Here’s a pretty interesting question that came in recently in the comments here at PhilFAQS, where we try to answer the question you have about living in the Philippines”
A question has come up with my wife and I. She is Filipino. I am American. You always hear about the improbability of a US citizen obtaining employment in RP. The question we have, and have been asking many people, our children are ages 2 and 5 now, we have always planned on moving to the Philippines in the future, say 5 yrs, and living full time.
Our children being US citizens, would they have any chance at finding employment when they reach working age? We are planning on schooling them in phil, probably with a home tutor and US studies, but when they do reach working age, would they face the same troubles a foreigner has in finding meaningful employment?
I know we are trying to predict years ahead, but would like to have as many opinions in final decision process as we can gather. Thanks for any opinions, advice you can share.
Well, as already noted, who can predict? But, for sure, an intelligent and well thought out question. My crystal ball is pretty cloudy these days, but let me bounce a few thoughts back at you with this article, and perhaps some other readers who already have experience with raising children here will chime in as well.
Can Your Child Succeed in the Philippines?
One issue that comes to mind immediately is you reference to your children as US citizens. Are they not the children of your Filipino/former Filipino wife? If so, they entitled to be natural-born Filipinos, regardless of where they were born. In fact, if your wife, whom I am assuming gave up her Filipino citizenship when she was naturalized in the US, were to reacquire her Philippines citizenship, the children will become Philippine citizens as well. Even if you wife chooses not to reacquire, it is still your children’s birth right and I advise you to look into this really hard, because even if you feel there’s no advantage to Philippine citizenship, that crystal ball pops into play agin … who can say what their advantage might be twenty years down the road.
The dual-citizenship status leads right into my second point. And I’m going to speak straight from the shoulder here … some of my Filipino friends may not like this, because I don’t beat around the bush, I tell it as it is.
The common description that your children will always be known by, like it or not, is “mestizo”. personally I consider this to be a derogatory, distasteful remnant of the Spanish overseer culture, but the fact is, racial discrimination (in both the positive and negative sense) is a big fact of life here in the Philippines.
Given that the situation “is what it is”, the positive aspect is, if mestizo children do not have an advantage, I can surely say their heritage will never prove a disadvantage. I could say more, but I think I’ll save that for a slow day.
Regarding their schooling, your plan is pretty sound in my view, but there is a but. The schools that a Filipino child goes to are a big part of his or her future life. Often much more so than in the US scheme of things.
Of course, if your children decide to go and seek their fortune elsewhere, the schools they went to in the Philippines will not be of much consequence, but if they stay here in the Philippines, not only the school, but their “batchmates” and in university, their fraternity will be a major factor in their future careers.
So I’m thinking, were I to be raising children here, I’d lean heavily towards sending them to a ‘name brand’ school and perhaps backing up that education with US recognized home study courses. Sounds like overkill, and perhaps it is, but don’t forget, you’re looking forward to a child who is well-qualified in both the Philippine world and, perhaps, the USA or other western country.
Accredited International schools are another potential solution, but I don’t see them held in very high esteem … mostly that issue is outside my area of expertise.
To give some concluding thoughts. Let’s say you child wants to be a lawyer. Well, s/he is in good shape here as opposed to a straight US citizen, because the law is one of a number of professions restricted to Filipinos only. If s/he got a law degree here and some experience and then decided there was a better opportunity, say, in the US, most states that I have researched will accept the Philippine education at close to face value … usually requiring a short course of US and state specific education and then passing the bar exam in the state they wanted to practice in. I know of a number of Filipino lawyer who have US credentials as well.
But suppose they wanted to practice medicine? Their options change, significantly. The US doesn’t directly recognize their Philippine medical credentials. They might be a board certified MD here and have only the choice of working as a physical therapist or some other support role in the US. It’s so hard to predict the future.
Were they to enter the world of commerce? I don’t see many barriers except their education and their initiative and drive at putting that education to use. One of my wife’s former workmates keeps me dizzy. She’s living in another city every few years. And pretty darn good addresses in those cities, too. She’s a stay at home mom, raising their children, her husband (100% Filipino and Philippines-educated) is a very senior marketing executive with a very large multi-national corporation. His career has bene like a senior officer in the armed forces, he gets sent to different assignments all round the world every few years as he climbs the corporate success ladder.
Another online friend, Filipino born and educated, is a senior executive with a large pharmaceutical firm. He currently works out of Hong Kong, his only regret is he can’t come home to the Philippines and enjoy life with his family in his several very nice homes in the Philippines, fly his private plane which mostly sits at the airport, un-used, etc.
Bottom line is, I think your children’s potential for success if they are raised in the Philippines is certainly not less than if raised in the US … potentially, for the factors I mentioned above, possibly significantly higher.
I got out of the child-rearing ‘business’ some years ago, but if I were to be blessed with another child? My wife and I would have no reservations at all about raiding him or her here in the Philippines, for sure.
Related posts:
- What About My Children in the Philippines
- Decisions, Decisions, Decisions. Leave the Philippines or Stay, Part 2
- But My Kids Can't Get an Education in the Philippines
- Thoughts and Opportunities in Philippine Education — Another of my Philippine Pony Thoughts
- Citizenship — Little Known Factoids
Dave: I would argue that, if anything, being a product of both cultures greatly increases their opportunities. As to schools, I also agree that here, WHERE means everything. However, though good universities are in the RP, a US degree still carries a lot of weight in the international job market, particularly at the top-tier schools… Far more than UP or Ateneo. The top tier schools here are also just as competitive, if not more so, than their US counterparts (Think of UP as the RP equivalent of getting accepted into Harvard… Far more demand than available slots). However, a degree from those places is the only true route to success in busines IN THE RP, unless you are entrepreneurial.) In our case, we plan to send Juanito to Ateneo de Manila (one of the better schools here…Graduating HS from there pretty much assures you of the University consideration), and come University, it will be his choice (Hopefully with our guidance, but ultimately, you cannot force your children to abide by your choice of their career). So, our decision simply gives him the ability to even HAVE the choice to make.
Yep, I was successful on passing along my main point … give the kid opportunity and don’t define his/her life when they are still young. As you know I’ve even had some semi-heated discussions with Filipino parents (especially a few living overseas) about their blanket determinations that ‘there’s no opportunity for my children in the Philippines.’ “Say’s who” is always my first thought when I hear that. It’s the child who is either going to succeed or fail, ot the parent.
I agree, school is everything here. I wouldn’t advise home-schooling, unless it is only meant to be supplementary. Because ones your child submits his/her resume, where he/she graduated from will mean the WORLD of difference. The “right” school will get his/her foot in the door, faster than when he/she graduated with honors from some unknown school.
Exactly. This is a little aspect of life in the Philippines that is totally alien to many foreigners. In the US there are certain ‘name brand’ prep schools and a distinct ‘pecking order’ for universities. But to the vast majority of the general population, where someone went to school seldom has any consequence. Here, it’s very important. Just an aspect of cultural differences to keep in mind.
Howdy Philly:
I have 2 kids, 30+, boy and a girl. They went to a Private Boarding School in the US. Class size 7 to 10 students. They could run, but not hide.
One went 5 years the other 6, the one that 6 years skipped 5th and 6th grades, went in at 7th grade level.
The older one was into extra curricular activities, put up with School Work so as to be able to do activities.
The younger was into School Work, when graduated, was totally fluent in German, Writing, Reading, Speaking, Old and New, got a 5 on the AP test. Passable in French, Italian, Spanish, had a Basic Knowledge of Latin, and of course speaks English very well. When writes memo’s, gets them back with words circled and ??, Dumbs down words, re-writes, the people who get memo’s all have advanced Degrees
The older one went to UST in the US. Got a BS in Economics.
Both ended up working Computers.
The younger one got a Scholarship to a good school, blew in the first semester was 1 credit shy, grades were good. lost scholarship, was 17. Went to work, in a cookie store. A couple of months later a friend, pried a resume out. Went to work for a Consulting Company with a Top Secret Clearance, at 17. Why ?? Language Skills!!! Is now a permanent GS-15.
You should know your kids by now!! If Extremely Bright, would not bring them here!!
The purpose of an education is to teach,”KIDS HOW TO THINK” Your kids are the most important job either one of you have!!
Small Test!!!!
WHAT IS THE A,B,C, THING ??
@Fred (ID 4939): Worthy points, Fred, thanks for the contribution. I’m sorry, but I am missing what you mean by the A.B,C thing?
Hi there Philly:
Did not think a lot of people would know what the A,B,C thing is!!!
Several years ago there was a TV Series with Richard Dean Anderson as the star. The Series was called “Mc Gywer(spelling). In the series almost every week he used the A,B,C thing to get out of what ever situation he was in.
Last week I caught part of a movie on HBO.
It was about the Chief Pediatric Neurosurgeon at John’s Hopkins Medical Center. He had bee trying for several months to figure out how to separate Siamese Twins that were joined at the head. That type of operation had never been done before, with success.
Could not solve the problem!!!
Then one night he was talking to his mother in the kitchen,
A Water Faucet was Dripping (A).
A little later he was playing pool in his pool room. He shot the Nine Ball into the corner pocket, (B).
As he watched the Nine Ball, roll into pocket.
The solution to his problem(C) came to him.
He needed 2 complete sets of Pediatric Chest Surgeons, 2 complete sets of Pediatric Cardiac Surgeons, 2 complete sets of Pediatric Neurosurgeons, 2 complete set of Pediatric Plastic Surgeons. a total of more than 50 people, rotating in an out of the operating room, he was the Chief Surgeon and leader of what can be likened to a Symphony Orchestra, he was a classical music buff.
After the twins were rolled apart on their separate operating table. They had 1 hour to complete the operation an start up the hearts.
If I remember right, they finished, with 3 seconds left on the clock.
Both twins survived and are doing well.
Since then he has performed quite a few operations of that type.
A an B have absolutely nothing to do with Problem, C is solution to problem!!
@Fred (ID 4957): Aha, OK, IC. I used to watch McGyver, but I never thought it through thta much … guess I’ve forgotten a lot of what I saw. Memory is the second thing to go.
I think now a days they call it “Thinking out of the Box ”
That is such a trite way of expressing just how amazing the “Human Brain” is and the way it seems to work!!
@Fred (ID 4958): As ‘they’ say (and in this case I think ‘they’ are right), there’s nothing quite so uncommon as what we incorrectly call ‘common sense’.
Did not really answer you question!!
Do you know of the game where small kids put different shaped objects into a box. Well one kid was a Round Peg, the other a Triangle Peg.
Public Education was trying to make them both, “Square Pegs”.
The school where they went did not accept either Federal or State Money. So neither could dictate the Curriculum, plus they required Religion as a course, and Church Attendance on Sunday.
They both stayed as they were made, Round Peg, an Triangle Peg.
Where ever they go to school make sure the stay as what they are!!!!
Your job is to do the BEST you can figure out!!! Job opportunities are where you find them!!!
I have been trying to get BOTH of them to IMMIGRATE!!!!
My son was hired in a NEW JOB right in the middle of the GREAT DEPRESSION/ RECESSION back there. Was not looking they came to him!!!
@Fred (ID 4959): OK, got it, Fred. I will get on board with you any time on that ‘keep their shape as God made them’ advice. I think a lot of modern-day “educational science” is about nothing more than trying to shape children into little molded chocolate soldiers. “Education” isn’t complete in some people’s view until all children look alike, dress alike and think alike. It’s pretty sad from my standpoint.
Some very good points indeed. At this time we are just attempting to settle, in our minds at least, various steps in out move to Phil. One big concern was for future employment opportunities for our children.We figured by planning a few years in advance, maybe some of the potential pitfalls could be avoided. Our target location for relocating will be the Davao or Gensan areas of Mindanao. As with the mind of any woman,. my asawa may change this a few times as well. I appreciate all input and opinions, all are valuable in helping us make some important decisions.
@Keith (ID 4947): Thanks for the kind words and the valuable contribution, Keith. One theme I notice from a lot of people with the ‘;what will my children do’ concern is, the thought that the Philippines is the only choice for their children’s careers if they grow up here. I guess I’m already thinking much more like a “Global Pinoy” than a stay at home American, but there are so many places your children might find opportunity aside from the Philippines as well.
Give you a good example, an actual story from a friend of mine. His daughter grew up and was educated here in the Philippines and got a job in retail sales management. It wasn’t much, pay-wise, but she liked it until her boss stole her work and presented it as his own to enhance his corporate image (bet we’ve all seen something like that happen, in any country).
Instead of suffering in silence, the girl took her American dad’s advice and looked farther afield. She now very successful at a much higher-paying, much better job in Singapore.
Bottom line is, Filipinos are in demand in growing, rich cities like Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, etc. You really have to think also, when looking out 15 or 20 years … China is already well ensconced as the world’s second largest economy … my guess is, in 20 years the US is going to be in perhaps third place behind China and India. The writing is on the wall, in my view anyway, and making a decision to keep children in the US for a ‘better opportunity’ may turn out to be a bad bet come, say, 2020 or so. A thought anyway.
Exactly along the lines of my thinking Philly. Trying to predict things years down the road is impossible. My asawa and I, mostly I, am just trying to round off the rough edges of some details we will have to make choices about when that time comes, and who better to get opinions, advice, and new perspectives from then those who have made such a move. Trying to think outside the box that so many of us Americans are raised in can be confusing enough. You would seldom, if ever, here an American father advise his children to seek work in another country. lol
@Keith (ID 4952): Exactly. I’m as attuned as anyone to the idea that “America is the land of opportunity”. But if that will be true in 20 years? I dunno.
You know how the news media in the US echoes the man on the street about the tragedy/crime of America losing jobs overseas? Well a year or so back when the auto companies had to pare down their model lines to accept their federal bailout package? GM kept Buick and did away with several more popular brands. Why was that, I wondered?
Turns out Buicks are extremely popular in China .. GM sold 4 times as many in China in 2009 than they did in the US. So if GM spends money marketing (and subcontracting) in China, are they hurting US jobs or are they helping save them? The guys who are still working on the Buickk assembly line might well say they are happy to be bulding Buicks, no matter who is buying them.
It’s too complex for me to say, but the world is not as simple as it once was, that’s for sure.
I received the exact same e-mail, word for word. I sent back a well thought out reply that took me 20 or 30 minutes to write. I didn’t even receive a “thank you for your time” reply. Nothing. If his kids are rude like that, they probably will never succeed anywhere in the world.
Something for Keith to think about.
Sorry to jump in on this way after the fact, but I’ve gotten way behind on blog reading lately. As an expat in the Philippines with a Filipina wife I’m very interested in this question. I strongly agree with the name brand school – right or wrong, it’s pretty much the way people are judged here. The vast majority of my Filipino co-workers at Deutsche Bank went to one of the top 4 – UP, Ateneo, De Lasalle or UST. You definitely face a higher barrier of entry if you go to a less well known/regarded school.
I expect to expat around to a few more countries before we settle down, so I’m reserving judgment on where we’ll send our little girls to high school. I figure that by the time they are ready for college we’ll have lived in enough places for them to have an idea of their own as to where they want to go to college.
While we’re in the Philippines we opted to send them to Colegio San Augustin in Dasmarinas Village, Makati. The international schools are hugely overpriced and don’t seem to convey that much advantage. Again using my Filipino co-workers as a yardstick of middle class success, a number of them went to better private schools, and several went to National Science High School. I don’t recall seeing that any of them attended international school.
My sister has been in higher education for most of her adult life. She worked in Taiwan and China for a number of years. She told me that the international schools make huge amounts of money by charging exorbitant tuition to local elites who think their kids will gain a perceived advantage by attending an “international” school. The academics are generally no better than the better local private schools. She told me we were basically throwing away our money if we sent our kids to one of those schools.
@Mike Stankavich (ID 5339): Hello Mike, nice to see you back here. apparently your trip back to the US wasn’t enough temptation to make you give up on the Philippines … (don’t worry, I wasn’t really worried, LoL)
You are very right indeed about the school choice. It certainly makes a lot of difference in a child’s future. I also am happy to note you gave mention to PSHS (Philippine Science High School), an excellent system with abut 10 campuses around the country. PSHS is government funded and takes only the best. I have a niece who tried to get into PSHA and I got a good look at some of their programs. It would be daunting indeed to any US high school I ever saw. (My niece didn’t get into PSHA, but fortunately she lives in Quezon City, which has it’s own city-wide Science High program, she made it into that and is doing well).
Like you I am not enamored of most of the “International School” brands. They charge a LOT of money, they mostly systematically ignore local teaching talent, and (from incidents I have personally witnessed here in the Philippines, in Thailand and in Japan), they sometimes hire teachers strictly becuase the teachers are from the US (or UK, or Australia) (in other words, White), than for any other reason. I’m not blanket condemning them, but in general International Schools are a remnant of the “Pukka sahib” colonial era and not something I would want to send a child of mine to.
Having lived in a lot of countries and worked closely with high schools in several of them, I’ll say this. I, personally, would home school my child in today’s day and age … probably here in the Philippines with a full-time assist from a degreed teacher I would hire personally as tutor/taskmaster. If I couldn’t home school my child, I’d try to send him/her to a college prep high school in japan. Learning Japanese would be good for him/her and compared with the rest of the academic program.
US high schools are a huge waste of time compared to some other programs in some other countries. Lowest common denominator and all that goes with it. Funny thing about US high schools … funny in the sad sense, not the ‘ha ha’ sense. I fled high school before graduation back in the 1960′s. I was not alone. Something like 40% of the students in the 1960′s who entered high school failed to graduate.
Today, almost 50 years later, the true rate is still 40% or higher. Sad. I’ve had people tell me they want to move to the Philippines but can’t do so for x-number of years, so that their children can graduate from a US school. I have to bite my cheek to keep from replying, “Why, do you hate your children that much”?
Perhaps I went a bit over the top with my hyperbole there, and my apologies to my subset of dedicated teacher readers here, but, like that “37th best health care system” every American seems so proud of, there are certainly other educational systems in the world that at least equal that of the USA.