• About Us
    • Fact Checking Policy
    • Ownership & funding information
    • Volunteer
  • Subscribe
  • Letter submission
    • Submissions Policy
  • Contact Us
The Online Citizen Asia
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Singapore
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
    • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Politics
    • Civil Society
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
No Result
View All Result
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Singapore
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
    • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Politics
    • Civil Society
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
No Result
View All Result
The Online Citizen Asia
No Result
View All Result

The Filipinos who made Singapore, Singapore

by onlinecitizen
26/04/2014
in Commentaries
Reading Time: 5 mins read
10

By Ng Yi-Sheng
A couple of days ago, I woke up to find this in my Facebook feed:
FilipinoSingapore01
It’s a post from activist Gilbert Goh which reads:

“Dear Filipinos, If you insist on celebrating your national day at Orchard, we will take this as an act of WAR and will defend ourselves with our lives as this is our country, our land! Be warned!”

I’m frankly appalled that Gilbert Goh, a man who speaks for the oppressed in Singapore, could stoop to such violent threats. Remember, all we’re talking about is an independence day event in a shopping mall. Since when did Takashimaya become a sacred space? It’s not like they want to hold the celebrations at Kranji War Memorial.
Anyway, my response to this piece of negativity is going to be a little list to remind all of us Singaporeans of how Filipinos have contributed to our culture and society. For instance:

FilipinoSingapore02

The Singaporean nationalists who fought for independence in the 1950s and ‘60s were inspired by the great Filipino national hero José Rizal, who was executed by Spanish colonial forces in 1896.
FilipinoSingapore03FilipinoSingapore04
The 1950s and 1960s were also the Golden Age of Malay Film in Singapore. During this time, a number of Filipino directors like Eddy Infante, T.C. Santos and Rolf Bayer were involved in our film industry. Lamberto Avellana even directed a P. Ramlee movie, “Sarjan Hassan”. As for Ramon Estella, he directed 11 films for both Cathay-Keris and Shaw, including the famous “Anak Pontianak”.
FilipinoSingapore13
UPDATE: I’ve just been reminded about the internationally successful Singapore movie They Call Her Cleopatra Wong, released in 1978. It was written, directed and produced by Filipino filmmaker Bobby A. Suarez.
FilipinoSingapore05.jpg
· The historical dioramas in the old National Museum of Singapore were also built by Filipinos. The Ayala Museum in Manila created them for us in 1984. (A couple are still on show at the Asian Civilisations Museum.)
(Photo of Diorama of Samsui Women is from Steel Wool, some rights reserved https://www.flickr.com/photos/wynnie/8185069028/in/set-72157632008049640 )
FilipinoSingapore06
· For many years, the Director of the SAF Music and Drama Company was a Filipina by the name of Babes Conde. She has lived here since 1985, and also served as Musical Director for many Singaporean musicals, such as Dick Lee’s Beauty World and Fried Rice Paradise.
FilipinoSingapore07
· The beautiful stained glass window in the chapel of the Singapore Art Museum (former Saint Joseph’s Institute) was created by Filipino artist Ramon Orlina. He also has a sculpture at the National Stadium.
FilipinoSingapore08
· The political cartoonist Miel, who has contributed to the Straits Times and has also written a comic book about Singapore, is also Filipino. His full name is Prudencio Miel and he has lived here since 1992.
FilipinoSingapore09FilipinoSingapore10
· Alkaff Bridge at Robertson Quay wasn’t always so colourful. It was painted in 2004 by the Filipino artist Pacita Abad, who wanted to present it as a final gift to Singapore while she was dying from cancer.
FilipinoSingapore11
· Singaporean artist and filmmaker Brian Gothong Tan is half Filipino. He did the special effects and video for the National Day Parades in 2009 and 2011.
FilipinoSingapore12
· TODAY reporter Mayo Martin is also Filipino. He’s a one-man arts magazine, giving wide and dedicated coverage to Singaporean theatremakers, dancers, artists and writers on his blog for the last ten years. He’s an integral part of the local arts scene. And yet when he published his poetry book, “Occupational Hazards”, in Singapore, the National Library was reluctant to put it under Singapore Literature because he hasn’t been able to get PR status.

healthcare professionals
Image credit: ST
· And let’s not forget the thousands of Filipino domestic workers, nurses, construction workers and service staff who have worked in Singapore in the past and present, doing the work that Singaporeans don’t want to do themselves.
This isn’t a complete list, by any means. I haven’t talked about how my Warrant Officer in the army was a Filipino whom everyone thought was Indian, or how I discovered Filipino universities were teaching Singaporean literature before NUS and NTU… the examples are endless.
Some of us Singaporeans have had bad encounters with Filipinos. That’s not unusual in an overcrowded society like ours. But don’t forget: our country’s a patchwork, made up of influences from all over the place, including the Philippines. We have always been diverse. And it’s my opinion that we would lose nothing by letting another community celebrate their festivals.
 

For just US$7.50 a month, sign up as a subscriber on The Online Citizen Asia (and enjoy ads-free experience on our site) to support our mission to transform TOC into an alternative mainstream press.

Related Posts

Mrs Teo says SG continues to invest in training local talent while MNCs transfer staff to work in SG
Labour

Mrs Teo says SG continues to invest in training local talent while MNCs transfer staff to work in SG

27/01/2023
One third of Amazon ‘degraded’ by human activity, drought: study
AFP

One third of Amazon ‘degraded’ by human activity, drought: study

27/01/2023
Luxembourg court sets aside Sulu heirs’ attachment order to enforce US$15b claim against Malaysia
Court Cases

Luxembourg court sets aside Sulu heirs’ attachment order to enforce US$15b claim against Malaysia

27/01/2023
Philippines to appeal ICC resumption of drug war probe
AFP

Philippines to appeal ICC resumption of drug war probe

27/01/2023
ASEAN

ASEAN governments must stop using ‘lawfare’ against critics, Southeast Asian MPs say

27/01/2023
Low Yen Ling says MTI and MAS don’t expect persistent inflation but they now say inflation projected to “stay elevated”
Economics

Low Yen Ling says MTI and MAS don’t expect persistent inflation but they now say inflation projected to “stay elevated”

27/01/2023
Subscribe
Connect withD
Login
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
Notify of
Connect withD
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
10 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Latest posts

Mrs Teo says SG continues to invest in training local talent while MNCs transfer staff to work in SG

Mrs Teo says SG continues to invest in training local talent while MNCs transfer staff to work in SG

27/01/2023
One third of Amazon ‘degraded’ by human activity, drought: study

One third of Amazon ‘degraded’ by human activity, drought: study

27/01/2023
Luxembourg court sets aside Sulu heirs’ attachment order to enforce US$15b claim against Malaysia

Luxembourg court sets aside Sulu heirs’ attachment order to enforce US$15b claim against Malaysia

27/01/2023
Philippines to appeal ICC resumption of drug war probe

Philippines to appeal ICC resumption of drug war probe

27/01/2023

ASEAN governments must stop using ‘lawfare’ against critics, Southeast Asian MPs say

27/01/2023
Low Yen Ling says MTI and MAS don’t expect persistent inflation but they now say inflation projected to “stay elevated”

Low Yen Ling says MTI and MAS don’t expect persistent inflation but they now say inflation projected to “stay elevated”

27/01/2023
Malaysian court sentences man to 1,050 years’ jail, 24 strokes of the cane, for raping stepdaughter 105 times

Thai court jails activist for 28 years jail for royal defamation

26/01/2023
Earning only S$400 a month, delivery-rider turned hawker threw in the towel after two years of running a rojak stall

Earning only S$400 a month, delivery-rider turned hawker threw in the towel after two years of running a rojak stall

26/01/2023

Trending posts

Two Indian nationals paid about S$330 and S$730 respectively for forged certificates submitted in their S-Pass application

MOM found issuing EPs meant for foreign PMETs to PRC waitress and general worker

by Correspondent
26/01/2023
32

...

Ho Ching breaks silence over Temasek’s write down of its US$275 million investment in FTX, says it “can afford to be contrarian”

US regulator questions VCs’ due diligence work prior to investing in FTX; Ho Ching says Temasek can afford to be contrarian

by The Online Citizen
24/01/2023
28

...

Indian rupee falls 60% since signing of CECA while Singapore becomes top investor in India

by Correspondent
25/01/2023
46

...

The Filipinos who made Singapore, Singapore

by onlinecitizen
26/04/2014
10

...

“党籍不会过期失效”  前进党称已就党籍终止知会卡拉

AGC asked to explain purposes of 68 private letters of inmates illegitimately forwarded to prosecutors

by The Online Citizen
21/01/2023
16

...

Temasek and GIC reportedly in talks with Adani Group accused of “brazen” market manipulation and accounting fraud

Temasek and GIC reportedly in talks with Adani Group accused of “brazen” market manipulation and accounting fraud

by The Online Citizen
26/01/2023
32

...

April 2014
M T W T F S S
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
282930  
« Mar   May »
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Letter submission
  • Contact Us

© 2006 - 2021 The Online Citizen

No Result
View All Result
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Civil Society
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
  • Politics
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
  • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Subscribers login

© 2006 - 2021 The Online Citizen

wpDiscuz