Betrayal, Class Fantasies, and the Filipino Nation in Daly City

Erica Lee

ASA 004

April 18, 2017

Benito M. Vergara Jr.’s article, “Betrayal, Class Fantasies, and the Filipino Nation in Daly City,” discusses different views on Filipinos living in the United States by other Filipinos. It also discusses what motivates Filipinos’ immigration to the United States. 

Daly City, which has a high concentration of Filipinos, has a distinct cultural identity that has developed over the course of time. This identity was formed with Filipino roots and influence from living in the united states. In a sense, to Filipinos, Daly City represents the “American Dream.” There is a certain class ideal that is associated with Daly City. In a sense it is similar to how Korean Americans view Los Angeles. Los Angeles is a beacon of hope for Koreans who search for a better future as it has a high concentration of Koreans already living in the city and different stories of success traveling back to Korea through word of mouth. However, the image that Daly City carries isn’t all positive. In the Philippines, they view Filipinos who have emigrated out of the country as betrayers. There is emphasis on country over self and by leaving the country, they betray the nation. There is an exception though, and that is for Filipinos who are super successful. That is the only time when leaving the Philippines isn’t counted as betrayal.

Daly City’s class ideal is represented and reinforced in a lot of Filipino media. In movies, Filipinos who have grown up in America are portrayed as rude, spoiled, and uncultured. The mythic trajectory of the upper middle-class is reaffirmed as well. The reaffirmation of the mythical upper middle-class is also prevalent in Korean dramas where oftentimes the character who comes from Los Angeles is usually very successful and sometimes even world renowned in his/her career field. I think that a lot of Asians idealize what kind of opportunities growing up in America present.