government-owned and controlled corporation supports the Philippine economy through the foreign currency remitted by foreign nationals to the country.

As lead government agency, Gen. Aglipay said PRA "has a mandate to attract foreign nationals, 35 years and above and former Filipino citizens to retire in the Philippines."

He said its (PRA) program particularly aimed at those retirees born after World War II whom he described as "baby boomers," and who, according to him have "a great deal of income."

Aglipay believes that the Philippines has the best features in store for retirees, namely: climate, safety, proximity to medical supplies, highly skilled and caring people, low-cost living, natural attractions, and desirable facilities.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo declared the Philippine retirement industry as a key flagship program armed with the belief that the "country will benefit a lot if the potential of the retirement industry can be harnessed."

Committed to help the government accelerate "socio-economic development; contribute to foreign currency reserve; and provide in a most attractive package the best quality of life to its foreigner-retirees," PRA expects to generate thru its program $44B which is expected to snowball by end of 2015.

Aside from that, it also anticipates to pump employment to benefit some 4 million Filipinos. Aglipay was also confident that the program will bring about "reverse migration" and might even convince highly skilled workers and professionals to opt to stay in the Philippines rather than seek employment abroad.

"Last year was a very good year for PRA. The enrollees for special resident visitor's visa (SRRV) have increased compared to 2004 and 2005," Gen. Aglipay intoned.

The SRRV is a special visa that allows the holder to stay in the Philippines for one year, from the date of arrival in the Philippines.

All foreign nationals, except those classified as "restricted" by the Department of Foreign Affairs, are eligible to join the program, he stressed as he prodded "marketers and facilities to renew their accreditation for year 2007."

"We are now working on the different incentive schemes for marketers who enroll more retirees in the program, and for facilities that would attract more retirees to invest in their properties for the coming year," Aglipay added.

PRA, the retirees' "home away from home" has participated in different international and local travel and trade expo to promote the retirement program of the Philippine Government.

It also provides assistance to enrollees in facilitating the processing of their application papers, investments and other business transactions in the country.

Aglipay said a retiree can choose to invest their required deposit through the following means: purchase of a condominium unit; subscription of shares of stocks in a non-traded Philippine corporation; purchase of shares of stock in existing corporations registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission and selected corporations traded in the Philippine Stock Exchange; long-term lease of a parcel of land or house and lot; construction of a residential unit on a leased parcel of land; and purchase of proprietary shares in golf clubs.

But he said his agency has special offer for former Filipinos "because they can purchase a lot not exceeding 5,000 square meters in urban areas or three hectares in rural areas to be used for business or other purposes."

Aglipay has been touring the entire country to scout for viable sites where PRA can establish facilities to boost the number of destination areas for the visiting retirees.

"There are lots of existing properties available for retirement facility development that are found in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao," he revealed.

For Region XII, he said he is eyeing a particular area in Maasim, Sarangani and Tambler, General Santos City as potential retirement havens. "Both areas have their own unique potential that can be developed into some kind of amenities for this purpose."

Aglipay was accompanied by Sarangani Governor Migs Dominguez and Col. Willie Dangane during his tour of Sarangani-GenSan over the weekend.

SamwiseGamgee

April 4th, 2007, 11:45 AM

CTALK By Cito Beltran
The Philippine Star 04/04/2007

... If you’re going out of town specially in the Visayas, now would be a good time to make comparisons between Metro Manila under the MMDA compared to other cities and towns such as Ormoc, Bacolod, Cebu and Iloilo.

The persistent whiners in Metro Manila never get tired of criticizing the MMDA for the many traffic systems, technology, and law enforcement they have developed and put into effect.

Anyone who experiences the REGULAR daily traffic in Bacolod City will most certainly have a better appreciation for the MMDA.

Private car drivers in Bacolod, DO NOT GIVE WAY to others. They have no concept of right of way, they don’t have functional yellow box zones at intersections, and even in minor intersections they always try to beat each other at the crossing.

In Cebu, the opening and closure of streets and bridges are dependent on the current relationships of mayors, the police, and the pier management.

In Iloilo, it could take you as much as an hour to cross a kilometer because jeepneys fearlessly block the road, waiting for passengers to fill up.

Even under the classification of "City" these cities have NO tow trucks, parking attendants, or visible traffic management authorities. This is strange considering the major growth of business, specially hotels and entertainment areas in these cities.

They are no longer sleepy towns or laid back places. They have areas similar to the ones we call "Strips" or gimmick areas. With everyone busy trying to draw more investments and business, the local bosses are obviously just adjusting to the way things develop instead of creating and building up their own version of MMDA...

http://philstar.com/philstar/NEWS200704042605.htm

athan

April 5th, 2007, 04:26 AM

^ It's really good that we have a central government for Metro Manila that takes care of the traffic management and overall development of the 17 cities and municipalities of the region. But since Metro Manila (NCR) is the only metropolis in the country that is considered a region and therefore has its own central administrative authority, i wonder how the other metropolitan areas like Cebu can possibly do what MMDA does. I wonder if they (Metro Cebu) can even implement their own set of unified rules given they're only a collection of cities and governments with no administrative powers over one another.

Ady001

April 5th, 2007, 08:06 PM

^^ It's a mixed bag of a report...

CBeltran was trying to say that our cities can fully compete with manila in terms of modernity, and that our cities can actually fight against the capital.

Or, some of our cities are still in the old fashioned way of handling things, and must thus change for the better...

kyle@1008

April 5th, 2007, 08:13 PM

^^ I don't listen to cito beltran,... wasn't he the guy who said that cory dived under her bed, during coup'd'etat??

SamwiseGamgee

April 7th, 2007, 06:24 AM

^^ I don't listen to cito beltran,... wasn't he the guy who said that cory dived under her bed, during coup'd'etat??

That was his father - the late Great Louie Beltran... :)

flesh_is_weak

April 7th, 2007, 06:32 AM

OMG, so this thread is still alive...kewl...

i do agree with the road closure thing here in Cebu...i didnt appreciate the impact of the closure of the larsian road not until i went on duty at VSMMC and had to buy something at Robinsons...i had to climb up the road-block while in my uniform...

portludlow

April 7th, 2007, 09:15 AM

The Perfect Place
by Steve Mollman
Friday, April 6, 2007

http://finance.yahoo.com/retirement/article/102765/The-Perfect-Place

If there were a better place to spend their retirement years, Harold and Mary Richards would have found it.

The British retirees surveyed the globe, drawing upon their years of living outside the United Kingdom for his career in education. They considered overlooked spots such as Croatia and Bulgaria. They even gave promising contenders a chance, first trying out South Africa and then Spain.

Ultimately, they picked Phuket, an island on Thailand's west coast blessed with sunshine, tranquility and friendly people. The price of entry also worked in their favor: For about $500,000, they got a four-bedroom luxury villa with a private pool, courtyard and garden. They figure that's less than half what it would have cost in similar spots in most European countries.

"This is a palace," Mr. Richards declares, surveying his new home. "What more could a man want?"

The Richardses aren't the only retirees from abroad happily settling into Southeast Asia. More people from around the world are coming to the region, drawn by word of mouth, incentives from regional governments vying for retirement nest eggs, and affordable living, including housing and relatively inexpensive medical care.

"Retirees everywhere are taking a very close look at the relative quality and cost of living in deciding where to spend their retirement years," says Su-yen Wong, a managing director for Mercer Human Resource Consulting in Singapore. "Much of the Southeast Asian region scores particularly favorably in the analysis."

According to Mercer's 2006 cost-of-living study, Kuala Lumpur ranked 114th out of 144 cities, while Bangkok was 127th and Manila came in at number 141. By comparison, Seoul, Tokyo and Hong Kong ranked as the second, third, and fourth costliest places (behind Moscow), while London and New York were in the top 10. Sydney was the 19th most expensive city, Madrid ranked 53rd and Monterrey in Mexico was 103.

While the overall number of overseas retirees in Southeast Asia is still small, it's growing fast. Malaysia, for instance, started issuing retirement visas in 1996. By 1998, there were fewer than 50 holders of such visas. But by 2001, the total had grown to more than 800 and last year topped 8,700, excluding dependents. Malaysia aims to add 3,000 to 3,500 retirement visas annually over the next three years under its Malaysia My Second Home program, says Donald Lim, the country's deputy minister of tourism.

Thailand doesn't have an official retirement program in place, but the number of retirement visas is climbing there, too. In 2005, Thai officials say nearly 1,500 visas were granted to overseas retirees. The final tally isn't in yet for 2006, but they say it will show a big increase.

The Philippines, meanwhile, has revved up its recruiting efforts as a matter of national priority. The number of overseas retirees rose by 1,273 last year, more than double the previous year's total. The number of active retirement visa holders totaled 5,183 at the end of 2006, excluding dependents.

"We aim to have one million retirees here by 2015," says Ernesto M. Ordonez, president of Philippine Retirement Inc., a nonprofit organization that helps foster cooperation between private companies and the government's Philippine Retirement Authority, which processes visas for retirees.

With that ambitious goal -- and the competition -- in mind, the Philippines is making a systematic effort to attract retirees from abroad. In January it halved the size of the local bank deposit it requires retirees to make to prove their financial viability -- this after Thailand stopped requiring any deposit from retirees as long as they can demonstrate a monthly pension of about $2,000. The Philippines now requires a $10,000 deposit, which covers the retiree and any dependents, providing retirees can show a monthly pension of $800 for a single person or $1,000 for a couple.

The latest cut followed a previous halving of the deposit requirement, which is partly credited for a surge in the number of retirees in 2006, says Lory Morgia, the retirement authority's marketing chief.

The good news for these countries is that the pool of potential retirees keeps expanding. The retiree population -- defined as age 60 and above -- from the U.S., Europe, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and mainland China totaled 326.6 million people in 2006, according to the Healthcare Coalition Institute, a California-based industry research group. That figure should reach 425.6 million by 2015, the institute predicts. In Japan alone, nearly seven million people are set to turn 60 and retire over the next three years, according to Japan's National Institute of Population and Social Security Research.

Indeed, says Liam Bailey, head of residential research at real-estate services company Knight Frank LLP in London, the biggest potential source of overseas retirees for Southeast Asia is Asians retiring near their home countries. Most Americans and Europeans, he notes, will naturally stick to areas closer to home, such as the Caribbean and southern Europe respectively. "They want to be able to get back to their home country easily. It's sort of convenience-led."

Likewise, Mr. Bailey says, most Asian retirees will prefer to stick to their region. "We haven't really begun to see the impact of, say, wealthy India and China money, and second-home purchases in Asia. It will become enormous," he says.

Already, Malaysia is benefiting from the growing middle class in China. Lai Shevren, a spokeswoman in Kuala Lumpur for the Malaysian retirement program, notes that the largest single group of retirement visa holders -- about 2,000 -- are mainland Chinese. She says one attraction is that many of them have relatives in Malaysia.

"If we could capture even less than 1% of (the global retiree) market, it would benefit our economy hugely," says the Philippines's Mr. Ordonez. "We believe that every retiree who comes will create four jobs -- such as maids, cooks, drivers, nurses and caregivers, barbers and hairdressers. If every retiree spends an average of $1,000 a month, we will bring in revenue of $1 billion a month as well as creating four million jobs." The strategy is partly aimed at helping reverse the country's troubling brain drain of skilled workers such as doctors and nurses, he adds.

(Australia is often viewed as a big regional retirement spot, but its immigration hurdles, including the financial requirements for a visa, are significantly higher than they are in Southeast Asia.)

Of course, the concept of retirement means different things to different people. And these days retirees come in an array of ages and family situations, from 60-something bachelors to 50-ish couples with school-age kids. Some want to resettle permanently in a location; others want to split their time between favored destinations.

Take Hong Kong businessman John Tam. He holds a retirement visa for Thailand, but the 58-year-old semi retired executive plans to live there only three or four months a year. He bought a villa on Phuket about two and half years ago with an eye toward retirement -- and investment. He and his wife Magdalena, 56, move between it and other homes they have in Shanghai (because of its liveliness), Beijing and Wuhan (for their culture and history), Bangkok (for the people and the food) and Hong Kong.

"I'm planning to split my time among several places," says Mr. Tam, who plans to leave his electronics-component distribution business when he turns 60. "I'm used to traveling a lot, so it would allow me to travel here and there, even in retirement."

Mr. Tam won't disclose his purchase price, but a realtor in Phuket says prices have climbed 30% annually over the past five years and she estimates the Tam home currently is worth about $2 million. (Parts of the island were damaged in the 2004 tsunami. But Mr. Tam says his villa is elevated and fronted by islands that act as a natural barrier; the neighborhood where the Richardses live was largely untouched.)

Billy and Marita Thomson, who recently purchased a retirement condo in the Philippines' Subic Bay area, site of a former U.S. naval base northwest of Manila, also plan to divide their time. They met there in the 1960s when Mr. Thomson, now 60, was a U.S. Marine. But, having lived in Alaska for the past 30 years, Mr. Thomson isn't about to give up his salmon fishing. So the couple plans to spend half the year in Alaska and half the year in the Philippines's warmer climate, where he enjoys swimming, snorkeling and scuba diving and she visits her family.

The Philippine government also is trying to lure back Filipinos who settled in the U.S. and are now reaching retirement age -- people like Pepito and Fina Raguini, aged 63 and 62 respectively, who grew up in the Philippines but have long lived in America where she worked as a nurse and he was in the U.S. Navy. Two years ago, they bought a two-bedroom unit at Subic Holiday Villas after a relative purchased one. Now they go there about twice a year for two or three months at a time and spend the rest of the year in their spacious home in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

"At least 50% of our condo sales" are to Filipinos living in the U.S., says John M. Reyna, assistant vice president for Robinsons Land Corp.'s leisure and retirement project. Starland Properties Inc., developer of Subic Holiday Villas, says that more than 80% of its buyers are Filipino Americans who divide their time between the two countries.

Others intend to make a more permanent move. Lee Hyeung Seock's physician in Seoul recommended he avoid the South Korean capital's polluted air because of a lung ailment. So Mr. Lee, 50, retired as an exporter of women's garments, applied for a Malaysian retirement visa and moved to Kuala Lumpur with his family last September. Being able to enroll his 10-year-old son in an American-style school is a bonus. "In Korea," Mr. Lee says, "there are only a few international schools."

For Kiyoshi Shiraiwa, 65, and his wife Yoko, 59, the bonus of retiring to Malaysia is golf. They pay about $425 each for annual membership at Kelab Golf Perkhidmatan Awam, a lush country club 10 minutes away by taxi from their Kuala Lumpur condo. They say that in Tokyo something equivalent would cost 10 times as much -- and be 90 minutes away. "We play golf twice a week," says Ms. Shiraiwa, looking as if she still can't believe it.

The couple rent their condo, which has a pool, tennis courts and gym, for about $575 a month; they estimate a similar set-up in Tokyo would cost more than $1,700. And the comforts of home -- including shops that cater to Japanese tastes -- aren't far away. "It's like a little Tokyo," beams Ms. Shiraiwa.

Jack Simon, a retired swimming coach from Florida, chose to settle on Penang, an island off Malaysia's northwest coast. The 68-year-old bachelor, who is fluent in Spanish, considered settling somewhere closer to home, such as Mexico, Ecuador, Uruguay or Chile. But he had attended a work conference in the region a few years back, and on a side trip to Penang was impressed by the island's food, friendliness, climate -- and low costs.

Mr. Simon describes Penang as "unbelievably inexpensive," noting he gets by mainly on his U.S. Social Security checks. He pays about $350 a month for a two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo that overlooks the Andaman Sea and is surrounded by tropical jungle. He plays golf frequently with friends, and dines out four or five times a week. A maid cleans for him once a week.

All told, Mr. Simon says he lives on less than $1,500 a month, adding that he could never enjoy his current lifestyle on the Florida coast spending the same amount.

Accessibility to good health care also influenced his decision to stay in Penang, Mr. Simon says. Not long after arriving, he had major spinal surgery at Island Hospital, a local private facility. That was followed by minor prostate surgery. "Medical care here is first rate," he says. Mr. Simon says he isn't insured, so he paid cash, and adds that the two procedures, including hospital stays and 24-hour home care, totaled less than $10,000. He figures his out-of-pocket expenses in the U.S., where much of the bill would have been covered by the government's Medicare program, would still have cost him two to three times more than he paid in Malaysia.

The low cost of living also drew Takeshi Yano, 63, and his wife, Junko, to Penang. "It's very, very hard to live in Japan with only a pension, so (retirees) are moving here," says the former cosmetics importer from Tokyo.

Mr. Yano, who says the couple didn't know anyone in Penang when they decided to move there, receives a monthly government pension of about $2,000 to $2,500, depending on the exchange rate. "I wanted to go to Europe or the U.S., but the basic idea is: Can we live with the pension or not?"

On Penang, he says, he manages by paying about $450 in monthly rent for a three-bedroom, sea-view apartment. Mr. Yano says he plays golf once a week and socializes with other Japanese retirees and expatriates, as well as Penang locals.

For some, though, the gain in lifestyle doesn't offset the loss of comfort zone. Mr. Yano says some of his acquaintances on Penang went back to Japan after a few months because they couldn't adjust. They didn't speak English -- almost everyone there does. They also didn't own a car, he says, plus Penang isn't pedestrian-friendly and doesn't have enough taxis -- and taxi drivers charge the Japanese more, he grouses.

Other things some people have difficulty adjusting to are the lack of seasons and the sometimes-oppressive heat and humidity. There's also, of course, the distance from family and friends. Security issues, too, are a major concern among overseas retirees.

Mikio Mori, 53, and his wife Etsuko, 42, considered resettling in the Philippines when Mr. Mori retired from a big Japanese oil company in Japan, but he says they worried about "no safety" in the Philippines, an image problem Philippine officials acknowledge but say doesn't reflect reality. Anticipating language difficulties in Thailand, the Moris opted for Kuala Lumpur, where they have a view of the Petronas Twin Towers from their high-rise apartment.

Then there's insurance. Because national healthcare coverage usually doesn't apply to a foreign retiree, medical expenses are out of pocket if the retiree isn't covered by private local insurance, which can be hard to obtain for anyone over 60.

Back in Thailand, the Richardses -- he is 81 and she is 79 -- are convinced they made the right decision. Married for 59 years, they spent all but five of those outside Britain. They are still settling into Phuket's lifestyle, having moved into their villa in November. But aside from minor annoyances, like having to renew his Thai retirement visa every 12 months, Mr. Richards says he has little to complain about.

"This seemed to be an ideal place to spend the rest of our lives," he says. "We settled here, and we have absolutely no regrets at all."

--Steve Mollman is an Asia-based writer. Ian Gill in Manila contributed to this article.

rage@cebu

April 9th, 2007, 11:32 AM

MMDA is bigger... but CITOM of (Cebu City) is better... they have the technology, personnel, equipment and the kind of law enforcement in the streets we want....

problem with metro cebu (lapu2x city, mandaue city, cebu city) there is no unified traffic body.... in mandaue: TEDMAN, Lapu2x: CTMS, Cebu City: CITOM...

only if the national govt. initiates a metro wide traffic body in Cebu would help...

habagatcentral1

April 10th, 2007, 03:01 AM

nicko

April 13th, 2007, 05:04 PM

Rizal Boulevard's "Dark Side"
Dumaguete's very bad traffic condition..:ohno: :ohno: :nuts: :ohno: :ohno:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/179/419704424_61b134d11a.jpg?v=0

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/127/419704428_87f1258ea7.jpg?v=0

carlo pontevedra

April 15th, 2007, 02:55 PM

None sense political rallies at the intersection of Ayala Avenue and Paseo de Roxas!

WawaY[625]

April 15th, 2007, 07:47 PM

rallyists = http://vietnamglobalteam.org/images/smilies/BBP/05.gif

kiretoce

April 17th, 2007, 10:39 PM

Aklan as RP's retirement haven (http://www.thenewstoday.info/2007/04/17/aklan.as.rps.retirement.haven.html)

New Washington, Aklan -- With Boracay Island's pristine, long beautiful beaches, Aklan's modern medical facilities big shopping centers and airports of international standard, the province will be the next retirement village site in the Philippines, according to Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA) Chairman Edgar Aglipay.

General Aglipay headed the group that came to Aklan Friday, April 13 as part of PRA's awareness campaign for Western Visayas residents to promote the retirement program, the latest key flagship program of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

The awareness campaign in Aklan came in the form of a luncheon press conference which was held at Sampaguita Gardens in New Washington town and attended by members of the Aklan media and representatives and heads of national and provincial offices. Aklan Governor Carlito S. Marquez also joined the activity.

Gen. Aglipay said that in targeting Aklan where Boracay is as one of the country's retirement haven, the PRA considers the fact that there is already no need for an extensive promotion of the place as Boracay is very popular throughout the world.

"The retirement industry is a big one and the government targets that by 2015 when even a minimal percentage of retirees from the different parts of the world come to the Philippines, there will be an estimated $44 Billion inflow in the country. With this, 4 million Filipinos will be given jobs and there will be reverse migration -- Filipinos no longer need to work abroad as work could be found here with good pay, and they can also be with their families," Aglipay stressed.

Aglipay also said all these things will have multiplier effects.

Aklan Governor Carlito Marquez, for his part, said he fully supports the program of the Philippine Retirement Authority, and in fact, had already been briefed by Gen. Aglipay on the program earlier.

"We are preparing Boracay Island to be the number 1 tourist destination of the world. In fact, during the recent Holy Week, Boracay Island was cited to be the number 1 tourist destination of the country for the period, with Cebu and Bohol at its heels. We are envisioning Boracay or Nabas as a retirement village site and other areas as long as the place is located along the tourism zone. Our local government units are preparing for this opportunity because of tourism receipts. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is also very optimistic with our place, citing Aklan as the golden province of the country," Marquez revealed.

Along with Aglipay's group was Bureau of Immigration Commissioner and PRA trustee Enrique Galang, who said the retirement program is good for the economy. Caregivers, nurses, English teachers (in the case of Korean retirees) will be much in demand in retirement villages, according to Galang. "Currently, retirement villages in the Philippines are found in Cebu, Baguio and Manila. I happened to ask some retirees of how they feel about the Philippines and they can only say ‘Paradise'. It's only in the Philippines, they say, where they can witness the rising and setting of the sun regularly, unlike in their countries in Europe or in the US," Galang said.

death327

April 18th, 2007, 12:21 AM

Worst thing about Iloilo City - hmmmm ELECTRICITY

tough

April 18th, 2007, 01:20 AM

^^ bakit @soulmaker27 palagi ba nagbrobrown-out sa inyo? :ohno:

habagatcentral1

April 18th, 2007, 01:47 AM

^^ bakit @soulmaker27 palagi ba nagbrobrown-out sa inyo? :ohno:

Expensive Electric Bills = Unreliable Service = No or little action done by LGU.

That's one thing that I don't like about my city.

We have one (or I think we are) the most expensive electricity costs in the country and damn that PECO (Panay/PATAY Electric Company) that has been overcharging the Ilonggos eversince.

And the city is frequently plagued with brownouts or blackouts.

caloy

April 18th, 2007, 02:07 AM

I agree to the statement above. giti ka peco. lol. excuse my french.
Actually i can say, its a curse. patay electricidad conyo. excuse again. sorry ha, can't help it.

caloy

April 18th, 2007, 02:16 AM

anyways, i love yloilo, yet it has flaws.

the worse thing in my city is baha, baha, brownout, baha, brownout, baha, blackout, anaw, anaw, blackout. kay kung may baha, laban brownout.

not in order:

1. baha
2. brownout/blackout/powercut
3. traffic
4. grabe ang init (well weather yan eh, can't help it)

so far, yan lang ang maalala ko at this moment.

Nabartek

April 20th, 2007, 09:50 AM

sa Baguio

iskwaters..na kadalasan..mayayaman
those darn immigrants, the elite and the masa who "dirtify" and bastardize and disrespect our city
da non-baguio igorots who spit everywhere and who give baguio a bad name
those substandard illegal businesses..proliferation of RTW na isang labahan na damit, sira na!
ukay ukays that are expensive..(bumili ka nalang kayo sa Tiong San..100 lang, brand new pa and matibay)
traffic jam
mga jaywalkers na nagjajaywalk sa no jaylaking sing
mga pasaherong nagpapara sa harap ng no loading ang unloading sign
mga illegal peddlers and vendors
smoke belchaers
mga nagbababa ng pasahero sa intersection...

ang masama niyan, mga hindi talagang taga-baguio ang gumagawa nito..mga hindi taga dito o yung mga nagkukunwaring taga Baguio

suspended mayor yaranon na tumatakbo ulit(kapal muks no?)
vergara who made that conrete pine tree at session road
fil estate at cjh... who is mutilating the pine trees and american istayle building inside the former military base camp
ang pagkakasara ng casa vallejo... one and only..is-panish neym but american style ang architecture.... saan ka pa?
SM..na umuuga kapag may concert at umuulan sa loob kapag tag-ulan
da flyover at bgh rotonda na mukhang hindi na matatapos dahil short sa budget...

da barrel man...na gustong gusto naman ng mga taga-baba hmp. kabastosan
deteriorated burnham park(mga prosti and "masa" lowlanders nalang at nagpupunta dun)

http://subsite.icu.ac.jp/sao/f.norris

habagatcentral1

April 27th, 2007, 11:57 PM

What I don't like about my city (Iloilo City)?

Is an old man drunk with excessive power, tactless, rude and a lunatic politician.

You know who I'm referring to. :D

Bigmac1212

April 27th, 2007, 11:59 PM

Phoenix: Lacks a subway/mass transit system.

smokingunmanila

April 28th, 2007, 07:22 AM

corruption in our city (makati) and institutionalize bureaucracy that existed since Estrella time

alexela

May 6th, 2007, 01:55 PM

1.) nightlife!
2.) enchanted kingdom
3.) first class city
4.) only sm mall in laguna (or maybe not?)
5.) ayala westgrove heights
6.) south forbes golf city
7.) technopark
8.) "detroit of the philippines"
9.) best lugawan in the world imho...
10.) arko ng santa rosa

:) :) :)

-=+cZaRiNa+=-

May 7th, 2007, 06:04 PM

What I don't like about my city (Iloilo City)?

Is an old man drunk with excessive power, tactless, rude and a lunatic politician.

You know who I'm referring to. :D

:bash: Totoo yan. Nakakainis na sya sobra,:bash:

batang_makulit

May 7th, 2007, 09:23 PM

test lng po ito

ty

Tycoon Sky

May 8th, 2007, 05:33 AM

makati central business district, the home of multinationals and big corporations, but why is it so difficult to register a business here compared to other cities?

OtAkAw

May 8th, 2007, 08:54 AM

^^Because the mayor of that city is a fugly monkey.

Tycoon Sky

May 8th, 2007, 09:40 AM

^^ is it a binay-lapid mayoralty race only? wala na bang ibang candidate?

bastizurc

May 8th, 2007, 11:07 AM

Caloocan City
>>>Walang maayos na pulitiko

Echiverri = pinaglalagyan lang niya ng mga smiley yung kalsada. Perhaps if you get to pass by Caloocan, mapagkakamalan mo na siyang "Pringles Capital of Asia" crap.:ohno:

Asistio (Baby and Boy)= gambling lord, masama track record, kilala ng mga parents ko family nila, at notorious tlaga sa pagiging kurakot.:guns1:

And unfortunately we have no choice but choose between these 3.

habagatcentral1

May 10th, 2007, 02:03 AM

:bash: Totoo yan. Nakakainis na sya sobra,:bash:

Naku Cha, wag ka nang mainis pa dyan kasi dadami lang ang puting buhok mo kung kaiinisan pa yang matandang yan. Pero ang sarap batuhin ng kung ano ano kung nasa TV sya.

Tuloy rin pala ang Miting de Advance ng TU.

Kala ko ba ikakansela nya kung patatahimikin sya ng Malacanang? Puro sya dada. Grrr..... :ohno:

He's a shame to our city. :ohno:

SamwiseGamgee

May 10th, 2007, 07:33 AM

It's a shame that someone who has accomplished a lot and has brought honors and prestige not only to his hometown, but to his country as well, would be a source of shame for some of his kasimanwas.

Based only on some slips and tactless comments on events, which were sensationalized by unfriendly media and used as "headline sound bites" on their tabloid early evening newscasts, he is unfairly judged by some of us, not considering what this man has accomplished for his country. :ohno:

Despite having one of the more recognizable faces in the country (due in part to his famous oil-slicked hair :D), Raul would sit on one of the benches of the Jaro Plaza on any given Sunday if he's in town, looking distinguished, yet still looking like the common tao - like one of us.

He would talk and banter with the bibingka vendors, with the chico and kamatsile vendors, with the kids at the children's playground...

Would you be ashamed of a man like that? :ohno:

Raul M. Gonzalez

One of the respected and outstanding legal minds of the House of Representatives, past and present, SEC. RAUL M. GONZALEZ (RMG), started his political career in 1995 when he handily won the lone congressional seat of Iloilo City in 1995. The 4th child of the late Delfin O. Gonzalez, the last sitting Mayor of Jaro, Iloilo, and Estrella Jover Maravilla, a school teacher, RMG was educated in private and public schools and was always at the top of his class. He finished a Bachelor of Arts (AB) degree at the Colegio de San Agustin, now University of San Agustin, as a Rector's scholar, and graduated LlB-Bachelor of Laws, from the University of Sto. Tomas in 1955, graduating at the top 10 of his class.

RMG took the Bar Examination in 1955 and in the same year, passed with a grade of 99% in Remedial Law and 95% in International Law. In the same year, he also topped the Judge advocate General's Office (JAGO) examinations.

He was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the Reserve Force of the AFP in April 1953, and given the Serial #0-86095 INF after completing 4 years ROTC as an Honor Star Medalist. He now holds the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the AFP Reserve Force

Upon passing the Bar, RMG became professor of law in the University of Sto. Tomas, the Far Eastern University, the Philippine College of Commerce (now Polytechnic University of the Philippines). He was also a professorial lecturer at the Philippine Normal University Graduate School, Assumption College and the College of Holy Spirit, and lectured at the UP Law Center, Division of Continuing Legal Education.

Sec. Gonzalez completed seminars on Public Administration at the Institute of Public Administration, University of the Philippines, sponsored by the City of Manila, 1960-61; completed various seminars on Constitutional and Labor Laws at the Law Center, University of the Philippines, Division of Continuing Legal Education; and finished courses on Credit and Collection Management at the De La Salle University Graduate School of Business.

He held various positions in government, starting as a legal assistant to the Governor of Iloilo in 1960; Senior Legal Assistant to the Mayor of Manila in 1961; Executive Member of the Board of Censors for Motion Pictures, Office of the President, 1963-1969; Senior Committee Counsel to the Committees on labor and Immigration, Philippine Senate; and was Consultant and Counsel to the Committee on Education, House of Representatives from 1970-1972; and, represented the Committee Chair in all Board of Trustees and Regents in all State Colleges and Universities (except the University of the Philippines).

Affiliation with Local Organizations

President, Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), Manila IV, 1979-1981;
Governor and Ex-officio Vice-President - Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) for Greater Manila, 1979-1981;
President, National Bar Association of the Philippines since 1981 to the present;
Chairman, Citizens Legal Aid Society of the Philippines;
President, All Asia Bar Association-Philippine Branch, with HQ in Kochi City, Japan;
Chairman, Philippine Committee of NETWORK- the Lawyers Committee on Human Rights based in New York;
Past President - Manila Maharnilad Lions Club;
Comptroller, Catholic Lawyers Guild of the Philippines;
Chairman, Chapter Presidents' Congress, IBP;
Past Vice President, UST Law Alumni Foundation, Inc.;
Past president Valle Verde VI Homeowners Association.
A Lawyer of International Stature

Vice President, Liberty International, HQ in Dacca, Bangladesh;
Vice President, Afro-Asian Bar Association, HQ in New Delhi, India;
Governor, Asian Legal Research Institute, HQ in Kochi City, Japan;
Governor, World Movement for Independence of Justice, HQ in Montreal, Canada;
Fellow Asian Center for Research & International Center for Asian Studies, HQ in Hong Kong;
Fellow Scandinavian Institute for Asian Studies, University of Copenhagen, Denmark 1984;
Member, Centre for Independence of Judges & Lawyers - Geneva, Switzerland.
International Recognition

Invited by the USIS and the US State Department as special guest of the American Bar Association in July 1985, and was guest speaker in the ABA Human Rights Committee regarding human rights problems during Martial Law in the Philippines - Shoreham Hotel.
Lectured at the (1) Heritage Foundation; (2) Ethics & Public Policy Center; (3) Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, (4) US Congressional Research Service; (5) briefed the Philippine Desk, US State Department; (6) briefed the Bureau of Intelligence and Research, US State Department; (7) briefed, Bureau of Human Rights, US State Department; (8) delivered lecture at the Georgetown University Law Center;
Was guest of the British Government, August - September 1987 and was special guest of the Law Society of Scotland in Edinburg, Scotland;
Addressed the Canadian Human Rights Foundation at a Symposium on Human Rights, University of Prince Edward Island in Charlotte - Town, Canada in 1986.
Conducted lectures at the University of Copenhagen, University of Oslo, University of Turku, Finland, University of Helsinki, University of Stockholm, and University of Lund;
Delivered a lecture at the Tampere, Peace Research Center in Tampere, Finland Sept 20, 1984;
In November 1981, presented a paper during the 1st Asian Lawyers' Conference in Kochi City, Japan;
Presented papers on Legal Aid at an International Symposium held in Tokyo, sponsored by the Federation of Japan Bar Associations, the Ministry of Justice, the Supreme Court, the Japan Social Welfare Council and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in November 1984;
Presented a paper during the 14th International Symposium on Asian Studies at the International Center for Asian Studies and Asian Research Service, July 27-30, 1993 - Hong Kong;
Plenary Speaker, 22nd Biennial Conference of the International Bar Association, New York, September 1986. Hilton Ballroom;
Presented a paper during the First Joint Philippine-Korea International Relations Conference, December 7 - 11, 1982, entitled "Asian & East Asia Disarmament & Survival".
Chair of Philippine Delegation, "3rd International Dialogue on Transition to Global Society"at Landegg Academy, Winacht, Switzerland, September 7 -11, 1992;
presented a paper entitled "The Meaning of Justice," sponsored by the Council of Europe, UN Commission on Human Rights, UNESCO, the University of Maryland and the International Council of Women;
Chaired the International Delegation on behalf of Liberty International during the 2nd World Human Rights Conference, Vienna, June 14 - 24, 1993, and sponsored a resolution for UN funding for Legal Aid to 3rd World Countries;
Co-Chaired the plenary session of the 1st International Workshop on Human Rights on June 28, 1994, sponsored by the International Bar Association at the Philippine Village Hotel;
Chair of Philippine Congressional Delegation during the Bilateral meeting with the President/Speaker of the Parliament of Thailand on December 14, 1995 in Bangkok;
Member, Philippine Delegation to the 5th ASEAN Summit in Bangkok, Thailand, December 13 - 17, 1995;
Member, Philippine Delegation during the State visit of President Fidel V. Ramos to the kingdom of Cambodia, December 17 - 18, 1995;
Delegate 87 & 88th ILO conferences, Geneva Switzerland, June 1999 & June 2000;
Delegate and plenary speaker, Inter-Parliamentary Union Conference, Berlin, October 1999;
Represented the Philippines in a dialogue with the Director General of the WTO in Geneva, Switzerland on June 15, 2000 on the future of WTO in the Philippine;
Guest of Honor & Speaker - Philippine-American United Senior Citizens Foundation, Inc. of New Jersey, USA, June 20, 2000.
Member, Philippine delegation ( representing the House of Representatives), the 8th APEC Summit from November 22 - 26, 1996;
Alternate Delegate to the ILO Conference in Geneva, June 20-24, 1996;
Designated by the Speaker of the HOR to represent the House in a reciprocal visit to the German Parliament in Bonn, June 26, 1996;
Accredited observer during the negotiations between the National Democratic Front (NDF) and the Philippine Panel on the peace process, held at Hotel Mercure, the Hague, June 27, 1996;
Special guest of the Parliament in The Netherlands on June 27, 1996;
Observer in the Bosnia War Crimes Trial in The Hague, Netherlands, June 27, 1996;
Speaker at the International Policy Dialogue in Berlin, Germany, on Nov. 26-27, 2001, sponsored by UNDP and the German Govt. on the subject of Globalization;
Chaired, Phil. Delegation to the 4th. Association of Asian Parliamentarians for Peace on Aug. 30, -Sept. 3, 2003.
Other Important Positions in the Philippine Government

Tanodbayan (OMBUDSMAN) and concurrently Special Prosecutor from April 4, 1986 until December 30, 1988;
Prosecuted the infamous Aquino-Galman double murder cases;
Chaired the Escalante Massacre Fact Finding Commission and prosecuted the case against the accused;
Member of the Presidential Party during President Corazon Aquino's 1st State Visit to the USA in September 1986;
Member of the 1st Philippine Panel which negotiated with Westinghouse on the Bataan Nuclear Plant in September 1986;
Adviser to the Philippine Delegation to the ASEAN Ministers Conference at the Waldorf Hotel in New York, October 1986;
Senior Member of the Philippine Presidential Blue Ribbon Commission which initiated the investigation on the so called "Behest Loans" of the Marcos cronies;
Consultant and Adviser to the Philippine Centennial Commission;
Chairman, Graciano Lopez-Jaena National Centennial Committee;
Co-Chaired the Ombudsman-Senate panel which investigated charges against the Presidential Commission on Good Government on charges filed by the Solicitor General;
Lead Prosecutor - Impeachment Article No. III, Impeachment of Former President Joseph Estrada;
Chairman, House Panel, Joint Committee to Canvass Presidential and Vice Presidential Election Results, 2004 elections.
As Leader of the Bar

Chaired several lawyers' delegations to various international legal conferences: Belgrade in 1980; Berlin in 1980; Paris in 1980 and 1981; Kuala Lumpur in 1982; New Delhi in 1982; Karachi in 1984; New York in 1986; Montreal in 1982 and in 1983; Kochi City, Japan in 1981 and 1982; Tokyo, Japan in 1984; Washington D.C. in 1985.

Other Awards and Citations

Various awards of merits and plaques of commendation from not less than 50 civic groups and organizations, among others:

"Most Outstanding Thomasian Award in the field of Human Rights" "Distinguished Leadership Alumnus Award"
"College Editors' Guild"
"Special Leadership Award"
"Philippine Trial Lawyers Association"
"Distinguished Leadership Award"
"Most Outstanding Human Rights Trial Lawyer Award"
"Outstanding Legal and Political Personality Award"
"Certificate of Merit" from various media groups
"Certificate of Merit and Recognition" from Armed Forces of the Philippines
"One of the 22 Most Outstanding Alumnus of the University of San Agustin" "Outstanding Alumnus of the College of Law, UST"
Guest of Honor during the closing observance of Philippine Independence Day celebrations, Brussels, Belgium, June 30, 1996.
Delegate, World Scouts Parliamentary Union, Manila Hotel, Aug. 17-21, 1997.
Delegate, The Asian Regional Forum on Economic Revitalization, May 30-31, 1997
sponsored by the World Parliamentarians for Global Action - Manila Hotel.
The Congressman with 100% attendance throughout the 10th & 11th Congress
Outstanding Congressman - Legislator of the Year and Public Servant of the New Millennium.
Outstanding Congressman - League of Press Association of the Philippines.
What they say about Sec. Raul M. Gonzalez

"Legal heavyweight" The National Forum
"One of 5 Outstanding Congressmen" -Association of Free Lance Writers & Journalist of the Philippines in 1996.
"One of the 18th Dynamic Congressmen of the 10th Congress" -by Public Eye Magazine 1997.
Chosen as one of the Outstanding Congressman of the 10th Congress -Congress Magazine, November 1997.
"Your congressman is one of the 5 most outstanding congressmen of the entire House of the 10th Congress" -Speaker Jose C. De Venecia Jr., Addressing Brgy. Officials of Iloilo City during their courtesy call to Congress on November 10, 1997.
"I was much interested in your beautiful piece of Natural Law and have retained it in my files for future study" - Justice Anthony Kennedy of the US Supreme Court in a letter to Congressman Raul M. Gonzalez.
Featured - Philippine Free Press issue of February 6, 1999 as "A Man of Courage".
"We would like to congratulate you on the passage of H.B. 9807, the Racketeer Influenced & Corrupt Organizations (RICO) bill of 1997; more power". -Carina Agarao, President Crusade Against Violence.
"We wish to convey our gratitude for your valuable support to the 'Child & Family Courts Act,' the meaningful amendments which you introduced added to the enrichment of that measure," Secretary Lina Laigo, DSWD.
"I can still see in my mind's eye how heroically Raul fought the dictatorship during the travesty of justice that was the first trial of Aquino-Galman murder case. I remember saying to myself, after Raul was appointed Tanodbayan, how much he deserved the position". Homily of His Eminence, Jaime L. Cardinal Sin during Raul M. Gonzalez's birthday of 1989.
"I am happy to know of your decision to run for public office. May the lord bless you and your noble dreams." His Eminence Jaime L. Cardinal Sin - Letter of Jan. 25, 1995.
"You figured in controversies. This never detracted, however, from the loftiness of your motivating ideal, the selflessness of your actuations and you overriding real for doing your duty under the majesty of the law." President Corazon Aquino - Letter dated Oct. 30, 1990
"Your sincerity floods the air; your honesty shines brightly always like the sun that no matter how thick and dark the clouds are, a time or day always comes when its brilliant rays eventually break through" Gen. Edgardo Abenina of RAM - YOU - Letter dated Dec. 3, 1996
"May the thought of serving our country with dedication and honesty bring you much joy and fulfillment" - His Excellency President Fidel V. Ramos - letter dated Dec. 3, 1996.
"A courageous and upright leader of the Philippine Bar; Great advocate and friend." Justice Jose Flaminiano, Former City Fiscal of Manila.
"Senator Lorenzo Taٌada on several occasions told me of your unselfishness and dedication, of your practical approach to problems, of your down-to-earth observation of everyday human affairs. These are the qualities needed by today's leadership. But above all these traits, you possess the integrity of character that could not be cowed by fear or threats to life. These last qualities are vital to greatness-and make the difference between the ordinary public servant and the statesman." Senator Ninoy Aquino in a letter to RMGonzalez dated April 7, 1975 during his hunger strike in his cell in Fort Bonifacio.
Some of His Constituents Speak

"In behalf of the residents of Barangay Malipayon-Delgado, I would like to extend our heartfelt appreciation for the project you extended to us. The Wonder bridge is an evidence of your concern for the welfare of your constituents"
-Brgy. Captain Nelly Lirazan.
"We, homeowners of San Juan Street, Avancena, Molo, would like to express our appreciation for the road cementing project you implemented in our area. Thank you for responding to our needs and more power in your service to the people".
Ms. Esperanza Saldana-Guzman.
"We would like to commend you for your efforts in the construction of the drainage canals along the main highway in Tabuc-Suba, Jaro and the cementing of the old road leading to the Mandurriao Airport."
-The Iloilo Business Club, Inc. - Letter of March 18, 1996.
Family

Married to Dr. Pacita Trinidad of Zambales - a Doctor of Medicine and former Congressman of the 2nd District of Zambales.

Children:

Raul, Jr. - a lawyer, City Councilor of Iloilo City, 2001 - 2004, and representative Lone Congressional District of Iloilo City 13th. Congress;
Jose Mari - AB graduate- connected with the Dept. of Welfare and Development (DSWD), Welfare of the Disabled;
Dennis - Doctor of Philosophy, Summa Cum Laude, University of Louvain, Belgium, and Chairman of National Book Development Board (NBDB);
Marigold - a practicing Doctor of Medicine; and,
Charmaine - topnotcher in the medical licensure examinations and also a practicing doctor.
(Addendum : Master of Laws, based on new curriculum that law graduates who completed four (4) years bachelor's degree and four (4) years college of law proper are considered Master of Laws.)

OtAkAw

May 10th, 2007, 07:58 AM

^^ is it a binay-lapid mayoralty race only? wala na bang ibang candidate?

I think they are going head to head. Or am I wrong?
I'm not sure eh, either way, I feel pity for the citizens of Makati, they have to choose between two undesirable candidates.

Sinjin P.

May 10th, 2007, 08:10 AM

^ I'd love to see a Zero voter turnout but sadly, most of our voters do not know who they're voting for.

habagatcentral1

May 10th, 2007, 10:39 AM

Tycoon Sky

May 10th, 2007, 12:57 PM

I think they are going head to head. Or am I wrong?
I'm not sure eh, either way, I feel pity for the citizens of Makati, they have to choose between two undesirable candidates.

correcto! i've been a resident of makati september last year. sa probinsya pako makakaboto kasi di pako registered dito sa makati. very sad na walang maayos na kandidato ang isa sa mga importanteng siyudad sa pilipinas

kyle@1008

May 10th, 2007, 03:26 PM

^^ I don't know what's happening with Makati.... dammit I'm a native of that town,.. and the best we could churn out, is Binay and Lapid????!!!

SamwiseGamgee

May 12th, 2007, 12:17 PM

^^ Well, yes. Still be ashamed of him. Sorry, but my decision is final.

He may "did" something about our country, but his arrogance and tactlessness especially in media are one of the reasons why some people (like me) in Iloilo (mostly from the province, I dunno about from the city) would judge him because of his attitude. He doesn't even practice good delicadeza at all. He is also pre-judging everyone else as if he is the law.

In Hiligaynon: Kanugon sa iya. Maalam tani mo, nami na sya tani ugaling nasobrahan sa poder. Tikalon sa iya. Nasayang sya.

Well, I have to accept the fact that you have "decided" to "still be ashamed of him". :D

I thought all these years that shame is to be felt, not to be decided upon. :lol:

Given, Raul is sometimes arrogant and tactless, but IMHO he's just human, thus commits mistakes.

Let's give it to him. He has accomplished a lot already, and therefore has earned the privilege to be arrogant and tactless sometimes.

What's more inappropriate is for upstarts to be arrogant and tactless.

Raul is our elder. Let us be considerate to him. :)
I rest my case.

habagatcentral1

May 12th, 2007, 01:57 PM

^^ Hmmm...Pero I'm still not convinced. If he deserves respect, then he has to create it from himself. Be well loved not despiced.

He's still arrogant and tactless. Period. I don't like him. I felt a sense of shame when he went on public TV saying those things regarding some people, pre-judged or sometimes misjudged and even boast that he's rich (yes its true) and will pay P10000 to all barangay captains in Iloilo City who can give him 12-0 to Team Unity.

He should've shut his mouth even if he is still a DOJ Secretary.

Anyway, he's seeking attention to everyone. Yes, he's old and I may consider him because of his age, but he cannot garner my respect to him, or at least most of the people of the province.

Kanugon sa iya nga alam sa layi.

I rest my case. Still firmly ashamed of him.

kiretoce

June 18th, 2007, 08:32 PM

RP targets close to 1M retirees abroad to live here (http://www.pia.gov.ph/default.asp?m=12&fi=p070618.htm&no=13&r=&y=&mo=)

As much as 3M retirees can be absorbed by the Philippines in the global market to attract senior residents to live in the country but the government is only targeting close to a million, according to a former top official of the Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA).

PRA's former general manager Col. Doy Francisco said the Philippines has a high potential market for retirees quoting a US Health Care Co. as a source due to the Big Boom between 1946 until 1964 that will see a huge number of aging population in the present times.

Retirement villages is one of the flagship programs of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as the government provides incentives to investors to develop retirement villages as there is definitely a market, Francisco said.

Among the incentives given by the National Government to investors in putting up retirement villages include the project being classified as a special economic zone that also carries with it special benefits and five percent tax on gross income as well as endorsement from the PRA and approval from the Philippine Economic Zone Authority, this is learned.

Francisco who guested in the two-day Cebu Asean Tourism Forum said there is an estimated more than 326M retirees worldwide last year while the figure will significantly increase to about 869M by 2010.

The Philippines is targeting retirees from Japan, Korea, Taiwan, US, Europe and China to consider the country as a retirement destination. The country prides itself with certain advantages such as warm climate, caring and friendly people, low cost of living, natural attractions and world-class healthcare and safety measures, Francisco bared.

Francisco stressed the categories of retirees are those that are active senior citizens, assisted living retirees and continuous retirees and not necessarily those that are already sickly and needs aid in daily living.

The PRA on the other hand, also follows standards of the retirement industry as creating retirement villages do not only refer to the type of housing and leisure facilities it offers but also more importantly, the healthcare provisions, safety and security and lifestyle as well, this is said.

One prominent service the PRA is offering to the retirees is a one-stop shop where basic procedures required can be done such as visa processing, NBI clearance, medical diagnostic clinic as well as a lounging and orientation room, Francisco declared.

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña meanwhile, is keen on developing a portion of the South Reclamation properties that overlooks the sea as a retirement village encouraging investors to undertake such a lucrative project.

lazybum

June 27th, 2007, 06:42 AM

Arroyo wants to turn Philippines into retirement haven
Posted: 8:24 PM | May 30, 2006

Lira Dalangin-Fernandez
INQ7.net

PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo wants the Philippines to be a retirement haven for expatriate retirees, a billion-dollar industry.

At a Cabinet meeting Tuesday, she approved proposals to make the retirement industry one of her administration's flagship projects and appointed retired police chief Edgardo Aglipay as the "retirement czar."

She has also instructed the Department of Budget and Management to allot funds for the Philippine Retirement Authority to develop the industry.

In a presentation in Malacanang, David Paraiso of the Healthcare Coalition Institute said the country has the capacity to support between one million to three million expatriate retirees.

A retiree bringing in at least 1,500 dollars a month means 18 to 56 billion dollars in potential revenue per year.

The global population will see an increasing aging population mostly in developed countries, HCI said.

Aglipay said that currently, foreigners go to Malaysia and Thailand to retire.

He said the Philippines should create a world-class retirement industry with the support of the private sector and the government.

Here's an alternative to the Philippines as a retirement destination...Panama - Pinoys will feel at home here...the locals have same sounding names...:)

Click on link below for full article

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/RetirementandWills/RetireInStyle/PanamaIsParadiseForRetirees.aspx

lazybum

June 27th, 2007, 06:47 AM

Here's an alternative to the Philippines as a retirement destination...Panama - Pinoys will feel at home here...the locals have same sounding names...:)

Click on link below for full article

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/RetirementandWills/RetireInStyle/PanamaIsParadiseForRetirees.aspx

Just in case you can't open the link, below is the full article...

Panama is paradise for retirees

Cheap real estate, a low cost of living, fabulous scenery and relaxed pace should put this gem at the top of the list for Americans on a fixed income.

By International Living

Panama is one of the best places in the world for retirees today, combining a low cost of living, near-perfect weather and one of the world's best discount programs for retirees, with up to 50% off everything from public transport to movies, mortgage rates, doctor's visits, electricity, restaurants and airfares.
When you compare Panama with its neighbors, you'll see that it has more amenities than traditional retirement spots such as Mexico and Costa Rica, with lower costs and crime rates. In Panama, you'll encounter less red tape and less interference from local authorities.

To encourage long-term foreign investment, Panama requires no special authorizations, permits or prior registration for foreign investors. The Investment Stability Law, passed in 1998, protects foreign investors from any change in tax, customs, municipal and labor rules for a period of 10 years after an investment is registered. Major companies doing business in Panama include Federal Express, DHL, Sears, Price Costco, BellSouth, Kansas City Southern Railways, Continental and American Airlines, Warranty Company of the Americas and Hutchison Whampoa. Plus, you'll find just about every American franchise you can imagine on the streets of Panama City.
And there are other incentives for foreigners to spend time here, invest here … or retire here. For example: Newcomers who buy or build a new house won't owe any property taxes for 20 years. Residents pay no taxes on foreign-earned income.

Tourism investments have 20-year exemptions from import duties, fees for construction materials and equipment, and income, real estate and other taxes.

The U.S. dollar is legal tender in Panama, which insulates its economy from global shocks. During the Asian monetary crisis of 1998, Panama became one of the healthiest economies in Latin America.

Panama's pensionado program

Once you become a resident "pensioner" of Panama under the Tourist Pensionado Visa, you are eligible for the most appealing program of benefits for retirees available anywhere in the world right now.
Now, you may be thinking: "Pensioner? Retiree? That leaves me out."
Not necessarily. The rules for becoming a "pensioner" and qualifying for this visa program in Panama are probably not what you'd expect.
In fact, anyone over the age of 18 may apply and can qualify as a pensionado in Panama. All you need is a guaranteed pension income of $500 per month ($600 for a couple). It must be a pension from a government agency (e.g. Social Security, disability, armed forces, etc.) or a defined-benefit pension from a private company. Sorry, but an immediate, fixed annuity doesn't qualify.

As a qualified pensioner in Panama, you would be entitled to:
• 50% off entertainment anywhere in the country (movies, theaters, concerts, sporting events, etc.)
• 30% off bus, boat, and train fares
• 25% off airline tickets
• 50% off hotel stays Monday through Thursday, 30% off Friday through Sunday
• 25% off restaurant meals
• 15% off at fast-food restaurants
• 15% off hospital bills (if no insurance applies)
• 10% off prescription medicines
• 20% off doctors' consultations
• 15% off dental and eye exams
• 20% off professional and technical services
• 50% off closing costs for home loans and more

Crossroads of the Americas

Panama is also perhaps the most accessible retirement haven for Americans.
There is a frequent nonstop service to Panama City's Tocumen International Airport. It's a 2½-hour flight from Miami on American Airlines and COPA, Panama's national airline, which also flies from Los Angeles and Orlando, Fla. Continental flies from Houston, and Delta flies from Atlanta. Aeroperlas and Mapiex Aero are two domestic carriers that offer daily flights throughout Panama.

Beware, however, that as accessible as Panama is to the U.S., it's still a foreign country. There are certain cultural differences that you can either accept and embrace . . . or try to ignore and become miserable and frustrated.

Time moves at a more leisurely pace in Panama. A one-hour wait might mean two, and a simple meal out with friends can turn into dancing "tipico" at a local disco until five in the morning. It takes a certain disposition not to lose your cool when, for example -- and this happened to a friend living in Panama City -- the computer repair man phones to say he is estoy llegando (on his way over to your house), only to arrive two days later without explanation . . . but ready to work.

Cost of living

Panama has one of the lowest costs of living in all Central and South America: A U.S.-style home can be built for about $40 per square foot; unskilled labor costs $6.40 per day; a full-time live-in maid costs $120 to $160 a month; a beer at a bar costs 35 cents; a cup of coffee, 30 cents; a haircut and shave can cost as little as $2; an afternoon at a beauty salon is $8; electricity is about 10 cents per kilowatt-hour; water bills are $18 per year; telephone service costs roughly $30 a month; Internet access is $14 a month; wireless is available for a bit more; cellular-telephone service costs about $30 a month plus a per-minute charge of around 22 cents; and cable TV will cost you about $30 a month.

As a foreign resident, if you buy or build a new house, you won't pay property taxes for 20 years, nor will you pay taxes on foreign-earned income. Personal income tax is based on a sliding scale from a minimum of 4% to a maximum of 30%. A Value Added Tax of 5% to 10% is charged on most products and services. Transfer taxes on real estate are paid by the seller, and there is no inheritance tax or gift tax.

Mountains, beaches or the big city?

The three best places to buy real estate in Panama are: the mountains of Boquete, the beaches of the Pearl Islands, and the First World metropolis of Panama City.

Boquete: Boquete sits in Panama's mountainous Chiriqui region at an elevation of about 3,500 feet. It's quiet, unspoiled, uncrowded. Mountains, rivers, waterfalls. Lush green hills and great masses of red and purple flowers. This is coffee country, and in harvest season the Indians come down from the hills to find work. The men call and sing to each other as they pick. Their children run through the fields and play in the streams.
The climate in Boquete is ideal, spring like year-round with reasonable daytime temperatures, cool breezes, and chilly nights. Beachfront living is nice, but the mountains of Boquete are hard to beat. If you like Colorado, you'll love Boquete.

Three-bedroom custom-built houses start at $138,000 and ocean-view lots are under $30,000.

Pearl Islands: If you're searching for sand and sun, Panama has that in abundance.

The island of Contadora, the seventh biggest of the 90 named islands in the Pearl Islands archipelago, is in the Bay of Panama, just off the coast of Panama City.

This is the stuff of travel-magazine cover photos: turquoise waters, 13 white-sand beaches, secluded coves, bright red and yellow fishing boats, swaying palm and cashew trees, giant coral reefs, coconuts, mangoes, parrots, hummingbirds, pelicans, sea turtles and bright tropical flowers . . . with occasional sightings of gray and orca whales just off the island's shores.
Today the island is a closely guarded secret playground for wealthy and famous political leaders, writers, entertainers and businessmen -- not just from Panama but from all over the world.

Renovated beachfront villas start at $160,000.

Panama City: Panama City is probably the least expensive place in the world to live in a First World city. Here you'll find world-class restaurants, every imaginable luxury, hundreds of multinational businesses . . . all at about half the price you'd pay in Miami, or any other U.S. city for that matter.

Furnished studios start at less than $60,000, beachfront condos from $77,000. A two-bedroom, 1,300-square-foot apartment in the banking district in a building with a pool and gym costs around $150,000. A two-bedroom apartment with views of the bay and maid's quarters costs $160,000 (and rents for $1,100 per month).

By Kathleen Peddicord, International Living
For more information about anything you have read in this article, write to panama@internationalliving.com.

crappypants

June 27th, 2007, 07:39 AM

lazybum

June 28th, 2007, 03:22 AM

yeah that's good but we're trying to promote PHils here as a retirement destination not Panama hence the thread title.
Cultural affinity and family ties would make the Phils a better retirement option for Filams than any other country.

^^ I totally agree, however, if the Philippine government is promoting Pinas as a major retirement destination, it also needs to provide retirees (Filipinos or other nationalities) better arguments why retiring in the Philippines is a better choice. It appears (at least in my view) that the governmert is more interested in what it can get from retirees (i.e. required amount of investment dollars) as opposed to what it can do for retirees. I am not sure that is how you begin to market a retirement destination concept . :ohno:

I posted the foregoing article in the hope that somehow, some participants in this forum may know someone or are connected to the gods of this government program, and maybe learn from countries such as Panama on how they are marketing their country as a retirement destination. The article clearly communicated what retirees are getting in return if they decide to spend their lives in Panama. Frankly, I have yet to see in any Fil-Am newspapers or magazines here in the Los Angeles area any ad similar to the one I posted - not even PAL's Mabuhay magazine has carried such an article.

BTW, I will be a retiree also in not too distant future and so frankly, while I agree that family ties/cultural affinity, etc etc is a factor, a big consideration for me is my piece of mind - that is more important than anything else - I think that is the whole argument about retiring.

SO MY CHALLENGE TO GEN. AGLIPAY, CONVINCE ME THAT THE PHILIPPINES IS A BETTER RETIREMENT DESTINATION THAN ANY OTHER COUNTRY. MABUHAY!!

gen1

June 28th, 2007, 03:47 AM

A Few Reasons why expat pinoys should retire here.

1. you have relatives here who won't stuff you in a nursing home when you get old and cranky.

2. you can speak your local dialect to your heart's content. no need to suffer a lockjaw speaking the queen's language with your neighbors.

3. you can drive a camry here and still be part of the local elite (whereas stateside your neighbors will be wondering why you can't afford a volvo)

4. Having a 5,000 square foot home here means your really filthy rich and thus uber kool (whereas stateside everyone has a 5,000 square foot home)

5. you can leave a $5 tip at a fine dining restaurant and wouldn't have to worry about the waiter spitting on your food next time you dine there.

6. you only need to spend $100-200 a month for household help.

7. you can get cosmetic surgery at a quarter of the cost stateside. siempre vive ! ! ! :lol:

crappypants

June 28th, 2007, 04:53 AM

^^don't forget the pinoy foods you can only get in the PHils.
As for me living in a place where i am already familiar with the culture is paramount. I'd like to live in a place where i feel i belong and not feel like an outsider. I also like thailand very much very similar to Phil. landscape but the language barrier and acclimatizing to a new culture would be very hard to overcome.

Askal82

June 28th, 2007, 05:11 AM

I don't want to wait till I retire. I'll simply take advantage of the opportunities right now so I can use them to get myself a business in the Philippines someday and live there comfortably anytime I want. If the Chinese can establish their own businesses anywhere around the world, then why not the Filipinos?

crappypants

June 28th, 2007, 05:16 AM

good for you Askal.:okay:

lazybum

June 28th, 2007, 05:17 AM

gen1

June 28th, 2007, 05:21 AM

^^ To each his own :lol: :lol: :lol:

Askal82

June 28th, 2007, 05:28 AM

good for you Askal.:okay:

I frequently hear from people na masarap talaga sa atin pag marami kang pera diba? So I want to come back there rich by building wealth kahit singko singko alaw alaw. Right now, I have the opportunity to build up the capital as much as I can. :lol:

smokingunmanila

June 28th, 2007, 05:38 AM

Yan ang tawag na " the pinoy dream" laos na ata ang "the american dream"

amigo32

June 28th, 2007, 05:40 AM

@ askal
Kailan ka uuwi? We are waiting for your investments. It could help a lot. Kahit isang tao lang mabigyan mo ng trabaho dahil sa pera mo, malaking bagay na yun.

amigo32

June 28th, 2007, 05:42 AM

ayyyy bumalik si beauty. hehehe

smokingunmanila

June 28th, 2007, 05:45 AM

yung bungaga ng avatar ko ka size ng bibig ng rothweiler ko

Raven83

June 28th, 2007, 05:58 AM

unlike the Fil-Am guys my parents are planning to retire in the very remote country called New Zealand instead, they just went there once and found everyhting to be cheap including property,they got a house in Wellington that was bought half the price of our house here in Alabang with four times the lot area..

kanya kanyang trip ng mga onders yan, pero ako if ever I will retire gusto ko naman sa malamig at tahimik na lugar,pero hindi naman New Zealand! Batanes na lang siguro

OT: Kung Hindi ako nagkakamali ang pinangalan ng gumawa ng avatar ni smoking eh "Jakolata" :lol:

lazybum

June 28th, 2007, 05:59 AM

I frequently hear from people na masarap talaga sa atin pag marami kang pera diba? So I want to come back there rich by building wealth kahit singko singko alaw alaw. Right now, I have the opportunity to build up the capital as much as I can. :lol:

If I may ask, how are you going to use your wealth when you return to the Philippines?

Askal82

June 28th, 2007, 06:03 AM

@ askal
Kailan ka uuwi? We are waiting for your investments. It could help a lot. Kahit isang tao lang mabigyan mo ng trabaho dahil sa pera mo, malaking bagay na yun.

I'm thinking in about 5 years. I'm pretty optimistic about the turn out of the Philippine economy in the long run. Heck, TI and Hanjin is willing to risk $1 billion in the Philippines right now, then why not us diba?

Askal82

June 28th, 2007, 06:09 AM

If I may ask, how are you going to use your wealth when you return to the Philippines?

I'm going back to basics - agriculture is what topped my mind. I'm planning to convert my father's land in my province into a fruit farm. I can plant mangoes, lanzones, and citruses. I'm already helping my dad making some feasibility studies on it. :)

portludlow

June 28th, 2007, 06:13 AM

tigidig14

June 28th, 2007, 06:16 AM

i heard theyre doing same thing to panama ct
trying to get all the american baby boomers, and make them retire over there
because not only it's close to US, 'bout 2 hrs away, but also they pay less for a high rise condo
its comes with country clubs, maids, cheap physicians that US's managed care reimburse

smokingunmanila

June 28th, 2007, 06:31 AM

crappypants

June 28th, 2007, 06:40 AM

and maybe there are some who are still patriotic and want to invest their money in the country they used to call home.

smokingunmanila

June 28th, 2007, 06:43 AM

I want to go home...that is what I want when I retire..I want it here in my own country...and as my second home besides makati is botolan zambales wherein kilala ko na lahat ng tao dun wherein I plan to have a beach resort so I can keep myself busy..

lazybum

June 28th, 2007, 06:46 AM

I'm going back to basics - agriculture is what topped my mind. I'm planning to convert my father's land in my province into a fruit farm. I can plant mangoes, lanzones, and citruses. I'm already helping my dad making some feasibility studies on it. :)

In some of my earlier SSC posts , I suggested that Philippine government should not only focus on industrializing the country, but should take a balanced approach to help the country achieve self sufficiency in food production. I guess the success of that goal starts with individuals like you. More power to you.

Askal82

June 28th, 2007, 06:57 AM

Thanks. :) It was my last visit in Dole plantation of Davao that inspired me to plan for that kind of project.

Lili

June 28th, 2007, 07:21 AM

I'm going back to basics - agriculture is what topped my mind. I'm planning to convert my father's land in my province into a fruit farm. I can plant mangoes, lanzones, and citruses. I'm already helping my dad making some feasibility studies on it. :)

If you intend to make that plantation productive by the time you go back there, better start planting those trees now. It takes 25 years to have those full-grown trees bear marketable fruits. Your goals are laudable though.

amigo32

June 28th, 2007, 07:25 AM

jonno

June 28th, 2007, 07:29 AM

We should not miss the point here. Return on investments, the state of the economy, Panama's incentives to tourists etc., etc. are peripheral to the fact at as a Filipino emigrant you still know that: there is no place like home. No matter how better Panama is compared to the Philippines in this or that aspect, Panama is simply not the Philippines. At the end of the day, it's still the people you live with that makes a big difference not where you live.

Lili

June 28th, 2007, 07:43 AM

^ I noticed that for Filipinos whose families have already emigrated from the Philippines, the likelihood for them to return to the Philippines is rarer because their family members and relatives are already based abroad. Most of the immigrants in the USA were able to get to the US based on the family reunification immigration program. For those who came here based on employment-based petitions and who still have family members in the Philippines, the likelihood of returning is greater once they retire.

When I asked retired Pinoys here if they intend to return to Pinas, they will say, "Ano pa babalikan ko doon eh nandito na familia ko. Saka noong bumalik ako doon, parang iba na rin." So, it all boils down on what feels like 'home' to you.

lazybum

June 28th, 2007, 07:43 AM

Lazybum, I think the Philippines has just started in attracting foreign retirees and their incentives pale in comparison with other countries. Filipino diaspora who wants to come back probably does not even think what is in store for them in the Philippines. They just want to come back period. They know fully well how things work in the Philippines so if their investments turn up to be good it will just be an icing on the cake. :)

Port, I read a post somewhere on this thread claiming that Filipino retireess who want to go back to the Philippines are those that feel they will not be able to live in the US with their retirement money specially if they will only be relying on their social security checks. That is a sad statement but I think there is some truth to it. I hear stories about some folks maxing out their credit cards and using the proceeds to put down on a condo or a small piece of property in the Philippines. Now how workable is that?

But I think these folks are but a tiny fraction of the Filipino community in the US. Most of my Pinoy friends who are successful in their own rights are pretty adamant about the thought of spending their golden years in the Phlippines. The reason? Number 1 on their list is a perception that the Philippines has become a very chaotic country where discipline is a rare commodity.

From my own point of view, what disappoints me the most is the seeming lack of compassion for the poor. I was in the Philippines in February and again just a couple of weeks ago. I have not seen so much poverty and suffering in my whole life. Don't get me wrong, I was born and raised there but I just could not remember seeing so much poverty growing up.

Crappypants mentioned that maybe Pinoy expats should display some patriotism by investing in the Philippines - but is that the only way you can show your love for your native land? Frankly, since I joined this forum not too long ago, I have yet to read from someone that they are going to back to the Philippines not only to retire but maybe do some volunteer work like teaching in a public high school or do some community service in the countryside to help or set up a public library. Instead I mostly read about how easily retirees can afford to have a maid and a driver and live rich on their retirement money. Isn't it just helping perpetuate the very circumstances why people leave home to work abroad to begin with? I don't know if I want to be a part of that.

Lili

June 28th, 2007, 07:48 AM

^ That is a sad commentary @Lazybum. And to top that, we had news account of a Peace corps volunteer who got murdered while doing volunteer work. The thing with going back to the Philippines as a balikbayan, one has to be under the radar so that you don't get targetted. There is so much poverty that some people are "kapit sa patalim." People need to feel secure to make that leap. I am not saying that the Philippines is not a safe place. It is just that there is a perception otherwise that needs to be overcome to really entice expatriates to return.

tigidig14

June 28th, 2007, 08:10 AM

bandang manila lang naman ang nde ma-disiplina eeeh. pagdating mo sa mga probinsya malilinis naman at sumusunod ang mga communities. madaming mga pilipinong provolunteer pero nde naman nababalita kasi nga naman syempre boring kaya like what lil said: bad news encompasses all the great news. but i highly doubt retires would do volunteers LOL. theyre in their negative stage. why do such? mine as well waste their last breath of money for something indulgy. im not saying all would do that but most w/c is thenorm

crappypants

June 28th, 2007, 08:35 AM

Port, I read a post somewhere on this thread claiming that Filipino retireess who want to go back to the Philippines are those that feel they will not be able to live in the US with their retirement money specially if they will only be relying on their social security checks. That is a sad statement but I think there is some truth to it. I hear stories about some folks maxing out their credit cards and using the proceeds to put down on a condo or a small piece of property in the Philippines. Now how workable is that?

But I think these folks are but a tiny fraction of the Filipino community in the US. Most of my Pinoy friends who are successful in their own rights are pretty adamant about the thought of spending their golden years in the Phlippines. The reason? Number 1 on their list is a perception that the Philippines has become a very chaotic country where discipline is a rare commodity.

From my own point of view, what disappoints me the most is the seeming lack of compassion for the poor. I was in the Philippines in February and again just a couple of weeks ago. I have not seen so much poverty and suffering in my whole life. Don't get me wrong, I was born and raised there but I just could not remember seeing so much poverty growing up.

Crappypants mentioned that maybe Pinoy expats should display some patriotism by investing in the Philippines - but is that the only way you can show your love for your native land? Frankly, since I joined this forum not too long ago, I have yet to read from someone that they are going to back to the Philippines not only to retire but maybe do some volunteer work like teaching in a public high school or do some community service in the countryside to help or set up a public library. Instead I mostly read about how easily retirees can afford to have a maid and a driver and live rich on their retirement money. Isn't it just helping perpetuate the very circumstances why people leave home to work abroad to begin with? I don't know if I want to be a part of that.

there are plenty who have that desire to help or make a difference even if they do not voice it out in the forum. I have that intention someday. I'm sure there are many more out there who have the means but do not quite know exactly how to approach it. The fact that Gawad kalinga and other NGOs exist is proof.
Even if you do not have direct intention of helping but your sole motivation is greed making money from a developing country , indirectly you are still helping the economy by bringing your money in the country.
The only way the dire situation will change is if one starts and hope it'll catch like a fever.
The rampant poverty and hard life of many does not discourage me but only encourages me to even do something to help make a difference. cliche.
I think those who cannot see themselves giving up their priviledged life of first world comforts are the ones who are being selfish. but it's their right since it's their lives.

crappypants

June 28th, 2007, 08:38 AM

gen1

June 28th, 2007, 08:46 AM

I thought they sold those mature trees that can bear fruit within a few years.

nope. you can't transplant mature trees. but you can buy fast maturing fruit trees. I think citrus trees can bear fruits in 5 years.

If i were in agri-business i'd look at planting rubber trees. farm gate prices have risen to 40-50 pesos a kilo from 8-10 bucks as recently as two years ago.

these trees mature fast, in 5-7 years they can start producing sap.

crappypants

June 28th, 2007, 08:52 AM

i thought there are mango trees that can give fruit in five years.
We bought a small atiz tree from a nursery and it bore fruit within a year.

gen1

June 28th, 2007, 08:58 AM

gen1

June 28th, 2007, 09:01 AM

i thought there are mango trees that can give fruit in five years.
We bought a small atiz tree from a nursery and it bore fruit within a year.

yup meron din yata. but mangoes are such a risk. soil conditions are very important on whether you produce sweet fruit.

best place for an orchard is in mindanao. no typhoons. rich soil. sweet water.

nasty rebels though :lol:

amigo32

June 28th, 2007, 09:11 AM

Raven83

June 28th, 2007, 09:30 AM

huwag na kayong umuwi dito, marumi, madaming tao, maraming squatter, maraming magnanakaw sa gobyerno, yung kapitbahay ko drug addict, may mangkukulam dito, ako pasaway.

dyan na lang kayo . hehehehe

pero masaya naman ako rito.
j/k

Oo nga magulo dito sa pinas,poluted,madaming basura,maraming squatters,maraming tangang botante at politiko.etc etc..:lol:

Pero masaya dito pag madami kang pera! :banana: Maraming magagandang bitch este beach. Kung type mo namang humithit at makalimot may shabu resto sa Pasig. (Balita ko nga mag dadag na nga daw sila ng live bands)
Pag masakit katawan mo Punta ka ng Sylvanus may ehem sevice pa!. Kung babae ka at type mo lalake. Sumasayaw ako sa QC pag fri and sat :lol:. Good restos are being built everywhere. Spa Resorts are sprouting on every part of islands including near Vulcanic Craters. Oh san ka pa?:cheers:

Maeenjoy mo dito

amigo32

June 28th, 2007, 09:37 AM

basta huwag na kayo pumunta rito, kikidnapin lang kayo dahil alam namin mayaman kayo, tapos masisira lang kutis nyo dahil sa init. skin cancer ba yun? hehehehe

araw araw nga may patay dito dahil sa gulo. mas okay pa sa Afghanistan na lang kayo pumunta, mas secure kayo dun.

bitoy

June 28th, 2007, 09:39 AM

Lili

June 28th, 2007, 10:11 AM

Correct me if I'm wrong. This is just my observation. forgive me if it seems sweeping.

First generation filipino emigrees are the ones with the most angst. They seem to want to find fault in things filipino to justify their decision to leave home and take jobs beneath them in the US.

Second Generation Fil-Ams are the more generous. educated in the US, with jobs commensurate with their skills and education, they return to the land of their parents with idealism.

And when they help it is seldom messianic nor condescending :)

Yes, it is a sweeping generalization. We cannot box in the reasons, the experiences, the motivations and the attitudes of Filipino emigres, be they first generation, second generation or nth generation.

I, for one, am a first generation Filipino emigrant (even if my grandparents and parents have long been in the US, it took me a long time to rejoin them.) I don't consider myself as having any more angst about the Philippines than those living there. If one has been reading these threads, one can glean that there are a lot of first generation emigrant forumers here who visit and post on these threads out of an urge or attraction to reconnect with the motherland.

Of course, when I left Pinas, I was open to the possibility of taking a job less than my education. That is one way for me to condition my mind to disengage from expectations and to strive harder. I was ready for survival mode. To me, that is part of the immigrant experience. But I am also open to proving my mettle and getting my worth with hard work and perseverance. This gave me drive. I was able to study further here in the US and was given opportunities to climb up the career ladder and achieve a level commensurate to my skills and education. The USA has been very good to me, and this is the reason why I learned to love America, too. But that does not mean that I love the Philippines less and have become less idealistic.

gen1

June 28th, 2007, 10:15 AM

On my observation, it's the other way around. Yung second generation Fil-Ams na kahit mataas ang education only think of themselves. Isa lang, out of 9 na pamangkin ko ang gustong mag-stay ng matagal sa Pinas. (Dahil, less supervision of the parents working here in the US). :)

Oh i'm sorry. i meant to say "return to visit" :)

kiretoce

June 28th, 2007, 02:26 PM

Kailangan nila ng mga TAO dun, eh paano mas marami pa ang baka kay sa tao.:lol:

Actually, it's sheep that outnumbers humans in New Zealand. Not cows. :colgate:

kiretoce

June 28th, 2007, 02:37 PM

I noticed that for Filipinos whose families have already emigrated from the Philippines, the likelihood for them to return to the Philippines is rarer because their family members and relatives are already based abroad. Most of the immigrants in the USA were able to get to the US based on the family reunification immigration program. For those who came here based on employment-based petitions and who still have family members in the Philippines, the likelihood of returning is greater once they retire.

When I asked retired Pinoys here if they intend to return to Pinas, they will say, "Ano pa babalikan ko doon eh nandito na familia ko. Saka noong bumalik ako doon, parang iba na rin." So, it all boils down on what feels like 'home' to you.

"Home is where the heart is." With that said, I think of the Philippines as a vacation destination, a place for me to visit and not stay there for the rest of my life. As with most Fil-Ams, most of my immediate family are already here in the US, we've put down roots here in our adopted country, my parents have toiled and labored and are now retired, they prefered to retire here just to be closer to family members.

dinabaw

June 28th, 2007, 02:46 PM

i thought there are mango trees that can give fruit in five years.
We bought a small atiz tree from a nursery and it bore fruit within a year.

well we have(mindanao) mango trees that are bearing fruits @ 5 -6 years old and durian which is more complicated to plant can now bear fruits in 5 years time , the drawback of this "genetically engineered" plants is it will die early or will not bear fruits longer or hindi na maganda ... yung mga farmers dito ina alternate nila say they plant mango trees alternate it w/ a banana plant , so pag hindi pa nag bubunga yung mango thye have an income on there bananas.

kiretoce

June 28th, 2007, 02:52 PM

Correct me if I'm wrong. This is just my observation. forgive me if it seems sweeping.

First generation filipino emigrees are the ones with the most angst. They seem to want to find fault in things filipino to justify their decision to leave home and take jobs beneath them in the US.

Second Generation Fil-Ams are the more generous. educated in the US, with jobs commensurate with their skills and education, they return to the land of their parents with idealism.

And when they help it is seldom messianic nor condescending :)

Maybe to some, but not all, and you did say that was your sweeping generalization of Fil-Ams.

The next generation will always be "idealistic" compared to the previous one. They will try to figure out the why their parents left the Philippines. I've asked my parents about it once and they said that they just wanted to give my sister and I a better chance (notice I didn't say "a better life") of succeeding in life. From what I can remember, while we were still living in the Philippines, we were pretty well off, not filthy rich like the uber elite, but in the "Can Afford" social bracket. I've never seen nor heard my parents complained about how life is so hard in the Philippines, yet they still opted to emigrate to the US just for our benefit. Here they worked their butts off to live the life they had envisioned, and to think about it now, I think I would have been a spoiled brat if I had been living in the Philippines. I would have been taken cared off by yayas and maids catering to my every whim and always at my beck and call instead of being raised up by my parents.

dinabaw

June 28th, 2007, 03:07 PM

I'm going back to basics - agriculture is what topped my mind. I'm planning to convert my father's land in my province into a fruit farm. I can plant mangoes, lanzones, and citruses. I'm already helping my dad making some feasibility studies on it. :)

well my bro-inlaw is in farming meron tawag silang "birth pains" , if you think easy ang farming well 24hrs ka rin mag babantay , from pests , water supply even mga magnanakaw na tao :D

i remember he once told me na ang mga rats dito are getting intelligent he have this veggie area na pinalibutan niya ng plastic fence nag tataka siya bakit nakaka pasok parin yung mga daga ... ay ang mga hayop na daga doon pala sa electric wire sa taas dumadaan :lol:

Askal82

June 28th, 2007, 03:33 PM

If you intend to make that plantation productive by the time you go back there, better start planting those trees now. It takes 25 years to have those full-grown trees bear marketable fruits. Your goals are laudable though.

Grafted mango trees can cut that time into just 5 - 7 years. They are perfectly natural, doesn't grow that tall and can bear fruits within that time frame. Actually, I did plant some trees covering 10% of the land already.

Askal82

June 28th, 2007, 03:35 PM

well my bro-inlaw is in farming meron tawag silang "birth pains" , if you think easy ang farming well 24hrs ka rin mag babantay , from pests , water supply even mga magnanakaw na tao :D

i remember he once told me na ang mga rats dito are getting intelligent he have this veggie area na pinalibutan niya ng plastic fence nag tataka siya bakit nakaka pasok parin yung mga daga ... ay ang mga hayop na daga doon pala sa electric wire sa taas dumadaan :lol:

I understand, its not easy. They are already factored in our feasib. Ating Alamin? :lol:

dinabaw

June 28th, 2007, 03:48 PM

^^ well be ready to practice target shooting to kill those rats.... eco-friendly kasi :lol:
talaga mag kaka white hair ka ,but farming is so satisfying seeing those fruits being harvested... sabi nila :D

if you don't mind saan ang farm mo? speaking of retiring my Uncle who works in Abu Dhabi meron silang coop they bought also mango orchard sa Samal Island ,well they say "having gray hair is part of retiring ":lol:

crappypants

June 28th, 2007, 05:04 PM

crappypants

June 28th, 2007, 05:06 PM

Oo nga magulo dito sa pinas,poluted,madaming basura,maraming squatters,maraming tangang botante at politiko.etc etc..:lol:

Pero masaya dito pag madami kang pera! :banana: Maraming magagandang bitch este beach. Kung type mo namang humithit at makalimot may shabu resto sa Pasig. (Balita ko nga mag dadag na nga daw sila ng live bands)
Pag masakit katawan mo Punta ka ng Sylvanus may ehem sevice pa!. Kung babae ka at type mo lalake. Sumasayaw ako sa QC pag fri and sat :lol:. Good restos are being built everywhere. Spa Resorts are sprouting on every part of islands including near Vulcanic Craters. Oh san ka pa?:cheers:

Maeenjoy mo dito

eh bakit hindi kayo magpulot ni Amigo ng basura t maglecture kayo sa mga tangang botante at maghinay hinay sa pagaanak. oh di ba mas masaya .
such a shame cause PInas can be such a paradise kung konte mga panggulo.

crappypants

June 28th, 2007, 05:09 PM

well my bro-inlaw is in farming meron tawag silang "birth pains" , if you think easy ang farming well 24hrs ka rin mag babantay , from pests , water supply even mga magnanakaw na tao :D

i remember he once told me na ang mga rats dito are getting intelligent he have this veggie area na pinalibutan niya ng plastic fence nag tataka siya bakit nakaka pasok parin yung mga daga ... ay ang mga hayop na daga doon pala sa electric wire sa taas dumadaan :lol:

For anybody else who have knowledge in farming .
why can't we grow bangkok lanzones in the PHils? even in Davao where they have good soil quality. they cost like 450 pesos per kilo.
So is it really the soil component in thailand that makes their lanzones so sweet and perfect?

portludlow

June 28th, 2007, 05:20 PM

well we have(mindanao) mango trees that are bearing fruits @ 5 -6 years old and durian which is more complicated to plant can now bear fruits in 5 years time , the drawback of this "genetically engineered" plants is it will die early or will not bear fruits longer or hindi na maganda ... yung mga farmers dito ina alternate nila say they plant mango trees alternate it w/ a banana plant , so pag hindi pa nag bubunga yung mango thye have an income on there bananas.

Since we are talking about migration. How about interisland migration. I noticed that people from Davao who have roots in Luzon are beginning to come back and share their farm technology. They are transforming the farm landscape in Luzon with their orchards. Im talking about the Dizons, Hizons and many more. I hope we will see more of that. :)

portludlow

June 28th, 2007, 05:45 PM

Most of my Pinoy friends who are successful in their own rights are pretty adamant about the thought of spending their golden years in the Phlippines. The reason? Number 1 on their list is a perception that the Philippines has become a very chaotic country where discipline is a rare commodity.

Nice post Lazybum, I know people like that who are even my close friends. When I tell them that I would like to go back to the Philippines. They think Im smokin something. Just broaching the idea and coming back makes them cringed. :lol:

Just what I said before, some of us would like a place there, come hell or high water. :) A place not necesarily to retire, but a place we can also call home.

Askal82

June 28th, 2007, 07:25 PM

dinabaw

June 29th, 2007, 02:32 AM

For anybody else who have knowledge in farming .
why can't we grow bangkok lanzones in the PHils? even in Davao where they have good soil quality. they cost like 450 pesos per kilo.
So is it really the soil component in thailand that makes their lanzones so sweet and perfect?

we have longkon(thai variety) lanzones but prob. it's to expensive to buy locally , it is grown for export.

WE have the best soil than thailand , thailand is more on "genetically engineered" fruits like longkon and the chanee and monthong durian varities( we prefer our local variety which more tastier ,creamier and mabaho :D)
Thailand can't match our sweetest pomelo:cheers:

that's gross P450/ kl.! is that Manila price? when lanzones ,mangosteen and rambutan are in season you can buy P 20-P30 pesos /kl. here :cheers: ..marang can fetch for only P5-P10/kl..

dinabaw

June 29th, 2007, 02:37 AM

Since we are talking about migration. How about interisland migration. I noticed that people from Davao who have roots in Luzon are beginning to come back and share their farm technology. They are transforming the farm landscape in Luzon with their orchards. Im talking about the Dizons, Hizons and many more. I hope we will see more of that. :)

I think most Davawenyos who ventured having there orchard in Luzon is bec of costs and handling of fruits( hnidi ma bugbug) or they are 2nd and 3rd generations of the Dizon's and Hizon's, but still they own track of lands in Davao.yeah we need more Hizones and Dizones to propogate high-value crops so para matapatan din natin ang Thailand.

i think the dizzon farm somewhere in Quezon(?) is more on experimental planting.

gen1

June 29th, 2007, 02:42 AM

dinabaw

June 29th, 2007, 02:48 AM

marang I can get as low as P2 a fruit in cotabato when in season. that's what i give to the kids I ask to climb up their tree to fetch me one :lol:

they actually just let marang drop to the ground. the fruit is just so adundant there. like I've said, the soil in cotabato is so rich, land rights so cheap, water so sweet. the rebels a so nasty though :lol:

wow! 2 pesos :lol: pagdating ng syudad triple or quadruple ang price! yan ang ina angal ng mga farmers greedy middlemen( yumayaman pa kay sa farmers) and bad farm to market roads!

so their is your answer @crappypants why it's P450 /kl dyan sa Manila!

eto Dragon fruit ,masarap parang jell-o problem hindi pa masyadong marami dito kaya it can fetch as high as P80/kl!

http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/3876/img5462ak4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

crappypants

June 29th, 2007, 06:20 AM

we have longkon(thai variety) lanzones but prob. it's to expensive to buy locally , it is grown for export.

WE have the best soil than thailand , thailand is more on "genetically engineered" fruits like longkon and the chanee and monthong durian varities( we prefer our local variety which more tastier ,creamier and mabaho :D)
Thailand can't match our sweetest pomelo:cheers:

that's gross P450/ kl.! is that Manila price? when lanzones ,mangosteen and rambutan are in season you can buy P 20-P30 pesos /kl. here :cheers: ..marang can fetch for only P5-P10/kl..

well don't we also have scientists why can't we genetically engineer our fruits to make them bigger and sweeter. What about just taking the bangkok lanzones ang planting them in the PHil , will they give the same fruits?

such a shame even our rice is of poorer quality.

crappypants

June 29th, 2007, 06:22 AM

Ok here's an example of that patriotic ofw courtesyof kimber

OFWs urged to come home and help neighbors

An Ilonggo mechanical engineer has called on his fellow Ilonggos working abroad to work and save money but must return to their native land and help their fellowmen.

Engr. Thomas Sinense of Brgy. Lawis, Balasan, Iloilo said that whatever the Filipinos do abroad, especially in the United States, they must save and return to their native land.

Sinense, now a successful livestock and fish producer, stayed in the United States for almost 20 years and work as a contractor. However, he came back four years ago after saving enough money to work on his 22 hectares fishpond and piggery project.

Recently, he was named by the Department of Agriculture regional office as outstanding Iloilo farmer for his integrated agro-aqua and livestock project in the barangay that serves as a model farm for neighboring barangays.

"Overseas Filipino contract workers must use their job abroad in order to save enough money and must come back to invest in their own place.

Today, Sinense owns some 100 sows and brokers discovered his farm by buying directly in his farm. Breeding and fattening became the main job of the piggery that adopted scientific methods in pig breeding.

Similarly, the piggery waste is being converted into biogas that adds fuel to the farm complex. An intricate canal system around the piggery catches the wastes and converted into fertilizers to feed the fishponds milkfish, crabs, sea bass, tilapia and danggit.

He is also into eucheuma seaweeds growing and buyers as far as Cebu come to his farm to buy the seaweeds.

The farm complex is earning enough to feed his family and farm workers and even farm agents discovered his farm produce by word of mouth and they personally come to his farm to buy.

"My advice to those who wanted to go abroad to work as contract workers is that they must not consider themselves as citizens of other countries but as truly Filipinos working to save money and to go back and invest in their own country. This way, they can help their country and fellowmen by providing job opportunities," Sinense said.
__________________

Not because of who I am, but because of what you've done.
Not because of what I've done, but because of who you are.
I am yours.©

amigo32

June 29th, 2007, 06:32 AM

eh bakit hindi kayo magpulot ni Amigo ng basura t maglecture kayo sa mga tangang botante at maghinay hinay sa pagaanak. oh di ba mas masaya .
such a shame cause PInas can be such a paradise kung konte mga panggulo.

ikaw kaya umuwi dito tulungan mo kaming magpulot ng basura. nagagawa ko yun. ikaw?

crappypants

June 29th, 2007, 06:41 AM

palagi ko pong ginagawa yon. ^^ hindi mo ba nabasa sig line ko.

crappypants

June 29th, 2007, 06:45 AM

palagi ko pong ginagawa yon. ^^ hindi mo ba nabasa sig line ko.

Kayo nagsabe ni raven na madumi , magulo,
me masama ba sa sinabe ko? masama bang magpulot ng basura? Nainsulto ba kayo? lahat dapat ginagawa yon.

amigo32

June 29th, 2007, 06:48 AM

alam mo ba nanaiinis lang ako sa ibang nasa ibang bansa na ayaw na nilang bumalik dito at kung anu-ano ang sinasabi tungkol sa Pinas, inulit ko lang yung sinasabi nila, dahil sa inis ko, ibig ko lang sabihin, kung ayw nyo na bumalik huwag na kayong dumgdag pa sa problema sa pagkakalat ng kasamaan tungkol sa Pilipinas.

amigo32

June 29th, 2007, 06:50 AM

Huwag na kayong bumalik dahil doon sa mga nabanggit na dahilan, marumi, pobre, magnanakaw ank ng @$^*UNYT&I ^^%$$### kung hindi din ba sila nanggaling dito. pwe.

crappypants

June 29th, 2007, 07:16 AM

^^ i think you are taking everything out of context.
those people just want to see philippines carry out its full potential.
don't take it personally.

gen1

June 29th, 2007, 07:37 AM

^^ i hope you don't take this in a bad way. I too get annoyed at the way quite a few Fil Ams pontificate about the ills of our country and our countrymen. :)

crappypants

June 29th, 2007, 07:40 AM

gen1

June 29th, 2007, 08:37 AM

nope, it aint all true :lol:

and I recall an apt metaphor . . . something about rats and a sinking ship . . .

bwahahaha ! ! !

lazybum

June 29th, 2007, 08:52 AM

^^ well live with it cause it's all true. and i get annoyed by overly sensitive pinoys . There are too many pinoys who are apathetic. there is a balance to everything. To me you are allowed to point out the wrong things as long as you're doing something to help improve the situation.

Sticks and stones may brake my bones but words won't hurt me! That is something I go by when I willingly participate in forums such as this one.

That being said, I have yet to read comments from anybody on this thread (except from that Malaysian guy) that has offered any opinion or commentary that were either mean or attempted to disparage anyone - or the country we all love. A true test of personal maturity is how a person responds to criticism from faceless individuals whom you have no personal connection to.

I don't know if Crappy's statement was directed at yours truly but I just want to say that apathy does not always mean a lack of concern but is sometimes helpful in making sure that participants on this thread do not fall into a terrible trap called "groupthinking". We need to test, we need to analyze and we need to evaluate ideas. That is what we call critical thinking.

Now, I hope we can all go back to the discussion in a rationale manner...

crappypants

June 29th, 2007, 08:56 AM

gen1

June 29th, 2007, 09:10 AM

^^ ah. the comment must be for me then.

Let's see.

about basura in the streets. sino panalo sa kalinisan : La ciudad de nueva york (NYC) or Marikina City ?

Sa Marikina ako tataya.

Sa pag ganda ng daloy ng trapiko, kahit makitid ang daan, sino ang panalo : La ciudad de nueva york or Cebu City ?

My money is on Cebu City.

Sa peace and order sa kalye at lansangan, kahit malapit sa mga Abu Sayaf, saan mo ako makikitang maglalakad mag-isa sa gitna ng gabi : sa new york city o sa davao city ?

Sa Davao ako mag-lalakas loob maglakad mag-isa kahit sa Agdao Market.

This feel good to be pinoy list can go on.

Apathetic Pinoys in Pinoyland ? I THINK NOT ! ! ! :lol:

lazybum

June 29th, 2007, 09:12 AM

It is not meant for you lazy bum or anybody else otherwise I would have put an arrow or mentioned your name.
it is meant for all apathetic pinoys regarding the state of the country.
besides you don't reside in the Phils anymore ,correct?

Phew! Glad to hear that! No, I do not reside in the Philippines anymore...I live in Southern California and hold a US passport. But I am evaluating whether there is still a place for me back in the Philippines - I am seriously considering the idea of retiring in a place where I can have a totally different lifestyle.

jonno

June 29th, 2007, 09:53 AM

Port, I read a post somewhere on this thread claiming that ..........

There is no way you could receive Social Security (unemployment benefits) from the US while living in the Philippines. It is possible of course to receive your pension while living in the PHilippines (have to go back to the US once a year.) Contrary to what you said, most Fil - Ams who chose to live here are the ones that got the money. More and more Fil -Ams (mainly from Cali) from my observation are buying properties, condos in Metro Manila (especially Makati or the Fort) for investment and future retirement. They know their property would appreciate faster here. I myself is a balikabayan. I love living here (despite the traffic and pollution) but I think my world would be different if I'm living outside Makati. For those balikbayans who can not afford to stay in a good place here then it might not be a good idea to live here (at the moment, I can’t imagine living outside Makati or The Fort area). But then again, I still know a lot of Fil Am retirees who are simply happy that their monthly pension (from the US) could be stretched much more if they spend it here. It depends, I've got old relatives who I think would be happier retiring and living here in the Philippines but they have rationalized (using my own psychoanalysis :lol: ) living overseas by saying we've got cleaner air, free health care, etc. over there.

Hell, what's the use of "free health care" if you are dying inside?

The way I see it, unless you are in a survival mode, happiness still boils down to respect. And let's face it, even thou we've got the citizenship; it's still not our country (as of now). Do we really get that "respect" overseas? I've seen a lot of Filipinos much older than me in my "other" country and I could see them rationalizing their pathetic existence (their choice to live overseas for the rest of their lives) by saying stuff like "it's too hot in the Philippines", "too much crime". Hell, they are fully nourished, a relaxing lifestyle and all the things a 1st world country could offer but their "spirits" are dead. There is no life in their life and they can't even see it! No wonder many of them are getting fat and getting addicted to gambling (including some of my relatives - no offence to others ); it's probably to ease the pain of their dull existence. One of my friend there (about my age) spends a lot on those "full body massage" (he is not ugly). I mean I'm here dating nice girls and having real fun and all he could date is a masseuse? (aside from the usual poker machines,boring long drives on long weekends). Isn't that a waste of youth? I’d rather be a big fish in a dirty pond than a small, insignificant fish in a clean ocean. I mean what's the point of living if you can't feel alive? You can not bring back time and even now that I'm still not that old, I'm already feeling that I have wasted time and opportunities in the past. What's more for these people who got accustomed to their boring life overseas and still chose to stay there just because they have "free health care"?

It's only overseas where I see a Filipino Mum hanging out with her daughters friends because she's got no one to hang out with; Filipinos who hate each others guts and yet on weekends would hang out with each other since they've got no one to hang with; and a Filipino granpa (a professional here) playing X box everyday cause he's bored stiff with his life. :lol: For those Filipinos who really made it overseas ( more on the 2nd generation I would say) and feel that they command a lot of respect there; good on them/we be should happy for them; maybe my observation above does not really apply to them (thou I still feel that "there is no place like home"). I just hope they got this "respect" not because they are tiptoeing through life. Some of them chose to tiptoe through life (to be accepted as "citizens" of their new country) just so that they'll have the privilege of free health care which would bring them to death safely. My advice to them; live the life you want to live;screw them; and don't worry about getting accepted or all those nonsense. I'd rather people hating me than live a life like that. These weakling Filipinos should learn a bit from our Senators; look at them - they'd rather burn in hell and see 80 million Filipinos suffer just to fulfill their personal ambitions.:lol: Maybe I've become biased since I've been back here in the Phils for a few years now. I remember complaining a lot when I got back here (things such as driving habits - doesn't bother me now).

As to your observation that "(you) have not seen so much poverty and suffering in (your) whole life (when you are here in the Philippines)" I'm not sure what you mean. I myself grew up in the Philippines and when I came back here I remember feeling really sorry to those kids selling flowers on the streets (it didn't bother me before I left the Philippines) but I don't see any unusual poverty and suffering that I've never seen before we left this country, or never seen in foreign news. In fact, what amazes me is the widespread 24/7 construction of buildings going on here in Makati and The Fort. I guess it depends where you stay in the Philippines, where did you stay when you are here by the way?

lazybum

June 29th, 2007, 04:54 PM

If you are a U.S. citizen, you may receive your Social Security payments outside the U.S. as long as you are eligible for them. Regardless of your citizenship, there are certain countries where we are not allowed to send payments. For more information, please visit our website at: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10137.html

If you are a United States citizen, you can travel or live in most foreign countries without affecting your eligibility for Social Security benefits.

However, there are a few countries—Cambodia, Cuba, North Korea, Vietnam and many of the former U.S.S.R. republics (except Armenia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Russia)—where we cannot send Social Security checks.

If you are not a United States citizen, the law requires us to stop your payments after you have been outside the United States for six calendar months unless you meet one of several exceptions in the law which will permit you to continue receiving benefits abroad. These exceptions are based, for the most part, on your citizenship.

For example, if you are entitled to worker’s benefits and are a citizen of one of the many countries with which the United States has a reciprocal arrangement to pay each other’s citizens in another country, your Social Security benefits may continue after you leave the United States (see a list at Your Payments While You Are Outside The United States ).

If you work outside the United States, different rules apply in determining if you can get your benefit checks. Most people who are neither U.S. residents nor U.S. citizens will have 25.5 percent of their benefits withheld for federal income tax.

For more information about receiving benefits abroad, we recommend you read the booklet, Payments While You Are Outside the United States (Publication No.05-10137)

Above was quoted from SSA website Q&A section. I will try to respond to your post sometime after the 4th of July - taking off for a little R&R - thanks for your comments. Regards.

tigidig14

June 29th, 2007, 06:57 PM

^meron din bang mga egots na nagreretired satin (pnas) o ibang lahi like mexicano o european pero walng asawang pnay

wow! 2 pesos :lol: pagdating ng syudad triple or quadruple ang price! yan ang ina angal ng mga farmers greedy middlemen( yumayaman pa kay sa farmers) and bad farm to market roads!

so their is your answer @crappypants why it's P450 /kl dyan sa Manila!

eto Dragon fruit ,masarap parang jell-o problem hindi pa masyadong marami dito kaya it can fetch as high as P80/kl!

http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/3876/img5462ak4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

nung unang tingin ko kala uod yung nakapalibot
pero orig yung prutas na yan ha, d pa rin ako nakakain ng ganyang prutas

crappypants

June 29th, 2007, 06:58 PM

There is no way you could receive Social Security (unemployment benefits) from the US while living in the Philippines. It is possible of course to receive your pension while living in the PHilippines (have to go back to the US once a year.) Contrary to what you said, most Fil - Ams who chose to live here are the ones that got the money. More and more Fil -Ams (mainly from Cali) from my observation are buying properties, condos in Metro Manila (especially Makati or the Fort) for investment and future retirement. They know their property would appreciate faster here. I myself is a balikabayan. I love living here (despite the traffic and pollution) but I think my world would be different if I'm living outside Makati. For those balikbayans who can not afford to stay in a good place here then it might not be a good idea to live here (at the moment, I can’t imagine living outside Makati or The Fort area). But then again, I still know a lot of Fil Am retirees who are simply happy that their monthly pension (from the US) could be stretched much more if they spend it here. It depends, I've got old relatives who I think would be happier retiring and living here in the Philippines but they have rationalized (using my own psychoanalysis :lol: ) living overseas by saying we've got cleaner air, free health care, etc. over there.

Hell, what's the use of "free health care" if you are dying inside?

The way I see it, unless you are in a survival mode, happiness still boils down to respect. And let's face it, even thou we've got the citizenship; it's still not our country (as of now). Do we really get that "respect" overseas? I've seen a lot of Filipinos much older than me in my "other" country and I could see them rationalizing their pathetic existence (their choice to live overseas for the rest of their lives) by saying stuff like "it's too hot in the Philippines", "too much crime". Hell, they are fully nourished, a relaxing lifestyle and all the things a 1st world country could offer but their "spirits" are dead. There is no life in their life and they can't even see it! No wonder many of them are getting fat and getting addicted to gambling (including some of my relatives - no offence to others ); it's probably to ease the pain of their dull existence. One of my friend there (about my age) spends a lot on those "full body massage" (he is not ugly). I mean I'm here dating nice girls and having real fun and all he could date is a masseuse? (aside from the usual poker machines,boring long drives on long weekends). Isn't that a waste of youth? I’d rather be a big fish in a dirty pond than a small, insignificant fish in a clean ocean. I mean what's the point of living if you can't feel alive? You can not bring back time and even now that I'm still not that old, I'm already feeling that I have wasted time and opportunities in the past. What's more for these people who got accustomed to their boring life overseas and still chose to stay there just because they have "free health care"?

It's only overseas where I see a Filipino Mum hanging out with her daughters friends because she's got no one to hang out with; Filipinos who hate each others guts and yet on weekends would hang out with each other since they've got no one to hang with; and a Filipino granpa (a professional here) playing X box everyday cause he's bored stiff with his life. :lol: For those Filipinos who really made it overseas ( more on the 2nd generation I would say) and feel that they command a lot of respect there; good on them/we be should happy for them; maybe my observation above does not really apply to them (thou I still feel that "there is no place like home"). I just hope they got this "respect" not because they are tiptoeing through life. Some of them chose to tiptoe through life (to be accepted as "citizens" of their new country) just so that they'll have the privilege of free health care which would bring them to death safely. My advice to them; live the life you want to live;screw them; and don't worry about getting accepted or all those nonsense. I'd rather people hating me than live a life like that. These weakling Filipinos should learn a bit from our Senators; look at them - they'd rather burn in hell and see 80 million Filipinos suffer just to fulfill their personal ambitions.:lol: Maybe I've become biased since I've been back here in the Phils for a few years now. I remember complaining a lot when I got back here (things such as driving habits - doesn't bother me now).

As to your observation that "(you) have not seen so much poverty and suffering in (your) whole life (when you are here in the Philippines)" I'm not sure what you mean. I myself grew up in the Philippines and when I came back here I remember feeling really sorry to those kids selling flowers on the streets (it didn't bother me before I left the Philippines) but I don't see any unusual poverty and suffering that I've never seen before we left this country, or never seen in foreign news. In fact, what amazes me is the widespread 24/7 construction of buildings going on here in Makati and The Fort. I guess it depends where you stay in the Philippines, where did you stay when you are here by the way?

second class citizen in heaven?
or a first class citizen in hell hole?
why not fix the hell hole then most can be first class citizen in heaven.
Most longterm Filams have the money to retire or live in the PHils. Each has their own reasons why they choose not to come back. For some they spend six mos. there and six mos in the US. but the frequent trips can probably get taxing. As already stated by others here some of the reasons why are family, used to first world existence. As long as you have the money you can live pretty much anywhere in the world.
it's the new immigrants who are just starting and don't have the money to go back , anyway it makes sense why would they go back if they just left in the first place.

some Filipino men and foreign tourists' incentives to go back and live in the PHIls are the women. In that sense i guess it's not that attractive for women filams to go back.
there are good and bad things about living in any country just to each his own the scale of importance of those things when it comes to living your life.
and in some communities in the state it is almost as if you were in the PHils given the huge population of Filipinos. So you won't really feel alienated . If you live in all white community why not do an at&t, reach out and touch someone.

I noticed filipinos who have lived outside the PHils have a better perspective when it comes to national issues concerning the PHils. there is more urgency and concern compared to local pinoys who are apathetic and lethargic when it comes to issues that can improve the country. when you stress all the bad things it's because you also want the local pinoys to raise their standards and also experience good living in their own country.
If you laugh at everything you know you've been living there too long.
Sure you have to make living fun but you have to balance everything .
i guess that's why the country just muddled through while the rest of its neighbors zoomed to progress.
But if you trully are in love with the PHils I agree its better to live your life ten years shorter and live it where you feel comfortable and feel a sense of belonging. because the white countries will absolutely not allow their demographics to change to brown or yellow immigrants.

kiretoce

June 29th, 2007, 07:05 PM

second class citizen in heaven? or a first class citizen in hell hole?

:bow: :bow: :bow:

So you won't really feel alienated . If you live in all white community why not do an at&t, reach out and touch someone.

:rofl: :okay:

jonno

June 29th, 2007, 07:24 PM

^^

well, how would you define a hell hole? a nice place where you are not happy or a not so nice one where you are happy? is it the place or the people that makes your truly happy? if its the place you are referring too, then why live in a "hellhole" in the Philippines if you've got the money? live in MaKAti, the fort or alabang...buy properties now while it's still cheap...nobody could guarantee when the Philippine economy would really take off but what's guaranteed is that there is so much room for growth

secondly, i dont live in all white community overseas, i like it multicultural but there's still no place like home

thirdly, muddling through got nothing to do with enjoying life, in fact it's the people who are not really happy with their lives that tend to muddle through..why bother?

finally, living shorter...it depends...you've got a point if you factor in the pollution, the not so fresh veggies, etc. but on the other hand if you've got the money - you could eat healthy...the thing is if you're happy with your life, you'll live longer - that is proven

crappypants

June 29th, 2007, 08:23 PM

well just like you're saying hell hole is relative and a state of mind ,happiness is also relative , emotional and physical health, a hollistic approach to one's state of being. happiness can't stop you from being ran over by a train. you can't infer all Filams in the US are unhappy with their lives.
Some are, some aren't.
Weren't you the one who created the post about air pollution in the PHils killing many children? Has it been fixed the last couple of days?
You can live a first world status inside the enclaves of Makati, ortigas or the Fort and better at that because you have the cheap maids, and drivers etc..but what happens when you go outside.
I have too much compassion for me to turn a blind eye to sufferings and hard ships of people just a stone throw away from me.
that's the problem with some pinoys when you point out the things that need to be fixed they accuse you of being mayabang or jokingly ask are you running for office? Can't people accept constructive criticism.
it took three mos. for the water company to fix the hole they dug in front of our house. the toothless traffic lady tried to give us a ticket for running a nonexistant traffic light untill i complained and said i would report her to BAYANI while my cousin in the back prodded me to just give her coffee money. Oh well why do i even bother ,there are things i love about the PHils and there are things i hate so much. but if you even bother to write about the things you hate and that need to change they prounce on you.

the economy plane has been taxiing for decades now i hope it takes off soon.
but i do have high hopes for the phils. I have already invested there. there are lots of good things happening too.

bitoy

June 29th, 2007, 08:34 PM

^^ the toothless traffic lady :lol: , It reminded me of our Traffic enforcer sa Malabon na grabe ang make-up at ayaw maarawan. So, she directs the traffic under the shade of the awnings of a grocery store. (Toothless too!) napatalo siguro sa tong-its yung pangbili ng falstiso.

Hay, buhay sa Pinas, masarap kung puro dollar ang darating sa iyo.

jonno

June 29th, 2007, 08:45 PM

gen1

June 29th, 2007, 09:16 PM

Up until 1998, US green card holders and working visa holders had to pay Philippine Income Taxes.

I wonder how many of these "patriotic" pinoys who only have "constructive criticism" for the country actually paid the taxes so the country could move forward. :nuts: :lol:

crappypants

June 29th, 2007, 09:22 PM

^^well duh there you go again. if you add patriotic to pinoy it only makes sense that if they lived in the PHils of course they would pay taxes. if they don't pay taxes while living there that makes them criminals and not patriotic ,doesn't it.

You wonder too much.

gen1

June 29th, 2007, 09:47 PM

tigidig14

June 29th, 2007, 09:53 PM

ye im wondering too
how bout getting that dual citizen
wud that avoid xtra monetary ekek being dual saytezen?

smokingunmanila

June 29th, 2007, 10:07 PM

tama na away...ako lang pwede nyan and tootsjap...lahat kayo may point...nag over the bakod lang yung ibang statement and iba yung interpretation...so peace na tayong lahat...let's sing " give peace a chance" by john lennon...I think all of you are in the same boat..a progressive Phils.

crappypants

June 29th, 2007, 10:16 PM

^^ huh ? :lol:

Don't quite get what you mean. Do you mean that if you are a pinoy US Green Card holder living outside the philippines you need not pay the required taxes ?

It doesn't hurt to wonder too much. I'm a curious fellow :lol:

of course they shouldn't why would they need to pay the taxes if they're not living there i think that's why they ammended that law.
they need to get those illegal chinese in Divisoria selling smuggled goods to pay the taxes and other big time tax evaders.

tigidig14

June 29th, 2007, 10:27 PM

^i wonder that too
there are too many of them over there
what weird thing is, they cant even speak english or tagalog, and still sell those fake louie vuitton as long ass you say somthing with numbers, then you and that chinese vendor are fine haha

gen1

June 29th, 2007, 10:31 PM

Lea Salonga paid her taxes. :)

I think they removed that tax in via the Tax Reform Act of 1997 because of very low compliance. It had become a convenient source of extra income for unscrupulous BIR personnel with a beef against balikbayans.

bitoy

June 29th, 2007, 10:55 PM

gen1

June 30th, 2007, 12:37 AM

^^ working visa

Askal82

June 30th, 2007, 02:07 AM

dinabaw

June 30th, 2007, 02:29 AM

well don't we also have scientists why can't we genetically engineer our fruits to make them bigger and sweeter. What about just taking the bangkok lanzones ang planting them in the PHil , will they give the same fruits?

such a shame even our rice is of poorer quality.

eww some "genetically engineered" fruits, plants etc. are harmful to humans and not tastier just like white leghorn vs. the native manok ... i like the native 1 pero mahal kasi :lol:

I said we have lonkon the thai variety lanzones but problem it's expensive to buy it's P40 (thai variety) vs. P20(native) per kilo when in season :D

anyway here is genetically engineered err drafted mango trees it's just about 6 to 10 ft. in height almost same height as drafted durian .

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/605/dsc03111gh1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

crappypants

June 30th, 2007, 02:49 AM

so those bangkok lanzones are probably from davao and not bangkok.
why do they cost 400 pesos a kilo in Manila?
genetically engineered fruits are not gross they just manipulate the plant genes and mix different hybrids to give the biggest, sweetest and pest resistant fruits.

Askal82

June 30th, 2007, 08:38 PM

eww some "genetically engineered" fruits, plants etc. are harmful to humans and not tastier just like white leghorn vs. the native manok ... i like the native 1 pero mahal kasi :lol:

I said we have lonkon the thai variety lanzones but problem it's expensive to buy it's P40 (thai variety) vs. P20(native) per kilo when in season :D

anyway here is genetically engineered err drafted mango trees it's just about 6 to 10 ft. in height almost same height as drafted durian .

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/605/dsc03111gh1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

:eek: :eek: Sweet!! I wish I can have something like that in 5 years.

gen1

July 1st, 2007, 01:48 AM

kiretoce

July 1st, 2007, 01:53 AM

^^ Too bad, I already did! Mwahahahaha! :devil:

smokingunmanila

July 1st, 2007, 03:37 AM

there are bukidnon farms lots at 70k per hectare.

there are some good farm lots with farm-to-market roads in mindanao at 10-20k per hectare. I won't tell where baka unahan pa ninyo ako sa pagbili :shifty:

Meron nyan noh..yung malapit sa campo abu bakar ng MILF wherein nag kaka gasupaan ang militar at mga milf every month...yun lang nga ..tinatamaan ang mga fruits mo ng bala...:nuts:

cheersmate

July 1st, 2007, 05:07 AM

hehehhe..in fact I seldom go out of Makati..it got everything I need..I wasn;t singling out Fil Ams, I was referring to Filipinos living overseas in general..I never said all Fil Ams are unhappy of course...anyway I agree with most of what you said; we want the economy, their lives, everything to take off...as to some Filipinos not being able to accept criticism, it's just a defence mechanism...

a defence mechanism for the guilty ones:nuts:

ye im wondering too
how bout getting that dual citizen
wud that avoid xtra monetary ekek being dual saytezen?

paying 22-45% tax abroad..then pay another tax sa pinas?:ohno:
what's that tax being paid on departure?

gen1

July 1st, 2007, 05:17 AM

Meron nyan noh..yung malapit sa campo abu bakar ng MILF wherein nag kaka gasupaan ang militar at mga milf every month...yun lang nga ..tinatamaan ang mga fruits mo ng bala...:nuts:

npa at army ang nag-papatintero sa lugar na iyon. kaya nga mura :) . OK lang naman ang npa. kunin mo lang sila as farm hands at 'wag ka masyadong pasista ok ka na.

gen1

July 1st, 2007, 06:18 AM

paying 22-45% tax abroad..then pay another tax sa pinas?:ohno:

Americans pay taxes on foreign income. kaya kung magreklamo man sila tungkol sa infrastructure sa tate, ok lang, taxpayer naman sila :)

"13.7 Aliens and U.S. Citizens Living Abroad: U.S. Citizens Overseas

I am a U.S. citizen working abroad. Are my foreign earnings taxable?

A U.S. citizen or resident alien is generally subject to U.S. tax on total worldwide income. However, if you are a United States citizen or a resident alien who lives and works abroad, you may qualify to exclude all or part of your foreign earned income. For specific information, refer to Tax Topic 853, Foreign Earned Income Exclusion - General. "

quoted from http://www.irs.gov/faqs/faq13.html

mas ok nga sa 'pinas, as of 01jan98 pwede nang hindi magbayad ng income tax ang OFW at Expat Pinoys. :lol:

kaya hinay-hinay lang dapat sa pagbanat sa 'pinas at local pinoys iyung iba dyan na hindi naman taxpayer :jk:

what's that tax being paid on departure?

Departure Tax ang tawag yan. As of 01Jan98 OFWs ang Pinoy Expats are exempt from paying that.

TNTs have to pay that though because they left the country as tourists.:lol:

Did you have pay for that tax ? :jk: if you did siguro you left the country before 01jan98.

jonno

July 1st, 2007, 06:22 AM

Americans pay taxes on foreign income. kaya kung magreklamo man sila tungkol sa infrastructure sa tate, ok lang, taxpayer naman sila :)

"13.7 Aliens and U.S. Citizens Living Abroad: U.S. Citizens Overseas

I am a U.S. citizen working abroad. Are my foreign earnings taxable?

A U.S. citizen or resident alien is generally subject to U.S. tax on total worldwide income. However, if you are a United States citizen or a resident alien who lives and works abroad, you may qualify to exclude all or part of your foreign earned income. For specific information, refer to Tax Topic 853, Foreign Earned Income Exclusion - General. "

quoted from http://www.irs.gov/faqs/faq13.html

mas ok nga sa 'pinas, as of 01jan98 pwede nang hindi magbayad ng income tax ang OFW at Expat Pinoys. :lol:

kaya hinay-hinay lang dapat sa pagbanat sa 'pinas at local pinoys iyung iba dyan na hindi naman taxpayer :jk:

Departure Tax ang tawag yan. As of 01Jan98 OFWs ang Pinoy Expats are exempt from paying that.

TNTs have to pay that though because they left the country as tourists.:lol:

Did you have pay for that tax ? :jk: if you did siguro you left the country before 01jan98.

So if you are carrying a foreign passport but a dual citizen, how much do you have to pay when are getting out of the country?

gen1

July 1st, 2007, 08:08 AM

^^ not really sure, but here's a useful website you may want to visit:

http://www.gov.ph/faqs/dualcitizenship.asp

TheAvenger

July 3rd, 2007, 07:43 AM

of course they shouldn't why would they need to pay the taxes if they're not living there i think that's why they ammended that law.
they need to get those illegal chinese in Divisoria selling smuggled goods to pay the taxes and other big time tax evaders.

i guess those illegal chinese in divisoria also pay another kind of tax..... i think they were paying monthly "tong" to an agency responsible for foreigners... also those illegal bumbay doing 5/6 must be paying those " tong ".

by the way.. few days ago I was in a town in central luzon... i noticed a chinese woman doing also the jobs usually done by the bumbay TNT. since she speak a kind of twisted Tagalog language.... I reckoned she came driect from the mainland. :)

cheersmate

July 4th, 2007, 07:58 PM

how long can a former filipino stay in the philippines w/o having dual citizenship? having non-filipino passport?

j.r.

July 4th, 2007, 10:26 PM

smokingunmanila

July 5th, 2007, 11:56 AM

This thread is really informative..I'm learning so much from questions being posted and answers given here..

lazybum

July 6th, 2007, 05:53 AM

how long can a former filipino stay in the philippines w/o having dual citizenship? having non-filipino passport?

Returning balikbayan may enter the Philippines without a visa and stay for a period one (1) year for tourism purposes. Under the Balikbayan Program (Republic Act 6788) of the Philippine government, the term balikbayan includes:

1. A Filipino citizen who has been continuously out of the country for a period of at least one (1) year from date of last departure
2. A Filipino overseas worker

3. A former Filipino citizen and his family members as this term is defined hereunder, who has been naturalized in a foreign country and comes or returns to the Philippines provided that the former Filipino citizen can show proof that his or her former Philippine citizenship (e.g. old/cancelled Philippine passport, Birth Certificate, or naturalization papers) upon arrival in the Philippines.

Foreigner spouses and children travelling with the former Filipino citizens may avail of this privilege by presenting before immigration officials legal documents establishing relationship with the former Filipino citizen upon arrival in the Philippines. These documents could either be a Marriage Certificate (for spouses) or Birth Certificate (for children). This privilege can only be availed of by family members/relatives if they are traveling to the Philippines together with the balikbayan (former Filipino).

(The term "family" shall mean the spouse and the children of the balikbayan who are not balikbayans in their own right travelling with the latter to the Philippines).

http://www.pcgenla.org/Visacon.htm#RenPass

Risk Taker

July 6th, 2007, 06:06 AM

lazybum

July 6th, 2007, 06:15 AM

^^ wow thank you very much lazybum for sharing this. i should have known this earlier. last year when i was in pinas i have to keep on extending my visas and pay for that extension expenses. did you try it yourself ba? wala nang daming ekek sa immigration?

You are welcome! But remember to bring an old Philippine passport or a copy of your naturalization certificate on your next return visit.

Risk Taker

July 6th, 2007, 06:26 AM

lazybum

July 6th, 2007, 07:47 PM

^^ thank you sa reminder and will do this next time pero confirm ko muna did you do it this way ba? baka kasi di ako mag apply visa tapos pagdating ko don di ako papasukin...sorry ha gusto ko lang malaman at least kampante na pag alam ko may gumawa na nito kasi kung minsan yung mga iba dyan sa immigration kahit may batas na ganito pero di nila alam at dami pang kuskos balungos. i hope you understand my concern. thanks again:)

Hi Risk Taker,

Hindi ko pa nasubukan tumigil sa Pinas longer than the regular 21 days pero ang advise ko sa iyo ay tumawag ka sa pikanamalapit na Philippine consulate sa iyong tinitirahan at linawin mo kung ano ba talaga ang reglamento ng imigrasyon ng Pilipinas tungkol sa visa ng mga dating Filipino. Mahirap baka nagpla-plano ka ng matagal na bakasyon pero baka hindi ka payagan ng opisyal ng imigrasyon na magtigil ka ng mas mahaba sa tatlong linggo.

Anyway, here's another web link of a consulate office in Los Angeles. Good luck...

http://www.pcgenla.org/FaqVisacon.htm

cheersmate

July 7th, 2007, 12:38 AM

doesn't it depend on the country ur from (from daw o, hindi the country u originally came from he he)? i heard before if ur a us citizen, u hav 2 go back 2 the us for a certain period of tym 2 retain ur us citizenship. yun lang pagkakaalam ko, might be wrong. as 4 me, ngayon year p lang ako siguro (siguro ha) mag-a-apply ng british citizenship.

£950 na daw payment ngayon:ohno:

Returning balikbayan may enter the Philippines without a visa and stay for a period one (1) year for tourism purposes. Under the Balikbayan Program (Republic Act 6788) of the Philippine government, the term balikbayan includes:

1. A Filipino citizen who has been continuously out of the country for a period of at least one (1) year from date of last departure
2. A Filipino overseas worker

3. A former Filipino citizen and his family members as this term is defined hereunder, who has been naturalized in a foreign country and comes or returns to the Philippines provided that the former Filipino citizen can show proof that his or her former Philippine citizenship (e.g. old/cancelled Philippine passport, Birth Certificate, or naturalization papers) upon arrival in the Philippines.

Foreigner spouses and children travelling with the former Filipino citizens may avail of this privilege by presenting before immigration officials legal documents establishing relationship with the former Filipino citizen upon arrival in the Philippines. These documents could either be a Marriage Certificate (for spouses) or Birth Certificate (for children). This privilege can only be availed of by family members/relatives if they are traveling to the Philippines together with the balikbayan (former Filipino).

(The term "family" shall mean the spouse and the children of the balikbayan who are not balikbayans in their own right travelling with the latter to the Philippines).

http://www.pcgenla.org/Visacon.htm#RenPass

thanks for the info..:cheers:

j.r.

July 7th, 2007, 10:46 PM

£950 na daw payment ngayon:ohno:

yung sa permanent residency yata yan. £500 ang alam ko for the citizenship. will check din, though... :ohno:

caloy

July 8th, 2007, 02:49 PM

actually its 600+. for the citizenship including the ceremony.

the residency is 950. but as we all know, every year, it change.

j.r.

July 8th, 2007, 03:38 PM

a basta, uuwi na muna ako for a holiday sa pinas at the end of the year before i think of that citizenship. sometimes i wonder if i really want it, or do i really need it?

caloy

July 8th, 2007, 03:52 PM

for me its for security. i know there are other places but this is so far for us. nagadamo lang nga nagadamo requirements, even for the passport i heard they will do a random thing where you might be chosen for interview as well.

personally i dont want it, but as time goes by that the work permit for nurses band 5 and 6 are striked off to the home office unless you are in band 7 and above, icu nurses, and theatre nurses, then the work permit can be issued.

Dvorak

July 9th, 2007, 06:14 AM

Number of foreigners retiring in RP doubles (http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Headlines&p=49&type=2&sec=24&aid=20070708155)
By Mayen Jaymalin
Monday, July 9, 2007

For many foreigners, the Philippines is no longer just a popular tourist attraction but a well-loved retirement destination.

The Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA) has reported a dramatic growth in the number of elderly foreign nationals coming to the country to retire and enjoy life.

Ex-Col. Fernando Francisco, acting PRA general manager, said the recorded number of “foreign retirees” doubled in the past years and is still growing.

Francisco said from a total of 1,263 in 2005, the number of foreign retirees who registered with the PRA went up to 2,398 in 2006.

“In the first four months of the year, PRA already recorded a total of 1,060 foreign retirees and we expect the number to exceed last year’s figure,” Francisco told The STAR.

As a result of the increase, Francisco said the PRA also posted a staggering $600 million income generated from the registration fees and investment deposit of the applicants.

Those who registered for membership with the PRA are foreign nationals who are 35 years old and above. The PRA lowered the minimum age to accommodate American servicemen who choose to retire here, Francisco said.

“Some of the retirees come here by themselves but there are also some who come with their spouses and children,” Francisco disclosed.

Many of those who opted to retire in the Philippines permanently with their family were Korean nationals, according to Francisco.

Based on PRA data, since 2005, Koreans accounted for 56 percent of the total retirees, followed by the Chinese, 16 percent and Japanese, 5.75 percent.

“The number one motivation of Korean nationals to retire here is for their children to study the English language,” Francisco further said.

Francisco added that foreign retirees who have registered with PRA are allowed to travel in and out of the country without the need to seek clearance from the Bureau of Immigration.

They are also allowed to engage in business upon posting investment deposit to PRA.

Even with the steady growth in the number of foreign retirees coming to the Philippines, Francisco said the PRA still joins marketing missions to encourage more elderly foreign nationals to live here.

kiretoce

July 10th, 2007, 05:24 AM

Okay, here's a rather morbid question....do foreign retirees also go there to die? Or are their remains shipped back to their countries of origin? :dunno:

crappypants

July 10th, 2007, 07:23 AM

they probably just get buried there or get cremated. most don't believe in souls and after life anyway.

xDieselJockx

July 10th, 2007, 10:23 AM

Just one of my silliest idea... Since more Koreans, chinese, maybe Japanese are considering to retire in the Philippines with their children who in turn would start businesses in that country, more and more filipinos immigrating to other countries particularly the west. Would someday the Philippines won't be Philippines anymore? What if the Philippines government would be run by the Koreans and Chinese, then became one of the richest country in asia, would the former filipinos decide to move back to the Philippines to reclaim the land of their ancestors??? Pretty weird thought isn't ? There is no real point to these, it's just the irony of what would possibly happen in the future.

amigo32

July 10th, 2007, 11:05 AM

Maybe I should try/start eating kimchi now. hehehe

kyle@1008

July 10th, 2007, 11:41 AM

tigidig14

July 10th, 2007, 09:19 PM

mag retire ay hindi biro
maghapon nakayuko
di naman makatayo
di naman makaupo

pinostalgic

July 11th, 2007, 01:46 AM

We are all for the betterment and the future of the Philippines. We need foreign investments but I sometimes question their true intentions. I grew up abroad and went to the Philippines for the very 1st time last year. I'm impressed w/ some of the things I saw but if one observes carefully or closely nothing has really changed. It's a toss up outside Makati. Sure there are malls galore but there are also shanty towns galore too. One day we may not have a place to call "home" especially those meaning to go back home (either to volunteer, contribute, or retire) or for future generations. We'll be strangers in our own land. I'm not against anyone trying to learn English because it's cheaper and closer to their country. I'm against and totally concern about the purchase of preserved, pristine, and prime areas by foreigners - Cebu, Taal, Boracay, Makati, soon Palawan, Davao, Banaue, etc. Look at Baguio (what a mess), there are Korean massages, hotels, businesses, worship places, etc. - but they're supposedly only there to study English? There'll be a condo to be built at BGC (Stay Tower - see Manila or Makati Projects) that will most likely cater to Koreans only. Though, there's a law that prohibits exclusivity I wonder if there'll be expats or locals that will purchase there. I think there are also communities and retirement homes (Luzon/Visaya) exclusively for Koreans or Japanese served by the best Filipino security, servants, doctors, etc. Though foreign businesses supposedly provide jobs, I think they don't really care outside their areas of development or businesses. How about volunteering to build or fix local roads/schools in nearby towns (not leading to your compound). They are rich countries but short of natural resources. So, they go out purchase properties/lands in neighboring "emerging" or "developing" Asian countries for their own people or their own purposes. They see these countries hungry for $$$ and will do just about anything to elevate their country's status to be a so called "tiger country". Aren't these same countries accused of illegally dumping garbage in the Philippines? Pretty soon our traditions, customs, religion, and language will be affected one day. Change is good if done wisely and carefully.

cheersmate

July 12th, 2007, 02:39 AM

a basta, uuwi na muna ako for a holiday sa pinas at the end of the year before i think of that citizenship. sometimes i wonder if i really want it, or do i really need it?
u may not want it..but in the long run u'll need it..
there's the incentive of going to paris for lunch w/o worrying for a visa..or anywhere:cheers:

for me its for security. i know there are other places but this is so far for us. nagadamo lang nga nagadamo requirements, even for the passport i heard they will do a random thing where you might be chosen for interview as well.

personally i dont want it, but as time goes by that the work permit for nurses band 5 and 6 are striked off to the home office unless you are in band 7 and above, icu nurses, and theatre nurses, then the work permit can be issued.
true..most nurses below band 7 shld get one if wanting to stay here for a while..they keep upping the fee coz people will still want it regardless.
just imagine the number of asylum seekers they need to support:ohno:

We are all for the betterment and the future of the Philippines. We need foreign investments but I sometimes question their true intentions. I grew up abroad and went to the Philippines for the very 1st time last year. I'm impressed w/ some of the things I saw but if one observes carefully or closely nothing has really changed. It's a toss up outside Makati. Sure there are malls galore but there are also shanty towns galore too. One day we may not have a place to call "home" especially those meaning to go back home (either to volunteer, contribute, or retire) or for future generations. We'll be strangers in our own land. I'm not against anyone trying to learn English because it's cheaper and closer to their country. I'm against and totally concern about the purchase of preserved, pristine, and prime areas by foreigners - Cebu, Taal, Boracay, Makati, soon Palawan, Davao, Banaue, etc. Look at Baguio (what a mess), there are Korean massages, hotels, businesses, worship places, etc. - but they're supposedly only there to study English? There'll be a condo to be built at BGC (Stay Tower - see Manila or Makati Projects) that will most likely cater to Koreans only. Though, there's a law that prohibits exclusivity I wonder if there'll be expats or locals that will purchase there. I think there are also communities and retirement homes (Luzon/Visaya) exclusively for Koreans or Japanese served by the best Filipino security, servants, doctors, etc. Though foreign businesses supposedly provide jobs, I think they don't really care outside their areas of development or businesses. How about volunteering to build or fix local roads/schools in nearby towns (not leading to your compound). They are rich countries but short of natural resources. So, they go out purchase properties/lands in neighboring "emerging" or "developing" Asian countries for their own people or their own purposes. They see these countries hungry for $$$ and will do just about anything to elevate their country's status to be a so called "tiger country". Aren't these same countries accused of illegally dumping garbage in the Philippines? Pretty soon our traditions, customs, religion, and language will be affected one day. Change is good if done wisely and carefully.

dumping ground..very true.goods from the US for example,their rejects are being dumped in pinas,and most pinoys are clamoring for them.
as for properties..a lot of pinoys back home can't afford the same thing as foreigners;super-rich n OFWs excluded.
properties go sky-high:ohno: esp when foreigners become fil citizens and can buy anything they want to..
more reasons to get out of pinas n work abroad..
as for our traditions,etc..in fairness,some foreigners are hungry of these things and want to preserve them..fingers crossed.