7 Things About Singapore That You Should Know
Filipino Homes had an immersion in Singapore just in time for the Philippine Property Roadshow last May 27-28, 2017 at King George Building King George Avenue Singapore. During our stay, this is the notable things we observed in Singapore that is doable in the Philippines.
A Well-constructed development plan leads to a well-organized urban planning.
The urban planning in Singapore is seriously amazing. Singapore has a minimal land area in total and the way they have reclaimed portions of land over time was impressive. When we visited the boundaries of the original land area of Singapore, the location already has a lot of buildings and establishments that you can no longer imagine that it was originally a body of water.
Due to the scarcity of land, 80.4% of resident households live in subsidized, high-rise, public housing apartments known as “HDB flats“ because of the government board (Housing and Development Board) responsible for public housing in the country. [Source: Wikipedia]
A government that prioritizes employment of residents empowers the local people.
The government encourages employment of the locals over EXPATS. The government set minimum required salary for EXPATS too high to force the employers to hire locals instead of expats. Expats working in SG do have health benefits under their health insurances however it is minimal compared to locals of Singapore.
A well-organized transport system disciplined and trained licensed drivers to reduce traffic.
The Metro Rail Transport system of Singapore still amazes me how it was structured and planned. Whether you’re staying within the City or in the provinces moving around Singapore is easy because of its MRT and bus transport systems.
The controlled purchase of private cars reduces carbon emissions and traffic.
In Singapore, they are required to apply for a license to own a car before they can buy a car. The license to own is different from the driver’s license. The license to own is good for ten years and would usually cost around 46,000 SGD, and that’s approximate ~ Php 1,610,000.00 on top of the price of the car you wanted to purchase. Not owning your car in Singapore is not an issue at all because their public transportation is very efficient.
Well-mapped locations, communication system, mobile apps and English-speaking locals make Singapore Tourist friendly destination.
Singapore has a tourist sim available for the visiting tourists that are available for three days up to 10 days of stay. You can also choose a Sim card that is available for use in Malaysia or its neighboring Cities. The fast data connections and internet connection in Singapore make it very advantageous for visiting tourist. The internet and the mobile apps available helps you navigate around the country.
Incentives for hostels and hotels
The hostels and hotels are encouraged to sell tickets of tourist attractions and theme parks at a discount. It empowers hostel owners to up sell and add value to their services by providing discounted rates to their tourist guests.
Tax refund for tourists
There is GST refund available at the airport and GST-less transactions in stores for a minimum purchase. This move encourages travelers to buy items for consumption in their stores. It also promotes healthy cash flow in the country.
These are just a few of the things observed and learned in Singapore that encourages commerce, development, and tourism. These things can be done in other countries too including the Philippines.
Do you also have observations in other nations that are worth implementing in the Philippines too? Comment below.
