ONE IN FIVE PEOPLE LIVING IN DUBAI ARE FROM HERE THE PHILIPPINES IF YOU WORK AT A SUBWAY
IN MANILA YOU WILL EARN AROUND 220 DOLLARS A MONTH BUT IF YOU WORK AT SUBWAY IN DUBAI YOU
WILL EARN AROUND 600 PER MONTH PLUS THEY WILL PAY FOR YOUR HOUSING AND EVERYONE I
MEET IN THE PHILIPPINES SEEMS TO HAVE A MOM A SISTER OR A BROTHER WORKING IN ANOTHER COUNTRY
MANY FILIPINOS MOVE TO THE U.S OR CANADA BUT IN DUBAI ITS POPULATION IS PARTICULARLY HIGH
I TRAVEL HERE TO UNDERSTAND WHY IS 20 OF THE UAE'S POPULATION FILIPINO SO STAY IN MY FAMILY
IN THE PHILIPPINES THAT I JUST WANT TO SUPPORT MY FAMILY I HAD MORE INCOME HERE LIKE IT WAS
TRIPLE MANY OF THEM HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME 19 YEARS I'M LIVING HERE FOR SIX YEARS
SO WHY DID THEY LEAVE THE PHILIPPINES CULTURE HERE IS NICE AND PHILIPPINES IS GOING WORSEN
THAT'S LIKE THE THING THAT WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON WE'RE VERY ADAPTABLE IN A LOT OF PLACES
BY LIVING ABROAD THERE WILL GET A MUCH HIGHER SALARY THAN IF THEY ARE TO KEEP WORKING IN THE
PHILIPPINES THAT'S A NORMAL THAT'S HOW MUCH YOU GET PAID PER DAY YOU BUY ME CHARGE TEN DOLLARS
ONE DAY OF WAGES OF WORKING HERE IN THE PHILIPPINES IS EQUAL TO ABOUT ONE HOUR WORKING IN
THE UNITED STATES BUT MILLIONS OF FILIPINOS HAVE TO DECIDE BE WITH THEIR FAMILY EARNING LOW WAGES
OR MOVE TO A FOREIGN COUNTRY MAKE MORE MONEY AND SEND MONEY BACK TO THEIR FAMILIES AND THAT MONEY
COMING INTO THE COUNTRY IS EQUAL TO NEARLY 10 PERCENT OF THE PHILIPPINES ANNUAL ECONOMIC OUTPUT
FILIPINOS HAVE THIS THING IN THEM LIKE IT'S IN OUR BLOOD WHERE YOU WORK WORK WORK JUST FOR THE FACT
FOR YOU TO HAVE ROOF UNDER YOUR HEAD AND FOOT ON YOUR PLATE WHEN I I LEFT MY DAUGHTER FOR TURNING
FIVE WHEN I REACHED DUBAI I WAS CRYING ALL NIGHT THE FIRST TIME I LEFT MY DAUGHTER SOME FILIPINO
MOMS MIGHT MOVE ABROAD LEAVING THEIR KIDS WITH THEIR FATHER OR THEIR GRANDPARENTS AND SPEND 20
YEARS APART TO SUPPORT THEM FINANCIALLY FROM AFAR THE CLOSENESS IS NOT LIKE THAT ANYMORE
BECAUSE SHE GREW WITH MY PARENTS TODAY MUCH OF ITS NEXT GENERATION CONTINUES TO HAVE ITS EYES ON
MOVING ABROAD FILIPINOS THIS GENERATION NOWADAYS THEIR MINDSET IS AFTER I FINISH HIGH SCHOOL I
GRADUATE AFTER I FINISH COLLEGE I GRADUATE AND I'M GONNA GO APPLY OVERSEAS THE FILIPINOS ABROAD
SEND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS BACK TO THE PHILIPPINES THIS HELPS THEIR ECONOMY BUT IT COULD ALSO PRESENT
A PROBLEM TOO YOU DON'T WANT TO BE LIKE HAVING WHAT WE CALL BRAIN DRAIN SEE AS A NATION YOU WANT
BRILLIANT MINDS TO STAY AND DEVELOP AND BUILD YOUR COUNTRY NOT LEAVING TO SOMEWHERE ELSE BUT
RECENTLY AS REMOTE WORK SURGES AROUND THE WORLD IT'S ACTUALLY CREATING MORE OPPORTUNITIES HERE
IN THEIR HOME COUNTRY WE CAN DO THAT IN THE PHILIPPINES IN THEIR OWN PART OF THEIR HOMES
IMAGINE BEING A REAL ESTATE AGENT IN CALIFORNIA YOU COULD PAY AN ASSISTANT THERE FOR 25 AN HOUR
OR HAVE A VIRTUAL ONE IN THE PHILIPPINES FOR FIVE DOLLARS AN HOUR IT'S ACTUALLY A BENEFIT THAT WE'RE
GETTING MORE CLIENTS HERE IN THE PHILIPPINES THAT WAY WE CAN SPEND A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME WITH OUR
FAMILIES COMPARED TO LIKE GOING ABROAD AND THEN BY LIKE WORKING THERE MORE THAN 12 MILLION FILIPINOS
ARE LIVING ABROAD THAT'S ABOUT 10 PERCENT OF ITS TOTAL POPULATION FILIPINOS ARE VERY FUN LOVING
FAMILY-ORIENTED PEOPLE DR ROMMEL IS AN ASSOCIATE DEAN AND MANAGEMENT PROFESSOR AT THE CANADIAN
UNIVERSITY DUBAI ENTIRELY OUR INTENTION IN MOVING OUT OF THE COUNTRY IS TO AUGMENT THE NEEDS OF THE
FAMILIES THAT'S DEFINITELY FOR ECONOMIC REASON BOTH W'S ARE KNOWN AS OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS
FILIPINAS ARE FIGHTERS THEY'RE WORKERS RIGHT THEY DO ANYTHING THEY COULD WORK ANY JOB THEY
CAN TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR HOUSE FOR THEIR FAMILY TO HAVE FOOD ON THEIR TABLE THE OPPORTUNITIES IN THE
PHILIPPINES ARE VERY MINIMAL FILIPINOS VERY GOOD IN CUSTOMER SERVICE AS MANY OF YOU WOULD WOULD
SAY YEAH BUT WE'RE VERY ACCOMMODATING WE SMILE A LOT YOU WOULD SEE A GUY DRIVING SOMEONE A DEEPLY
TRICYCLE DRIVERS MOTORCYCLE SERVICES THEY WOULD DO ANYTHING JUST FOR THEM TO COME HOME AND BE
ABLE TO PROVIDE FOOD ON THEIR TABLE SARAH GREW UP BETWEEN THE PHIL PHILIPPINES AND DUBAI AS HER MOM
MOVED ABROAD TO EARN HIGHER WAGES AND SUPPORT HER CHILDREN MY AUNTIE WAS WORKING IN DUBAI IN 1985 I
DON'T KNOW WHERE IS DUBAI ACTUALLY THEN SUDDENLY IT'S IT'S COMING IN THE NEWS EVERY TIME NOW AND
THEN DUBAI DIVIDED BY DUBAI SO WHEN I WENT TO DUBAI IN DECEMBER IT'S SO COLD THAT TIME
IS SO COLD I'M FREEZING AND I SAW PEOPLE THERE WEARING THIS LIKE THE PRIEST I SAID THERE'S A LOT
OF PRIESTS HERE BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF COUNTRIES WITH LOW WAGES SO WHAT MAKES THE PHILIPPINES SO
SPECIAL WELL A LARGE PART OF THAT COULD ACTUALLY COME DOWN TO LANGUAGE SEE THE PHILIPPINES IS ONE
OF THE BIGGEST ENGLISH-SPEAKING COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD THE MAJORITY OF ITS POPULATION IS
AT LEAST SOMEWHAT FLUENT IN ENGLISH IN THE EARLY 1900S ENGLISH WAS INTRODUCED TO THE PHILIPPINES
DURING THE U.S OCCUPATION TODAY IT'S BECOME THE SECOND OFFICIAL LANGUAGE HERE OF COURSE THE
GOVERNMENT SEES THE BENEFIT OF THIS BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH PEOPLE ARE LEAVING TO WORK ABROAD MANY OF
THEM MOST OF THEM ARE SENDING MONEY BACK INTO THE COUNTRY TO HELP OUT THEIR FAMILIES THAT ULTIMATELY
HELPED THIS ECONOMY MORE THAN 25 BILLION US DOLLARS THE REMITTANCE OF A TYPICAL OFW WHICH
HAS GROWN OVER THE YEARS THAT'S WHY WE ARE CALLED THE HEROES OF TODAY YOU KNOW I'M ALSO AN OF UH W
BUT IT ISN'T JUST FOR MONEY EITHER IT'S BECAUSE TO YOU KNOW TO HELP FAMILY YEAH OF COURSE THAT'S
WHY I'M HERE TO HELP THE FAMILY AND ALSO TO GROW MORE YOU KNOW AS AN INDIVIDUAL JUST LIKE THIS HOW
LONG HAVE YOU LIVED HERE AROUND SEVEN YEARS YEAH AND WHY DID YOU MOVE HERE SUSTAIN MY FAMILY IN
THE PHILIPPINES AND HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU SUPPORT JUST MY SIBLINGS ARE ON FOUR YEAH WHILE THE WAGES
ARE HIGHER IN OTHER COUNTRIES THEY ALSO OFTEN HAVE HIGHER LIVING STANDARDS TOO IT'S VERY HOT AND TOO
DIRTY UNLIKE HERE IT'S VERY CLEAN AND YOU CAN DRIVE SAFELY ESCAPING THE KIND OF ATMOSPHERE WE
HAVE IN THE PHILIPPINES STILL PART OF A DEVELOPING COUNTRY OR OTHERS MAY STILL SAY IT SOMETHING LIKE
THIRD WORLD COUNTRY WE SAY THAT IT'S BETTER TO BE OUT OF THE COUNTRY AND BETTER OPPORTUNITIES
ENRICHMENT OF THE SELF COMES INTO PLAY I ASKED MANY OF THE FILIPINOS IN THE PHILIPPINES IF THEY
DREAM OF MOVING ABROAD IF I WOULD ACHIEVES FROM IN THE PHILIPPINES GET LESS MONEY AND MORE MONEY
ABROAD I WOULD CHASE IT BROAD THAT'S WHY RIGHT NOW I'M WORKING MY MIND APPLY FOREIGN FAMILY
HERE THE GOVERNMENT IS REGULARLY MONITORING THE MONEY BEING SENT BY ITS CITIZENS BACK INTO THE
COUNTRY BECAUSE IT CONTRIBUTES TO A BIG PART OF ITS ECONOMY BUT WHAT ARE THE DOWNS SIDES OF A
LARGE PERCENTAGE OF YOUR COUNTRY LEAVING OR TRYING TO LEAVE THERE ARE THREE DOWNSIDES TO ALL OF THIS
SHE SAID MOMMY I DON'T NEED MONEY THE FIRST IS WELL THE DISTANCE THE CLOSENESS IS NOT LIKE THAT
ANYMORE BECAUSE SHE GREW WITH MY PARENTS SO THE PARENTS THAT SHE LOOKED UP TO NOW IS MY MY FATHER
AND MY MOTHER BUT I DON'T CARE MANY WHO ARE NOT ON A PATH TO CITIZENSHIP IN A COUNTRY LIKE THE US OR
CANADA WILL HAVE TO COME BACK TO THE PHILIPPINES EVENTUALLY YOU WOULD SEE MAJORITY ALL OF THEM WHEN
THEY COME BACK THEY'D HAVE A HOUSE TO COME BACK TO THEY'D HAVE KIDS WHO HAD GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL
AND COLLEGE THEY WOULD HAVE KIDS WITHOUT THEIR OWN FAMILIES THEY WOULD HAVE THEIR OWN BUSINESSES IN
THE PHILIPPINES BUT EVEN THOUGH THEY EARNED THEIR MONEY IT OFTEN MEANS THE MISSED YEARS
MAYBE EVEN DECADES AWAY FROM THEIR FAMILY SO YOU CAN REALLY START TO SEE THE DILEMMA HERE IMAGINE
YOU'RE A NEW MOM IN THE PHILIPPINES YOU HAVE THE OPTION TO STAY HERE AND EARN A MINIMUM WAGE OF 200
WHILE RAISING YOUR KID AND BEING WITH YOUR KID OR MOVING ABROAD AND BEING ABLE TO SUPPORT YOURSELF
WHILE ALSO IS SENDING MAYBE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS TO SUPPORT YOUR FAMILY AND MAYBE
EVEN SAVE FOR THEIR EDUCATION ONE DAY YOU CAN SEE HOW THIS COULD BE AN INSANELY DIFFICULT DECISION
THE SECOND REASON IS LOSING YOUR TALENTED CITIZENS AND THEM CONTRIBUTING TO OTHER COUNTRIES YOU DON'T
WANT TO BE LIKE HAVING WHAT WE CALL BRAIN DRAIN WHEREIN YOU LACK MANPOWER INTERNAL AND SPECIAL
POPULATION DEDICATED FOR A SPECIFIC LINE OF WORK AND FINALLY IN MANY COUNTRIES FILIPINOS
MAY CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR ECONOMY BUT NEVER HAVE THE CHANCE TO LIVE THERE PERMANENTLY YO ACTUALLY
WE'RE NOT
SO WE'RE STILL KEEPING OUR MONEY THERE IN RECENT YEARS THINGS ARE CHANGING IN
BIG WAYS FOR FILIPINOS WHO WANT TO FIND A JOB YOUNGER PEOPLE TELL ME IT'S BECOMING HARDER IT
BECOMES HARDER BECAUSE NOW OUR IMMIGRATION IS VERY TIGHT WHILE OLDER ONES TELL ME THE
OPPOSITE SAYING THE INTERNET MAKES IT EASY TO FIND AND APPLY TO JOBS ABROAD NOW IT'S
IT'S EASIER FOR THEM NOT BECAUSE OF THAT ONLINE NETWORK THAT YOU CAN CALL THEM APPLY ONLINE YEAH
YEAH NOT LIKE BEFORE IN THE 90S YOU CAN CALL ONLY BY PHONE THERE IS ONE PLACE ONLY THAT
YOU CAN CALL MONEY PAYPAL EVERYTHING IS COMING IN IN YOUR POCKET MEANWHILE FOR THE FIRST TIME
IN HISTORY THERE ARE MILLIONS OF JOBS THAT CAN NOW BE DONE FROM ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD AS LONG
AS YOU HAVE A LAPTOP WHICH HAS BEEN A MASSIVE OPPORTUNITY FOR MILLIONS HERE SARAH TELLS ME
SHE FILLS OUT ONLINE SURVEYS FOR AMERICAN COMPANIES THE WAY I GET PAID IS I GET PAID
IN DOLLARS SO EVEN IF I GET PAID BY A DOLLAR OR TWO DOLLARS AND IF YOU ARE WORKING FOR THAT MUCH
IT'S NOT MUCH THAT'S NOTHING AT ALL BUT FOR US HERE IT'S A LOT SO IF I MAKE A DOLLAR SURVEY EVERY
LIKE WHAT 15-20 MINUTES AT THE END OF THE DAY I CAN MAKE ONE TENTH OF A NORMAL FILIPINO SALARY
JUST BY SITTING AT HOME DOING ONE DOLLAR SURVEYS AND WHILE I'M HERE I MEET MANY VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS
OR CALL CENTER WORKERS WHO SEEM JUST FINE LIVING HERE AND EARNING HIGHER WAGES THAN THEY WOULD HAVE
BEFORE DURING THE PANDEMIC IS THAT WE NO LONGER HAVE TO WORK ABROAD JUST TO EARN LIKE DOLLARS
HERE IN THE PHILIPPINES OR FALLING ABROAD AND A BUNCH OF THEM ARE IN THE U.S AND CANADA IN EUROPE
AS WELL WE ALSO HAVE PLANTS FROM THE MIDDLE EAST BUT WHAT DOES ALL OF THIS MEAN TO BE A FILIPINO
UM TO BE HONEST THAT'S STILL THE SAME QUESTION I'M ASKING MYSELF SO PROBABLY IF I CAN MOVE
BACK TO PHILIPPINES WHEN I CAN I WOULD BUT NOT TO LIKE WORK JUST TO ENJOY LIFE IF I GO BACK
TO THE PHILIPPINES THE TRAFFIC THE CRIME THE UNNECESSARY STUFF THAT COMES ALONG WITH IT IS
JUST LIKE FOR ME TO HANDLE LIKE IT'S TOO MUCH FOR ME TO HANDLE SO I'D PREFER SOMEWHERE THAT'S CLOSE
TO LIKE DUBAI SO MAYBE LIKE YOU KNOW CANADA I'VE BEEN LIKE WHAT DO YOU CALL THIS BRAINWASHER THE
WHOLE MOVIE THEN SHOWS LIKE ALL THE AMERICAN LIFE ALL THE THE LIFE AND OVERSEAS AND SO WELL SO I'VE
BEEN YEARNING FOR THAT I HOPE THAT ONE DAY I WILL BE ABLE TO BRING MYSELF IN WHAT I ENVISION MYSELF
FOR THE FUTURE AND THAT MAKE YOU KNOW MY DREAMS COME TRUE HOPEFULLY U.S CANADA WHATEVER THE LORD
HAS IN PLANNED FOR ME YOU KNOW I'M IN MAINE THAT ALL THE LINKS THOUGH ALSO FILIPINOS BUT YOU KNOW
WOULD NEVER LEAVE THERE THEY'RE FINE PLEASE THEY'RE IN THEIR COUNTRY AS WELL THEY'RE ABOVE
THE ONES JUST TO BE JUST TO PROVIDE YOU KNOW A FOOD OR JUST TO PROVIDE SHELTER OR THE FOREIGN