REACTION TO THE MOVIE:FLOR CONTEMPLACION STORY A. Flores

Reality is the execution in 1995 of Flor Contemplacion, a Filipina OFW, led to a strained diplomatic crisis between Singapore and the Philippines. Three coffins a day all containing OFWs coming back to Manila is three to many. The movie made a good point of discussing the horror of OFW abuses as well as the sad sociological effect of parents not seeing their children for several years. Since the film has already achieved this point, I would like to elaborate on another point of view for situations of OFW. Although the OFW horror stories are what get senstionalized or what gets broadcasted - there are exceptions.
FAMILY FIRST
About a year ago, my mother mentioned to me, “Joy is going to New York.” Joy is a first-cousin from the Cagayan province who attended nursing school in Manila.
My mother has always made it known to the entire family that she “put Joy through school.” She was “making a speech” during our discussion that Joy is now able to send back money (remittances) to her family so that her family can be better off. This would be the same theme that ran throughout the movie. That theme would be of a family who “has” (income) supports those who “have none.” My mom concluded that she does not need to send my auntie (her sister) any more assistance and if any, the assistance should be now minimal.
I agreed with mom. However, I reminded my mom then that Joy first needed to pass the initial culture shock (assimilate) as well as get use to New York’s extreme weather conditions in order to fulfill her three year contract.
Just to ruffle my mom’s feathers, I asked her, “If all the nursing students from the Philippines left the country after graduation because of better opportunities (immigration pull), who is going to take care of the Filipinos back home?” As if a strong psychological barricade protected her from the ethical viewpoint of the question, she immediately dismissed the question and she went on to say, “Your cousin Nelson, the electrician, now has two homes in Vallejo [California]. I helped him become an electrician – I paid for his schooling too.” Afterwards, she went on to numerate the other relatives she assisted. She was proud of her “achievement.” I could honestly feel and see the pride that she was experiencing that moment. She did not want to understand or accept that brain drain was happening to the nagilian.
Schafer (2005) mentioned that this concept of brain drain “is the immigration to the United States of skilled workers, professional, and technicians … The pay differential is so great that by 2004, when foreign physicians were no longer favored with entry to the United State, physicians in the Philippines were retraining as nurses so that they could immigrate to the United States where, employed as a nurses, they would make four times what they would make as doctors in the Philippines.” (Schaeffer, 2005, 103)
This would include my sister in law who graduated as a Registered Nurse in the Philippines. After she arrived, someone suggested that she qualifies herself as Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA). After she became a CNA, she then acquired a license to become a Care Home Operator. This is all within three months after her arrival to Hawai`i. After two years as a Care Home Operator, she qualified to own a home in the Honolulu area. The price range of the home she purchased is unattainable for some of the people who immigrated years earlier than her who were not “skilled.” If she remained in the Philippines as an R.N., she probably would be better of than most of her neighbors – however, not as much income as she is making now.
My sister-in-law and her other Care Home Operator friends made a lucrative business for their skills. Using the income that they are earned from the Care Home business, some of her friends are purchasing other bigger properties to rent to other Care Home Operators (the property mortgage is being paid off from the rent). Of course, my sister-in-law, the former RN turned CNA are my children’s favorite aunty because of her “unbelievable” generosity.
However, some people who came to America on the “brain drain” concept (although still making more money here versus if they remained in the Philippines) had to step down in their status. I was speaking to a “white” physician (who I have known for a long time in one of our state funded medical facility) if he knew where Dr. “So And So’s” office was located. Initially I was informed that Dr. “So and So” was a Filipino MD. The “white” physician informed me that there was no Dr. “So and so,” however there was a “So And So” in the facility but not a Medical Doctor – to the best of my knowledge, I believe the “white” doctor referred to him as a “community counselor.” I informed the “white” physician that receptionist at the front (Filipino) referred to him as “Dr.”
The “white” physician then informed me that he may have been an MD in the Philippines but not in the U.S. Out of respect for him, the receptionist may still be referring to him as “Dr. So And So.”
Because of the benefits of immigration “pull” – some of the Filipinos gave up their status or titles in-lieu of more income. Others like Flor, left her family, to take care of another family gave up more than her family life – her entire life.