As Filipino American History Month comes to a close, we would like to address the issue of the Philippine Diaspora – a historical issue that continues to be prevalent in the contemporary setting.
The word “Diaspora” means the spread of any people from their original homeland. This phenomenon shows that the population in the Philippines is significantly declining each year because workers are migrating to other countries to seek better jobs, and higher wages. Filipino migration can be traced back to the 19th century with the unique relationship between the Philippines and the United States. However, we can regard 1972 as the date for the start of the specific Philippine Diaspora. On September 21st, 1972; President Ferdinand E. Marcos proclaimed martial law that preceded the abolition of the democratic government and yielded Marcos absolute power. This act of political oppression led to severe economic depression in the Philippines. Despite the end of Marcos’ regime in 1981, there was a continued legacy of massive institutionalized corruption, crony capitalism, and weak leadership that prevented an economic takeoff. As a result, there was a lack of job opportunities in the country and citizens turned to opportunities to support their families in other countries. This notion of leaving the Philippines to pursue better opportunities to provide for their families at home has been very much romanticized, especially with regard to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the United States. The United States is perceived as a land of opportunity, though its realities of OFWs in the country is very different than what is believed. Due to this developed dependency on overseas job opportunities, these OFWs are willing to accept low wages for jobs where they are mistreated and exploited. Moreover, uprooting oneself to a different country results in an absence within families that often leads to conflicts due to the disparity of experiences. The Philippine Diaspora is still an issue to this day, and it is important to think of the implications as it continues. The result of this diaspora will likely result in the “brain drain” of the Philippines, which is the consequence of highly skilled labor migrating to more favorable geographic and economic environments. This leaves the Philippines deprived of a labor pool of its greatest talents. As an ongoing concern, the country has lost an estimated 12% of its population, including many of their highly qualified professionals. In addition, remittances account for 13.5% of the country’s GDP. The country’s economy is highly dependent on migration, and will be unsustainable in the long run and in times of financial crisis. The issue of the mistreatment of OFWs began in history but is still a contemporary issue to this day as the number of OFWs continue to increase and policies regarding their rights have yet to be established. This was a topic that we had chosen to bring light to as a good illustration of how an event in history continues to unfold, and thus continues to be written. As we are approaching the end of Filipino American History month, it is important to remember ourselves as part of the fabric of history, and we have the power to raise conversations and discussions on topics that matter. Your Dream Team, Annie and Neary
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