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

Andrea Montano
ASA 4
April 18, 2017

While reading "Betrayal, Class Fantasies, and the Filipino Nation in Daly City," many of the topics discussed reminded me of my relatives while I was growing up. The notion of "Departure as Betryal of the Nation" reminded me of President Duterte when he made a statement that Filipinos in the United States or Filipinos who migrate to other countries are no longer Filipinos. The notion that departure from the Philippines is seen as a betrayal to the country and its cultural saddens me because my parents left their home country in order to have a better life for ny siblings and I. I find The paradox interesting when some Filipinos show a resentment to other Filipinos who immigrate to the states for "money," yet are excited for the gifts and money these OFWS send back. Before reading this article, I was not fully aware that there would be many Filipinos who held resentment towards those who leave the Philippines for other countries since I assumed that many were relatives who would send back money and other things in giant cardboard boxes. The section "Betrayal vs Home Service at its Best" reminds me very much of my grandmother who does in fact have servants and maids at her home in Dumangas and often splurges her money her in the US at Beverly Hills. The complexity of the "middle-class Filipino(a)" in Daly City is brought into light by this article and it was very interesting to read while also drawing examples of my life to the context.