Robredo raises security concerns amid influx of Chinese ‘retirees’

Vice President Maria Leonor "Leni" Robredo on Sunday voiced concerns over the implications of the influx of Chinese "retirees" -- mostly 35-year-olds -- on national security.

In her weekly radio show, Robredo said that the influx of Chinese nationals -- supposedly retirees -- are also limiting employment opportunities that could have been given to Filipinos.

"Ito, marami na tayong aral sa kasaysayan, baka ano ito... dangerous sa national security natin. Napakadami na natin. Iyon iyong isang danger," she said.

"Pangalawa, baka ito ay magtrabaho sa mga POGO. Ito na nga iyong nirereklamo ng marami nating mga kababayan: na imbes iyong trabaho— Unang una, iyong POGO dapat hindi pinapayagan dito, kasi number one, ilegal nga siya sa China, ilegal siya sa China tapos pinapayagan natin dito. Iyon iyong number one. Number two, kung kukuha sila ng trabaho dito, maraming Pilipino ang walang trabaho, makikiagaw pa sila sa mga Pilipino," added Robredo.

In a Senate hearing last week, Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA) officials testified that a majority of foreigners allowed to "retire" in the country were 35-year-old Chinese nationals.

PRA data showed that there were 27,678 Chinese retirees in the Philippines, the largest among over 100 nationalities who chose the Philippines as their retirement destination.

This was followed by Korean nationals with 14,144, then by the Indians with 6,120.

"Una iyong edad. Ang babata pa, 35 retired na. Pangalawa—pangalawa, talagang—talagang ang dali—parang iyong investment na required sobrang baba. So sana—sana call ito ng opisina nila na ipa-revisit iyong mga policies kasi nakakatakot ito para sa atin," Robredo said Sunday.

For its part, the PRA indefinitely suspended processing applications for new Special Resident Retiree's Visas (SRRVs) on October 23. — DVM, GMA News