Retirement in the Philippines evokes thoughts of an easy life. Life in the Philippines, after all, is much simpler compared to the flurry of hasty activities in developed countries. But retirement in the Philippines can sometimes turn out another way when certain considerations are not taken seriously.
A pleasant retirement in the Philippines means to stay with closely-knit families, if not in one compound, then at least within the same locality. The culture of an extended family is something other countries do not have. Hence, retirement in other countries often end up in lonely seclusion, living alone or being in institutions for the elderly.
Retirement life is best spent with family, daily, with love ones, and especially with grandchildren. To many who spend their retirement in the Philippines, the consensus is that there’s nothing like being able to watch one’s grandchildren everyday, hearing them shout at play, seeing them grow up, and being part of their lives. And retirement in the Philippines means exactly that---a grand, longer time to spend with family, especially grand tots.
In case a retiree has no family here and yet retirement in the Philippines is still considered, the government has a safe program for adoption. People who seriously consider retirement in the Philippines without families to share retirement with can always avail of social welfare assistance to look for children to adopt. Adoption is better started early, some say.
The first phase of adoption may be spent in the orphanage premise. Just go daily to visit adopted kids at the orphanage. Then gradually the kids can be brought home. Spending retirement in the Philippines with kids is a change of pace and scenery. It’s something therapeutic and physically relaxing to watch kids at play or progressing in school and in stature. To many, this is a grand way of spending retirement in the Philippines.
Finally, another option is setting up a kids or youth club in the community of one’s residence. Retirees may opt to put up a baseball club, basketball team, choir, glee club, dance club, quest club, or mountaineering club and be head of it. Staying close with young people has a way of perking up vigor and forgetting age. This is an exciting way of spending retirement in the Philippines.
Relaxation and quiet is just one aspect of having one’s retirement in the Philippines. There can also be the adventure and compassion factors in it.
One of the most visited and fast improving cities in Mindanao, Zamboanga City provides inviting and comfortable health care establishments where people can seek high quality medical services. Patients who do not have enough money to pay for expensive medical costs can seek assistance from public Zamboanga hospitals and health care institutions. Aside from these institutions, residents in the city can always go to private medical establishments that feature advance equipment and devices for the diagnosis and treatments of different diseases. Some of the most accessible and popular health care establishments in the city are featured below.
Zamboanga City Medical Center is a tertiary hospital in the city that offers efficient services to people who need serious medical help. Some of the physicians serving in this health care facility are expert in the fields of pulmonology, surgery, immunology as well as pediatrics. To assist patients who need immediate medical response, this private institution also specializes in emergency medicine. Situated along Governor Lim Avenue, the medical center is very accessible to the different modes of public transportation in the area.
Ciudad Medical Center is another inviting and accessible health care facility in Zamboanga that provides quality medical services to patients. Located along San Jose Road, patients will not have difficulty finding the establishment since it is near to various commercial establishments like retail stores and small dining places. To help individuals who need immediate health care assistance, this medical center assigns competitive and responsible medical staff at the emergency room. Additionally, this hospital has spacious wards and air-conditioned private rooms where people with serious illnesses can be admitted. Above all, patients can ask discounts from physicians to lessen their hospitalization bills.
To accommodate and serve patients who cannot afford to pay for the high medical bills at private health care facilities in Zamboanga, the city government has established the Camp Navarro General Hospital. There are no consultation fees at this place but patients should allot money to purchase the medicines that they need. The physicians serving at the general hospital are competitive, diligent and responsible. Some of the medical professionals working at the establishment have sufficient understanding on family medicine, surgery, emergency medicine as well as obstetrics. To accommodate people who need serious attention from health care professionals, this medical establishment has well ventilated rooms and clean wards. In addition, Camp Navarro General Hospital has advance laboratory equipment.
Subic Bay is an accessible vacation place. It can be reached within less than two hours of land travel from the Philippines capital, Manila. Yet, it offers a wide array of adventures for every kind of exploring tourists.
Food lovers, for example, will enjoy a high time in Subic Bay restaurants. There are lots of grills, bars, cafes, and whatnots that builds up Subic Bay restaurants. They certainly offer a number of choices that will satisfy all kinds of cravings.
Seafood By the Bay Restaurant – As with any other seaside places, seafood is a major feature in Subic Bay food fare. This fabulous restaurant at the Moonbay Marina will give you a good impression of what to expect from other Subic Bay restaurants. Filipino and Chinese favorites like Halabos na Hipon and Sashimi are among the top choices. [http://www.seafoodbythebay.com/; Block 1 Lot 5, Waterfront Rd., Moonbay Marina, Subic Bay; (6347) 252 8199, (6347) 252 1584, (639)17 881 4366]
A Tavola Italian Restaurant & Bar – Italian cuisine is best enjoyed in this amazing restaurant. Pizzas, pastas, and salads are made of the finest ingredients spiced with fresh herbs. The wide array of pizza flavors are most visited at A Tavola, however. The authentic taste of Italy is best showcased with the thin crust pizzas that are all mouthwatering. And oh, don’t forget the bread served before every meal. They make good starter especially with the olive oil dip. [Argonaut Highway, Royal Duty-Free Shopping Center, Subic Bay; (6347) 252 6556]
Xtremely Xpresso Cafe/Restaurant – Dining healthy is always welcome for individuals who are mindful of their wellbeing. Eating healthy is best done in this cool nice place that provides a casual and warm ambience that’s great for nice conversations. It serves pizza that is loaded with healthy ingredients that make for a good munch. The cakes and pastries are also must-tries. [Lot 1 Parcel 18, Dewey Ave, Subic Bay; (6347) 252 3681]
The Magic Lagoon – If Filipino food is what you crave for, The Magic Lagoon is the perfect place to be in. It serves a hefty line of Filipino dishes made of seafood and meat and vegetable. What’s more, the store is open 24 hours a day. It is always open to serve the food cravings of almost every kind of diner. Their fried rice and Steamed Alimango are a good pair, especially if the meal is finished off with a sweet serving of leche flan or milk custard. [Bicentennial Park, Rizal Highway, Subic Bay (6347) 252 1475]
Eastern Visayas is very proud of Tacloban not just because it is the largest city in the area but also because it is the center of all commerce, culture, tourism and government. The history of Tacloban is interesting and if it weren’t for these events that transpired in the past, Tacloban wouldn’t be where it is today. Many Tacloban destinations commemorate these significant events in history and these places are definitely worth visiting.
The Boy Scouts of the Philippines is a movement that is truly admirable because of the training they undergo to pursue their mission of serving the needs of many Filipinos. The Boy Scout Monument in Tacloban is in honor of the brave boys who strive to make a difference in today’s world. The monument itself at this Tacloban destination shows a boy holding a bamboo staff that has 8 nodes. The Philippine eagle on the flag held by the Boy Scout Monument shows this group’s concern for ecology and the rocks that are underneath the staute’s feet are meant to be the solid foundation of principles and values that the boy scout will bring into adulthood. The Boy Scout Monument is a favorite Tacloban destination because of the values it upholds and it is a constant reminder that there are still people who are trying to make a difference. On the very site of the Boy Scout Monument was held the 12th National Jamboree in 2002 that aimed to promote “scouting.”
This Tacloban destination also holds significance just like the Boy Scout Monument. The Leyte Landing Memorial was where General MacArthur first landed and the entry point of the American forces. The Battle of Leyte was held at this Tacloban destination and it was an event that saw the brotherhood of Allied forces and Filipino guerillas in their quest for freedom from the Imperial Japanese army. Leyte Landing Memorial shows the very spot where General MacArthur landed with his troops and there are even statues of the General and his men partly submerged in water walking towards land. The Leyte Landing Memorial was also the site of the biggest naval battle that the country has ever seen and it was a fight between the Allies and Japan. Although the Japanese troops resisted and put up a fight, they were defeated and this was the last naval battle of World War II. The historical significance of the Leyte Landing Memorial should not be undermined and this place has been recreated to make the visitor feel as if one is living during that time and seeing all the events unfold. To visit the Tacloban destination of Leyte Landing Memorial, there is a small entrance fee to be paid which is about Php 100.
Aside from serving gourmet Filipino dishes and sweets galore, a Philippine restaurant style encourages patrons to devour buffet cuisines using bare (washed) hands, instead of the traditional spoon and fork dining. These Philippine restaurants are imbued with traditional supping style and native dishes plus an ambience that is nothing short of traditional Filipino elegant dining.
It started in 1977 when Kamayan conceptualized a native restaurant that would catapult Filipino native bare-hand eating style to national renown. Since then, other bare-hand concept Philippine restaurants followed suit. And Philippine restaurant trends have never been the same again. Later, eat-all-you-can concepts were added. Bare-hand Philippine restaurants provided facilities for classy washing of hands (elegant bowl-like basin and faucet) at food counters, waiters in barong and saya, and festive singing of native songs.
Spoons and forks were available but clients were lured into folding up their sleeves and using bare hands for eating, in a style not far from the way natives dine on bamboo tables and stools with one foot resting on the seat. Accordingly, bare-hand eating cultivated appetite for native dishes, and vice versa---wise native restaurant marketing strategy.
Today, bare-hand or hands-on Philippine restaurant specializes in native cuisines ranging from Tagalog roasted pigs to Pampanga native sausages and Ilocano vegetable dishes to Visayan Arros Valenciana, among others. There is also seafood galore featuring an array of diverse deep sea and cultured fish and seashell varieties, seaweeds, crabs, oysters, and varied aromatic fish flake crispies topped with fresh eggs on sizzling metal plates. Some bare-hand Philippine restaurants use porcelain dishes but several others use weaved native platters or wooden plates topped with banana leaves. A plethora of colorful native fruits are set on a separate counter disguised as a native hut. Here, native sweets and delicacies are also available.
Gradually hands-on Philippine restaurants also incorporated the concept of a self-service ice cream stand or parlor or nook, stocked with delectable native ice cream flavors. This stand (which later quickly evolved into a common street kids’ ice cream cart) is placed near the fruits and delicacies stand for a more imaginative concoction of both. Hands-on Philippine restaurants are also famous for mixing native fruit drinks with a twist of Asian and tropical brews. Among these are fruit extracts and green tea shakes and other refreshing blends of fruit beverages.
An alternative dining style is a luscious meal of native dishes eaten bare-handed. Philippine restaurants with this dining concept capitalize on the unique and more appetizing lure of this feasting fashion.
The modes of transportation in Tacloban include land, water, and air. Depending on where your destination is, you can choose among the following:
If you choose Tacloban transportation by air, you will be landing at Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport, also known as DZR Airport for short. All flights to and from Tacloban City are here. The Air Transportation Office (ATO), responsible for airport operations has classified DZR Airport to be a trunk line airport. It is a joy to see improvements in the airport and we hope to see more. There are daily flights from different airlines from going to Cebu and Manila. You can check out the schedule of the flights and choose which appeals best to you.
Tacloban marine transportation before was very popular. There is even a direct trip from Manila to Tacloban and vice versa. However, when the Dona Paz tragedy happened, together with other accidents that cost the lives of many, traveling by sea was not appealing anymore and it was discouraged. However, there are some indications that the port of Tacloban may again be opened to long distance transportation. People say that marine transportation in the city is starting to pick up.
If you are planning to around Tacloban City, the transportation available are jeepneys, tricycles, and the Spider. Jeep fares vary depending on how far you will go. Fares start at around Php6.00. As for the tricycles, they cost Php6.00 as long as you are going within downtown area. There are no taxis in Tacloban unless you are going to call and hire them. But the Spider serves as the taxi, although it is not air conditioned. This Tacloban transportation operates on a 660cc Daihatsu engine, and can accommodate up to 8 people. Fares start at Php10 per head and Php5 additional for every succeeding kilometer. This is the closest to a taxi that you can get. With a low rate like that, you even get a door-to-door service. This is considered the taxi for the masses because it is affordable.If you want to go around the city, you can also rent a vehicle. There are also buses which you can take if your destination is the provinces in Leyte.
Tacloban transportation is convenient with these available modes of transportation. Although there may be no trains that will make the journey faster, you can enjoy the trip as you look around you surroundings. There is not much traffic in Tacloban City so you have really nothing to worry about. You will reach your destination in just a short while.
Fondly known to its inhabitants as Gensan, this city in Mindanao is frequented by tourists because of the many natural wonders that can be seen here. The strength of Gensan lies in its thriving agricultural land and although this is the primary source of livelihood here, General Santos is a progressive city. In fact, when in Gensan, one will be amazed at how accessible General Santos transportation is.
If one is planning a trip to General Santos, it’s a good idea to consider the different means of General Santos transportation that would get one to this thriving city. The quickest way is of course by plane and a direct flight originating from the nation’s capital lasts for about an hour and forty five minutes. There are many airlines that offer promotional packages when it comes to airfares going to General Santos and during off peak season, one might just chance upon promotional offers that will bring ticket rates down to less that Php2000. If however one is not able to book a direct flight, there is another mode of General Santos transportation that can get one there quickly and that is to fly from Manila to Cebu. Once in Cebu, it’s much easier to book a flight that’s headed straight for General Santos City.
Believe it or not, another mode of General Santos transportation is to take the bus although this is a 3 day journey. This passes several provinces on the way to General Santos and the scenery varies from scenic to endless stretches of national road. This costs about Php2000 per person.
If one is considering of getting to this part of Mindanao via sea, a multitude of General Santos transportation options are available. One can take a ferry directly to General Santos or make stopovers in Iloilo for a total travel time of three days. Depending on the type of accommodation options that one chooses, fare can range from Php2000 to Php6000.
Once in Gensan, one will notice that almost all types of public utility vehicles that can be seen in Manila can be found here. Among the General Santos transportation options to help one get around the city are jeepneys, tricycles, taxis and buses. The most affordable would of course be the jeepney with fare less than Php10 per head but these make several stops and drive on designated routes. For a more comfortable trip, there are air conditioned taxis and the initial flag down rate is Php30.
Beyond the beaches, coconut trees, colorful public transport and funky duck eggs featured in 'Fear Factor', there is an underlying concern by tourists wanting to travel to the Philippines - safety.
Recently, an American Peace Corps volunteer by name of Julia Campbell was found buried in a shallow grave in a Philippine mountain village. This prompted some people to raise the question “Is this country safe for foreigners?”
When asked to comment on this unfortunate incident, Philippine Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales issued a rather controversial statement implying that the victim was ‘careless’ and that may have been one of the reasons she got killed.
Of course the statement was callous and highly inappropriate at that time since the victim did not travel here for vacation but rather to help the indigent people on their plight, but what about the tourists? Should they be held accountable for their own safety? How ‘careless’ really is careless?
If a tourist, say for example, walks around the streets with an expensive digital camera around his neck as they snap pictures of whatever they like, that’s not being careless, that should be considered safe.
If, however, they sat down on bench, left their camera on that bench to get a snack or something, they shouldn’t expect it to still be there when they get back. That is expecting too much. We’re not saying it’ll be gone for sure, but the likelihood is definitely above average.
It is also advisable to always travel with a buddy, especially at night. There is, as they say, safety in numbers. A tour guide wouldn’t hurt if you have money to spare.
If you carry a thick wad of cash and wave it around as you go shopping, that is being blatantly careless and would almost automatically attract criminal elements. Inconspicuous is safe. Traveling inside villages without a local companion is quite risky; it would be a lot safer to travel with someone from the inside. Of course, the local police should be able to offer tourists the best protection they can; it’s their job.
New York-based risk consultant Kroll has this advice to travelers who think they would be visiting a dangerous country - "The guiding rule is to ask yourself if you are prepared and informed. You can travel safely, but you have to do it right”.
That is one big careful step in being safe. It is true that the Philippine government should cover everything necessary to keep tourists safe, but it is also very important for the tourists themselves to know how to avoid being careless to ensure they have a trouble free vacation.
According to the Family Code of the Philippines, marriages may take place without a license. And this is expounded on the Code’s second chapter. This chapter specifies the situations in which marriages could be conducted, honored, and considered legal, even without having the couple face a local civil registrar. This type of marriage is said to be performed in “articulo mortis”.
One of the first unique situations cited is when either the man or the woman, or both, are dying. Of course, few people could imagine themselves being wed a few hours before the grim reaper takes them. At any rate, the marriage remains valid, even if one of the couple, either husband or wife, cheats death.
A second situation is when it is physically impossible for both or either of the party to present themselves before a local civil registrar. This happens when there is no means of transportation available to the marrying couple. Whoever is the solemnizing officer of the marriage, he must make affidavits that indeed, the barrio where the couple is residing is inaccessible. He should also make sure that both parties are legally able (no current wife or husband) to enter marriage. Then, he must send the affidavit, together with marriage contract, within 30 days, to the nearest municipality.
An “articulo mortis” marriage may also be allowed between passengers or crew members of a ship or an airplane. This is probably one of those love-at-first, its-now-or-never things. The marriage may be solemnized by the ship captain or the airplane pilot. The marriage may take place while the ship is at sea or the plane is in flight. Or the marriage may take place during a stopover at one of the ports of call.
Marriage can also take place within a war zone. The military commander of a unit has the authority to solemnize a marriage between anyone inside the zone of military operations. By the term “anyone”, we refer to either the members of the armed forces or the civilians. The Family Code, however, does not state if a military commander may solemnize a marriage among rebels.
Among Muslims or other ethnic cultural groups, marriage can be done without a marriage license, as long as these are conducted according to their customs.
And the last situation described by the Family Code is a marriage between a man and a woman who have lived together for at least five years already. Of course, there should be no “legal impediment”, such as an abandoned wife somewhere. The process for this situation is similar to that described above in which the home of the marrying parties are not accessible to transportation.
[Tags]Marriage, Philippines, Family Code, Filipino, Filipina, Marriage License, How to Get Married in the Philippines, Family[/Tags]
Boracay is a favorite beach spot and tourist destination in the country the year round. Rapid progress and a construction boom have changed its landscape somewhat, but not its paradise appeal. For a summary update on Boracay, this is how the pleasure island looks like so far.
Boracay is an urbanized island beach resort 35 minutes away from Manila via plane. This tourist destination is spruced up by the burgeoning businesses on the island, cleared up for a modern habitat right in the heart of beaches and thick foliage. Private resorts and exclusive vacation houses and mansions are also among the line up of edifices.
Night life at the beach resort is still very vibrant and prevalent, present in most entertainment and watering hole establishments. It’s not the dark lonely nights that one often has in the countryside but a gait of leaping, flickering lights and piercing up-beat sounds.
Outdoor entertainment is a major event at the island resort. Partying by the beach with aromatic grills and sizzles come alive by day and night except perhaps in the rainy months from July to November. But roofed clubs and discos permit an undisturbed festivity at the island resort even during rainy days and nights.
Souvenir shops and make-shift native huts along byways are rich and colorful in welcome greeting messages and luring reminders of Boracay beach resort. They come in wood, stringed shells, local rocks, shirts, and other accessories and effects in native designs.
The island resort also teems with almost everything big cities are proud of: five-star hotels and resorts; classy luxury shops and boutiques at the D’Mall; big, stockpiled groceries and marts; fast-food chains; discos and performance stages with live bands; and fine-dining restaurants with classical music accompaniments.
Yet, the beach resort is still very much a paradise with its world famous powdery white sand and sun-kissed beaches, dazzling emerald waters, profuse palm trees by beaches and a covering of trees on hills—all sundry reminders of what Boracay is originally known for.
The seven-kilometer beach on Diniwid Beach offers a more private spot for vacationers looking for peace and quiet. It is some 20 minutes away from the hustle and bustle of the commercial center by tricycle. It is where one finds the American Microtel two-storey hotel.
Boracay beach resort is still a must destination for both first-timers and habitués who treasure beaches. It offers enjoyment of modern hotel amenities found in cities and natural beach-side relaxation in the countryside. It is being far from civilization hustles, yet, not really from the treats of civilization.