I am a singaporean Eurasian residing in The Philippines for the last 10 years. I am the so called dark skinned eurasian.. The Philippines is a great place to live I am writing this to address the resentment faced by Filipino workers in Singapore . Reading various derogatory comments made on them makes me feel very disgusted.
My first visit to the Philippines was in 2004 when I met my loyal and smart, business minded Filipina wife. I enjoy living here for a fraction of the cost of the more "developed" Singapore . The Philippines is a "foreign influenced country," were foreigners from any country are respected and admired. It is a place where everyone is connected, where touching, talking and the intimacy of friendship is still more valued than watching TV, where birthdays are more important than work, where people are more important than things, rare indeed in societies like Singapore where most of us come from.
Now to Singaporeans all of these looks alien. Because Singaporeans have not been brought up the same way as Filipinos. Do not vent yr anger on Filipinos working in Singapore. Instead look at your own Singaporeans and see what type of culture and social norms u are following. The problem is created by yr own govt who does not have any social protection for citizens like minimum wages , workplace rights and pension. So look at the root cause of the problem which may cause u to resent foreigners . Address the root problem, not the symptoms. Widespread unhappiness is caused by the ruling People's Action Party’s economic policies, not foreigners. The foreigners come to Singapore just to make a living just like u do. Like in any society, there are good and bad people too. Part of the problem is that Filipinos are willing to take on jobs for lower salaries, with working conditions unacceptable to Singaporeans due to a missing minimum wage law in Singapore. The trend has made Filipinos "easier to exploit", disadvantaging both of them and Singaporeans.
If u have a negative perception of them it is one which is created by yr own imagination shaped by your own social norms and the manifestation of elitism. The online ruckus over the planned Philippine Independence Day celebration on Orchard Road in Singapore is the latest ominous sign of rising xenophobia which always been present in Singapore.
The Philippines is the most "English Influenced" country in Asia, even more than Singapore. The Filipino people make you feel needed and wanted here. When I lived in Singapore, I felt lost in my own country. The society created by the PAP is elitist and discriminatory.The combined hellish effect of chauvinism and capitalism does not do well to help minorities . As I found nothing in Singapore except discrimination from my own Singaporeans when applying for jobs. Any foreigner who is used to “hospitable” cultures like the Filipinos will feel alien in Singapore and the daily xenophobia dished out to foreigners and minorities. But it took ten of the longest years in my life. I counted the days though I was reasonably happy where I was until I got back to what I consider my paradise. You too, will become addicted to the sunshine, smile and laughter if you come over to this best kept secret in the world, or it was until the Internet gave people access to information about the joys and wonder of living in the Philippines.
But unlike in Singapore, where the govt treats me as a mere economic digit here I feel wanted and appreciated. I can be a provider of help and information, and an asset to this developing country.. Other foreigners living and retired here share this feeling with me. I hope you also get to experience the hospitality of this country, Remember the problems u face now are caused by the ruling party and not the foreigners. Please treat every other human as your own and do not have ill feelings about them. I hope more Singaporeans will wake up from their slumber sleep.
Gomez
http://therealsingapore.com/content/dear-singaporeans-please-treat-filipinos-respect
My first visit to the Philippines was in 2004 when I met my loyal and smart, business minded Filipina wife. I enjoy living here for a fraction of the cost of the more "developed" Singapore . The Philippines is a "foreign influenced country," were foreigners from any country are respected and admired. It is a place where everyone is connected, where touching, talking and the intimacy of friendship is still more valued than watching TV, where birthdays are more important than work, where people are more important than things, rare indeed in societies like Singapore where most of us come from.
Now to Singaporeans all of these looks alien. Because Singaporeans have not been brought up the same way as Filipinos. Do not vent yr anger on Filipinos working in Singapore. Instead look at your own Singaporeans and see what type of culture and social norms u are following. The problem is created by yr own govt who does not have any social protection for citizens like minimum wages , workplace rights and pension. So look at the root cause of the problem which may cause u to resent foreigners . Address the root problem, not the symptoms. Widespread unhappiness is caused by the ruling People's Action Party’s economic policies, not foreigners. The foreigners come to Singapore just to make a living just like u do. Like in any society, there are good and bad people too. Part of the problem is that Filipinos are willing to take on jobs for lower salaries, with working conditions unacceptable to Singaporeans due to a missing minimum wage law in Singapore. The trend has made Filipinos "easier to exploit", disadvantaging both of them and Singaporeans.
If u have a negative perception of them it is one which is created by yr own imagination shaped by your own social norms and the manifestation of elitism. The online ruckus over the planned Philippine Independence Day celebration on Orchard Road in Singapore is the latest ominous sign of rising xenophobia which always been present in Singapore.
The Philippines is the most "English Influenced" country in Asia, even more than Singapore. The Filipino people make you feel needed and wanted here. When I lived in Singapore, I felt lost in my own country. The society created by the PAP is elitist and discriminatory.The combined hellish effect of chauvinism and capitalism does not do well to help minorities . As I found nothing in Singapore except discrimination from my own Singaporeans when applying for jobs. Any foreigner who is used to “hospitable” cultures like the Filipinos will feel alien in Singapore and the daily xenophobia dished out to foreigners and minorities. But it took ten of the longest years in my life. I counted the days though I was reasonably happy where I was until I got back to what I consider my paradise. You too, will become addicted to the sunshine, smile and laughter if you come over to this best kept secret in the world, or it was until the Internet gave people access to information about the joys and wonder of living in the Philippines.
But unlike in Singapore, where the govt treats me as a mere economic digit here I feel wanted and appreciated. I can be a provider of help and information, and an asset to this developing country.. Other foreigners living and retired here share this feeling with me. I hope you also get to experience the hospitality of this country, Remember the problems u face now are caused by the ruling party and not the foreigners. Please treat every other human as your own and do not have ill feelings about them. I hope more Singaporeans will wake up from their slumber sleep.
Gomez
http://therealsingapore.com/content/dear-singaporeans-please-treat-filipinos-respect
