Dumaguete Info Search


Review Solicitors for Medical Donations

Discussion in 'Expat Section' started by djfinn6230, Oct 8, 2019.

  1. djfinn6230

    djfinn6230 DI Senior Member

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    Medical assistance from foreigners is perhaps the main reason given here for asking donations (or certainly in the top 3). Today someone came to the gate asking for help for a nephew’s leukemia treatment. I remember the bad old days before the poor had free government PhilHealth (if you are a citizen, and poor, PhilHealth is free and includes catastrophic “Z” benefits). In spite of this amazing benefit, requests for medical donations continue. Apparently it has been such a successful scam in the past that it is not easy to let go if, it continues today in the hope that foreigners do not know that they have free government health insurance of the type even foreigners cannot get when we pay 15-17k per year. But even though we stopped buying PhilHealth after knowing foreigners don’t get decent coverage from it, I am glad that they have the program. It is good for the poor and a responsibility of civilized society. As more foreigners realize that the poor WILL get free treatment at Provincial Hospital with their free coverage, people will need to come up with other, more creative scams but it will be difficult to find one as effective as laying a guilt trip on foreigners for not saving somebody’s sick nephew. The Philippines of today is different than yesterday; you don’t see maids anymore working for P1000 a month to help support their families. They now have government “4P” with a guaranteed (small) income where they can make more money staying at home and raising their kids. PhilHealth; free medical care at perhaps not western standards hospitals but life saving just the same. A rising middle class is bringing more family money to the poorer members of their families as the OFW’s always have but are sending more now. Pad-Ibig is providing loan guarantees so young millennials can buy starter homes. They are not at the level of a South Korea or Taiwan yet but they are getting there with 6-1/2% annual economic growth. Medical scamming and “loans” to relatives who disown you when you ask to be paid back is, or will become, a thing if the past, as people find it more difficult to claim being dirt poor. In the above soliciting case, somebody created an official looking, signed document, (from no actual government authority) stating merely that they are asking for a donation. They are getting more creative because they must. My Filipina wife did the talking and told me it was a scam. I think that, almost always, asking for medical assistance is a scam that we ourselves all to often fell for to in the past.


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  2. Rye83

    Rye83 with pastrami Admin Secured Account Highly Rated Poster SC Connoisseur Veteran Army

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    Being unable to pay rent and facing homelessness has become a lot more popular. Just had a girl add me on Instagram yesterday first saying she was in Tennessee looking for some "fun", then the story changed to her being in Manila and having trouble paying rent and asked if I would send. I wished her luck on finding a sucker, she said thanks, and then blocked her. I have also heard this same story from many girls in Dumaguete. Could be true for some of them...but I couldn't possibly care less.
     
  3. jimeve

    jimeve DI Forum Luminary Highly Rated Poster Showcase Reviewer Veteran Army

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    I wonder if it's the same guy who comes to my gate asking for help for a nephew’s leukemia treatment.
    Been coming over for 3 years, I ignore him now.
     
  4. Roadwitch80

    Roadwitch80 DI Member

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    They proliferate because there’s a sucker at every corner who feeds their scam.

    Next time they make their rounds around your place, take a photo of their scamming mug, show it to them and tell them you’re going to send this to the police so they can arrest his lazy, lying a$$. The guy who used to come around our neighborhood bringing a letter from the office of the mayor asking for help to surgically remove the bullet from his body hasn’t come around since then.
     
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    djfinn6230

    djfinn6230 DI Senior Member

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    Could be. He also came about 6 months ago according to wife.


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    djfinn6230

    djfinn6230 DI Senior Member

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    Similar. As mentioned, our scammer also had a letter from the “Province if Negros Oriental” about Leukemia. Thanks for the photo idea.


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