We just came from a weekend full of belated Philippine Independence Day (PID) celebrations in Dubai and Abu Dhabi as a sign of respect to the late UAE President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan who passed away on May 13. The country was under a 40-day mourning period which ended last June 21.
The Filipino Social Club or FilSoc had its celebration on June 25 at the Dubai World Trade Center (DWTC) and was attended by Ambassador Hjayceelyn Quintana, Consul General Renato Duenas, Jr., officers and staff of the Philippine Consulate General and Philippine Overseas Labor Office- Overseas Workers Welfare Administration in Dubai and Northern Emirates, and representatives of Dubai’s Community Development Authority and Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department.
Next day there were two celebrations. In Abu Dhabi where Ambassador Quintana spent time with fellow kababayans (compatriots) at the Al Nahda National School. It was organized by the Philippine Business Council – Abu Dhabi and VOD Events, with the participation of the Bayanihan Council.
The second Dubai PID event was also held at the DWTC and was initiated by Emirates Loves Philippines and Philippine Business Council – Dubai and Northern Emirates. Their Guest of Honor was His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence. It was the first time that a PID gathering was graced by a UAE minister who happens to be a member of the Royal Family of Abu Dhabi.
His Excellency said: “Celebrating the 124th Philippine Independence Day, here in the United Arab Emirates, is a celebration of the remarkable Filipino community that constitutes a significant segment of our global culture. Over the years, people from the Philippines have been of vital importance to the success of the United Arab Emirates, and have become global members of its global community.”
His Excellency recognized that the Filipinos have become global members of UAE’s global community. With this statement we should therefore think and act as Global Filipinos – Articulate, Assertive and Adventurous.
Articulate. Filipinos are widely known to always smile even if they are troubled and disheartened. They rarely express themselves on how they really feel. Being in the UAE and with English as the universal language, we should regularly convey our views and thoughts in English, the American version, with our work colleagues to further build our self-confidence. Once comfortable with the daily usage of English we will then become more expressive and employers or top management will definitely notice you which can open up more chances for professional growth. Or even entrepreneurship opportunities.
It’s true that your work output will speak for yourself but there will always be encounters that you will be asked and speaking articulately, not even grammatically correct, will come in handy. Employers and manager are not mind readers. Open your mouth and utter the words that you had longed wanted to share.
Assertive. Filipinos, too, are very shy. Whenever they are asked to render overtime work they simply follow and not complain. Being assertive is not being disrespectful. It is about fairness. Of course, when you assert your right just be sure you articulate your views in a calm and logical manner. There is a saying that the truth shall set you free.
I remember in my first job in 2001 as senior manager for sales and marketing of a Singaporean-owned special events company, the South African marketing head of our parent company was trying to impress my own clients by sending a ‘Thank You’ card using the parent company’s logo. I approached her and said that the clients will be confused why they are receiving a card from a company they had never dealt with. I escalated the issue with our executive director who agreed with me. A week after my clients received another ‘Thank You’ card this time with the logo of the special events company. It was the same marketing head who sent the cards.
Adventurous. This is what we are famous for. But let me set the parameters of what this trait should be in the UAE. It is being innovative, being brave to try new things that would achieve the objectives of one’s company or employer. Disruption is already a sought-after action when competition is getting fiercer every day and the market getting smaller.
Being adventurous is also following your heart, your passion. I left a very comfortable and influential position with ABS-CBN Global in 2007 when I was in charge of sales and marketing in the Middle East. I wanted to resume my PR career which was my profession for nine years in the Philippines before we relocated to Dubai. It’s been 15 years that I really love what I am doing here. I even love doing it 24/7.
I also left a very comfortable and promising job with United Laboratories or Unilab as Corporate Affairs and Communications Manager. I would have been holding a very senior position now but the call to be adventurous was irresistible. My wife and I thought that we can easily return home if things do not turn out well. It’s been 21 years.
When we arrived in Dubai there were just more than 150,000 kababayans (compatriots) in the country which hosted about 140 nationalities. Now we are over 700,000 Filipinos, the 3rd largest ethnic group after the Indians and Pakistanis. Today, the UAE is home to more than 200 nationalities, more than the members of the United Nations.
Let me end this column with the words of Ambassador Quintana: “The presence of Filipinos in the UAE is very important. We are being respected and recognized by the UAE. We have to be very proud of ourselves as Filipinos and we will continue to fly the Philippine flag here in the UAE.”
Note: Art ‘Popoy’ Los Banos is veteran PR consultant with a combined 24-year PR experience in the Philippines and UAE. He is currently the Senior Manager for Corporate Communications of the Tristar Group and is the only Filipino in the senior management team of the Oil & Gas logistics company. He was the former 2008 Philippine Independence Day (PID) organizing committee chairman in Dubai and the Northern Emirates. In December 2019, Los Banos received the Philippine Pride Awards in Public Relations from the Philippine Business Council-Abu Dhabi chapter for his ‘exemplary leadership and tireless efforts to continuously support, boost and campaign for excellence to uplift the Filipino image.’