one year

[Arthur Little]

yeah the health care here is free but NHS is crap.

I must stop you there. The British NHS may not be perfect, but it's still the BEST to be found ANYWHERE and is envied the world over. I said as much before in response to a thread entitled 'What Would You Introduce To The Philippines?'.

Sure, it is not without its flaws. But more than six decades on, its introduction remains at the forefront of this nation's greatest-ever achievements. And I, for one, have reason to be thankful for its continuing existence.

[Tawi2]

Got to endorse your comments Arthur,as I am sure peniless people in the slums of Delhi or the squatters areas of Tondo in need of medical care would also agree,we are lucky to have it,if your skint in pinas with a life threatening illness what do they do?Advertise for donations on TV and in the press,we really are lucky to have the NHS,but you never know just how lucky till the day your in need of it

[David House]

The NHS is wonderful! Having spent the winter months in the Philippines I am now back in the UK. Whilst in PI we helped our young niece who has terminal cancer so can testify from first hand experience. The care was fine, but very expensive. This has to be considered when making a decision on whether to live there permanently. If you already know you need regular medical help then the NHS is a hard thing to leave behind. (Along with the BBC, cricket, good beer and the English summer).
Visiting the Philippines for a year is going to be possible but without a Filipina wife you will not get a Balikbayan visa on entry. You will only get 21 days, although I think you can get 59 by pre-arrangement. After that you will have to extend every few weeks which is a nuisance and costs. Travel agents will do it for you, at a small additional cost. If you decide to marry then getting a year will be automatic, but you still need to go out and re-enter. Special retirement visas are available but are complicated and require the deposit of funds. You will not be allowed in without a return ticket but don't worry too much about that. We travel via Hong Kong and book the leg into the Philippines on Cebu Pacific with whom we book a return flight for around the time we plan to return and then alter as needed. The cost of change is minimal. We do the same with the flights into HK.

[Arthur Little]

The NHS is wonderful! Having spent the winter months in the Philippines I am now back in the UK. Whilst in PI we helped our young niece who has terminal cancer so can testify from first hand experience. The care was fine, but very expensive. minimal.

Thanks for sharing this experience with us, David. Our thoughts and prayers are with your young niece and her family. God Bless.

[Arthur Little]

we really are lucky to have the NHS,but you never know just how lucky till the day your in need of it

Absolutely!

[Tawi2]

There was a case a few years ago arthur,english guy went on holiday to pinas with his wife,didnt buy insurance,was hospitalised after some form of accident,Hospital wouldnt let him leave till the hefty bill was paid,it was on TV here,the guys family had to take out a bank loan and send the cash over Firend of mine,ex-para,went to South Africa on holiday,knocked over,hit-and-run,pelvis shattered etc,hospitalised for months,luckily he had the foresight to take out insurance as his bill came to £36,000 My brother rolled his car here in the UK,total right off,his cheekbones were smashed,he had to have facial reconstruction(its cool,he didnt exactly look like Brad Pitt before the accident)on the NHS,it cost him nowt As I said,when you need it thats when you realise how lucky you are Thats why thousands of people risk their lives getting smuggled INTO the UK every year,because of our system,fair enough its flawed,but its a damned sight better than nowt.