Are there how many Chinese in the Philippines?

Are there how many Chinese in the Philippines? 

The term "Chinese" can mean many things: long-time pure or ethnic Chinese residents, pure Chinese immigrants who have immigrated recently, or Filipinos of Chinese descent.

We can also further consider Chinese citizens who are here for vacation, employment and business.

The latest Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data on foreigners is so old it no longer represents or even to just give a hint of the actual trend at present. 

Based on the 2010 Census, the Americans were the biggest foreign group in the Philippines, with a total number of 29,959. The Chinese were second, with a total of 28,750. Next were those from Japan and from India. 

Now, just based on news entities, social media and word of mouth, it is now the Chinese nationals who comprise the biggest foreign group in the Philippines.

According to a statement by the late Senator Edgardo Angara in 2013, as of that year, there were about 1.35 million ethnic or pure Chinese residing in the Philippines, in addition to about 22.8 million who are of Chinese descent.

According to a June 2018 article by Ian Nicolas Cigaral on Philstar.com, a total of 3.12 million Chinese citizens have entered the Philippines over the period from January 2016 to May 2018, based on data given by the Bureau of Immigration to Philstar.com. A total of 2.44 million came from mainland China while the rest came from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.

The BI data also showed that a total of 4,486 Chinese nationals were denied entry over the same period, from 2016 to May 2018.

With a big number of Chinese nationals continuously coming in, it's expected that the total number of Chinese in the Philippines will shoot up quickly to an overwhelming number.

Information on some Chinese nationals in the Philippines from Bureau of Immigration News Releases

I cannot find data on the current number of Chinese nationals in the Philippines, but we can see the big influx of Chinese citizens into the Philippines through the following news releases from the Philippine Bureau of Immigration.

-  A total of 1,129 Chinese nationals were denied entry at Philippine airports in the first half of 2019 after they were found to be unfit for admission due to various reasons. Other foreign nationals who were denied entry were 106 Indians, 87 Americans, 52 Taiwanese, and 67 Koreans.

-  The Bureau of Immigration (BI) said that they will implement changes so that only properly-documented and legitimate foreigners are allowed into the country. In reply to concerns about the rising number of Chinese nationals in the Philippines, the BI cited the Chinese tourism boom which is also happening in other countries, and the employment of Chinese workers in the emerging Philippine online gaming industry.

-  In reply to concerns about the visa upon arrival (VUA) program, which was implemented by the Department of Tourism (DOT) in 2017 to attract more Chinese tourists and investors, the BI said they're only giving VUA to pre-checked Chinese citizens and those endorsed by a DOT-accredited travel agency.

-  The BI said that in June 2019, only around 6,000 Chinese nationals were given VUAs, which is just 5% of all the Chinese nationals coming to the Philippines.

-  The BI said that many Chinese nationals living in the Philippines, both immigrants and non-immigrants, visit their homeland for the Chinese New Year.
In the year 2018 alone, a total of 1,309,289 Chinese citizens were recorded to have left the country for their homeland's New Year celebrations.

References:

Foreign Citizens in the Philippines (Results from the 2010 Census, Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)
Household Population by Country of Citizenship: Philippines, 2010, Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)
BI Steps Up Campaign Against Illegal Aliens, August 1, 2019, Bureau of Immigration (BI)
2,300 aliens denied entry in 1st half of 2019, July 29, 2019, Bureau of Immigration (BI)

Departing Sino Travelers Told: ‘Process Your Reentry Fees in BI Offices,’ January 23, 2019, Bureau of Immigration (BI)

Senate declares Chinese New Year as special working holiday, January 21, 2013, Senate of the Philippines

Photo of woman:

Image by shaomi454 from Pixabay

Photo of men:

Image by binaryscalper from Pixabay

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Is there BDO Kabayan savings account expiration?

No, there's no BDO Kabayan savings account expiration.

Your Kabayan account does not expire. There's no expiration date on your ATM card or on your passbook.

But what can happen is that if you fail to comply with remittance rules, your Kabayan account will be converted into a regular savings account, and then later on closed.

Why and when will a Kabayan savings account be converted into a regular savings account?

It will be converted into a regular savings account after 24 months of no remittance into the account from abroad.
Remember na hindi required ang maintaining balance sa Kabayan account kasi it was designed to attract OFWs. Ang requirement lang is dapat merong remittance from abroad at least once every 24 months.

Notice:

Starting October 1, 2018, na-extend na sa 24 months ang chance for BDO Kabayan account owners to remit from abroad at least once to their Kabayan accounts para ma-maintain ang account na Kabayan pa rin, na walang maintaining-balance requirement.

At ibinaba na rin from 10,000 pesos to 2,000 pesos ang maintaining balance ng anumang account na hindi naka-remit from abroad after 24 months at na-convert into a regular savings account, at hindi na Kabayan ang account.

 Ang new rules na ito ay para sa mga BDO Kabayan accounts na:
1.  Active as Kabayan account of October 1, 2018
2.  Opened on or after October 1, 2018
3.  Opened in 2018 and has at least one foreign remittance

So after 24 months of no foreign remittance, your Kabayan account will automatically be converted into a regular passbook savings account. This time, meron nang maintaining balance requirement na 2,000 pesos.
This means na dapat meron kang 2,000 pesos sa account mo everyday as maintaining balance. Puede namang hindi everyday na andon yong 2,000 pesos basta lang sa ibang araw meron kang nakadeposit na more than 2,000 pesos at nang sa ganon, pag mag-compute na ang BDO ng average daily balance for the month, 2,000 pesos or more pa rin ang lumalabas na balance.

I asked my relative to deposit money to my Kabayan account so it will remain a Kabayan account. Why was my Kabayan still converted into a regular account?

Dapat remittance from abroad. Ang deposit over the counter or online money transfer from another BDO account ay hindi considered remittance from abroad.

Why was my account closed after it was converted?

It was closed because your balance was only 300 pesos or less. When the 300-peso penalty was deducted, your balance became ZERO or NEGATIVE, so automatically, your account was closed.
Ang rule is: After 2 consecutive months that your account is below maintaining-balance status, your account will get a penalty of 300 pesos every month until your balance is used up, or until you restore it to good status.

Once na naging zero o negative ang bank account, automatically ay nako-close ito. Naka-program yan, so automatic.

Can I reactivate my closed account?

BDO does not reactivate closed accounts.
But you can open a new BDO account after 6 months.

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What are the licensed HMOs in the Philippines?

Here below are the licensed HMOs in the Philippines as of October 2018

Licensed by the Insurance Commission for the years 2017 to 2019.

Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs)

1.    Asalus Corp.
2.    Asiancare Health Systems, Inc.
3.    Avega Managed Care, Inc.
4.    Carehealth Plus Systems lnternational, Inc.
5.    Carewell Health Systems, Inc.
6.    Caritas Health Shield, Inc.
7.    Cooperative Health Management Federation
8.    Dynamic Care Corp.
9.    Eastwest Healthcare, Inc.
10.  Fortune Medicare, Inc.
11.  Getwell Health Systems, Inc.
12.  Health Care & Development Corp. of the Philippines
13.  Health Maintenance, Inc.
14.  Health Plan Philippines, Inc.
15.  IMS Wellth Care, Inc.
16.  Insular Health Care, Inc.
17.  Kaiser lnternational Healthgroup, Inc.
18.  Life & Health HMP, Inc.
19.  Mazan Health Care, Inc.
20.  Maxicare Healthcare Corp.
21.  Medicare Health Systems, Inc.
22.  Medicard Philippines, Inc.
23.  MedicarePlus, Inc.
24.  Metrocare Health System, Inc.
25.  Optimum Medical and Healthcare Services, Inc
26.  Pacific Cross Health Care, Inc.
          (Formerly Blue Cross Health Care Inc- name change effective January 2016)
27.  PhilhealthCare, Inc.
28.  Stotsenberg Healthcare System, Inc.
29.  Transnational Medical & Diagnostic Center, Inc.
30.  Ultima Health Systems, Inc.
31.  Value Care Health Systems, Inc.

The supervision and regulation of HMOs was transferred from the Department of Health (DOH) to the Insurance Commission by President Benigno S. Aquino III through Executive Order No. 192 on November 12, 2015.

HMOs Licensed by the DOH for the years 2015 to December 31, 2017

1.   Asian Care Health Systems, lnc.
2.   Cooperative Health Management Federation
3.   Transnational Medical & Diagnostic Center, Inc.

HMOs Licensed by the DOH for the years 2014 to December 31, 2016

1.    Avega Managed Care, lnc.
2.    Coopcare
3.    Dynamic Care Corp.
4.    Eastwest Healthcare, Inc.
5.    Getwell Health Systems, lnc.
6.    Maxicare Healthcare Corporation
7.    Medicard Philippines, Inc.
8.    Medicare Plus, lnc.
9.    Metro Care Health Systems, lnc.
10.  Optimum Medical& Health Care Services
11.  Philippine British Assurance Company, lnc.
12.  Stotsenberg Healthcare Systems, lnc.

HMOs Licensed by the Insurance Commission for the year 2016

1.   Asalus Corp. (popularly known as Intellicare)
2.   Carehealth Plus Systems lnternational, lnc.
3.   Carewell Health Systems, lnc.
4.   Caritas Health Shield, lnc.
5.   Fortune Medicare, lnc.
6.   Health Maintenance, lnc.
7.   Health Plan Philippines, lnc.
8.   IMS Wellth Care, lnc.
9.   lnsular Health Care, lnc.
10. Kaiser lnternational Healthgroup, lnc.
11. Life & Health HMP, lnc.
12. Medocare Health Systems, lnc.
13. Pacific Cross Health Care, lnc.
           (formerly Blue Cross Health Care, lnc.;
             was renamed January 1, 2016)
14.  PhilhealthCare, lnc.
15. Value Care Health Systems, lnc.

Warning !!! Goldmed not licensed as HMO

The IC has advised the public that MCN Global Holding Corp. also known as Goldmed has not been issued a license by the IC to operate as an HMO.
Based on above DOH list, Goldmed has not also been issued a license by the DOH to operate as an HMO.
Source: IC Advisory issued on September 2, 2016

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Can I Transfer Money Online from BPI to BDO and Other Banks?

 As of today, you can not yet transfer money online from BPI to BDO and to other banks.

But BPI says that SOON, you can transfer funds from BPI to BDO and to other banks through INSTAPAY and PESONET. Most probably, BPI has not yet completed the integration of Instapay into its system, so we wait.

We also wish that BPI will impose a lower transfer fee, lower than 100 pesos, which is the amount charged by BDO to transfer money via Instapay.

Based on the list of InstaPay transfer fees published by the BSP, BDO charges the highest fee.
Others charge only 10 pesos and 15 pesos.
Landbank, Metrobank, PNB Savings Bank, Robinsons, and UCPB charge 25 pesos.

PNB charges the second highest fee, which is 50 pesos.

While you cannot yet transfer from BPI to BDO and to other banks, BPI is able to receive transfers from BDO and other banks via Instapay. And it does not impose a receiving fee. The transfer is also in real time, instantly, as long as the transfer from the other bank is successful.

What is INSTAPAY?

InstaPay is an electronic fund transfer (EFT) service that allows account owners to transfer peso funds instantly between accounts of participating BSP-supervised banks and non-bank e-money issuers in the Philippines. The service is available 24/7, any day, any time.

InstaPay is supervised by the Philippine Payment Management Inc. (PPMI) under the oversight of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. The PPMI was established by Philippine banks in 2017 through the Bankers Association of the Philippines (BAP) to help the BSP implement an interconnected electronic retail payment system in the country.

InstaPay is primarily for consumers, as the maximum amount that can be transferred per day is 50,000 pesos.

PESONET is primarily for fund transfers by businesses. Transfers are not instant, but funds are credited within the day, as long as they are received prior to cut-off periods.

Send Money from BDO to BPI and to other banks via INSTAPAY

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How Much Is My SSS Lump Sum if I Don't Qualify for Pension?

How much Lump Sum will you Get from SSS if you are not qualified for pension?

 Your SSS Lump Sum is equal to your total SSS monthly contributions plus Interest. 
  Lahat ng ibinayad mong contributions sa SSS pati lahat ng ibinayad ng employers para sa iyo ay ito-total ng SSS, saka idadagdag yong total interest na kinita ng mga contributions mo.

 

Your Total Contributions + Total Interest =
Your Lump Sum

Why Am I Not Qualified for Pension?

You were not able to accumulate a total of 120 valid monthly contributions when you turned 60 years old.

Are There Other Benefits That I Can Get from SSS After I Have Claimed My Lump Sum Benefit?

None. No other benefits.

The only benefit left is your Funeral Benefit. But it will not be you who will claim. It will be your heirs who will claim your Funeral Benefit after you pass away.

Can I complete the required 120 monthly contributions so that I can qualify for pension even if I'm already 60 years old?

Yes, you can. But you must be able to accumulate a total of 120 valid contributions prior to your semester of retirement at age 65.

65 years is the age for mandatory SSS retirement.

What do you mean by "VALID Contributions?"

Contributions are valid if your first-ever monthly contribution was VALID.

It is VALID if you were registered with SSS by your employer,

or if you registered as Self-Employed and your registration was approved,

or if you registered as OFW and your registration was approved,

or if you registered as Non-Working Spouse and your registration was approved.

One indication that your contributions are VALID is if you have a DATE of COVERAGE.

You can see this Date of Coverage in your online SSS account.

How to Register to Have an Online SSS Account 

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