AKALA NYO MASARAP BUHAY DITO SA DUBAI? Read this article...I've met so many people like the ones interviewed in this story
By CRISELDA E. DIALA
Published 28 February 2006 the Khaleej Times
DUBAI -- movie 'Dubai' on the life of expatriate Filipinos in this Middle Eastern commercial hub is a far cry from reality, says a young woman who quit her job in Manila to seek her fortune here.
"Whoever would see the movie 'Dubai', will definitely think that life here is indeed good and easy. But after witnessing myself how difficult it is to find a job because you not only compete with other nationalities but with fellow Filipinos as well, I sometimes tell myself that I should've just stayed in the Philippines," laments 24-year-old Ayie.
She had been convinced by her cousin to try her luck in this economically booming emirate, but Ayie opted to quit her job of three years' duration in Manila, pack her stuff, and board a plane to Dubai.
Ayie's sentiments are shared by six other Filipino nationals whom Khaleej Times spoke to on condition that their full names will not be disclosed.
"The place is widely talked about in the Philippines, not only because of the movie. I have heard neighbours and family friends, who said whatever job you take in here will be compensated well. That the salary range is high," said
Ariel, a 22-year-old Computer Science graduate.
The UAE is second home to around 250,000 documented Filipino nationals, 150,000 of whom are based in Dubai, according to figures posted by the Philippine Consulate General (PCG) last year.
Consul General Antonio S. Curameng, meanwhile, noted that "as of the moment, we have no idea how many Filipinos are coming to Dubai on visit visas that is why we are drawing up a scheme that should provide an accurate rendering of the actual number of both documented and undocumented Filipinos."
The Filipino film titled "Dubai", which was shot entirely in the emirate and shown in various theatres within and outside the Philippines late last year, had attracted a huge audience and gained artistic acclaim with its heartwarming story line, as well as well-crafted cinematography.
To some Filipinos, however, it projected a kind of modern-day paradise where their dreams can come true and money is easy to come by.
"The flat where the two leading male characters stayed in the movie was spacious and well-equipped. But in reality, the cost of living here is high. Rent is very expensive. Now I find myself renting a bedspace at Dh 500 a month," Ariel said.
Sharon, also 24 years old, has been in Dubai on visit visa since October 2005
and has been to Kish Island in Iran twice for a visa change.
"The first employer I worked for only used my visa but they didn't give me my
salary. I am still here, though, and now that I have finally found a job, I want to begin anew. In a month or so, maybe I can start sending money to my family back home," she said.
Although the movie may have perhaps contributed to their heightened interest on Dubai, some of the visit visa holders Khaleej Times has interviewed have friends or family members who also enticed them to find a job in the emirate.
"My cousin said in 2003 when she first came here, it was easy to find a job. Nowadays there are lots of Filipinos coming in and the competition really has become great and it's been hard to get employed," according to Kenneth, a
24-year-old Filipina who left her teaching job in Zamboanga, south of the
Philippines.
Rainier, a 25-year-old Civil Engineer, has a classmate who sponsored his visit.
"My friend who also works as a civil engineer told me that the construction industry here is booming. I was encouraged by his experience because he started from scratch and he said work here is easy," he said.
Most Filipinos shell out around Php 40,000 to 80,000 (Dh 2,857 to Dh 5,714) for their visas and two-way plane ticket from Manila, with some of them required to return the one-way ticket to their travel agents, which will be refunded from the airline as a form of "commission" for the agency. After spending that much money, most of them decide to just stay behind and get a job so they can pay off their debts in the Philippines.
In response to this issue, Consul General Curameng said the PCG will form a tripartite committee composed of representatives from the consulate, the Philippine Overseas Labour Office (Polo), and the Filipino community who will undertake a study of the advantages and disadvantages of visit visa holders.
"We have to do something about it because the Filipino visit visa holders who come here to seek employment are the most vulnerable to exploitation," Curameng said in an earlier interview.
He said that the committee will take into account every conceivable thing that has something to do with visit visas. "We will consider all the good things, as well as the bad, so we can make a proper evaluation of the issue," the consul general said.
Curameng added that whatever the outcome of the study will be, he will coordinate it directly with Philippine Ambassador Libran Cabactulan in Abu Dhabi for proper recommendation to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in Manila.
"It's a policy decision so the PCG will not do anything without coordinating with the Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi. It is an issue that should be carefully studied because it can either deepen the bilateral relationship between UAE and the Philippines or become an irritant," Curameng explained.
For Ayie, however, "if a friend would ask me how Dubai is, I will tell her that it's a good place but I will advise her to apply through a legitimate recruitment agency in Manila and not to come here on a visit visa."
