Domestic Affects: The Philippine Retirement Authority, Retiree Visas, and the National Discourse of Homecoming

This chapter continues the discussion in chapter 2. It examines the complexity of public-private partnerships in touristic development in the Philippines by considering the Philippine Retirement Agency and the Special Resident Retiree’s Visa, created to provide incentives for Filipinos in the United States and other parts of the world to return and retire in the Philippines. It captures the experiences of Filipino American retirees as they return to the Philippines and attempt to start businesses while at the same time being categorized as “retirees.” Retirees’ experiences as members of the Philippine Retirement Authority Members Association Inc. exemplify the challenges that continue to obstruct economic development in the Philippines.