Fil-Ams considering retirement in Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — With the expected arrival of over 200 Filipino-Americans to the country today, many of them look forward to experiencing more of the local culture, and may even consider retiring here for good, declared a Filipino official based in the United States.

The Fil-Ams, majority of whom come from Hawaii, are part of the 16th year of the Very Important Pinoy (VIP) Tour, taking place from July 7 to 15, according to Consul General to Honolulu Arman Talbo.

They will tour famous attractions and destinations in Manila, Ilocos province, Puerto Princesa in Palawan and Siargao, he said.

“The participants will enjoy a worry-free and premium tour where they are going to choice destinations, and these are not just the usual tourist places, but are curated destinations researched by the consulate,” he added.

This year, a tour of Siargao is included, exclusively for young adults or millennials – which Talbo estimated to be around 25 percent of the delegates, so they can experience one of the Philippines’ most popular surfing spots.

During the trip, participants will be able to sample local cuisine and expand their knowledge about the country’s rich heritage.

“Some of them would also like to explore about making an investment and even the possibility of retiring here in our country because they really want to come home,” Talbo said.

The VIP Tour would also enable participating local government units to “showcase the best of their destinations.”

Those who have repeatedly joined the VIP Tour were “very confident that they know the Philippines, they know the destinations are very safe and we at the consulate know we have the support of the stakeholders, including the local governments and the police,” Talbo noted.

Each participant of the VIP Tour – a joint project of the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Tourism and the Tourism Promotions Board – can spend an average of $5,000 to $7,000 during the entire trip, according to its private partner Rajah Tours Philippines.