Those who want some semblance of city life will crowd into an apartment in downtown Abu Dhabi, where rents are higher but there are more options, so that they can feel less isolated and part of the Emirates’ local scene.Īnd life as an expat worker in the UAE is hardly idyllic. Many Filipinos in Abu Dhabi are relegated to living in Mussaffah, an industrial town southwest of the city center. Whether they are architects, graphic designers or nannies, the hours for many Filipinos are long, and days often seem endless thanks to the long commutes from home to job. Those who do not have the educational credentials are often live-in maids. Others are medical professionals at hospitals or work in professional service firms. Many of the Filipino workers in this sector have a college education, but have chosen, or feel compelled, to work at the UAE’s office parks, resorts, hotels and gigantic malls because they cannot get by working at home. Emiratis are practically guaranteed employment by the government, but even if they struggle to find a job, no local will be seen working in the service sector. Restaurants and retail workers, from McDonald’s to Nando’s to H&M and Marks and Spencer, are among the reasons why expats in Abu Dhabi and Dubai have no incentive to learn any Arabic. For many Filipinos in the Middle East whose job security is affected by low oil prices, angst has become a daily distraction.įilipinos are indeed the backbone of the United Arab Emirates’ service economy. Attempts to ensure OFWs are treated fairly and with dignity while abroad are not much more than public-relations ploys. Lawmakers in the capital city of Manila say they are striving to improve conditions in the Philippines so expatriates will feel as if they can come home, but such policies are window dressing at best. “They are the backbone of the global workforce,” she once said, and “are our greatest export.” It was Arroyo who over 15 years ago bragged about the efforts of OFWs, or overseas foreign workers. Meanwhile, graft in all sectors has discouraged many Filipinos of all ages, who have long weathered the antics and corruption trials of politicians including former president Joseph Estrada he in turn was succeeded by Gloria Arroyo, who left citizens even more jaded. And migration from the Philippines only increases year to year. Even today, the World Bank estimates that personal remittances are approximately 10 percent of the Philippines’ GDP. Even after Marcos was eventually exiled as democracy was entrenched in the Philippines, the domestic economy only marginally improved. Then-president Ferdinand Marcos saw citizens’ migration to regions such as the Middle East as a way to cope with a stagnant economy, deal with restless young men who could otherwise stir up trouble and curb poverty through remittances. The Philippines’ massive overseas workforce dates back to the 1970s. Many work without the proper work visas, which makes them vulnerable to poor working conditions and human rights abuses. A recent article in The New Yorker estimates the number equates to a tenth of the Philippines’ population of almost 100 million people. It is estimated that more than 2.3 million Filipinos work abroad - and that is the official statistic. If you’ve got that high-powered job in New York City, have kids but want to “ have a life,” a Filipino nanny can help you have it all. Stroll through a mall in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha or Kuwait and those staffing the retail stores are very likely to be Filipino. Visit a park in Hong Kong on a Sunday, and you may very well see it teeming with Filipino domestic workers enjoying their one day off.
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