Thesis Title Proposal:

Subic Paradigm: Exercising Habitable Retirement Village Resort

A barrier free developmental and salutogenic approach for a health resort
I. Introduction
I.I

Background of the study

After many years of working for their families and themselves, many people would want to rest
and break free from the stress and the tedious hours of work. Retirement is a point where a
person stops employment completely. A person may also semi-retire by reducing work hours.
Many people choose to retire when they are eligible for private or public pension benefits,
although some are forced to retire when physical conditions mo longer allow the person to to
work anymore because of illness or accident.
A retirement village resort is the most suitable place to retire and rest after working for years. It
is a clustered human settlement or community dedicated for older adults or retirees, a
community with facilities for comfort, medical care, sanitation, safety, security and lifestyle that
suits their needs. A retirement community is an exceptionally broad, generic term that coers
many varieties of housing for retirees and seniors. Clark Pampanga, a home for the foreign
visitors especially the Americans, is being eyed as one of the best places to retire in the
Philippines.
Matti said the increased developments happening here make this area more interesting by the
day. I know it already is one of the top retirement areas for Americans, but could be a booming
area for locals as well. The Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) offers ease of mobility in
the region, and having the main airport move there will certainly add to the already rapid change
in the area. The food in Pampanga helps, too. But its hard to determine at this point what the
final face of Clark will look like.
For U.S. retirees the principal appeal of the Philippines is a low cost of living in a tropical
environment full of English speakers and outdoor beauty, Forbes said in its website.
A foreign national can easily obtain permanent residency by showing their retirement income, it
said.
Popular locations include Tagaytay, a suburb of Manila, the capital, that is elevated and
therefore cooler, and Subic Bay, with an infrastructure from the old U.S. Navy base. Non-stop
flights between Manila and the US average 15 hours, it added.

I.2

Statement of the problem

There will be 425.6 million retirees in developed countries by the year 2015, and the Philippine
government wants at least a million of those to retire in the Philippines. According to a survey,
the Philippines is the 15th most preferred destination for medical tourism and retirement. Many

foreign retirees are inclined in retiring on the Philippines because of the low cost living and the
tropical climate that is considered a retirement haven.
The main problem is that a lot of retirement places in the Philippines are mainly developed for
foreign retirees and not for our own which is not right because they are our own and we should
honor them for the services they have rendered for the country by providing them a community
where they can develop their hobbies, relax, interact, and socialize with people of the same age.

I.3

Significance of the Study

The studys main significance is to cater the needs of the users which are retirees, locally and
internationally. People eventually retire upon reaching the determining age to just sit back and
relax, thats why retirement villages are created because of the need of these people to just
enjoy their lives in a haven, nowadays, retirement migration are increasingly common at a
national level. Retirement migration is very common especially in foreign countries because of
their not so close tied family relationships unlike in the Philippines. Children start to live by
themselves at a young age and these same children tend to send their parents to a senior age
care facility to entrust them for the rest of their lives. Thats why, these retirees chooses to
migrate.

I.4

Goal and Objective of the study

1.4.1

Goal of the study

The aim of the study is to apply the Barrier free developmental and salutogenic
design approach in the proposed retirement village resort. Barrier free developmental
approach is while Salutogenic Architecture, as the term itself, describes an approach
focusing on factors that support human health and well-being, rather than on factors that
cause disease and by focusing on designing to improve physical health as well social
and psychological well being as well.
I.4.2

Objectives of the study

To create a barrier free environment that helps the users experience an

easy way of living

To design an eco-friendly environment that is beneficial on the health of

the users
To build an environment infused with holistic wellness that focuses on all

the areas- physical, mental, social, spiritual, etc.

To provide facilities that are more like being either at home or a resort as

well as provide the services of an aged care facility

To produce an exceptional and well designed resort with a modern
tropical design that will suit the taste of both local and international

retirees
To give the feeling of security and safety to the users

I.5

Scope and Delimitations

Scopes
The proposed development will be composed of an independent living facility, assisted living
and nursing homes. A sustainable and eco-friendly integrated resort with communal facilities will
serve as the recreation and leisure for the retirees.
Delimitations
Due to the sites proximity to a major medical facility in Subic, the proposal will only have a
medical center inside the development.

I.6

Justification of the Study

What the proposed development wants to achieve is a place where they can explore
themselves through different activities and opportunities that are suitable for them, a place
where they can age with grace and dignity within a supportive community. To make a place
where ideal for retirement facilities, the health related facilities, access, infrastructure
development, supply of utilities, and further support from the local government.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
http://business.inquirer.net/60197/the-best-potential-places-to-retire-in-ph
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/118696/ph-among-forbes-20-best-retirement-places-in-the-world