What's funny about Chip Tsao and the Filipinos

(Warning: For adults only)

Rumor is circulating that Chip Tsao's column "The War at Home" was in fact ghostwritten by her Filipina maid, a college graduate who speaks and writes better English than Tsao.

There is considerable evidence from the language of the column itself which shows Chip Tsao was actually making fun of the Hong Kong Chinese. And in some places, he actually succeeds in being funny. For instance, Tsao says Barach Obama and the US military are behind the Filipinos! (Laughs) He paints a picture of the ignorant Chinese who feels threatened by the nation of his maid. Then he exposes himself and his friends as abusive towards their own maids. Either he intended to send himself straight to the fiscal's office, or, which is more likely, he was simply lampooning the abusive Chinese.

Tsao's maid was not only a really clever writer but had some political savvy as well. (Well, she studied International Politics in college! - and she lets us know!) She knew that by calling the Philippines a "nation of servants", many Filipinos, especially the influential middle class, will be offended. Nothing stings Filipino pride more than being called "servants" right to our faces, and by the Chinese to boot! Yes, we clean their toilets but we are not servants! (Laughs)

So, the ghostwriter very well knew that there will be an uproar in the Philippines to withdraw Chip Tsao's column. The column was therefore a test: who is really better the master or the servant? Will the Chinese give in to the Filipinos demand? 

The HK Magazine withdrew the column and apologized to those offended. It turns out the Chinese were really scared of their maids. (Laughs)

Where are Pinoys Welcome and Whom do Pinoys Welcome? The Complete Lists

Hahaha! I was trying to re-invent the wheel without knowing it.  It turns out that my little project has already been carried out by Wikipedia.  Thanks to a friend, I was referred to this wiki article which says there are 62 countries in total where Pinoys can travel to visa-free or where visa upon arrival is possibly available (but not certain), and lists them down according to geographical regions. The article relied on data organized by Northwest Airlines, apparently similar to what Delta Air is using; and in case in some countries, no source was cited or the cited source does not really say as much as the wiki article claims. (And Cyprus was not mentioned.) 

From the lists I made below, you can see that there are:

• 32 countries where Pinoys may travel visa-free, 
  
• or 40 countries if you add the 8 countries where Pinoys may obtain a visa upon entry, "probably" free of charge.
  
• In contrast, according to our DFA, there are 145 countries whose nationals can enter the Philippines visa-free for up to 21 days (up to 90 days for Brazil and Israel).

According to the maximum length of stay (and not counting countries that issue visa upon arrival for a fee), Pinoys are treated more favorably in 20 countries, and just as favorably in 6 countries compared to the way the Philippines itself treats those countries.  Pinoys can stay visa-free for up to 6 months in Bermuda; 3 months in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Israel, Morocco, and Peru; 59 days in Bolivia; 31 days in Cook Islands; and 1 month in Costa Rica, Micronesia, Indonesia, Laos, Macau, Niue, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turks and Calcos Islands, and Vanuatu. Pinoys can stay the same number of days (21 days) visa-free in Cambodia, Dominica, Mongolia, and Vietnam as we allow nationals of these countries to stay in ours.

Since the Philippines apparently requires visas from nationals of Sri Lanka, Turks and Calcos Islands and Vanuatu, we are treating them treating them rather un-neighborly.

Pinoys themselves are treated disfavorably by 105 countries (or probably 113 countries if the 8 countries are added).  Pinoys need a visa to enter these countries but their nationals do not need any visa to enter the Philippines and stay up to 21 days.  They are not just the rich countries like the US, Japan, Italy, etc., but countries much poorer than the Philippines in terms of Human Development Index like Somalia, Papua New Guinea, Chad, and Burkina Faso.

COUNTRIES OR TERRITORIES WHERE PINOYS CAN TRAVEL VISA-FREE AS TOURISTS (as per Northwest Airline data):

A

B  Bermuda (up to 6 months)

     Bolivia (up to 59 days)

     Brazil (up to 90 days)

     Brunei (up to 14 days)

C Cambodia (up to 21 days)

    Colombia (up to 90 days)

    Cook Islands (up to 31 days)

    Costa Rica (up to 30 days)

    Cyprus (onward transit only for up to 5 days)

D Dominica (up to 21 days)

E  Ecuador (up to 90 days)

F  Federated States of Micronesia (up to 30 days)

G

H Haiti (up to 3 months)

    Hongkong (up to 14 days)

I  Indonesia (up to 30 days)

    Israel (up to 3 months)

J

K

L Laos (up to 30 days)

M Macau (up to 30 days)

     Malaysia (up to 1 month)

     Mongolia (up to 21 days)

     Morocco (up to 3 months) 

N  Niue (up to 30 days)

O

P  Peru (up to 90 days)

Q

R

S Saint Vincent and the Granadines (up to 1 month)

   Saint Kitts and Nevis (up to 14 days)

   Seychelles (up to 1 month)

   Singapore (up to 30 days)

   South Korea (up to 30 days) 

   Sri Lanka (up to 30 days) *

T Thailand (up to 30 days)

    Turks and Calcos Islands (up to 30 days) *

U

V Vanuatu (up to 30 days)*

    Vietnam (up to 21 days)

W

X

Y

Z

Total No.: 32 countries

* The Philippines requires visas from nationals of these countries.

COUNTRIES WHERE PINOYS CAN OBTAIN A VISA UPON ARRIVAL PROBABLY FOR FREE

I say "probably" because the data of Northwest Airline does not indicate the fee but the wiki article assumes its free of charge.  So, I'm relying here on knowledge by reputation only.  (If I have the time, I just might call up their consulates to check this.)

Egypt (limited to South Sinai only) (up to 14 days)

Fiji (up to 6 months)

Maldives (up to 30 days)

Marshall Islands (up to 30 days)

Palau (up to 30 days)

Samoa (up to 60 days) - a "Visitor's Permit" is issued instead of a visa.

Tajikistan (up to 45 days)

Tuvalu (up to 1 month)

Total No.: 8 countries

COUNTRIES WHOSE NATIONALS MAY ENTER THE PHILIPPINES VISA-FREE FOR UP TO 21 DAYS BUT DEMANDS A TOURIST VISA FROM PINOYS

I'm counting in the countries issuing visas upon arrival, but for a fee (indicated if in US dollars).

A  Andorra

     Angola

     Antigua and Barbuda

     Argentina

     Australia

     Austria

B  Bahamas

    Bahrain

    Barbados

    Belgium

    Benin

    Bhutan

    Botswana

    Bulgaria

    Burkina Faso (visa upon arrival for stays up to 3 monts)

    Burundi

C  Cameroon

    Canada

    Cape Verde

    Central African Republic

    Chad

    Chile

    Comoros

    Congo

    Cote d’Ivoire

    Czech Republic

D Denmark

    Democratic Republic of the Congo

    Djibouti (visa upon arrival for stays up to 10 days or 1 month depending on the fee)

    Dominican Republic

E  El Salvador

    Equatorial Guinea

    Eritrea

    Ethiopia

F  Fiji

    Finland

    France

G Gabon

    Gambia

    Germany

    Ghana

    Gibraltar

    Greece

    Grenada

    Guatemala

    Guinea

    Guinea Bissau

    Guyana

H Honduras

    Hungary

I  Iceland

    Ireland

    Italy

J  Jamaica

    Japan

K Kenya (visa upon arrival for stays up to 3 months for USD 50)

    Kiribati

    Kuwait

L  Lesotho

    Liberia

    Liechtenstein

    Luxembourg

M Madagascar

    Malawi

    Maldives

    Mali

    Malta

    Marshall Islands

    Mauritania

    Mauritius

    Mexico

    Monaco

    Morocco

   Mozambique (visa upon arrival for stays up to 30 days for USD 25)

    Myanmar

N Namibia

   Nepal (visa upon arrival for stays up to 60 days for USD 30)

    Netherlands

    New Zealand

    Nicaragua

    Niger

    Norway

O Oman

P  Palau

    Panama

    Papua New Guinea

    Paraguay

    Poland

    Portugal

Q Qatar

R  Romania

     Rwanda

S Santa Lucia (visa upon arrival for stays up to 6 weeks for USD 50)

    Samoa

    San Marino

    Sao Tome and Principe

    Saudi Arabia

    Senegal

    Slovakia

    Solomon Islands

    Somalia

    South Africa

    Spain

    Suriname

    Swaziland

    Sweden

    Switzerland

T Togo

   Trinidad and Tobago

   Tunisia

   Turkey

   Tuvalu

U Uganda (visa upon arrival for stays up to 6 months for USD 50)

   United Arab Emirates

   United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

   United Republic of Tanzania

   United States of America

   Uruguay

V Venezuela

Z Zambia (visa upon arrival for USD25-80)

   Zimbabwe

Coming Next: Nationals of which countries need a visa to enter the Philippines

Where are Pinoys Welcome? Countries Where Philippine Nationals may Enter as Tourists Without a Visa: A-E

I'm starting a project.  I'm determined to list all the countries where Pinoys don't need a visa to enter as tourists. (Will explain why in a later blog.)  I found a very useful website (of Delta Air, which I assume is fairly reliable being in the business of travel/tourism) where data for this little project can be taken.  So here are my findings:

1.  Bermuda (the length of stay is to be decided by Immigration officials, but theoretically, up to 6 months!)

2.  Bolivia (up to 59 days)

3.  Brazil (up to 90 days--yehey!!!)

4.  Brunei (up to 14 days)

5.  Cambodia (up to 21 days)

6.  Colombia (up to 90 days--yehey!!!)

7.  Cook Island (up to 31 days)

8.  Costa Rica (up to 30 days)

9.  Cyprus (only for onward transit for maximum of 5 days)

10.  Dominica, not to be confused with the Dominican Republic (up to 21 days)

11.  Ecuador (up to 90 days--yehey!!!)

Coming soon: F-J

Hello, Japan! A Call from the Underground

(Tokyo, January 4, 2008)

“K---, Good afternoon!” goes the greeting to the fourth caller, a Filipino alien in Japan.

“Yes, I have something to consult you. It’s about my husband’s loan. They want me to pay it, but I don’t think I should.”

“Can you tell me more about this loan. What was it for?”

“They said my husband bought a car. But I don’t know about that. I have not even seen my husband for several months now. They know that.”

“Who are asking you to pay? Did they say why you should pay?”

“They said I signed a contract. I may have signed but they didn’t tell me it was a loan for half a million yen. They are asking me to pay so many things. Like my niece’s spouse visa. They are asking me to pay two hundred thousand yen for their lawyer. I already paid them one hundred thousand yen. But they want more.”

“Who are they?”

“My husband works for them. They fixed my marriage, you know, ‘imitation’ marriage. They control everyone. My husband, Mother, the attorney. I got my visa from that attorney too because Mother told me to get his services. Because they control Mother, you know. So now, my niece too has to go through that lawyer. I only agreed because Mother has been so kind to me since I was little. Actually, Mother is so afraid of them that she offered to get the car instead. She said she will pay the loan instead. But I don’t want her to pay, you know.”

“Where is the car now?”

“I don’t know.”

“Have you even seen that car?”

“That’s the thing, you know. I don’t even know if my husband even drives that car. And if he does, then it is his debt, not mine.”

“If your mother pays for the car, shouldn’t that solve your problem? It will become hers; the car as well.”

“Yeah, but Mother keeps paying them for my supposed debts. So I have become indebted to Mother more and more, you know, debts of gratitude. She took care of me, you know, since I was little so I call her Mother.”

“I see. She’s not your real mother. How did you meet her?”

“She brought me to Japan to work in her bar. She’s very kind to me. When I decided last year to go back to the Philippines, she did not prevent me from doing so. But she pleaded me to send her a relative to replace me in the bar. That’s why I brought my niece to her.”

“How old is your niece?” 

“Well, she’s young alright, but of all my nieces she’s the most excited to come to Japan.”

“Does she know what kind of life awaited her in Japan?”

“Well, yes. But the truth is I’m now a little bit afraid for my niece than I have been for myself. Because they haven’t given her her visa yet. And now they don’t want us to live in the same apartment. They are keeping us apart.”

“What kind of visa does she have now?”

“Tourist.”

“I think your niece can inquire personally from Immigration if they have approved her application for spouse visa. Why don’t you accompany her to Immigration?”

“That’s the thing, you know. Her tourist visa is expiring and they haven’t given her her spouse visa yet. And if they found out that I have been taking her to Immigration, they will get mad. They might keep us further apart.” 

“I see. How about inquiring by telephone? I’m just thinking maybe you don’t really need to pay the lawyer all that money if the visa has already been released.”

“Don’t you think so too? I mean, they are overcharging!”

“You know the spouse visa is processed by Immigration. Actually you don’t need to have a lawyer to have it processed. But if it is true that your niece applied through a lawyer, she can also ask the lawyer. She can ask why he is charging two hundred thousand yen more.”

“Actually, we never talk to the attorney directly, just to his staff who stays at Mother’s place too.”

“You have never met this so-called lawyer? What’s his name?”

“Well, I’ve seen him once before when I was introduced to him, when I was getting my own visa. But not since. I only know he is called Y----.”

“He must have at least given you his business card. Do you still have it?”

“I’m not sure. I will try to look for it.”

“Where does he hold office? Maybe we can check if he is really a lawyer or at least an immigration specialist.”

“His office is in K-----shi, K------ken.”

“OK. Let’s do this. Look for his business card and make inquiries with Immigration about your niece’s visa. We will check if Y--- is really a lawyer. If he is, then its a grave matter. It is clear that this lawyer is working for a criminal syndicate. Then, call us back again.” The call has taken about an hour now and its time to cut it to allow for time for reflection. “You have been very courageous for calling us and telling your story. I can see that you have had enough of this syndicate. You shouldn’t pay those debts that they are making you pay. If Mother wants to pay for the car, you shouldn’t feel indebted. Now, regarding your niece, let’s first check if her visa application has been approved already. When will her tourist visa expire?”

The caller says a certain date.

“Alright. Call me again when you get any information from Immigration and if you find the business card.”

We said our goodbyes and hung up. Only later did I realize that the date she mentioned was the very date of her call.

digital and global migration: some wild thoughts

Second Life creator Philip Rosedale is supposed to have said: "I'm not building a game. I'm building a new country."(Terdiman, 2006 cited by Alexandra Bal)  

What if we take this assertion seriously and consider virtual worlds as countries?  

After all, it's not far-fetched to speak of people "living" in virtual worlds.  I heard that some people are spending a lot of time in Second Life, even more time there than in their real life.  They're building enduring relationships with their assumed identities, some even marrying there and getting pregnant and giving birth, well, to avatars.  They are also buying real estate, or should I say virtual estate, in Second Life. (You can see the price of real estate in Second Life in its wikipedia article.) Apparently, just like in the real world, nasty things happen in there too, like a friend of mine said she got raped in Second Life! There's even an academic book published recently about the "culture" in Second Life. Watch some of these clips to have an idea of what's going on in there. 

Some people (computer experts who design tradable "items", like the experience of giving birth, in Second Life) are also "working" or making (real) money in Second Life, and of course, we are all familiar with the term "digital economy".

If people like Nicholas Negroponte will have their way, children with access to computers and the internet now will not only be used to the digital economy when they grow up, they will also be completely at ease with "mixed" social realities, i.e., environments in which real people interact not only with other real people (as we are now doing with Skype and Facebook) but also with digital creatures in cyberspace.  Bal argues that this is the idea behind the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project that big corporate names like Google and eBay are investing on.  One can just imagine what virtual worlds would look like a generation from now! I'm betting it would have well-developed economies, societies and cultures of their own.

If today's virtual worlds, or better yet, tomorrow's virtual worlds were to be treated as countries, then we can speak of "digital migration", can't we?  Surely, it is some kind of transnational or circular migration in the sense that people who migrate to digital countries are still connected to their real countries. (Obviously, now, people who "live" in Second Life must still pay their electric bills in the real world; and people who make a living in Second Life are aiming to earn US dollars not Linden dollars.)  Most real world migration nowadays involve people keeping loyalties or connections to two or more countries anyway (as opposed to discarding one for another), so the fact that migration to virtual worlds are dependent or tied to real world existence is not an argument against "digital migration".

So here are some wild thoughts:

1.  Internet connectivity is not spreading out evenly throughout the world (no thanks to uneven economic development).  Digital migration become more common among people in advanced industrialized, or should I say, post-industrial countries.  

2.  In places like the Philippines where the ratio of computers to households are still relatively low compared to more advanced states, people connect to each other via the cellphone.  Sixty-one percent of mobile phone subscribers are in developing countries, according to the UN's telecommunications agency ITU.  And for a simple reason, cell phones are cheaper and easier to acquire than land lines in developing countries.  Unless virtual worlds move into cellphones as well, digital migration will not be as common in developing countries.

3.  Real world migration has become a structural feature of globalization (Castles 2002); it can't be stopped, not with restrictive migration policies, not with militarized borders. Also, what's driving migration is not only underdevelopment, its uneven development.  Don't just look at Filipinos who seek overseas contract work; look at the Singaporeans and Malaysians who still leave their relatively more developed countries to live in the United States.

4. Digital and global migration are happening simultaneously.  As post-industrial nationals move to their digital countries, migrants move into post-industrial and other developed countries.  Well, they need highly skilled technicians to maintain the network of hardware that run their digital countries.  They also need an army of workers to clean their real houses, take care of the elderly, lay their fiber-optic cables, not to mention, build the fences that keep the unwanted immigrants out for them while they "live" and "work" in cyberspace. So they need migrants!  Hence, as Westerners go virtual, post-colonials will run the real world.

cheap flights, big taxes

Since we relocated to Hungary, I am amazed by how cheap traveling can be from this part of the world.  There are so many budget airlines and so many promos from travel agencies! Traveling overseas from Japan or the Philippines was so much more expensive in comparison, although this too may be changing as our bargain hunting friend, who recently found a cheap flight from Osaka to Manila via Cebu Pacific, learned to our amazement.

But what I noticed is that the tax that you have to pay on top of the airfare that budget airlines offer is often as much, and sometimes, more than the airfare itself.  So, you often end up paying double the amount advertised by the airlines or the travel agencies that make use of these airlines.  

Which makes me wonder: is this why Europeans seem indifferent to the economic consequences of their taking a lot of vacations (not that I myself care, but a Filipino friend studying in Switzerland is complaining that their department clerk is always on vacation and never seem to be really working)? (Their governments are getting taxes anyway, so the heck with labor productivity!)

Because of the big taxes on cheap flights, it is even cheaper to travel by bus.  In fact, I am now ignoring the budget airlines altogether and concentrating on the bus tours to Eastern Europe because there is no airport tax.  This may even be better for the environment as planes consume more gas, or is it so?