Chinese Filipino - Future Trends

Future Trends

Most of the Chinese Filipinos are descendants of Chinese who migrated three or four generations ago. In the case of most Chinese mestizos, this can be as far back as five, six, or up to eight generations ago.

With the current local, regional, and global events, experts foresee four major trends that will eventually occur within the Chinese Filipino community - Assimilation and Integration into the general Philippine populace, Separation through re-emphasis on "Chineseness", Returning to the Ancestral Land, or eventual Emigration to North America or Australasia.

Assimilation and Integration

Assimilation is defined as the adoption of the cultural norms of the dominant or host culture, while Integration is defined as the adoption of the cultural norms of the dominant or host culture while maintaining their culture of origin.

As of the present day, due to the effects of globalization in the Philippines, there has been a marked tendency to assimilate to North American lifestyles among both Chinese Filipinos as well as ethnic Filipinos. This is especially true for younger Chinese Filipinos living in Metro Manila who are gradually shifting to English as their preferred language, thus identifying more with North American culture, at the same time speaking Chinese among themselves. Similarly, as the cultural divide between Chinese Filipinos and other Filipinos erode, there is a steady increase of intermarriages with ethnic Filipinos, with their children completely identifying with the Filipino culture and way of life. Assimilation is gradually taking place in the Philippines, albeit at a slower rate as compared to Thailand.

On the other hand, the largest Chinese Filipino organization, the Kaisa para sa Kaunlaran openly espouses eventual integration of the Chinese Filipinos with the rest of Philippine society and clamors for Chinese language education that will closely mirror the Philippine experience.

Meanwhile, the general Philippine public is largely neutral regarding the role of the Chinese Filipinos in the Philippines. While some ethnic Chinese Filipinos still hold discriminatory attitudes as seen through periodic anti-Chinese comments in Philippine cyberspace and view the Chinese as outsiders, many have embraced the Chinese Filipinos as fellow Philippine citizens and even encouraged them to assimilate and participate in the formation of the Philippines' destiny.

Separation by Re-emphasis on "Chineseness"

Separation is defined as the rejection the dominant or host culture in favor of preserving their culture of origin, often characterized by the presence of ethnic enclaves. The current Chinese Filipino community is better described as a "separated community" in reference to the general Philippine society at large.

The recent rapid economic growth of both China and Taiwan as well as the successful business acumen of Overseas Chinese have fueled among many Chinese Filipinos (and a few Chinese Mestizos) a sense of "Chinese pride" through immersion and regaining interest in Chinese culture, customs, values, and language while remaining in the Philippines.

Despite the community's inherent preference toward cultural separation and the perceived indifference of the Philippine government regarding ills that affect ethnic Chinese (e.g., frequent kidnapping for ransom) - there are no calls for political separation (e.g., autonomy or complete independence) from the Philippine state.

Returning to the Ancestral Land

Many Chinese-Filipino entrepreneurs and professionals have flocked to their ancestral homeland to partake of business and employment opportunities opened up by China's emergence as a global economic superpower.

As above, the fast economic growth of China and the increasing popularity of Chinese culture has also helped fan pro-China patriotism among a small proportion of Chinese Filipinos who espouse ai guo ai xiang sentiments (love of ancestral country and hometown).

Emigration to North America and Australasia

During the 1990s to the early 2000s, rampant kidnapping and murder of Chinese Filipinos forced a large number of well-to-do Chinese Filipino families to acquire North American or Australasian passports and send their children abroad to attend prestigious North America or Australasian Universities. Many of these children are opting to remain after graduation to start professional careers in North America or Australasia, despite the gradual decrease in both kidnapping and murder in the Philippines.

Many Philippine-educated Chinese Filipinos from middle-class families are also migrating to North America and Australasia owing from fear regarding the political stability of the country. Those who have family businesses regularly commute between North America (or Australasia) and the Philippines. In this way, they follow the well-known pattern of other Chinese immigrants to North America who lead "astronaut" lifestyles: family in North America, business in Asia.

With the increase in political stability and economic growth in Asia, this trend is becoming significantly less popular for Chinese Filipinos.

Read more about this topic:  Chinese Filipino

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