Philippines, the country I grew up in. Living with my two brothers and dad, we got separated with my mom when we were young: year 2006 when my mom decided to leave her job back in the Philippines and find a better one to support us. She worked in Hong Kong but didn’t have luck; she quit because she didn’t have enough income to support us . After 2 years of working in Hong Kong, she applied as Nanny in Canada year 2009. After working as Nanny, she went to school for nurse (PSW) and it was the start of new life for her, also for us. In her opinion “Canada is the land of opportunity”, for its high employment rate, “ good employers, easy to find job, and even if you don’t have good education you can still get a job”. According to the statistics that is made by Statistics Canada in year 2011; number of Filipino immigrants in Canada that come from the Philippines rise every year.

http://canadaimmigrants.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Filipino-immigrants-w.png
April 14th 2015, when our plane landed in Canada. I came to Canada with my two and brothers and my dad. The main purpose of us coming to Canada is to get a better education. Getting education in the Philippines was harder for me than doing it in Canada, but as time pass by, I realized that having education in Canada means possibilities of getting a higher quality career. Difference of education in the Philippines and Canada. Getting a good career in Canada can uplift people from poverty, while getting education in the Philippines can be a pain because even though students finished with a degree, looking for job is the barrier. Job vacancy in the Philippines is very low.

Statistics given by the NSCB (Philippine National Statistical Coordination Board) Job Vacancy in the Philippines is very low
philippines-job-vacancies@2x.png
Population of immigrants in Canada highly increase each year. As an immigrant, I see the reason of people coming to Canada: for what it is have to offer. First of all, a free health care that the Government of Canada offer. In the Philippines, our government doesn’t provide free healthcare, so every time people to go the hospital they have to pay the cost. A lot of people that go to hospital in the Philippines is head over heels in debt, for that reason people have to stay in the hospital until they fully pay the money they owe. The education in the Philippines may seem different in terms of learning. Schools in the Philippines divided in two sectors, private and public. I went to a public school. Studying in the Philippines could be difficult. Especially that we follow zero based grade system. I had moment when one my classmate did not hand in one of our homework; the teacher gave him the lowest mark, and the teacher in able for him to get that mark up he needs to take the whole summer to study. In Canada, students are allowed to use phones in school, unlike in my country: if the teacher sees the student use their phone, the teacher will take the phone and hide it for the whole school year, addition to that they will ask for a teacher and parent interview. My most hated thing of education system in the Philippines is that 9 hours of school: it starts at 7:30 a.m. and end at 5 p.m. Also, in each semester students have 8 mandatory courses: Filipino, values, math, history, physical education, english and religion. Each courses repeat every semester. Students does not have the option of choosing classes unlike in Canada. Each classroom looks like a pack of sardines, for they trying to fit in a lot of students in one class. In my experience, I remember when my teacher tried to fit in 57 students in the classroom that some of the students had to stand up while learning.
This what every public school class looks like in the Philippines. http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/465886/deped-school-year-2015-2016-starts-on-june-1/story/

This is what private school looks like in the Philippines.
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/the-philippines-gears-up-for-k-to-12/
In Canada, at a very young age students are allowed to get a job, that’s what I love living in Canada. I arrived in Canada April 2015, December of year 2015 when I got hired in Burger King Orangeville. After 6 months of working hard, I got promoted as a shift coordinator. This kind of system helps students a lot: buying school supplies and helps out to pay tuition fees. Back home, our government does not offer this kind of system. Because they want the students to focus only towards learning in school, it’s has zero chance of our government approve this kind of system, getting a job at an early age. In my opinion, living in Canada is so much easier than living in the Philippines. Even though it is the land that I was born in, I wouldn’t deny that I’d rather live in Canada. Especially the newly elected political candidates, the President, the way he rules the country. As soon as the President got elected, he built the new law of executing all the drug dealers and cartels in the Philippines. I would say, the new law has a good side yet executing human is ruthless. Manslaughtering breaks the human rights law. In conclusion, living the country that I grew up from, shatters my heart. Because of the cruelty that my country is facing today, I would rather leave in a peaceful country like Canada.
Work Cited
http://canadaimmigrants.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Filipino-immigrants-w.png
philippines-job-vacancies@2x.png
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/465886/deped-school-year-2015-2016-starts-on-june-1/story/
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/the-philippines-gears-up-for-k-to-12/
Bondad, Jackilyn Lumiwes. Interview. 29 May 2017.
Palangeo, Berlin Andelsa. Interview. 28 May 2017.
Immigration, The Canadian Magazine of. "Filipino Immigrants to Canada." The Canadian Magazine of Immigration. The Canadian Magazine of Immigration, 23 Feb. 2017.
Web. 05 June 2017. "Philippines Job Vacancies 1987-2017 | Data | Chart | Calendar | Forecast." Philippines Job Vacancies | 1987-2017 | Data | Chart | Calendar | Forecast. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 June 2017.
Affairs, GMA News and Public. "DepEd School Year 2015-2016 starts on June 1." GMA News Online. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 June 2017.
Mocon-Ciriaco, Claudeth. "Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco." BusinessMirror. N.p., 06 Apr. 2016. Web. 05 June 2017.

I’m really impress with your research and does not hide the fact that the education in Philippines is stressful and even describe it ruthless. I can really understand what you are talking about because the education system in Vietnam is just about to be the same. However, It’s really brave and courageous for your mother to left her family behind and move to a strange country just to change your family’s future, especially for your future. Now she has made this far for you to receive such a high quality of life in Canada,what is your plan in the future to continuing her goal or your own goals?
ReplyDeleteMaverick, you do an excellent job of describing what life was like for you. The statistics and images you present really emphasize the differences in school and employment opportunities. It made it easier for me to see why so many parents are leaving their country to establish work and new roots to bring their children over to them. What an incredible sacrifice your mother made for you! What instructions has she given to you for how you should lead your life now that you are here? What is she asking for in return for her labours for you?
ReplyDeleteThank you for the great comment! Canada is a great country to live in, surrounded with great people. My mom gave us the knowledge about Canada, she also told us people in Canada are very respectful. Adopting the Canadian values: being respectful, friendly and helpful, always what my mom wanted us to do. In the Philippines, most people believe in religion. My mom always tells us to have fear in God and not to break his rules.
DeleteOur purpose coming to Canada is to experience better education that we did not have back in the Philippines. My mom is very strict about our marks in school. She is strict about it because she wants us to have a great future. She does not care what career are we going for, as long as we try hard to reach that goal. Added to that, she told us not to forget about them (parents) when we grow up and when we have our own family. Because of all the sacrifice that my mom and my dad did for us, I promised them that I will try my best to reach the goals in my life and help them when they are in need.
That is a wonderful answer. She is only asking for the minimum sacrifice from you.
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