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 Advantages of Getting Treatment Abroad

By Sigrid Salucop

Medical tourism or getting treatment abroad grew (and is still growing) rather quickly in the past decade due to the increase or healthcare costs in Western countries. With economies allover the world suffering from an unrelenting financial crisis, healthcare costs have gone higher especially in the West. In other parts of the world, healthcare costs went up too but when one translates these prices in Euros or in US dollars, these costs are still very cheap making treatment abroad a much better choice for Westerners who are not that well-off.

Roughly 25 million will go abroad for medical treatment by 2017 says Deloitte

By Sigrid Salucop

Medical tourism is quickly becoming an acceptable alternative for patients who cannot afford treatment in their home countries. 

There are of course risks of travelling abroad to get medical treatment but according to Deloitte, a management consulting firm, in its 10-year projection for the medical tourism industry roughly 25 million patients will be travelling abroad by 2017.

Treatment Abroad: Problems You Might Come Across With

By Alex Parker 

There are dozens of things to consider when planning to go to a medical tourism destination to get a procedure done. Treatment abroad may be alluring because of the cheap prices especially for elective surgery but there are risks you should factor in in your decision making on whether to go abroad for surgery or not. Here are some of the problems you might encounter:

Treatment Abroad, Consultation And Aftercare

By Alex Parker

Booking a treatment abroad without consulting with the doctor performing the procedure is a warning sign for medical tourists. One has to understand that for every procedure, a proper consultation must be done to know whether or not you are eligible to go through the said treatment. Through a consultation, your doctor will be able to tell you about potential complications and about the outcome of the procedure. 

If you are planning to get breast implants overseas for example, your surgeon will be able to give you an idea about what to expect from the surgery and what to expect in terms of the results of this particular surgery.

Treatment Abroad: Research Before You Fly

By Joao Franco

Whether you are planning to get breast implants abroad or go through the knife for weight loss surgery overseas, it is important that you take a look at your options and scrutinize them in detail.  To be fair however, all kinds of medical treatment entails exposing oneself to some element of risk whether you are receiving this treatment in your country or in some exotic medical tourism destination.