For those in Pinas, how do you feel about expats???

[newbiew27]

Especially in multinational companies, you expect to see expats earning multiple times as much as the local worker? How do you feel about it?

[xyzseaman]

Sometimes, you feel it sucks dahil you work your *** off in yer company and still getting sh*t unlike the other guy in a multinat'l company that doesn't work as hard and smart as you but then again, you'll still feel good dahil you have a job that other people are going to kill for...

Peace! Merry X-Mas, everyone...

[Renthead]

malaki 'gastos' nila. hmp....

[hard_guy00]

i feel like reviving the red scorpion gang.

[Pol]

Parang mga hari 'pre. Sabi nga nung isa the Phil is like a paradise.

[genmadrigal]

Kung sa tingin niyo OK ang mga Expat sa 'Pinas, eh di mag Expat din kayo .... gaya ko. Hwek Hwek Hwek :lol:

Alis na kayo sa 'Pinas! Sarap dito sa abroad.

[hard_guy00]

to un-genmadrigal,

some patriot you are.

[genmadrigal]

Trivia:

Do you know that the OFWs help the Philippine Economy through remittances amounting to millions of dollars? That in spite of being away from families and friends, pero masarap pa rin coz you know you're making a difference. Now that's patriotism. That's why OFWs are called today's "New Heroes" of the Philippines. Mabuhay!

How do you help the country?

[hard_guy00]

genmads,

the trouble with a lot of people is they can't analyze or even just initiate an original argument.

why are OFWs considered heroines? because the country is screwed up and it needs dollars. so if the philippines didn't need dollars, what would those welders, draftsmen and domestic helpers be as far as the philippines is concerned? traitors.

my next question, this time directed to you: did those OCWs (including you) go out to become a heroes and heroines? no. NO. NO! they left because they can't hack it here, because they worship the dollar and because worship anything vaguely related to the western hemisphere. and because of that, i say to most ocw's: let the philippines stay screwed. you don't have to remit your dolars. if you love working for the arabs, why don't you apply for citizenship there? don't come back and use your dollars to send your kids to school here just so they'd fly out in their own time.

me? i work in the philippines. you know what that means? i help my company generate revenues in the philippines. the salary i receive i spend it on goods and services offered to me by fellow filipinos.

i consider my decision to sweat it out in good ole philippines a reminder that i'm able to repay the country that helped educated me at UP from elementary to masters.

[kerb]

hard guy.. hehe very funny but true :). anyway ngayon, kahit anong remit nila, wala na!... lubog na ang pinas.

hmm well.. im planning din umalis.. not to become a hero, but career wise :). although wala akong balak maging expat.
we can help the philippines by getting rid of those buwayas in the palace. kaya lang ganun din, they will be replaced newer buwayas or artista. gusto ko rin mag work sa gobyerno kaya lang baka maging surprise witness lang ako :).

[lupuS]

I think expats serve a very useful purpose: to prove to the world that you can spend a lot of money and still get the same (or lower) quality and quantity of work done. ;)

[genmadrigal]

If the country doesn't need dollars, would I even be here trying to help out?

I don't think OFWs go out because they can't "hack it" as you say. To watch your country suffer and stand idly by in an executive office in Makati isn't love. I can do that. I held a key position in a leading Makati firm before. By moving out, I gave my successor a chance to shine. I also gave an opportunity for a new graduate to be hired as the ranks move up. And most of all, I am able to provide tuition for one of my cousins and conveniences to my parents and siblings.

Ask any financial analyst what would happen if all OFWs stayed in the Philippines. The economy would surely have plunged at a steeper angle than now. And if those Welders and Draftsmen "let the philippines get screwed" and opted to stay to join the ranks of the unemployed, they will be a burden to our country than of any help. For sure a good percentage will resort to crime.

Let the Philippines be screwed you say? That's no way to treat the country that schooled you. Tell it to those whose children groan in hunger every night. Whose brothers and sisters have to stop schooling. What are they to do? Sell fish in the market? Or worse, steal? No, they'll decide to go to Singapore or Hong Kong with decent jobs such as Maids or Domestic Helpers or go to the Middle East as Welders, Draftsmen and Engineers. They don't deserve to be called traitors.

Many have no idea what they have to go through. I've been among them. Although I am one of the few OFWs who enjoy a privileged position in a major company, I've been among them who have to struggle harder and I call them today's heroes. I won't pain you with their stories but traitors will be the last they'll be in my book. I'm writing this not for me, but for the likes of Mang Rudy, our company driver who spent 15 tedious and lonely years to send his 3 children to school. A traitor you say? I challenge you to look him straight in the eye and say what you said. Or better yet, go to the POEA and tell those lined up to work abroad just to stay in the Philippines or else they will be ingrates... "mgawalang utang na loob" youcan tell them... Or go to NAIA Arrival area and tell the arriving OFWs and Seafarers how much they betrayed the country. "Mga Traydor" you can scream out. Then you'll find out if your pseudonym really applies to you outside this virtual world. Or go to the Department of Finance and tell them OFW remittances are useless to the economy. It will be such a treat to them they'll laugh they're hearts out.

Well, if you decide to work in the Philippines, I respect that decision, just as OFWs expect others to respect theirs. You don't have to be in the Philippines to help the Filipino. OFW's beneficiaries can spend more on the services and goods Filipinos offer because of they have more purchasing power.

We're doing our part for good ole Philippines and for most, this is a better way. Meliora Eligo, as the saying goes.

And I won't help the Philippines just because it helped me before, but give help unconditionally. Mang Rudy, not finishing even high school, being a former Janitor and Vendor has all my esteem than a man who has all the degrees in the world, but doesn't know the meaning of respect.


[Edited by genmadrigal on 01-04-2001 at 04:09 AM]

[hard_guy00]

genmadrigal,

you've given your argument and it represents the antithesis of my own argument. being so, we have no reason to debate further. back to the thread topic.

ok, you've proven that you're not the dumb rich kid i used to regard as such.

[KuyaDanny]

Well, well, well. We got through that one in good shape. Thank you all for showing a little restraint and a lot of decency.

And as hard_guy00 says, now back to the topic.

Very often, resentment of expats stems from financial reasons. The expat's pay and perks eat up a lot of the manpower budget, raising the overhead level and reducing bonuses and profit shares of everybody down the line. But what if (and this happens) the expat's cost isn't charged to your profit center? In other words, what if headquarters is paying his bills?

Then the financial effect is taken away. Would you still resent his being around?

[AlphaMale]

I can't believe my eyes! A heated argument actually got resolved without interference from the higher ups?!?!

Wow! There must be some hope for us after all! =)

[KuyaDanny]

Maybe we have learned something about Conflict Resolution? ;)

[Carlos Agassi]

Originally posted by KuyaDanny

Then the financial effect is taken away. Would you still resent his being around?

If this is the case, then the issue of his presence boils down to how useful he is in furthering my own objectives.

Many expats are placed where they are to act as "spies" for the home office. To the extent that the home office doesn't feel too trustful of the "natives", expats perform a valuable service by being the communication link to the management abroad. While we can resent this type of a relationship, we can also use it to our advantage. Assuming you're doing a good job anyway, how can it hurt to be on the expat's good side? I'd like to use all the tools at my disposal, and this is a good tool to have.

[KuyaDanny]

The following is the text of an e-mail message making the rounds among the banking and financial community. I apologize to Mr Ortiz if in the process of transcribing this text, some of his original formatting has been lost.

Text begins

Subject: [musikero-musikera] bigotry in Forbes Park
The CompanY's Shocker
By: Moy Ortiz

March 27, 2001. 11:14 p.m. I have just come home from the worst experience of my group, The CompanY. In all of our 16 years in the live entertainment and recording industry, never have we been abused by anyone to this degree. Until now.

Tonight, we were booked by Ms. Pia Gonzales Nazareno, the Public Relations officer of Citibank, to do a five song set at Citibank's appreciation dinner for the Senior Executives (CEO's) of the Ayala Group. No less than an august coterie of the titans and captains of industry were there. The venue was at 38 McKinley Drive, Forbes Park residence of Jim and Kathy Weir. Kathy Weir is the country head of Citibank.

The evening progressed without a glitch. The party's audience asked CompanY to do more songs and we gladly obliged. Actually, the party organizers/producers did not strictly follow the details of our contract but we did not make a big deal out of it. Admittedly, we were feeling pleased with ourselves considering that we didn't mess up in front of such an elite and important group.

After the performance, half of CompanY dutifully went to our designated changing room to pack and head home while the other half decided to finish their tiramisu dessert. This is where it gets ugly.

Mr. Jim Weir, the present tenant of the plush home, enters the room and snaps at one of the CompanY girls, Annie who was on the phone at the time calling to be picked up. He curtly asks, "Is that a local call?". In shock, Annie and I meekly replied yes. Mr. Jim Weir then approaches me and in an angry tone lets me know that he was extremely offended by the conduct of The CompanY. I couldn't believe what I was hearing because, as I said, we were pleased with the job we just did. "Where did you get the wine?!", Mr. Jim Weir demanded from me. Unable to answer and comprehend, he asked me again more vehemently this time. His
words went by so fast but I was already getting the feeling that he was insinuating that we stole or got the bottles of wine without his permission.

I calmly answered that we were offered by the waiters of the Manila Peninsula (who were the party's caterers) upon the instructions of Ms. Pia Nazareno (PR officer of Citibank). As if not hearing my explanation, Mr. Jim Weir then went on to say that professionals do not drink before a performance. By this time his voice was escalating in volume and he was blatantly rude. "Name me the name of that person who gave you the wine?!", he pressed. "Dante!", luckily I still remembered the name of our waiter.

Mr. Weir then proceeded to say that how dare we leave our half-filled wineglasses in the changing room. "Didn't you think that it could have spilled all over my white furniture!!??"

I repeated myself and told them that we didn't ask nor order the wine. It was offered to us by the Citibank PR officer. This only agitated Mr. Weir because he kept on increasing the volume of his voice and started shouting.

Cecile Bautista, one of the CompanY members, could not stomach that I was still trying to be diplomatic and calm in spite of these insinuations, rudeness and insults being flung left and right. Cecile joined in and said that that is NO way to treat your guests! Mr. Jim Weir then rebutted that we should stop acting like primadonnas because he has already hired many entertainers and this has not happened.

"How dare you treat us this way in our country?!", Cecile countered! At this point, Mr. Weir shouted to the top of his lungs and screamed at her - "HOW DARE YOU TREAT ME THIS WAY IN MY OWN HOME!!!" Cecile shot with, "In our culture, when we are offered something to drink and eat, we accept graciously!"

"You were employed to do a job and no one drinks wine before a performance!" , Mr. Jim Weir insisted.

"OH yeah! Pavarotti has a shot of wine before a show!", was Cecile's rebuttal. To no avail, Mr. Weir just got angrier and angrier and started to insult us with his arrogant remarks nonstop:

"Why did you bring up the race issue?! What do you know about culture? HOW MANY COUNTRIES HAVE YOU LIVED IN?!"

"I haven't lived in many countries but I have traveled to many already!", Cecile shoots back.

Mr. Jim Weir counters: "Well I have lived in five countries already so don't talk to me about culture! What do you know about banking and finance anyway?!"

His arrogance and condescending attitude ultimately stunned us silent. At this point, Mr. Jim Weir's logic had gone kaput! The CompanY actually felt his negative vibes early on in the afternoon as we were doing our sound check but decided to brush it off and just be professional about the gig. Little did we know that our negative feeling towards him was a precursor of what was yet to come.

Ultimately, Mr. Jim Weir declared that we shall never sing in his house again. We answered back that we never want to anyway. Unable to find more insults to fling at us, Mr. Jim Weir finally ordered us out of his home immediately. We didn't want any trouble considering that the Ayala group was still enjoying the party. I called the other half of the group and hurriedly packed our things. While packing, Mr. Weir kept on coming back to the room and shouted at his staff and Ms. Pia Nazareno, who was in the room at this point. "GET THEM OUT!", his voice boomed as we hurriedly packed our things and left the home. We felt and looked like guilty household helpers being driven out of the house in the middle of the night!

Ms. Pia Nazareno apologized for the mishap but we were inconsolable at that point. I promised her that she would hear from our manager, Boy Abunda. We waited for our rides on the street, McKinley Drive. Our bags were strewn as we tried to digest what had just happened. It is quite unbelievable how quick a pleasant evening can turn into a dreadful nightmare.

The insults and harangues of Mr. Jim Weir reeked with arrogance, elitism, bigotry, condescension and just plain meanness.

To Mr. Weir, considering that your wife - Kathy Weir holds such a high profile in society (i.e. Citibank Philippine country head), you should always think of the consequences of your conduct; and that axiom applies in whichever country you may be living in. To imply that we stole your bitter, dry wine, to indict us as unprofessional entertainers, that we are not as well traveled as you, that we have no knowledge in banking and finance, that our knowledge in the idiosyncrasies of other cultures is deficient . . . only strengthens our case and position that in spite of all your "perceived" wealth and power, you are a person we should just pity. Never, ever forget that the Law of Karma is inescapable!!

[payaSo]

Saan bang kulungan nanggaling yang Weir na yan?

[batang uliran]

Perhaps the house husband was getting cabin fever?

[phantom]

Dapat i-publish sa newspaper yan at demand a public apology from sonofagun Mr. Weir. :D That's a reminder to all the expats that they're only guests in our country.

I have nothing against expats as I have worked with many of them. Most of them are by hired the head office and are just assigned overseas. As long as they do their job and not act like Mr. Weir, life goes on. :D

[batang uliran]

Actually Mr. Weir is NOT the expat - his wife, Kathy Weir is the Citibank Country head, not him.

[Raf378]

Really now? Looks like he needs a hobby to blow off steam instead of blowing up at people. He needs to be more productive then.

[Ira]

This e-mail is all over the major dailies' columns today--I encountered at least 3 columns which reprinted this one. I guess we'll be hearing statements from Mr. and Ms. Weir or their PR officer very soon for damage control.

[batang uliran]

Actually, I don't think anything is forthcoming. People I know who work for Citibank haven't heard any clarifications from the higher-ups and I would think this would be the first group to explain this incident to.

[phantom]

Ahh... but if the media constantly drums up the story, the Weirs will soon "surrender". :D In business, "image is everything", y'know.

Siguro inaway na ni Mrs. Weir si Mr. Weir ngayon. :lol:

[Raf378]

Perhaps he should apologize and as a conciliatory gesture buy the members of The CompanY a case of fine wine each. :)

[phantom]

Ano na ba ang nangyari sa Weir case? Curious lang.

[lechon 2000]

I read in the Cocktales column this morning that The CompanY refuses to accept a written apology from Jim Weir, presumably under legal advice. The Romulo Mabanta law firm is representing Citibank in the negotiations.

Maybe they're looking to sue for damages now?

[skipKulisap]

"do unto others as you want others to do unto you"
....bless you mr.weir

skipkulisap is now a beleiver of passive resistance...or something like to that effect....