The Philippines was invaded in 1521 and subjected to Spanish rule for more than 300 years. Other foreign occupants such as American and Japanese also briefly attempted to grab hold of the archipelago. In fact, the last American troops from the wars left around 1992.
Today it seems there is not much difference.
We may have been given full independence in 1946, but as an impoverished country with a stunted economy we still rely heavily on foreign aid and have reopened US military bases. Thus it comes as no surprise that, coupled with our internalized inferiority complex, Filipinos are welcoming and revering of Westerners. And how do the ancestors of our colonizers act? By taking advantage of Filipinos’ weaknesses, of course.
For years we’ve relied significantly on tourism to improve our economic status. Recent campaigns such as #itsmorefuninthephilippines seek to increase tourism rates both domestically and internationally. This proves to be effective as in 2015 (5,360,682) international tourist arrivals increased by 11.31% by 2016 (5,967,005).
With that amount of tourists coming in annually it’s unavoidable some foreigners realize they can earn money by purchasing property and establishing businesses in low-priced remote areas. As citizens, we should think if these expats and their enterprises are truly beneficial for the Filipino people. Are the purchasing of these lands appropriately done and legally by expat resort owners?
Take, for instance, the now globally famous Siargao Island Due to increased campaign efforts for tourism Siargao, once a little-known slice of paradise, has become a hot spot for tourists.
A well-known local named Manuel Melindo has voiced his concern:
Regarding his post, tourists cannot entirely be blamed for the lack of a proper waste disposal system in the tiny island. What caught my eye when I stumbled on this post shared by an island-born friend was Mr. Melindo’s mentioning of foreign tourists working black – in that they work without a proper working permit. Conveniently most of the foreigners commenting on Mr. Melindo’s post only address the garbage issue while shrugging off the abuses of undocumented foreign workers.
A Franchou David who appears to own or at least manages a resort in Siargao explains the reason he and many other resort owners/managers employ illegal foreign help on the island is due to the fact the Filipinos they employ are untrained or uneducated in hospitality and management. The foreign worker, in exchange for free food, lodging, and a small allowance, shares his skills with the local workers to improve resorts’ business and customers’ experience. Mutually beneficial? Yes, but majorly towards the two expats involved.
Which begs the question – isn’t it the resorts’ responsibility to employ qualified/educated local workers should they prefer or obtain a working visa for foreign workers? Mr. David’s explanation seems to be a justification of resort owners cutting corners since they’re able to get cheap, untaxed help and free training for their staff. Not only this, but jobs that could have been given to locals more in need are being designated to well-off foreigners instead.
This seems to have become a subtle, insidious, modern version of colonization. Wikipedia defines neocolonialism as “the practice of using capitalism, globalization, and cultural imperialism to influence a developing country.” What’s taking place today in places like Siargao is a micro-version of this in it foreign settlers exploit locals under the guise of economic partnership.
Alien settlers insist their businesses are good for the locals and undeniably some are or at least were. They purchased lands from locals, who often needed instant money due to poverty and probably did not have the business savvy to realize the value of their property nor financial resources to make their own resorts, at ridiculously low prices. Some of these locals become the foreigners’ business partner of sorts – but if there’s a fall out (and I’ve heard this already happened a few times) can you guess who gets to keep the resort and property because they have the money to have better lawyers?
Historically this can be seen in other countries and cultures aside from the Philippines’, particularly the genocide of natives by invading-Europeans (now known as Americans and Australians). An “advanced” group of people comes to an arguably less advanced land to promote development. The problem here is that natives of that land tend to get ripped off or exploited during the transition of that so-called development.
As per history, the clever people outperform the less clever. Today, the expats we have in our country are not stealing our lands from us per se. They are not big corporations but mere individuals, so they don’t really have an image or brand they need to worry about. There’s no denying foreigners have more access and exposure to knowledge and resources unavailable to most Filipinos.
That isn’t to say we should outright blame foreigners for having access to money or being more financially capable than locals. That’s just the way things are after all. Filipinos do realize that these expat resort owners are running a business and not a charity, but perhaps all we ask is that they not take advantage of our already flawed government systems and not perpetuate the rampant culture of corruption, so few of us are trying to push against.
As another netizen, Geo Matheson comments, “The time has come that the locals of the island are already competitive enough and educated to get hired for whatever jobs in the island.”
Eugene Uy brands fellow Filipinos as being “ungrateful” to defend foreign resort owners’ choice to employ fellow foreigners over locals. Some resort owners have expressed the existence of their business aim to help the locals’ quality of living, and indeed they have to a certain degree. But if the true purpose of these foreign-owned resorts is to improve Filipinos’ livelihood, they would reinforce positive behavior, set a good example by employing foreign workers with working visas, and invest in their local employees.
“Illegality” tends to be a concept enforced upon certain races while western people’s immigrant or working status are glossed over. We see this on how western countries and non-west poorer countries like the Philippines treat illegal workers or immigrants. Illegal Filipino workers get deported while illegal Western workers can easily bribe government officials for an over-extended visa, a business permit or land title despite lacking proper documents or have society itself turn a blind eye at the western man’s illegality.
Should this trend continue in Siargao and other places, common locals will become increasingly disenfranchised whereas foreign businesspeople and wealthy and middle-class locals continue to haul a major portion of the benefits. According to the local friend I mentioned, waitresses for a few of these foreign-owned resorts work an average of 10 hours a day with an average pay of Php120-150 daily with sometimes free food and lodging. Sometimes these workers have to work extra hours if a resort or restaurant or bar is fully booked.
Their pay, apparently, stays the same. It is unclear whether this is a normalized practice in all resorts or if it’s only a select few.
But if this is true then it’s against the labor code which stipulates:
- Workers shall not exceed eight (8) hours a day.
- Work may be performed beyond eight (8) hours a day provided that the employee is paid for the overtime work, an additional compensation equivalent to his regular wage plus at least twenty-five percent (25%) thereof.
- The daily minimum wage in CARAGA region is Php280.00.
These local workers are often paid “under the table” without a contract since they live hand-to-mouth. Most are unaware of their rights and do not know they could and should earn a higher albeit taxed salary with benefits.
The same person I spoke with also says some resorts hire up to three or four illegal foreign workers. Since these resorts are beginning to misuse the good graces of the locals and the existence of illegal foreign workers are an open secret, the Bureau of Immigration should have since before randomly checked foreign workers to see if they have the proper documentation to work in the country.
A foreigner named Paco Sanchez countered, “How many surf instructors pay taxes there? Does a volunteer need a visa? Even if you are volunteering on something good?” He glosses over the fact many of these instructors belong to low-income families who are also possibly underpaid, and their work heavily depends on tourist numbers, while expats are often more privileged even if they were middle-class in their home countries. The culture of rural Philippines is also rougher than Western culture, so he’s trying to push a square peg into a round hole with his comment.
His statement seems to suggest that since Filipinos do not mind dirtying their own backyards, then foreigners like him should be allowed to partake as well. No. A local Filipino acting negatively should not excuse or enable a foreigner to do the same, especially if the latter doesn’t live hand-to-mouth in an easily destroyable shanty or nipa house without insurance, proper health coverage, or quality education, and with an entire family to provide for.
It would be way more productive if the business owners and its foreign workers would straighten up its legalities so that proper taxes will be applied; tax collections will be used to improve the island’s infrastructures and the locals’ well-being (i.e., help fund for education, community hospitals, wellness clinics, police stations, etc.) Overall, it will be our government in partnership with these foreigners who need to assemble this.
In conclusion, there are two main problems: 1.) Siargao isn’t fully prepared to handle the staggering growth of tourists and 2.) The lax government turns a blind eye towards illegal foreign workers in exchange for some cash flow and a temporary illusion of hippie bliss.
What’s distressing is this, it’s also taking place in other coastal tourist spots such as Bohol, Palawan, Boracay, etc. and there seems to be little to no resistance from Filipinos to counteract the normalization of illegal foreign workers. I wonder what the results will be in ten years after workers both local and foreign keep on dodging taxes and doing away with regulation.
G. Rizal
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