Right now, with all our important stuff with us it is not hard to admit that it adds to the feeling of being at home.  In spite of all the bumps along the way and the disappointments and unhappy surprises that dealing with Filipinos has shown us we are again one step closer to getting to know our new home and our surroundings better.

Today, we just came back from a business trip to Baguio where we spent sometime with our business partner and the first programmer.  Our business partner, is of the same nationality as MrC and through all our long talks he and MrC still shared that still the Filipinos are one hell of a mystery for him.  I share in their sentiment.  Even I don’t understand why some people say things and act a certain way.   Being late is one of the things that standout among the list of things foreigners don’t understand — even me sometimes.   I also for instance, remember again that in here there are meanings behind what someone would say or do.  For this, I am sometimes suspicious of motives behind people’s actions.   I wish people could have been upfront with us, with the brokers for example and things in general.

We also covered the topic of “crab mentality”.   I was actually the one who provided them with the right terminology.  It came up as a result of a surprising move of his maid who recently left them and while leaving started to backstab the Filipina wife of our business partner.   It’s sad but true but envy is something we see everyday here.

As for me, I would add that here in the Philippines the resources seem quite not enough that I have never seen so much competition and this I did not see in US or Netherlands.  That is, in jobs, in business, in relationships and hell yes, in being attractive!  Is it just me but I noticed a huge bombardment of pressure to be whiter, to be sexier, to have better skin, better, shiny hair!  And what is this I hear about 80,000 nurses took the latest board exams? I see a lot of review centers everywhere for all things, IELTS, and all acronyms as such and even getting to Ateneo, DLSU or UP.  I even saw a review center to get into Philippine Science and Ateneo High School.   In my time, I never felt this amount of competition and pressure to actually go through hoops just to get into the right places.    I am guessing it’s just that the amount of people twenty years ago had just grown tremendously and that the resources that should gave grown with it did not. Maybe this is the reason.

Yesterday, MrC and I went to the Makati Extension Office of the Bureau of Immigration, located at the Board of Investments Building to submit our paperwork. There we applied for his ACR Card, and for the implementation of his probationary permanent visa. They fingerprinted him there both electronically and manually and also took his picture. Everything was done quite well and we are very satisfied with the experience. But note that we paid 500 pesos extra per service for express lane. I think it is well worth it. We didn’t really line up at all! However, I had to make several trips upstairs to make photocopies. We also made a separate trip to the Glorietta for MrC’s 2×2 ID photos. We used taxis all the time. We waited a bit for a taxi to come by on several occasions. Overall, we find using a taxi very convenient and less stressful for us since we don’t have to worry about driving. We always made sure we had enough small bills on hand.

I find our first week much less troublesome than the first trip since we were more or less in a settled situation. Having an apartment helps a lot! And there are also less surprises now since we learned a lot from our first visit. For some reason my feelings about living in the Philippines are a lot positive than the first visit. Sometimes I even ask and wonder again why Filipinos leave the country — especially those that live comfortable lives, then again, I remember why. However this time, I see a lot of nice things we Filipinos miss abroad and locals take for granted here: nice, friendly, smiling and less rigid people, more choices in supermarkets and a lot more dining options. I am comparing this with US and Europe. Oh, I almost forgot to mention we were able to open bank accounts easily at HSBC. BPI was closer but they absolutely did not want our business. They asked to many things from us and things didn’t seem possible so we’d rather go to a bank that wanted us.

Til next time! I’ve got to work!

I had my farewell dinner in a Wok Buffet with colleagues a few weeks ago as well.    My manager definitely wants to have another farewell dinner before I leave.  I’ve definitely moved on and glad about my decision.

Last week, I visited my sister’s family and Mom in Canada and had a nice time bonding with my niece and nephews.    It also snowed while I was there!

Last Saturday, we signed up for a mini storage space nearby.   This is for MrC’s motorbike and stuff that we can’t bring or sell yet.

We’ve started putting stuff in boxes and this time, we registered them in a spreadsheet one by one!  So far we have now 6 boxes (3 for storage and 3 for shipping) and more to come.   I got in contact with my old company’s shipping department and they gave me a nicely priced shipping offer.   We’re definitely using them.

The house cooling is definitely set to the end of November.

They told me that it will be ready by 7th of October. After that, we had a nice lunch in a place called Dap & Co. which we accidentally found while driving around. It was a very nice and cozy cafe right next to water. As usual we had uitsmijter (fried egg on top of sliced bread). We came back to the Embassy at around 2pm. Great food and great service with one of the best interior designs I’ve seen to date.

By the way, in case you are wondering what the two small bottles are for (see album) they are for MrC’s medical exam *grin*. We need that for MrC’s immigration to the Philippines. He also needs the following additional documents: Police Report from our municipality, biodata, proof of funds/income. We can expect this Statement of Good Conduct processed from the Department of Justice within 2-4 weeks.

When I arrived there, there was only 1 other person being served. It was not a busy day. However, when I presented my documents for the Registration of our Marriage, which is a prerequisite to all our applications, she told me that it needs to be legalized by the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands. I didn’t realize it was necessary to go there because this one had a stamp already from the Municipality. Oh, well, after looking at MrC’s immigration paper requirements we realize we need lots of documents legalized there anyways: including his medical examination results and police report!

Another blooper I had also is the size of my photo. The lady told me that I could also apply for a passport at the same time as the citizenship retention however my photo sizes were wrong. And so we went home without any applications filed. At least we now know for sure that our next visit to Den Haag will be spent in the Foreign Affairs Ministry right before I even apply for Dual Citizenship.

Oh and by the way, while I was in the WC I was hearing a man shouting like he was angry. Turns out MrC saw that it was the Dutch husband of the other lady that just came in. He was really making a fool of himself shouting insults to the Embassy lady. Gosh, so rude! I feel bad for the Filipina wife who couldn’t shut him up.

Anyways, that was my visit to the Philippine Embassy.

• Language

Will my husband actually have the patience to live in a land where everyone speaks another language behind his back or in a party, people will speak English to him at the beginning but later revert back to the local dialect? How eager is he to learn it? My husband told me he is very confident that he will learn Tagalog quickly. I guess this actually depends on the personality of your partner if he is cool with it even if he gets surrounded by people who speaking the dialect. Here in the Netherlands, it’s about the same situation. People speak almost perfect English and even sometimes can sound like someone from UK or America but later on amongst themselves they would speak in Dutch again. It is harder to connect on a deeper level to people if they are speaking to you in a second language rather then their own.

• Career or business prospects

I think it is worthwhile to consider how long you intend to stay there. If it is permanently it is worth considering either reacquiring your Filipino citizenship (if you have lost it). If you are a Filipino citizen you can apply for permanent permanent resident visa otherwise known as the 13 (a) visa in his country’s Philippine embassy and then maybe you could take up employment. This I am not sure of. Owning and operating a business though is another thing. In my opinion, being self-employed is the best option for a foreigner especially if he comes out overqualified in many job postings because of age or salary expectations. There is really not enough jobs out there to even consider competing in the local job market. For starters, if you are a native English speaker you can offer to teach English to individuals. Koreans have been coming here in droves to learn English and settle. When I was still in the Philippines, this wasn’t even happening yet. It would be also worth investigating what kind of businesses (Tagalog: raket) the Koreans are doing in our country. We could learn from them. We already know about this fact that a lot of Filipinos leave the country because of lack of good employment prospects. I discussed this in detail in my article Visa Options for Longer Stay in the Philippines

• His Family

Does he or she have elderly parents that he might leave behind? Maybe it’s good to reconsider if it’s really good to leave his parents behind. What about bringing them over to the Philippines as well? Otherwise, understand that if there is a family left behind that would miss him (or her) dearly it would be good to plan and budget for regular visits back to your partner’s family. You know that feeling of being disconnected from family and you know you must support your partner in anyway you can.

• Your Family

There are those that come from respectable families and there is no issue about family asking for money from the foreign partner but I have seen time and time again foreigner/expats who complain that Filipinos always expect them to give and share money. This mentality of sharing is really perverted and it is a twisted way of thinking that if you are poor you deserve to extort money from foreigners and it is your right to do so. Please, if you truly love your partner, shield him from this mess. Try to act normal and modest around your family and no one will probably bother you. Tell them you are not rich and are still trying to settle to a new country. Tell them the truth that the money you have is budgeted towards something else like building a family or a place to live in. Don’t fall into a guilt-trip just because someone stops talking to you or thinks you are kuripot (stingy) because you turned down their request.

On the other hand, if your family is the good and respectable kind. Let them know that they don’t have to act extra nice and be overly hospitable to the extent that their normal lives are disrupted from your move. Tell them they can act normal and it’s fine if they go about with their personal lives as usual even if both of you are there.

• Living Arrangements

We already know for a fact that in many cultures such as in Europe, Canada, Australia or United States privacy is valued highly. This has its own pros and cons. It worked for them culturally and we have to respect it. It is really a good idea to plan for your own place in the long term if it is not possible to do it immediately. Studios and 1-bedroom apartments of varying price range are not hard to find especially if you consult a broker. Also one thing, try to ask yourself how much heat tolerance you have.. Believe me, airconditioning works wonders for comfortability. Consider looking for a place with airconditioning or buy a unit and install it. A well-ventilated place is also another idea if electricity bills become too expensive for your budget. Also, know that some places in the Philippines are prone to flooding. Make sure you ask around first before signing up a lease or buying land.

• Health

Depending on your age and state of health. If you are taking regular medications for some medical condition consider searching for HMO’s or health insurance options in the Philippines. Compare the cost of these local HMO providers with international health insurance providers such as AXA. And even if you know you are young and healthy I think it is still worth planning for. Will you be able to afford the costs of medical treatment in case a catastrophic illness happens? I’ve heard people say that medical costs are really small in the Philippine compared and some just rely on having some savings ready instead of paying monthly for an HMO so decide how much risk you are willing to take with regards to health care. One thing that I know that holds back many people in their retirement age from going back to the Philippines is that their country of nationality offers free health care or benefits but only if they reside there. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that and that is actually a good thing to take advantage of. I think some stay a few months in their old country and the rest of the year in the Philippines in order to fulfill residency requirements so try to research your country’s rules on this.

• Prepare for Culture Shock

Culture shock is experienced by people in various ways. It can be described as an experience a newcomer has in a foreign country that is something like a disorientation, disgust, overwhelm and frustration in light of a sudden change of environment or value system. This is quite a topic in itself and I’d like to discuss this in a future article. I am sure most of us living abroad know what this is but I think it is a good idea to explore this further.

In future posts I will also share how these ideas come into reality in our plans to go there in August.

• taking an oath, affirmation or other formal declaration to a foreign state or its political subdivisions (Sec. 349 (a) (2) INA) is a potential cause of loss of citizenship if they perform certain specified acts voluntarily and with the intention to relinquish U.S. citizenship.
• when renewing or applying for a US passport, before you sign the form , since in the Acts or Conditions list this will apply to you, you need to line out the part that says “taken an oath or made an affirmation or other formal declaration of allegiance to a foreign state”, and you must provide a supplementary explanatory statement under oath or affirmation by the applicant that you do not wish to relinquish your U.S. citizenship.
• you might have trouble running for public office in either countries or obtaining special security clearances

Disclaimer: I am not a licensed attorney, all information here is gathered only from reading official websites. Please consult your immigration lawyer or consulate for confirmation about these issues before you decide on any course of action.

Yesterday, I decided to do finally complete my paperwork errands for my Mom by going to the Philippine Embassy in Den Haag. And at the same time, I figured, I could inquire more about the visa options that we have in line with our plans to come back to the Philippines and stay long-term.
One thing I noticed about their office is that it is so much better than the one in New York City where there are long lines, noisy crowds, steel bars and glass windows and irritated government workers. Instead, I was greeted by a couple of relaxed women and a nice open office environment. During my visit, there was also a Dutch couple applying for a tourist visa. Basically, the nice lady told me that she strongly advise me to just apply for reacquisition of my citizenship which is by far the simplest for both of us. I told her that my main concerns is the length of time to process it and how it would affect my citizenship status in the US. I found out that it only takes 5 days to process my application for citizenship retention after I submit all the necessary paperwork and also 5 days to process my husband’s non-quota immigration application as well. The good thing about this also is that if we try to setup a business there we could solve the ownership issue easily. She told me that Philippine law recognizes Dual Citizenship. Later that day I found my answers from the website of the San Francisco consulate.

Here is what it says in the website:

Will taking the Oath endanger U.S. citizenship?

No. According to a study prepared by the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NAFFAA), a person will not lose his/her U.S. citizenship by merely pledging allegiance to another county. Such act can result in loss of U.S. citizenship only if done with an intention to relinquish U.S. citizenship. Since applicants for dual citizenship under this law generally do so with every intention to keep their U.S. citizenship and enjoy the benefits of citizenship in both countries, they are in no way intending to relinquish their U.S. citizenship.

Moreover, NAFFAA assures that American citizenship is not easily lost and is protected under the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which states that “all persons born or naturalized in the U.S. are citizens of the U.S. and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall.. deprive any person of life, liberty or property without due process of law.”

U.S. government sources recognize that “dual nationality” or “dual citizenship” can and does occur as a matter of fact, when the laws of the U.S. and another country simultaneously recognize an individual as their citizen.

Because I am a former Filipino citizen, the following will be our options when we decide to stay longer than 21 days:

• Balikbayan Program

Here, both me and my spouse can stay visa-free for a period of one year. With this, we can purchase tax free up to $1500 worth of goods from a government owned/operated duty free shops. We are also exempted from paying travel tax. However after that one year, we will have to deal with renewals of visas which can be a big hassle if it takes place every 2 months or so. It can also be costly in the long run. We also both need to register as aliens and get an ACR card.

• Retention of Citizenship

When I became a naturalized US citizen, I had lost my Philippine Citizenship. However, with the new provisions of Republic Act No. 9225 I can regain my citizenship after taking an oath of allegiance to the Republic at the nearest consulate. After then, I can apply for a passport. With this option, we will not have to worry about percentage of ownership when opening a business there and other things such as land / property ownership. My husband can also apply for a Permanent Residency and engage in business. I believe applying for his permanent residency involves a lot of paperwork and waiting which we don’t want to happen (after our experience here).

• Special Resident Retiree’s Visa (SRRV)

This newly-introduced visa is granted by the Bureau of Immigration’s Retirement Program under the Philippine Retirement Authority. All foreigners and overseas Filipinos are eligible to apply for this visa. Under this program, the holder is entitled to multiple-entry privileges and the right to stay permanently in the Philippines. Requirements include: Age must be at least 35 years old (I am almost 36 now) and a required time deposit. For our situation, since I am a former Filipino citizen, our required time deposit is only US$1,500.00. Not bad!
The one-time application fees are the following: US$1,400.00 application fee or equivalent Philippine Peso for the principal applicant and US$300 for the spouse. If we had children, each dependent is also $300. For every additional dependent (in excess of two) an additional US$15,000.00 deposit shall be required per head except for former Filipino citizens. Whew! that was close. I am glad it doesn’t apply to us. And to add to that I can purchase a lot not exceeding 5,000 square meters in urban areas or three (3) hectares in rural areas for business use or other purposes. We can use our deposit towards purchasing other kinds of properties such as condominium or a house or office space for our business. Sounds too good to be true? Maybe we should really schedule an appointment with the Consulate soon to clarify this. This visa also welcomes business ventures with less restriction on foreign ownership if our business is totally for export or within the list of investment priorities as outlined by the Board of Investments. As of now, this is the option we are most interested in. The application process seems simple and we only need a medical clearance from the physician here. For more details on the SRRV, please visit this link.

As I have said earlier, we have to confirm all this information from our embassy here. I wonder when I can set up an appointment?