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

This author's essay explores the cultural perceptions and realities of Filipinos in the US, particularly in Daly City, as well as back in the Philippines. The author seems to make a big point of the Filipino work ethic. In the essay, Filipinos are portrayed as hard workers who can adapt to most situations. Furthermore, they are portrayed as a people who value economic success. In addition, the author makes a point of mentioning notions of pride and loyalty in the Philippines. In many ways, it seems as though Filipinos feel as though they all owe something to their motherland. While these are all stereotypes I'm pulling from the essay as well as my own perceptions which may very well not be the case for everyone, we can make some observations and perhaps better understand the role of Filipinos here in the US. The desires to be loyal to the Philippines and to achieve more economic freedom are directly at odds for many. In order to achieve success, many feel like they must emigrate to the US. This however contradicts feelings of loyalty to the Philippines. Having to make a decision like that is probably not easy for many Filipinos. While they know they are in many ways helping their families back home, they must feel rejected and alienated from those back home who say that they abandoned them. Furthermore, I imagine that many Filipino immigrants are surprised to come here with expectations of increased income, only to find that class-wise income goes further in the Philippines, or that luxuries like maids and gardeners are more easily attainable in the Philippines. I believe that understanding these struggles is very important in integrating immigrants into the US.