by Malu Padilla
“In the Service of our Kababayans” -
Bayanihan Philippine Women’s Centre
Just like in any part of the world where they are, Filipinos in The Netherlands are found in various sectors of the Dutch society. Today, the majority of the Filipino community is composed of permanent residents, complimented by a number of students and scholars, au pairs, refugees, land-based seafarers and oilrig workers, and undocumented (domestic) workers. They work in the professional sector, local government, entertainment, and in the formal and informal service sectors. Some are self-employed who have put up their own businesses offering various services from selling Filipino products to shipping balikbayan boxes. There are big concentrations of the Filipino community in the major cities like Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht, and also in big towns and municipalities. But it’s not unusual to find Filipinas even in small villages.
According to the Dutch Central Bureau of Statistics, as of July 2006 there are 13,499 registered Filipinos in The Netherlands, 67 percent (9,075) of which are women. Of the total community population, 64 percent are first generation migrants, 79 percent are women. In comparison with the second generation which make up 36 percent of the community, there is a slight tip of the balance with males making up 52 percent. With regard to their civil status, 56 percent of the first generation Filipinas are married, 80 percent with Dutch partners. A very small percentage, around 7 percent are divorced.
Compared to official figures, based on its own work and research, Bayanihan Foundation estimates, however, that there are 17,000 to 19,000 Filipinos in The Netherlands, including those without papers, land-based seafarers and offshore workers. Majority of the Filipinas who are married assumed their Dutch husbands names in their registrations and passports, hence their Philippine origin is not easy to trace anymore. Nobody can exactly tell how many Filipino residents are there in The Netherlands.
The Netherlands prouds itself in being a model of a welfare state. In 2005, it ranked 12th as ‘most liveable country’ according to the UN Human Development Index.4 The Netherlands is known to be an open, tolerant and multicultural society. It opened its doors to refugees fleeing dictatorships in the 1960s and 1970s. Its controversial liberal policy on soft drugs and regularisation of prostitution is either applauded or criticised by governments worldwide. It started receiving migrant workers for its reconstruction after World War II in the 1960s. The flow of migrant workers from Northern Africa and its former colonies has continued in the past 20 years.
However, during the past 10-15 years, and most recently due to economic decline and the upsurge of what they call ‘economic refugees,’ the government has introduced more restrictive and discriminatory migration laws. Moreover, with the war against terror, more and more restrictive laws are put in place. For those wishing to migrate to The Netherlands, acquiring a working or residence permit has been more difficult than ever. These restrictions have tremendously affected women migrants.
Today, according to official figures by the Dutch Central Bureau of Statistics, 4.3 percent of the total Dutch population have a foreign origin or background. The big groups of migrants are composed of Surinamese, Moroccans, Turks and Antilleans. It is a common street scene to see a lot of coloured people in the big cities and towns.
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