NEGROS Occidental, particularly its capital Bacolod City, is poised to become one of the country's retirement destinations.
Ketslynn Quiletorio, information officer III of Client Relations Division of the Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA), said the city is actually ready as a destination for foreign retirees especially in terms of infrastructure.
Quiletorio, who spoke at the Tourism Enterprise Zone (TEZ) Investment Roadshow at L'Fisher Hotel in Bacolod City on May 3, said entertainment venues and amenities like malls and hospitals in the city are already in place.
"We are looking at Bacolod and other cities like Dumaguete and Iloilo in the Visayas to develop as retirement destinations outside National Capital Region (NCR)," she said, adding that "the landscape here is ideal because the amenities in the city are near the places with natural attractions."
In terms of the number of retirees staying here, the agency said: "there's only a few for now."
PRA records showed that Western Visayas only hosts one percent or 500 of about 53,000 foreign retiree-holders of Special Resident Retirement Visa (SRRV).
In terms of nationality, most retirees in the region are Europeans, who are looking for natural attractions.
Chinese and Koreans are in NCR mainly because of the business situation there.
But for Negros Occidental alone, retirees are living within the city near the entertainment establishments including malls, among others.
Quiletorio said retirees locating in the city have varied purposes on coming here.
Although majority of the retirees in the country are 50 to 60 years old, Quiletorio said they would still prefer areas nearby entertainment and other establishments.
"We have to remember that they are coming from developed countries and that they want supermarket, hospital and other amenities more accessible to them," she added.
Moreover, the PRA is a government agency that promotes the Philippines as a retirement destination.
Its core product is the SRRV, which is a special non-immigrant lifetime visa given to foreign nationals planning to retire and rest in the country.
Quiletorio said Bacolod City, like the Philippines in general, has a lot of potentials which are not yet fully maximized.
In terms of retirement facility accredited by the PRA, there is only one in Negros Occidental.
It's the Sanko Mambukal Life Care Home in Murcia town.
"The local government should really have to make the city a retirement friendly place. Meaning, the community is ready to welcome and accept foreign retirees," Quiletorio said, as she urged local retirement facility owners to apply for accreditation with the PRA. (EPN)