Exploring the Socio Economic Contribution, 25 Aug 2012, Miv

7/31/2019 Exploring the Socio Economic Contribution, 25 Aug 2012, Miv

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Exploring the socioeconomic contributions that

Filipinos in the Western Cape make to the

development of their host and home countries

Maria Irina Velasco

MSocSc Candidate

Department of Social Development

University of Cape Town


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Table of Contents

I: IntroductionRationale

Research objectives

II: Review of Related LiteratureContext & Concepts

Conceptual map

III: MethodologyData collection, Sampling, Interviews, Ethics

IV: FindingsTheme 1: Profile of Filipinos living in the Western Cape

Theme 2: Migrant experience in South Africa

Theme 3: Socioeconomic contributions to South AfricaTheme 4: Socioeconomic contributions to the Philippines

Theme 5: Challenges and potential

V: Recommendations


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I: Introduction: RationaleInternational landscape: Global economic crisis

South-South Cooperations rise in significance

South-South Migrations rise in numbers

National context Republic of the Philippines

Challenge to conventional nationalist rhetoric Empowerment perspective/Bagong Bayani

Expanding geographical focus (North America, Europe, Middle East)

Republic of South Africa Emerging economy and host country Xenophobia Expanding beyond refugee discourse

Philippine-South African complementarities for SSC as manifested intheir political, economic, and social realities


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I: Introduction: Research

objectives

Questions Objectives

What is the socio-political-economic context of

the Philippines and South Africa in relation to the

issue of migration?

To discern the socio-political-economic context of

the Philippines and South Africa in relation to the

issue of migration

What is the socio-economic profile of Filipinos

living in the Western Cape?

To establish a socio-economic profile of Filipinos

living in the Western Cape

How do they contribute to the social and

economic upliftment of their community in South

Africa?

To identify their contributions to the social and

economic upliftment of their community in South

Africa

How do they contribute to the social and

economic upliftment of their community in the

Philippines?

To identify their contributions to the social and

economic upliftment of their community in the

Philippines

How can these contributions be maximised to

further Philippine-South African cooperation?

To determine how these potential contributions

can be maximised to further Philippine-South

African cooperation


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II: Review of Related LiteratureTheoretical framework:

Migration-Development Nexus (Hujo & Piper 2007, Faist 2008, Piper 2009, UNHDR 2009) Role of migrants in development and their advantage: transnational space and social remittance

Social Inclusion/Exclusion Theory (Burschardt et al 2008) Migrant access to facets of human development

Fundamental Human Needs (Max-Neef 1991) Holistic regard for human development

Capabilities Approach (Sen 1985)

Human agency in development South-South Cooperation from a Developmental Perspective (Jules & Sa e Silva 2008)

SSC as an alternative mode of International Development

Contextual framework: The globalizing international landscape: Integration, cooperation, and migration The Philippine-South African context and south-south cooperation

The Philippine-South African context and south-south migration

Consistent with the holistic human development discourse and migrant-development nexus,there is an increasing regard for migrants capacity as an agent of development,

with contextual realities paving opportunities to maximize this.


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II: Review of Related Literature


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III: MethodologyData collection:

Period:May-July 2012 Sampling:Non-probability snowball sampling (i.e. through personal referrals

and/or personal interaction)

Interviews:

17 Semi-structured face-to-face, in-depth interviews 3 Community leaders

Philippine government representative Representatives from each group

14 Filipino household representatives (living in SA 5+ years and legal status)

1 Mini-focus group discussion: 1 UCT fellow + 4 FHR selected according to

Initiative Availability

Ethics:Full consent, privacy, anonymity ensured through aliases


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IV: Findings

Themes

1: Profile of Filipinos in Cape Town

2: Migrant experience in South Africa

3: Socioeconomic contributions to South Africa

4: Socioeconomic contributions to Philippines

5: Challenges and potentials


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Theme 1:Profile of Filipinos in CPT

Sampling criteria Half (7) of the respondents have been residing in South Africa for 5-10

yrs, two for 11-15 yrs, two for 16-20 yrs, and three for over 20 yrs

Five Citizens, Three Permanent Residence, Three TemporaryPermanent Residence, Two on Work Permit

12 out of 14 respondents still have their Filipino passport

From all over the Philippines, settled in various suburbs of CPT Highly skilled: majority finished tertiary education, some tertiary

education, post-secondary training Administrative, care, development, entrepreneurial, managerial, manufacturing

Reasons for settling

Employment/business opportunity - 7 Partner (citizen/resident/employment) - 6 Volunteer - 1

All have been legally employed in PH and SA


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Theme 2:Migrant experience in SA

Experience Some cases of discrimination and crime Nevertheless, general satisfaction with the quality of life, which

go beyond the economic opportunities made available here

Uncertainty about resettlement in the Philippines, citing

reasons such as economy, natural disasters, but also lifestylechoices in terms of opportunities to meet people fromother background, adventure, and their general way of lifein SA (space, nature)

Question then of how they partake in national

development of their host countrynow being finelysettled in this countryand that of their home country(being away from it).


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Theme 3:Contributions to SA

Economic Social

Businesses Products and services Employment

Skills

Taxes

Social involvement (e.g. Crime Watch) Donation drives

Church

School

Filipino communityValues/knowledge exchange

I think we need to be proud being a Filipino in

South Africa. We are called by God, its not an

accident that we are here, there is a purpose,there is a reason and we need to be diligentwhatever it is that we need to do.

- Alma M


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Theme 4:Contributions to PH

The Filipino migrant community is an empowered group with respect toresources, conditions, and motivation. Their initiative has also manifested inaction. The question then is how to tap into this much more so that their

contributions can be accelerated. Some are still uncertain as to whetherresettlement in the Philippines is an option. Balancing this ambiguity betweenthe ties to their home country and being well established in the host countryis an issue that colours their commitment to development & nation building in

both countries. This potential presents a key area that must be furtherexplored.

Economic Social

Remittances Macro: on the decline (BSP 2012) Micro: irregular, except for 4

Investments

Property Business

Upliftment of the family Healthcare Education

Donation drives

Typhoon Seafarer welfare


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Theme 5:Challenges and potential

Challenges: Question of sustainability and dependency (remittances, donations, etc.) Small community fraught with competition and conflict (group-level and

individually; with the rest being caught in between) discourages participation ofothers

Limited Philippine representation owing to limited resources Lack of neutral space for interaction Focus on economic diplomacy

Potential: Empowered status Willingness Knowledge capital as manifested in commonly identified areas:

Promoting Filipino identity (multilateral trade networks, cultural events, food fest)

Knowledge exchange (technical skills, development experience, values) Social issues (seafarer welfare, natural calamities)

Therefore, the need to build solidarity amongst the migrant community


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- Juan X

as much as Im thankful to Philippines that

nurtured, that teach, allow me to develop intowho I am right now, Im also grateful to SouthAfrica in a sense that its giving me the

opportunity to pursue what I want to pursue. Sodo I oweto whom do I owe more?

I would say, I dont know, but I do recognize the factthat I owe both a certain debt of gratitude

So do I want to pay back?

Yes, but if opportunity came.


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V: Recommendations

Guided by critical peace buildingframework (O Brien 2009): Community Development + Conflict Resolution

An entity that provides space for: Facilitating interaction between Filipinos, regardless of their

group affiliation Consolidating various initiatives and resources Formalizing these productive endeavours to address various

social issues (unemployment, seafarer welfare,entrepreneurial development, etc.

Mobilizing the diasporas full potential in support of thePhilippine government through participatory development,espousing the native Filipino value ofbayanihan


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- Alma M

Yeah I think that Filipino community must have

an open communication and oneness becausesometimes misunderstanding if we dont

communicateit divides the community. Andalso sharing resources, sharing knowledge,

ideas and values. Im sure they will flourish


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Thank You/Maraming Salamat!

For your time, ideas, support, and inspiration

Research participants

Community leaders

Audience

For questions, comments, feedback and/or a copy of the final version,please get in touch through:

[email protected]

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Exploring the Socio Economic Contribution, 25 Aug 2012, Miv

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