Bayanihan Foundation Worldwide

Filipinos Abroad Helping Filipinos at Home

Recent Posts

  • Without Any Papers, Tess and Thousands Like Her, Live in Fear Being Deported at Any Time

    Tess packing a balikbayan box for her son in the Philippines

    Tess, a Filipina caregiver in Israel, looked nervously to the left and then to the right as she crossed Neve Shanan Rd in Tel Aviv’s ethnic enclave. Tess was walking home from work cleaning homes for 12 hours straight.  Tess walked home slowly with her head low and with her dark, brown hair covering her face, trying her best to remain unnoticed.

    Why is Tess nervous?  She overstayed her work visa and is working without a work permit in Israel.  Tess doesn’t have any legal working papers so she could be picked up and deported by the Israeli immigration police at any time.  Working without any papers, Tess lives in fear 24 hours a day. She desperately joins the rank of thousands of other workers  in Israel working without authorization. Her situation is similar to millions of undocumented immigrants in many developed countries around the world. In the US alone, unauthorized immigration is estimated to be over 9 million (Migration Policy Institute 2003 estimate).

    The Israeli immigration police would act upon the slightest hint of undocumented workers to catch and deport them.  Tess could be walking down the street and the immigration police could randomly stop her.  If she doesn’t have her papers with her, she could be placed in detention and sent for immediate deportation.

    The immigration police could be knocking at Tess’ front door at any time and they could search her apartment.  If she couldn’t show her working papers, she could be moved to detention for immediate deportation.

    The immigration police could be raiding a neighborhood park and they could search anyone randomly.  If Tess happens to be around and if she couldn’t show her legal papers, she could be sent to detention for immediate deportation.

    This incident actually happened to Tess.  She was enjoying a birthday party with friends who are also caregivers at the nearby Levinsky Park. The outing was highly anticipated by everyone as many of them worked for six days straight or even longer without a day off and this birthday party was a welcome respite.  However, the immigration police interrupted their birthday party celebration and demanded everyone to show their immigration papers.  Tess was lucky to narrowly escaped without being detected.

    Tess was lucky enough to escape that close call in the park. But will she be lucky again as she walks home from work tonight? How about tomorrow night? Or the following night? I cannot imagine living in fear everyday. So this is how it would feel to many undocumented immigrants in Arizona when the state of Arizona starts enforcing a similar law in August 2010.

    Filipino undocumented children with their parents in Israel (photo courtesy of Manila Tel Aviv Filipino Magazine June 2010)

    Tess lives constantly in fear because she doesn’t have the proper documents but she’s not alone.  Recently, thousands of Filipino children were born in Israel but are in limbo; they also don’t have any legal papers to stay in Israel. Despite the hardships of living in fear, many Filipino families with their undocumented children chose to stay.

    I did not dare to ask Tess why she chose to stay in Israel despite living in constant tension of being caught and deported. I know why.  Tess does not see a future for herself and for her family if she chooses to come back home to the Philippines. She has no other choice but to stay.

    Kapit sa patalim – a Filipino expression of desperation that you have to hang on to the edge of sharp knife to save yourself.

  • Teachers, Bankers, Dentists and Many Other Filipino Professionals Working as Caregivers in Israel

    (from left to right) Vangie, JI, Maricel, Daisybeth and Minnie, all Filipina professionals working as caregivers in Israel

    During my recent trip to Israel, I met some smart Filipina women who completed their college degrees but they’re not practicing their professions. Instead, they are working as caregivers for the elderly:

    • Meet Evangeline (far left) who earned her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education; she also had extensive experience working in a small business.
    • Meet JI (second from left) who worked for six years as part of a religious ministry at the Baguio City Cathedral. She also completed a bachelor’s degree in religious education.
    • Meet Maricel (third from left) who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Finance.
    • Meet Daisybeth (second from right) who also earned a bachelor’s degree in Communications and Marketing.
    • Meet Minnie (far right) who completed a bachelor’s degree in Education and taught elementary school for a few years in Pangasinan Province in Northern Luzon, Philippines.

    All these women are professionals. They all spoke Hebrew in addition to their excellent command of English. So what are these women doing in Israel working as caregivers when they could have practiced their professions in the Philippines, earning more money for their families and helping bolster the Philippine economy?

    “There are no jobs available in the Philippines!” they all replied in unison.

    After graduation, Maricel tried to look for a job in the Philippines for over a year but with no success. She would even settle for an unpaid internship in a local bank just as long as she could practice her finance and accounting degree but to no avail. Maricel even told me that she has some friends who are practicing dentists and medical doctors in the Philippines but are working as caregivers in Israel. I was shocked!

    This tragic story of underemployment is not unique. I’m sure if I ask every Filipino caregiver in Israel they all have a sad story to tell on how they worked so hard completing their higher education but in the end they have to resort to lowly paid positions in foreign countries just to feed their families back home.

    I felt sad. Sayang! (what a waste). They should have practiced their professions in the Philippines, exploring many job opportunities there that will help their families and their local communities and eventually bolster the Philippine economy. However, many of them feel so desperate that they have to work as caregivers in Israel. In the end, destination countries like Israel and the US are the ones reaping the benefits of the higher education and the experience these Filipino workers bring to the job.

  • Thriving, informal economy among Filipina caregivers in Israel

    I recently visited Israel and I’ve met many overseas Filipino workers there working as caregivers.  I’m impressed how industrious and hardworking they were! I’m equally impressed by the wide variety of odd jobs they have taken up to earn an extra buck – from babysitting, selling jeans, giving manicures to peddling vegetables from door to door! If you look hard enough, a thriving, informal economy is flourishing among Filipino caregivers in Israel.

    Conchita selling ‘talbos ng kamote’ (sweet potato leaves) for extra income

    Meet Ate (‘Elder’) Conchita. She goes door to door selling ‘talbos ng kamote’ (sweet potato leaves).  Believe it or not, she earns about US$50 to $70 dollars, enough to pay for the shipment cost of the ‘balikbayan’ box she’s planning to send back home, a box of full of goodies filled with Spam, towels, shoes and everything else to be sent for her family back in the Philippines.

    Meet Clara. She rushes from her main job taking care of an elderly invalid to babysitting her employer’s grandchildren in the evenings.

    Meet Josie. She works outside Jerusalem and on the weekends she goes to nearby outlet stores, finds the latest bargains and sells the latest jeans and other fashions to other Filipinos with a slight markup in the price. By the way, she also let me know that she provides excellent manicure and pedicure nail treatments on the weekends.

    These Filipino caregivers are earning extra dollars so they can remit more money back to their families but they’re also helping propel the Israel economy from the extra money they’re earning from this thriving, informal economy they have created.

    The Philippine economy would have benefited if Conchita, Clara, Josie and the thousands of Filipino caregivers in Israel were conducting their small businesses and creative, informal economy back home. However, the Israeli economy is the one reaping from all the benefits – the skills of the Filipino caregivers, the care they provide to the Israeli elderly population and the creative entrepreneurship and growing, informal economy they’ve created in Israel.

    So is the Philippine policy of exporting labor and sending Filipino caregivers to Israel a productive, economic solution for the long-term? I don’t think so.

  • Dora’s Sacrifice To Keep Sending Money Back Home

    My next three blog posts will be about my recent visit to Israel in June 2010 where I visited Filipina caregivers there that worked in Israel who make extreme sacrifices to be able to send money back to their families in the Philippines.

    In 2009, the Philippines ranked fourth highest country in the world to receive a record amount of of US $19.69 billion in remittances which  inadvertently saved the country from a deep recession (Migration Policy Institute).

    So where did all these remittances come from?  Thanks to Dora, a Filipina caregiver in Israel who keep sending regular remittances back to her family in Kalinga Province, Northern Luzon.  Dora seems like a typical overseas worker.  However, with a closer look, Dora had to make extreme sacrifices to make ends meet to be able to send that money back to her family. Dora’s story is not unique; it typifies the personal, heartbreaking stories of many Filipinos working abroad who bear the brunt and the high social costs of migration to be able to send remittances back home.

    On June 3, 2010, I had to stay for a few hours in the afternoon with Dora when I arrived in Tel Aviv, Israel. She greeted me warmly at the front door and she took me to a spacious apartment where she takes care of an elderly woman who’s suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.  Dora bathes her, feed her and takes her of all her daily needs. She’s been taking care of her for almost six years. Dora seems to have a nice work setup but as I dig deeper the whole picture doesn’t look all that rosy.

    Dora hasn’t taken a day off in over 7 months. She works 24 hours a day, seven days a week. She earns US $700 a month and  she refuses to take a day off so she could save every penny she earns and send it back home to her family in Kalinga, Philippines. She would go outside once a day when she takes her patient to a nearby park. If she’s lucky, she would be able to chat briefly with another Filipina caregiver that works across the street.  But besides that, she has no interaction with anyone else besides the woman she’s taking care of who’s suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

    Dora (on the left) using her used laptop computer connecting to the outside world while working as a caregiver to an elderly in Israel

    Dora is thankful that she’s got a used laptop and an Internet connection that she pirates from an unsecured connection. It’s her only window to the world. She chats with her friends on Facebook, reads the news about the Philippines online and watches movies on YouTube. Without her laptop, she might not have lasted this long without any connection with the outside world. Dora plans to continue working without a day off for a few more months.

    Why the extreme sacrifice of working without a day off? Dora’s got a year and a half old son in the Philippines and her mother is taking care of him. I saw Dora taking care of all her patient’s needs. It seems odd to see Dora taking care of a stranger in a foreign land while she had to leave her own child to someone else’s care. Dora bears the brunt of the extreme sacrifice and social costs of migration – leaving everything behind, working abroad and risking so much to be able to send money back home.

  • Filipino Diaspora Sent Record Amount of Remittances Saving The Philippines From Deep Recession

    Overseas Filipino worker toiling with Philippine flag in the background (Google Images)

    An economic miracle happened in the Philippines but this time hardly anyone noticed it. Millions of Filipinos abroad keep sending record number of remittances back to the Philippines despite the worldwide economic recession. In March 2010 alone, the Filipino diaspora sent $1.55 billion US back home. This massive injection of remittances were mostly used for personal consumption and it inadvertently buoyed the Philippine economy to avoid a deep recession.  It also prevented the current, grinding poverty to become even worse (Business Week). So are we, Filipinos in the diaspora, the new economic miracle ‘heroes’?

    Economists have pointed that remittances have buffered the Philippine economy during the 1997 Asian financial crisis and the more recent economic recession of its largest trading partner, the United States (Business Mirror).

    “At 10.8 percent of the country’s GDP [gross domestic product], they [migrant workers] are the third- biggest source of the country’s foreign currency reserves and act as primary driver for our economy,” the Overseas Filipinos Worldwide blog entry indicated.

    Despite these, however, the Philippines remains grappling in poverty, with nearly a quarter of its 90-million people living on $1 a day. Nearly 10 percent of the population, however, directly or indirectly, rely on their relatives working abroad, now pegged at 10 million in 239 countries and territories.

    The Filipino diaspora have made a lot of sacrifices to help their families back in the Philippines and occasionally they have donated to development projects in their hometowns.

    Should we make the Filipino diaspora the new economic miracle ‘heroes’? I don’t think so. In fact, 30 years of outward migration and exporting Philippine labor has not made the Philippines prosper much. It only prevented the Philippines from dire economic straits.

  • Another Aquino is President of the Philippines – NOW WHAT? Real Change only happens with grassroots community leadership and involvement

    In June 2010, Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III is poised to become the next president of the Philippines. Many Filipinos at home and abroad are rejoicing after a relatively bloodless election and many are pinning their hopes on Noynoy to ‘save’ the Philippines. SO NOW WHAT?

    The next Philippine president is starting out with such a bad hand that he has to solve the country’s economic woes, overwhelming poverty, grave social issues and rampant corruption, all at the same time. Good luck! Not much will change unless we Filipinos at home and abroad do something about it. That’s right. We should take personal responsibility and take action.  Change will only happen with grassroots community leadership and involvement.

    (from left to right) Fr. Greg Banaga, Dale Asis and Fr. Nonong Fajardo of Adamson University last February 2010

    I am inspired by the message of Fr. Nonong Fajardo of Adamson University of community, grassroots leadership.  A leader doesn’t have be an Aquino, a Marcos or fill in the blank of your favorite name among the 150 or so Filipino oligarchs.  Authentic, community leaders are among us.  Real democracy is NOT a spectator sport. You just don’t elect your favorite candidate, sit back and relax.

    I believe real, systemic change could only happen when all of us, in the diaspora and at home, take action and become involved and demonstrate grassroots community leadership.  I’ll highlight two examples of real, community leaders that I’ve recently met and I would ‘elect’ them any time:

    Tess Domdom (standing far left) presenting at a gathering of Filipino community leaders in Hong Kong last February 2010

    1. Meet Tess Domdom of Hong Kong, formerly of Catarman, Samar, Philippines. Tess works as a caregiver in Hongkong and last February 2010 she recruited over 30 community leaders to meet with me and rally them to donate and give to a project back in their hometowns in the Philippines. Tess is currently saving her money and working with other caregivers in Hong Kong to facilitate a medical mission in her hometown in Catarman, Samar. Tess gets involved, takes action and in my definition, a true, community leader. I will ‘elect’ her anytime and she gets my vote.

    Minnie Villanueva (standing far left) with other Filipina community leaders in Israel meeting with Dale Asis (standing far right) last October 2009

    2. Meet Minnie Villanueva of Israel, formerly of the Mountain Provinces, Philippines. Minnie also works as caregiver in Israel and with other Filipina leaders she put together a series of grassroots fund raising events in Tel Aviv. She and her group raised over $1,000 US dollars from their meager salaries to build a community health fund in order to provide for emergencies for Filipino workers there and to also help back home in the Philippines. Minnie gets involved, takes action and in my definition, a true, community leader. I will also ‘elect’ her and she gets my vote.

    I’m sure that there are many examples like Tess and Minnie who exemplify grassroots, community leadership and are trying to make a difference in the diaspora or back home in the Philippines.  I believe Fr. Nonong is on to something as he continues to nurture grassroots leadership in the Philippines. Real, systemic change will only happen with grassroots community leadership and involvement.

  • Upcoming Philippine Elections: Three Critical Things To Watch

    Philippine Map

    On May 10, 2010, the Philippines will be conducting nationwide elections where voters will  be choosing a new president and vice president, members of the national Congress, and some 17,000 local executive and legislative positions. Despite all the political pundits, I believe there are three critical things that people need to watch and pay attention:

    1. Malfunction of the automated voting process might lead to post election violence. In fact, the malfunction already happened! (Digital Journal May 5, 2010)  Mock elections were held in various pilot areas and many of the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines failed to count votes correctly and its continued malfunction on election day might lead to mass confusion and post election violence.

    Barclays Capital estimated a 10 percent chance of election failure, 30 percent chance of a smooth election, and 60 percent chance of a “bumpy ride” which sees some delays and unrest but eventually produces a credible result.Many fear that that machine malfunctions or large numbers of invalid ballots will result in post-election disputes and violence.

    If the automated polls fails, Reuters International predicts a worst case scenario  that the unpopular President Arroyo, could use civil unrest to impose military rule and try to extend her stay in power. Rumors have also swirled of a military takeover if it all fails. Let’s all hope that the automated polls do work!

    2. No clear winner might also lead to post-election violence. Current voter polls vary so widely and without a clear winner might also lead to violence after the elections.

    The son of revered former President Corazon “Cory” Aquino, Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino, has built a double-digit lead in opinion polls just a few days ahead of balloting. His lead has widened, with billionaire lawmaker Manuel “Manny” Villar’s support dropping 5 points in the latest opinion poll.  However, Former President Joseph Estrada’s support has steadily risen, catching up with Villar to tie at second place (Reuters International).

    Let’s all hope that there will be a clear winner to avoid any post-election contests that could lead to violence.

    3. Election winners do not have all the answers to all the country’s problems. Many voters are optimistic and pinning their hopes to their candidates to solve the country’s litany of woes.  I don’t think they have all the answers and that change will not happen overnight. The answer lies in its citizens’ continued democratic participation.

    Real change will only happen if its citizens, in the Philippines and in the diaspora will continue to be politically active, participate and advocate. Democracy is not a spectator sport. Many people think that you vote once, then you sit back and see what happens. A fair and democratic election is a good first step. The real work of democracy happens afterward.

  • What does an “illegal immigrant” look like? This might be problematic…Canadians are the second largest immigrant population in Arizona

    Last April 23, 2010, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer recently signed into law the most severe immigration policy in the US that authorizes state law enforcement officials to stop anyone and ask for proof if they’re in the state legally.

    So what does an “illegal immigrant” looks like? I’m not alone pondering this important but challenging question. Many blogs are asking the same thing.

    It might be problematic in identifying objectively what an “illegal immigrant” looks like since the second largest immigrant population in Arizona are Canadians (Migration Policy Institute). The top three countries of birth of the foreign born in Arizona were Mexico, Canada and the Philippines.  Of the total immigrant population in Arizona in 2008, 65.6 percent were born in Mexico, 3.6 percent in Canada, and 2.0 percent in the Philippines (Migration Policy Institute).

    Even AZ Gov Jan Brewer doesn’t know what an “illegal immigrant” looks like as she responded to this question in a recent press conference announcing this draconian immigration law.

    AZ Gov Jan Brewer responds that she doesn't know what an "illegal immigrant" looks like at a recent press conference

    I really like what Jennifer McFadyen mentioned in her blog about the problematic challenges of this severe immigration law in Arizona:

    “What does an “illegal immigrant” look like? Can you tell by a person’s skin color? Accent? Name? Supporters of the bill say there’s nothing to worry about, that discrimination will not be an issue. In fact, SB1070 states:

    “This act shall be implemented in a manner consistent with federal laws regulating immigration, protecting the civil rights of all persons and respecting the privileges and immunities of United States citizens.”

    But all it would take is one traffic stop on a day you left your birth certificate at home for one of Arizona’s finest to ask about your citizenship and immigration status, and you’re looking at at least a few hours of detention while they run your name to verify that you are indeed a United States citizen. How will you feel when you’re released and the only compensation offered is a shrug along with, “No hard feelings. We’re just doing our job to keep our neighborhoods safe. It’s the law.”

    In response to the law, the Mexican government warned its citizens living in or traveling to Arizona that they could be “harassed” there because of its new immigration law (New York Times). Will the Canadian government do the same to protect its citizens as Canadians are the second largest immigrant population in Arizona?

  • April 23, Both a Joyous and Tragic Day for US Immigration

    April 23, 2010 would be marked as both a joyous and tragic day for US immigration. In Washington, DC, President Barack Obama presided on a happy occasion honoring immigrant service members of the US armed forces as they became US citizens. In Phoenix, Arizona, Gov. Janet Brewer signed the most draconian immigration law that the country has ever seen.

    In the East Coast, US President Barack Obama joined 24 US service members and administered their US citizenship at the White House.  This joyous ceremony recognized the contributions made by immigrant members of the U.S. armed forces who have earned their American citizenship through service to our country, and the contributions immigrants from all walks of life have made to our country throughout its history.

    “These men and women were born in 16 different countries, but they came to the United States sharing a common purpose, and chose to defend their adopted country even before they became citizens,” The White House reported.  Four of these service members honored are Filipinos.

    At the same time in the West Coast, Arizona Governor Janet Brewer signed the most draconian immigration law the country has ever seen which will have tragic consequences for many immigrants, legal and illegal.  Cardinal Roger M. Mahony of Los Angeles said the authorities’ ability to demand documents was like “Nazism.”, the New York Times reported.

    Protest photo in Arizona
    Woman protesting draconian immigration law enacted in Arizona (photo courtesy of the New York Times)

    This law would allow detaining people when the Arizona local authorities reasonably suspect they are in the country without authorization and to verify their status with federal officials, unless doing so would hinder an investigation or emergency medical treatment.

    It also makes it a state crime — a misdemeanor — to not carry immigration papers. In addition, it allows people to sue local government or agencies if they believe federal or state immigration law is not being enforced.

    This marks a sad and tragic turning point in US immigration laws. I fear the day that I have to carry an ID every time I go out and prove my citizenship or else I’ll be detained in jail.

  • What I did with $100 US dollars from my tax refund

    What did I do with $100 US dollars from my tax refund?

    I recently completed my taxes for 2009. I was elated when I found out that I have a small refund coming my way and that I might have $100 US dollars to spare. So what would I do with an extra $100 bucks? Would I spend it on myself or donate it to a project in the Philippines?

    I was excited contemplating on my choices on how I could spend it.  I could buy myself a new pair of shoes at Nordstrom, an upscale retailer on Michigan Ave., Chicago’s high-end shopping district. Or I could buy myself, Will and a friend a nice Italian meal with red wine and gelato Italian dessert at Francesca’s  Italian Restaurant in Chicago’s Taylor St. neighborhood. Or just buy myself some new books and music online at Amazon

    Then I remembered that my aunt Luz was requesting me to help her buy a used sewing machine to help some women earn extra income in Iligan City, Philippines.

    Aunt Luz (standing on left) inspects pillow cases and children's clothes sewn by Gabriela (standing on right) and other women at a cottage industry in Iligan City, Philippines

    Last February 2010, I visited my Aunt Luz  in Iligan City, Philippines, a town located in the southern island of Mindanao. We visited the women’s correctional center in Iligan City where my Aunt Luz started a small cottage industry for the women there to sew pillowcases and children’s clothes from rags for extra income for their families.  Aunt Luz managed to have one sewing machine donated.

    Gabriela, lead volunteer of the budding sewing program, stands proudly next to their sewing machine

    Their one sewing machine was a hit!  The women learned quickly how to use it and now they’re taking turns using the old-fashioned sewing machine making pillow cases, baby clothes and kitchen towels from rags. All they wanted was another one to help them make more. One more sewing machine costs $100 US dollars. They could purchase the sewing machine in Iligan City to avoid shipping charges and also help the town’s economy by buying locally.

    Shoes? Fancy dinner? More books and music?  I decided that I will send my $100 to my aunt Luz to buy another old-fashioned sewing machine so the women could make more baby clothes and earn a little extra income for themselves.

    I was dreaming  what if every Filipino in the US could spare $100 US dollars to help a project, small or large in their hometown and help someone else’ life a little better. Oh well, it’s just a dream…