Exploring the socioeconomic contributions that Filipinos in the Western Cape make to the development of their host and

home countries
Maria Irina Velasco MSocSc Candidate Department of Social Development University of Cape Town

Table of Contents
I: Introduction
Rationale Research objectives

II: Review of Related Literature

Context & Concepts Conceptual map

III: Methodology
Data collection, Sampling, Interviews, Ethics

IV: Findings
Theme 1: Profile of Filipinos living in the Western Cape Theme 2: Migrant experience in South Africa Theme 3: Socioeconomic contributions to South Africa Theme 4: Socioeconomic contributions to the Philippines Theme 5: Challenges and potential

V: Recommendations

I: Introduction: Rationale
International landscape: Global economic crisis
South-South Cooperations rise in significance South-South Migrations rise in numbers

National context
Republic of the Philippines
Challenge to conventional nationalist rhetoric Empowerment perspective/Bagong Bayani Expanding geographical focus (North America, Europe, Middle East)

Republic of South Africa

Emerging economy and host country Xenophobia Expanding beyond refugee discourse

Philippine-South African complementarities for SSC as manifested in their political, economic, and social realities

I: Introduction: Research objectives

Questions Objectives

What is the socio-political-economic context of the Philippines and South Africa in relation to the issue of migration?
What is the socio-economic profile of Filipinos living in the Western Cape?

To discern the socio-political-economic context of the Philippines and South Africa in relation to the issue of migration
To establish a socio-economic profile of Filipinos living in the Western Cape

How do they contribute to the social and economic upliftment of their community in South Africa?
How do they contribute to the social and economic upliftment of their community in the Philippines?

To identify their contributions to the social and economic upliftment of their community in South Africa
To identify their contributions to the social and economic upliftment of their community in the Philippines

How can these contributions be maximised to further Philippine-South African cooperation?

To determine how these potential contributions can be maximised to further Philippine-South African cooperation

II: Review of Related Literature

Theoretical framework:
Migration-Development Nexus (Hujo & Piper 2007, Faist 2008, Piper 2009, UNHDR 2009)

Role of migrants in development and their advantage: transnational space and social remittance
Migrant access to facets of human development Holistic regard for human development

Social Inclusion/Exclusion Theory (Burschardt et al 2008) Fundamental Human Needs (Max-Neef 1991) Capabilities Approach (Sen 1985)

Human agency in development

SSC as an alternative mode of International Development

South-South Cooperation from a Developmental Perspective (Jules & Sa e Silva 2008)

Contextual framework:
The globalizing international landscape: Integration, cooperation, and migration The Philippine-South African context and south-south cooperation The Philippine-South African context and south-south migration

Consistent with the holistic human development discourse and migrant-development nexus, there is an increasing regard for migrants capacity as an agent of development, with contextual realities paving opportunities to maximize this.

II: Review of Related Literature

III: Methodology
Data collection: Period: May-July 2012 Sampling: Non-probability snowball sampling (i.e. through personal referrals and/or personal interaction) Interviews: 17 Semi-structured face-to-face, in-depth interviews
3 Community leaders
Philippine government representative Representatives from each group

14 Filipino household representatives (living in SA 5+ years and legal status)

1 Mini-focus group discussion: 1 UCT fellow + 4 FHR selected according to

Initiative Availability

Ethics: Full consent, privacy, anonymity ensured through aliases

IV: Findings
Themes
1: Profile of Filipinos in Cape Town 2: Migrant experience in South Africa 3: Socioeconomic contributions to South Africa 4: Socioeconomic contributions to Philippines 5: Challenges and potentials

Theme 1: Profile of Filipinos in CPT

Sampling criteria
Half (7) of the respondents have been residing in South Africa for 5-10 yrs, two for 11-15 yrs, two for 16-20 yrs, and three for over 20 yrs Five Citizens, Three Permanent Residence, Three Temporary Permanent Residence, Two on Work Permit
12 out of 14 respondents still have their Filipino passport

From all over the Philippines, settled in various suburbs of CPT Highly skilled: majority finished tertiary education, some tertiary education, post-secondary training
Administrative, care, development, entrepreneurial, managerial, manufacturing

Reasons for settling

Employment/business opportunity - 7 Partner (citizen/resident/employment) - 6 Volunteer - 1

All have been legally employed in PH and SA

Theme 2: Migrant experience in SA

Experience
Some cases of discrimination and crime Nevertheless, general satisfaction with the quality of life, which go beyond the economic opportunities made available here

Uncertainty about resettlement in the Philippines, citing reasons such as economy, natural disasters, but also lifestyle choices in terms of opportunities to meet people from other background, adventure, and their general way of life in SA (space, nature) Question then of how they partake in national development of their host countrynow being finely settled in this countryand that of their home country (being away from it).

Theme 3: Contributions to SA
Economic Social

Businesses Products and services Employment Skills Taxes

Social involvement (e.g. Crime Watch) Donation drives Church School Filipino community Values/knowledge exchange

I think we need to be proud being a Filipino in South Africa. We are called by God, its not an accident that we are here, there is a purpose, there is a reason and we need to be diligent whatever it is that we need to do.

- Alma M

Theme 4: Contributions to PH
Economic Remittances Macro: on the decline (BSP 2012) Micro: irregular, except for 4 Investments Property Business Social Upliftment of the family Healthcare Education Donation drives Typhoon Seafarer welfare

The Filipino migrant community is an empowered group with respect to resources, conditions, and motivation. Their initiative has also manifested in action. The question then is how to tap into this much more so that their contributions can be accelerated. Some are still uncertain as to whether resettlement in the Philippines is an option. Balancing this ambiguity between the ties to their home country and being well established in the host country is an issue that colours their commitment to development & nation building in both countries. This potential presents a key area that must be further explored.

Theme 5: Challenges and potential

Challenges: Question of sustainability and dependency (remittances, donations, etc.) Small community fraught with competition and conflict (group-level and individually; with the rest being caught in between) discourages participation of others Limited Philippine representation owing to limited resources
Lack of neutral space for interaction Focus on economic diplomacy

Empowered status Willingness Knowledge capital as manifested in commonly identified areas:

Potential:

Promoting Filipino identity (multilateral trade networks, cultural events, food fest) Knowledge exchange (technical skills, development experience, values) Social issues (seafarer welfare, natural calamities)

Therefore, the need to build solidarity amongst the migrant community

as much as Im thankful to Philippines that nurtured, that teach, allow me to develop into who I am right now, Im also grateful to South Africa in a sense that its giving me the opportunity to pursue what I want to pursue. So do I oweto whom do I owe more? I would say, I dont know, but I do recognize the fact that I owe both a certain debt of gratitude So do I want to pay back? Yes, but if opportunity came.

- Juan X

V: Recommendations
Guided by critical peace building framework (O Brien 2009):
Community Development + Conflict Resolution

An entity that provides space for:

Facilitating interaction between Filipinos, regardless of their group affiliation Consolidating various initiatives and resources Formalizing these productive endeavours to address various social issues (unemployment, seafarer welfare, entrepreneurial development, etc. Mobilizing the diasporas full potential in support of the Philippine government through participatory development, espousing the native Filipino value of bayanihan

Yeah I think that Filipino community must have an open communication and oneness because sometimes misunderstanding if we dont communicateit divides the community. And also sharing resources, sharing knowledge, ideas and values. Im sure they will flourish

- Alma M

Thank You/Maraming Salamat!

For your time, ideas, support, and inspiration Research participants Community leaders Audience

For questions, comments, feedback and/or a copy of the final version, please get in touch through:

irina.velasco@uct.ac.za