Good News for Expat Senior Citizen

Some know about it – many don’t. Are you an expatriate at the age of 60 and above and a holder of a permanent stay visa for the Philippines? Good for you!

The Philippine Republic Act 9257, also known as the “Expanded Senior Citizen Act of 2003” was signed into law already in February 26, 2004 by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo amending RA 7432 and granting additional benefits and privileges to senior citizens.

Also, if you’re an expat living in the Philippines, you can apply for these benefits.

There are a lot of benefits and discounts:

A senior citizen is entitled to a minimum of 20% discount in the purchase of medicine for his personal use according to his personal needs, for example.

Go to your nearest City Hall and visit the Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs, which is established in cities and municipalities under the Office of the Mayor headed by a Senior Citizen – in Davao City by OSCA Acting Head Mr. Francisco T. Rivera.

A senior citizen who cannot personally attend, appoint a representative to transact on his/her behalf. The authorized representative shall be required to present a valid government issued identification document (for aliens the ACR-Card) together with the OSCA-issued identification document of the concerned senior citizen and an authorization letter.

Good news also for expat senior citizens? A big yes!

Klaus Doring

I regret to announce the Klaus Doring will no longer be a columnist here on LiP.

Filipino Endeavors

Sometimes it’s really interesting to research and analyze polls in the Philippines. For me, I am still keep on learning when it comes to this country and its people.

Sure, many things are known when we let Filipinos talk and explain about the fields of endeavor most Filipinos tend to excel in.

Allow me enumerate several examples, and please let me know if they are correct or not. Don’t get me wrong, these are examples, which have been voiced out by Filipinos.

Love of family is the most important value of Filipinos. This is the reason why Filipinos work hard and grab any opportunity they can, even to the point of leaving behind their love ones, sacrificing loneliness and disregarding all the hazards along the way, even risking their lives in order to make sure food is on the table for the family and enough money for children’s education!

Filipinos excel in the field of labor export , as evidenced by the fact that 10 million Pinoys are out of the country helping the Philippine economy afloat.
Philippine Oversea Workers can be find all over the world.

Filipinos are excellent in the medical field. It’s sad however, that they have to practice their profession outside the country to sustain a life of comfort. Care giving – nursing – just to add two more.

Filipinos can do a portion of everything. This, however, isn’t very effective, when specialization is highly in demand.

Filipinos really excel in any endeavor – good or bad. It’s really up to them to choose.

Yes, Filipinos are really excel in the field of entertainment, sports, music or science. Filipinos love to sing and dance. Filipinos are really great entertainers.

Filipinos do very well in micro or medium-scale businesses. Putting customer first in their endeavors have made them very successful entrepreneurs.

Filipinos talents are unlimited. They can be the best in any field.

As I said, these have been some of many examples, voiced out by Filipinos themselves. Interesting… .

What do you think as Filipino or Expat reader?

Proud to be a Rotarian

I have written about this topic already twice. When my “permanent life in the Philippines” as an expatriate started, I kept on looking for several tasks and commitments. I joined several ‘clubs’, expat gatherings and many different associations.

Since more then a year, I am a member of Rotary International – here in Rotary Club of East Davao. Yes, I feel like being in a big family – and, I must confess, I am really proud to be one of only more or less 1,2 million members worldwide.

Rotary is a global network of community volunteers. Rotary members are business and professional leaders who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards, and help build goodwill and peace in the world. Some 31,000 Rotary clubs in more than 165 countries carry out service projects in their local communities and abroad to address such critical issues as poverty, health, hunger, illiteracy, and the environment.

Sometime early last year, when I started teaching German in the University of Southeastern Philippines in Davao City, my director of the Institute of Languages Professor Dr. Pattie Elbanbuena introduced me to her husband Efren, past president of RCED. Efren (Government Information Service) invited me to join Rotary.

Already after only a few months I realized, that i have joined an organization of professional men and women dedicated to service to others, high ethical standards, and international fellowship and cooperation. Yes, even on our club, we speak many languages and we’re coming from many backgrounds – but all of us are working TO MAKE DREAMS REAL for children and others in need throughout the world.

I really discover the many ways that Rotary brought me closer to my own community – even being (only?) an expat living in the Philippines. And, being an active member, one is blessed to meet Rotarians from every part of the globe – people who share your commitment to helping others. These contacts really open up the world of international friendship and service. Rotary Club of East Davao is an ideal mix of professionals and businessmen of Filipinos and nationals from Japan, U.S.A., U.K., Australia, New Zealand and – Germany.

Meanwhile I became the Vice Chairman Public Relations and a member of Special Committees. I am the Event Chairman of the Classical Music Concert in Davao City on December 5, 2009 – a fund raising event for Polio Philippines. I wrote about it some days ago here in LIP. Even being very busy sometimes I enjoy being a volunteer for a service project and serve on a committee.

For some of us it’s time to prepare for the District 3860 Seminar in the Cebu Grand Convention Center August 21 and 22. In our regular meetings we are able to listen to really outstanding guest speakers, like during the last weeks to Mr. Manuel Orig, Davao Light and Power, or Lt. Gen. Raymundo B. Ferrer, Commander Eastern Mindanao Command, Armed Forces of the Philippines. I was honored to to deliver the introduction speech for him.

Offering my vocational talents to provide opportunities for young people, to work for the relief of the special needs of others, and to improve the quality of life in my community. What a wonderful commitment also for an expat living in the Philippines.

What Sara Duterte, Vice Mayor of Davao City said… .

I met Vice Mayor of Davao City, Sara Inday Duterte for the first time on July 21, 2009, being invited by Edgar B. Aglipay (PDGEN ret.) of the Philippine Retirement Authority (Manila) to its 24th anniversary celebrations.

Last week I was able to meet Sara Duterte in her office and asked for another meeting with her. Thank you very much to Mr. Lemuel G. Ortino, chief-of-staff, office of the Vice Mayor, and to Jojo and Mitch from the staff, making it possible to talk to Sara Duterte for almost an hour, although having a fully packed and concise schedule.

Sara Duterte, Vice Mayor of Davao City, one forth German (as she said!), a simple but awesome intelligent woman, who knows, how to move on, when it comes to answer my questions. I got a lot of questions. Some of them, and the Vice Mayors answers are here:

1. How can Davao City attract more investors and pensioners to settle down here?

“Sure, there are a lot of reasons. Just to mention some among many others: First, the peace and order situation and the public safety. The Philippine’s first emergency 911 call center was one of the priority development programs of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. A state of the art communication system that Davao City shares in common to only two other countries in the world that has this system – Canada and the U.S. The highest percentage of calls, received per category are regarding law enforcements and medical emergencies. The Davao City Police mobile cars patrolling the city were all equipped with two-way radio transceivers netted with the Central 911 Call Center. – The K-9 Unit conducts daily sniffing/inspections of key areas and cargoes at the Davao International Airport, public markets, schools, and even churches. The unit responds to calls regarding suspicious circumstances such as unattended bags and baggage and bomb threats. One could also mention the Davao City Defense and Security Unit or the City Anti Drug Abuse Council among many others. Davao City doesn’t know kidnapping and ransoms. – What else makes Davao City attractive? Sure, the low cost of diong business, the one stop shop for business application, the very skilled human resources, the good climate (typhoon-free), the laid-back environment or the rural-urban lifestyle.
Many other things could me mentioned and touched only slightly. Important is this: the preferred areas for investments are information and communications technology (call centers etc.), agri-business and food processing, tourism and recreational facilities (business hotels, beach and mountain resorts, restaurants), or establishments of foreign bank branches.”

2. What do you think about the bridge project to Samal Island?

“No doubts, a possible bridge would be an important linkage of two areas (cities) and the possibility of shared economies. Still “dugay pa” – it will take time and it took already long time.”

3. How do you think are your chances to become the next mayor of Davao City?

“That’s not easy to answer. There are still a lot of things to do, but I am really confident, that many people know me and about my plans and dreams for a bright future of this city and its people, locals and foreigners.”

4. If you have leisure time, what do you do then?

“I love to swim – in the pool, or with my family in one of the nice beach resorts.
There are two favorites of us on Samal Island. And, at night, I love to browse in the internet and play.”

With a big smile on our faces, we mentioned, that we are also friends on Facebook (together with some other councilors of Davao City).

It has been an interesting one hour with Davao City Vice Mayor Inday Sara Duterte. We’ll meet us again – for more questions and answers. Daghan salamat po Vice Mayor Sara.