Rodel J. Ramos
Compassion to refugees
In 1937 when Hitler was persecuting Jews in Europe, Jews were leaving in droves begging other countries to give them asylum. Only the Philippines took them in. Even America, Canada and Australia did not accept them. It was the time of President Manuel L. Quezon. Thousands of them were accepted with open arms. Some of them went into business like cigar manufacturing creating thousands of jobs and they loved living in paradise. When the Japanese came, they were not touched by them, with Germany having an Axis Alliance with Japan and having their German passports. Some of them left for America and other countries after that war. The Philippines does not grant citizenship to foreign refugees unlike America, Canada, Australia and others. They should have contributed more to the progress of our country. Today they have a shrine in Israel to honour Pres. Manuel L. Quezon and the Filipinos. All of them have great memories of the people who adapted and saved them during those horrifying moments of their lives.
During President Elpidio Quirino’s term, the White Russians (they were called this because they refused communism when Stalin, Lenin and Karl Marks took over Russia and executed more than 10 million Russian who were faithful to the Royal families of Russia. Thousands of them left for China. After the 2nd World War when the Japanese left China and Mao Chi Tong took over China under the Communist ideology, the White Russians were driven out, went to the Philippines and were welcomed by the Filipinos. They settled in Tubabao, Samar in 1949, cleared some empty lands and have their tents made there. They even had an Orthodox Priest with them, a doctor, a piano teacher who taught lessons to kids in Samar for a fee (P5.00) an hour just to make a living. There was an artist who made painting of the place. However with two strong typhoons, their houses were destroyed. They were transferred to Tacloban, Leyte and later moved to other countries like the United States, Australia, and South America. Some maintained contact with each other.
When the Americans hurriedly left Vietnam when the Vietcong of North Vietnam conquered South Vietnam, thousands of Vietnamese left the country and some of them landed in beaches in the Philippines. Some landed in Zambales. They were taken to refugee camps in Bataan and Palawan. Some of them got married to Filipinos. We did not know that some of them were very rich and carried with them gold bars and were business people. Most of them were engineers, businessmen, doctors, pilots etc. Later on, many of them applied for immigrant status in America, Canada and other countries. Some of them we met in Toronto and they are so grateful at the compassion and kindness of Filipinos.
Norwegians, Netherlands, and others
Today, we hear of colonies in Cebu, Bohol, and other islands of Norwegians, Netherlands and other European countries married to Filipinas who have learned to love the Philippines and thru their wives have bought properties and houses in the Philippines. They spend their winters in the beautiful weather of the Philippines. They love the cheap accommodations, transportation, fresh food and the hospitality and friendliness of the Filipinos. Others own beach resorts and other businesses and give jobs to local people.
Bohol, Palawan, and Boracay were in fact promoted more by foreigners who appreciated the beauty of these places and saw its potentials.
The Chinese
The Chinese were traders even before the Spaniards came to conquer the Philippines. When the Spaniards came, they were discriminated and were not allowed to be buried in Catholic cemeteries. There were several unsuccessful Chinese revolts because of these discrimination. So, the Spaniards confined them to China towns in Manila, Cebu, Iloilo and others. Some converted to Catholicism and changed their names to Filipinos or Spanish to avoid persecution.
There was this Chinese pirate called Limahong who settled in Pangasinan for a long time and was driven out by the Spaniards and their Filipino Guardia Civil. Some of them intermarried with Filipinas.
When the Americans came at the end of 1898, they saw their potential being business people having established retail outlets and influence with the locals. They used them to market American products and many became rich.
When coffee all over the world were being devastated by some decease, Filipino coffee farmers in Laguna and neighbouring provinces needed workers to increase their yields, they were allowed to import labourers from China which was then very poor. Sugar farmers from Bacolod, Iloilo and other areas were also allowed to hire from China. They came to cut sugarcane and stayed. Some went into business and married Filipinas. When the sugar prices were low, some hacienderos borrowed money from Chinese merchants and their properties were foreclosed later when they could not pay.
Some Chinese came as illegal and were the milking cows of immigration officials and policemen who comes to them every now and then to ask for protection money. Chinese immigration came in stages. They lived simply and were contented with earning a little profit, worked very hard and were not afraid to do small jobs unlike Filipinos who wants big profit and spends more than what they make. So a lot of Chinese prospered.
The Philippine government restricted them from some professions and were allowed only in manufacturing, wholesaling and retail. They learned to form associations – family, province and business chambers, supported and protected each other. Mainland China, Hongkong and Taiwan governments supported them with loans, capital investments and credit. They were able to control a lot of businesses and loaned money to farmers, fishermen and small businesses and made more money than them. Now, a lot of businesses are controlled by Chinese business people. They have also become the number two tourists in the Philippines before the COVID-19 came in.
When unions supported by the leftist groups made it difficult for factories to operate by frequent strikes and harassment and threats, many of them stopped manufacturing and just bought from China or transferred their factories to China where labour was cheaper and focused on the marketing of products. A Chinese friend said he had lesser headaches with employees and made more profits. Others took advantage of the growing Chinese market like Jollibee and others and branched out to China. It is Filipinos themselves who are making it hard for their own people. Today, their companies have grown big.
The Japanese
Some Japanese before the war found their way to the country and were accepted. There was even a Japanese colony in Davao. Some of them went into pearl farming, fishing, farming and business. Mrs. Masay Almazan grew up in Davao and married a Filipino from San Narciso, Zambales. She was a teacher from Japan. Mr. Almazan brought her back to Zambales before the war. She saved a lot of Filipinos from persecution during the Japanese war by telling the Japanese that they are good people. She was considered a hero and her funeral was the longest procession in that town ever.
Near the beginning of the 2nd World War, a lot of Japanese came used as spies by their government. Some became labourer – cooks, photographers, and whatever they can take. When the Japanese Imperial Army came, they became officers of that Army. They were able to know where military establishments were, how many soldiers, weapons depot, planes, etc. They also knew where the wealth of the government and rich Filipinos were. One of them worked as a labourer of my father in his Soft Drinks Factory in San Narciso, Zambales. He designed our house in Alusiis and became a Captain during the war.
Some of them intermarried with Filipinas and had beautiful children. Today, Japanese tourists are number three in our inflow of tourists. Some have sex tours. Others established businesses.
The Koreans learned about the Philippines when Filipinos participated in the Korean War. They learned to love it and came in droves. Some established businesses. Filipinos learned to love their Korean movies and are buying products to make them whiter from Korea. They have Korean cities in Pampanga, Cebu, Baguio and have stores, schools where they learn English, Filipino and other courses, etc.
People from India have traded with the Philippines long time before the Spaniards and we have areas where there are many Bombays or Sheiks as they are called selling umbrella, clothes, mosquito nets or even lending money under the 5%-6% interest a month which is somewhat usurious in practice.
The Philippines before the Spaniards was a safe haven for Asians specially from Indonesia and Malaysia. They came in different times, settled there because of the wars in mainland Asia specially during the Madjapahit Empire. The only natives of the country are the Aetas or Negritos with kinky hairs, darker and smaller than us. They settled and established small kingdoms under Sultans, Rajahs or Datus. Examples are the Kingdom of Bohol, Negros which was bought from the Aetas and others. The Igorots who settled in Baguio and the Ifugao province are examples. The Philippines was a paradise with lots of food to eat, lots of land and fish, gold, hardwood and other minerals.
Sabah, a land as large as Mindanao was a gift of the King of Borneo to the Sultan of Sulo for helping them ward off rival tribes who attacked them during a battle. However, because the Philippine Government did not send people there when a British company asked for workers, Malaysia took advantage of it by sending Malaysians to work there. When a referendum was conducted, the island was lost.