filipinos in singapore ( scenes of 2011 )

it has been three wonderful years since i first step into the terrains of singapore, and i could say that i have had a complete grasp of how filipinos in the lion city have evolved, thrived and flourished in a very competitive environment.


 the new ones who are eagerly wanting to find a job and at the same time overly excited to have a sight-seeing and meet friends or vice-versa, those old ones who are stable and enjoying the times of their life. old ones who are also for a long time a breadwinner in the family and a financial provider, those present who have just successfully landed a job trying to adjust to the new and challenging environment and at the same time having to budget for a few months to pay and settle agency fees.


filipinos in singapore as defined by wikepedia: the free  encyclopedia


Filipinos in Singapore consist of migrants from the Philippines and their descendants. as of 2007, an estimated 80,000 work as domestic helpers, with another 12,000 in the information technology industry.^[1] This marks a slight rise from 1995, when roughly 75,000 domestic helpers from the Philippines were estimated to be working in Singapore.^[2] In recent years they have seen professional diversification, with others working as nurses, bank clerks, sales assistants in department stores, or entertainers.^[3][4] However, of those, only 27,000 were registered to vote in Filipino elections.^[5]


clearly in the figures above, bulk of the filipinos in singapore are dominated by domestic helpers, the very reason that filipinos in singapore are stereotyped as such. who could forget the sensational case of flor contemplacion and delia maga in the pages of history of both singapore and the philippines, not to be missed is " Christine" a filipina maid who have inherited millions from her employer after a selfless and devoted service to her employers. three different individuals of completely opposite fates. it will be a long way to go before we can completely changed the existing scenario. professional diversification would be a tough feat. 


like all other filipino foreign workers in the world, they get to look for things to do and ease their moments of boredom and moments of stress. facebook and all other forms of social media has always been a good companion over the years, the filipino channel and gma pinoy tv is also an option to be considered. for high end filipinos in singapore, photography and devoted time for the gym are also choices to note. but the best thing to really enjoy and release stress is when you get to be a part of birthday parties, baby showers, weddings and anniversaries. it is when you see friends, have a taste of filipino foods, drink till you get drunk a bit and a videoke sessions that follows, just make sure all the windows and doors are closed so as not to be opening the door for a police warning.

representation of faith of filipinos in singapore are very evident, not only of roman catholic faiths but of christian faith and a seeding community for our brothers and sisters in iglesia ni cristo. during sundays, catholic churches would be populated by filipinos with their friends, families and acquaintances and even just by themselves. hearing  mass every sunday is a sure thing for them before a shopping or after a shopping. but sometimes its saddening that when filipinos are inside the church the solemnity and peacefulness are quite abrupt, we are yet to putting away repartees and colloquy while inside the house of god. kanya-kanyang bulungan, kanya- kanyang tsismisan hay...


in economics they have the the law of demand which states that: if the price of a commodity increase the demand decreases and if the price of a commodity decrease the demand increases..and filipinos in singapore adheres to this. if a warehouse sale is announced or advertised, sure enough it will spread viral through all forms of the social media overnight. crocs sale in expo has always been a sure hit, charles and keith footwear also makes noise whenever they have sale periods and just recently, converse shoes and apparel sale was well attended. and also not to be snob are the IT show at suntec. filipinos in singapore cannot dare to miss these things, they buy not because they need to but because it is on sale. ( photo courtesy of crisse apan )

if our indian friends have their mustafa center, chinese have their chinatown, filipinos have occupied lucky plaza and make it their own territory, a place usually associated with filipinos. in here, you can see a lot of exciting scenes ( mga eksenang malabasahan at mga eksenang makatotohanan ). picnic sessions along the sides of nearby malls with all their "baon", si "kuya" seated on the concrete benches savoring bottles of san miguel beer. it is also a great place to visit for satisfying your craving for filipino food and delicacies. and most importantly, all the remittance center are to be found at lucky plaza. bilyong dolyar na ang dumaan at nabilang sa lucky plaza patungo sa pilipinas hanggang makarating sa mga kamay ng ating mga minamahal sa pilipinas. saturdays and sundays are to be avoided  when going to lucky plaza but if you are keen to see exciting scenes be brave enough to go on weekends.


singapore is an open country not only to filipinos but also for all individuals who has the capacity and the ability to do so from all around the world. and with all the strict government policies it is a blessing to be included in its foreign workforce. not all filipinos in singapore lands a job that is matching to their academic credentials, many are considered to be displaced workers. nursing graduates who are in the retail industry, teachers who are in administrative and clerical works, doctoral degree holders who are in food and beverage industry. they go for jobs that comes first and who will pass the scrutiny of the ministry of manpower. there are also stories of failure in finding a job in singapore, some of them after months of trying and losing opted to go back to the philippines and accept the fact that singapore is not for them.


while that it is true that the salary package in singapore is very much afar a worker is earning in the philippines, dapat ring isaalang-alang na malaki man ang sahod ay malaki rin ang mga gastusin at gugulin na dapat ibawas sa kita habang nasa ibang bansa. house rental, food, transportation going to work, electricty and water, these are just basic things that cuts the bulk of a foreign worker's salary. but not all the relatives of a foreign worker in the philippines, specially in the barrio do not have a complete grasp of what does it really takes and what does it really cost to be a foreign worker. they are just seeing the image and the glamour of being in " abrod" or "de abrod". christmas season that are missed, special occasions in the family that you are not around, hindi mo nakikita ang paglaki ng iyong anak, that little by little you become a stranger in the midst of your children at minsan dumarating pa sa mga pagkakataon na uuwi ka na lamang after so many years being in abroad upang makipaglibing at ihatid sa hukay ang sinumang pinakamamahal. nakakalungkot na tagpo at nakakadurog na katotohanan.


short distance to philippines from singapore is an advantage and many filipinos in singapore benefits to this favorable position. three or four consecutive off days would be a great time to have quick travel to the philippines and visit your loved ones, but this does not apply to all filipinos in singapore, nakadepende pa rin sa budget at sa kita, sa halip na umuwi ipinapadala na lang pandagdag sa mga gastusin.


ilan sa mga filipinos in singapore ay unti-unting tuluyang niyayakap ang buhay singapore. nakikipagsabayan sa buhay na mabilis, marangya at maginhawa, ngunit nakalulungkot na kasabay ng pagyakap na ito ay ang pagtalikod sa mga magagandang gawi at asal ng isang pilipino. others act and feel superior over the others. in some cases, several filipinos would conceal their true identity as a filipino just to be a part of what they think is a superior race.


while some filipinos in singapore chooses to live and be here forever, many also chooses to be back in the philippines after years of working and saving for the future. and i want to say, after all the stories of triumph and failures that has happened and bound to happen we will sure be back to the place we call home. sa lugar kapiling ang ating mga minamahal na siyang dahilan ng lahat ng ating mga pagpapagal at pagpupunyagi. buhay man o patay babalik at babalik pa rin sa ating bayang kinamulatan, tayo pa rin sa dakong huli ang muling magtatagpo at tiyak na pagtatagpuin...


kudos to all the filipinos in singapore may it be the new, the old and the present.. 

lenie and her resiliency..

lenie is a distant relative of mine. she is an ordinary girl with dreams of having a better life and eventually sharing the blessings she would achieve with her family.

it is in her deepest wanting to work abroad, maybe with the inspiration from her sister, who is an overseas filipino worker in hongkong, she is focused on ways to work abroad.

in her quest for greener pasture she became a victim. a victim of scam, specifically an illegal recruitment. it was once featured in "failon ngayon" an abs-cbn news and public affairs program regarding an agency who is enticing filipinos to work in london through a student visa. flowery words and eye-popping promises convinced her to sign on and try her luck. it costed her about 200 to 300 thousand of pesos of money paid directly to the agency. but after years of wait there was no sign of achieving her dreams of going to the united kingdom.

mas pinalala pa ang pag-alala nya ng isa isa nang magreklamo ang kanyang mga kasamahan na nag-aaply sa agency, mas lumiit ang pag-asa nya na matupad ang kanyang pangingibang bansa.

she was not one of those who complained to the agency, she just let them complained and she just observed, may niluluto pala siyang ibang plano....

she decided to go and try her luck in singapore. with her less work experience she is eager to find any job that will give her the opportunity to work. while her allowed stay in singapore is getting less she opted to try another employment agency based in singapore referred by a filipino and the agency itself is administered by filipinos. she paid another 2000 singapore dollars to the agency and she was given a job as a server in an indian restaurant.

after months of work, the establishment she is working was closed as ordered by the IRAS ( inland revenue authority of singapore), the employer is not paying sufficient taxes to the government.

lenie was jobless again. with her continued resilience to find another job, her efforts was outnumbered by her legal stay in singapore, she need to exit singapore or go back to the philippines.

she went back to the philippines and recharge herself with the motivation she needed in which she can only take from her family.

upon her request i secured him an invitation letter issued by the philippine embassy to those who are wanting to visit singapore, i was able to get her one and paid 42 singapore dollars just for a piece of document. even if they say that it is not a guarantee that they will let you come to singapore, i prompted to her request.

lenie was so scared to enter singapore as a tourist because of the many stories she have heard of being held and deported by the immigration both in the philippines and in singapore, but lenie tried....

february 27 could be the most traumatic and embarassing moment for lenie. dinanas nya ang kanyang kinatatakutan, she was held by the immigration in the philippines. pinatay ng isang ahensya ng gobyerno ang mga pangarap ni lenie...natapatan ba sya o sadyang minalas....

ano na lang ang pakiramdam ng mga magulang ni lenie, ng kanyang mga kamag-anak at kaibigan...sinikil ang kanila ring pangarap...it was supressed by those inconsistent procedures and policies by the philippine immigration, wala kasing kapit si lenie, walang koneksyon...pangarap lang ang mayroon siya.

why does the philippine immigration and philippine embassy of singapore do not have consistency and alignment of policies...sana hindi na lang nagpakahirap kumuha ng invitation letter, na pinilahan at binayaran mo ng walang kulang, na hindi pala kasiguruhan na makakapasok ka sa singapore kahit may invitation letter ka, sana wala na lamang ganoong requirement.

sana ay hindi nauuna sa proseso ang pagbabayad ng travel tax terminal fee kaysa sa kung patutuluyin ka ng immigration o hindi. ang daming nasayang...sayang na pera, sayang na emosyon, sayang na pag-asa sa simula biglang nawalang parang bula....lalo at higit sayang na pangarap...

sa ngayon si lenie ay nasa piling ng kanyang pamilya, siguro ay nag-iipon muli ng lakas, motibasyon at maaaring literal na nag-iipon pambayad sa mga nautang o nag-iipon sa muli niyang pagsubok na abutin ang kanyang mga pangarap...

mabuhay ka lenie....sana ay hindi maubos ang iyong sigasig..( resilience)

i am 30

today, january 29, 2011 i turned 30 years of age and the thought that i have lived half of my lifetime gives me instant fears and shivers. i just pray that god will give me the endurance to breathe thrice more my age now.... i am certain its all in my hands.

i am 30 and my name remains to be the best and first gift i have received from my parents. anu nga ba ang kwento sa likod ng aking pangalan? my full name is aristhotel de leon castro...and no, i am not named after the scientist and philosopher aristotle and yes the spelling of my name is rare. my nanay would always tell me and to other acquaintances that she got my name from a magazine that features the life of aristotle socrates onassis, a millionaire at the age of 25 and a shipping magnate of the 20th century, the second husband of jacqueline kennedy and same with me, he was born on the month of january. but until now i do not know why my mother did not copy the same spelling of onassis' first name. nevertheless, i am happy that there is a magnificent and lucrative story behind my name, a name that i try to make my own story and history at this day and age.

i am 30 and my mental health is consistent and progressing. i am living my life to the fullest, flexible to the increasing and everyday challenges i am into, my sense of humor is making others and myself happy too. but i am only human and sometimes there are anxiety, stress and depression all around me, but the good thing is, i know when and how to cope and recuperate.

i am 30 and my emotions are damaged ( of course it is a joke )...i have been through and into a lot of hullabaloos for the past 3 decades and i have managed to survive and it is safe for me to say that my emotions are pretty normal and nothing special. i cry when my heart is heavy, i laugh when a joke is thrown at me and i admire and feel amazed with the beauty of people, places and things around me. i will be successful someday because i am happy today and not the other way around.

i am 30 and my physical health is decaying at a very low speed. do not be alarmed, i just want to make note few of the bodily changes that have occurred and occurring... my hair is thinning and many have outspokenly told it to my face, the reason why i am thinking to allot and spend on some chinese herbal haircare centers, and also.... its in the genes i guess. my tummy is bulky than it was my younger age and i do not know where to attribute its root cause. nanlalabo na ang aking mga mata lalo na pagsapit ng dilim, i can see clearly things that are near me and it troubles me to see at a far specially small letters and words, i am a nearsighted person. maliban sa mga nabanggit ay wala namang "major major" na pagbabago sa aking pisikal na estado. my nails are regenerating fast that i need to cut it thrice a week, i sweat when there is a need to, a regular bowel movement, and even if i made mentioned of my hair dilemmas it still grows in a natural manner.....a slight cut and bruise heals untreated and generally, i am healthy.

i am 30 and single.... and a virgin.....you think so? hahahaha

i am 30 and my god is one and the same today and 30 years ago. i must admit my service to him is not that very evident at this point in my life. i never get to sing on choirs, never get to be an active lector and never get to be the most active practitioner of different church activities. pero ako ay laging nagdarasal hindi lamang sa oras na kailangan kundi sa oras na dapat magpasalamat. magpasalamat sa mga mumunti at malalaking biyaya at hilahil ng buhay, sa masaganang kalusugan, payapang isip at kalooban at sa hiningang ibinibigay sa bawat pag-gising. there were times that my faith was adulterated, tested and polluted... but i am glad that i have won the battle of doubts and in the end i have always turned and went back to him.

i am 30 and i am starting to see what, how, which, who and where will i be 30 years after.tatlumpung taon after this date i am 60...unti-unti nang nawawala ang aking sigla at liksi, kulubot na ang aking balat at marahil marami na ring iniinda sa katawan subalit ipinagdarasal ko na sana sa pagasapit ng aking edad animnapu ay mas malinaw at matalas pa rin ang aking pag-iisip kaysa sigla ng katawan. i want to return to the academe and teach, and in my own capacity integrate in my lessons my personal lessons and experiences in life. kahit na nga mabagal na ang aking lakad at pinag-uukulan na ng upuan, prayoridad at atensyon sa mga pampublikong serbisyo gusto ko pa ring malinaw ang aking mga binibitiwang salita, pinakikinggan at may kaisahan at kabuluhan ang aking mga kaisipan.

i am 30 and these are my guiding beliefs:

pagmamahal sa sarili,

pagtingin sa magulang,

pagtulong sa kapwa

pananalangin sa oras ng kaginhawahan at kakapusan;

at manatiling may kababaang loob....

just two days ago, i have visited the site www.oprah.com and have seen the video wherein oprah is giving her parting message to audiences after a series of oprah shows in australia and somehow it strucked and affected me so much suddenly and i quote, "if you live your life with the intention to do good, good will come to you and good will come to others...." live your life on purpose, its the only one you have".

i am 30 and i am counting not my age but rather i am counting the blessings all around me, i am counting the people and friends whom i have shared my life with and met all along the journey that i can add some more, i am counting the trials and problems i have gone through that made me the strongest, i am counting the pain that i have felt that made me more human and humane, i am counting the days of my life to come that i can make my precious time worthwhile and fruitful, i am counting the people and instances that have hurt me so that i can be reminded of how to forgive, i am counting my answered prayers and all the unanswered prayers that i can pray the hardest all the time.

i am 30 and i am alive.

i am 30 and i am thankful.