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

In this article, it mentions the various interpretation of Filipinos in the United States and Filipinos in the Philippines and provide a contradictory interpretation of people who “betrayed” the nation and those who are “silent heroes.”  In the United States, Daily City is referred to as the “adobo capital” due to the high concentration of Filipino population.  Daily City represents the possibility for social mobility amongst Filipino migrants from the Philippines.   In this case, Daily City is referred to as the most ethnically diverse city which implies that individuals are more likely to build up their political, social and economic opportunity while maintaining their Filipino roots.  So class and nation is an important concept that repeatedly pulls Filipino migrant to the United States.  However, there is a constant indirect message about obligation and duty for the country and oneself.  The Philippines really pride themselves in focusing on the country’s “happiness, dignity and recognition” over individuals who can’t sacrifice self-interest for the nation’s good. 


When the article mentioned that those who leave their country to pursue “money,” they are painted as betrayal and yet they are praised due sending money back at home.  This is hiding the fact that their country also is no different from their colonizer who uses material and money to defy well being.  They romanticize the idea of migrating to the United States to uphold their middle-class position.  Those who think this way are not fully aware of the other “truths” when it comes to class diversity in the U.S., specifically Daly City.  They hide the diversity of the various experiences in Daly City in order to encourage Filipino migrant to earn money in the U.S. and bring it back to the Philippines.   The reason the country pride so much in their Filipino roots and identity is to embed those ideas in individual so that they won’t forget their country when they decide to leave.  They encourage that their country is part of the obligation in order to for individuals to maintain ties to their home country.  With this said, Philippines use the idea of obligation for the country to overshadow their dependence on money which is something they looked down to.    

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