Modern Day Slavery in China

The Filipino culture is a martyr culture. We have a Cinderella-complex. One just has to watch the soaps on primetime TV to recognize the almost primordial image of the bida weeping in misery, suffering in silence. Even FPJ's Panday movies tell of an underdog who takes it all in before avenging himself in the end. And guess who the Filipinos voted for in the last elections?

This can be seen not just in popular culture but in history as well. It took more than three centuries of abuses from the Spanish colonizers before the long suffering nation finally decided enough is enough. Decades, before the Americans were kicked out of Philippine government; and another number of decades before the bases were all out of Philippine shores. (They seemed to have come back but that's another story.) And then there was Marcos' 20-year dictatorship. In the present, the people continue to endure a president whose legitimacy as president remains in question.

Perhaps it has to do with the teachings of Catholicism deeply buried in the Filipino consciousness, thanks to the Spanish friars of long ago. Blessed are the weak, meek, poor for the reward will come after this life. Turn the other cheek. Forgive as ye have been forgiven.

I got to talking to a Filipino woman teaching at another school a few days ago. I thought I was already nice for not screaming at the headmaster when I felt like it. I could hardly believe the things they had to go through in their school. It was almost surreal. When she phoned me, one of her first questions after the customary kumustahan was whether my headmaster often checks on me if I were home. I was so confused. Check on me? Why would he do that? I later on learned that they could not even go out of the house without asking permission from their headmaster. Ridiculous! Not even the supermarket?! The headmaster will be calling every few minutes until they go back home. Yes, even the supermarket. My head was spinning. I tried to look for the words. "I don't get it. How could you stand it?" I was met with more stories. My heart goes out to a young Filipino woman who has been here for only about three months. Her passport is being held hostage by the evil headmaster. She was being asked to pay 5000RMB if she wanted to leave, but was threatened that he would do everything in his power so she could never set foot in China ever again. For her first month, she was given 500RMB. Welcome to the new age of slavery.

My friend told me that the headmaster once asked her if she calls me on the phone. He encouraged her to make friends with me and invite me to go to their school. Please don't make me laugh now. Even before I met this man, I was already told that he's the "biggest asshole of a headmaster" in TieLing. I did not expect him to be the reincarnation of the devil himself. The last time I saw him (this was before I was told of all the shit that's been going on in their school), he had the gall to tell me that I should work for his school because his wife is a Filipina. That is what makes it hurt even more. They have Filipino employees precisely because of this woman. A fellow Filipino who does nothing to stop these abuses, who reprimands a Filipino employee of not knowing her responsibilities because she wants to go out of town--on her holiday. The next time I see her I want to ask her how much she sold her soul for.

One more irony, she's a missionary. Another irony would have been the name of their school.

It took me days to finally get this out. It does nothing to lessen the feeling of helplessness, but it just seems important that I write it down.