Medical Toursim Destination: Philippines

By Marginam Radu

The Philippines is a tropical country located in the southeastern part of Asia. It offers health tourists quality medical treatment at affordable rates making the country one of the centers of medical tourism in the region. The magnificent natural beauty of its 7, 107 islands is just one other reason why getting medical treatment in the Asian nation a delight. It also makes it the perfect destination for relaxation either before or after a procedure.

Its medical tourism industry has been growing in popularity in the past few years particularly targeting European and American tourists looking for inexpensive healthcare services. Unlike other medical tourist destinations, the Philippines does not only offer cosmetic procedures but also offers major procedures not related to aesthetics.

The best Philippine hospitals are located in the capital but in the past few years, Metro Davao has also started getting more and more medical tourists to its shores. There are also other hospitals positioned close to stunning beaches for medical tourists’ recreation purposes.

One great thing about getting medical treatment in the Philippines is the cost. Full set dental implants for example can cost you as little as US$500 done in world class facilities by world class doctors. Private hospital rooms in the best hospitals in megacity Manila are more like 5-star hotel rooms making the experience a stress-free one. English is the official second language of the Philippines making it a better choice for foreigners seeking medical treatment in Asia.

The only problem is, since the tropical country is in Southeast Asia, traveling to the area from west can take up to 17 hours or more if with stopovers. The climate is quite hot too all-year-round making recovery uncomfortable if you are not used to the heat.

Photo via healthbase.com

Retire in the Philippines with a Special Resident Retiree's Visa

“Smile at Life in the Philippines.” This is our invitation to our former Filipino citizens and foreign nationals to choose the Philippines as their second home. Famous for our vibrant culture, hospitality, friendly English-speaking population, natural attractions, and tropical climate, retirees can expect the good life in the Philippines at an affordable cost.

GEOGRAPHY
The Philippines is an archipelagic nation made up of 7,107 islands spanning 1,840 kilometers north to south. It is part of the Southeast Asian region, and is bordered by Taiwan to the north, Indonesia and Malaysian Borneo to the south, the South China Sea to the west, and the Pacific Ocean to the east. The Three main Philippine Island groups are Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao. The Capital is Manila. Time Zone is GMT +8 hours.

CLIMATE
Generally, Philippines has a tropical climate. March to May is hot and dry. June to October is rainy, November to February is cool. Average temperatures: 78F/25C to 90F/32C; humidity is 77%.

LANGUAGE
Understanding each other will not be a problem between the retirees and our people. Almost every Filipino can understand and speak some English. In fact, we are the third largest English-speaking nation in terms of population.

Two official languages are Filipino and English. Filipino which is based on Tagalog is the national language. English is widely used and is the medium of instruction in higher education. Eight (8) major dialects spoken by majority of the Filipinos: Tagalog; Cebuano; Ilocano; Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinense.

RELIGIONS
Some 83% of Filipinos are Catholic. About 5% are Muslim. The rest are made up of smaller Christian denominations and Buddhist.

COST OF LIVING
The principal appeal for retirement in the Philippines is the lower cost of living. Housing, food, and labor costs are quite reasonable. Global Filipinos and foreign retirees can retire in the Philippines and enjoy not only the lower cost of living but also the very favorable currency exchange rate.

The Philippines’ monetary unit is the Peso. Foreign currency may be exchanged at any hotels, most large department stores, banks and authorized money changing shops accredited by the Central bank of the Philippines. International credit cards such as Visa, Diners Club, Bank Americard, Master Card, and American Express are accepted in major establishments.

WORLD-CLASS MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
In terms of medical services, our facilities are comparable to the best anywhere else. Our highly trained medical personnel and caregivers are in demand all over the world not only for their competence and expertise but most especially for the care and compassion they show to their wards. Healthcare, a top priority of the senior market, is an expertise of the Filipino who is world-renowned for his excellent healthcare practitioners.

FILIPINO HOSPITALITY
Filipinos are naturally warm, friendly and hospitable. We have a ready smile for everybody and our religious background that is predominantly Catholic makes service to others an innate trait.

TELECOMMUNICATION EDGE
Every retiree can avail of the country’s continuously improving telecommunication facilities. They can keep abreast of what is happening around the world and keep in touch with their relatives and friends back home.

ECO-TOURISM DESTINATION
Philippines can provide the retirees endless choices of world-class destinations that will bring them closer to Mother Nature with clean air and beautiful sceneries. The white sand beaches of Boracay and Panglao and the virgin islands of Palawan often referred to as “the last frontier” are truly unforgettable places that entice the visitors to come back in the Philippines.

DO YOU WISH TO RETIRE IN THE PHILIPPINES? MY SERVICE:

I am a registered and duly-accredited marketer of the Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA), and I am at your service to assist you in obtaining a Special resident Retirees Visa (SRRV) at no cost to you, since I will be paid a fee by the Philippine government for every foreigner successfully registered with this perogram. My name is Mr. Chanda Shahani and you may contact me at cell phone: +639183749228 for more details or email me at: digi.manong@yahoo.com

However here are some key requirements:

All documents will be completed within two weeks

US $ 20,000.00 investment in a condominum or golf club shares if above 55 years

US $ 50,000.00 in a condominium or golf club shares if above the age of 35

Bank time deposit in your name

Free from Immigration Clearances

Fly in and fly out with ease

This is a project of the Philippine Department of Tourism

Thank you very much and MABUHAY!!! ;-)

The Dangers of Lipotourism

 By Alex Parker with Sigrid Salucop

In a world of glossy magazines and models being photoshopped like crazy, many long to get extreme makeovers –a little nip and tuck for that flabby belly, breast implants or a facelift. For most of us, such an extreme makeover can’t be done because of financial concerns. However, with the recent boom in the medical tourism industry, these dreams are slowly coming back to life especially when one says that you can get breast implants at 50% of the regular costs in the United States.

Dental procedures, plastic surgery, cost less in the Philippines

By Sigrid Salucop


A favorite destination for tropical beach holidays, the Philippines does not offer the usual Asian experience. The country is an emerging medical tourism hotspot thanks to its high standards for medical treatment and healthcare as initiated by the Philippine government in the year 2006.

There are now a number of medical tour packages available in the country that offer both travel and hospital services i.e. taking care of everything from your visa to your airfare, accommodation and which hospital you will be getting treatment from. It’s not just plastic surgery and dental procedures that are popular in the country though, medical services offered in the Philippines include rheumatology, cataracts surgery, cardiology, bone marrow transplants and even knee replacements.

Medical Tourism in the Philippines

By Sigrid Salucop


Medical tourism in the Philippines grew in the year 2006 when the Asian country started promoting its health tourism industry thanks to the creation of the Medical Tourism Bureau.

The white sandy beaches of the Philippines are usually the main reason why many tourists from around the globe go to the tropical country. The sights, the sounds, the friendly locals are what makes the Philippines special.

Medical Tourism

Medical travel more popularly known as medical tourism was coined by mainstream media and travel agencies as a way for these industries to describe the burgeoning business in medical-related healthcare across international borders.