Why are Filipinos being belittled when we go to other countries?

Jim Phipps

Former Combat and CONUS Combat Arms Company Commander at U.S. Army Jul 23

Why are Filipinos being belittled when we go to other countries?

I will answer this as a Texan with a Filipino family.

1. Filipinos frequently don’t assimilate very well. They tend to hang onto culture, traditions, and language that doesn’t work in a new country. Rather than acquiring foreign friends who are citizens of the new country, they choose to mix with Filipinos. In the long run, that is not sustainable to thrive.
2. Financially Filipinos still support family members in the Philippines who are unwilling to immigrate or work as OFWs. As a result, Filipinos have financial issues unrelated to their life in a new country. This impacts every phase of their life in the new nation. Successful US Immigrants put their past into the history books and put their time, money, and attitude to growing business in their new land.
3. Education is a large part of the problem. Education in many instances is worse in the Philippines than in the USA or other western countries. My children struggled in public schools here. My spouse attends a junior college but requires a lot of help from me. This impacts everything from language to academic performance to outside interests.
4. Unwilling to dig into STEM education. I am a retired engineer but none of the Filipinos in my home have any interest in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics. They love electronic gadgets but have zero interest in developing the gadgets or software. They are not stupid but rather somewhat lazy by choice with all three children. They would rather play then learn. I have taken them to artistical and historical locations but their interest = zero. They lack the desire to grow and improve.
5. Employment opportunities are limited in many instances for Filipinos due to a lousy education in the Philippines. Certainly there are doctors, nurses, and educators in other nations. However many of these are temporary employees on limited work visas. Many immigrants work in low skill jobs and as a result seem to demonstrate a lower class of people to foreigners. The exception are Filipinos who join the military. They usually do well but even this is limited. Few members of the Filipinos in the US Military become officers because of a lack of a college degree. Many retire as NCOs, not as officers. In the high tech industries, there are Asians but not many Filipinos. I saw that at NASA, engineering, project management, and other areas in my career.
6. Family and religion are a part of every Filipino’s life. Religion is important. I understand that as a Christian. However Filipinos take it one step farther whether Catholic or Protestant. They still are guided foolishly by Spanish Colonial rules put in place by hundreds of years of Spanish occupation. This is a complex issue that needs to change. The family is everything to the Filipino. An American marrying a Filipino is a marriage to the entire extended family. We westerners don’t understand or support that. We mixed families fail to thrive because of remittances sent to the Philippines and of course trips to the old country. The commitment to the new home is simply limited by Filipinos. We westerners know that.
7. Language other than broken English or other western languages is obvious. Many Filipinos in the USA are not fluent in English even after being here for a decade. English fluency is mandatory for good employment. Filipinos don’t get that. Tagalog and Bisaya are near useless for employment l
8. Assimilation for transportation and homes is weak. I made my spouse get a driver’s license within the first 2 or 3 months after arriving. That seems to be the exception with most Filipino immigrants. I know many with a decade here without a driver’s license and the ability to go to work or church without depending on someone else. This is a symptom of a huge issue with Filipinos. Acquiring a home is not sustainable because of poor employment and/or no savings.
9. Filipino Time needs to stay in the Philippines. Other than Latin America, arriving late anywhere is not really acceptable in western nations. In my Filipino American Church, some Filipinos are 15–45 minutes late for service. This attitude on tardiness is looked down upon but is not uncommon with Filipinos. Getting my family anywhere on time takes a lot of effort.

All of this presents a system of problems for overseas Filipinos largely caused by education, colonialism, and culture. Avoiding all of the above can happen but rarely transpires with first generation immigrants. This can be a lesson only if Filipinos demonstrate a will to change rapidly. However I suspect many will only be offended and resist change in their new country.