The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) on Wednesday partnered with migrant organizations, non-government organizations (NGOs) and the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to develop a model retirement community in the Philippines, to encourage overseas Filipinos and long-term migrants to return home and reintegrate into local communities.
In a media briefing in Pasay City, CFO Secretary Dante “Klink” Ang II said the initiative is in line with the CFO mandate to look after permanent and long-term migrants, which converges with the DMW mandate in terms of reintegration, and in convincing Filipinos abroad to engage with the Philippines politically, economically and culturally.
Ang said the project, called “Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC),” would serve as a big economic boost for the Philippines, and a win for Filipinos overseas who want to eventually retire in the country.
“Retiring in the Philippines not only gives them a wonderful place to spend the rest of their years, but also maybe an opportunity to have a higher standard of living quality of life because their hard-earned savings will go much farther in the Philippines,” he said.
Ang said the project will be piloted in San Pablo City, Laguna, and hopefully expand to other places in the country later on.
“I spent part of my holiday break in San Pablo, beautiful city. Had a good time looking at some of the lakes and enjoying the local cuisine. So, I can attest to San Pablo as being an ideal place for retirement. But there are many places like it in the Philippines. Hopefully, with this, we can convince more of those 10.7 million Filipinos to come home and live here as retirees,” he added.
The CFO said the CCRC is also envisioned as a “social enterprise” model where the diaspora and the migrants themselves are encouraged to own and manage the facilities.
The agency said that Atikha Overseas Workers and Communities Initiatives Inc (ATIKHA) will serve as the lead convenor of the project and will lead the development of a Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA)-accredited training center for healthcare services.
ATIKHA board chairperson Estrella Añonuevo said the proposed CCRC, set to rise on a 14-hectare reserved property in San Pablo City, is also being developed with the DMW, National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA), and the Sorosoro Ibaba Development Cooperative.
The DMW, through its National Reintegration Center for Overseas Filipino workers, will focus on the reintegration of contract workers and the promotion of the project through its Migrant Workers Offices worldwide.
The Sorsoro Ibaba Development Cooperative will act as partner cooperative for land acquisition, while the NaFFAA will lead awareness and investment campaigns within the Filipino-American community.
“Nakikita namin talaga, there’s a growing aging population of our overseas Filipinos. And when we go out, tinatanong nila, anong puwede naming ma-expect when we go home? Pag mag-retire na kami? (We really see that there’s a growing aging population of our overseas Filipinos. And when we go out, they ask, what can we expect when we go home? When we retire?),” she said.
Ang said the initiative offers a “win-win” scenario as migrants are expected to benefit from a lower cost of living and stronger family and community ties, while local areas gain investment and employment opportunities.
Under the plan, overseas Filipinos will pool their savings through a cooperative structure, allowing them to collectively own and manage the retirement hub.
NaFFAA National Chair Mariela Fletcher said that there are around 4.5 million Filipino-Americans in the United States, of which, she said, around 30 percent already expressed interest in retiring in the Philippines
Añonuevo said the construction of the CCRC is targeted to begin next year, with full development expected within five years. (PNA)
