Overseas Filipinos: Migrant Workers and Global Labor Markets [Archive] - Page 5

Animo

March 1st, 2007, 05:32 PM

By Jonnie H. Buenvaentura

Tacloban City (26 February) -- The growing trend of foreign countries in need of Filipino professionals and skilled workers prompt most school administrators both private and public here in Region 8 to come-up a curriculum that will meet the global standards in order to generate sure employment among graduates both here and abroad. The healthcare sector alone is estimated to need 1-million foreign workers within the next five years.

In line with the BEAT THE ODDS thrust of President Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo particularly her commitment to generate 10 million jobs, the Philippines and Spain sign a memorandum of agreement on Cooperation for the Management of Migratory flows, this shall pave the way for the entry of Filipino health professionals and skilled workers under the Proyecto Piloto.

The Proyecto Piloto is a four- year marketing program approved by immigration Director General Maria Rodriguez Tarduchy- Diez which give emphasis on healthcare sector on the first year; hotel, restaurant and tourism industry on the second year; construction industry on the third year; and metal industry on the fourth year.

According to DG Diez, the initial stage of the project for 2006, the Spanish government has granted 120 visas for healthcare workers such as caregivers and nurses. The employers are large private companies, primarily hospitals and 5-star homes for the aged, and not individual employers, she said.
The Philippine Overseas and Employment Administration (POEA) record shows, that in 4th quarter of 2006 they approved a job order for 415 caregivers, doctors, nurses and occupational therapist for the foreign principal, Servicio De Prevencion De Riesgos Grupo Los Nograles.

DG Diez further elaborated that in succeeding years, other Filipino professionals maybe absorbed by the Spanish labor market in other sectors such as the hotel and restaurant or tourism industry, construction and metal industry. (PIA-8) [top]

http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&fi=p070226.htm&no=40

Ady001

March 2nd, 2007, 11:27 PM

well....i hope this thing passes......anyway im still also gonna continue visiting Phils although we cant blame some Filipino's overseas to get sick of these....kahit ako naiinis...but its such a sensitive issue...i guess education about these matters need to be implemented to the general Public....i mean if they changed Arroyo....do they expect Phils to go up right away?..then if a new leader comes and people get impatient again...opposition/and people will find a way again to topple the new leader...HINDI BA IMPATIENT YAN!!...did Japan gain stong economy in 2 or 3 yrs?...no!!i took decades......GUSTO KASI NG IBANG PINOY INSTANT SOLUTIONS!!!...WELL HINDI PO ITO INSTANT NOODLES....same .....NO!...it will take time i think....the poor are still poor now.....but if a new leader comes....the poor will still be poor.....it will take time to deal with poverty....Minsan naiinis ako sa mga mentality ng ibang Pinoy's...hirap ma describe...i feel na madami impatient....

im not trying to have a go at the poor....but im just saying kahit mabago leader...it doesnt mean that the poor will get better lives right away..."sad to say"...but no matter who is the leader..i think it will take time...and for me Personally i think PGMA can do more than those aspiring to topple here....

"less instability.....more unity"...........4 words, my advice...

i know many wont agree with me.....but thats my opinoin and i stick by it...peace...........

Thankfully I agree with you. Yes, we need more stability. A lot of Pinoys have caught the EDSA fever, and now, we're slowly realizing that kahit baguhin mo pa ang leader, dapat magbago muna ang sarili mo. Why do Filipinos succeed overseas and not here? Why are there Filipino mayors in the US and still manage to maintain status quo?

Ady001

March 2nd, 2007, 11:30 PM

RP is world's most dependent on OFW earnings

The Philippines has earned the distinction of being the world's most dependent country on overseas workers' remittances, militant think tank IBON Foundation said Wednesday.

In its economic and political briefing for 2006 held Wednesday, IBON research head Sonny Africa said that from January to November 2006 remittances from migrant workers hit $11.4 billion, equivalent to an alarming 10% of the gross domestic product.

"The double-digit mark makes the Philippines the most overseas remittance-dependent economy of any significant size in the world. This means that the economy continues to be kept afloat by the external and volatile OFW remittances, and not by a strong local economic capacity," Africa said.

Declines in domestic investment imply a diminishing capacity to expand production and warn of a slowdown in the very near future, he added.

According to Africa, the dependence on OFW remittances also reflects the lack of decent productive work at home.

"The sheer scarcity of jobs is already a sign that all is not well and that the economy lacks an internal dynamism that is able to productively harness and employ the Filipino workforce," he said.

Joblessness has resulted in an influx of Filipinos seeking employment overseas, which as of November 2006, has already breached the one million mark.

This means that over 3,000 Filipinos left the country everyday to find jobs abroad, he said.

IBON's assessment came as labor secretary Arturo Brion announced the government will now move to reduce, if not eliminate, abuses on vulnerable Filipino women working as maids overseas.

Brion said the thrust will be founded firmly on sounder standards, the global campaign for quality jobs, strengthening of traditional as well as emerging overseas labor markets for the OFWs, and stronger anti-illegal recruitment and human trafficking efforts which shall be inter-agency in nature.

He sought to allay the fears of protesters, mainly former and would-be domestic helpers (DHs) abroad, as well as recruiters, in the government's direction towards better standards, welfare, and protection for working Filipino women abroad.

"We want to see improvements on the matter of the salaries of our DHs abroad, which had gone down to the $200 level, and if we do not address the situation, this could deteriorate further as reports we have received indicate," he said.

"It is high time that we address the situation, and it is in this light that the new minimum salary of $400 we have imposed for DHs will not weaken global OFW deployment, but even set a favorable standard based on the global preference for our overseas Filipino workers," he added.

Brion cited data from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) indicating that about 80 percent of welfare cases were composed of women OFWs working as DHs overseas.

He said Filipino maids comprised some 90,000, or less than 10 percent, of the total 1.083 million OFWs deployed globally in 2006.

"This means that other skilled OFWs comprise the majority of our global deployment, and the government is sensitive that the abuses and ill-treatment of OFWs in the lower end jobs, like domestic helpers, be pushed back or are eliminated through better conditions."

"Without such, the illegal recruitment of vulnerable DHs for perilous jobs abroad can only be fueled on such deteriorating pay and other onerous conditions."

Brion, during the recent Philippine Overseas Labor Offices (POLO) Command Conference, also emphasized that placement fees will no longer be charged for DHs bound for overseas, adding that it is a must to resist and counteract the insidious effects of recruiters engaged in "cutthroat" competition for the recruitment of would-be DHs.

Brion said that the new $400 standard will not affect OFW deployment as he bared that 800,000 high end jobs are awaiting the OFWs in the next three years due to the strengthening of overseas labor markets in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Canada, Spain, Japan, and other host economies.

The Governing Board of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, through a series of Resolutions issued in 2006, had effectively increased the entry level minimum salary of overseas DHs to $400 (Resolution No. 5, Series of 2006); prescribed a minimum age of 25 years old for female household workers abroad (Resolution No. 04); and prohibited the collection of placement fees whether prior to deployment or onsite through salary deduction; among others.

"Just think of the previous cases of underage, ill-protected domestic helpers abroad who suffered abuses due to the lack of protection, and you will realize what these vitally important measures mean to both the well-being of our vulnerable overseas women workers as well as our national interest," Brion said.

He asked those who protested against the new $400 minimum salary for overseas Filipino DHs to look instead on the long-term gains, as the new standard would place the DHs on a better footing against abuse and exploitation abroad.

"We are aware that, as a result of their employment in our OFW host countries, OFWs have a role in the development of their formal as well as informal economies, and I am confident that together with us, our host countries are aware of the need to base such progress on solid standards, rather than upon deteriorating conditions ultimately unfavorable to our mutual and global economic growth, as well as the welfare of vulnerable migrants."

Parang kuhang kuha yung sinabi ni Daniel Bell ang tinukoy dito ah... Now it proves true for the Pinoys:

-In the 20th century, the Post-industrialist society will be more service oriented.
-Daniel Bell

Ady001

March 2nd, 2007, 11:35 PM

Here's a post from my cousin who moved abroad.

Australia used to consider itself a part of Europe and the English Commonwealth. For the past 25 years, that attitude has changed and Australians consider themselves a part of Asia. Hence anything that borders on a crisis is of interest to them. Here is an analysis by an Australian Reporter of the situation in the Philippines after GMA's COMELEC fiasco. It gives you a view of how foreigners see the Philippines at this point in time.

=======================================
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's crisis call

July 02, 2005

Greg Sheridan, THE AUSTRALIAN

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,15791792%255E25377,00.html

'HI Garci," intones a stentorian female voice in the most popular new ring tone for mobile phones in Manila. If it weren't so tragic, it would be hilarious, for the voice is that of Philippines President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, taken from a recording of a phone call she made to a senior Philippines election official.

The President's phone conversation is one of more than two dozen that were illegally tapped by Philippines military intelligence and later released by Arroyo's political Opposition.

They reveal her ringing senior Commission on Elections (Comelec) official Virgilio Garcillano while the votes from last May's presidential election were being tallied. At that stage local votes were being consolidated into district and province aggregates, the stage at which vote rigging traditionally occurs in The Philippines. In a May 29 call Arroyo plaintively asks Garcillano: "So will I still lead by more than a million?"

Arroyo eventually beat her opponent, the movie star Fernando Poe, who died from a stroke a few months after the election, by a little more a million votes. Nearly half that margin came in Mindanao, the site of a murderous Muslim rebellion, a province for which Garcillano had responsibility. At one point Garcillano says to the President: "The way in which your votes were increased was done well."

At another point Garcillano appears to be comparing vote tampering in Basilan with that in Sulu. He says: "In Basilan the military wasn't so good at doing these things, like in Sulu, with General Habacon. But I already talked to the Board of Canvassers in Sulu. I think we should just ask the election officer of Pangutaran to hide so he doesn't have to testify."

Arroyo is facing an exceptionally complex set of scandals and accusations and, as usual in The Philippines, nothing is clear. It is just possible to interpret her recorded conversations innocently. She claims she was checking her lead rather than asking for vote tampering.

The scandals have given rise to thousands of Filipino jokes and eccentricities. Pirate CDs of the three hours of her clandestinely recorded conversations have been selling briskly, so much so that a spoof headline was posted on a website this week: "China files case in World Trade Organisation against cut-throat competition of pirate CDs in The Philippines."

But it's worth pausing to consider the strategic significance of what's going on in The Philippines. The National Security Committee of the Australian cabinet meets at least once a month in Canberra. It meets much more often than that when necessary. It has come to the conclusion that the country in Southeast Asia that is the weakest link in the war on terror, with the biggest challenge and least capacity to meet it, is The Philippines.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade recently updated its travel warning for the eastern Malaysian province of Sabah because of intelligence warnings that terrorists were planning to kidnap Western tourists. It's not Malaysian terrorists that DFAT is worried about but terrorists from the nearby southern Philippines.

The most senior US officials confirm that Washington is much more worried about The Philippines than Indonesia, in terms of Islamist terrorism as well as economic stagnation.

This week the political crisis plunged The Philippines' peso to 56.19 to the US dollar, near its record low of 56.45. Despite huge remittances from millions of Filipinos working abroad, economic growth this year is predicted to be 4.75 per cent - not quite catastrophic, but not nearly enough to make any impression on poverty or unemployment in The Philippines, which has one of the highest birthrates in the world. Rising oil prices are having a cruel impact on the economy.

Through the 1980s and '90s, when the communist New People's Army insurgency was very active, Australians were regarded as the second most likely foreign target of NPA terrorist attacks after Americans. In the past few years most Philippines terrorism has been directed at the state, or at sowing terror among civilian Filipinos. But intelligence agencies have picked up plans by extremists to attack targets with a higher Western profile. Again, it is just common sense that Australians and Australian interests will be a likely target.

While the West is understandably focused on Islamist terror, especially groups such as the Abu Sayyaf, arising out of the rebellious Mindanao province in the south, the communist movement is undergoing a rebirth. Philippines analysts report, dismayingly, that whereas the NPA was formerly a middle-class movement of educated urban radicals, it is now recruiting significant numbers of impoverished peasants.

While the communist movement is geographically dispersed, it is strongest north of Manila, in central and northern Luzon. Unlike Islamist terrorism, it has something to say to the bulk of the Philippines population that is not Muslim.

Mindanao serves as a training ground as well as a rest and recreation centre for regional Islamist terrorism, from home grown groups such as Abu Sayyaf and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to the Indonesian Jemaah Islamiah.

Philippines analysts had been hopeful of a peace deal between the Government and the MILF, the biggest Islamist group in Mindanao. But there have been many peace deals in Mindanao and their history is that as soon as the deal is negotiated, the leaders start to enjoy the good life and the radicals break away, because their irreducible demand is for an independent state.

US officials in secret talks have offered the MILF up to $US50 million as a first payment in aid to support a peace deal, aid that the MILF would be allowed to control. But nothing has so far worked.

The MILF claims that, unlike Abu Sayyaf, it is not part of the JI-al-Qa'ida infrastructure in Southeast Asia, but there is no doubt the MILF has co-operated intimately with JI, especially in training camps.

Hundreds of US soldiers and CIA and other agents continue to work with the Philippines forces in the south against the terrorists. Officially US forces are restricted to training and logistics, but it's hard to imagine they never get involved in operations.

The Howard Government is quietly doing everything it can to help the Philippines increase its capacity in counter-terrorism. There is a strong, semi-permanent Australian Federal Police presence, with special emphasis on forensic techniques, focused on helping in the fight against terror.

Our substantial military co-operation program is focused on maritime surveillance, which is designed to impede terrorist movement into and out of the vast Philippines' archipelago.

And in August at least three Philippines cabinet secretaries will come to Sydney for the first Australia-Philippines ministerial forum. Because the Philippines naturally does not want to be seen as a basket case in the grip of terrorists, it is important to put these efforts in a broad development context.

Not all the recent news is bad. Arroyo, though a timid reformer, has got a better tax system and has collected more tax than ever before. A much improved mining law, which could lead to substantial Australian investment, has been ratified by the Philippines Supreme Court. And kidnappings in Manila are down.

But Arroyo's perfect storm of crises has probably put her close to lame-duck territory one year into her six-year term, and may have paralysed her administration for years. This can only exacerbate the profound, long-term crisis of capacity that is crippling the state.

Even before the latest Comelec scandals, Arroyo had recorded the lowest presidential approval ratings in the history of opinion polls in The Philippines. It took her three weeks to respond to the telephone call revelations, and that response only came after a dozen of her cabinet secretaries reportedly threatened to resign.

Finally she made a statement admitting that the telephone calls were "a grave error of judgment" but denying that she had tried to rig the vote. Then, later this week, she exiled her husband, "first gentleman" Mike Arroyo who, along with her son Mikey and brother-in-law Iggy, was accused of taking huge bribes from the illegal juteng gambling industry. Some doleful commentators note that the first people power revolution, which ousted Ferdinand Marcos, was brought on by a rigged election, and the second, which ousted Joseph Estrada, by corruption allegations. Now an unpopular President faces both sets of accusations.

But there is little sign that the middle class or the Catholic Church, key players in the previous people power revolutions, have decided Arroyo must go. Although impeachment processes have begun in the Congress, analysts believe Arroyo will hang on for now.

But she is hugely damaged, and intensely vulnerable should just one more crisis break out. The ability of her Government to pursue desperately needed economic reform, or to resolve either the communist or Islamist insurgencies, looks weaker than ever.

In a nation of 85 million at the heart of Southeast Asia, this is bad news for everyone, not least Australia.

^^ Just OT though. Australia was seriously mulling about joining the ASEAN. But look at what the EU is doing...

Ady001

March 2nd, 2007, 11:45 PM

Other Filipino Population Figures in Europe...

Turkey 1,900
Finland 700
Kazakhstan 520
Andorra 500
Iceland 500
Poland 90
Hungary 60
Czech Republic 40

Number of Registered Philippine Citizens in the Middle East and Africa

Saudi Arabia 940,900
UAE 195,000
Kuwait 60,030
Israel 52,500
Qatar 37,000
Bahrain 30,000
Lebanon 26,200
Jordan 19,000
Oman 19,000
Libya 7,020
Nigeria 5,000
Egypt 4,300
Syria 2,600
South Africa 1,800
Yemen 500

This figure also came as a surprise. This appeared in Wikipedia.

Animo

March 2nd, 2007, 11:54 PM

Thankfully I agree with you. Yes, we need more stability. A lot of Pinoys have caught the EDSA fever, and now, we're slowly realizing that kahit baguhin mo pa ang leader, dapat magbago muna ang sarili mo. Why do Filipinos succeed overseas and not here? Why are there Filipino mayors in the US and still manage to maintain status quo?

Speaking of EDSA fever...

EDSA: Our greatest triumph and tragedy as a people

AS I WRECK THIS CHAIR
BY WILLIAM M. ESPOSO
The Philippine Star

Three months after the EDSA People Power Revolt of 1986, I was in the US for the Annual Los Angeles Television Screenings, in line with my involvement in the business of television programming. I was pleasantly surprised when a representative of Korea Broadcasting System (KBS) approached me to extend his hand and congratulate me.

He had heard that I played an active role in the EDSA People Power Revolt, having organized and led the Cory Aquino Media Bureau. He was profuse in expressing his admiration for us Filipinos who had awed the world as they watched live on television the first peaceful People Power Revolt unfold before their very eyes. He grasped my hand, and with esteem and amazement written all over his face, he said: "We envy you." At that time South Korea was also in turmoil as it was in transition towards democracy.

My experience was not unique. All over the world, Filipinos took center stage in the immediate aftermath of the EDSA People Power Revolt. Soon after that, our People Power experience inspired several other such political events in the world which became as momentous in their own way.

How can I forget that warm feeling of pride on hearing that CBS TV anchor in the US commenting during their EDSA live coverage: "We Americans like to think that we taught Filipinos democracy. Well today, they are teaching the world."

For those who played an active part, the feeling was overwhelming. For months we told and retold the story with eyes moist and a lump in our throats. In fact, writing this and recalling what happened 21 years ago, I feel the same emotions all over again.

The euphoria of EDSA has dissolved long ago and I am left with mixed feelings. Many of those who stood as heroes then have become the tyrants of today. Some of them even became worse thieves than the cronies they have denounced for controlling the means and opportunities to creating wealth. How our greatest triumph became our great tragedy
EDSA did not fail us. Rather, we failed EDSA. We failed because we did not know our history and so we did not really understand what we were really fighting. We thought that only Marcos was the enemy. We did not see the bigger enemy that made Marcos - the system that managed to resurrect after EDSA and is now in place again.

If we kept ourselves in sync with our own history, we would have recognized the real enemy. The enemy is the same kind of species - the crafty, sinister leeches - who Apolinario Mabini had denounced for having stolen the Philippine Revolution from those who fought and won it. The enemy is the quisling, the coward who took the unpatriotic but easy path of cooperating with the US, the new colonial power who took over from Spain. That quisling is very much around today controlling our government and economy.

Today, we are locked in another struggle. This time, it is with a woman - Madame Gloria Macapagal Arroyo - who has all the attributes of Marcos. Once again, many of us do not realize that the real enemy we must vanquish is not just the current Malacañang Palace tenant. And because the social and economic conditions, repression and corruption will no doubt bring the Day of Reckoning upon the woman, chances are we will be rid of her but we will still be under the control of the real enemy which had brought us ruin.

No doctor can heal without knowing fully the patient’s medical history. No hotshot manager can turn around a hemorrhaging company without a full background on the company’s operations history. In the same way, Filipinos will never be able to exorcise its devils unless Filipinos know and understand their real history.

We never solved our problems because we never really knew what and who are our problems.

We don’t even know how revolutions work. We expected things to all fall into place after we ousted Marcos. When it did not, we are now saying that we are sick and tired of People Power. We never gave People Power a chance to change and reform our political landscape. We failed to realize that People Power was only the tool for setting into place the democracy we never really had.

A pair of scissors will not trim hair on its own. Yet this was exactly what we expected People Power to do for us. Unless we learn to stop relying on personality cults and symbolic champions, we will never have a real democracy. It’s futile hoping for an El Cid to rescue us. History teaches us that champions like El Cid belonged to the era of medieval monarchies. In a democracy, the people are the champions of the country. In fact, collectively the people are the monarchs.

EDSA was our greatest triumph because in EDSA we all became champions. Cory was our Joan of Arc but just as in the saga of the Maid of Orleans, the people were the real champions. Cory, just like Joan of Arc, merely raised and carried our standard.

When the old "champions" - our traditional politicians - did not deliver, we became disillusioned. However, instead of learning from our EDSA success, we looked towards showbiztocracy to provide us with a new set of "champions." We jumped from the frying pan into the fire.

It’s time we Filipinos learned - not just from our mistakes but also from our successes. George Bernard Shaw puts it very well in saying that not learning from one’s success is the more grievous fault than not learning from one’s mistake.

It is about time that we finally tried democracy. EDSA was the only time we really had it.

You may e-mail William M. Esposo at: macesposo@yahoo.com

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=67993

smokingunmanila

March 3rd, 2007, 04:23 AM

^^ It is a big factor, but I don't think Pilipinas is the most reliant on remittances. Mexico has a lot going on too, as well as India.

Ibon Foundation???? may think-tank department ba yan? all I know is...all their research is against the government...so I don't even read any of their research...

laquacherra

March 3rd, 2007, 07:29 AM

we're slowly realizing that kahit baguhin mo pa ang leader, dapat magbago muna ang sarili mo. Why do Filipinos succeed overseas and not here?

imo it will happen the day Pinoys learn not to pee anywhere and everywhere :lol:

crappypants

March 3rd, 2007, 07:36 AM

smokingunmanila

March 3rd, 2007, 07:48 AM

imo it will happen the day Pinoys learn not to pee anywhere and everywhere :lol:

oops..I'm guilty:cheers:

Animo

March 4th, 2007, 06:59 PM

An ABS-CBN Europe Bureau exclusive

Almost three years have passed since the bloody train bombings in Madrid, Spain claimed the lives of 191 people and injured almost 2,000 others but the family of the Filipino fatality in the tragedy has yet to put it behind them.
Considered to be the worst Islamic terror attack in Europe, Madrid will mark the third anniversary of the train attack on March 11, a day the Ferrer family doesn’t want to relive.

Twenty-year-old Rex Ferrer was on his way to an Iglesia Ni Cristo chapel when the bombs exploded, an incident believed to have been perpetrated by an al-Qaeda linked terror group.

Rex was the only Filipino who died in the terror attack.
The memory was too unbearable that Arturo and Anita Ferrer, who both work as household helpers, decided to go home to the Philippines for good.
With their son gone forever, they said they have lost interest in working. Even their daughter, Liezl, does not want to study anymore in Madrid, they added.

"Talagang masakit pa din kaya sabi ko uuwi na lang kami (It still hurts that’s why I told my family that we will just go home)," Arturo said.
"Pagkatapos magtrabaho sa bahay lang yan, kapilya… masakit [noong mawala siya] kaya lang wala kaming magagawa. Hanggang doon na lang siguro ang buhay niya (After work, he would either go straight home or go to the chapel. It was painful when he died but we couldn't do anything. Maybe it was his time)," Anita said.

As Spanish citizens, the Ferrer family received an apartment house, monthly pension and cash from the Spanish government. They also received a gold medal and diploma de honor from King Juan Carlos.

Authorities have already arrested 29 suspects, 15 of them are Moroccans and nine are Spaniards. The trial of the accused only started a few days ago.
"Yung mga nakabilanggo ngayon na sangkot sa aksidenteng ito sana naman mabigyan [kami] ng hustisya. Pagbayaran nila ang ginawa nila dahil talagang masakit talaga sa amin (Those responsible should pay for what they have done because it was really painful for us)," Arturo said.

The Ferrer family is now preparing for their homecoming in Santiago, Isabela. They said that they will start a small business in the province as they hope to find peace in their own homeland.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=68675

Animo

March 4th, 2007, 07:20 PM

Bills to Speed Children's Moves to U.S., Give Military Pensions Show Political Assertion

http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/photo/2007/03/03/PH2007030301428.jpg

The adult children of Filipino immigrants such as Candida Romulo, 72, of Oxon Hill have been required to wait up to 16 years to immigrate to the United States. (Photos By Lois Raimondo -- The Washington Post)

By N.C. Aizenman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, March 4, 2007; Page A06

Amid the wrangling over immigration reform, virtually everyone in Congress appears to agree on one point: Filipino-born veterans who fought alongside U.S. troops during World War II deserve a break.

Denied the right to immigrate to the United States until 1990, they came hoping that their children could follow them here later, just as other groups have done. But the adult children have been required to wait twice as long -- up to 16 years -- as anyone else. With the veterans often too old and sick to travel home, many have died while waiting to be reunited with their families.

Now, after several longtime backers have risen to key positions in Congress, Filipino American advocates are hopeful that legislation will be pushed through to exempt the veterans' children from the immigration delay. They also are optimistic about a potentially more controversial bill that would grant Filipino veterans military pensions.

About 5,000 veterans in the United States would stand to benefit from a change in immigration provisions, and an additional 10,000 in the Philippines could be eligible for pensions.

To many in the 2-million-strong Filipino American community, the issue represents a chance to cement their political identity in a nation where they have long felt invisible, even though Filipinos rank second, behind Mexicans, in the number of immigrants living in the United States.

"Historically, we Filipinos have always been looked down on as your little brown brothers -- as these acquiescent people who would just accept anything Uncle Sam would do to them," said Jon Melegrito, communications director of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations. "This is about asserting who we are as a people and how we served this country. . . . It's a call to action to stop acting like colonial slaves and to start acting like first-class citizens."

The effort builds on an association with the United States that dates to 1898, when the United States acquired the Philippines from Spain after winning the Spanish-American War.

Laws and discriminatory practices against all Asian immigrants kept Filipino numbers in the United States low through the first half of the 1900s. But in the Philippines, many residents were taught English and raised to think of themselves as something akin to Americans.

Celestino Almeda, 90, a veteran who lives in Alexandria, remembered that the director of his elementary school in Manila led students in a pledge of allegiance to the American flag every morning.

"We also celebrated all the holidays: Washington's birthday, Armistice Day," Almeda said. "In our mind, it was like America was our mother country."

When Japan invaded the Philippines in 1941, more than 200,000 Filipinos joined Americans in waging a fierce resistance, enduring such horrors as the Bataan death march and the grueling guerrilla campaign that followed. Technically, the Filipino fighters were under overall U.S. command. But within months of the Allied victory, Congress stripped most of them of their rights as foreign veterans of U.S. forces -- including the opportunity to become U.S. citizens -- on the grounds that the Philippines was about to be granted independence.

Even so, the Philippines continued its close affiliation with the United States. Thousands of Filipinos joined the U.S. Navy, which until recently had major bases there. By 1970, there were more Filipinos in the U.S. Navy than in the Philippine Navy.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/03/AR2007030301331.html

lumpia

March 5th, 2007, 08:33 PM

Actually the BBC did a recent news report on OFWs. Sadly, the report has a negative bias, as most BBC reports on the Philippines usually have, but it sorta hits the nail on the head in terms of the financial disparity in wages at home and abroad.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_6230000/newsid_6238500/6238507.stm?bw=bb&mp=wm

When I see these reports, the first thing I think is "why can't they negatively portray Indonesia or Thailand for once? The Philippines, through OFWs, actively contributes to the economies not only of the Philippines, but the host countries in which they work in! Why insult that?" Maybe western media (especially the BBC) sets out to purposely derogatize the country, although I'm totally speechless as to why!

kiretoce

March 10th, 2007, 03:25 AM

Target: More jobs to curb diaspora
By Jeanette P. Malinao Saturday, March 10, 2007

Leading a country thankful for overseas workers’ remittances and that carried out training programs to send “super maids” abroad, President Arroyo yesterday went beyond her usual speech on the improved economy to speak of another dream.

“We hope for the day when enough good jobs are created in the Philippines so that hardworking Filipinos don’t have to go abroad for their work,” Arroyo said before 300 participants of the Philippine Development Forum.

“We see a day when going abroad for a job is a career choice, and not the only option for work,” added Arroyo.

That statement deviated from her pronouncements last year when she received flak for announcing in a roundtable discussion on jobs and livelihood that the Philippines will be training “super maids.”

Remittances from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) continue to give a significant boost to the Philippine economy. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Gov. Amando M. Tetangco Jr. estimated that the OFW remittances for 2007 will reach $14.7 billion, or five percent higher than in 2006.

But in yesterday’s Philippine Development Forum held at the Marco Polo Hotel, Arroyo said her national agenda is to create “good paying jobs” and have stable prices so Filipinos won’t have to leave the country.

She said her government will move to bring “the benefits of a strong economy to every Filipino in every province.”

“Our solid indicators give us a fighting chance to achieve at least a seven percent growth rate moving forward to 2010. We aim to buttress confidence even more by a unifying leadership and political stability at all levels,” she added.

Amid the campaign season for this May’s elections, Arroyo reiterated that she will leave the campaigning to the candidates as she focuses on her “national agenda for good jobs and stable prices.”

World Bank director for the Philippines Joachim Von Amsberg, however, warned that the initial success of the country’s fiscal management “could lead to dangerous complacency.”

“However, based on the presentations of the Cabinet members, we perceive that the success inspires this government to be more ambitious and determined to pursue further reforms with renewed energy for better results. This is most welcome,” said von Amsberg.

Cited in the development forum is the need for all sectors and places in the Philippines to feel the benefit of the economic growth, and to address the “perception” that many existing anti-corruption initiatives “do not yet add up to a fully credible program of good governance.”

“It would be useful to establish clear indicators that can serve as a tool for gauging the effectiveness of the ongoing (anti-corruption) measures,” Von Amsberg said.

There was a suggestion to use “integrity development reviews” to assess the vulnerability of government agencies to corruption.

Also, Von Amsberg said that one effective way of “signaling government’s serious commitment” to anti-corruption efforts would be to “prioritize allocation of budgetary resources in this area,” such as increasing the budget of the Office of the Ombudsman.

sugarboy

March 10th, 2007, 11:03 PM

This is sad news:

Incest on the rise with feminization of overseas labor

By Veronica Uy
INQUIRER.net
Last updated 06:16pm (Mla time) 03/09/2007

MANILA, Philippines -- As more Filipino mothers leave for work abroad, incest between a daughter and the father who are left behind has become an emerging social problem, a non-government organization said Friday.

However, the Kanlungan Center said the scandalous nature of incest has kept the problem hidden despite its growing seriousness.

Loida Bernabe, program officer of Kanlungan's direct support and development program, acknowledged receiving only one call for help on an incest case but added she believes the problem is more common than believed.

“Nangyayari talaga ito dahil malayo sa pamilya at ang tingin sa mga anak ay pag-aari [It really happens because of the distance between spouses and because children are viewed as possessions],” she said.

She spoke of a runaway maid in Singapore who wrote to Kanlungan September last year about her 13-year-old daughter’s account of being raped by her father.

The mother said she had already asked a relative to take the girl away but worried about her nine-year-old daughter, who with her six-year-old son, remained with her husband.

Bernabe said she referred the case to the archdiocese in Mindanao to which the overseas Filipino worker’s (OFW) hometown belonged.

On Thursday, International Women's Day, Senator Pia Cayetano also called public attention to “an emerging problem in labor-exporting countries like the Philippines.”

The senator, who returned recently from New York where she represented the Philippine Senate at the 51st Session of the Commission for the Status of Women, noted that older daughters of women OFWs are made to take on the roles left by their mother, sometimes as “substitute spouses.”

"This disturbing phenomenon of the girl-child being turned into substitute spouse has been happening in our country along with the feminization of labor migration," said Cayetano, who noted that women now comprise 70 percent of Filipino workers deployed abroad.

“The problem remains largely unreported, however, due to its sensitive nature and mainly because of the fear of the girl-child to file a formal complaint against her own father which would bring severe stress and shame to her and her family," the senator said.

As a result, she said the abused daughter is forced to become an "adult" at an early age, depriving her of the opportunities and rights of being a child.

She described the phenomenon as one of the most damaging social impacts of labor migration, one that can never be measured by any of the government's socio-economic indicators or captured by statistics on labor export.

The international forum-session, entitled "A parliamentary perspective on discrimination and violence against the girl child," was jointly organized by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), of which Cayetano is first vice president of the Coordinating Committee of Women Parliamentarians, and the United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women (UNDAW).

Cayetano presented the problem of incest among families left behind by OFWs at the forum-session, which stressed the need to push for national laws and policies to protect girls from violence and abuse.

crappypants

March 11th, 2007, 12:08 AM

my god how awful. what kind of fathers can do that to their own child. an absent spouse in an excuse? what about single fathers with children because of divorce. Ganyan ba kamanyakes mga kalalakihan ngayon at pati sariling anak pinagnanasahan marame namang mga prostitutes diyan sa tabe tabe. putulen na lang mga yan pag hindi makontrol.

Lili

March 11th, 2007, 08:31 AM

crappypants

March 11th, 2007, 08:46 AM

Lili

March 11th, 2007, 08:48 AM

actually it is more common. if you watch the filipino news there is almost always an incest incident reported , mostly in farflung areas in the province or in the close quarters dwellings of the lower income group.

Still, it was not right to present it before an international body. And you know how the press would rather zero in on really sensational cases.

These things happen not only "labor-exporting" countries. These things happen even here in America and elsewhere.

kiretoce

March 12th, 2007, 03:37 PM

Reintegration facility for returning OFWs opens
03/12/2007

Skills training, local job placement and assistance for entrepreneurial opportunities are among the services available for free to returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) at the National Re-integration Center in Intramuros, Manila.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and International Office for Migration (IOM) director general Brunson McKinley inaugurated Monday the newest project of Labor Secretary Arturo Brion.

McKinley said it was the first of its kind that he has seen across the globe.

“This is something new, something unique to the Philippines," Brion said in a brief talk to reporters. “We hope this can be fully operational over the next year or two."

Also formally opened was the Migration Information Resource Center (MIRC). This is a library at the Re-integration Center located at the corner of Solana and Victoria St. in Intramuros Manila.

During the ceremony, Brion and McKinley signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on the technical cooperation arrangements of DOLE and IOM in the establishment and management of the MIRC.

The DOLE-MIRC, Brion said, shall promote information exchange on migration and support efforts of migration stakeholders in uplifting the welfare of the overseas Filipino workers and their families through research and formulation of migration policies and programs.

The MIRC is envisioned as the central unit of a planned Philippine Migration Information Resource System that will link the libraries of other government offices, non-government organizations, and academic institutions.

"The library complements the DOLE's thrust for better information sharing as a way of firming up policy and program responses to migration and development," said Institute for Labor Studies Executive Director Gigette Imperial.

The ILS, the policy and advocacy arm of DOLE, will take charge of the management and operation of the MIRC. It will be open for use not only to DOLE officials and employees but also to the public, including policymakers, researchers, students, and returning OFWs.

The library accepts donations of books, journals and other migration-related information resources.

Brion said the Department of Labor and Employment will have a registry of OFWs and non-governmental organizations in order to link them up not only for job opportunities here or overseas, but also for counseling and other needs.

Part of the economic reintegration services is the advocacy for savings and wise use of the earnings of OFWs as well as an encouragement to OFWs to send their remittances to the Philippines through the banking system.

He said DOLE will link up with banks to lower the cost of remittances and to offer investment instruments for OFWs.

“This will entail a lot of finance counseling that we at DOLE do not have capacity to deliver. So, for the National Reintegration System to be successful, we have to develop a number of partnerships with other government agencies, NGOs, banks and other associations who have an interest in OFWs," Brion explained to reporters.

The facility is a “One-Stop Center" providing various reintegration services for OFWs and their families, as well as a “Service Networking Hub" to facilitate the delivery of services by cooperating stakeholders/service providers to address the migrants’ and their families’ needs, including the development of their communities.

It was also designed to develop, implement, and evolve progressive and responsive reintegration programs for OFWs and their families that are attuned to their communities’ needs in order to maximize the benefits of migration for development, among other provisions.

With the Center, Brion said the Philippines “has succeeded in establishing a full global circuit for OFWs beginning from their departure, until their return and reintegration to the local social and economic mainstream."

The establishment of the Center is consistent with Republic Act 8042, or the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995, which prescribed the establishment of a Re-placement and Monitoring Center (for OFWs); as well as Presidential Executive Order 446 issued on July 12, 2005, which authorized the Secretary of Labor to coordinate the implementation of initiatives to enable OFWs to rejoin, and contribute to the development of the Philippine Society.

The Center, through an “assistance desk," intends to provide basic services to OFWs and their families such as face-to-face and online responses to queries; evaluation and channeling of requests for assistance; job search assistance for local or overseas employment; assistance for entrepreneurship orenterprise development; training or retooling assistance; psychosocial services; facilitating participation in Brain Gain Movement Initiatives; linking OFW assistance to LGUs and Communities; introduction to Special Retirement Program; information on Special Remittance Package, and Investment Portfolios; among others.

“We have taken the practical steps to ensure that the phenomenon of global migration will have long term benefits for OFWs and their families and will have positive impact on national development," Brion said.

“Indeed, the Center shall act as the reentry doorway for economic and social reintegration, which assures a process of brain gain, in lieu of drain or loss of talent and human capital for the country, reducing the social costs of migration as we endeavor to assist returning OFWs and their families," he said.

The facility is initially funded with P7 million drawn from the budget of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).

kiretoce

March 13th, 2007, 01:46 AM

I've seen her on C-SPAN numerous times and god I hate her! :rant: And the article below only shows how much of a hypocrite she really is! :gaah:

==========================================================

Pinay who disparaged RP eats Pinoy food

WASHINGTON D.C. – Remember columnist Michelle Maglalang Malkin, the ultra conservative Filipino American columnist who disparaged the Philippines and Filipinos three years ago for withdrawing the Filipino contingent in Iraq?

It turns out that she has not really turned her back on Filipinos in general although at times she takes pride in introducing herself as an "American of Filipino descent."

And lately, the Washington Post reported (Feb. 16, style section) that she and her children eat Filipino food! She was spotted by Howard Kurtz of the Post eating with her two children having lunch at the Filipino Café at Union Station in Washington D.C.

A few years ago, she also batted for the grant of benefits to Filipino veterans of World War II. This was because her maternal grandfather fought under US General Douglas MacArthur in 1941.

Two years ago, when the case of Filipino American spy Leandro Aragoncillo, surfaced, she wrote: “If it means now that the White House will be applying extra scrutiny to naturalized American citizens of Filipino descent working at the top levels of government and in the military, well, yes, I support that. It’s obviously overdue.”

She admits receiving a lot of hate mail some of which she posts in her email because of her writings. She said there were times when she was “attacked as an ‘Aunt Thomasina and a sellout and a race traitor’ by liberals of Asian background”.

Because of her bad mouthing the liberals and oftentimes even conservatives in her columns and blog sites, Michelle had earned the ire of many through the years. Recently she cancelled a book signing in the face of 200 shouting protesters, the Washington Post said.

Although she had put up a façade of being a fearless fighter, the Post said she had been fearful of her family’s security. The Post said she and her family have been compelled to move to a new location after critics posted online her Gaithersburg area address and pictures of her home.

She told the Post that her critics - of which there are legions - “ridicule my looks, ridicule my ethnicity, go after my family.” The 36-year-old Michelle told the Post, “they’ve attacked my husband relentlessly. There’s a strong sexist strain among my liberal critics, who think it isn’t possible I could have gotten anywhere without my Svengali husband, or some white man, embedding ideas in my head.”

The Post article continued: “this daughter of Filipino immigrants plays pretty rough herself. Whether on her blog, her Internet talk show or her Fox News appearances. Malkin delights in sticking her finger in the eye of the liberal establishment. And she is convinced that her detractors don’t play fair.”’

“Particularly when you’re a minority conservative,” she says, “you get a lot of ugly, hysterical, unhinged attacks, because you’re challenging so many liberal myths about what people of color should think.”

The Post continued: “Over lunch at a Filipino Café at Union Station, Malkin, who has two young children, is charming one moment and pugnacious the next. She says she loves the intellectual freedom of the blogosphere where ‘you can respond, you can reveal people to be the liars and slanderers they are.”

“Between bites, though, you can catch a glimpse of amazement that ‘a smalltown girl from South Jersey’ as she puts it, can have such an outsize impact. Even if she makes plenty of enemies in the process.”

A relentless critic of the liberal media’s coverage of the war in Iraq, Michelle spent a week embedded with an army unit in Baghdad and returned more hopeful about a war effort she had increasingly begun to doubt.

She is against President Bush’s immigration reforms. She is also against conferring automatic citizenship to children born by tourists or illegal workers in the United States. Years ago, she expressed support for the internment of Japanese Americans in her book as “justified” and backed racial profiling as a necessary tool against terrorism.

In most of her writings, she minimizes the fact that she is Asian. She made frequent references to the background and credentials of her obviously non-Asian husband.

“To complete the picture of exotic flesh in bed with the right wing, she made a point of distancing herself from the perspective normally associated with her Asian ethnicity,” Michelle said.

Wikepedia in the Internet says Michelle was born in Philadelphia to Filipino parents, Dr. Apolo and Rafaela Maglalang, in the United States on a work visa. Her maternal grandfather fought under General Douglas MacArthur. She grew up in Absecon, New Jersey and graduated from Oberlin College. In 1993, she married Rhodes Scholar and RAND Corporation economist Jesse Malkin, with whom she has two children.

One can access her columns in her website ‘http://michellemalkin.com/

Askal82

March 13th, 2007, 02:12 AM

kiretoce

March 13th, 2007, 02:19 AM

^^ Damn straight she's fugly! :puke:

Askal82

March 13th, 2007, 02:29 AM

She has the nerve to criticize minority groups so harshly by denying herself as a Filipino in front of the mirror. :lol: So pathetic.

kiretoce

March 13th, 2007, 06:48 PM

RP's labor deployment system is world's standard -- IOM
March 13th, 2007

MANILA, Philippines -- Despite problems with illegal recruitment, irregular and distressed workers, and the so-called brain drain, the Philippines' labor deployment system is the world's standard, said Brunson McKinley, director general of the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

McKinley, who is here for the launching of the National Reintegration Center, among other reasons, said: "The Philippines has [a] clear advantage on labor migration over all countries in the countries."

He said the country's system of recruitment, contracts, training, welfare, insurance, and protection of rights are all in place.

"It is not perfect but it is good," he told reporters after the dinner hosted by the labor department in his honor Monday night.

"The Philippines is doing a very good job. It is not by accident that the Philippines is considered the model in labor migration where systems that work are in place. The whole world can learn from the Philippines as globalization of labor is growing all around the world," he added.

McKinley said that as a pioneer in the field, the Philippines should now move up the overseas workforce ladder. He said that in the beginning, the country was deploying workers to more basic jobs.

"We see that in the seafarers. A generation ago, Filipinos were sailors, now they're officers and captains," he said.

The IOM chief said he foresees a big growth in labor migration especially since working abroad is now easier than it used to be.

"The demographic trends show that there are more spaces for foreign workers to work in," he said. "This is the end result of a freer labor market and general prosperity in the world."

The Philippines has some eight million Filipinos working and living outside the Filipinos. And the number continues to increase as more than 3,000 Filipinos leave the country every day.

zeejay

March 16th, 2007, 03:20 AM

The latest survey of the National Statistics Office showed yielded the results that nine out of ten (9 out of 10) Filipinos are now gainfully employed. The country'semployment rate increased from 91.9% last year to 92.2% this January, that's about 33.5 million Filipinos this year. The distribution of the number is that more then 50% of those employed are from the services sector, agriculture accounted for 34.7% and those in the industrial sector comprised 14.8%. The biggest population of the employed are laborers and unskilled workers. Hopefully in the coming months the number would still increase because there are pretty much jobs available to our country's citizens. With the graduation season coming this month, many new breed jobfinders will flood the employment agencies again.
more (http://philstar.com/philstar/News200703160402.htm)

kiretoce

March 16th, 2007, 03:48 AM

Good news! :okay:

portludlow

March 16th, 2007, 03:51 AM

Services allow economy
to reduce jobless rate to 7.8%
By Rommer M. Balaba
Reporter
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/0316&172007/headlines04.html
A TOTAL of 1.52 million new jobs were generated in the past year compared to 754,000 in 2005, according to the National Economic and Development Authority, and this reduced the jobless to 7.8 percent.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Romulo Neri said improvements in key job-generating sectors particularly services contributed a hefty 1.45 million net employment.

The National Statistics Office on Thursday said approximately 36.4 million were in the labor force during the January round of the Labor Force Survey out of the estimated 56.1 million individuals aged 15 years and over.

Among other broad sectors, industry-categorized businesses generated 103,000 jobs against 87,000 net employment loss last year while the agriculture sector recorded a 38,000 net employment deficit from those affected by last year’s series of strong typhoons as well as drier weather in some farming parts of the country.
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/0316&172007/images/front-pic01.jpg

“The improvement is attributed to the recovery of industry and the continued brisk performance of services. The services sector acts as a catch basin for informal employment as seen from the positive net employment generation posted by all of its subsectors. Likewise, the said sector was able to attract wage and salaried work in all of its subsectors,” said Neri.

Services-based workers comprised 50.5 percent of national employment, with agriculture-related jobs at 34.7 percent and industry sector-based laborers at 14.8 percent.

On a regional basis, the survey recorded double-digit unemployment rates in Metro Manila with 12.7 percent, and in the Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon (Calabarzon) area with 10.4 percent. Curiously, the bulk of economic activities are in these two regions.

The survey likewise reported that 6.8 million people, mostly from manufacturing plus public administration and defense, compulsory social security and private households, are looking for additional work to compensate for their limited hours of compensated job.

“With improving economic prospects this year and the expected gains from continuing reforms, there are more people encouraged to join the labor force. Thus, the government should do well to safeguard these employment created, and continue implementing reforms in the industry subsectors that still saw job losses,” said Neri.

Dvorak

March 16th, 2007, 07:31 AM

another propaganda for GMA.. lahat naman yan dino-doctor.. 9 out of 10 Filipinos employoed?? bakit ang daming walang trabaho?? bakit ang daming umaalis nang bansa??

The latest survey of the National Statistics Office showed yielded the results that nine out of ten (9 out of 10) Filipinos are now gainfully employed. The country'semployment rate increased from 91.9% last year to 92.2% this January, that's about 33.5 million Filipinos this year. The distribution of the number is that more then 50% of those employed are from the services sector, agriculture accounted for 34.7% and those in the industrial sector comprised 14.8%. The biggest population of the employed are laborers and unskilled workers. Hopefully in the coming months the number would still increase because there are pretty much jobs available to our country's citizens. With the graduation season coming this month, many new breed jobfinders will flood the employment agencies again.
more (http://philstar.com/philstar/News200703160402.htm)

jgacis

March 16th, 2007, 07:43 AM

^^ Also, why do people who work at the malls always on a 6-month employment contract. That means turn-over and re-hires cycle every 6 months which can give misleading indicators. I think they should provide more long term employment for people (I heard this is done so they won't have to receive any long-term employment benefits). I think hiring long-term employees with at least some sort of benefit will allow workers to be more productive and highly skilled (so they can become better managers and supervisors later on).

Dvorak

March 16th, 2007, 07:53 AM

actually bawal sa labor code yan ganyan.. pero wala naman nangyayari.. sino gumagawa?? yung malalaking malls pa.. sa iba nga 5 months lang terminated ka na.. anong gagawin nang mga tao?? kesa naman wala silang work.. di ok na yun.. tapos yung iba.. pag nabuntis.. terminated.. pano ang mga walanghiyang employers nila ayaw magbayad nang benifits.. dapat dyan sa mga yan tinuturuan nang leksyon..

^^ Also, why do people who work at the malls always on a 6-month employment contract. That means turn-over and re-hires cycle every 6 months which can give misleading indicators. I think they should provide more long term employment for people (I heard this is done so they won't have to receive any long-term employment benefits). I think hiring long-term employees with at least some sort of benefit will allow workers to be more productive and highly skilled (so they can become better managers and supervisors later on).

Insanedriver

March 16th, 2007, 08:29 AM

unemployment is not the reason why filipinos work abroad.
My dad had a good job in the Philippines but decided to
move abroad for a higher salary... as the family's budget is no longer enough.
The same reason why our teachers(filipinos of course) here in Doha work abroad. In fact, kakulangan sa trabahador is now one of the problems the Philippines needs to fix. The continued migration of doctors, nurses, engineers, teachers, laborers, etc left Philippine job seats vacant. Have you noticed na yung mga hospitals sa metro-manila at sa ibang probinsya eh kaunti na lng ang mga doktor tapus sa mga schools, public man o private ang isang advisory class ay mayroong 45-70 students or more?

lets face it, people are just lazy to work or find one and they kept on protesting that they're jobless...tulad nung mga naglilimos sa manila na me malalaking katawan... ndi na lng magtrabaho... asa ng asa...

beads_strawberries

March 16th, 2007, 08:44 AM

^^ Of course, it is only natural for us to seek greener pastures as most of us are never contented for what we have. It's only human nature. Those who work hard will definitely have more opportunities abroad. There's no way but up for some.

On the other hand, those who prefer to be lazy and wait for everything to be given to them (read: Juan Tamad) will always be blaming the government for their unemployment and loss of opportunities.

The statistics is just coinciding with the positive gains that we have economic wise.

jgacis

March 16th, 2007, 09:03 AM

lets face it, people are just lazy to work or find one and they kept on protesting that they're jobless...tulad nung mga naglilimos sa manila na me malalaking katawan... ndi na lng magtrabaho... asa ng asa...

That's true..^^ The problem is filipinos see the easy money earned abroad. It's hard for them to accept their low wages when they know so many others earn much more overseas. It is true that their lower pay is somewhat offset by the lower costs of living there, but that doesn't help the fact that there are so many OFWs abroad who remit much more money back into the country.

Actually, I can't blame them because the labor system there needs an overhaul......

laquacherra

March 16th, 2007, 09:17 AM

another propaganda for GMA.. lahat naman yan dino-doctor.. 9 out of 10 Filipinos employoed?? bakit ang daming walang trabaho?? bakit ang daming umaalis nang bansa??

^^ remember that issue with regards to the official number of classroom shortage? GMA used a different formula (more number of students per classroom) so that the official classroom shortage count appeared a lot less than what the Dept of Education came up with using the ideal number of students per classroom... i think we are seeing another version of it this time

le Reine

March 16th, 2007, 02:05 PM

another propaganda for GMA.. lahat naman yan dino-doctor.. 9 out of 10 Filipinos employoed?? bakit ang daming walang trabaho?? bakit ang daming umaalis nang bansa??

I don't think it is plain propaganda. First of all, 9 out of 10 is just an over simplification of the real scenario. What do I mean by this? Remember that the employment rate is 92.2%. So if you simplify it, it would really mean 9 out of 10. The reporter should be blamed for this simplification. Instead of just saying that the Philippines has a 7.8% unemployment rate s/he used 9 out of 10. Take note that this unemployment rate is still significantly high compared with our neighbors. If you would translate that 7.2% unemployment rate into whole number, it would give you 2.83 million jobless Filipinos. So that would answer your question. There are still a lot of Filipinos who are unemployed.

The report is also accurate in a sense that it said that the National Capital Region got the highest unemployment rate (12.7%). Which is not surprising since people from the provinces are flocking like crazy in the capital. Thus decreasing the already limited job opportunities for the real MM residents. Which is quite obvious to us because we are living to the capital. When you go to the provinces, you would see that people are employed through agriculture, which is also reported in the statistics.

Just a little anecdote. Last year, we have this maid with her husband who decided to work as househelps when ironically, they have their own coconut plantation and other agricultural activities inc. fishing in their province (Camarines Norte). When we asked them why they decided to work as househelp, they said that they just wanted to live in Manila than live in a "boondock." I just hate this type of mentality. They have this distorted notion that Manila is the land of promise (or shall I say, broken promises?). So they would rather live in slums here than work in the provinces. How sad...

JustHorace

March 16th, 2007, 02:16 PM

le Reine

March 16th, 2007, 02:21 PM

^^ remember that issue with regards to the official number of classroom shortage? GMA used a different formula (more number of students per classroom) so that the official classroom shortage count appeared a lot less than what the Dept of Education came up with using the ideal number of students per classroom... i think we are seeing another version of it this time

This issue is nothing new. It is not a manipulation of the President it is actually a desperate move. I would understand if she could not provide the right amount to build classrooms since: (1) we have a very high population rate, which explains that the shortages in classrooms in the past decades are actually compounded up to this day. (2) the government is obviously in a fiscal deficit. The ideal ratio of students/classroom is 30-35. The government has decided to make it 100 per classrooom, which means 2-shifts in a day. This plan is not new. This was actually used by FVR. And I can attest to this since I am one of those people who would only have classes every 6am-12pm daily when I was in elementary. But this problem is more serious in cities with high population densities and also in the most remote parts of the country.

What actually irritates me is that LGUs esp. the cities which, supposedly have high revenues and have already the power to build classrooms in their locality, are actually sitting pretty and would rather wait for the central government to provide for these.

And the very last point that I want to make: a locality with an ideal ratio of students/classrooms doesn't necessarily mean that they would have better standards of education. Take for example, Makati City. They have enough classrooms and teachers for their students since they have the revenues but ironically, they did not fare better than those schools from the provinces like Leyte in terms of passing rate in NEAT and NSAT. Makati was not even in the top 10 schools.

jgacis

March 16th, 2007, 09:14 PM

What actually irritates me is that LGUs esp. the cities which, supposedly have high revenues and have already the power to build classrooms in their locality, are actually sitting pretty and would rather wait for the central government to provide for these.

I agree with you on that one! I've had my own personal experiences with LGUs (like the mayor) which I won't bother mentioning here...

portludlow

March 18th, 2007, 06:13 AM

Nationwide employment up by 1.5-M in January 2007

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryID=70480
More Filipinos now have jobs in the country, the Department of Labor and Employment said, explaining that total employment rose by 4.72% from 32.031 million in the same period in 2006, to 33.546 million in January 2007, ABS-CBN reported.

Labor and Employment Secretary Arturo Brion, assessing the National Statistics Office’s January 2007 Labor Force Survey (LFS), said that in absolute terms, the 4.72% increment translates into a total employment growth reaching 1.515 million nationwide.

Brion said the growth boosted the nationwide employment rate to 92.2% in January 2007 compared to 91.9% in January 2006, and pushed down unemployment to 7.8%, from the previous 8.1%.

He boasted that this means that, nine in every 10 persons in the country’s labor force were employed, based on the results of the January 2007 LFS.

The NSO said that there were approximately 36.4 million Filipinos in the labor force in January 2007, adding that among the country’s regions, Region 2 (Cagayan Valley) topped the others in terms of employment with a 96.9%employment rate.

Cagayan Valley was followed closely by Region 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula) with 96.3%, the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) with 96.2% and Region 4-B (MIMAROPA) with 96.1%.

Significantly, the flourishing Services Sector remained our nation’s number 1 local employer, accounting for more than a half, or 50.5% of the total employed population of 33.546 million in January 2007.

On the other hand, the Agriculture, Fishing and Forestry Sector accounted for 34.7%, followed by the Industry Sector, which accounted for 14.8% of the total employed Filipinos nationwide.

By occupation, the 33.546 employed Filipinos are distributed as follows: laborers and unskilled workers (32.3%); farmers, forestry workers and fishermen (17.6%); officials of government and special interest organizations, corporate executives, managers, managing proprietors, and supervisors (12.1%); service workers and shop and market sales workers (9.8%); trades and related workers (8.1%); plant and machine operators and assemblers (7.7%); clerks (4.9%); professionals (4.3%); technicians and associate professionals (2.7%); and special occupations (0.4%).

The wage and salary employment rose higher in January 2007, reaching 53.4% of the total employed population across the nation, compared to 50.2% in January 2006.

crappypants

March 18th, 2007, 07:41 AM

bagel

March 19th, 2007, 09:47 PM

Hello. I am not sure whether this subforum is where this discussion belongs, and I could've sworn we used to have a similar thread, but I can't seem to find it.

Anyway, I'd like to start a discussion about what dual citizenship entails for people who have naturalized in other countries or were born in other countries to Filipino parents. We spoke about this at the recent Bay Area Meet at Gasrock's house, but I guess it would be great to open the discussion up to everyone else in this forum.

What are the benefits of dual citizenship?
How does one get it?
Are there any drawbacks to it?
What are the implications for your current citizenship in other countries?

Also, what do Filipinos living in the Philippines think about dual citizens? Are they balimbings? Traitors? Productive to society? Can't decide which side of the pond to stay in?

I'm going to look for the resources out there from the Philippine Consulates General and see if I can post them here, but meanwhile, if anybody has any experience with this, it would be great to know.

bagel

March 19th, 2007, 09:54 PM

Taken from the website of the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles.
http://www.pcgenla.org/DualCitizencon.htm

FAQ: http://www.pcgenla.org/FaqDualcon.htm
Application Form:http://www.pcgenla.org/ConFiles/dual_application_form_revised_oct24_2005.doc

CITIZENSHIP RETENTION AND RE-ACQUISITION ACT OF 2004 (R.A. 9225)

Who are qualified to reacquire Philippine citizenship under RA 9225?
“..Natural –born citizens of the Philippines who have lost their Philippine citizenship by reason of their naturalization as citizens of a foreign country are hereby deemed to have re-acquired Philippine citizenship upon taking the oath of allegiance to the Republic.” (Section 3, RA 9225)

PROCEDURES AND REQUIREMENTS

1. The applicant accomplishes the application form entitled “Petition for Dual Citizenship and Issuance of Identification Certificate (IC)” pursuant to RA 9225.

2. The applicant submits the following documents, the original copies of which shall be presented:

2.a - A photocopy of at least one of the following documents;

a) Philippine Birth Certificate;

b) Marriage Contract indicating the Philippine citizenship of the applicant;

c) Voter’s affidavit or voter’s identification card; or

a) Such other documents that would show the applicant is a former natural born citizen of the Philippines as may be acceptable to the evaluating officer.

Secondary Documents (to be presented with any of the requirements above)

a) Old Philippine Passport

b) Baptismal Certificate

2.b In addition to the above, a photocopy of Certificate of Naturalization or in the absence of the same, an Affidavit explaining the circumstances by which the foreign citizenship was acquired and a copy of a valid Foreign Passport

3. If the name of the applicant in the birth certificate or other documents submitted is different from that in his foreign passport and other documents, the applicant shall execute an affidavit explaining such difference and attach, as supporting documents, at least two (2) public or private documents showing the correct name of the applicant, the original copy of which shall be presented

4. For each of the applicant’s minor children who is below eighteen (18) years of age, each beneficiary shall submit photocopies of the following documents, the original copies of which shall be presented:

a) Birth Certificate

b) Foreign Passport

5. The applicant attaches to the application two (2) recent 2” x 2” photographs showing the front view. The beneficiary children are not required to submit photographs.

6. If the applicant is a Bureau of Immigration (BI) registered alien, he shall surrender the original ACR and ICR/CRTV, or in its absence, an affidavit explaining the loss of said documents for transmittal to the BI.

7. The applicant pays a processing fee of US$50.00 for himself and $25.00 for each beneficiary. The payment shall be in cash, bank draft or money order payable to the Philippine Consulate General.

8. After payment, the Consulate will process the applicant’s application. The applicant is required to the Oath of Allegiance prepared by the Consulate and he will receive a notice of the date and time for taking the Oath of Allegiance before a Consular Officer.

9. After the applicant takes his oath, he will receive the original copy of his notarized Oath of Allegiance together with an Order of Approval issued by the Consulate, and the corresponding Identification Certificate, if available.

10. The Consulate forwards to the BI in Manila the petition and supporting documents, including oath of allegiance, order of approval, ACR and ICR/CRTV (if any).

tigidig14

March 19th, 2007, 10:00 PM

neat Mike, I'm thinking about getting one before the application fee rise up.

Lili

March 19th, 2007, 10:12 PM

Some of the benefits are property restrictions and the prohibition on the practice of professions on 'aliens' are not applicable to dual citizens because they have regained their citizenship. This bolsters capital and knowledge infusion to the Philippines because the transition of returning Filipinos is easier. Their ties have never been severed psychically and emotionally to the Philippines so they remain invested and are willing to still bring their money there and buy second or retirement homes. They still want to participate somehow in nation-building. They can still set up professional consultancies and firms there or teach without the need for temporary working permits. They can be major partners in firms or stockholders in corporations because their stock ownership will not be restricted to the 60-40 rule. There are myriad of benefits.

The procedure was pretty easy and straightforward as long as you present the necessary proofs and payment of fees.

I don't know the drawbacks yet. As far as I know, there is no dual taxation in the Philippines so for sources of income abroad that one has already paid taxes on, the Philippine government will not tax you for it.

In the USA, there are several Americans with dual citizenship with other countries. They have not made a clearcut policy on this one. What they look at is the oath that was taken, whether or not there is a line there that expressed outright renunciation of US citizenship. Even Arnold Schwarzenegger who has both US and Austrian citizenship has been elected as governor of California.

bagel

March 19th, 2007, 10:18 PM

What about affecting your American citizenship? Does the United States frown upon people who gain dual-citizenship? Are you penalized for it? Do you need to pay US taxes for any income abroad? Or is it "don't ask, don't tell" for them?

tigidig14

March 19th, 2007, 10:29 PM

ok that was a jk

back to reality bites...

Lili

March 19th, 2007, 10:58 PM

It does not affect the person's American citizenship if the intention (by his/her words and/or action) is not to give up U.S. citizenship. As I said, the oath to reacquire Philippine citizenship does not state express renunciation of US citizenship.

Here is the link to the U.S. Department of State website on the issue of dual nationality. http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1753.html

For tax purpose, the individual must declare in his IRS forms all sources of income from within and without the country. There are benefits from tax treaty that are available to him such as exclusion of up to a certain amount for income from personal services performed in a foreign country provided that the he pays the income tax in that country. He can also deduct part of his housing expenses from his income. These benefits are called the foreign earned income exclusion and the foreign housing deduction and exclusion.

Where he pays the tax for this particular income will be considered his tax home country. The Philippines has a tax reciprocity with the USA such that if one had already paid tax on an income in the USA, there should not be dual taxation. The person usually pays the tax where he/she is currently a "resident" for tax purpose.

CAVEAT: I have to read up on this one to verify, so don't rely on what I just wrote here.

queetz@home

March 20th, 2007, 04:33 AM

I recently got my dual citizenship and here are my answers from my own experience....

What are the benefits of dual citizenship?

For me, the biggest benefit is when it comes to real estate transactions. This is the main reason why I got my Filipino citizenship back. Even though foreigners can own 40% of a condominium project, there is this nagging feeling that there is no way of you knowing if that 40% threshold has been reached. The last thing you want is you get so excited on a unit that you purchased only to be taken away just because it cannot be sold to you anymore.

Of course, you can work and live freely in the Philippines (no more visa crap). Plus you can vote and run for office without any problems.

How does one get it?

The government website links says it all. If you can, consult an immigration lawyer.

Are there any drawbacks to it?

None that I can think off except for my answer in the next question below.

What are the implications for your current citizenship in other countries?

It depends on the country of your citizenship. Canada allows dual so it didn't affect me at all. Hence you may want to consult a lawyer if there is some iffyness in the country that you already have a citizenship in.

Also, what do Filipinos living in the Philippines think about dual citizens? Are they balimbings? Traitors? Productive to society? Can't decide which side of the pond to stay in?

No, they are not balimbings or traitors. Having dual citizenship can make you more productive to society since you can freely work and do business home and abroad (depending on the non-filipino citizenship). And a productive individual is good for any country.

Those who do not pursue dual citizenship do so because they either are lazy (since there is a process), haven't had time or opportunity to do so, or simply not aware of it.

Lili

March 20th, 2007, 04:44 AM

Well, some just simply do not prefer to have dual citizenship and see no benefit in it. For example, there are those who receive SSI (Supplemental Security Income) in the USA. They are required to be citizens of the USA or permanent residents in the USA with enough work credits to get this and must live or be a resident of the USA. With their limited income, it is cumbersome for them to go back and forth to the USA and the Philippines to maintain US residency and still be entitled to SSI. Also, they rely on their medical insurance here in the USA that they cannot bring with them to the Philippines.

Even if they think they will have more bang for their bucks in the Philippines, they cannot sustain it if they don't return to the USA every 6 months or more frequently.

So, dual citizenship's impact is still more favorable to the more affluent expatriates.

Nabartek

March 21st, 2007, 02:37 AM

I think the American influence in the Philippines is not bad at all. What is bad is on how we use the influences. Sadly, many took it to be superior to others. =(

Hey, women suffrage came to life during the American occupation right? Our women had the right to vote earlier than the French women. It's time to use these influences properly. It's sad that in many parts of the Philippines the machismo, which Filipinos sadly inherited from th Spaniards, still dominates. Discrimination against women is still not uncommon.

bitoy

March 21st, 2007, 03:50 AM

^^ Compare to other Asian nations, We still treat our women very well.

"Yes dear" :D

Lili

March 21st, 2007, 03:52 AM

^ Let the women speak for themselves.

bitoy

March 21st, 2007, 03:54 AM

^ Let the women speak for themselves.

I was just speaking for myself. :D

Nabartek

March 21st, 2007, 03:56 AM

I think the main reason for that contractual employment is to avoid labor unions.

Hindi mo rin masisisi mga ibang businessowners sinec bawal sa Pilipinas alisin ang TAMAD and INEFFECTIVE employee kahit luging lugi ka na. Kaya after 6 months, wala na rin ang tamad mong employees.

Hindi lang profi ng business ang naapektuhan pati qualioty ng service. Hindi ka rin siguro mainis sa teller/cashier na dakdak ng dakdak tapos hindi man lang atupagin ang customer. Or sales assistant na hindi ka man i-aassist o kapag tinatamad sasabihin ubos na ang stocks kahit meron pa.

Nabanggit ng intructor ko na 81% mng mga hired people ay nakuha dahil sa PERSONALITY nila.

This is something to ponder on.

Sabi nga nila, kung may tiyaga may nilaga. Kung hihintayin mong mahulog yung mangga mula sa puno hindi mo makakain yung mangga

Nabartek

March 21st, 2007, 04:09 AM

bitoy

March 21st, 2007, 04:15 AM

It depends on how you see it. Politically, there are more women involvement... but lot's look at the common people. There still a lot of battered wives. The Philippines is still strongly paternal, sadly.

Hahaha

Sa ilalim ng saya...hehe..konti palang ang ganyan...

Marami dito, pre'!, pataasin natin ang mga kamy nila! :lol:

I was watching wowowee last weekend and there is a contest " Labandera portion ", some contestants are really having a good time. Those are common tao being able to participate in a commercial show and giving all the talent they have without inhibitions in life.
My point is, Filipinas come a long way since the Maria Clara period. ( puwede rin ads ng Virginia Slims)

*if someone will argue again about my statement, then let them speak for themselves.

Nabartek

March 21st, 2007, 04:29 AM

bitoy

March 21st, 2007, 04:40 AM

hahaha. Hindi kasi ako nanonood ng wowowee...

Yeah, there has been changes but we cannot deny the domestic violence against women.. may mga asawa pa rin na tingin nila sa aswa nila eh housewives lang. =( Machism =(

Just my observation on noontime shows, daming babae din na nunood kasi, even guys are joing some contests. About those domestic violence, kahit saan naman, meron pa niyan, lalo na sa remote provinces where some Padre de Familia really took advantages of their title.

Dito, namamaril ang mga babae, or nag-ha-hire to kill their spouse, as shown in court TV. So far, sa tingin ko, marami na ring Filipinas ang malakas ang loob and are really asking for equal rights treatment. Marami na rin advocates diyan to help those na-aapi. Kaso, marami pa ding nang-aapi. :)

Nabartek

March 21st, 2007, 04:50 AM

Oi..wag mong isipin na kasali ako sa Gabriela ha?

Hehe

venntro

March 21st, 2007, 11:29 AM

^^ There's also this thing about being able to represent the country in the Olympics for foreign based Filipino athletes. There are so many Fil-ams right now in Philippine sports from Basketball to Tennis to Beach Volleyball to Swimming. No need to relinquish your American citizenship and you get to go to the Olympics and fulfill your dream to be part of the "Greatest show on Earth"

demented_pigeon

March 21st, 2007, 12:30 PM

jgacis

March 21st, 2007, 01:12 PM

Hi boybaha, just wanted to share this with you in case you know other filipinos in my situation here in the states.

I'm an american-born filipino and both my parents were born in the Philippines. My mom came here in 1968 and within 5 years (in 1973) became a naturalized U.S. citizen. My dad came here in 1970 and got his U.S. citizenship in 1975. I was born in 1972.

The Philippine government recognizes filipino citizenship by jus sanguinis (by blood) and NOT jus soli (by soil/land). Since my parents were still filipino citizens at the time of my birth here in Los Angeles, I'm allowed to utilize R.A. 9225. (which I have not done yet).

Here is an excerpt of The 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines (2004 Revised Edition):

SECTION 1. The following are citizens of the Philippines:

(1) Those who are citizens of the Philippines at the time of the adoption of this constitution;

(2) Those whose fathers or mothers are citizens of the Philippines;

(3) Those born before January 17, 1973, of Filipino mothers, who elect Philippine citizenship upon reaching the age of majority; and

(4) Those who are naturalized in accordance with law.

Now, here is what it means to be a NATURAL-BORN filipino citizen:

SEC. 2. Natural-born citizens are those who are citizens of the Philippines from birth without having to perform any act to acquire or perfect their Philippine citizenship. Those who elect Philippine citizenship in accordance with paragraph (3), Section 1 hereof shall be deemed natural-born citizens.

Also, ANY U.S. citizen (filipino or not) who is "NATURALIZED" in another country AFTER they acquire their U.S. citizen may be in jeopardy of losing their U.S. citizenship. Remember, the key word is naturalization.

Any filipino U.S. citizen who wants to apply for DUAL citizenship (U.S. & Philippines) under the CITIZENSHIP RETENTION AND RE-ACQUISITION ACT OF 2004 (R.A. 9225) will not necessarily jeopardize their U.S. citizenship because this act (R.A. 9225) is NOT a NATURALIZATION process (the naturalization process for filipino citizenship already occured prior to U.S. citizenship).

Why are U.S. immigration laws strict when a U.S. citizen becomes NATURALIZED in another country?

Read this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naturalization

My mom and dad recently acquired their dual citizenship and did most of their paperwork at the Bureau of Immigration in the Intramuros Office in Manila (they are now semi-retirees in the Philippines). Lots of paperwork, photocopies, and falling in line for payment receipts. Their birth records where not obtainable from the NSO (National Statistics Office) because they were destroyed during World War II. :nuts: Pero they still managed to work with the immigration officers and get their dual citizenship. ;)

I think doing all the paperwork here at the Los Angeles Philippine consulate would have been another long task (due to snail mail). I wanted my parents to go straight to the source in the motherland and address any issues/concerns directly with the immigration officers.

My plans for dual-citizenship falls directly in-line with queetz@home; primarily for investment/business purposes in real estate. My dad owns a palayan which I will be allowed to inherit and own in full (fee-simple estate - without filipino citizenship), but that's pretty much it. I can't buy land, only inherit.

I don't think the U.S. "frowns" on dual-citizenship. Just use your common sense when the situation arises. For example, just show your blue passport for international flights and your green passport for domestic flights (inside the Philippines). On job applications, no need to mention unless asked (like in security background questions, just to make sure you are not on an INTERPOL list or something) . And always state your foreign citizenship was NOT acquired through NATURALIZATION. I think you can live most of your life here in the states without the burden of getting penalized for having dual-citizenship. Afterall, you're still a U.S. citizen living in your own country of citizenship, di ba?

Nabartek

March 21st, 2007, 01:15 PM

demented_pigeon

March 21st, 2007, 02:10 PM

Yun nga yung problema dun. Minsan no other alternative na rin. Maraming Union din kasi ang biased...sarili ang iniisip.

Kasi customer service ang directly naapektuhan ng mga katamaran ng ibang employees. Kung type ng management ang isang employee na contractual... feeling ginagawan nila ng paraan o kaya ginawa nilang permanent employee yun...asset yan siyempre.

Kaya para mawala ang contractual hiring, hinay hinay sana mga Union at pagsabihan nila mga kapwa nila laborers na pagbutihin ang trabaho. Mga Pilipino kasi ayaw nasisita..kapag sinita mo o tinama mo yung mali, umaangal.

parang itong experience ng prof ko sa Figaro. Tinanong niya sa babae kung anong pinakaayos na coffee nila. Unang, walang kibo...tinanong siya ulit...walang imik... Mejo nairita yung prof ko... sabi niya sa kasama niya na customer... "bingi ba ito"?...tapos tinanong niya ulit kung anongpinakaayos na coffee nila...sagot ba man daw ng nakatoka "Hindi nga alam eh, di ko pa man natikman"...:(

hindi siguro hinay hinay sa paguunion... karapatan ng bawat manggagawa ang unyon. dapat talaga tanggalin na ang contractualization at kung problema din naman ang ugali ng manggagawa edi problema ng management yun dahil kumuha sila ng inutil na manggagawa in the first place. Dapat lang siyempre yung may kakayahan at yung hindi suplado... at siyempre ibigay sa kanila yung karapatan nilang mag-organisa. kahit sabihin pang biased, management din naman biased din e kaya nga may negosasyon para magkompromiso at hindi humantong sa isang work stoppage dahil lang nagkakalabuan. Tutol din ako sa pangaabuso ng ilang unyon pero huwag nating gatungan ng paggawa rin ng pangaabuso rin.

crappypants

March 21st, 2007, 05:54 PM

Lili

March 21st, 2007, 07:29 PM

^^ tutol pa rin ako sa contractualization/casualization of labor. it destroys the whole concept of worker-employer relations. kung matatanggal naman ang isang trabahador dahil sa katangahan, hindi naman iyon grounds para umangal ang unyon. Nagkakaproblema kung gustong sumabat ng nagmamarunong na DOLE sa pakikipagnegotiation ng union at management.

Actually, the workers have more protection there in the Philippines than here in New York state. New York is an "employment at will" state, which means that the private employer can just summarily dismiss an employee at will even without cause. They don't even have to execute a contract of employment. The only ground that a dismissed employee can raise against an employer is if he/she was dismissed on the basis of discrimination that is protected under the law (race, age, qualified disability, etc.) The existence of a contract is actually more protective of an employee.

New York can afford to do this because it provides for unemployment assistance to those who have earned enough work credits. Still, it is harsh not to have certain workers' protections such as being fired only for just cause that is existent in the Philippines.

I hope that the Philippines will never go the route of unfettered "employment at will" because the workers will surely suffer. Kawawa ang mga ordinaryong manggagawa.

What I espouse instead of destructive rabid union activities in the workplace, is to have a labor management committee in place that will discuss and enforce mutually beneficial solutions to labor-management relations.

demented_pigeon

March 22nd, 2007, 04:03 AM

Actually, the workers have more protection there in the Philippines than here in New York state. New York is an "employment at will" state, which means that the private employer can just summarily dismiss an employee at will even without cause. They don't even have to execute a contract of employment. The only ground that a dismissed employee can raise against an employer is if he/she was dismissed on the basis of discrimination that is protected under the law (race, age, qualified disability, etc.) The existence of a contract is actually more protective of an employee.

New York can afford to do this because it provides for unemployment assistance to those who have earned enough work credits. Still, it is harsh not to have certain workers' protections such as being fired only for just cause that is existent in the Philippines.

I hope that the Philippines will never go the route of unfettered "employment at will" because the workers will surely suffer. Kawawa ang mga ordinaryong manggagawa.

What I espouse instead of destructive rabid union activities in the workplace, is to have a labor management committee in place that will discuss and enforce mutually beneficial solutions to labor-management relations.

tutol din ako sa pangaabuso ng ilang unyon pero hindi nman iyon sapat na dahilan para i-contractualize ang trabaho. Kung problema ang isang abusadong unyon, edi pumunta sa national labor relations commission. Kailangan na kasing ipagtanggol yung karapatan ng manggagawa lalo na ngayong panahon na kailangang competitive ang economy. Tigilan na lang kasi ng ilang companies na i-equate ang union sa communism dahil walang patutunguhan ang diskusyon kung laging ganyan.

Nabartek

March 22nd, 2007, 04:42 AM

hindi siguro hinay hinay sa paguunion... karapatan ng bawat manggagawa ang unyon. dapat talaga tanggalin na ang contractualization at kung problema din naman ang ugali ng manggagawa edi problema ng management yun dahil kumuha sila ng inutil na manggagawa in the first place. Dapat lang siyempre yung may kakayahan at yung hindi suplado... at siyempre ibigay sa kanila yung karapatan nilang mag-organisa. kahit sabihin pang biased, management din naman biased din e kaya nga may negosasyon para magkompromiso at hindi humantong sa isang work stoppage dahil lang nagkakalabuan. Tutol din ako sa pangaabuso ng ilang unyon pero huwag nating gatungan ng paggawa rin ng pangaabuso rin.

Maraming "plastic" sa Pilipinas kaya minsan nagkakamaling maghire din..unang firsts moths.. ayos ang trabaho..kalaunan..akala mo na kung sino...

Karapatan nga nila, pero lahat may hangganan namna diba..walang "absolute" o kaya ang sobra nakakasama.

Tapos kapag maglalagay ng standards ang management, magrereklamo ang mga job-seekers.. discrimination "daw"... alam naman natin ang gobyerno, many times they tend to please the Labor Unions kahit nasa maling side sila.

That's the irony...sadly.

zeejay

March 22nd, 2007, 06:48 AM

why don't we try to look at the glass half full instead of half empty while still trying to fill it. . part time work is better than no work at all , better than being a tambay. the way our population is imploding any reduction in unemployment is good news.
Yeah. That having a 6-month long job is better than not having work for that 6 months. During that span of time, the worker should have made ipon although for small amounts. And then before the contract ends, mas maganda kung maghahanap na ng malilipatan kung hanggang 6 months nga lang ang kontrata. It will be beneficial for the worker and the family he feeds. Altltough mas maganda kung meh security of tenure sila sa trabaho, mabuti na yung may meron kesa wala.

beads_strawberries

March 22nd, 2007, 10:21 AM

^^ Quite ironic is the fact that some wanted jobs to be offered to them in both hands. That or they will not accept any job they encountered. Sometimes, we have to accept the fact that in finding jobs, we always start on entry-level. Some may even start on a contractual basis depending on job opportunities and qualifications as well.

If we're good enough with what we are doing, I don't think your employers will get a chance to think to fire you. Not when you're an asset to the company.

demented_pigeon

March 22nd, 2007, 11:50 AM

Maraming "plastic" sa Pilipinas kaya minsan nagkakamaling maghire din..unang firsts moths.. ayos ang trabaho..kalaunan..akala mo na kung sino...

Karapatan nga nila, pero lahat may hangganan namna diba..walang "absolute" o kaya ang sobra nakakasama.

Tapos kapag maglalagay ng standards ang management, magrereklamo ang mga job-seekers.. discrimination "daw"... alam naman natin ang gobyerno, many times they tend to please the Labor Unions kahit nasa maling side sila.

That's the irony...sadly.

oo nga minsan ganoon din. tapos meron naman mga negosyante sisisantihin ka bago mag6 months ka para hindi ka maging regular. pero sa totoo lang, mas madalas magside ang gobyerno sa management hindi totoo na madalas sa unyon. may tawag nga raw na the government vote is the management vote.

demented_pigeon

March 22nd, 2007, 11:52 AM

Yeah. That having a 6-month long job is better than not having work for that 6 months. During that span of time, the worker should have made ipon although for small amounts. And then before the contract ends, mas maganda kung maghahanap na ng malilipatan kung hanggang 6 months nga lang ang kontrata. It will be beneficial for the worker and the family he feeds. Altltough mas maganda kung meh security of tenure sila sa trabaho, mabuti na yung may meron kesa wala.

imposible yun ngayon baka abutin ka pa ng isang taon wala ka pang trabaho at naisangla mo na sa 5-6 yung tv mo... konti lang talaga yung matitipid, baka magastos mo pa nga habang walang trabaho.

Sinjin P.

March 22nd, 2007, 12:05 PM

Hmm, speaking of employment, I have a cousin who's working for a 5-star hotel as a bellboy. He not yet a regular employee and he's earning P2,500 a month. The thing is, he earns more from the "tips" of the foreign tourists, averaging at P7,500 a month :D

le Reine

March 22nd, 2007, 01:42 PM

^ganoon naman sa services sector particularty hotels and tourism.

With regards sa employment. Contractualization is ok for me. This at least gives an assurance to employers that the workers would not abuse their power through labor unions. At the same time, I'm also for labor unions because this would protect the workers. It's just a matter of balancing the two. After all, we have the laws that would protect the workers. The problem is that the workers don't know their rights or they are just too scared to fight for it. Hence, in this case, it is important to have labor unions which would back them up and teach them their rights. But in our Economics class, unions also have a setback when they suddenly ask for a minimun wage that is above the equilibrium wage, which causes unemployment.

The problem for our country today is still job creation. Even if the president would accomplish her target of creating 1M jobs a year, it would still be insufficient. And the problem of underemployment is also staggering. That's why the government is actively luring more investments.

IsabelPresley

March 22nd, 2007, 02:45 PM

That's true..^^ The problem is filipinos see the easy money earned abroad. It's hard for them to accept their low wages when they know so many others earn much more overseas. It is true that their lower pay is somewhat offset by the lower costs of living there, but that doesn't help the fact that there are so many OFWs abroad who remit much more money back into the country.

Actually, I can't blame them because the labor system there needs an overhaul......

hindi naman EASY MONEY ang lahat eh, akala nila EASY MONEY na parang pumunta ka na sa US, BOOM, MAYAMAN KA NA!, PERO HINDI NO! You still have to work hard for it, and sacrifice.

crappypants

March 22nd, 2007, 06:11 PM

Let me tell you about lazy people, we were looking for a maid and we couldn't find one ,though there were lots of idled bodied tambays in our old neighborhood. we were paying this girl 100 pesos a day just to take my mom for a few minutes walk , she did it for two days and never came back. this was a few years back so 100 pesos still had some purchase power. Imagine the min wage was like 125 per day and she would get 100 for less than 30 mins of her day and yet she'd rather hang around her friends. I have lazy cousins left and right.
In spain most of their jobs are seasonal due to tourism industry. they rely only on tourists to provide them jobs. they work in the summer and are unemployed the rest of the year. somehow they make ends meet by being resourceful.

zeejay

March 23rd, 2007, 03:49 AM

imposible yun ngayon baka abutin ka pa ng isang taon wala ka pang trabaho at naisangla mo na sa 5-6 yung tv mo... konti lang talaga yung matitipid, baka magastos mo pa nga habang walang trabaho.
Yeah. That is the problem. Our countrymen are fond of whining and complaining but are not patient and hardworking to find means to sustain themselves. When there's job, there's pay, there's luxury, no food. One-day-millionaire attitude. So we cannot blame the president for saying that Filipinos should minimize spending on luxury and concentrate on the basics. She's right about that because there are many who claim to be poor and jobless yet they have money to spend for celphone load and even new phone models. As one poster said, it's not easy to find a job so we shouldn't be selective. If there's opportunity, grab it. Better to have one source of living than to have nothing at all.

demented_pigeon

March 23rd, 2007, 05:06 AM

Yeah. That is the problem. Our countrymen are fond of whining and complaining but are not patient and hardworking to find means to sustain themselves. When there's job, there's pay, there's luxury, no food. One-day-millionaire attitude. So we cannot blame the president for saying that Filipinos should minimize spending on luxury and concentrate on the basics. She's right about that because there are many who claim to be poor and jobless yet they have money to spend for celphone load and even new phone models. As one poster said, it's not easy to find a job so we shouldn't be selective. If there's opportunity, grab it. Better to have one source of living than to have nothing at all.

e wala na ngang luxury items e. Pancit mami na nga lang kinakain tinitipid pa yung naipong suweldo nung nagraket bilang isang janitor tapos sasabihan nating take advantage of the opportunity. Maraming cases na buong pamilya na ang nagtatrabaho... kulang pa rin.

crappypants

March 23rd, 2007, 05:16 AM

case to case basis. gmas words were taken out of context. there are many poor industrious persons out there but there are twice as many lazy ones. and

demented_pigeon

March 23rd, 2007, 05:29 AM

beads_strawberries

March 23rd, 2007, 07:32 AM

^ i'd disagree that they're just because they're lazy. the argument that laziness is the cause of poverty has been overused to cover up deformities within a system. As a teacher of mine once asked, "If ever the poor is not lazy, can you assure me he wouldn't be poor?" The problem is, there are millions of Filipinos trying to work as hard as they can to uplift their situation but they remain poor all their life. It just not right foe people to live in conditions that are subhuman. There are cases when people had to move out of their hosues and live on the streets because of loss of livelihood.

Kung gusto, maraming paraan, kung ayaw, maraming dahilan. I'd like to think that those who will help themselves will always have ways to improve their way of life.

Still, this is a relative thing. Of course, some would still think they are poor even if they eat three times a day and working if they are not contented with that. But then again, contentment is hardly achievable these days. One always wanted more, even if he's at the height of success.

demented_pigeon

March 23rd, 2007, 07:42 AM

Kung gusto, maraming paraan, kung ayaw, maraming dahilan. I'd like to think that those who will help themselves will always have ways to improve their way of life.

Still, this is a relative thing. Of course, some would still think they are poor even if they eat three times a day and working if they are not contented with that. But then again, contentment is hardly achievable these days. One always wanted more, even if he's at the height of success.

id like to believe that too... sana ganun yun pero pag kasama mo sila at nakikita mo problema nila masisira lang yung dating paliwanag. minsan mahirap ka hindi dahil tamad ka, minsan mahirap ka kasi may problemang hindi kayang solusyonan ng madalian. Tinanong ko rin sarili ko isang tsuper ano gusto niya sa buhay... sabi niya mapagaral lang ang anak pwede na yun... tanong ko magkano... sabi niya mga ilang libo... may pera ba? wala raw... baka tumigil pa nga yung anak niya. Baka mangarap na lang din yung anak niya na makapagaral din yung anak niya. Masaklap pero yun yung realidad na hindi natin puwedeng sabihin na dulot ng katamaran nila... Minsan kahit magsikap ka walang makukuha. Minsan naman magsikap ka, iba makikinabang.

beads_strawberries

March 23rd, 2007, 09:00 AM

^^ Is it luck or determination? I'm glad to say that my father was once a jeepney driver. During my elementary days, I like to accompany my father during his pasadas. Maybe my father was so determined. He did not want his children to stop schooling. Right now, all four of us are graduates of a four year course. My father did not even finish high school while my mother did not reach college level. Sabi nga ng nanay ko, kahit tindera lang ako at driver lang ang tatay mo, napagtapos ko naman kayo. Guess what? I'm more proud with my parents each time their children went on stage to get their college diplomas. Maybe it was an added bonus that one of their children is on her way of becoming a lawyer.

I did not say this to brag about my family. Although I am proud that my parents did everything to give us the education we need. They know what to prioritize. Maybe, just maybe, that is what we need. The parents should know what to prioritize if they really wanted good life for their children.

There are job opportunities out there. We just have to be determined enough to find them.

le Reine

March 23rd, 2007, 01:13 PM

I don't really understand why there are many Filipinos who are poor despite the rich natural resources that we have. It still puzzles me why the people we call tycoons today were dirt poor when they migrated here. And to think that they don't even know our culture and language. We should have had the advantage. They managed to become millionaires, even billionaires. Why can't we?

shadow_can2003

March 23rd, 2007, 01:17 PM

demented_pigeon

March 23rd, 2007, 03:33 PM

crappypants

March 23rd, 2007, 04:47 PM

^ i'd disagree that they're just because they're lazy. the argument that laziness is the cause of poverty has been overused to cover up deformities within a system. As a teacher of mine once asked, "If ever the poor is not lazy, can you assure me he wouldn't be poor?" The problem is, there are millions of Filipinos trying to work as hard as they can to uplift their situation but they remain poor all their life. It just not right foe people to live in conditions that are subhuman. There are cases when people had to move out of their hosues and live on the streets because of loss of livelihood.

are you kidding? it's already inculcated in the masa's pshyche. live for the day, aspire only three meals a day and be content, buy cell phones, branded names so you can show off, cigarrettes ,alcohol, instead of the arduous task of saving pennies to maybe start a business someday? Do you wonder why poor immigrants when transplanted in a different country , thrive?
Attitude also has a lot to do with it. Even more that we have a fucked up govt. you must work twice as hard to seize the moment.
It's very cultural . I see in my relatives . Even growing up I would hear from adults around me, of course church's teachings, poor is good ,business is evil . poverty will inherit the earth.
lazyness didn't create poverty but it's one of the factors for being poor and stagnant.

demented_pigeon

March 24th, 2007, 01:21 AM

are you kidding? it's already inculcated in the masa's pshyche. live for the day, aspire only three meals a day and be content, buy cell phones, branded names so you can show off, cigarrettes ,alcohol, instead of the arduous task of saving pennies to maybe start a business someday? Do you wonder why poor immigrants when transplanted in a different country , thrive?
Attitude also has a lot to do with it. Even more that we have a fucked up govt. you must work twice as hard to seize the moment.
It's very cultural . I see in my relatives . Even growing up I would hear from adults around me, of course church's teachings, poor is good ,business is evil . poverty will inherit the earth.
lazyness didn't create poverty but it's one of the factors for being poor and stagnant.

no im not kidding. kung ganoon na nag lang yung hinahangad may mali talaga sa lipunan mo kasi ALAM ng masa na hanggang doon lang yung kaya nila. Sana naman nababahala ka dahil alam ng masa na kahit ganoong pangarap hindi na nga natutupad. Nagatatanong ka kung bakit yun yung pangarap nila? e simpleng tao na nga lang yun kaya wag ka magtaka... Magtaka ka kung bakit simpleng hangarin lang hindi pa natutupad. Huwag mong sasabihin hindi sila nangangarap ng mas magdandang buhay dahil marami diyan ang nangangarap at sumusunok pero nabibigo.

At isa pang isyu yang pagbibigay ng halaga ng lipunan sa kabutihan ng kahirapan. subukan kaya nilang mamuhay sa iskwater at kumain ng isang beses isang araw ng cornicks at mami.

Lili

March 24th, 2007, 06:21 AM

People who know that they can only earn so much are less motivated to put in more effort. They lose drive, vim and vigor. Whereas, if they know that they will be rewarded more the more they exert, they will strive harder. This is the reason why some Pinoys are more productive abroad.

crappypants

March 24th, 2007, 06:30 AM

if that's the case why are the immigrant chinoys, bumbays and now koreans living well in Pinas. the taho puto and shoe vendors are all millionaires now . their success wasn't achieved overnight.

Lili

March 24th, 2007, 06:34 AM

^ that's probably because they have the seed money to invest in their businesses. And they have a community support network that assist each other monetarily. Sa Pinoy, mahirap mangutang at mag-pautang. Baka ma "thank you" ka pa. Kung hindi mo naman kamag-anak, baka ma 5 - 6 ka pa. (I think the anti-usury laws are not in effect as of now, is it?) Hindi ko nilalahat pero maraming kuwentong ganyan lalo na sa magkamag-anak o magkaibigan.

le Reine

March 24th, 2007, 06:37 AM

What I can see in our culture is a bit of aversion to investing money or we don't have the entreprenuerial vigor that the Chinese and the Indians have. Karamihan ng napapansin ko instant money ang gusto. Plus, they look more on businesses with instant and huge profit. Problem is, I think, there's no such business.

Lili

March 24th, 2007, 06:40 AM

crappypants

March 24th, 2007, 06:42 AM

instant gratification. lacking patience and no sacrifice. lacking of entrepeneurial drive because we are taught this is evil.

demented_pigeon

March 24th, 2007, 11:18 AM

demented_pigeon

March 24th, 2007, 11:19 AM

^^ I would think so. No wonder there are a lot who are victimized there by "budong-budong", pyramid, multi-level marketing, etc. etc. scams. They like easy money. As I mentioned before, the No. 1 crime in the Philippines has something to do with estafa or fraud.

pero take note na yung mga lower middle to middle class lang ang pwedeng mabudol budol ng ganyan. hindi ka rin naman mapipyramid kung taga-kalkal ka lang ng basura sa payatas.

Askal82

March 24th, 2007, 06:06 PM

Filipinos are risk adverse in general. They don't have the patience to take their time, learn and think in the long run what the business will bring to them.

tyronne

March 24th, 2007, 06:19 PM

If ever I go home soon, I'm planning to try my luck in Manila to find a job. But I don't want to be branded as some people from the province na nakikipagsiksikan sa Manila at nagcocontribute sa pagiging overcrowded ng Manila dahil ang mga taga-probinsya ay pumupunta sa Manila hehe:D

Insanedriver

March 24th, 2007, 06:37 PM

Kung makikipagsapalaran sa maynila, make sure you have everything you need like money and a house not a shanty. The rest of the filipinos should know that life in Manila is more complicated than the ones in province. Sa probinsya me taniman ka sa Maynila wala.
Dont worry, as long as na hindi ka magiging squater ndi ka mabrabranded.

Mga pasaway na squatters wala ng ginawa kung di magnakaw tapos mga reklamador pa.

sugarboy

March 25th, 2007, 11:38 AM

^^you should blame joey lina for having authored that law giving rights to squatters.

tigidig14

March 25th, 2007, 07:18 PM

zeejay

March 26th, 2007, 07:50 AM

^until of now, since i found that out, im still very amaze how was that pass. very sad, very very sad

kasi nga yung iba kayod ng kayod para lang makabili ng property o lupang magiging investment tapos yung mga squatter itatayo na lang nila dun yung barong-barong nila, tapos, kung hindi mo mapaalis yung mga squatter na yun, proproblemahin mo pa sila. hay naku!

sa totoo nilalaban namin din to sa lupa namin sa sampaloc pero since wala na ang mga angkan namin dun, hirap na hirap naming makuha yung lupa. nagrerenta nga sila dun dati pero since umalis kami tinayuan na nila ng bahay. tapos sila na daw ang nagmamayari, since sila ang nagbabayad ng tax mula nung umalis kami.... haay, tapos yung mga papa't tito't tita ko pinababayaan na lang kasi nga naman sinong makikinabang dun.tsk tskMarami kasi sa mga kababayan natin ang asa ng asa sa goobyerno hindi naman naghahanap ng sariling paraan para gumanda ang buhay. Marami namang proyekto ang pamahalaan para sa lahat. Unang-una na dyan ang edukasyon. May mga programa para dito pero ang mga ibang bata ngayon tamad mag-arala, hindi nakakatapos. Tuloy hindi makapahhanap ng sariling trabaho, hindi magkaron ng sariling income, hindi makapagpatayo ng sariling bahat, ipipilit ang pagiging skwater tapos isisisi sa gobyerno. Tsk, tsk. Sana yung iba umuwi na lang sa probinsya para magtanim at mag-ani. Yung aanihin ipagbili. Parehong meh kikitain sila makakapagprovide pa ng food resources sa mga mamamayan natin.

crappypants

March 26th, 2007, 07:57 AM

at usong uso ang bf bf ang babata pa. it's because the tv shows . all the shows are about preteens and their loveteams. kaya ganun ang population lobo ng lobo.

beads_strawberries

March 26th, 2007, 08:05 AM

im happy for your family and i just hope that could be the case for all families. but sadly, if we want families to be lifted from the quagmire of povery, everyone has to participate in helping out. no excuses. any simple thing that we can do. poverty is not just a problem of lack of resources but access to it and even right to access it.

Indeed, there should be no excuses. After all, no one is responsible for us but us alone, primarily that is. The government may provide some of these things for the people but there are still limitations. The government's concern cannot be extended to everyone because practicality-wise, it has to think of the common good.

Ady001

March 28th, 2007, 08:32 PM

at usong uso ang bf bf ang babata pa. it's because the tv shows . all the shows are about preteens and their loveteams. kaya ganun ang population lobo ng lobo.

Well, kailangang i-ban ang mga ganitong shows and let the youth watch boring science and math videos. Tapos ang dapat ipirata eh yung mga educational video tapes, not the sex education videotapes.

jgacis

March 29th, 2007, 08:01 AM

Filipinos are risk adverse in general. They don't have the patience to take their time, learn and think in the long run what the business will bring to them.

True, I see that in my family and friends. But not every filipino is like that. We just need to keep learning from each other and other nationalities. I see it more as a learned cultural mindset than a genetic disadvangtage.

smokingunmanila

April 6th, 2007, 05:24 AM

yan yung sinasabi ni Rizal na "smelly fish"...

crappypants

April 6th, 2007, 05:54 AM

what a very trying hard banana. what a shame it's usually the most intelligent ones that are ashamed of their filipinoness.

Askal82

April 6th, 2007, 07:24 AM

what a very trying hard banana. what a shame it's usually the most intelligent ones that are ashamed of their filipinoness.

It's because her kind gets confused in associating western education with her own perception of cultural and racial inferiority, furthering her own ignorance instead of enlightenment only to end up degrading herself in the end. It is called 'eating back her own vomit'.

kiretoce

April 7th, 2007, 04:40 AM

Holy Week in Europe (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryID=72650)
By Louie Galicia ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau

Filipino workers in Europe are surprised to find that Holy Thursday and Good Friday are normal working days here.

For those who have been here for a while, the initial shock is over and they look forward to the joyous Easter celebration and the long three-day weekend.

Unlike in the Philippines, there are no traditional rites and customs during the commemoration of Holy Week in Europe. There is no traditional “Visita Iglesia” because churches are closed by the time people get off work. There is no day set aside for reflection and prayers because most workers still have to complete eight hours of work.

Holy Week in European countries is a time of celebration and feasting. Malls and shops are jampacked during this time of the year as shops offer as much as 30 percent discount on products.

In Europe, Easter Monday is the most important religious event observed by both Catholics and Protestants. It is when almost all businesses close shop for a holiday.

Since Easter Monday is a big holiday, people do their shopping and groceries on either Holy Thursday or Good Friday to refill their pantries for the long weekend.

And this is not just because there will be no store open on Easter Monday. Easter Sunday here is celebrated like Christmas when families hold reunions and an extravagant Easter lunch is always planned in advance.

Easter in Europe is mainly for children and the young at heart. Children wake up on Easter morning and play Easter egg hunts. The whole family also goes to hear Easter Mass before going home to a sumptuous feast.

After lunch, kids resume the egg hunt where they dig and scavenge through real or fake grass to look for the painted eggs. The kids with the most eggs found not only get to keep and eat the eggs but also win a prize.

While some families use real, hard-boiled eggs for the egg hunt, most now use eggs made of pure chocolate. Every year, tons of chocolate eggs, chocolate bunnies and chocolate chicks are produced for Easter. On Black Saturday, shops are full of buyers who do last-minute purchases of Easter chocolate eggs to be used on annual egg hunts.

Easter in Europe is celebrated just like Christmas as people decorate their houses with bunny figures, chicks and eggs. There is also an Easter tree, which is decorated with grass and eggs. Pastel green and pastel yellow are the colors associated with Easter.

So what do the Filipinos do during Holy Week? Some religious groups organize a pilgrimage to Lourdes, France. Some groups organize out-of-town retreats out of town while others hold a special Filipino Mass where the traditional “salubong” is celebrated.

Some Catholics even go to Rome to attend the Easter Mass celebrated by the Pope.

crappypants

April 7th, 2007, 06:15 AM

A homeless Filipino in New York
By Rodel Rodis, 14 February 2007

NEW YORK -- In the fashionable Tribeca section of Manhattan is an art gallery design studio called Tama Gallery owned by my long-time friends, Craig Scharlin and Lilia Villanueva. As I was about to enter the gallery, a neighbor, actor Vincent D’Onofrio, passed by and greeted Lilia. I was impressed.

“Well, actually,” Lilia smiles, “there are several celebs who live on our street—Gwyneth Paltrow, Edward Albee, Kevin Spacey and that’s just the ones I know about. De Niro’s original TriBeCa penthouse pad is around the corner, across from the famous Nobu restaurant he owns with partners.”

As we left Lilia’s gallery to eat at the Cendrillon, the premier Filipino restaurant in SoHo, Lilia pointed to another resident of Tribeca whom she sees on a regular basis, a Filipino in his 30s who seemed to be putting some clothes on while seated on the curb with his bicycle and few belongings nearby.

“That’s Pedro,” Lilia said. “He’s homeless.”

What? There’s a homeless Filipino in America? It sounded strange. I know, given the fact that there are now 3.5 million Filipinos in America (not 2.4-M which was the estimate 7 years ago in the TNT–excluded 2000 Census), that it would be statistically improbable for there not to be homeless Filipinos among the seemingly millions of homeless people in America.

It’s just that in our Filipino culture, we generally take care of our own. Somehow, there is always some relative or some kababayan out there willing to take care of a Filipino in need of home and shelter.

Lilia narrated that when they first opened their gallery in 2002, Pedro showed up at the doorstep peering inside. Lilia opened the door and immediately smelled the odor of one who had not taken a bath or shower in weeks.

“Are you a Filipino?” he asked. When Lilia nodded, “ako rin” (me too), he said.

Pedro told her he was from Iloilo (his mother’s side) and immigrated to the U.S. when he was nine years old. He still spoke Ilongo which Lilia could speak too as she came from nearby Bacolod. In Ilongo, he would not reveal to Lilia where he slept or cleaned himself (maskin di-in lang da – ‘wherever’) and said getting food is never a problem. Someone once told Lilia that New York’s restaurants are probably the most generous to the homeless and needy in the country so she was not surprised.

Pedro wanted Lilia to be his friend. Lilia was open to it but made it a condition of their friendship that he would not ask her for money. He agreed.

In a later visit, Pedro asked to use Lilia’s phone to call his sister in Texas. Lilia gave him the phone and after he reached his sister, Meldy, he introduced her to Lilia.

Meldy was grateful that Pedro had found a friend, a kababayan in New York. Pedro had one other friend in the City, a Filipino nurse in the Bellevue Hospital where he would often be admitted in the psychiatric ward after being picked up in the streets by the New York Police.

Lilia learned from Meldy that Pedro is a schizophrenic but that he was not always so. Once, she said, he was the brightest and smartest of all of them, the nine siblings who immigrated to the U.S. with their parents in the early 70s. Pedro had been a sous chef with one of the top restaurants in Los Angeles. He was in great shape physically and anything he set his mind to, he could do and do well, she said.

But Pedro’s life changed dramatically when his beloved mother died, Meldy recounted. His personality changed as he began to have hallucinations. He seemed to have withdrawn from society, retreating into an inner shell and he began talking to himself, exhibiting psychotic symptoms.

Pedro’s siblings took turns taking care of him, all over the U.S. Then one day, Pedro disappeared. After a frantic search, they learned that he had made his way to New York, and had become one of the City’s homeless denizens.

Schizophrenia is a severely disabling brain disease affecting approximately 1 percent of the U.S. population, causing people to suffer horrifying symptoms such as hearing internal voices, or believing that others are reading their minds, controlling their thoughts, or plotting to harm them. These symptoms may leave them fearful and withdrawn. Their speech and behavior can be so disorganized that they may be incomprehensible or frightening to others.

A large number of America’s homeless suffer from schizophrenia, leaving them unable to work and maintain normal lives. In the 50s and 60s, many of them were placed in mental hospitals operated by the states. That changed in the early 70s when California Gov. Ronald Reagan eliminated state funding for the mentally disabled forcing many mental hospitals to shut down and release their patients to live on their own. Other states soon followed California and the homeless crisis in America was in full bloom.

Lilia recounted that one day she received a call from Meldy asking her to pass on to Pedro that their Uncle Joseling died, without any children, leaving his property in Iloilo to Pedro and his siblings. The brothers and sister, Meldy told Lilia, had agreed they would give the property for Pedro to use. They wanted Pedro to go back to Iloilo and live in their uncle house and be cared for by maids and live off the money the siblings would provide.

Lilia was tasked with relaying this message to Pedro but she was not quite sure how to convince Pedro to accept the gift. She would try her best as she was convinced this would be best for Pedro.

The next day when Pedro showed up at the gallery, Lilia was all smiles and excited to tell him the good news. She told Pedro what his siblings had decided. They were all willing to give him their share of the inheritance because they all love him and care for his welfare.

“This would solve all your problems, Pedro. You wouldn’t have to worry about a place o sleep, or what to eat. You wouldn’t have to fear police officers or thugs. You could get all the medical treatment you need to get better.” Lilia explained.

Pedro listened intently. At the end of Lilia’s pitch, Pedro said “no”. “What will I do in Iloilo? No way!” he said. The voices inside of Pedro’s head rejected the idea of leaving the dangerous but familiar streets of New York to the safe, secure but unfamiliar life in Iloilo.

Pedro would not allow Lilia to change his mind. He was adamant that he would not leave the streets of New York.

When you go to Tribeca (the TRIangle BElow CAnal) in New York, say hi to DeNiro, Gwyneth , Chris, Spacy, D’Onofrio, and to Pedro.

how sad one of his siblings cannot take him in.

Louman

April 7th, 2007, 07:29 AM

Watch Ms Malkin get her ass handed to her as she tries to defend a conspiracy against a former US presidential candidate. The book they are talking about is "Unfit to Command", an attack book against former candidate John Kerry. The people they are talking about are the Swift Boat Veterans for truth who made a series of commercials that fooled many Americans into thinking they served with Kerry and tried to bring down his credibility.

JoM90bAsr1M

Watch her defend the Japanese internment by the American Government during WWII.

lGQkEQjFCkc

She's not a Filipina. She's American. Just that. Less embarrassment for us.

Insanedriver

April 7th, 2007, 10:22 AM

Ang hirap talagang manirahan abroad...:ohno:
Meron ding pinapalayas na mga Pilipino dito. nakakaawa sila...

Mercato

April 7th, 2007, 03:27 PM

^^ Would you settle for Fil-American:) ? Coz technically that is what Michelle Malkin is, a Filipina-American. Born in the USA, a product of her own environment (no matter how warped her growing up years might have been, but still a product nevertheless).

I chanced upon kiretoce's article below and although it is a bit dated it still aptly describes how some Fil-Ams were raised and how some of them view the world outside the United States. How pitiful. I'm not really surprised at the young man's total ignorance of Philippine history.

If the so-called US born & bred Fil-Ams don't want to associate with the "FOBS", then so be it; we (my relatives anyway) do not wish to associate with their kind either. We do not wish to associate with gooks who gravitate toward ghetto culture. FOBS go to America to make mucho dinero for their families, that is it. FOBS have no time to mingle with degenerates loaded with attitudes like what Michelle Malkin and the rest of her US born & bred Fil-Am friends are displaying. Tit for tat.

[QUOTE=kiretoce;9134868]Bump! :colgate:

PINOY KASI: Thinking American
By Michael Tan 07/05/2006

Some time back, I was talking with some people in an urban poor community when one young man interrupted to ask if I could translate an English word I had used: colony.

I was surprised by the question and fumbled for a split second, realizing we didn’t have a local term. Eventually, I explained the word as a place conquered and occupied (“sinakop”). To illustrate, I used the Philippines as an example, i.e., that we used to be first a colony of Spain and then of the United States.

I was in for an even greater surprise. The young man, who was in his early 20s, was incredulous. “We were occupied by the Americans?” he asked. “We were their colony?”

Lobotomized

This wasn’t a case of amnesia. We do have memories of our past, but they tend to be selective, and eclectic, a bit here, a bit there but without coherence. This young man was well aware of America; as with many other Filipinos, there is no lack of connections with that distant land with a grandaunt who had migrated many years ago to work as a nurse in New York, plus a smattering of relatives in the US Navy. He idolizes American culture, in terms of rap and popular music and Hollywood films, mainly of the “Terminator” and “Son of Chuckie” genre.

Perhaps what we’re seeing is something closer to what Benedict Anderson describes, in his book “The Specter of Comparisons” as “lobotomies.” It’s almost as if part of our brain has been removed, leaving us with a selective memory of our colonial past, as well as a selective sensory perception of the present.

kiretoce

April 8th, 2007, 02:09 AM

Louman

April 8th, 2007, 07:13 AM

^^ oh she's making a lot of friends... i'm sure you wouldn't want to be caught by them or they'll lynch u... u look dark enough for them.. haha.

kiretoce

April 8th, 2007, 03:33 PM

^^ Talking about being dark, she's (Michelle) dark herself! Now that's "the pot calling the kettle black." :lol:

kiretoce

April 11th, 2007, 01:28 AM

26,000 naturalized Pinoys regain citizenship, can vote (http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2007/apr/11/yehey/metro/20070411met1.html)
By William Depasupil Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Some 26,000 former Filipinos have already regained their Philippine citizenship since the Bureau of Immigration (BI) started implementing the dual citizenship law three years ago.

“As a result, these former Pinoys are again enjoying their rights and privileges, including the right to vote, as citizens of the Philippines,” Immigration Acting Commissioner Roy Almoro said Tuesday.

Almoro said that of the total applications approved, 12,000 were processed at the BI main office in Intramuros, while the rest were filed with the various Philippine consulates abroad.

It was in 2003 when Congress passed Republic Act 9225, or the Citizenship Retention and Reacquisition Act, but the immigration bureau started processing only in April 2004 after Malacañang designated the bureau as the lead implementing agency for the law.

Under that act, also known as the Dual Citizenship Law, former natural-born Filipinos who later became naturalized citizens of other countries are declared not to have lost their Philippine citizenship.

The law was enacted in line with the thrust of President Arroyo’s administration to encourage former Filipinos now settled overseas to return to the motherland, buy property and invest in business ventures or simply enjoy their lives as retirees.

Lawyer Arvin Santos, head of the BI task force on dual citizenship, said his team receives an average of between 10 and 20 applications for dual citizenship a day.

Santos said the number of applicants began to surge in October 2005 when the bureau came out with new rules easing the requirements for dual citizenship.

Under the revised rules, applicants for dual citizenship are no longer obliged to submit birth certificates from the National Statistics Office (NSO) to prove that they were former natural-born Filipinos.

Instead, an applicants may submit their birth certificates from the local civil registrars of their birthplaces and other documents, such as his old Philippine passports, voter’s affidavits and marriage contracts that state, and therefore prove, that they are natural-born Filipinos.

Santos also reported a steady rise in the number of applications for dual citizenship that are being processed and approved by the different Philippine consulates overseas.

He said the Department of Foreign Affairs regularly transmits to the BI the lists and records of approved dual citizenship applicants so that the latter may secure their identification certificates and leave their fingerprint files with the bureau.

queetz@home

April 11th, 2007, 05:39 AM

^^ Of course, the article fails to state that to vote, one has to register before a specific deadline as well... :|

Risk Taker

April 11th, 2007, 09:03 AM

what about for countries without diplomatic relations with the philippines? Can a former filipino from these countries also allowed to apply dual citizenship?

Thunderflip

April 11th, 2007, 10:42 AM

What about Philippine citizens who are willing to reaquire their foreign passports, which they lost? Or Philippine citizens who are willing to retain their Philippine passports after aquiring a forein citizenship? Does it also apply to these situations?

queetz@home

April 11th, 2007, 10:53 AM

^^ As long as you are a citizen of the other country, you can reaquire their passports. You can hold two passports, one which is Philippines and the other which is the other country (assuming that other country allows dual also). As for the next question, as far as I know, once you loose your Filipino citizenship, your Philippine passport becomes invalid until you become a Filipino again.

what about for countries without diplomatic relations with the philippines? Can a former filipino from these countries also allowed to apply dual citizenship?

Yes and no. If you lost your Filipino citizenship because you became naturalized on the other country, you can get your Filipino citizenship back by applying for dual. But if the other country does not allow dual citizenship, then you will loose the new country's citizenship when you become a Filipino citizen again.

Disclaimer, for absolute certainty, please consult an immigration lawyer to at least confirm my interpretation above.

kiretoce

April 13th, 2007, 02:07 AM

South Korea ups job quota for Filipino workers (http://www.gmanews.tv/story/38017/South-Korea-ups-job-quota-for-Filipino-workers)

South Korea’s labor ministry has increased by 20 percent this year’s job roster quota of the Philippines to 12,000, from 10,000 in 2006.

Administrator Rosalinda Baldoz of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) attributed the quota increase to the Filipino laborers’ good performance last year.

The higher quota makes the Philippines the biggest labor exporter among 14 countries covered by Korea’s Employment Permit System (EPS), a government-to-government hiring scheme intended to curb the problem over illegal recruitment.

Baldoz said Thailand and Vietnam got 11,000 quota each, Indonesia and Mongolia got 9,000 each, and Sri Lanka, was given 8,000. Other countries have quota ranging from 1,000 t0 5,000 workers.

The EPS replaced the Alien Industrial Trainee System (AITS) that allowed hiring through private recruiters. Korea had abolished the trainee scheme and stopped issuing trainee visas since Jan 1, 2007.

As a result, Philippine licensed agencies that used to hire trainees for Korea could no longer recruit workers under the trainee scheme.

Under this scheme, Korean employers can only get foreign workers legally through the EPS. The POEA is the only government agency authorized to implement the scheme in the Philippines.

Sound migration policies

Baldoz said the increased quota for the Philippines “underscores the confidence of Korea in the soundness of our labor migration policies and the competence of the government overseas employment agencies to deliver the required services."

The Philippines and South Korea have a memorandum of understanding on the deployment of Filipino workers.

Baldoz said the additional job quota given to the Philippines effectively debunks speculations that the quota will be reduced due to the alleged increase in the number of overstaying Filipinos in Korea.

“The rate of increase of illegal foreign nationals was one of the criteria used in the country allocation so the insinuation was proved wrong with the increase of quota," Baldoz said.

Korea’s labor ministry reported that from January to November 2006, a total of 2,053 foreign workers left their employers illegally. Mongolians topped the list with 687; Thais, 621; Indonesians, 246; Filipinos, 231; Vietnamese, 193; and Sri Lankans, 84.

The other criteria used were the employers’ preference, labor contract cancellation, speed of deployment process, and number of industries looking for prospective workers.

Korean language test

The POEA is currently administering the registration of prospective overseas workers for the May 6 Korean Language Test (KLT) as a requirement for employment under the EPS.

Registration has been going on until April 20 at the Occupational Safety and Health Center on North Avenue corner Agham Road in Quezon City.

A brief commotion marred the first day of the registration on April 2 when hundreds of job applicants forced open the compound’s gate to gain entry into the compound.

The language test will be held on May 6 at the University of the East (UE) and San Sebastian College in Manila. Test venues for Cebu and Davao applicants have not been determined.

The original quota for the Philippines was for 9,000 Filipino males and 1,000 females for this year, mostly as factory workers.

Factory jobs in South Korea pay an average of $700 a month, excluding overtime pay, which is pegged at 150 percent of regular rates.

Baldoz said over the past three years, the EPS has employed 14,000 overseas Filipino workers.

Applicants should pass the Korean Language Test and the medical requirement for inclusion in the ‘Roster of Jobseekers’ to have a chance to be hired by a Korean employer, Baldoz said.

Simultaneous registration for KLT are going on at the POEA regional offices in Cebu (mezzanine floor of LDM building on MJ Cuenco Avenue corner Legaspi Street in Cebu City) and Davao (2nd floor of AMYA II building on Quimpo boulevard corner Tulip Street, Ecoland).

The May 6 KLT is the fifth that Korea has scheduled in the Philippines and eight other labor-exporting countries: Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Mongolia, Cambodia, Uzbekistan and Pakistan.

The test covers 25 questions with 100 score for ‘listening’ for 40 minutes and another 25 questions for reading with 100 score for 50 minutes.

In order to pass, the applicant must get at least 40 points in each test domain, and an overall score of at least 120 points for the two tests.

kiretoce

April 13th, 2007, 02:20 AM

Toiling abroad for survival (http://www.bruneitimes.com.bn/details.php?shape_ID=26753)
By Isabel Escoda 12 April 2007

It's no secret that for some time now Filipinos have often been looked upon as the world's servants. Known for being amiable English-speaking people from an impoverished Asian country, Filipino migrant workers have made themselves indispensable in countless households in developed countries around the globe.

It's also no secret that this fact infuriates many members of the Filipino elite who detest being lumped with the menial class.

In the early days, when the role of master and servant was clearly delineated, wealthy Westerners sometimes employed Chinese cooks as well, which gave them some cachet among the upper classes, even in the democratic United States. It was, I believe, a William Faulkner novel which featured a southern tycoon who employed a Filipino whose status was just a step above the black workers on his plantation. Lurking about in the southerners mansion, the man did his master's bidding and performed the menial tasks.

The Filipino manservant then was something of a novelty; the Filipina housemaid today is a commonplace.

Globalisation has seen huge numbers of inhabitants of the Third World, as it's often been called, heading for the First World on such a massive scale that it's become quite unacceptable to speak about servants. This would be because there are also a number of migrants in the nursing, entertainment, computer, accounting and other trades which put them in a different category from the servant class.

Similarly, the word slave has almost completely vanished from the language and only surfaces now and then when referring to sexual domination, as in "sex slave".

In the Spanish colonial period in the Philippines, the ruling class referred to their servants as muchachos or criados and often treated them like chattel. There was, of course, no notion of human rights during that period of rampant feudalism, when the Spanish pejorative expression used to describe the native was tao.

In the American-sponsored Commonwealth era, politicians used that Tagalog word when they began voicing their concern for the common tao, meaning the ordinary citizen, the man in the street.

The Tagalog use of alipin (slave) which became alila (servant) and finally katulong (helper) likewise marked a historical shift toward a more democratic attitude.

In English, its generally no longer politically correct to refer to one's "maid", but to "the help", thus investing her with some respect and dignity.

During Imelda Marco's time, she gave a grandiose title to the street sweepers, labelling the women as Metro Manila aides. This was ostensibly to make them feel better despite the fact they had to wear lurid red and yellow uniforms and were paid a pittance.

Later there was Cory Aquino who, after one of her first foreign trips as the newly-installed president, returned to relate happily that the mayor of Rome had informed her about the faithful Filipina retainer his family had had for some years.

Soon after this, the phrase "the nation's heroes" began to be bandied about, growing more popular as thousands more migrant workers left the country.

Using that piece of hyperbole has highlighted the condescension displayed by Manila officials toward the millions of Filipinos who have to toil away from their country in order to survive.

The implication contained in those hollow words about heroism is that it's a noble thing to prostitute oneself on the altar of capitalism _ and prop up your government in the process.

In the US today, it's the Mexicans who have been storming the employment gates so as to do the dirty work which Americans prefer not to do. The Latino hordes chasing the American dream are the modern-day heroes who mirror the Filipino experience.

But it isn't just wealthy Westerners who take advantage of destitute migrant workers. The report last year about a Filipino family in the US who kept their maid in virtual slavery showed that Filipinos abuse their own kind, too.

In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Dr Jefferson Calimlim and his wife Elnora were charged with trafficking and harbouring an illegal alien. Their maid, Erma Martinez, who hails from Camarines Sur province, was kept in their home in virtual slavery, hidden from the eyes of outsiders for two decades.

After US Immigration officials took the Calimlims to trial, Erma spoke of her ordeal of working nonstop for her employers who had lied to her about her visa for 20 years.

There are, of course, countless employers of all nationalities around the world who maltreat their hired help.

Cases of cruelty toward Filipino and Indonesian women in Singapore and Malaysia are commonplace, as they are in Hong Kong where the South China Morning Post featured an editorial on the topic recently.

It said that despite this being the 21st century, life for some domestic workers in the territory is akin to bonded slavery, one in which women (from around Southeast Asia) are forced to endure unreasonable hardship.

One Chinese letter writer to the newspaper responded by acknowledging that treating servants as slaves is deeply rooted in the traditional Chinese mindset.

Sadly, not just Chinese, but Filipinos at home and abroad sometimes behave just as disgracefully toward those in their employ.

The caste system is gradually being eradicated in the world's largest democracy, India, but one still finds class and racist attitudes everywhere.

Still, there's hope in the fact that a nation like Britain, during its recent Walk of Witness, has apologised publicly for its role in the slave trade of past centuries.

But present-day slavery in other countries is something that, sadly, may still be with us for some time to come.

kiretoce

April 17th, 2007, 04:34 AM

The year was 1984. Rhacel Salazar Parrenas was 13 years old. Her whole family migrated from Manila in the Philippines, to Boston, Massachusetts in the United States, an uncommon destination for Filipino migrants then until now.

“Boston was a difficult place to transition to as a Filipino migrant because of the absence of a Filipino community or population. For this reason, there were no restaurants or other businesses that would smoothen or ease one’s transition to the local culture,” Rhacel recalls.

It was not until Rhacel went off to college at the University of California in Berkeley in 1989 that she was able to eat at a Filipino restaurant in Alameda, a city adjacent to Berkeley for the first time since migrating to the US. Filipino food became one of the reasons why she decided to stay in California.

“I remember being so excited as it had been more than five years since I tasted ube halaya. I remember going to Alameda quite often to eat Filipino food. Having access to Filipino cuisine and other cultural products is why I have decided to stay in California after graduation from college,” she says.

Moving to California to attend college did not only reconnect Rhacel with her cultural roots, it was the start of her impressive academic career as well.

Rhacel earned her degrees from UC Berkeley; her Ph.D. in 1998 in Comparative Ethnic Studies, with a Designated Emphasis in Women, Gender and Sexuality; her M.A. in 1994 in Comparative Ethnic Studies; and her B.A. in 1992 in Peace and Conflict Studies.

At the age of 35, she achieved what she considers as one of her greatest accomplishments. “I just got promoted to full professor. I am one of the first ‘Filipino American Studies’ professors to be promoted to this level and the first of Filipino descent in a research university,” she says.

Rhacel explains the importance of her promotion as full professor at UC Davis. “It is rare for one to become a full professor before one is 40 years old. So I am pretty happy that I got promoted to full professor at the age of 35 years old! My parents and sisters are really proud of me.”

“People of color – not just Filipinos – are extremely underrepresented in higher education. There are very few professors of Filipino descent in the United States,” she adds.

Doubly impressive is the fact that Rhacel belongs to a ‘research one’ institution, where the basis of promotion is determined more by the quality of one’s research over teaching. And her reseach work is impressive.

She has two books published by the Stanford University Press, ‘Children of Migration: Transnational Families and Gendered Woes’ (2005) and Servants of Globalization: Women, Migration and Domestic Work (2001), as well as inclusion in‘Making More Waves: An Anthology of Writings by and about Asian American Women (Beacon Press, 1997). She has a book in progress, ‘Women, Migration, and the Politics of Reproductive Labor: The Ochanomizu Gender Lectures to be published in Tokyo by the Ochanomizu University Press, in Japanese. Add to these, the countless journal articles, articles in anthologies and papers that she has written over the years. Rhacel’s areas of academic specialization are on feminist theory, gender, race, globalization, and immigration, to name a few.

The decision to focus on ethnic studies as her chosen field of study and her special emphasis on Filipinos in particular, came about because of Rhacel’s frustration with the lack of literature documenting and analyzing the lives of Filipino Americans.

“This was 1988-1992. I was taking ethnic studies classes because I wanted to learn an alternative history from the more European centered classes that I had taken in high school. But in college, I would take a class on Asian American Women, Immigrant Women, Asian American History, and would be frustrated by the absence of writings on Filipinos. This exclusion I knew was not intentional on the part of my teachers but the fact had been there really was no literature available for them to teach,” she says.

“This gaping hole in the literature had been my central push in deciding to pursue a career as an academic, and I chose to specialize on subjects in which I could talk about Filipino American experiences. I am a specialist of migration. Being a migrant is why I have such an interest on this subject. It is also a very politically contentious topic in the United States with discussions on undocumented workers and temporary labor migrants frequently in the news. While I could document or focus on a variety of empirical realities of migrants – for example, Mexican or Chinese experiences – I have made a political commitment to document the lives of Filipino Americans.”

Rhacel’s chosen field of study has proved to be beneficial to the Filipino community not only in the US and in the Philippines but also in other parts of the world, since migration is very much a part of the current Filipino reality.

“Filipinos migrate to more than 187 countries and destinations. Yet knowledge of the lives of Filipinos in other countries is not known to many in the United States. To have better knowledge of the diaspora – to forge a diasporic community – could be empowering. I have learned a great deal from spending time with Filipinos all over the world – Singapore, Japan, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands. I have learned about our different racializations, labor market segmentations (eg. They are mostly domestics in Italy and teachers and domestics in Spain.), and different levels of integration in a country (e.g. intermarriage is few and far between in Italy). I think to be aware of the social issues of other Filipinos in the world is a political commitment many of us still need to make.”

Rhacel writes about migration in a scientific matter and her efforts have not only been groundbreaking, they have also helped establish her reputation as an academic.

Her two books came about because she wanted to address the absence of studies on Filipino migration in the academe. “This is a bigger tragedy if one thinks about how Filipinos are the second largest migrant group – after Mexicans – in the United States. Yet, there has been so much more studies on Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Dominican, Salvadoran, and West Indian migration. The glaring absence of Filipino experiences in the literature motivated me a great deal to write books and do research on the subject,” she says.

“I have written two books that use original data on Filipino migration – Servants of Globalization: Women, Migration and Domestic Work (Stanford, 2001) and Children of Global Migration: Transnational Families and Gendered Woes (Stanford, 2005). The first book is the highest selling first-time author book for Stanford University Press. This book has been a staple and requirement in most Women’s Studies Departments around the country. It is about Filipina domestic workers in Los Angeles and Rome.”

This focus on Filipinos and migration has strengthened Rhacel’s ties to her heritage. Aside from focusing on Filipino migration as a research topic, Rhacel has also made it a point to visit the Philippines yearly. The visits started in 2000, when she was researching on children of migrant workers in the Philippines.

“They constitute approximately 27 percent of the overall youth population of the country but yet a substantial study on their lives had not yet been completed. So I ventured to the Philippines for 18 months to do this study. Since then, I have been returning to the Philippines approximately once a year. I go there to visit family and friends, as well as to do research on Filipino migration,” she says.

kiretoce

April 17th, 2007, 04:36 AM

"In the Philippines, thousands of children grow up spending little time around their parents. Labor migration has as its consequence the rise of split-apart households, that is, transnational migrant families with members located in two or more nation-states. Transnational families pose numerous challenges to the development of close family relations..." writes Rhacel Salazar Parrenas in 'Children of Global Migration: Transnational Families and Gendered Woes' published by the Stanford University Press.

Rhacel, a full professor at the University of California, Davis specializing in ‘Filipino American Studies’ has brought attention to the experiences of Filipino migrants through her research work. This focus on Filipinos and migration has not only familiarized her with her heritage, it has also brought the issue into the mainstream.

As a professor in one of the UC universities, Rhacel travels frequently to talk about her research. She has lectured in over 50 universities in the United States, including Harvard, Stanford, UCLA, UC Santa Cruz, University of Kansas, University of Delaware, UC San Diego, Yale Law School, Boalt Law School, University of Texas Law School, and Rutgers University. She has also lectured in Europe and Asia, in Greece, Denmark, the Netherlands, Japan, Korea, and India.

Aside from academic lectures her dissertation was made into a documentary called ‘The Chain of Love’ by VPRO-TV, the public broadcasting station in the Netherlands. A number of media outlets like National Public Radio shows and newspapers such as the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times have also cited her work.

What is important to note, Rhacel says, is that the topic on Filipino migration is relevant not only to the Filipino community but to the world at large as well.

“For example, Filipino domestic workers and nurses take care of other people’s children and elderly and families. So the welfare and state of being of Filipinos should not just be of concern to Filipinos but to all those whose lives are directly affected by Filipino migration,” Rhacel says.

“Also, in the case of the situation of Filipinos in other countries, for example Filipinos in Japan or Filipinos in Canada, the general public I learned also care about these issues because sometimes issues of human rights are at stake. And most people in the United States, or a great number of them, are committed to protecting everyone’s (and not just their own) human rights. So they want to hear about abuses happening.”

“They want to be aware of social issues and problems affecting others all over the world. For example, the interest in child soldiers in Africa is one such issue people are concerned about. The trafficking of a domestic worker from the Philippines to Wisconsin is, in the same way, also of concern to the general public or the abuse of domestic workers in Singapore is another example,” she adds.

Rhacel acknowledges that the Filipino diaspora has had an impact on Philippine culture.

“The Filipino diaspora has definitely made the Philippines a more cosmopolitan country with most people having knowledge of, whether direct or indirect, about the ways of life in another country from the different cuisines, habits, clothing, and religions. The infusion of this new knowledge has not created a shock in the country, however, because the Philippines since its origins have been influenced by outside cultures. After all, the country in itself formed from Spanish colonialism. So I think the infusion of other cultures has been a smooth gradual process that increases the cosmopolitanism of the country.”

“I think this has made the country, or various members of the country, open to diversity and different ways of life and they have become more open minded as a result. For example, women I met in Japan were not judgmental of people with punk rock fashion. They told me that they learned that people have different fashion sensibilities. They told me that they only learned to respect this after having lived in Japan. They said that in the Philippines, people tend to conform to the same fashion – t-shirts and jeans – and having gone abroad has shown them something about developing their individuality.”

It is no surprise that Rhacel has done well in the academe, as she comes from a family of academics. Her maternal and paternal grandparents were all school teachers. Her parents are both educators and two of her siblings also chose academic careers. One of her sisters is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Anthropology at Harvard University. Another earned her Ph.D. in Modern Thought and Literature from Stanford University and is currently an associate professor of Asian American studies at UC Santa Barbara.

As an academic, Rhacel has managed to establish a niche for herself and in the process, has drawn attention to the issue of Filpino migration in the mainstream. She hopes that through her example, more parents will encourage their kids to join the academe to join the ranks of professors of Filipino descent in the US.

athan

April 18th, 2007, 06:53 AM

this might sound stupid but i was wondering what fil-ams feel when filipinos in the philippines see filipinos from australia, new zealand, uk (canada may be excluded here for it is still in north america) as fil-ams too. you know like how they think all caucasian tourists are americans. :D

kiretoce

April 18th, 2007, 09:42 PM

More than 10% of Philippine population work outside of their homeland (http://www.philippinenews.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=28f48c47a69b3fa6d58afac349eeb220)
By Cesar Torres, April 18, 2007

This is probably a first in the history of mankind. More than 10% of Philippine population of 89.5 million are in Diaspora. We are working in various capacities all over the world. We have remitted $15 billion to the homeland in 2005, according to the London-based Economist, an amount which is equivalent to 15.2% of Philippine Domestic Product for that year. Two-thirds of our people rely on us. Obviously, under normal circumstances, we should be given a little importance.

The powerful people in the Philippines cannot just consign us to a position as a lucrative and dependable source of Philippine foreign exchange to help stabilize our economy.

As a matter of fairness and in the national interest, we have to be represented in the affairs of government. When there is massive and legitimate dissatisfaction with the quality of national leadership and system of governance, our people can no longer continue to mass by the millions on a major street in Metro Manila like what happened in 1986 and 2001, in Edsa I and Edsa II, to demand that presidents depart from Malacañang. Resorting to ”direct democracy” through mass actions can no longer guarantee a peaceful change in power. The potential risks have become deadly.

Consequently, less dramatic and less potentially dangerous was the enactment of two legislations by the Philippine Congress affecting overseas Filipinos. In 2003 a law allowing “Dual Citizenship,” Republic Act 9225, was passed. It allowed natural-born Filipino citizens who may have lost their Philippine citizenship due to naturalization as citizens of a foreign country to re-acquire their Philippine citizenship. As of January 2007, the Bureau of Immigration had approved the application for dual citizenship of more than 24,000 former Filipinos.

In the same year, the Overseas Absentee Voting Law (OAVL) was also enacted. This law allows qualified Filipinos outside of the homeland to exercise their right of suffrage.

The latest figure from the Philippine Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Department of Foreign Affairs indicate that some 504,000 Filipinos have registered as Overseas Absentee Voters.

It is noteworthy that based on the available data, in North and South America as of January 19, 2007, the Consulate General in San Francisco tops the list of the number of registered absentee voters at 4,800 out of a total of 13,083. For the same period, Los Angeles recorded 154 and Honolulu 20. Needless to say, the figures in these two cities are dismal, considering the great number of Filipinos in those places.

The San Francisco Consulate General also accounts for some 6,500 dual citizens out of the 24,000 or so all over the world. This is more than 27% of the total worldwide. In fact, about 50 Filipino Americans are sworn in as Filipino citizens every week.

Participation in Philippine governance by exercising the right of suffrage is one way of being involved more closely in the affairs of the homeland. The Overseas Absentee Voters and the dual citizens who have registered to vote can help in the selection of the more qualified and competent legislators. It is unfortunate, however, that the right of suffrage is confined to voting for President, Vice President, Senators, and Party List representatives. Overseas Absentee Voters would prefer to vote for their congressmen and governors because they have a direct impact on their hometowns and communities more than senators and Party List representatives.

Aside from participating in the election of their Senators, Party List Congressmen, Presidents and Vice Presidents, there is now an intensifying clamor among the 10 million Filipinos all over the world that they should have the right to be voted on as candidates for political offices without renouncing their other citizenship. It is argued that the right to vote implies the corresponding right to be voted on. If one is a dual citizen of, say, the United States and the Philippines, and U.S. laws do not prohibit Philippine citizenship while retaining American citizenship, Global Filipino Nation advocates such as Dr. Jose V. Abueva, Victor Barrios, Lito Gutierrez, Carmen Colet, Evelio Flores, Aida Barrios, Morgan Benedicto, University of San Francisco Professor Jun Jun Villegas of the Global Filipinos Coalition, UP lawyers Johannes Ignacio and May Ann Teodoro, journalists such as Greg Makabenta and Perry Diaz in the United States, and other concerned civic Filipino leaders all over the world such as Bong Amora, Sultan Rudy Dianalan, Bong Karno, Gerry Cuares in the Middle East, and Jun Aguilar and Leo Santiago whose network extend to sailors and Filipino workers all over the world, passionately argue that dual citizens should have the right to be candidates for political office or to be appointed to public offices in the Philippines.

This advocacy is now being hotly contested in the Philippines. Theodore Makabulos Aquino or Kuya Ted, a nephew of the assassinated martyr Ninoy Aquino, who is both a Filipino and an American citizen has filed his certificate of candidacy as an independent candidate for Senator this May 14, 2007 election. A graduate of the University of the Philippines, president of the UP Alumni Association of America, a volunteer in the Transfer of Knowledge and Technology program to the Philippines of the United Nations Development Program, an engineering and environmental consultant in America, the Comelec has disqualified his candidacy because he has not renounced his American citizenship. A request for reconsideration has been submitted. As we go to press, a decision is now being awaited. If the decision is adverse, then off to the Philippine Supreme Court it will be. It is imperative that the highest court in the land should rule on this critical issue.

In these critical times when mankind is faced with the deadly challenges of terrorism, global warming, globalization, intensifying poverty, environmental degradation, revolutionary movements, and hunger in the Philippines, our leaders cannot continue to lean on traditional and hackneyed ideas of citizenship and political participation. In California, the eight largest economy in the world, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is not only a dual citizen. He is a Triple Citizen. He is American, Austrian, and European Union Citizen. New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson is a dual citizen. He is American and Mexican. The Philippines needs to take this “New Reality”, in the words of Mr. Robert Ceralvo, an outstanding Filipino and IT engineer, into consideration.

In addition to the foregoing types of representation, the Philippines can learn from the system in Italy. Italians who are outside of Italy, those in what are known as “Foreign Constituencies,” are represented in the Italian legislature. Six senators and twelve deputies represent these “Foreign Constituencies” in the Italian legislature.

After the election on May 14, it is more or less certain that the issue of Charter Change will be addressed again. We are not familiar with all the details of the draft Philippine Constitution that the House of Representatives wanted to impose on the Filipino people. Whatever it is, the 10 million Filipinos can no longer be regarded as just brutalized and maligned domestic helpers and exploited Filipinos. They have every right to participate in shaping the kind of society that their fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, relatives, and fellow Filipinos are hoping for – the dream of a progressive, peaceful, respectable, and just Philippine society. They are paying with their lives, with their misery, with their pain for this dream.

kiretoce

April 22nd, 2007, 09:54 AM

Pinoys 4th biggest Asian group in NZ (http://www.gmanews.tv/story/39286/Pinoys-4th--biggest-Asian-group-in-NZ)

Filipinos rank 4th among the largest Asian groups in New Zealand, based of the country’s 2006 Culture and Identity Report.

The Chinese group is biggest with 147,570 people, followed by Indians with 104,583, then Koreans with 30,792 and Filipinos with 16,938.

There are 354,552 Asians in New Zealand accounting for 9.2% of the national population which now stands at 4,181,060, the latest census report said.

Although Asians remain the third largest group in the country, next only to Europeans and Maoris (New Zealand’s native people of Polynesian descent), their populations grow fastest —that is from 238,176 in 2001 to 354,552 in 2006.

Filipinos expect their number would keep swelling as many are coming to find a home in this country known as the “Land of the Long White Cloud."

Victor, 40, a certified public accountant from Cebu, who arrived January of 2006, expects to get a permanent resident (PR) visa status next month. He said once he gets his PR, his wife and three kids in Cebu will join him soon.

Victor works as an accounting staff at the New Zealand Post, the country’s postal services agency.

Highly skilled and professional Filipinos who migrated in last five years had hard time hunting for a job.

“If you are a nurse or an IT specialist or an accountant you can easily find a job that fits your credentials. Otherwise, you end up doing menial or manual jobs, regardless of credentials you have," said Vivian, 36, former sales executive and a graduate from a premier university in Manila.

She said she first worked as a factory worker for a year in Auckland before moving to the capital city Wellington, where she works as a clerk in a government office.

The two Filipinos have observed the growing diversity in New Zealand’s population and culture, especially with the increase of the number of Asians.

They said this diversity in ethnic origins creates a pool of talented and skilled workers that New Zealand employers may wish take advantage of.

kiretoce

April 22nd, 2007, 10:23 AM

Proposals for a 'Little Manila' in Carson are stalled again (http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/articles/7132126.html)

Plans by mayor and councilman to recognize area of Main Street dominated by Filipino businesses are called divisive. A five-block stretch of Main Street in Carson has long been known informally as "Little Manila."

There's a Jollibee, the Philippines' answer to McDonald's. There's a Seafood City, which caters to the Filipino community. There's even a statue of Jose Rizal, the hero of Philippine independence.

So how hard would it be to post a few signs that say "Little Manila"?

Physically? Not hard.

Politically? Impossible.

The idea of official recognition of Little Manila comes up every few years, and each time it seems to get no closer to fruition. At this week's council meeting, it was shot down before it even came up.

"It was a bad idea 10 years ago, and it's a bad idea now," said parks and recreation Commissioner Richard Hernandez.

The backlash from the city's other major ethnic groups -- white, black and Latino -- was so overwhelming that Mayor Jim Dear and Councilman Elito Santarina, who had each suggested a version of formal recognition, ended up blaming each other for first proposing the idea. The issue now appears to be radioactive.

"I think it's pretty much not going anywhere," Dear said after the meeting. "That's not a debate that's going to be fruitful or beneficial right now."

Supporters of the idea say they are simply trying to get recognition for an important segment of Carson's population. There are nearly 20,000 Filipinos in the city, most of whom live south of the San Diego (405) Freeway.

Carson is among only a handful of Southern California cities with substantial Filipino populations. Official recognition of that fact would put Carson's Filipino community on the map, proponents say.

"In order to attract business, you've got to showcase the various races out there," said Manny Salomon, a former city commissioner. "Having that little area will put a little visibility on us."

Lili

April 22nd, 2007, 03:08 PM

^^ My goodness, she's butt ugly.

She's not comparable to Amy Chua, a Filipino American Yale Law professor whose book about effects of laissez faire system of the Western Countries to third world economics 'World on Fire' is New York Times best seller.

http://www.law.yale.edu/faculty/AChua.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amy_Chua

^^ Damn straight she's fugly! :puke:

Why do you have to comment on her looks? You might not share her politics but that is not justification enough to attack her that way.

Where was it that she denied her Filipino roots? She admits that she is American of Filipino descent and that is what she is.

If she criticizes democrats and liberalism, that is her belief and conviction.

Anyway, I have seen her interviewed on TV, and she articulate and attractive.

dancethingy

April 22nd, 2007, 04:37 PM

I still dislike michelle malkin. Its not because she's a woman or im just being biased or unfair, but its because her ideas are completely baseless and it does discredit a lot of what being a Filipino American is all about.

Lili

April 23rd, 2007, 03:31 AM

Michelle Malkin's views might be ultra-conservative Republican and might not reflect yours as democrats. But at least, she has candor when she expresses her views and she remains unfazed by her critics. She tells it as it is.

Here are examples.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_v54fMGZBPo&mode=related&search=
_v54fMGZBPo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9vadcdgzjI&NR=1
Y9vadcdgzjI&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTg5Ap8GpN4&NR=1
FTg5Ap8GpN4&NR=1

She is right about the double standard of the hiphop world about the misogynistic and hate language where they profit by the millions and try to cloak such hateful expression under artistic freedom. She is right about the hypocrisy of it all.

You be the judge.

Askal82

April 23rd, 2007, 06:12 AM

tigidig14

April 23rd, 2007, 07:39 AM

siguro binabatikos nya lang maxado para may bumili ng libro nya kasi kung golly dandy yan e di boring sya. sino babasa sa mga kaekekan nya. ganon lang naman ang punto e maging maepal para makuha ang reader at attention

Lili

April 23rd, 2007, 05:20 PM

I despise her attacks on racial-sensitive issues by justifying Japanese internment camps during WWII and racial profiling to wipe out terrorism. I thought you reprezent? :lol:

You have to look at her arguments contextually given the timeframe when World War II occurred. There were reasons why Japanese internment camps were created because of widespread espionage tactics. Even the Philippines was infiltrated. (your local neighborhood magtataho turns out to be a Japanese spy.)

The thing with this overt racial sensitivity sometimes is that it paralyzes anti-terrorism efforts. Even in our school, at the time before 9/11 happened, there was such an onslaught of enrollment of F-1 students from countries associated with Islamic fundamentalist but we cannot do anything about it because of such protections -- until we saw a website with a student of ours wearing a head gear (just like Arafat's) and brandishing a high-powered gun. I am not advocating such drastic action but one has to read those accounts contextually with a view of what was the prevailing zeitgeist then.

Your disgust of her views should not filter down on how she looks physically. If she was not a female, it would not even matter. Otherwise, that is also a form of sexism. So, I thought you reprezent?

driftwood

April 23rd, 2007, 05:43 PM

^^ I really don't know who this Michelle Malkin is, but just basing it on those two youtube clips, I thought she held herself up quite well... then again, you guys have probably had more exposure to her and her ideas to feel so strongly about her.

But I agree with Lili... her looks should (ideally) not play any part at all in the discussion.

bitoy

April 23rd, 2007, 06:44 PM

Malkin has been a firecracker since her early stint with the LA Daily News, I occasionally read her contributions. It really boils down to a person's point of view on how she stands with her opinions, you got to like her or hate her.
If she is really shying away from her heritage it is because she was born and grew up in the US.
She's been thrown in with bunch of wild dogs in the media and stand to defend on what she believes in. Not a lot of us will have a chance to do that, but hopefully some of you might.

As long as she still eat adobo with her entire family, she's cool! :)

Askal82

April 23rd, 2007, 09:19 PM

You have to look at her arguments contextually given the timeframe when World War II occurred. There were reasons why Japanese internment camps were created because of widespread espionage tactics. Even the Philippines was infiltrated. (your local neighborhood magtataho turns out to be a Japanese spy.)

The thing with this overt racial sensitivity sometimes is that it paralyzes anti-terrorism efforts. Even in our school, at the time before 9/11 happened, there was such an onslaught of enrollment of F-1 students from countries associated with Islamic fundamentalist but we cannot do anything about it because of such protections -- until we saw a website with a student of ours wearing a head gear (just like Arafat's) and brandishing a high-powered gun. I am not advocating such drastic action but one has to read those accounts contextually with a view of what was the prevailing zeitgeist then.

Your disgust of her views should not filter down on how she looks physically. If she was not a female, it would not even matter. Otherwise, that is also a form of sexism. So, I thought you reprezent?

But do you also think that Germans and Italians are as equally threatening as the Japanese during that time? How come they weren't forced to internment camps like what was done to the Japanese citizens and residents in America considering that they wore the same 'color'?

bitoy

April 23rd, 2007, 09:48 PM

But do you also think that Germans and Italians are as equally threatening as the Japanese during that time? How come they weren't forced to internment camps like what was done to the Japanese citizens and residents in America?

I have to put in my barya cents on this one, the Japanese in America were put in the camps as a protection for themselves also against retaliation from Americans who might inflict harm on them as a form of revenge because of the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

German and Italian Americans were put into internment camps also, but more of a selective process. But I don't know of any Spanish-Latinos who were put into the same treatment since Spain sided with Axis power during the war.

http://www.serve.com/shea/germusa/itintern.htm

And many Japanese, German and Italian descents served in the US military during world ward II also.

Askal82

April 23rd, 2007, 10:17 PM

I have to put in my barya cents on this one, the Japanese in America were put in the camps as a protection for themselves also against retaliation from Americans who might inflict harm on them as a form of revenge because of the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

German and Italian Americans were put into internment camps also, but more of a selective process. But I don't know of any Spanish-Latinos who were put into the same treatment since Spain sided with Axis power during the war.

http://www.serve.com/shea/germusa/itintern.htm

And many Japanese, German and Italian descents served in the US military during world ward II also.

Spain was a neutral country during WWII. However, the South American countries with significant German population such as Argentina, Brazil and Chile were haven of German spies.

You're right that Germans and Italians were 'selectively interned'. Japanese were 'simply interned' as a reaction to Pearl Harbor bombing. However, it doesn't justify why innocent Japanese Americans were simply interned because of widespread espionage activities in US West Coast and Philippines. There were German-U boats reportedly surveying along US East coast and their internal spies were also shuttling between North and South America. If that would be the case, then the Germans and Italians should be interned without questions as well.

The Parallelism between WWII and terrorism Malkin drew was half-baked without taking into consideration of more accurate accounts of separate parties involved to arrive in a more balanced view.

bitoy

April 23rd, 2007, 10:37 PM

^^ Masyadong maraming Americano ang ma-interned if that's the case. America was settled by a lot of European immigrants and there were lots of German and Italian communities in America even before the war.

Even if Spain remained neutral, Hitler and the Italians backed up Franco's regime in trying to go up against France and other nations in reclaiming their interests in foreign soils.

Askal82

April 23rd, 2007, 10:53 PM

^^ Nabagsakan lang ang mga Hapon ng sisi kasi sila una umatake.

kiretoce

April 24th, 2007, 12:48 AM

We're veering away from what this thread was intended to be. :gaah:

Lili

April 24th, 2007, 01:42 AM

But do you also think that Germans and Italians are as equally threatening as the Japanese during that time? How come they weren't forced to internment camps like what was done to the Japanese citizens and residents in America considering that they wore the same 'color'?

I took issue primarily on the comments on Ms. Malkin's looks and not about her position on this issue.

kiretoce

April 25th, 2007, 01:56 AM

DEMAND AND SUPPLY (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=74786)

The world knows from first hand experience with our OFWs that we are good workers and top notch professionals, making them the best incentive to come here and invest. And one of these days, their talents would be used to bring to the motherland the economic gains they helped bring for the countries they worked in.

A Filipina graced the cover of the New York Times magazine last weekend. No, she isn’t a supermodel or a celebrity. She is much better than that. She is an OFW. Rosalie Comodas Villanueva, who grew up in the tough neighborhood of Leveriza, is a nurse at Al Rahba Hospital in Abu Dhabi. She makes $24,000 a year — compared to the $1,200 she made while working here at home. Her parents have been taking care of her two children for years. The lengthy feature honors OFW sagas, Rosalie’s, her family’s and many others like her.

There is no more doubt that our OFWs are now a world class phenomenon. Nearly 10% of our 89 million people live abroad. About 3.6 million are OFWs, another 3.2 million have migrated permanently, largely to the United States, and 1.3 million more are thought to be overseas illegally. There are a million OFWs in Saudi Arabia alone, followed by Japan , Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates and Taiwan. OFWs are in at least 170 countries, and about a quarter of the world’s sailors come from the Philippines. They send home $15 billion a year, saving not just the economy but a succession of governments from a rebellion by the jobless and hungry poor.

I once made the joke that there is no need for our people to learn English because in a few more years, the world will understand Tagalog. Imagine all the Filipina nannies from Hong Kong to Rome to Toronto and London and who’s going to say they aren’t teaching more than a word of Tagalog to the young children they are taking care of. I think it was writer Jessica Zafra who once declared that we will one day conquer the world: today their bedrooms and bathrooms but tomorrow, the world!

Indeed, as Jason DeParle, the author of the lengthy NYT magazine article observed, the Philippines has exported labor for at least 100 years. The pineapple plantation workers of Hawaii, who left the Philippines in the early 1900s come to mind. Greg Macabenta traced an early colony of Filipinos in the New Orleans area, descendants of Filipinos who might have jumped ship during the Galleon trade between Acapulco and Manila.

This modern migration we are seeing today took shape 30 years ago under Ferdinand Marcos. And we were not alone. A number of Asian and Latin American countries were sending migrants abroad for the same reasons. A growing number of economists see migrants, and the money they send home, DeParle wrote, as a part of the solution to global poverty.

This view of effectively making the poor pay for development is distasteful. "It risks obscuring the personal price that migrants and their families pay. It could be used to gloss over, or even justify, the exploitation of workers. And it could offer rich countries an excuse for cutting foreign aid and other development efforts," DeParle wrote.

The worse part is how the phenomenon makes it easy for governments to develop a dependence on worker remittances. Migrants all over the world, according to DeParle, sent home some $300 billion last year. In contrast, the world spent $104 billion on foreign aid.

According to DeParle, the Philippines, which received $15 billion in formal remittances in 2006, ranked fourth among developing countries behind India ($25 billion), China ($24 billion) and Mexico ($24 billion). "Remittances make up three percent of the GDP in Mexico but 14% in the Philippines.

DeParle continues: "Despite fears that the money goes to waste, a growing literature shows positive effects. Remittances cut the poverty rate by 11% in Uganda and six percent in Bangladesh, according to studies cited by the World Bank, and raised education levels in El Salvador and the Philippines.

"Being private, the money is less susceptible to corruption than foreign aid; it is also better aimed at the needy and ‘countercyclical’ — it rises in response to slumps and natural disasters. Remittances help reduce government borrowing costs, saving the Philippines about half a billion dollars in interest each year… And consumption among the poor is hardly a bad thing."

The downside, DeParle writes, "is the risk of dependency, among individuals waiting for a check or for rulers (like Marcos) who use the money to avoid economic reforms… No country has escaped poverty with remittances alone. ‘Remittances can’t solve structural problems,’ said Kathleen Newland of the Migration Policy Institute, a Washington research group. ‘Remittances can’t compensate for corrupt governments, nepotism, incompetence or communal conflict…’"

Then… there are the social costs. "Among the biggest worries, in the Philippines and beyond, are the ‘left behind’ kids, who are alternately portrayed as dangerous hoodlums and consumerist brats. Some people fear that their gadgets and clothes, sent from guilty parents abroad, corrupt village values."

Still, studies have found out that overall, "the migrants’ kids did better in school, had better physical health, experienced less anxiety and were more likely to attend church…one theory is that remittances compensate for the missing parent’s care. The study found migrants’ kids taller and heavier than their counterparts, suggesting higher caloric intake, and much more likely to attend private school… There is no doubt that migration has costs… The point is that not migrating has costs, too — the cost of wrenching poverty."

The growth in migration, DeParle admits, "has roiled the West, but demographic logic suggests it will only continue. Aging industrial economies need workers. People in poor countries need jobs. Transportation and communication have made moving easier. And the potential economic gains are at record highs… with about one Filipino worker in seven abroad at any given time, migration is to the Philippines what cars once were to Detroit: its civil religion. A million Overseas Filipino Workers left last year, enough to fill six 747s a day."

This is why for me, the OFW phenomenon is a source of hope for the future. As I told a group of foreign businessmen last week, " with all our negatives in factors of production important to investors, it seems our real plus factor lies with our human resource. I am banking my hope in that large population of OFWs who will one day come home with new ideas, new dreams and a stronger determination to make political leaders accountable."

The world knows from first hand experience with our OFWs that we are good workers and top notch professionals, making them the best incentive to come here and invest. And one of these days, their talents would be used to bring to the motherland the economic gains they helped bring for the countries they worked in.

kiretoce

April 25th, 2007, 02:33 AM

In Stockton, area was hub of Filipino life: Little Manilla is now a shadow of itself (http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/160161.html)

STOCKTON, California -- Most evenings, Stockton's Little Manila bustled. Dance halls hopped. Barbershops buzzed with the banter of young Filipino men, the picture of prosperity in suits and fedoras.

Pool halls crackled with excitement. Card rooms packed them in. Hotels filled with men seeking respite from the crowded barracks in the farm camps and asparagus fields outside town.

Little Manila was roaring.

"There was a pool hall on every block, a barbershop at every corner," said Albert Juanitas, 77, whose father was among the first Filipinos to settle the Central Valley. "There were lots of people hanging out in the street. They'd come dancing. They used to gamble in the basements."

For four decades, beginning in the late 1920s, Little Manila was the center of Filipino life in the Central Valley, its hub at the intersection of El Dorado and Lafayette streets, now on the southern fringe of downtown Stockton.

In May, a 30-minute documentary on KVIE-TV -- "Little Manila: Filipinos in California's Heartland" -- pays homage to Little Manila and the life that was for the manongs -- the term of endearment used by Filipino Americans to describe the forebears who began arriving from across the Pacific a century ago to work in the plantations and canneries of Hawaii, then later to the fields and orchards of California.

Their stories -- of perseverance, ambition, racism and triumphs -- shouldn't be forgotten, said Marissa Aroy, a U.S.-born Filipina from Bakersfield who produced the program.

"No one's telling their story," she said. "They're the ones who sacrificed, who left their families behind" for work in America.

"All these men went to Little Manila just to have fun, to forget about their hardships and their loneliness," said Aroy.

These days, few of the old buildings remain. Some made way for a handful of new businesses. The McArthur Hotel was razed for a fast-food restaurant.

Over the years, others were declared as blight, then demolished. Many parcels remain vacant because of redevelopment battles and unfulfilled ambitions.

Disappearing history

Little Manila's struggles, perhaps, are emblematic of the greater challenges facing the Filipino American community.

Despite being the country's second-largest Asian group, the Filipino community has largely remained invisible, its history at risk of being forgotten, said Dillon Delvo, a filmmaker and director of the Little Manila Foundation. The group hopes to preserve the district's few remaining historical buildings.

"It's one thing to read about history. But it's something else to feel it, to touch it, to have a direct connection to it," said Delvo.

The city designated four blocks as a historic district in 2000, but with no promises of protection. Still, it was hailed by Delvo as important recognition for the preservation movement.

For some communities, it's too late. San Francisco's Manilatown vanished, its 10-block expanse alongside Chinatown fading into the shadows of the financial district's skyscrapers and downtown redevelopment. The Kearny Street corridor had been home to thousands of Filipinos.

In Stockton, the Little Manila Foundation wants to save three buildings in the core of the neighborhood. The foundation bought the Mariposa Hotel, where Filipino farmworkers mapped strategy for some of the state's earliest labor strikes. The foundation has plans for restoring the hotel -- perhaps transforming it into a cultural center -- but has struggled to obtain financial backing.

A vestige of the Rizal Social Club remains, its dance floor empty, its windows boarded, its stuccoed facade wrinkled by peeling paint. The hip-hop group Black Eyed Peas, which counts a Filipino American among its members, used the dance hall as the setting for a video in 2006 to spotlight Little Manila's plight.

The Filipino American National Historical Society, which has a branch in Stockton, wants to establish a museum in one of the historic buildings.

Much of the district is already lost. The Crosstown Freeway, linking Interstate 5 and Highway 99, cut a swath through the district -- uprooting families and adding to the Filipino diaspora.

Askal82

April 25th, 2007, 02:56 AM

I took issue primarily on the comments on Ms. Malkin's looks and not about her position on this issue.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I didn't regret judging her looks. There is no tone of sexism that you are accusing me of. Besides, to each his/her own describing her looks as long as I didn't do anything to damage her reputation. Her attacks on the latest hip hop music might be on the right direction but it doesn't mean that she can come out with clean hands. She is full of inconsistencies that even Chris Matthews were able to bring that out from her about accusing former presidential candidate John Kerry shooting his foot intentionally so he can get away from it and claim credit during the war. However, I am not sure if she is exposing herself to lawsuits with regards to libel or slander.

JoM90bAsr1M

Lili

April 25th, 2007, 03:39 AM

Askal82

April 25th, 2007, 05:32 AM

^ Chris Matthews was clearly badgering her with his line of questioning. She was saying that doubts were raised which she was trying to quote. She is not accusing him, but Mr. Matthews will not allow her to get a word in. At least, Ms. Malkin was forthright when she admitted that she issued errata when she makes mistakes and was open to intellectual exchange and argumentation. Would her looks have anything to do with her views, her thoughts? If that was Mr. Bill O'Reilly saying those things, his looks will not matter.

It took her time to finally admit mistake to a yes or a no question.

Yes I have to admit, I was also biased toward her looks as well.

Well, from your personal standpoint what if it's an 'ugly' guy rather than an 'ugly' girl who is totally opposite to your own convictions and principles?

venntro

April 25th, 2007, 06:21 AM

S.Korea to offer foreigners residency to ease skills shortage

SEOUL (AFP) - South Korea said Wednesday it will grant skilled foreign manual workers permanent residency to ease a chronic labour shortage in small- and medium-sized industries.

The justice ministry said in a statement that the move, to take effect next January, is also aimed at increasing the nation's industrial competitiveness and at boosting tax revenues.

At present, only foreign professionals are eligible for permanent residency if they have at least five years of work experience and certificates of qualification.

They should also have property, a basic understanding of the Korean language and culture and no criminal record.

Officials quoted by Yonhap news agency expect the new system to attract 2,500 to 4,000 experienced foreign manual workers to South Korea by around 2009.

There are now about 500,000 foreign workers, including illegal aliens, in the country, according to ministry statistics.

South Korea is faced with a rapidly aging population due to one of the world's lowest birthrates. In January, the labour ministry said it plans a law that will ban companies from discriminating against elderly job-seekers.

xDieselJockx

April 25th, 2007, 10:49 AM

This is insane!!!! I have noticed in this thread alone that many filipino men judge women or men based on their physical appearance... What is up with that?? it's hideous !!! Never heard anything like these before.

I don't know about this Ms. Malkin, she just seems to be very cocky , I am not too impressed with her. She just like to run her mouth for all I care... She should of researched all her stance carefully before publishing a book she wrote where she ended up apologizing in the end for her error. Stupid ain't it?

Lili

April 25th, 2007, 12:27 PM

It took her time to finally admit mistake to a yes or a no question.

Yes I have to admit, I was also biased toward her looks as well.

Well, from your personal standpoint what if it's an 'ugly' guy rather than an 'ugly' girl who is totally opposite to your own convictions and principles?

You are begging the question. Obviously, for me, the person's looks will be irrelevant in a political discussion. I will counter the viewpoint if I disagree with it. As I said, looks have nothing to do with it.

This attack on her looks actually gives credence to Ms. Malkin's claim in that earlier article posted about her,

" She told the Post that her critics - of which there are legions - “ridicule my looks, ridicule my ethnicity, go after my family.” The 36-year-old Michelle told the Post, “they’ve attacked my husband relentlessly. There’s a strong sexist strain among my liberal critics, who think it isn’t possible I could have gotten anywhere without my Svengali husband, or some white man, embedding ideas in my head.”

The Post article continued: “this daughter of Filipino immigrants plays pretty rough herself. Whether on her blog, her Internet talk show or her Fox News appearances. Malkin delights in sticking her finger in the eye of the liberal establishment. And she is convinced that her detractors don’t play fair.”’

“Particularly when you’re a minority conservative,” she says, “you get a lot of ugly, hysterical, unhinged attacks, because you’re challenging so many liberal myths about what people of color should think.”

Okay, let's put this issue to rest.

nieto.de.aglipay

April 25th, 2007, 07:43 PM

Hindi rin ako sang-ayon sa kanyang politica (Green ako) pero hindi naman siya pangit. In fact, kung tingnan niyo mabuti, medio noble ang kanyang hechura... mandibula na prominente at assertivo, noo (forehead) na pataas at vertical (classic profile), at mga labi na sensuoso. Kahit ang kanyang ilong, medio pango, pero it gives her character. Totoo, hindi siya Gloria Romero o Ruffa G, pero 'di lang naman Tisay ang maganda.

Si Condi Rice ang tunay na :ohno:

http://dailycal.org/images/art/09.09.malkin.SMITH.jpg

Ang hindi ko lang approvado sa kanya (maliban sa kanyang politica) ay ang kanyang pag-sama sa isang Kano. Ngunit marahil kasalanan din iyan ng mga Fil-Am na lalakeng nag-hahanap ng mukhang Paris Hilton.

bitoy

April 26th, 2007, 12:34 AM

Si Condi Rice ang tunay na :ohno:

Ang hindi ko lang approvado sa kanya (maliban sa kanyang politica) ay ang kanyang pag-sama sa isang Kano. Ngunit marahil kasalanan din iyan ng mga Fil-Am na lalakeng nag-hahanap ng mukhang Paris Hilton.

^^ :lol: What is wrong with marrying a kano?

And maybe you are handsome or pretty but that doesn't give you the right to judge the appearance of anyone.

Condy Rice to you might be ugly but to others she's good looking for a black person.

kiretoce

April 26th, 2007, 12:54 AM

Ang hindi ko lang approvado sa kanya (maliban sa kanyang politica) ay ang kanyang pag-sama sa isang Kano. Ngunit marahil kasalanan din iyan ng mga Fil-Am na lalakeng nag-hahanap ng mukhang Paris Hilton.

Xenophobic much? :colgate:

Condy Rice to you might be ugly but to others she's good looking for a black person.

You could have just stopped at "....she's good looking." The use of a qualifier in your sentence states that she ain't pretty at all compared to other women of a different skin tone other than hers. :ohno:

crappypants

April 26th, 2007, 12:58 AM

kiretoce

April 26th, 2007, 01:00 AM

^^ :rofl: You crack me up Marites! :okay:

bitoy

April 26th, 2007, 01:25 AM

You could have just stopped at "....she's good looking." The use of a qualifier in your sentence states that she ain't pretty at all compared to other women of a different skin tone other than hers. :ohno:

Because there are lots of better looking black person than her, if you are implying with my statement that "she ain't pretty", that doesn't mean I said that she is ugly.
.........as to what you said about Ms. Malkin
^^ Damn straight she's fugly! :puke:

:ohno: tsk..tsk..tsk....:)

crappypants

April 26th, 2007, 01:32 AM

oh cmon people we're going to have different tastes and opinions on other peoples looks and we cannot control what others think of our looks, specially her being in the public eye. Let's not be overly sensitive that's why beauty is in the eye of beholder. IF kimbers type is not the classic maid beauty then that's his prerogative. I don't care if someone thinks i'm ugly ,well i'm sure there are those who do.

and also there's this stereotype among pinoys that white males prefer the classic maid beauty.

bitoy

April 26th, 2007, 01:41 AM

^^ hehehe, I'm sorry to say that to Kimber, I knew what he meant about my statement, I worded it erroneously on Ms. Rice. I used to date ala Beyonce chick from IS in high school. O' wala ng hihirit. :D

crappypants

April 26th, 2007, 02:24 AM

and the sistas have the ass to make up for it. sorry oT

Askal82

April 26th, 2007, 02:59 AM

I think its time to rename this thread into: The maiden or the beautiful med in America?

Hey but some maids are pretty too, like the maid in Manhattan.

kiretoce

April 26th, 2007, 04:14 AM

I'm sorry to say that to Kimber, I knew what he meant about my statement, I worded it erroneously on Ms. Rice.

We're cool! :okay: No harm, no foul. :colgate:

Lili

April 26th, 2007, 05:35 AM

Some statements being made here are downright distasteful. :ohno: It's like each time someone makes a comment, we are digging a deeper hole for ourselves.

People just don't get it.

nieto.de.aglipay

April 26th, 2007, 04:51 PM

OK, let's steer away from pagmumukha ng mga prominent Fil-Ams. Regarding policies, we tend to be more Left (eg. Irene natividad and Frank Torres) than Right. Guinang Malkin is actually an exception. Strangely, karamihan ng mga Asian -Ams ay Right (Elaine Zhao). Incomes are not a significant predictor here, dahil ang mga Fil-Am ay may 2nd highest household income (mga Bumbay lang ang daig sa atin). See below

http://www.answers.com/topic/fil-am

One normally expects wealthier people to be more Right- leaning.

The Left-leaning tendency is probably cultural then. My own theory is that we being a Latin country, we are comfy w/ a more "intrusive/involved" govt (Roman Code Law tradition regulates everything a person does). Also, dahil Catolico tayo, mayroon tayong social conscience ("Blessed are the poor... Those w/ two coats give away the second... Easier for a camel than a rich man to enter heaven...") that leads us Left.

http://www.nowfoundation.org/issues/diverse/woca2005/photos/natividad.jpg
Natividad
http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:zRuA_yFYco0dMM:http://www.pbs.org/newshour/images/business/july-dec99/bank12.jpg
Torres

Lili

April 26th, 2007, 04:59 PM

A poll in California showed a majority of Republicans among elder Pinoys and those that came in during the Reagan years. Their offsprings will be more liberal and be Democrats.

Here in New York, so far, I liked how the past 2 mayors and governors have run the city.

I'm independent by the way. During the last election, I voted for Kerry (a democrat). I have voted for Bloomberg (a Republican) for Mayor and Spitzer (a Democrat) for governor of New York. Prior to that, I voted for Giuliani and Pataki for mayor and governor, respectively (both are Republicans).

tigidig14

April 26th, 2007, 05:26 PM

kiretoce

April 28th, 2007, 02:53 AM

Immigration bill triggers Asian American uproar (http://manilamaildc.net/article1957.html)

WASHINGTON, DC -- Filipinos with close relatives in the United States now have to wait from five up to 20 years for immigrant petitions to push through. But now, the White House wants to scrap the practice altogether, triggering a howl of protest from the immigrant community here.

President Bush will reportedly move for the elimination of all family based immigrant visas as part of "draconian measures" to reform the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA).

The White House's hardening stand clashed directly with House Resolution 1645 which provides for comprehensive immigration reforms. The measure aims, among others, to eliminate the backlog in family based visa applications, especially for spouses and unmarried children of legal residents (so called "green card holders") 21 years old and younger.

Jon Melegrito, executive director of the National Alliance for Filipino Veterans Equity (NAFVE), warns the White House move will have severe repercussions for the Fil‑Am community and their families in the Philippines.

Stephen Legomsky of the Washington University School of Law told a hearing of the House subcommittee on immigration, citizenship, refugees, border security and international law Thursday afternoon, "these separations virtually invite illegal immigration".

Melegrito accuses President Bush of "playing politics" with the proposed immigration reform package by offering to scrap family‑based visas. Many see it as old‑fashioned DC horse‑trading to prod hard‑line Republicans to support the reforms.

Curiously, much of the Bush package such as a guest worker program and allowing undocumented workers to stay in the U.S. after paying fines, have drawn wider support from Democrats than from his own party.

Republicans have taken the tack that prevention and intensified enforcement ‑ like building a wall across the Mexican border ‑ was the way to go. There's an estimated 250,000 undocumented Filipinos in the U.S. and they would obviously be anxious about any fresh crackdown on illegals.

Muzzaffar Chishti, Director of the Migration Policy Institute, testified, "With very few options for entering legally through employment‑based visa categories, intending immigrants could try to enter through the family‑based categories...but the wait list for many of these categories are prohibitively long."

"In the absence of legal channels, immigrants entering our labor market have come to rely on illegal channels," Chishti told the solons.

The pressure is only sure to mount as so‑called Baby Boomers near retirement. This and a combination of normal attrition and economic expansion are expected to create 65 million new jobs by the end of the decade, a demand the local workforce can barely fill.

Fil‑Am groups are joining a large immigration rally here on May 1, dubbed the "Great American Boycott". Organizers are asking protesters to stay off work and shopping malls and march on the streets of D.C. The divergent immigrant groups are driven by their own agenda and priorities.

For the Fil‑Am community, protecting their right to bring spouses and children here is top on their list. "Families should be together as soon as possible, and they should shorten the time between applying for the visa and getting it here," explained Rozita Lee, vice chair of the umbrella National Federation of Filipino‑American Associations (NaFFAA).

kiretoce

April 28th, 2007, 02:59 AM

Filipino community’s success in New Zealand (http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/ceb/2007/04/28/oped/mel.libre.seriously.now.html)

The census date of 2006 in New Zealand has revealed that Asians are the fastest growing major ethnic group making it the third largest (354,552 or 9.2 percent of the country of 4.03 million) after the Europeans (67.6 percent) and Maori (14.6 percent). The Pacific islanders accounted for 7.8 percent of the population.

The Asian group is composed primarily of Chinese (147,570), Indians (104,583), Koreans (30,792), Filipinos (16,938), Japanese (11,910), Sri Lankans (8,310) and Cambodians (6,918).

Two-thirds of the Asian population live in Auckland, thus out of every five people you come across in the urban region is Asian.

The figure on Filipinos came as a surprise because most thought that the number had reached 30,000. But considering the trend of those who obtain Kiwi citizenship jumping across to Australia, the quantity is agreeably accurate.

Though small in number, the Filipino population has made news in 2007 by spearheading the move to amend the six months work-to-residence visa policy that has caused misery to many new skilled migrants.

I drafted the petition addressed to Prime Minister Helen Clark and Immigration Minister David Cunliffe. What started out as a document initially signed by about 20 individuals became a petition with 1,300 signatories.

That was reached in a two-month campaign in places where Filipinos congregate like churches, Couples for Christ gatherings, other social events and, most importantly, through the Internet.

The new batch of Filipino migrants is more helpful and more united: sharing information, providing advice and practicing what we thought we had lost--–the bayanihan spirit.

When the petition gained momentum, the “old-timers” came out in open support that culminated in a meeting with the immigration minister, who accommodated a delegation of about 10 Filipino volunteers and two representatives from other ethnicities.

In his unassuming office, Cunliffe was cordial yet frank in his comments and at the same time intently listened to the concerns raised by the delegates. By the end of the one hour meeting, he promised to attend to the petition and sought a six months media moratorium just to allow his office to concentrate on its work.

Most of us, delegates, were somewhat sceptical, knowing how politicians make promises that more than often end up being broken.

But in less than three months from the date of our meeting, Cunliffe came up with amendments to the policy that affected both those who petitioned as well as those who applied under the revised policy that allowed a WTR visa holder four months to depart from one’s country of origin and nine months to obtain a job in one’s field of skill.

The accommodating gesture of Cunliffe and the speedy action of the government, indeed, changed our traditional view on politicians.

Not only did the Filipino community obtain two prominent stories in the New Zealand Herald, which is the equivalent of the Philippine Daily Inquirer in terms of circulation and impact, it was featured in national radio, Radio NZ, for four weeks.

That allowed Filipinos to speak about their culture, their lives and their dreams in Aotearoa New Zealand.

kiretoce

April 28th, 2007, 03:08 AM

OFWs to US, Canada doubled in 2006 (http://www.gmanews.tv/story/40122/OFWs-to-US-Canada-doubled-in-2006)

The number of Filipino workers who left for North America more than doubled in 2006 compared to the previous year, Labor Secretary Arturo Brion said on Friday.

Brion said Filipino workers deployed to the United States jumped to 11, 406 in 2006, which was 7, 278 more than the 4, 128 who left in 2005. The figure elevated the US to the 11th rank among the top destinations of documented OFWs across the globe.

Quoting figures from the Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics (BLES), Brion said Filipino workers who went to Canada last year grew from 3, 629 in 2005 to 6, 413, making Canada the 17th top destination among more than 180 host countries around the world.

Brion said growth in the OFW deployment to US and Canada is significant considering that documented workers are at the heart of the Philippines’ international acknowledged global migration management system.

The global migration management system of the Philippines revolves around a "circular" process of migration wherein skilled OFWs on legitimate work visas are properly contracted and deployed for overseas jobs, the labor chief explained.

He said that after the OFWs complete their work contract during a specified period, they return to the country either to be reintegrated into the economic mainstream, or rehired, on renewed visas, for overseas work.

"The Philippine system of managing migration on a global scale is recognized by no less than the United Nations, primarily because it averts and prevents illegal entry of alien workers prejudicial to both the host and home countries of migrants," Brion cited.

According to him, the initial growth in OFW deployment to Canada has been spurred by the recent accord forged by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Ministry of Advanced Education and Employment in Saskatchewan for "Cooperation in the Fields of Labor, Employment, and Human Resource Development."

But above all, he said the growth in deployment in both countries is attributable to the role of documented OFWs in providing the needed services and skills to boost their economic growth and graying populations.

BLES's statistical data reveal that prior to a 176 percent (+7,278) growth to 11,406 last year, the annual deployment of documented OFWs to the US, in the past five years, totaled 3,405 in 2000, 4,689 in 2001, 4,058 in 2002, 3,831 in 2003, 3,831 in 2004, and 4,128 in 2005.

Likewise, the BLES's figures showed that documented OFW deployment to Canada totaled 2,020 in 2000, 3,132 in 2001, 3,535 in 2002, 4,006 in 2003, 4,453 in 2004, and 3,629 in 2005, before increasing by 76.71 percent (+2,784) to 6,413 in 2006.

smokingunmanila

April 28th, 2007, 03:12 AM

These are documented only...yung mga iba nag tNt eh baka 100 times...

Louman

April 28th, 2007, 04:10 AM

^^
"Fil‑Am groups are joining a large immigration rally here on May 1, dubbed the "Great American Boycott". Organizers are asking protesters to stay off work and shopping malls and march on the streets of D.C. The divergent immigrant groups are driven by their own agenda and priorities."

There's gonna be another huge protest near where I work (Downtown LA). I'll post pictures of any Fil-Am groups that I encounter as I wade through protesters to get to work.

tigidig14

April 28th, 2007, 05:45 AM

ilipat to sa economic ekek main thread haha

Smallville

April 28th, 2007, 06:46 AM

kiretoce

April 28th, 2007, 06:49 AM

^^ A probable reason why she was denied, may be the consul thought she'll just go to the US to take care of the grandkids while the parents are working and will never go back. The same thing happened to my friend's mother-in-law when she applied for a tourist visa, and the consul told her that during the interview.

crappypants

April 28th, 2007, 07:05 AM

and filipinos waiting time for a petition visa is longer than other immigrant groups. You have to apply several times before you get approved for a tourist visa ,if at all.
You have to shelf out tons of money for the application fee ,processing fee etc.. There really is no straight guidelines on who they approve and who they deny. My cousin has been rejected so many times and he was able to prove all his assets ,that he just wants to visit and tour,he's financially well off in the Phils. But if you're an Arab terrorists you get a visa so easily. It's all about the money. they don't want anymore poor thrird worlders to multiply in the US.

crappypants

April 28th, 2007, 07:18 AM

Kaya mga pinoy wag umasa palage sa ibang bansa. subukan magtulongtulungan para gumanda ang pilipinas. problema kase ang gobyerno pinadami ng pinadami ang mga hunghang.

bitoy

April 28th, 2007, 03:27 PM

^^

I didn't realize there were 250,000 undocumented Filipinos in the United States. I guess that is why it is so hard for Filipinos to get a tourist visa these days. My wife is from the Philippines and we tried to get one for my wifes Mom but were turned down because they feared that my wifes Mom would stay here and not go back.

I got really pissed off and asked them what about all the Mexicans crossing the border. They just shrugged their shoulders. It seems if you are a certain nationality (ie Mexican) they can't let enough of them in but if you are a filipino, they discriminate against you.

This is just my opinion. I was just disappointed that my wifes Mom couldn't visit. She doesn't even want to live here. She just wants to visit her Daughter and her Grandchildren.:ohno:

If your mother in law had proper documents and got denied, she need to apply again for a tourist visa. My cousins have been denied twice but got approved on the third time. I also heard that my former classmate who was denied a year ago but was able to tour the US this year. Too bad, we didn't have time to see each other here.

Well, during the 70's until the late 80's, most Filipinos who were issued tourist or temporary visas really tried to stay and live the American dream. A very low percentage came back but those who really tried hard to stay were rewarded with amnesties and are now petitioning their relatives.

tigidig14

April 29th, 2007, 03:10 AM

kiretoce

April 30th, 2007, 05:56 PM

PBS film looks at Little Manila (http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070430/A_ENTERTAIN/704300309/-1/A_ENTERTAIN04)

A new documentary on the history and legacy of Stockton's Little Manila will be broadcast next month during a particularly momentous time in the effort to revitalize and preserve the downtown neighborhood.

"Little Manila: Filipinos in California's Heartland" will debut Wednesday on PBS. A few days later, the Little Manila Foundation, the group working to protect the neighborhood, will receive an award of recognition from the California Preservation Foundation.

"It's been such an uphill battle for a nonprofit group to talk about redevelopment south of the Crosstown Freeway," foundation executive director Dillon Delvo said. "It's nice to see other organizations recognize our hard work."

In the 1930s, Little Manila was the hub of activity for thousands of Filipino farm workers throughout the Central Valley. Most of the neighborhood was torn down when the Crosstown Freeway was built. Only three buildings remain and they are designated as historical landmarks.

The KVIE documentary covers Little Manila from its beginnings at the start of the 20th century to its current state as a history lesson among the ruins.

"There's an immigrant story for everyone, but I don't think people know the Filipino story," producer Marissa Aroy said. "It's so important for Americans to know the nooks and crannies of their history."

In addition to the documentary and preservation award, a Stockton native now living in Los Angeles has published a book, "Filipinos in Los Angeles." The book features more than 100 historical photographs about Southern California's Filipino population.

Mae Respicio Koerner, 31, credits her childhood in Stockton's Filipino community with giving her the desire to explore her heritage. She is also working on a novel whose main characters are second-generation Filipinos.

"I just hope it might inspire people to preserve their own cultural history," she said "It's up to the individual groups to share their stories with others if we want to be understood more fully."

But it will take more than remembering history to keep Little Manila afloat. Delvo said he hopes the recognition will bring financial support for the area.

"I would hope that folks find a positive aspect of our American heritage in downtown Stockton," he said.

Animo

May 2nd, 2007, 09:38 AM

By Armand Nocum

MADRID, Spain -- Spaniards are scheming, arrogant aristocrats who look down on Filipinos every chance they get. That’s the Spanish colonial image straight out of the novels of the national hero, Jose Rizal, that had been seared into the consciousness of the average Filipino. After all, there were wholesale abuses by the conquistadores.

That was then. Today’s Filipinos are re-discovering the Spaniards as a lovable people. Take the Filipino caregivers sent here to open up the unexplored field of caregiving. They praise the Spanish people as genteel, polite, hospitable, friendly and laid back.

“They are hospitable and generous ... maybe we got our world-famous trait of being hospitable from them,” said Cristina Canuelo of Mandaluyong City, who was among the first batch of 40 out of 100,000 Filipinos to be sent here.

Canuelo, who works at the Los Nogales Nursing Homes here said: “This is really a blessing for us.” She giggled as she posed for a picture with Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas.

The outgoing labor secretary worked to “open up” Spain’s health care market, which would need one million caregivers in five years.

In an interview at the Los Nogales Nursing Homes, Sto. Tomas said Filipino caregivers and other skilled OFWs were unable to penetrate the Spanish market because of strict immigration rules and the inability of most Filipinos to speak the Spanish language.
Domestic helpers only

Although Spain has some 40,000 Filipino workers, they are mostly hired as domestic helpers by their respective employers with little or no government involvement.

But the memorandum of undertaking to be signed by Sto. Tomas with her Spanish counterpart provides for highly skilled Filipinos to work here in large numbers following the easing of immigration restrictions.

Pioneering 40

Addressing the 40 caregivers who arrived here beginning the middle of June, Sto. Tomas advised them to show the best of Filipino skills and caregiving abilities to ensure that the “pilot project” started by the 40 OFWs would succeed and lead to the entry of more Filipinos.

Pascual Berlanga, owner of the Los Nogales Nursing Homes and who employs some of the caregivers, told them in Spanish: “We need a lot of people to take care of the elderly people. The opportunity to work in the health care industry is rich for you and us.”

Sto. Tomas cautioned the caregivers about the onset of homesickness that may hit them in a month or so.

Joey Dugay of Tarlac, who arrived here on June 15, was confident the kindness of the people here would see him through.

“They are very kind to us ... more so if we tell them that they had been our colonizers for 400 years and we had imbibed their culture, traits, religion,” he said. “They really shake their heads with amazement when we tell them this.”

Like home

Dugay, who works at the Residencia Pacifico nursing homes, said he felt “like home here” due to the many similarities in the Spanish and Filipino cultures.

“I will adapt here very well. They go out of their way to assist us in many ways,” he said of his employers who gave them cellular phones on top of their salaries of about 1,400 euros (roughly P99,400) a month.

Rena Rosario Martinez Medallo, who hails from the Chavacano-speaking Zamboanga City, loves this place so much that she has already started working on her papers to avail herself of the privilege allowing her family of four to come to Spain in two year’s time.

“This is just like Zamboanga City,” she said.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view_article.php?article_id=7375

TheAvenger

May 5th, 2007, 06:39 AM

http://gmapinoytv.igma.tv/v2/index.php?view=9&articleid=3555

Filipinos? In Finland? My primary reason for going there was to meet my pen pal of 40 years. Satu Vaverka, for the first time in Helsinki, the country’s capital.

However, I e-mailed and requested Satu to help me look for Filipinos in Finland so I could write about them. Also, I suggested that the Philippine Embassy might be a good place to make inquiries. Satu e-mailed me back, saying the nearest Philippine Embassy is in Stockholm, Sweden. However, while surfing the Internet, a link directed her to Riitta Vartti. I noticed that both her first and last names are Finnish. Hmmm... I wondered what her Philippine connection was.

Here’s what I found out. Riitta had wanted to write fer first novel in another country that was inexpensive and easy to get a visa for. “My husband, Pekka Borg,” she recalled, “met a Filipina a social worker at a convention. She suggested that the Philippines might be the place for me to write.”

Riitta and Pekka lived for one year in 1989 in the Philippines, staying in Quezon City and Puerto Galera in Mindoro. “I Lived in the Finnish countryside, so the Philippines wasn’t a shock. Oh, we loved Puerto Galera. We lived in a nipa hut and had a view of the Balanay Bay and Verde Island Passage. How beautiful that place was!”

But, it was their social interaction with the people that they loved best in the Philippines, she said. “Filipinos are friendly.” She and Pekka were hooked. When they went back to Helsinki, they became involved with the Finnish- Philippines Society. According to Riitta, the Filipino population in Finland is around a thousand, of which 85 percent are women.

Her first novel “Sun Lapsuutes” (My Childhood) was published in 1990. “Taifuunivuosi” (Typoon Year), which was published in 1998, it’s her fifth and last novel. It was based on her experiences in the Philippines.

Rita informed my friend Satu that on July 30, 2006, Sunday, another organization, the Finnish- Philippine Association, would hold a Philippine fiesta. Off we went. As Satu and I were registeringat a hall in Helsinki, the venue of the fiesta, Rita and Pekka introduced themselves to us.

The program was just starting, Philippine folk dances were performed, and there were games. The special guest was a representative from Western Union/ Fexco, the sponsor of the fiesta. One of the emcees, Kristheo Guerrero, jazzed uo the event with his wit and humor. A mass- communication graduate of trinity College in Quezon City, he is an information specialist at a media- monitoring company, How did he end up in Helsinki?

“I was trying to copy “Doctor Zhivago” by traveling to St. Petersburg from Zurich,” he replied. “I had a stopover at the Helsinki- Vantaa Airport. I found my love right then and there and never left!” He likesthe peace and quiet of Finland, as well as the good environment. “Everything works here.”

The buffet lunch was being served. I saw Lydia Padilla Rinne circulating, wearing a fancy hat and selling raffle tickets. She hails from Cebu and works as a medical technologist at a hospital. “This is my mom,” she saidm guiding Aurelia Magdadaro Padilla, 85, who was also wearing a fancy, if not outrageous, hat like her. “Finland is a peaceful country,” Lydia remarked, “but what I miss a lot is the extended family in the Philippines.”

I sat beside Teresita Ruutu, who has bachelor’s and master’s degrees (piano) from the University of the Philippines (UP) and Sibelius Academy, respectively. She is a pianist at the Finnish National Opera Ballet School.

“I was a member of the UP Madrigal Singers,” she explained, “and we performed at an international choral festival in New York City.” Not only did she deliver a superb performance, but she also won the heart of Petri Ruutu, who was a member of the choral group from Finland.

The four seasons in Finland are great, she noted, but she has not acquired the taste for Finnish food. Petri, who was sitting across from us, corrected her. “You said you like fish food in Finland.” “Oh, yes,” Tess added

After lunch, there was a fashion show, featuring Philippine costumes, contemporary style, and a bridal entourage. Kriselda Mustonen, 16, modeled the bridal gown. She is the daughter of Jukka Antonio and Maria Lynn Mustonen. To her, being in the two worlds of the Philippine- Finnish cultures is a blessing. “I get noticed a lot. It’s okey.”

How do Finns and Filipino differ?

“Finns are more seryoso (serious),” she answered. “Filipinos are more fun and louder!”

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GMA-7s Fantastic Man conquers Saturday TV

Animo

May 7th, 2007, 02:04 AM

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e132/restardo/Instituto%20Cervantes/untitled.jpg

By Veronica Uy
INQUIRER.net
Last updated 06:04pm (Mla time) 05/03/2007

MANILA, Philippines -- Filipinos in the United States joined the thousands of immigrants who had taken to the streets to protest the “inhumane” US immigration laws, to push for legalization, and call for an end to raids and deportation, according to an e-mail to INQUIRER.net by a Filipino group there.

The National Alliance for Filipino Concerns (Nafcon) said Filipinos marched under its banner and those of Bayan USA, both active coalition members of the New York May 1st Coalition for Immigrant Rights.

“Filipinos in the US have a lot at stake in this fight for immigrant rights, especially as the third largest immigrant group in the US,” said Michelle Saulon of the Philippine Forum, a community service organization in Queens and founding member of the Nafcon.

She said that the conditions in the Philippines made Filipinos leave the country and that opposing “inhumane immigration legislation in host countries such as the US when we get here is really a continuation of our fight to survive.”

Saulon and Yancy Gandionco of the Anakbayan Filipino Youth Collective were among the individual program committee members that organized a multi-cultural mix of speakers for the May 1 program.

After months of attending coalition meetings, both Saulon and Gandionco pushed for prominent Filipino representation on the rally stage.

Cling Corotan of Sandiwa, a national Filipino-American youth alliance, co-emceed the event while Christina Hilo of Bayan USA delivered a speech in Filipino, Spanish, and English. Anakbayan also offered a Filipino song entitled “Awit Ng Pag-Asa” (Song of Hope) sang by a quintet of the youth organization's members.

Hilo drove the point of recognizing the root causes of migration when considering the ongoing immigration debate.

“We are not just human resources fulfilling cheap labor demands here in the US. We are families broken apart, mothers and fathers leaving their kids behind, and parentless generations in our home country. The bills coming out of Congress simply do not recognize the human stories, not to mention the economic reasons, behind immigrant workers,” he said.

Hilo also said that Filipinos suffered from the longest wait periods for family sponsorship visas -- up to 23 years.

Nafcon said the indignation actions were also being planned in response to the number of arrests and show of police brutality against protesters in New York, Los Angeles, and other cities.

The protests were against unpopular bill proposals in the US Congress.

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/news/view_article.php?article_id=63891

Risk Taker

May 9th, 2007, 11:44 AM

^^ thanks

anyone applied dual in the philippines please share here your experience. How long usually would the process takes place? Any possible scenario for rejection of application? thanks

kiretoce

May 10th, 2007, 12:35 AM

Celebrating our Asian American culture (http://www.philippinenews.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=e541e39961f66cb63799c609873774ee)

Throughout the month of May we celebrate Asian/Pacific Islander American Heritage in California. Over the past two decades, the Asian/Pacific Islander American community has grown tremendously—both in population and in its contributions to the nation—and its members have been successful in virtually every field they have entered.

Today, California is home to immigrants from Southeast Asia, Vietnam, Taiwan, and Korea, as well as from China, Japan, the Philippines, and other Pacific Islands. Each of these ethnic groups contributes richly to California’s diversity. In 1980, Asian Americans represented only five percent of California’s population. Today, there are over 4.5 million Asian/Pacific Islander Americans in California, equaling over 14 percent of our state’s total population. This population is clearly a major presence and a potent force in California, and one that will continue to grow in the future.

The peoples of this diverse and rapidly growing community have contributed to every aspect of national and state life -- from engineering and computer sciences to government, arts and sports. For example, Vinod Dahm helped to revolutionize computer technology through the invention of the Pentium chip, while former Governors Benjamin Cayetano of Hawaii and Gary Locke of Washington have devoted their lives to public service.

May is also a good time to recognize California’s diverse immigrant communities and their experiences in coming to our state. An immigrant myself, I came to California with my family when I was two years old. Even from a young age, I have always been acutely aware of both the challenges faced by the immigrant community, as well as the many opportunities that California has to offer its immigrants.

Unfortunately, while many Asian/Pacific Islander Americans today are thriving, others are still struggling to survive. Often times, struggles come as a result of great language barriers.

That is why I recently introduced Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR) 26. SCR 26 encourages all educational communities in California to celebrate languages and cultures with student activities and programs. The California State Senate and Assembly unanimously passed the resolution and also declared the month of May as World Languages and Cultures Month.

During the month of May the California Language Teachers’ Association, the California Foreign Language Project, the University of California Consortium for Language Learning and Teaching, and other educational organizations throughout California will sponsor special activities to promote awareness of the importance of California residents being able to interact successfully in multilingual and multicultural contexts in the United States and around the world.

Locally, there are many programs of importance to the Filipino community, including the University of San Francisco Kasamahan, Pilipino American Alliance at UC-Berkeley and The Pilipino American Collegiate Endeavor of San Francisco State University.

Curriculums like the Yuchengco Philippine Studies Program at the University of San Francisco have been excellent programs that educate Filipinos and our community about their rich history and traditions. Courses like Tagalog, Philippine History, and Knowledge Activism are just a few of the classes that will lead our children and young adults to be great ambassadors for the Filipino community. By embracing Philippine culture and traditions, and having an understanding of their roots, they become the voice for the voices that weren’t heard in the past.

It is my hope that we can all work together to increase opportunities for Asian/Pacific Islander Americans in California and put an end to many of the obstacles they face when trying to achieve their basic rights of education and employment. We must urge the younger generations of Asian/Pacific Islander Americans to become actively involved in their government and community to secure a strong leadership role for them in the shaping of California’s future.

Honoring the heritage and culture of Asian/Pacific Islander Americans during the month of May is one way we can acknowledge the tremendous contributions made to California and help us all achieve even greater success in the future. I hope you will join me in celebration.

kiretoce

May 10th, 2007, 12:58 AM

Filipinos replace Mexicans as resort workers (http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/local/50921.php)

PHOENIX - Back in the Philippines, Simeon Andagan had a family, a home, a degree and a management position at a top hotel. He left it all behind because he could earn more money making beds for $10.50 an hour at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess in Arizona.

The 36-year-old is among 300 Filipinos who landed in the Phoenix area in October and will stay through May, mostly working as entry-level housekeepers and dishwashers.

The men and women provide an attractive alternative to workers from Mexico because Mexican laborers are seen as a high risk for overstaying their visas.
The Filipino workers come here because paychecks back home are small and opportunities are limited.

Resorts need them because they grapple with a severe staffing shortage in the winter and spring months, when millions of tourists spill into the state for sunshine, shopping and golf.

"My friends say America is a land of opportunity, a land of milk and honey, because there is a lot of work," Andagan said. "So many Filipinos are degree-holders, but they can't find work."

Seven hotels, with the assistance of an international recruitment company, brought the employees here for the first time this year on seasonal employment visas known as H-2Bs.

Andagan earned a bachelor's degree in commerce with an emphasis in management and worked 17 years for a top hotel company in his native Philippines, an island nation of 84 million people off the southeast coast of Asia. At the Princess in Scottsdale, he knows laundry workers who were teachers, housekeepers who were advertising executives.

His hometown's economy is so depressed that the lowest job in America is more lucrative than the highest job there, he said. A month's pay in the Philippines was $500, which would not buy him a single night at the luxury resort during the high season.

Now, he makes $2,000 a month. In a matter of weeks, he worked his way up from a room attendant to a housekeeping supervisor. Like most of his co-workers, he works overtime, saves up and sends money to his family. His new bounty will put his 19-year-old son through college.

"I always call my son, every day," Andagan said. "I miss my family, the happenings every day. All of my friends are there hanging out every day."
Hotels say they look for workers in English-speaking countries with service-oriented cultures.

The U.S. Department of Labor grants up to 66,000 H-2B visas every year, according to its Web site. But considering that those are parceled out among dozens of countries, they can be difficult for workers to obtain.
As a result, the visas are highly coveted.

"Some embassies feel they have sent enough workers over, so they are not going to approve any more," said John Bergmann, an independent consultant who works with an Orlando, Fla.-based international recruiting company called Delivering Human Innovation. "We recruit so heavily from the Philippines and have had such great success there, I think we know the well is going to dry up and we have to find some other good resources."

The rules of seasonal visas are clearly defined:

● Hotels must advertise jobs in their own community first to ensure that American workers won't be displaced.

● Before they arrive, international workers undergo drug tests and background checks and pay about $1,000 in processing fees.

● Once here, visa-holders earn at least minimum wage and pay taxes. They can stay in one city for up to 10 months, and they can bounce between seasonal destinations for up to three years.

● The workers must go home and reapply for the program after three years, or they can apply for a green card to stay in the United States. After that, they can apply for citizenship.

Virtually all the Filipino hotel workers are clamoring to "roll" to another property. Their Arizona jobs end May 31, when the heat drives hotel guests away. Andagan said many international workers see the seasonal visa as a path to citizenship.

"It's only my dream," he said of coming to America. "It's really hard to enter this country. When you go to the embassy, nobody can pass. Now, I'm here. This is it." He said he will stay as long as he is allowed.

kiretoce

May 10th, 2007, 04:52 PM

Filipino-Americans Celebrate 100 Years in Bay Area with Symposium in Vallejo (http://davaotoday.com/2007/05/10/filipino-americans-celebrate-100-years-in-bay-area-with-symposium-in-vallejo/)

Acting Head of Post Wilfredo C. Santos of the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco, USA reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program in collaboration with the Bay Area Filipino Centennial Committee and the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) held a symposium on Filipino American history to herald the remarkable experiences of Filipino people and families who lived in America since the first sustained migration of Filipinos in the country.

The symposium with the theme, “One Hundred Years of Challenge and Change: The Filipino American Story,” took place on 5 May at the Rizza Auditorium of California State University, Maritime Academy in Vallejo.

Speakers presented personal and first-hand stories that demonstrated the courage and wisdom of the Filipino migrants who bravely faced the challenges and the unknown in their quest for adventure, fulfillment and economic prosperity.

Distinguished Filipino-American lecturers spoke about the past 100 years of Filipino Americans in the United States, the contributions they made to the United States and their beloved homeland, the Philippines. The keynote speaker, Dr. Dorothy Laigo Cordova, founder of the Filipino American National Historical Society, provided a true picture of the lives of early Filipinos in America through her vast knowledge of community history.

Other speakers included Larry Asera, retired CSU, Maritime Academy professor and Solano County Board of Education Trustee, who looked back at his family’s journey from Hawaiian sugarcane plantations to the boardrooms of corporate America. Vangie Canonizado Buell, author of Twenty-Five Chickens and a Pig for a Bride and Seven Card Stud with Seven Manangs Wild talked on the US-Philippine War and the Buffalo soldiers, Ms. Buell being a direct descendant of a Buffalo soldier. Dawn Mabalon, SFSU Professor and Founder of Stockton’s Little Manilatown Foundation discussed the preservation of Manilatown in Stockton and its transformation into a historic landmark.

kiretoce

May 10th, 2007, 04:58 PM

Philippine immigrants living in squalor in Sabah (http://www.brunei-online.com/bb/thu/may10b1.htm)

Generations of Filipino immigrants are living in squalor in Malaysia and the government must act or face a humanitarian crisis, a lawmaker and official said Wednesday.

Sabah lawmaker Eric Majimbun said there are six settlements in the state, on Borneo island, where immigrants have been living for more than 30 years without basic amenities such as water and electricity.

"What we are asking the government to do is to contain them in one area and provide them with basic necessities, at the very least," Majimbun told AFP, warning of dire conditions that have seen cases of tuberculosis.

According to the state's 2006 census, there are more than 100,000 stateless Filipinos in Sabah who are not considered permanent Malaysian residents, he said.

Majimbun said many of them are families of some 60,000 refugees who fled a separatist rebellion in the 1970s in the Mindanao region of the southern Philippines, across the narrow Sulu sea from Sabah.

The lawmaker said the refugees had been issued temporary residency visas when they first arrived in Malaysia but had since been neglected.

"The original 61,000 Filipinos with a social visit pass issued by Malaysia have since scattered. What we have now in the settlements are the new generation, their children and family members," Majimbun said.

The immigrants are so well integrated they speak local dialects and look like Sabahans, he said.

But the settlers' children, and their offspring, do not have Malaysian citizenship despite being born here, or marrying Malaysians.

"Nothing has been done for them because the government still feels they are staying here on a temporary basis," said Majimbun, whose Sepanggar constituency contains two of the settlements.

In Telipok, a settlement some 25 kilometres (15 miles) from state capital Kota Kinabalu, a population of 5,000 live in some 650 wooden houses with no electricity, water or schools, he said. Malaysia's Human Rights Commission called on the government to find a lasting solution before there was a humanitarian crisis.

"Citizens or not, we are highlighting a humanitarian problem. They should have basic amenities accorded to them or we could be dealing with a crisis situation," commissioner Denison Jayasooria told AFP.

"We can't just let people live like that in constant limbo, in poverty and without dignity," he said.

kiretoce

May 10th, 2007, 05:14 PM

Handover alters profile of Hong Kong's foreigners (http://news.sawf.org/Lifestyle/36898.aspx)

http://www.sawf.org/newsphotos/2/Filipina_Hong_Kong_200705092111043120_afp.jpg http://www.sawf.org/newsphotos/2/Filipina_Hong_Kong_200705092111043281_afp.jpg

On Sundays, however, it becomes noticeable for a different reason -- its canopy-like construction offers ideal shade for hundreds of maids who shelter there on their weekly day off.

Hong Kong's transformation on a Sunday is legendary: the city's armies of 250,000 foreign domestic helpers turn streets that usually bustle with shoppers into noisy picnic sites where they eat pre-cooked meals, swap manicures and massages and catch up on gossip.

But in a reflection of the demographic shifts seen in the region in the 10 years since Hong Kong reverted from British to Chinese rule, the make-up of the Sunday gatherings -- like Hong Kong's 400,000-strong ethnic community -- has changed.

"We don't have our own home. We all live in different parts of Hong Kong so here is the only place and the only day when we can meet every week," Cherrie Manila, a 39-year-old Filipino maid, told AFP.

"I'm quite happy to hang out with my friends on the streets," said Manila, sitting on a piece of newspaper laid out for her and her friends.

Hong Kong's 115,000 Filipinos make up the city's single largest immigrant community and the majority, like Manila, are working here as maids.

Still, the number of Filipinos has fallen by more than 5,000 since 1996, because of tighter visa regulations and better prospects further afield, said Eni Lestari from Hong Kong-based NGO Asian Migrants Coordinating Body.

"The number of Filipinos is falling because they are moving to Western and European countries for work," she said.

Tighter immigration regulations have driven many to take advantage of lower bars in countries such as Canada and the European Union, Lestari added.

Indonesians, however, are more than filling the gap.

Hit by natural disasters, economic crisis and a shortage of jobs, Jakarta has tried to cut unemployment by encouraging its people to seek work overseas, said Lestari.

As a result, the Indonesian population here has shot up fivefold since 1996 to 110,576.

One of them is Anna Yulianda, a 28-year-old domestic helper, who said she sends 80 percent of her 4,500 Hong Kong dollar (577 US) monthly salary home to support her family and for her two young sisters' university education.

She hopes eventually to get married and have a big family. Just not right now. "I still need to make more money first. Only money can bring happiness, right?"

But tight visa restrictions, an increasingly competitive labour market and precious little in the way of a social safety net mean immigrants still occupy the lower rungs of society here.

Such hardships are brutally apparent in the Nepalese community, which once enjoyed the patronage of the British army's now defunct Gurkha regiment that provided security during the colonial era.

Ex-Gurkha Tamang Hembahadur is among 16,000 Nepalese who have been left to fend for themselves and their children.

Although many of their children have been trained as engineers, doctors and lawyers, often they are forced by the language barrier to take low-paid and low-skilled jobs in bars and restaurants, he said.

"We are treated like outsiders and a different class," said Hembahadur, who came here 22 years ago aged 23 and is now a security company supervisor.

"We had been devoted to the Hong Kong people, but after the handover, the government never mentions what the Gurkhas did, it never says that the Gurkhas are brave. They forgot us," the father of three said.

Perhaps the biggest demographic change of all since the handover, however, has been in the British community.

Once the largest expatriate legion in Hong Kong, their numbers have dropped to 25,000, just a seventh of the total recorded on the census one year before the handover.

Simon Kay is typical of those who arrived here before the handover, taking advantage of visa regulations that allowed Britons easy entry and work permits -- rights that have since been scrapped.

"I was running away from a family situation -- my best mate from school was here. I just wanted to take a break from home," said Kay, a 39-year-old magazine design manager from Edinburgh.

"It was easy to find jobs here. You could just walk into any pub and get a job.

"But job opportunities got less and less over the years because you are now expected to speak Cantonese for many positions. There are not as many jobs for the expats here now."

MNL

May 13th, 2007, 08:16 PM

grabe! and dami ngang bading sa pilipinas.:D well, at least ang mga bading dito respected naman.:d

kiretoce

May 17th, 2007, 03:27 PM

Filipinos face stiffer rules on work visa (http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=politics5_may17_2007)

Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, South Korea and Kuwait now require Filipinos applying for working visas to submit certifications on the authenticity of their passports and they will have to get such documents from the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Assistant Secretary Domingo Lucenario Jr. said the foreign affairs department was surprised at the new requirement that has caused a sudden surge of applicants for passport certification at the agency and officials estimate that more than 10,000 people now troop to the foreign affairs office on Roxas Boulevard every day.

“There was no official communication from the embassies of these governments on the new requirement for Filipino workers. But just the same, we provide our nationals with the certification that they need because we don’t want to prejudice their applications,” Lucenario said.

Lucenario said the foreign office has asked the embassies of South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Taiwan to send them an explanation of the new requirement for Filipino workers. The foreign affairs department official said he has yet to meet with officials of these embassies to discuss the new requirement for Filipino workers.

The certification of the passport seeks to establish that the authenticity of the travel document owing to the rampant use of fake passports by many Filipinos seeking jobs overseas.

Moreover, the Philippines is still using non-machine readable, or manual passports until June due to a pending lawsuit that prevented the foreign affairs office from issuing machine-readable passports which is now required by International Civil Aviation Organization.

Lucenario said Saudi Arabia was the first to make the new employment requirement and the three other countries followed suit.

He said the number of applicants for certification of passport increased from 100 to 1,500 for the last three weeks. Applicants for authentication of documents also increased from 1,000 to 2,000 a day to at least 4,000 every day.

Lucenario explained that the increase of applicants was due to the recent move of the government to make the foreign affairs department, the sole agency to authenticate all travel documents.

Malacañang and the foreign affairs department used to handle authentication of documents, but beginning early April this year, it has abolished the authentication division and transferred the duty to the foreign affairs department.

Meanwhile, the number of applicants for new passports also increased from 2,000 to 2,500 everyday to 4,000 to 5,000 every day.

“But we really lack enough staff to address the increase in these documents and we cannot hire new staff because of the election ban,” Lucenario said, adding that the foreign affairs department has already asked the Commission on Elections to approve their request to hire 50 more staff for the department’s consular division.

kiretoce

May 17th, 2007, 03:52 PM

Accenture beefs up Philippines recruitment (http://www.techworld.nl/idgns/3194/accenture-beefs-up-philippines-recruitment.html)

Confident about the quality of local skills, Accenture has beefed up its recruitment and retention programs in the Philippines to reach its goal of having 15,000 employees by year-end.

Currently employing over 11,000 in the country, the company is confident that it will meet its employment goal this year through people development programs and extensive collaboration with the academe.

In 2006, Accenture spent over US$700 million on training, and the same kind of training will be extended to the thousands more employees that will be hired by the Accenture Manila Delivery Center this year, said Jill Smart, Accenture chief human resources officer. "We focus a lot on our people just like how a lot of companies focus on their products. We invest considerable resources to provide ongoing training that builds and extends professional, technical and management skills in all areas," Smart added.

According to Ramona Velasco, country HR lead at Accenture's Manila Delivery Center, aside from offering internal movement opportunities for current Accenture employees interested in career shifts, the company also has both self-development and community activities for employees, which include sports events, interest workshops, livelihood activities, and education programs including computer courses, COBOL, SAP, and presentation skills.

Intensive recruitment

Aside from allowing movement of its employees for potential career shifters, Accenture embarks on intensive recruitment initiatives to fill its demand for employees. The company regularly holds job fairs not only in Metro Manila but also in key cities like Baguio, Cebu, Davao, and Cagayan.

According to Velasco, the company keeps close ties with the academe and holds "Career Days" in some schools where they try to campaign not only about job opportunities with Accenture but also to impart to IT and non-IT students that there is a future in IT.

Beth Lui, country managing director of the Accenture Manila Delivery Center, said that instead of tapping near-hires, they actually go to universities and select the 60 top students in the their senior years and have Accenture senior executives spend time with them, teach them the basics of the business, and even bring them to the Accenture office to let them have a "feel" of the real "working world." This program was recently revised to include Juniors into the pool as well. Lui adds that most of these students actually go back and apply at the company after graduation.

Other programs include on-the-job trainings with the University of Makati, where 30 to 40 students are brought to the company for training with stipend. "We hired a significant number of the people we trained," Velasco noted.

"I hope schools will encourage students to take electives in business process outsourcing or IT; a certain number of units or hours in the last year of college could help make them job-ready," said Lui. Lui added that they are further working with the academe to help enhance the curriculum of universities, an example of which is the De La Salle University's partnership with Accenture to offer elective courses on COBOL and .Net.

"The Philippines is no different from the rest of the globe, competition is hot in the talent market; but there's a lot of recognition for the Philippines and the Manila Delivery Center, the best credential yet is its longevity and stability -- its track record," said Smart, adding that Filipinos are known to have world-class skills and impressive work values.

According to Lui, the Philippines currently produces more accountants and management graduates, while the industry is currently still feeling the impact of the drop in enrollment in Computer Science and IT courses, partly because of the large number of students that go into nursing. "IT is very much alive and this is what we want to explain to students during Career Days," added Velasco.

smokingunmanila

May 18th, 2007, 05:05 AM

Filipinos learns spanish:

Spanish ba itong mga to?

1. Punyeta
2. Punyemas
3. Iyodiputa
4. andele
5. favor lang?
6. madre mia
7. de kalidad
8. bobita
9. animal!
10. por dyos por santo
11.que horror
12. que barbaridad

and what do they mean?

Danny Chua

May 18th, 2007, 06:13 AM

These are the only ones I know:...
3. Iyodiputa = should be "hijo de puta" = our very own "p.i. mo".
4. andele = faster
6. madre mia = "by my mother!" = expression of surprise?
7. de kalidad = good quality
9. animal! = same meaning as in English...
10. por dyos por santo = "for the love of god and all the saints" = expression of exasperation
11. que horror = "what horror!" = expression of disgust
12. que barbaridad = "such barbarism" = expression of disdain

bitoy

May 18th, 2007, 11:56 AM

1. Punyeta = Puñeta (Jakol) :lol:
2. Punyemas(Conyemas?) = Coño mas (not sure if that's the meaning of that or where it came from)

lazybum

May 29th, 2007, 08:00 AM

In the Eyes of the World

World public opinion says that China's economy is gaining on America's. But when it comes to acting responsibly on the world stage, both countries are less than trustworthy. Most surprising, the Philippines think that the US can be trusted to act responsibly.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18851285/site/newsweek/from/ET/

diz

May 29th, 2007, 08:03 AM

WTF? I remember seeing a graph that showed the exact opposite.

ravenhawk

May 29th, 2007, 08:04 AM

ravenhawk

May 29th, 2007, 08:07 AM

Regarding the graph I think its more of the businessmen who were qustioned, Its no doubt kasi yun yung mga mindset ng mga busineessment na kakilala ko. Especially those traders at PSE. THey are thinking that China is a big oppurtunity at America is going wasted already

OtAkAw

May 29th, 2007, 08:14 AM

WTF? I remember seeing a graph that showed the exact opposite.

I think I know what you're talking about. I saw that too.

And the report is contrary to what I personally see here in the country. Everyone wants to go to America. Everyone is worshiping McDo, Britney Spears, Starbucks. Well, even though these factors don't mean that we trust America that much, still, these are proof that Filipinos have this kind of "reverence" to America.

TheAvenger

May 29th, 2007, 09:21 AM

In my view no way is the Philippines turning into Anti-America.

Almost all towns in the Philippines has a former inhabitants who lived in the US. Most of the families have a close or distant relatives in the US.

I have mixed before with the Left and we hated the USA so much, however when Marcos declared martial law most of the leaders of the Left take refuge in America.

We were against the US govt because of the unfair and ambigous military treaties and VFA. but it doesn't mean that we are anti America or anti Americans.

Filipinos were mostly pro America ..... difficult to erase our colonial mentality :)

heathcliff

May 29th, 2007, 09:44 AM

Insanedriver

May 29th, 2007, 11:28 AM

whoah so were turning against the united states now?
where did the respondents came from?

smokingunmanila

May 29th, 2007, 03:11 PM

I think we've passed this stage...parang pang 70's yung topic...we are more global now..and most filipinos has been out of the country already..so living elsewhere is no strange to them...I don't even think of USA as an option...what I'm thinking off is migrating to either Australia or Thailand..or even europe...kung may pera nako of my own..

jgacis

May 29th, 2007, 08:35 PM

I think we should differentiate between the American people and the policies of the American government.

I agree with GMA's actions to cultivate our relationship with other countries, and not just the U.S. The U.S. government has disappointed us many, many times, not least of which is its failure to recompense the Filipino war veterans who fought on the side of the Americans against the Japanese, and now its planned measures to unfairly tighten immigration policies against Filipinos. The Doha round is also now being stalled because of the self-serving interests of these rich nations. We cannot rely solely on the friendship of a country which keeps breaking its promises. We have to move on and widen our options.

How about the American people who are the constituents (voters) of the policy-makers in our American government today?

You think you can just neglect them and follow the band wagon of Michael Moors, Al Gores, and Borats out there who think they have the better answer????

How can you say the U.S. government disappointed filipinos many times when we have also disappointed ourselves many times as well? :ohno:

Senate Approves Akaka Amendment to Immigration Bill: Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act
May 24, 2007
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI) is pleased to announce that his "Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act" (S.AMDT.1186) was agreed to today by the full Senate as an amendment to the immigration bill. The final vote was 87-9. The amendment was cosponsored by Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Majority Whip Richard Durbin (D-IL), fellow Hawaii Senator Daniel Inouye (D), and Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Patty Murray (D-WA), and Maria Cantwell (D-WA). The debate over the full immigration bill is expected to continue into early next month.

"I am extremely pleased that my colleagues in the Senate saw fit to join me in honoring these brave Filipino veterans who fought alongside American troops to achieve victory in World War II," said Senator Akaka. "It would be a great final honor for these heroes to be joined and cared for by their adult children as they move through their golden years. Today's vote is dedicated to the valiant service these Filipino veterans provided of behalf of our great country."

We owe a great debt of gratitude to all veterans who sacrifice for our country," Majority Leader Reid said. "This bill finally and formally honors the service of all Filipino veterans of World War II and corrects an injustice more than 60 years old. We are grateful for the service of these brave men and are proud to ensure that all, not just some, Filipino veterans can enjoy the equal benefits they have earned."

"Filipino veterans served alongside U.S. soldiers, jointly leading us to victory in WWII," Majority Whip Durbin said. "Extending immigration rights to the children of these brave soldiers is an important way we can honor their service to America."

Senator Inouye said: "I am pleased that the overwhelming majority of my colleagues voted in favor of this amendment. By doing so, we have taken a major step forward in rectifying a major wrong that has been done to Filipino veterans who bravely fought alongside American servicemen during World War II. They fought under U.S. command to defend their homeland and to protect U.S. interests, and, finally, in 1990, these Filipino veterans were offered the opportunity to gain U.S. citizenship. This benefit, however, was not extended to their sons and daughters, and many have waited for many years, as part of a huge immigration backlog, to be reunited with their fathers, who are now in their 80s and 90s. Senator Akaka's amendment will expedite the reunification of loved ones, and honor our commitment to Filipino veterans of World War II."

"This bill honors the sacrifice of veterans who fought alongside American soldiers by allowing them to reunite with their loved ones," said Senator Murray. "It's a way of showing our appreciation and providing justice to those whose sacrifices helped ensure our freedom."

"Our Filipino veterans have made tremendous sacrifices in our nation's defense so that later generations could thrive in freedom and prosperity," said Senator Cantwell. "Their own children deserve access to that same American dream, and they deserve to be reunited with their children. As a nation, we have a distinct and important responsibility to make sure service members, veterans, and their families receive the benefits, the care, and the recognition they have earned and so greatly deserve."

At least our American government allows us to address our issues, and in some cases (like this one), allows us to find a mitigating solution for all parties involved.

kyle@1008

May 30th, 2007, 05:08 AM

Lili

May 30th, 2007, 05:20 AM

Why is that the title of this thread when the findings in the study indicate otherwise? The Philippines ranked the highest (85%) on the confidence in the USA to act responsibly in the world.

smokingunmanila

May 30th, 2007, 05:22 AM

very true @ lili

Lili

May 30th, 2007, 05:24 AM

^ I guess there was a misquote earlier @smoking.

lazybum

May 30th, 2007, 05:44 AM

Why is that the title of this thread when the findings in the study indicate otherwise? The Philippines ranked the highest (85%) on the confidence in the USA to act responsibly in the world.

Hi Lili - just don't tell the rest of the guys, I'm trying to test how accurate the poll is. :ohno:

smokingunmanila

May 30th, 2007, 05:54 AM

I'm neutral with the US..of course I'm a pure blooded democrat..and right now, I just cannot swallow Bush...I just wish his term would end sooner than 2008....and hello HILLARY...obama as vice...

heathcliff

May 30th, 2007, 08:41 AM

How about the American people who are the constituents (voters) of the policy-makers in our American government today?

You think you can just neglect them and follow the band wagon of Michael Moors, Al Gores, and Borats out there who think they have the better answer????

How can you say the U.S. government disappointed filipinos many times when we have also disappointed ourselves many times as well? :ohno:

At least our American government allows us to address our issues, and in some cases (like this one), allows us to find a mitigating solution for all parties involved.

Why would I follow the bandwagon of Michael Moore etc.??? My goodness, you've completely twisted the sense of my post.

If the American government is actually getting up from its stupor and is actually going to recompense Filipino war veterans after 60 years of neglect, then good! Even American senators who support such measure agree with me in calling it 60 years of injustice. Read your own posted article.

Jeez, I criticize the American government and suddenly I'm accused of being anti-American. If you even paid attention to my post, you will see clearly that what I am against are the wrong moves of the American government, not the attempts to correct them, nor the people who are trying to correct them - these I honor and support. Michael Moore and the rest are mere idi0ts, much like the majority of the opposition in the Philippines.

It is not being anti-American to cultivate relationships with other countries besides the U.S., to widen our options and take advantage of the economic opportunities that the progress of our neighboring countries provide. It is always a wise policy not to be dependent solely on the patronage of one powerful foreign country, since it also has its own interests to look after that might not always complement our interests.

bariQ

May 30th, 2007, 08:45 AM

gusto ko bumalik nang troops sa america pagkatapos ng giera... those two wars are proving too costly for americans...

ikra

May 30th, 2007, 03:45 PM

lol i think its time we stop looking up to the americans

Gaeus

May 30th, 2007, 05:33 PM

Why would I follow the bandwagon of Michael Moore etc.??? My goodness, you've completely twisted the sense of my post.

If the American government is actually getting up from its stupor and is actually going to recompense Filipino war veterans after 60 years of neglect, then good! Even American senators who support such measure agree with me in calling it 60 years of injustice. Read your own posted article.

Jeez, I criticize the American government and suddenly I'm accused of being anti-American. If you even paid attention to my post, you will see clearly that what I am against are the wrong moves of the American government, not the attempts to correct them, nor the people who are trying to correct them - these I honor and support. Michael Moore and the rest are mere idi0ts, much like the majority of the opposition in the Philippines.

It is not being anti-American to cultivate relationships with other countries besides the U.S., to widen our options and take advantage of the economic opportunities that the progress of our neighboring countries provide. It is always a wise policy not to be dependent solely on the patronage of one powerful foreign country, since it also has its own interests to look after that might not always complement our interests.

To tell you the truth, Michael Moore is one of the few who are trying to voice out his view to help his community in Michigan. His documentary are not Anti-American and actually its more like pro-poor. Conservative press treats him like an anti-American because thats the only way they can ruin him. The Conservative Press also treated many of the Americans(including me) as anti-Americans or pro-terrorist when we were against the Iraq War four years ago. Now, I wonder if they are still going to say that to us?

xDieselJockx

May 30th, 2007, 05:57 PM

You guys actually believe on Michael Moore??

HeathCliff, it's really not good to critisize any government. I can say alot of bad things about the Philippine Gov't but it's probably not probably wise for me to do. It's easy to critisize our government here in America but as far as I am concern it is still a working system and is one of the better ones all over the world... Peace.

xDieselJockx

May 30th, 2007, 05:57 PM

deleted , double post.

tigidig14

May 30th, 2007, 06:17 PM

Is the Philippines Turning Anti-America?
nope because most pnoy try to come here

athan

May 30th, 2007, 06:49 PM

the US is not the world,....and currently the world hates america,.. it's an old historical pattern,.. this empire would fall soon, and we need to be ready when that happens,.. strengthening our diplomatic relations with other nations is a must, if we are to survive..

i like this answer. and even if we aren't actually turning anti-US, i am satisfied with the way our government (esp. with the pullout in iraq a couple of years back) and people have been acting on certain issues that sometimes tend to irk a former master. the 90s saw the dismantling of foreign military installations in the country. we've become more independent in our foreign policy since. and sometimes i feel that, in order to become one of them, to achieve first world status and recognition, one ('juan') must act like them in a way that we see our country the most glorious. :D we must step out of the shadows and be as equally clever and arrogant or even more. :D cos maybe then will we get the respect and fear that will allow us to pursue our 1st world dreams. and we're gonna need a strong cultural economy that will back us up in this new quest. cos once we start to see the world as Asia, Latin America, Africa and not just US and Europe, and we've overcome all neocolonial mentality that we have, America will instead have to learn Filipino just to get close to us and they'll be eating our "leftover dogs". hehe. but that's probably just me. :D

jgacis

May 30th, 2007, 08:02 PM

Why would I follow the bandwagon of Michael Moore etc.??? My goodness, you've completely twisted the sense of my post.

If the American government is actually getting up from its stupor and is actually going to recompense Filipino war veterans after 60 years of neglect, then good! Even American senators who support such measure agree with me in calling it 60 years of injustice. Read your own posted article.

Jeez, I criticize the American government and suddenly I'm accused of being anti-American. If you even paid attention to my post, you will see clearly that what I am against are the wrong moves of the American government, not the attempts to correct them, nor the people who are trying to correct them - these I honor and support. Michael Moore and the rest are mere idi0ts, much like the majority of the opposition in the Philippines.

It is not being anti-American to cultivate relationships with other countries besides the U.S., to widen our options and take advantage of the economic opportunities that the progress of our neighboring countries provide. It is always a wise policy not to be dependent solely on the patronage of one powerful foreign country, since it also has its own interests to look after that might not always complement our interests.

Ok...

Maybe I'm old-fashioned, where to support you country is to support your government (a rare view these days).

JFK said: "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country".

So basically in a democratic society, we are also PART of the government. To isolate ourselves from the government (like your comments suggest AND Michael Moore) would only fuel the barriers of CORRUPTION and destroy the process of UNITY between the people and their leaders.

jgacis

May 30th, 2007, 08:17 PM

the US is not the world,....and currently the world hates america,.. it's an old historical pattern,.. this empire would fall soon, and we need to be ready when that happens,.. strengthening our diplomatic relations with other nations is a must, if we are to survive..

Your right, the world loves to hate America. And while your hating, I'm sure you will continue to live your life in many ways affected by some American product or culture.

Do you know how long empires last? How about the Roman and Persian Empires? They lasted for centuries... So I don't see any empire falling soon.

Historical pattern? Yes, the Persians and the Greeks, Romans and the Carthaginians, England and France, etc. etc. There are many basics that stay the same. But don't neglect the power of technology, communication, and global commerce that continues to define and change the global arena. Empires were built on these technologies and every time they learned something new, the rules changed.

You suggest that diplomatic relations with other nations is a must? That's an old historical pattern too....

bitoy

May 30th, 2007, 08:50 PM

If the Filipinos started to migrate to other countries rather than to the US, then we must be turning our back to America and Filipinos being anti-American would be those with different intention or ideology on how they see America.

There are lots of anti-American all over the world, and that doesn't mean that they hate America all the way, just her foreign policies. :)

Don't be misled by those Michael Moore's and other conspiracy theories against the US government, America is still a functioning nation that treats everyone equally.

....

and then, when a global disaster comes who they gonna call?

SUPERMAN! :lol:

(is he dead?)

lazybum

May 30th, 2007, 10:59 PM

I think we should differentiate between the American people and the policies of the American government.

...We cannot rely solely on the friendship of a country which keeps breaking its promises. We have to move on and widen our options.

Thank you for pointing out that we should differentate the American people from the policies of the American government. As I have mentioned in another post, the American people by enlarge, is the most generous and giving people among the wealthy industrialized nations in the world.

To give you an example, Americans in 2005, provided over $122 billion in foreign economic aid, of that amount, almost 80% came from private foundations, corporations, voluntary organizations, universities, religious organizations, and individuals. The amount of aid given by US private voluntary organizations is even larger than the aid each given by the governments of Japan, UK, Germany or France.

US government official develepment assistance (ODA) in 2005 was $28 billion, the largest of al official donations by an individual country. Although I must admit that the US can do more and should be doing more.

Gaeus

May 31st, 2007, 03:44 AM

Thank you for pointing out that we should differentiate the American people from the policies of the American government. As I have mentioned in another post, the American people by enlarge, is the most generous and giving people among the wealthy industrialized nations in the world.

To give you an example, Americans in 2005, provided over $122 billion in foreign economic aid, of that amount, almost 80% came from private foundations, corporations, voluntary organizations, universities, religious organizations, and individuals. The amount of aid given by US private voluntary organizations is even larger than the aid each given by the governments of Japan, UK, Germany or France.

US government official development assistance (ODA) in 2005 was $28 billion, the largest of all official donations by an individual country. Although I must admit that the US can do more and should be doing more.

Yeah. Americans have been generous for years since the end of World War II (thanks to the Greatest Generation who provided such example). Also, there are more American Volunteers in the world than any other countries (unless if you combine the whole Europe). For example, there are more American Doctors that goes to Africa to provide free Medicine to the poor. Its also the same with American Teachers providing free education and Social Workers. America also provides the most scholarships for college education. I just don't like the way American Fed Government slashing the budget of College Financial Aid recently and not doing to stop the annual increase of College Tuition.

rage@cebu

June 1st, 2007, 11:44 AM

Thank you for pointing out that we should differentate the American people from the policies of the American government. As I have mentioned in another post, the American people by enlarge, is the most generous and giving people among the wealthy industrialized nations in the world.

To give you an example, Americans in 2005, provided over $122 billion in foreign economic aid, of that amount, almost 80% came from private foundations, corporations, voluntary organizations, universities, religious organizations, and individuals. The amount of aid given by US private voluntary organizations is even larger than the aid each given by the governments of Japan, UK, Germany or France.

US government official develepment assistance (ODA) in 2005 was $28 billion, the largest of al official donations by an individual country. Although I must admit that the US can do more and should be doing more.

:banana: why hate them? young minds are easy to pollute ksi... watch dekada70.

kyle@1008

June 1st, 2007, 07:29 PM

Your right, the world loves to hate America. And while your hating, I'm sure you will continue to live your life in many ways affected by some American product or culture.

Do you know how long empires last? How about the Roman and Persian Empires? They lasted for centuries... So I don't see any empire falling soon.

Historical pattern? Yes, the Persians and the Greeks, Romans and the Carthaginians, England and France, etc. etc. There are many basics that stay the same. But don't neglect the power of technology, communication, and global commerce that continues to define and change the global arena. Empires were built on these technologies and every time they learned something new, the rules changed.

You suggest that diplomatic relations with other nations is a must? That's an old historical pattern too....

no, I don't hate america... I never did..

I'm talking about patterns, empires rise and fall at their own times,... some last for centuries , some last a few years or so,... technology has always been there,.. human kind would always move forward,... america may or may not fall soon,... it all depends,....it could fall tommorow, or maybe in a century...

what do the analysts say?? will this century still belong to america??
oftentimes these are the people who are proven right...

Askal82

June 2nd, 2007, 02:30 AM

Pano ba naman kasi "cheek by jowl tayo" sa pagsuporta sa kanila, but we merely get very little in terms of Aid. Israel,Egypt and Pakistan were getting huge military aids of more than $1b annualy eh tayo around $100m lang and ang dami pang if's and buts. I think its not that our government is becoming anti-American. they are just widening their options. America is not the world and the world is not America..

Just look what turned out to Subic when Americans left at the height of Mt. Pinatubo Eraption :lol:. A multi million dollar rent for a month becomes a multi billion dollar haven of investments for the years that followed for such a vast real estate.

The question of the Philippines turning against America is rather irrelevant in an increasingly entanglement of the world politics and economics.

What should we ask ourselves then: Can the Philippines, a weak nation maintain to balance multilateral diplomacy with national interests?

If the Philippines leans too much on America and the West, it will deprive itself of more economic opportunities from its increasingly prosperous neighbors (particularly China), flowing into the country. By leaning too much, lets say on China or Middle East, it will deprive itself of the protection, security and stability America can provide to the country.

smokingunmanila

June 2nd, 2007, 05:36 AM

Just look what turned out to Subic when Americans left at the height of Mt. Pinatubo Eraption :lol:. A multi million dollar rent for a month becomes a multi billion dollar haven of investments for the years that followed for such a vast real estate.

The question of the Philippines turning against America is rather irrelevant in an increasingly entanglement of the world politics and economics.

What should we ask ourselves then: Can the Philippines, a weak nation maintain to balance multilateral diplomacy with national interests?

If the Philippines leans too much on America and the West, it will deprive itself of more economic opportunities from its increasingly prosperous neighbors (particularly China), flowing into the country. By leaning too much, lets say on China or Middle East, it will deprive itself of the protection, security and stability America can provide to the country.

And yes!! I live there now...thanks for leaving Subic!!

Let me add some more...I lived in Olongapo for 5 years when the bases were still there. I was assigned as a casino dealer in that area. I hate Olongapo and never loved it. It was just dollar, drugs and prostitution. We were all cramp in a small space surrounded by the mountains of zambales, subic bay and the base. When Subic finally opened its door to us, I was shock that the americans were living in paradise, virgin forest, waterfalls, wildlife, mangroves, and clean beaches..plus...super huge huge wide space...

For me, this is unjustice to the Filipinos. I prayed for that senate to reject the bases...even Cory campaigned for the retention...and by not fullfilling her promise during edsa 1 that she will terminate the bases agreement. From what I heard, the Cory and the US government was ready to file a motion for reconsideration in the Supreme Court...but..when Pinatubo erupted, the US government decided to leave the bases, and leaving it alone to us to clean it up and repair it....and they were SHOCK...that Gordon has saved the bases with his volunteers na hindi nabayaran (US gave 500 million for volunteers from reliable sources in Olongapo City).

Overall, to each his own...and yes even countries has their own selfish motives and interests...and that includes our own country. so I do not hate them...what they did was practical to protect their own country at our expense of course. Kung nag pa uto tayo....then sori nalang..nag pa uto tayo ehh....again..salute to Salonga for terminating the bases agreement!

portludlow

June 2nd, 2007, 03:57 PM

Filipinos abroad mostly executives

http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=news6_june2_2007
TWO-THIRDS of the 1.515 million Filipinos working overseas are executives, professionals and skilled workers, and only one in every three is an unskilled worker, according to a survey by the National Statistics Office.

The agency did the survey from April to September 2006, when the workers remitted P102 billion to the Philippines.

That amount did not represent the total salary received by the workers, and “may just be a part of [their] total salary,” the agency says.

The average amount that the Filipino professionals remitted during the period was P91,000, more than double the P38,200 remitted by laborers and unskilled workers.

In recent years, the Philippines has been deploying more women and younger workers abroad.

The NSO estimates that there were 764,000 female Filipino workers and 751,000 male Filipino workers abroad last year, and that most of them came from the so-called Calabarzon area, Metro Manila and Central Luzon.

It says executives comprise about 2.7 percent of all migrant workers; professionals, 8.6 percent; technicians and associate professionals, 6.8 percent; and clerks, 4.3 percent.

The 2006 survey covered only Filipinos working abroad during the survey period and those who were at home on vacation from their jobs.

The NSO polled contract workers, other Filipino workers abroad with valid working visas or work permits, and those who had no working visas or work permits but were employed and working full time in other countries.

Migrant workers in Asia made up 78.3 percent of all those surveyed, and they remitted the most money.

The central bank expects remittances to top $14 billion this year, or about 12 percent of the Philippines’ gross domestic product. Roderick T. dela Cruz

Luskan

June 3rd, 2007, 06:32 AM

Only a few in the Philippines hates America:)
Philippines owes America for the aid they have given to the people

Although the only thing I hate in America is it's dirty influence on it's movies

smokingunmanila

June 3rd, 2007, 07:46 AM

I think the aid that they give is not even enough compensation for the damage and rental of those bases...luging lugi tayo dun...If I remember right it was around 900 million dollars...during Cory's time...and that is not cash..it was in form of old military equipments and medicine...anything na bulok nila..yun ang binibigay...

So it's not true that the aid is worth that much....

Gaeus

June 3rd, 2007, 03:44 PM

And yes!! I live there now...thanks for leaving Subic!!

Let me add some more...I lived in Olongapo for 5 years when the bases were still there. I was assigned as a casino dealer in that area. I hate Olongapo and never loved it. It was just dollar, drugs and prostitution. We were all cramp in a small space surrounded by the mountains of zambales, subic bay and the base.

Who is responsible for drugs and prostitution? United States? Last time I know they don't own Olongapo. So US Base is responsible for creating it? Did the Phil Gov did something to clean it up? So you have to blame United States for living in a small space surrounded by mountains. I believe before the base was there, Olongapo was just a small city. Do you think you have to blame the population growth instead?

When Subic finally opened its door to us, I was shock that the americans were living in paradise, virgin forest, waterfalls, wildlife, mangroves, and clean beaches..plus...super huge huge wide space...

I wonder who maintains those places? I wonder who maintains those virgin forests, waterfalls, wildlife, mangroves and clean beaches? I wonder why they have paradise inside the base while outside has none?

when Pinatubo erupted, the US government decided to leave the bases, and leaving it alone to us to clean it up and repair it

Hmm. It seems like you have to clean up those virgin forests, clean white beaches, wildlife and everything else you mentioned.

For me, this is unjustice to the Filipinos.

I don't get it. So its injustice for Americans to have a base in this country. Are we trying to invade your country? Are we destroying it? I believe you mentioned that inside the base was a paradise. I believe we paid the Philippine Government sufficient money for the monthly/annual lease.

Last time I know is Italy, Japan, Greece, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong and even Bahrain and Cuba thought that US Bases are not nuisance to their land and waters (except for Okinawa who also hated Japan as their country). Its actually more like a big help to them because they provide security to the region and provide better relationship. Do they have drugs and prostitution outside those bases? Well, the governments made sure there are none but the locals still do it secretly unlike in Philippines, its everywhere. When the US Bases were forced out of your country, many average Americans thinks that Filipinos are Anti-Americans. The US government mentioned that they will still provide strong relationship but you lost a strong relationship to the average Americans especially the investors. But what can we do, we were forced out, right?

smokingunmanila

June 3rd, 2007, 04:03 PM

Who is responsible for drugs and prostitution? United States? Last time I know they don't own Olongapo. So US Base is responsible for creating it? Did the Phil Gov did something to clean it up? So you have to blame United States for living in a small space surrounded by mountains. I believe before the base was there, Olongapo was just a small city. Do you think you have to blame the population growth instead?

The US crew are its customers..what do you think? which came first..the demand or the supplier? if there is a great demand..then supplier will be there...of course the demand came first..why will I sell if there was no demand?
The Americans were the one who created Olongapo City..before that city was part of the bases...until the old Gordon fought for the city to be independent..and they seperated the bases with a man made river now surrounding the base. So as you can see, they were the ones who made that perimeter of the city...as I've said..leaving the city all cramp up!

I wonder who maintains those places? I wonder who maintains those virgin forests, waterfalls, wildlife, mangroves and clean beaches? I wonder why they have paradise inside the base while outside has none?

Maintain when? during the US bases or after it? are you implying that we cannot maintain our own wildlife, mangroves and beaches..think again...go to Palawan..or even in zambales..there are tons of virgin forest..so don't pull yourself up high...we can also do that...

Hmm. It seems like you have to clean up those virgin forests, clean white beaches, wildlife and everything else you mentioned.

Yes we did clean it up..luckily those lahar ashes turned immediately into pure sand...and yes..massive clean up inside the bases that the Americans abandoned!

I don't get it. So its injustice for Americans to have a base in this country. Are we trying to invade your country? Are we destroying it? I believe you mentioned that inside the base was a paradise. I believe we paid the Philippine Government sufficient money for the monthly/annual lease.

Not enough sufficient money..all of those rentals were paid in surplus goods that you throw in your garbage bin. Sorry your belief is wrong...

Last time I know is Italy, Japan, Greece, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong and even Bahrain and Cuba thought that US Bases are not nuisance to their land and waters (except for Okinawa who also hated Japan as their country). Its actually more like a big help to them because they provide security to the region and provide better relationship. Do they have drugs and prostitution outside those bases? Well, the governments made sure there are none but the locals still do it secretly unlike in Philippines, its everywhere. When the US Bases were forced out of your country, many average Americans thinks that Filipinos are Anti-Americans. The US government mentioned that they will still provide strong relationship but you lost a strong relationship to the average Americans especially the investors. But what can we do, we were forced out, right?

What can I say? you were terminated but I know, if you insisted, you can get your way out and bribe Cory's government during those time or threaten her with economic sanction...thank God..that angry volcano erupted...so the Americans were force to leave...although I know that volcano killed so many people and created so much havoc...if there is one advantage with that eruption..that is the pull out of the bases!

The US government was very manipulative of our government when the bases were still here. True enough, when the bases were pulled out, our economy became a tiger economy after that pullout...

JustHorace

June 3rd, 2007, 05:13 PM

Looking back in history, the Philippines was the only Asian country that ever tried to push for American statehood!

Pero, I don't believe that the Philippines is anti-America. The Americans made a great deal in manipulating history - making the Spanish look worse than they actually are and covering up some misdoings of the American colonial regime. However, other than that, our cultural affinities is what seem to make the bond stronger. Filipinos wear American fashion, watch American flicks, listen to American music, eat American food and play American games. Our official language is English, patterned after the American way. Most Filipinos find the United States as the greenest pasture there is, so thousands migrate every year. But, I'm not saying that Filipinos are brainwashed by anything that's American. The Americans squeezed all their cultural icons into 40 years of occupation. The Filipinos, in turn, assimilated them not because were some stupid, brainless idiots. We are a diverse society, and the Americans offered us something that can unite us. Look at how English is used today.

It's a cultural and historical thing, you see? That's what keeping us friends with everybody's public enemy number one!

bastizurc

June 3rd, 2007, 06:37 PM

For me the Philippines is indeed [if not must] turning Anti-America in a way or another. We are starting to realize the fact that our Asian neighbors are starting to play a major role in our development and survival as a nation. Taking the reactions of Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan [which are close allies of the United States] to the increase in military spending of PRC and the effect of the sharp decline of the Shanghai stock market to ours as examples, I may say that we are starting to recognize the significance of China in the Region and perhaps even of India in the near future. And with the way I see it , respective governments who are closely tied with the US are slowly making there moves to improve their relations with China taking the Japanese-Chinese meeting to resolve their "historical" misunderstandings and our governments efforts to reach out to Beijing as seen in PGMA's visits to PRC as examples.

But I think no matter how the government try to distance itself from the US, the problem lies in the mindset of the Filipino people. I remember an episode of Wowowee where a woman was asked to choose between $10 and Php1000. She unhesitatingly shouted "yung dollar no! dollar yun e!" This mentality of American superiority already became a part of the psyche of the common Filipinos. We always believe that we owe them something and that the Americans are our hero thanks to MacArthur's "I shall return" propaganda. Not many of us know about USA's "Warplan Orange" where all the details of the the WWII plans of US are noted. The American Forces losing the war is not the reason why they left the country to be occupied by the Japanese. They were actually just sent to Europe where their force can be put to better use. When MacArthur returned to the country, Filipinos perceived him as a hero who kept his promise and returned to save them without knowing that it was all part of the war plan after all. Dr. Bernadette Abrera my history professor in UPD explained this to us and I thank her for doing so.

I can see our forefathers in the situation of the Iraqis right now. Come the time that the US successfully "save" them, the Americans will have yet another valuable ally which will always perceive themselves from then on as "may utang na loob sa mga Kano."

To clarify things up, I'm not saying that I hate the US or the American people.
What I hate is the way Filipinos think.