Journal Entry: "Betrayal, Class Fantasies, and the Filipino Nation in Daly City"

The article notes the need of Filipino American studies in Philippine studies and vice versa and how both fields affect analytical perspectives (p 142). In order to do so, we need to understand the historical and economic structures that affect Filipinos in the United States and back in the Philippines. This way, people knowledge of the culture in order to understand their perspective. Reading about the culture and how the Filipinos identify class was very shocking.

            The article notes the importance to think of self last and the country first. Everyone has the obligation to help improve and uplift country (p 143). Therefore, those who stay in the Philippines are known as “silent heroes”. It was shocking because just by staying in the country makes a person a hero. And if one leaves the country in pursuit of money or other factors, they are considered as betraying the country and not fulfilling the obligation of aiding the nation. This makes the person unwilling to sacrifice and selfish and they are only thinking of themselves. This kind of perspective was very unbelievable to me because I know many immigrants, including my parents. The list of reasons why one should stay in the Philippines also was astounding and almost humorous. Many of the reasons included how if one stays in the Philippines, they can have maids who will do many chores and ultimately leads to a better life. Furthermore the thought of being maid-less in the US will generate enough fear will persuade individuals to stay, and thus make them “silent heroes”. The majority of immigrants move to a new country in order to be more successful or have a better education and living condition. I have never viewed or judged these people as betraying their own country. Rather, I see them as heroes for making the tough and brave decision of moving to a new country while leaving everything they have behind. The article also notes how one’s class allows one to be identified as more “Filipino” (p 147). I do not agree with this belief. I have never used class to define how much one can grow and become more Filipino (or whatever ethnicity they are).