I think that my foreigner friend who decided to stay here as a retiree has some good points that must be looked into by the Philippine Retirement Authority. In his e-mail to me last Friday he said that when he chose out of every country in the world to live in the Philippines, he did not regret his decision but one that is especially frustrating when dealing with the bureaucracies.
My friend signed up for the SSRV visa program. When he joined the program 4 years ago, he had to deposit US$50,000 in a time deposit account. The program is not cheap but he said that compared to resident programs throughout the region it is quite inexpensive. However, while he is enjoying the program as it does make his life easier, he has problems dealing with the PRA.
He mentioned a couple of issues. One is that supposedly as a program member, he can roll his time deposit into a condo purchase. Prior to purchasing his condo in Cebu Business Park, he went to the local PRA office to inquire about the requirements before the purchase to ensure he had all the facts prior to his decision to buy a unit here. He was told something like this, 鈥淥h sir, don鈥檛 worry, it is an easy process, wait until your unit is completed then just come back and we will do the paperwork for you.鈥� This was due to the place still under construction at the time of purchase so a certificate of occupancy was yet to be issued but apparently, they said this is to protect him from disreputable builders, like he was some child and can鈥檛 exercise due diligence by researching on the builder.
Anyhow, after the condo was completed my friend went back to the local PRA office. He was told, 鈥淥h sir, but that builder is not registered with the PRA.鈥� Well, what does that mean, my friend asked? 鈥淲ell, sir, you need to get the builder registered with us.鈥� So while they sit in their air-conditioned office, the builder鈥檚 finance officer and my friend were running around between the SEC and all the other offices. After returning to the PRA a month later with a stack of papers two-three inches thick and thinking all is well, and processing all the paperwork and waiting and waiting, my friend finally called the main office in Manila again, to hear, 鈥淥h sir, you can鈥檛 roll your time deposit because you need to pay cash so we can hold the deed.鈥� Now, why did they not tell him this when he inquired prior to buying his condo? They waited to inform him only after a month of wasting his time, and annoying the builder as well.
Since, my friend joined the program they did create other good options for him. After dealing with the past head of servicing for the PRA, Philip Moreno, who, according to my friend is a pretty sharp guy and very helpful, he was allowed to transfer into a newer program that only requires US$20,000 in time deposit and with the balance returned to him. But of course this entailed several day trips to Manila, my friend added.
Fast forward to the current issue, my friend said that his ID card which is his resident visa card was to expire Oct. 2013. He went to the local PRA office to renew his card in September, filled out the form, paid the required fee and was told that in two weeks it should be ready. Meanwhile, my friend and his wife went to the US for three weeks and on return he called the local PRA to pick up his card. The conversation that followed was something like this:
鈥淥h sir, we can鈥檛 process your card because there is a new rule.鈥�
鈥淲hat, what new rule?鈥� my friend asked.
鈥淪ir, when you signed up for the program you didn鈥檛 authenticate your police clearance.鈥�
鈥淲ell what does that mean?鈥� again my friend inquired.
鈥淪ir, you need to get police clearance from your home town.鈥�
鈥淏ut my home town is Cebu!鈥� my friend exclaimed.
鈥淪ir, you need to get it from your old town in the US then bring it to the Philippine embassy in the US and then get it authenticated.鈥�
鈥淏ut I live here, and I was just in the US, why didn鈥檛 you tell me in September when I applied?鈥� my friend retorted.
鈥淪ir, that鈥檚 the rule.鈥�
鈥淏ut why didn鈥檛 you tell me in September; why didn鈥檛 you contact me at all?鈥� my friend asked again.
NO ANSWER
Anyway, my friend just finished getting his Cebu police clearance, not sure if he ever had to do that, but good thing that tree was just outside the door, so he can wipe the fingerprint ink off on it! Then he spent another day at the NBI doing the fingerprint all again (his wife brought handy wipes this time).
Another few conversations about the requirements, no one can answer, three people three different answers.
Finally, last Thursday, the day before he e-mailed to me, he called the new head of servicing explaining his situation. He need to go to China on business and needed to renew his Chinese visa but he can鈥檛 because his resident ID card is now expired. Without a valid Filipino resident card this time, he needs to renew his Chinese visa from a Chinese embassy in the US. So again he talked with the new head of servicing, who again seemed just as sharp and helpful as the last one and she says, 鈥淏ut sir, I have your folder in front of me and your police clearance is here, from when you joined.鈥�
Then, guess what happened, her phone went dead. My friend did not know if she ran out of load or her battery died, but he couldn鈥檛 reconnect with her. Anyway, my friend said that hopefully, on Monday (that was last Monday) he can get back in contact with her, get his ID card and then his Chinese visa!
Did my friend聽 ever get his聽 visa? That I still have to find out!