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Why Get Dual Citizenship in the Philippines?
Will Irwin asked:
Being a consultant and author on topics related to retirement in the Philippines, one of the most common questions I receive from (former) natural-born citizens of the Philippines, who lost their Philippines citizenship by being naturalized as a citizen of a foreign country, is “why should my Filipina wife or my Filipino husband get dual citizenship in the Philippines”?
For those who are planning to obtain a job or start a business after they retire to the Philippines, dual citizenship is a must. Whereas there are various residency options for a non (Philippines) citizen to retire in the Philippines, there are numerous benefits to such a retire to acquire dual citizenship in the Philippines. In 2003, the Philippines government passed a law which enables former citizens to re-acquire Filipino citizenship. It is known as the Dual Citizenship Law.
THE BENEFITS OF DUAL CITIZENSHIP ARE:
o Right to 100% own real property – without citizenship, an investor’s only means to purchase real property is by way of a corporation, of which he/she cannot own more than 40% of the stock.
o Right to operate a business – without citizenship, an foreigner is restricted to what industries he may participate in, and he must invest a minimum of $250,000.
o Right to practice one’s profession – many retirees wish to pursue their profession, but the Philippines licenses to practice professions (doctor, nurse, lawyer, and so forth) are reserved for Filipino citizens
o Right to re-acquire a Philippine passport
o Right to vote in elections
o Immigrant visa can be issued to the citizen’s spouse that entitles him/her to permanently reside in the Philippines – this gives the spouse the benefits of (i) obtaining employment in the Philippines, (ii) leasing real property, (iii) ownership of personal property, (iv) can qualify for Filipino citizenship after five years of residency in the country, and (v) can freely enter and exit the country without all the red tape of a non-immigrant resident.
The Supreme Court of the United States has stated that dual citizenship is a “status long recognized in the law” and that “a person may have and exercise rights of nationality in two countries and be subject to the responsibilities of both. The US Supreme Court ruled that a naturalized U.S. citizen has the right to return to his native country and to resume his former citizenship, and also to remain a U.S. citizen even if he never returns to the United States.
Caffeinated Content
Being a consultant and author on topics related to retirement in the Philippines, one of the most common questions I receive from (former) natural-born citizens of the Philippines, who lost their Philippines citizenship by being naturalized as a citizen of a foreign country, is “why should my Filipina wife or my Filipino husband get dual citizenship in the Philippines”?
For those who are planning to obtain a job or start a business after they retire to the Philippines, dual citizenship is a must. Whereas there are various residency options for a non (Philippines) citizen to retire in the Philippines, there are numerous benefits to such a retire to acquire dual citizenship in the Philippines. In 2003, the Philippines government passed a law which enables former citizens to re-acquire Filipino citizenship. It is known as the Dual Citizenship Law.
THE BENEFITS OF DUAL CITIZENSHIP ARE:
o Right to 100% own real property – without citizenship, an investor’s only means to purchase real property is by way of a corporation, of which he/she cannot own more than 40% of the stock.
o Right to operate a business – without citizenship, an foreigner is restricted to what industries he may participate in, and he must invest a minimum of $250,000.
o Right to practice one’s profession – many retirees wish to pursue their profession, but the Philippines licenses to practice professions (doctor, nurse, lawyer, and so forth) are reserved for Filipino citizens
o Right to re-acquire a Philippine passport
o Right to vote in elections
o Immigrant visa can be issued to the citizen’s spouse that entitles him/her to permanently reside in the Philippines – this gives the spouse the benefits of (i) obtaining employment in the Philippines, (ii) leasing real property, (iii) ownership of personal property, (iv) can qualify for Filipino citizenship after five years of residency in the country, and (v) can freely enter and exit the country without all the red tape of a non-immigrant resident.
The Supreme Court of the United States has stated that dual citizenship is a “status long recognized in the law” and that “a person may have and exercise rights of nationality in two countries and be subject to the responsibilities of both. The US Supreme Court ruled that a naturalized U.S. citizen has the right to return to his native country and to resume his former citizenship, and also to remain a U.S. citizen even if he never returns to the United States.
Caffeinated Content
It’s Terrible: A Newly Hired Security Guard Suddenly Made His Employer Bankrupt
Onofre Poonin asked:
Retired Army General and Mrs. Doe were operating their own security agency in Metro Manila for over a year with its manpower of 700 field personnel who served about 50 security clients. It ran so well that the old spouses were able to live an extravagant life until they met a doom they had never expected.
One morning of Tuesday at their agency office, the HRD Manager was interviewing an applicant SG John Doe, about 30 years old, 5’7 in height, well-built and clean-cut. The interview includes submission of necessary papers, such as NBI and PNP clearances, Neuropsychiatric and Drug Tests, Training and License Certificates and other pre-employment requirements. Having been found qualified for the job, with his documents verified complete and in order; he was eventually hired as Security guard and was temporarily deployed in an on-going construction site.
SG Doe was given a 12-hour tour of duty which started at 6:00pm, and as far as his duty was concerned, his guarding night ordinarily passed without any problem. He was supposed to be relieved at 6:00am the following morning but unfortunately, the next guard who was supposed to relieve him was not able to report for duty for an unknown reason. As it was an emergency absence, the Security In-charge could not be able to look for a replacement and further asked SG Doe to extend his tour of duty for another 8-hour -which he did not contest.
His duty extension went on smoothly as if he were enjoying his new job, not until pass 1:00pm when he got a text message from unknown sender, informing him that his wife was caught by their son having *** with another man. He immediately asked his In-charge for an emergency replacement so he could check on it but the former failed to provide his reliever. And so he was forced to stay on with a heavy heart.
SG Doe was seemingly agitated by the information he received through text message and at around 3:00pm, he suddenly grabbed his 12.gauge shot gun and ran towards the next post and – without provocation, shot dead his co-guard who was on-duty at the administrative entrance. Thereafter, he rushed towards the Reception area and fired to death at the lone visitor who was seated near the reception table. As if he were not contented, he again ran towards the construction area where workers scampered for cover, but one of them was hit by another bullet and laid dead. Ironically, when the police arrived SG Doe did not resist the arrest and voluntarily turned over his firearm and went calmly with the arresting officers.
For the next few days, the incident had formed part of the newspapers headlines – in the Radio/TV news and other tabloids. “I was not in my normal mind when I did it. I was probably in total delusion at that time because I’ve been on duty for three consecutive days without eating”, so he claimed. The news and media interviews immediately caught the attention of all existing security clients and at no time, these clients gradually terminated their contracts with the agency and looked for new security service providers. The security agency was forced to engage into amicable settlement with the aggrieved parties. It paid almost a million for the lives of the three innocent victims. It became the subject of investigation of the local authorities, and the worse, the pull-out of security guards from their original deployment due to the clients’ termination of contract suddenly sent the agency into total bankruptcy.
What is the moral lesson in this story?
Never hire an irresponsible security In-charge who could not act in dispatch in an emergency situation. Double-check the mental records of the applicant and if necessary, personally check with the Neuropsychiatries and Drug Testing Center where he got the clearances. Do background check on new applicants and do assess his previous employment records. To SG John Doe, never tell a lie to the media. To the wife, don’t let your son catch you To the agency, better luck next time..
Retired Army General and Mrs. Doe were operating their own security agency in Metro Manila for over a year with its manpower of 700 field personnel who served about 50 security clients. It ran so well that the old spouses were able to live an extravagant life until they met a doom they had never expected.
One morning of Tuesday at their agency office, the HRD Manager was interviewing an applicant SG John Doe, about 30 years old, 5’7 in height, well-built and clean-cut. The interview includes submission of necessary papers, such as NBI and PNP clearances, Neuropsychiatric and Drug Tests, Training and License Certificates and other pre-employment requirements. Having been found qualified for the job, with his documents verified complete and in order; he was eventually hired as Security guard and was temporarily deployed in an on-going construction site.
SG Doe was given a 12-hour tour of duty which started at 6:00pm, and as far as his duty was concerned, his guarding night ordinarily passed without any problem. He was supposed to be relieved at 6:00am the following morning but unfortunately, the next guard who was supposed to relieve him was not able to report for duty for an unknown reason. As it was an emergency absence, the Security In-charge could not be able to look for a replacement and further asked SG Doe to extend his tour of duty for another 8-hour -which he did not contest.
His duty extension went on smoothly as if he were enjoying his new job, not until pass 1:00pm when he got a text message from unknown sender, informing him that his wife was caught by their son having *** with another man. He immediately asked his In-charge for an emergency replacement so he could check on it but the former failed to provide his reliever. And so he was forced to stay on with a heavy heart.
SG Doe was seemingly agitated by the information he received through text message and at around 3:00pm, he suddenly grabbed his 12.gauge shot gun and ran towards the next post and – without provocation, shot dead his co-guard who was on-duty at the administrative entrance. Thereafter, he rushed towards the Reception area and fired to death at the lone visitor who was seated near the reception table. As if he were not contented, he again ran towards the construction area where workers scampered for cover, but one of them was hit by another bullet and laid dead. Ironically, when the police arrived SG Doe did not resist the arrest and voluntarily turned over his firearm and went calmly with the arresting officers.
For the next few days, the incident had formed part of the newspapers headlines – in the Radio/TV news and other tabloids. “I was not in my normal mind when I did it. I was probably in total delusion at that time because I’ve been on duty for three consecutive days without eating”, so he claimed. The news and media interviews immediately caught the attention of all existing security clients and at no time, these clients gradually terminated their contracts with the agency and looked for new security service providers. The security agency was forced to engage into amicable settlement with the aggrieved parties. It paid almost a million for the lives of the three innocent victims. It became the subject of investigation of the local authorities, and the worse, the pull-out of security guards from their original deployment due to the clients’ termination of contract suddenly sent the agency into total bankruptcy.
What is the moral lesson in this story?
Never hire an irresponsible security In-charge who could not act in dispatch in an emergency situation. Double-check the mental records of the applicant and if necessary, personally check with the Neuropsychiatries and Drug Testing Center where he got the clearances. Do background check on new applicants and do assess his previous employment records. To SG John Doe, never tell a lie to the media. To the wife, don’t let your son catch you To the agency, better luck next time..
Call Center Lifestyle in the Philippines
Roberto L. Bacasong asked:
Yuppie Filipinos get the chance to be employed easily once they obtained their bachelor or diploma degrees because of the emergence of contact centers everywhere in the Philippines. These workers started to fill the 24-hour skyscrapers that gives a colorful background to metro Manila’s financial districts at nighttime.
This only shows that people employed in this job for a couple of years were used to on their ticking biological sleeping habit. They slept all day long just to regain their strength and wake up again at the wee hours to prepare themselves for a nightlong work. Clad in casual attire with matching fashionable coats are the most common props if you are a customer service representative. During break time some even used to occupy the al fresco various dining areas in Manila. In Ortigas for instance, call center agents enjoy their 30-minute to 1 hour break at McDonald’s, Starbucks, among others. For those who have extra pennies, they enjoy the hot aroma of Brazilian coffee in various blend. Others may sit on the corner and lit up their cigarette in a way of releasing their stress from work. It is enjoying isn’t it?
At 8 pm. about 100 people, most 25 younger, sit in a room of enclosed cubicles outfitted with phones and computers. They’ll be working until 4 am. or depends on the schedule of their shifts. As their shifts starts, it is usually morning in the US. These contact centers are following US standard zones such as Pacific, Eastern, Mountain and Central.
Meanwhile, 20-year-old Luisa Geneta disclosed that call center is her first job when she finished her bachelor’s degree on May 4, 2007. At 12 am., Geneta left her house in Tondo, a suburb village in Manila, as her shift starts at 2 am. This Banking and Finance graduate from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) is one of the top caliber representatives for Unique Interaction, an American call center based in Ortigas.
“Working in a call center in the Philippines is really a big challenge for me especially that I’m new to this business. I spent most of my time and energy on this job,” she said, who handles an inbound account.
It is a very risky to leave my house at midnight for a young lady like me. However, I consider that this is the most rewarding career that we have nowadays and this will be a big help in creating another means of livelihood for us Filipinos especially for fresh graduates like me, she claimed.
On the other hand, Margaret Estanislao, 19, a team leader of the same company, disclosed that placing the agents into action challenge her in keeping her job.
Estanislao, who started as an agent added that they tried everything in sorting out the problem of the customers. “We need to maintain our empathy if the customer is upset. They are pissed and upset not because of the representatives but to the products itself”.
Both Geneta and Estanislao agreed that this job has given them the opportunity to enhance their skills and boost their confidence when it comes of interaction with their clients in a phone-to-phone conversation.
“Not to mention the financial aid that it gives to me and my family. I think this industry will continue to prosper in the succeeding years and it will continue to be one of the leading providers of career opportunities for Filipinos,” Geneta further said.
It cannot be denied that outsourcing business is one of the most flavored industries in the Philippines and other Asian countries. It appears that contact center executives preferred this country because of the number of students produced every year, which can speak English in American way. As the third largest English-speaking country in Asia no doubt that business process outsourcing is in demand today.
BPO companies provides a state-of-the-art equipment in outsourcing their business in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia. These companies trained their employees to speak like American way. In Unique Interaction, they provide fundamental call center training before the call center trainees will be allowed to take calls. The trainees has to learn account information first. Once they know the account then they are deployed ready on the floor and receive as many calls as they want. The company also teach their employees on how to handle their customers well. It is so hard to lose a customer, we know that they are considered as the lifeblood that gives full stream of support to make the company up and running and stay on the business for long.
The fact is call centers are part of the Philippine economic activity. Almost half of the 86.2 million people in the Philippines are younger than 20 years old. So don’t be surprised if you will be able to meet supervisors, team leaders, managers below 25. This is because that call center has the fastest way of promoting a career development. If the agent is performing better and receiving good CSAT ratings then no doubt that within six months or less than, this certain employee is entitled to move to another level in his or her career path. The Philippines is also one of the potential factors for outsourcing. It has been also forecast by the XMG Inc., Manila-based research and advisory firm that the nation will surpass India by 2008 as home to the world’s largest call center companies.
The Philippines offers attractive environment for the BPO companies, which is one of the key requirements by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) in applying for this business. Even now big contact center firms also expanded their centers not only in Manila but targeting the provincial levels. So it means, the revenues will not only take place within the National Capital Region (NCR) but it will also circulate to the provincial areas after passing the standard set by the Peza. Largest call centers are also found operating in Pampanga, Laguna and Baguio in Luzon; Bacolod, Cebu, Dumaguete and Iloilo in the Visayas; and Cagayan de Oro and Davao in Mindanao.
The Philippine Government is very supportive to this. Under the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, she said that BPO companies will generate billions of pesos in the country with target by 2010. When it starts to operate in 2000, now off-shore call center industry estimates to employs 60,000 people.*
Yuppie Filipinos get the chance to be employed easily once they obtained their bachelor or diploma degrees because of the emergence of contact centers everywhere in the Philippines. These workers started to fill the 24-hour skyscrapers that gives a colorful background to metro Manila’s financial districts at nighttime.
This only shows that people employed in this job for a couple of years were used to on their ticking biological sleeping habit. They slept all day long just to regain their strength and wake up again at the wee hours to prepare themselves for a nightlong work. Clad in casual attire with matching fashionable coats are the most common props if you are a customer service representative. During break time some even used to occupy the al fresco various dining areas in Manila. In Ortigas for instance, call center agents enjoy their 30-minute to 1 hour break at McDonald’s, Starbucks, among others. For those who have extra pennies, they enjoy the hot aroma of Brazilian coffee in various blend. Others may sit on the corner and lit up their cigarette in a way of releasing their stress from work. It is enjoying isn’t it?
At 8 pm. about 100 people, most 25 younger, sit in a room of enclosed cubicles outfitted with phones and computers. They’ll be working until 4 am. or depends on the schedule of their shifts. As their shifts starts, it is usually morning in the US. These contact centers are following US standard zones such as Pacific, Eastern, Mountain and Central.
Meanwhile, 20-year-old Luisa Geneta disclosed that call center is her first job when she finished her bachelor’s degree on May 4, 2007. At 12 am., Geneta left her house in Tondo, a suburb village in Manila, as her shift starts at 2 am. This Banking and Finance graduate from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) is one of the top caliber representatives for Unique Interaction, an American call center based in Ortigas.
“Working in a call center in the Philippines is really a big challenge for me especially that I’m new to this business. I spent most of my time and energy on this job,” she said, who handles an inbound account.
It is a very risky to leave my house at midnight for a young lady like me. However, I consider that this is the most rewarding career that we have nowadays and this will be a big help in creating another means of livelihood for us Filipinos especially for fresh graduates like me, she claimed.
On the other hand, Margaret Estanislao, 19, a team leader of the same company, disclosed that placing the agents into action challenge her in keeping her job.
Estanislao, who started as an agent added that they tried everything in sorting out the problem of the customers. “We need to maintain our empathy if the customer is upset. They are pissed and upset not because of the representatives but to the products itself”.
Both Geneta and Estanislao agreed that this job has given them the opportunity to enhance their skills and boost their confidence when it comes of interaction with their clients in a phone-to-phone conversation.
“Not to mention the financial aid that it gives to me and my family. I think this industry will continue to prosper in the succeeding years and it will continue to be one of the leading providers of career opportunities for Filipinos,” Geneta further said.
It cannot be denied that outsourcing business is one of the most flavored industries in the Philippines and other Asian countries. It appears that contact center executives preferred this country because of the number of students produced every year, which can speak English in American way. As the third largest English-speaking country in Asia no doubt that business process outsourcing is in demand today.
BPO companies provides a state-of-the-art equipment in outsourcing their business in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia. These companies trained their employees to speak like American way. In Unique Interaction, they provide fundamental call center training before the call center trainees will be allowed to take calls. The trainees has to learn account information first. Once they know the account then they are deployed ready on the floor and receive as many calls as they want. The company also teach their employees on how to handle their customers well. It is so hard to lose a customer, we know that they are considered as the lifeblood that gives full stream of support to make the company up and running and stay on the business for long.
The fact is call centers are part of the Philippine economic activity. Almost half of the 86.2 million people in the Philippines are younger than 20 years old. So don’t be surprised if you will be able to meet supervisors, team leaders, managers below 25. This is because that call center has the fastest way of promoting a career development. If the agent is performing better and receiving good CSAT ratings then no doubt that within six months or less than, this certain employee is entitled to move to another level in his or her career path. The Philippines is also one of the potential factors for outsourcing. It has been also forecast by the XMG Inc., Manila-based research and advisory firm that the nation will surpass India by 2008 as home to the world’s largest call center companies.
The Philippines offers attractive environment for the BPO companies, which is one of the key requirements by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) in applying for this business. Even now big contact center firms also expanded their centers not only in Manila but targeting the provincial levels. So it means, the revenues will not only take place within the National Capital Region (NCR) but it will also circulate to the provincial areas after passing the standard set by the Peza. Largest call centers are also found operating in Pampanga, Laguna and Baguio in Luzon; Bacolod, Cebu, Dumaguete and Iloilo in the Visayas; and Cagayan de Oro and Davao in Mindanao.
The Philippine Government is very supportive to this. Under the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, she said that BPO companies will generate billions of pesos in the country with target by 2010. When it starts to operate in 2000, now off-shore call center industry estimates to employs 60,000 people.*
