Rants : Why are the Chinese Filipino Communities So Silent on the Abuse of Filipinos in Taiwan?

I am reprinting a portion of Philippine Star columnist  Federico Pascual's article on his Postscript column dated May 19, 2013. I hope that the Taiwanese people (the new generations) would read his article and realize that the Philippines was one of the few countries who helped the Kuomintang Chinese, and gave them refuge when communist forces were pursuing them after their defeat.  Some of them remained in the Philippines and became citizens and residents of the country.

The irony of it is that : the Taiwanese (whom the Filipinos helped during the Chinese civil war) are now badly treating and  hurting the Filipinos (OFWs) in Taiwan. But what is bothersome is the silence of the Chinese Filipino communities on the abuse of Filipinos (OFWs) by the Taiwanese. Their silence is quite "deafening". Haven't heard any of them condemn the abuses committed by the Taiwanese on OFWs. Do they even care? I believe they do. Because this is not about race or nationality, it's about people needing help.

The Chinese Filipino communities should immediately exert efforts to help these hapless OFWs and help our government rescue them from the Taiwanese. They could use whatever leverage or influence they have with Taiwan or even China to help the Filipinos be protected or rescued from the Taiwanese.

Mga kababayang Tsinoy, please help the OFWs in Taiwan.

Taiwanese are now not just burning Philippine flags
but also hurting Filipinos(OFWs) in Taiwan

"When communist hordes overran China in 1949 in the concluding chapter of a civil war, the Philippines gave aid and sanctuary to Kuomintang Chinese fleeing the mainland on way to Taiwan. Many of them settled in Manila and flourished in business.

Now they are treating us like rubbish just because one of them was killed by stray bullets when their boat intruded into Philippine waters last Wednesday and tried to ram a Coast Guard craft that accosted it.

The President of the Philippines humbled himself and apologized for the unfortunate death of one of the Taiwanese intruders – but this was rejected by Taipei as “insincere.”

Next time we feel like apologizing to a neighbor, especially if he is a renegade Chinese, we should find out first if the apology would be accepted."

Article Source :
http://www.philstar.com/opinion/2013/05/19/943749/aquino-faces-acid-test-china-taiwan-rows
Picture Source :
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/74467/taiwanese-fishermen-burn-filipino-flags-in-protest

History and Events : May 1 - International Workers' Day

Today is May 1 : International Workers' Day. I would like to dedicate this post to all OFWs and Filipino Migrant Workers. Ang mga bagong bayani. Mabuhay po kayo!

Overseas Filipino Workers in Qatar

Among the nations of the world, the Filipino is one of the most scattered people in this planet. They are second only to the Chinese or  the Indians. The "diaspora" of Filipinos to the different parts of the world is more of labor related reasons than intentional emigration. A big portion of this diaspora left during the Marcos regime when jobs were offered to Filipinos in the Middle East and Africa through government-to-government labor contracts. 

The OFWs or Filipino migrant workers is not a recent phenomenon. Earlier groups of Filipino migrant workers composed of farm workers, sailors, doctors and nurses left for the US decades earlier. But the earliest recorded migration of Filipino workers were those of Filipino sailors and laborers of Spanish galleons going to Mexico and the Americas during the "galleon trade"centuries earlier. Another group of early migrant workers during the period of the galleon trade were the Filipino Catholic evangelists helping Spain propagate Christianity in other parts of the world. To this day, Filipino sailors and workers are manning the hundreds of commercial and cruise ships plying the high seas of the world.

The Overseas Filipino Workers(OFWs) are called the new heroes or "bagong bayani" of the Philippines. Many OFWs endure hardships, discrimination and loneliness in foreign countries where they work, and sacrifice a lot of things in life for the future and betterment of their families. Most of these migrant workers have success and good stories to tell, but there were also some tragic stories about them.

The best compliment ever said about the Filipino migrant workers is : "If you would take away all the Filipino workers around the world, the world economy would stop." But whatever is said about the Filipino migrant workers, the Filipino nation will always be grateful to them and will acknowledge them as the real "saviour of the Philippine economy."The billions of dollars of OFW remittances was the reason why the Philippines survived all its economic problems in the past. The OFWs will always be the main pillar of the Philippine economy.

Indeed, the OFWs are the true heroes of the Philippines and the world at that. 

Picture Source :
http://www.pinoy-ofw.com/news/

Economy : The Philippines on the Upswing

The Philippines is really an enigma! There was a time when the economies of its neighboring countries were all doing well and the Philippines was bungling with its own. It was even tagged as the basket case of Asia. But now that other countries' economies are slowing down or collapsing, its economy is surprisingly on the upswing. As a matter of fact, it is now the fastest growing economy in Asia.

According to a CNN report, the growth is mainly due to two factors : the remittances of Overseas Filipino Workers and the booming call center industry. Normally, these factors are not what other countries would rely on to grow their economies, in fact it doesn't apply to most of them. Very few countries have big overseas workers population, and most do not have a call center industry. The only country which has a similar experience is India. India has a lot of overseas workers and also has a  booming call center industry. As a matter of fact,  it was the leading call center network in Asia until recently. Lately, the Philippines has overtaken India as the leading call center network in the region. But India is an industrialized country, unlike the Philippines which is basically an agricultural country.

Who would ever think that the facility of Filipinos to speak English as a second language would  someday be useful and eventually help in the economic recovery of their country. When Spain sold the Philippines to the Americans, the Philippines became a colony of the US for almost a century, and Filipinos were forced to learn the English language.

The Philippine Call Center Industry

And who would over think that Filipinos seeking employment and greener pastures abroad due to unemployment and lack of better job opportunities,  would someday help save their country's economy. Almost a tenth of the Filipino population are working abroad, and these millions of overseas Filipino workers are now remitting billions of dollars to the Philippines, thus helping its economy grow.

Click pictograph to enlarge

Overseas Filipino Workers Remittances (1987-2007)

Hopefully, the Philippines has reach its turning point.

News Source :
http://edition.cnn.com/2012/07/12/world/asia/philippines-surprise-surge/index.html?eref=edition&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=cnni

Picture  source :
filipinocallcenter.com

Update : Philhealth's Unfair Treatment of OFWs

Being a former OFW and a Philhealth member,  I can emphatize with the concerns of our
 OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers)  regarding the excessive and unreasonable increase on Philhealth annual premium, and the compulsory OFW membership to the government health care program.

The burden imposed on OFWs by the unreasonable and arbitrary premium increase is unscrupulous, to say the least. And requiring compulsory Philhealth membership to all OFWs is unfair, and more so if it is made as a requirement so one could leave the country to work abroad. It is the right of a Filipino to travel and  work abroad, and should not be restricted by this requirement.

Many OFWs either have their own personal health insurance or are covered by their company's health care program as part of their contract benefits, and should not be forced to be members. Forcing the OFWs  to be members and making them pay the annual premium is simply illogical, because most OFWs' contacts last for a year or more, and will not be benefitting from the services of Philhealth for the year they paid. This applies particularly to unmarried members without dependents, and married members whose families are with them abroad.

If Philhealth continues to impose compulsory membership, it should have or "must" have Philhealth offices and affiliate hospitals in all the countries where OFWs are deployed, to assist them. If not, Philhealth should make OFWs membership optional to be fair.

If Philhealth needs more money to pay for the health care benefits of other Philhealth members, they should not be targeting the OFW sector to pay and shoulder these expenses of Philhealth.

Is Philhealth treating the OFWs as milking cows?
The OFWs are our living heroes and the savior of our economy, I think they deserve a better treatment.

Click logo to go to Philhealth official website

Philhealth

Please click posters to enlarge

OFWs appeal to Philhealth 

Related Links :
http://www.susanople.com/no-to-increase-in-philhealth-ofw-premiums/
http://www.ofwguide.com/article_item-1714/Philhealth-Defers-Increase-in-OFW-Contributions---Opens-Service-Desks-in-Malls.html
http://www.pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=1851335425473