{"id":37413,"date":"2014-07-17T03:03:47","date_gmt":"2014-07-17T07:03:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/?p=37413"},"modified":"2021-03-02T15:48:10","modified_gmt":"2021-03-02T20:48:10","slug":"philippines","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/blog\/philippines\/","title":{"rendered":"Philippines"},"content":{"rendered":"
The Republic of the Philippines is an archipelago and sovereign state consisting of 7,641 distinct islands located in the western Pacific Ocean, near mainland Southeast Asia. It was a Spanish colony for over 300 years until governing authority was passed to the United States in 1898; it was finally granted full independence in 1946. Today, its government is a democratic, constitutional republic with a president elected by popular vote as head of state. It is now considered a \u201cnewly industrialized\u201d country, as its economy transitions from a focus on agriculture to services and manufacturing. Its unit of currency is the Philippine peso.<\/p>\n
The Philippines<\/a>\u2019 many islands are divided into three main geographical regions: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. These are further subdivided into administrative regions, provinces, cities, municipalities, and barangays. Its capital city is Manila, but its most populous city is Quezon City, which together with 14 other cities form the Metro Manila area \u2013 the 11th most populous metropolitan area in the world. The country has both Filipino (a standardized form of Tagalog) and English as its official languages but also recognizes 30 other regional languages and about 150 dialects that are spoken in different parts of the country. Although nominally a secular state, the Philippines is predominantly Catholic, with over 90% of its population adhering to the faith. A small percentage of the population is Christian Protestant, with some adherents to Islam, Buddhism, and Philippine traditional religions.<\/p>\n Culturally, the Philippines has been shaped by a combination of Spanish, American, and Malay\/Polynesian influences. Spanish names and colonial-style architecture persist throughout the country to this day, and pop culture imports include Latin-American telenovelas, anime, and Hollywood movies. The country\u2019s most popular sports include basketball, boxing, football (soccer), and various martial arts.<\/p>\n Rice is a staple food, with the national cuisine favouring robust flavours using such local ingredients as calamansi (a type of citrus), coconuts, mangoes, soy sauce, fish sauce, and seafood. Unlike in many other Asian countries, Filipinos use forks and spoons or eat with their hands, rather than utilizing chopsticks.<\/p>\n The Philippine islands host a number of active volcanoes and experience frequent seismic activity, though the country\u2019s numerous earthquakes are generally minor and non-disruptive<\/a> to everyday life. It is considered a \u201cmegadiverse\u201d country, due to the thousands of plant and animal species inhabiting its mountains, rainforests, beaches, and coastal shorelines. The Philippines recognizes three distinct seasons: the hot dry season, the rainy season, and the cool dry season. Due to its consistent year-round warmth, the Philippines is a popular tourist destination for beachgoers and wilderness explorers alike.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Luckily for the adventurous spirits out there, there are some easy and convenient methods through which to obtain\u00a0visas to live abroad in the Philippines.<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Those looking to\u00a0retire abroad in the Philippines<\/b><\/a>\u00a0will need to apply for a\u00a0Special Resident Retiree Visa<\/i>.<\/p>\n To qualify, you\u2019ll need to:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n If you\u2019re looking to receive\u00a0residency through investment in the Philippines<\/b>, you\u2019ll need to apply for a\u00a0Special Investor\u2019s Resident Visa (SIRV).<\/p>\n The Special Investor\u2019s Resident Visa is granted to foreign nationals who are willing to invest a minimum of $75,000 USD into Filipino business operations. Approved entities include companies involved in manufacturing and services, those in the Investment Priorities Plan (see below), or publicly-listed corporations.<\/p>\n This permit grants you legal residency in the Philippines and allows you to bring a spouse and any unmarried dependent children (under 21 years of age) to the country with you.<\/p>\n Investment Priorities Plan (IPP)<\/i>: The IPP is an annual government plan that focuses on important sectors for investment and growth in the country. The company types that fall under the approved category for the Special Investor\u2019s Resident Visa fluctuate from year to year. Make sure you always check for the most recent plan when deciding on an investment route.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Capital City:\u00a0Manila Learn More About the Philippines:<\/b><\/p>\n Live (Visas and Permits)<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n Retirement (Cost of Living, Special Resident Retiree Visa)<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n Enjoy this podcast from The Expat Money Show<\/a> – JohnnyFD<\/a> who talks about moving from the USA and living in Bali and Thailand.<\/strong><\/p>\n Here is<\/b> probably the most extensive ebook on <\/b>Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Eliminating Your Taxes, Protecting Your Assets And Regaining Privacy Over Your Life And Investments<\/i><\/b>. It is called<\/b> The<\/b> Ultimate Guide To Going Offshore<\/b><\/a>.<\/b><\/p>\n To contact our office please reach out to us HERE<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n I’ve included some great articles for you to read, enjoy!<\/b><\/p>\n Ten Reasons Why Real Estate Investment is Common in the Philippines <\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n A Guide For Foreigners Looking To Buy Real Estate In The Philippines<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nVisas Options in the Philippines<\/b><\/h2>\n
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Retiring in the Philippines<\/b><\/h2>\n
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Investing Abroad in the Philippines<\/b><\/h2>\n
Country Data:<\/b><\/h2>\n
\nRecognized Languages:\u00a0English, Filipino,\u00a0Spanish
\nPopulation: 100,981,437
\nCurrency:\u00a0Piso\/Peso (PHP)
\nConversion Rate: \u00a0$1 USD = 50.82 PHP (November 2017)
\nGDP (PPP):\u00a0$873.966 billion (total), $8,223 (per capita)
\nGDP (Nominal):\u00a0$348.593 billion (total), $3,280 (per\u00a0capita)
\nReligion:\u00a0Christianity (92%), Islam (5.57%), Other (2.43)<\/p>\n