Live in the Philippines

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I look like him?

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Recently, there has been a little controversy in the Philippines.  Well, I should change my wording on that…. when it comes to politics in the Philippines there are controversies daily!  But, there has been a controversy that has to do with Americans lately.  This was in the news last week, but it is still timely, I think.  I had seen the story on the news, but I didn’t see the newspaper article until I saw the link from Dave Starr’s PhilFAQs site.  Thanks for the link, Dave.

It all got started when some opposition politicians started saying that American servicemen were overstaying in Mindanao.  Now, they weren’t clear, but using the word “overstaying” would make me believe that they meant that these soldiers were staying longer than their Visas allowed them to stay in the Country.  It is possible they just meant that these guys were staying longer than they were welcome to stay, if you know what I mean, but I think that with the word usage they meant that they stayed beyond their Visa.

OK, well, this is not that big of a deal, I mean a simple check of their passport can confirm if they are legally in the Philippines or not.  On top of this, I don’t know if visiting Military (which were invited by the Philippine Government) come under the normal Immigration laws or not.  It would seem to me that they wouldn’t (I can’t imagine a guy out in a combat zone having to take a day off to go visit Immigration to renew his Visa).  But, whatever the case, it is a simple matter of checking their status, and correcting it if necessary.

Next, thing, though, according to the Philippine Daily Inquirer (and reports I saw on TV) was that the Philippine Executive Branch came out and tried to justify the “overstay” by saying that Americans “all look the same to us.”  Personally, I find such a statement offensive.  I remember, in my childhood, it was kind of a “joke” among racists that “all black people look the same.”  Well, frankly, all black people don’t look the same, they have individual characteristics, as does everybody.  And, all Americans don’t look the same either!

All this talk reminded me of a situation that existed for me and a friend a few years ago.  My friend, Gene, and I used to swim daily at Marco Polo Hotel here in Davao, for exercise, and companionship.  We went to Marco Polo daily for over 3 years.  Even after 3 years of swimming there daily, the employees there did not know which of us was Gene, and which was Bob, even though we had told them dozens of times!  We always got a good laugh out of it.  The truth is that we look quite different from each other, but employees at Marco Polo often told us that they could not tell us apart, because we looked like twins!

I wonder what the reaction would be if I went around saying that “All Filipinos look the same to me.”  I wouldn’t say that, because they don’t look the same to me.  It would just be interesting to see the reaction.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. I think most filipinos will get offended. Personally, I will be definitely offended.
    Five years ago we have a stopover in Tokyo. My wife got mistaken for a Japanese. When I was in Graduate school here in Illinois, we have new graduate student from Japan. When he was introduced to me he kept on bowing very very low and repeated it three times until I told him I am not Japanese and just extends my hand to shake it and welcome him. Filipinos varies even in color of the skin( from dark to light brown), the size of the nose and other features due to our various background ( Chinese, Spanish, Malay and American). So, if a foreigner says all filipinos are alike, my impression of him is that he must be from the bonnies or are OKies and uneducated.

  2. Maayong Buntag Gene, or is it Bob 😉
    I hear that a lot in the mid west since most people think traveling far is going to the next state in the US. With there being a small number of filipinos around my home town most people around here will only notice the black hair and dark eyes since these features are different than most people around here. Since I am around filipinos all the time I notice more of there distinguishing features. I have been told that all us white guys look alike and I just laugh and agree. Maybe I do not get offended about racial comments because I grew up with joke telling about Germans, Dutch, and Norwegians. Being Dutch myself most of the jokes were aimed at us. 😆

  3. Hi Bob,

    Well, I personally think it is most likely that the meaning was that the Americans are overstaying their welcome, like guests in your house who don't take the hint until you actually change into your pyjamas, dim the lights and yawn a lot before they eventually leave. Of course, unlike you I don't have the exact text on which to make a judgment.

    Like you, I don't imagine that individual soldiers would have entry visas on their passports, or even, in fact, that they would carry passports. I do, however, imagine that the US embassy would have some kind of "mass visa" for "xyz batallion" to stay for however long it was agreed with the government. It's an interesting topic, perhaps someone in the know could tell us how it works???

    As for all Americans looking the same… well frankly, I wouldn't be having pictures of Hillary Clinton on my den wall as long as there are pictures of a young and healthy Britney Spears available. 😛 I do think though, that in a sea of brown bodies, a couple of white bodies of roughly the same age and size could probably be mistaken, and vice versa.

    Have a nice day y'all!

  5. Hi David B Katague – I understand your feelings very well. What do you think though, about the Philippine government saying that all Americans look-alike? Does that mean that they are from the boonies, are Okies, uneducated?

  6. HeyJoe! I mean Bob! 😆
    For the first 13 years I was in the Air Force I never had a passport or a visa even though I had been all over Europe, Japan and Korea. Most countries where American GIs deploy to have a SOFA (Status of Forces Agreement) with the U.S. and allow the GI to stay as long as they have valid orders and military I.D.

    Mark C.

  8. Hi Jim Hannah – yes, I really hope that somebody will come along and inform us about the travel details for the military regards to immigration.

    I'm with you on Hillary Clinton, I won't be putting her picture up, but I won't be putting a Britney Spears either!

  10. Hi Mark C. – thank you so much for clearing that up, what you describe is the way that I figured it worked. Yes, the Philippines and the United States have a SOFA agreement as well, and I figure that this whole issue must be covered in there.

  11. Hello Bob,
    I would be telling him or her to go to a Seeing Eye doctor to get some glasses fitted. It not an uncommon for people to say "they all look the same to me".
    Sometimes it is very hard to have any respect for a person who makes these sort of comments, especially people who are educated and should know better. But that is life,we all experience it through our life times and have more than likely just as guilty ourselves of making remarks about other cultures.

    Steven

  14. Bob,
    This is the answer to the visa question from the current VFA between the US and the RP governments. "United States military personnel shall be exempt from passport and visa regulations upon entering and departing the Philippines". Also civilians working with the military only need a valid passport. Hope this clears up the question.
    Keep up the good work and hopefully I will see you soon in Davao.

  15. Hi Bob,

    This kind of reminds me when I first visited Davao this past April. At the condotel I stayed at, I was walking along the terrace and saw another gentleman down the way. I had to walk by him to get to another room and we struck a conversation. He asked where I was from and I said from America (Chicago) and taking my first vacation in the Philippines. He was on vacation, too, from Australia. He said he thought, from a distance, that I was Filipino due to my brown complexion. As I approached where he was sitting, he realized I wasn't Filipino due to my height (I'm 6 feet tall), if that makes a difference. I didn't take offence, but found his analysis entertaining.

  17. Hi Steve – thanks for that. It would seem that the soldiers could not be overstaying then, in terms of visa, since they are not subject to those regulations anyway. Thanks for sharing that and I'll also look forward to seeing you in Davao.

  18. Hi Henry – that is hilarious, my friend. I've met you in person as well, and I would never mistake you for a Filipino that's for sure. It takes all kinds I guess.

  19. Hi Bob!

    Whenever Marie and I were in the mall or another public place she would always point out everyone white as a kano. More often than not they were European or Austrailian. Marie is amazed that I can usually guess fairly close as to the country of orgin for the white guys. She has been here in the US for a year now and I still tease her whenever we see an Asian. I always say "look Honey another Filipina! Marie says that usually the negative comments about the American military is coming from the activists that have no satisfaction. She thinks that on the whole that most Filipinos appreciate the help of the Americans. My Mother-in-law remembers teary eyed how when the Americans soldiers rescued them from the Japanese and that they gave their personal supplies of food to the starving families. She said that during the Japanese occupation that all girls had to hide in the jungle lest they become victims. During a trip to Digos I experienced geniune warmth from most of the older people. I would smile and put my hand on their shoulder even though they all call me Joe! Please don't let the poorly chosen words of one man become the voice of all Filipinos.

  20. Hi Tom Ramberg – while I appreciate your comment, I don't think I ever said that this comment was the voice of all Filipinos. And, this was not the comment of one man, it was an official proclamation from the presidential spokesman. Of course, I know that most Filipinos like Americans, and did not say otherwise. Also, the comments about American military did not come from an activist, those comments were made by opposition senators, in an official capacity.

  21. Hi Bob

    I'm sorry if my comments seem to offend you or make you feel defensive. I was in no way trying to be antagonistic. The spirited debate that we had before must still be haunting you. I still think that you are probably a great guy. I will withold my comments to you from now on so there will be no ill feelings.

  22. Hi Tom Ramberg – I am not haunted nor am I offended. You stated in your comment that I was attributing this statement to all Filipinos, and I said no such thing. So, I was just responding in explaining that I had no intention of saying that, nor did I say. Tom, there's no reason to stop commenting. We are both free to express our opinions, no harm, no foul.

  25. Bob
    If she could invoke racism for an excuse for charter change she would not even give it a second thought. Just seems the present government only cares about there pocket.

  26. i think they were implying that the US service personnel were here in the country too long and that he felt that they should leave and let the Philippine forces do there own work …there help was appreciated and now they were not needed any more …and when stepped into the streets of manila the first time everybody looks the same to me ..and if u saw a bunch of troops standing at a distance they all look the same to me too .. while i was over in the pines I had people say I look like Richard Greer.. as far as I am concerned the only way we are alike is that we both are males and white ..and all Americans look the same to other people in other countries..Phil R.

  27. Hi Bob
    Thats funny because the last time I ws in the Philippines one person told me I look like Tom Cruise and another told me I looked like Ricky Martin and i don't look like either.

  28. Hi Larry – I agree on that, in order to get charter change the government would resort to anything right now. I'm not too much of a critic on Gloria, though. I don't see anybody else out there that I think would be any better.

  29. Hi Phil R. – I've never heard that before that other countries consider all Americans look the same, maybe I missed something.

  31. Hi Dan Mihaliak – I've also been told I look like Tom Cruise, and the first time I came to the Philippines, I was asked if I was a Kennedy. I got a laugh out of that one.

  32. Thanks for picking up this issue and giving it a wider audience, Bob. A coule points a few people seem to have missed are what made this particularly offensive to me.

    First of all, the statement was not just some idle comment made at random. It was made by the President's Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita and it was made as official response from the Office of The President to a formal query.

    Second, the statement is insulting and demeaning to the citizens of the Philippines as well … because in response to a suggestion that the government was being negligent in allowing US servicemen to "overstay", a word which has criminal implications under Philippine law, the palace essentially told its citizens, "you're all stupid, you only _think_ they are overstaying because they look alike." If the Secretary had even bothered to know the laws of his own country he would have known that US Forces admited here under the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) and not "overstay" under Philippine law since they are, by Philippine law not subject to passport and visa requirements. Full text here: http://www.dfa.gov.ph/vfa/content/Vfa.htm#ENTRY%2…
    Since the original query was made by a politician in opposition to the administration, and since that person rather niavely accused the US of something wrong that was in fact totally legal, wouldn't it have been a lot smarter to counter the claim by showing the error in the original complaint?

    The whole situation smacks of not only incipient racism but political stupidity, missing a great opportunity to show up a mistake by an opponent.

    Anyway, the whole purpose I wrote the original post was to point up that the decision as to whether a person would be happy living here or unhappy living here has a _lot_ less to do with money than it does with a society that does not operate the way most foreigners are used to.

  33. Hi Dave Starr – this really was a crazy statement for the Palace to have made. It must have been made off-the-cuff, certainly not prepared in advance. That makes it all the worse, because it shows that it was the true feelings being said, the thoughts in the gut of Ermita.

  34. when i read this article in the inquirer, i actually cracked up & mentioned this to my wife. it's stupid & not very PC, which sounds about right for a top politician to say. for a high ranking gov't head to practically say "y'all look alike" & not realize the history of this comment simply reflects the mentality & background of a few people in office.

    the justice secretary head, raul gonzales, says even more insanely inappropriate comments in an official capacity so this does not surprise me one bit

    but i have to chime in & say that I took it as yet another amateurish statement in RP politics & oblivious of the racially insensitive overtones.

    i know of many stories of pinoys mistaking caucasians for another when they look nowhere alike (even a regular joe shmoe compared to famous hollywood celebs – which has inflated a few of my cousins' egos). i've also heard some comments made to this effect. i can see that this can offend, but there is a hint of the non-PC truth to this. but this is not to excuse the diplomat,

    i thought this statement quite embarrassing & an utterly stupid thing to say (in context & as logic to back up his point).

  36. Hi Bob –

    Look the same; named the same (Joe); have an orchard of money trees in the backyard – yep, dat be us! 😆

  38. Hi Bob
    thanks for making me aware of this issue; I'm coming out to the Philippines in 2 weeks time and it's now making me re-consider; I'm not worried about your terrorists or racism but being mistaken for an American might be too difficult for me to handle!!!

  40. Hi I'm reden i'm a filipino who is actually living in Italy.
    I understand exactly what you feel Bob I had the same feeling when i close friend of mine told me that all the Filipino looks the same.

    I think a very big problem in the Philippines right now is the lack of experience of handling immigration because we don't have many immigrants to deal with.
    I'm happy that the government is trying to attract foreigners to live or invest in the country but for what I'm seeing we really just started .

    I was shocked listening to your podcast that somebody can mistook John for an american after you heard him speak.

    Btw are you planning to make more podcast ?

  41. Hi reden – Thanks for commenting, I am happy to meet you! Well, I suppose that these kind of comments happen everywhere in the world to some extent, and against all races of people. Certainly it does not feel good to be on the receiving end!

    I'll try to do another podcast soon! Thanks for reminding me.

  42. "David B Katague: So, if a foreigner says all filipinos are alike, my impression of him is that he must be from the bonnies or are OKies and uneducated."

    OKies???

  46. What puzzles me with regards to this debate is that anyone would take seriously the statement of any Philippino politician!!

  48. hi bob,

    What do you expect from the philippine politician? you've been here long enough to know that! 🙂

    anyways, i think one of the reason why there are some filippinos think that americans are all the same is that they are not well expose to see american in their daily life particularly in a remote areas. and when they say "they all look the same" i think they meant it literally and not to insult them.

    I've been dealing with different nationalities everyday, american, australian, britisn, swedish etc..etc.. of course they don't look the same to me but looking at them at a far distance, to me they look white not particularly an american, i can only guess their nationalities when they speak.

  49. Kamusta ka Bob,

    Well..a lots been said about this subject already in here, and I don't want to get too political about this, but just seems to be simple ignorance on the behalf of one politician. Who I guess seems to resent US intervention in his country still. But that is ok…we are use to that here in USA. I for one am glad that the USA steps up to help other countries when in need, and I am sure that this politician is very happy when other countries come to the aide in their times of need. But I guess they expect us to just leave when a crisis is over.
    My grandfather during WWII, was wounded for the first time in late August 1944 while his Army unit was taking the port city of Brest, France. Paris had just been liberated from the Germans, and he was sent to a hospital just outside of Paris. In late September 1944, before he was to be sent back to his outfit..which was now in the Schnee Eifel on the front along Germany, he went to Paris for a 3 day pass. The parisians were already wanting the Americans to go home…most were very rude to him. This was at a time when there were still Germans holding French soil…lol. So I guess the USA will never be totally appreciated is what I am saying, and I guess that acceptance from other countries is not always needed. I guess we know we are doing good..and the best we can. I am not talking about Iraq, I know we have alterior(sic) motives for being there, and not to just get rid of a tyrannical government there…if we were just there for that..we would be involved in 100's of wars all over this world. I am talking more of the humanitarian efforts we give to other countries…during natural disasters and efforts like that.
    Ok..I have rambled enough about this…going to work now..salamat to you all there.

    ang inyo ng higala,
    Danny 😉

  50. I don't recall any racial predjudice when I visited the Philippines and if there was any directed towards me I may not have even noticed it. The only time I noticed being " looked at " was when I was riding in the front passenger seat of a chartered Jeepney. I had the back of the jeepney filled with my filipino friends. I wanted to ride in the front passenger seat so i could get a better view of where we were going as the visibility was much better that way. When riding on some lets say " secondary " roads to get to Tinago Falls near Iligan City I noticed or at least I felt like some of the people kind of stared at me as we passed by. Obviously they knew I was from " out of town " and possibly just seeing someone or something " different " than the norm was more of a curiousity than anything else. I think all of us are like that at times and I took no offense to it.

    One filipino commented to me once " we are all brown ", and I replied, Not brown, but " natural " for this part of the world and that is what I really think about it. Americans are from so may different backgrounds it is a wonder others would consider that we all look alike but I guess that may depend on what the observer is looking at. Complexion, fashion, hair color, overweight, underweight, height, stance, gestures etc. Speech can of course many times be a give away as to where someone may be from although we have different accents in different parts of the USA as well.

    I think if anything that may have captured my attention more than anything else is a stereotype that " All " Americans are " wealthy "

    One of the most important things to me in visiting a far away land is in seeing how average people live and things involved in their daily life that differ from ours and with the friends I had made in the Philippines before I went there, this allowed me to see things on a first hand basis. This gives me a better understanding of why many people in the Phiippines get the impression that everyone in the USA is wealthy. One thing I feel many there may not understand is the cost of living here as compared to there. Some of my Filipino friends gasped when I described the cost of things here and that gave them a better understanding of why it appears that we get more money in our pay checks. Most Americans are far from being wealthy but then again that is a relative term subject to a finer definition than you will find in any dictionary. Since visiting the Philippines however and having the privlidge of making so many friends there it does give me a much better perspective of how they feel All Americans are wealthy. I wouldn't go quite that far but I can easily see that we are much better off in most cases.

    Another item I informed my Filipino friends is that many people here buy so many things on Credit and some get so far into debt with credit cards they may never get out of debt. You can not always get an indication of someones financial worth by the things they appear to own, an individual here could have bought it all on credit and spend the next 10 years or more to pay it off.

    Another area that I think gives an inaccurate impression and this would apply to many countries, is TV programs, many of which I feel are far removed from average everyday America ( if there really is such a thing ) . SOmetimes you have to take a step back and consider everything you see on a screen is not reality. These days I guess the same could be applied to the Internet as well, not everything you see or everything you read is absolute fact. it may only be someone elses impression of something.

    SPeaking for myself and from my own and possibly so far limited exposure to being in the Philippines I was well recieved, respected and looked out for by friends and acquaintences. Even those I dealt with in stores, recreation areas, dining and drinking establishments and hotels I can not remember one occourance of feeling I was being treated as someone from " out of town " .

    One of the most memorable examples of this was at a " restobar " near the hotel I stayed at. Almost every night my friends and I gathered there as it provided an ideal place to relax and enjoy our company with food, drink and hours of pleasant and interesting conversation. After the second night, the staff member at the entrance recognized me. I was greeted with a warm smile and a handshake which I feel was genuine as I dont think they did that to everyone that entered the place. These are reasons I am planning on returning for future visits to the Philippines. I don't need to see the whole country in its entirety, when I find a place that I like and feel welcomed to, I like to go back to that kind of place.

    As far as Military personell all looking the same ? Sure if they are all in uniform and viewed from a certain distance under certain conditions, maybe they could " all look the same " but then again that could apply to alomst any military I would think.

  51. Hi dans – I understand what you are saying. However, I suspect that if President Bush made the same statement about Filipinos there would be an uproar. No?

  52. Hi Danny – The US has helped in many humanitarian missions in the Philippines, and is always welcomed if help is needed. Like you, I am thankful for that.

  53. Hi Bob New York – I can tell you that there is racism in the Philippines. I never noticed it when I vacationed here, but if you live here, you will see it. It is subtle, but present.