Filipinos: “We are always part of the Macau development”

Philippines consul general of Macau, Jaime Victor Ledda

Christopher Aggabao, 34, has been working as a waiter and living in Macau for six years. He tried to go back to his country once, but ended up here again. Currently, he’s working at the same place as before, for the same employer, dreaming of the day he can go back to his homeland and to his family and stay there.
Maria and Pearly, 38 and 27, are waiting for some friends at Senado Square. Both have a lot of time to spare as they don’t have jobs.
Maria’s boss didn’t renew her contract in August. The housekeeper went back to her country, but she came back to Macau only three months later. She’s living here for four years and is trying to find a new job.
Pearly got sick and the employer dismissed her. “She didn’t want me to take care of the baby while I was ill”, she explained. For the second time, she is looking for a job in the territory.
These three stories have something in common. All of these people came from the same country. They are Filipino, the second largest foreign community in Macau.
In the territory, Filipinos work mostly in security companies, the food and beverage industry, hotels and casinos, and as domestic workers. You may think this community’s history in the territory is very recent and started with the economic development of the Macau Special Administrative Region, but you’re wrong.
The local Filipino community has been established here for a long time. Macau is regarded as a desirable place to move to: it is near Manila and offers good living conditions. The problem is that times are changing and to make dreams come true here is becoming increasingly difficult for them.
The Philippines consul general of Macau, Jaime Victor Ledda, told the Macau Daily Times that according to the official records there are around 15,000 Filipino citizens living and working here. Out of the 15,000, around 11,000 are blue-card holders – those with work permits – and the rest are either permanent or temporary Macau ID holders.
More recent figures from the Office of the Secretary for Security show that in September of this year there were 10,830 Filipino blue-card holders in Macau, of which 3,549 were male and 7,281 female. The number is dropping when compared with last year, when there were 11,806 Filipino migrant workers registered.
“The Filipino community started to grow over the years, but we have records from the 1960’s of Filipinos that were already living here. They have different professions such as engineers, architects, nurses, teachers and also work in the religious sector. This community started to grow faster when the Macau’s economy also started to expand”, the consul general pointed out.
Since the 1990’s, the community has been increasing mostly with domestic workers and services workers (casinos, hotels and restaurants).
Christopher left his job as a security guard in the Philippines to work as a waiter in Macau. “Here, the salary is better and it is more easy to come comparing with other countries”, he stated. “In the Philippines it is very hard to find a job”, Maria added.
Both of them feel at home here. Macau is a secure and peaceful place to live and work in, they said.
“There are a lot of similarities the Philippines and Macau share. In what regards the culture, we both have the mix between the East and the West”, Jaime Victor Ledda told.
According to the consul general, it is easy for a Filipino to find a job in Macau thanks to their skills. “They are very diligent, hard working, trustful and caring people. Their English language ability also helps them very much. Many of them have graduated and are certified by professional regulatory offices in the Philippines”, he emphasized.

Higher food costs and a “collar” law

Macau is the best option for making their dreams come true. It is a sort of Hollywood of Asia. However, in the past years the daily life of the Filipino community has faced new challenges, constantly.
“Comparing with 2005, when I arrived for the first time, nowadays the food prices are very expensive”, Maria complaint.
“Now, it is also difficult to live here, because the prices are getting up. The Government should set up a level to maintain the blue card’s salaries”, Christopher added.
No one understands the Filipino community and its current situation more than Rodantes Quejano. Having lived in Macau for more than 20 years, he regards himself as a community leader.
“All over the world, we are being affected by the financial crisis. And we are feeling its impact since two years ago. Filipinos come to Macau to make their dreams come true faster, like a good future plan for the family, but unfortunately they work for two or three years and they are send back to the Philippines”, he pointed out.
The economic slowdown has become the non-resident workers worst nightmare. The Government decided to implement a reduction of the imported labour, cracked down on overstayers and drafted a law on migrant workers.
Data from the Secretary for Security’s Office showed a large increase in cases of overstaying Filipino citizens caught by the authorities recently. Only last September, there were 6,474 cases of illegal Filipinos registered. In December 2008, only 1,340 cases were found.
But the new law on imported labour is the Filipino’s big worry, right now. “It is like they were giving you a collar”, Christopher said, putting his hands around his neck. “And sometimes, you don’t have a choice, because you have a family in the Philippines to support monthly”, he added.
Jaime Victor Ledda thinks the bill on imported labour has “very good provisions”, but there are certain points that may be clarified. “I emphasize that workers need to pay attention to their contracts, know exactly what they say and keep one copy of it. And the contract should contain certain elements and provide certain rights”, he warned.
The labour issues are also Rodantes’ main concern. “The new law it is an issue that is worrying a lot the Filipino community, because they are not sure of what will happen with their contracts, if it will be renew or not”.
It is estimated that the new law will take effect on April of next year, but until then Rodantes thinks the Government should create a special labour department for dealing with the imported labour’s issues. “We have a need for a guidance and counselling”, he said. “It should be considered by the Government that the Filipinos in Macau are always part of the development”, he reminded.