Hey Joe is Racist!
While living in the Philippines, I’ve seen expats becoming irate because of the frequent calling out of “Hey Joe” in the Philippines. I’ve heard others say they don’t like it. I don’t particularly like it myself but, its 
not racist. That’s just crazy in my mind and its no big deal to me when someone says that to me. Of all the things in the world to complain about, does this really warrant one moment of our time. No, it doesn’t
It seems obvious to me the origin of this term is from the US itself. We used the term GI for our military. There was a movie that came out in 1945 titled The Story of GI Joe. This movie was a tribute to America’s fighting men. I think there were also some GI Joe posters published by the US Government as part of a public relations campaign. During WWII and the cold war, the USA had military bases all over the world. So these poster went up in those places. And of course, we can’t forget the first action figure which was GI Joe!
It seems people enjoy complaining but to take this term as racist is taking it out of context. Its not racist. Its English, easy to say and that’s really all there is to it. Putting more into it is just out of line. How could this term be considered racist. If this term offends you, please tell me how.
Sometimes I try to think of something witty to say back but nothing has ever occurred to me until just this very minute. What about “Hey Flip?” Would that term be offensive to Filipino? If so, forgive me in advance as its not meant that way by me, I just don’t know better. 
So set me straight. Even if it is though, it makes no difference on how I see “Hey Joe.” It is not offensive to me. Its nothing more than an easy way for non-English speakers to say hello. It has become part of the culture of the Philippines.
Do you see it differently?
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Nope. I guess I’m used to it by now. Sometimes I ask them How did you know my name is Joe? This seems to confuse them a lot. Usually I just smile and keep moving.
Jessie told me to say Hey waun. That’s probably not the right spelling, but that’s basically how you say Joe in Filipino.
I like that idea. 
Watching an expat go ballastic over this issue on some mostly defunct website caused me to write this story.
Rusty it is Juan (phonetically: ho-wan) for filipino…do not call Pinoys flip or u will be in trouble…
I mentioned that before that Joe is the most common name for foreigners who come to the Philippines…that’s why I told Joe B about this, It is not being a racist but it has something to do with the military who came to the the Phils during the war. I do not who started this but probably somebody whose name was Joe and told a Filipino that his name is Joe and that filipino thought that every foreigner is named Joe and got stuck til now.
Anyway, it is a good
Terry, this term is not llimited to the Philippines. It is used in many other areas too. Some super rich man is building a resort for super rich and its called Hey Joe. Some place in Europe.
Jessie doesn’t mind flip but I wont do that. Its just a name though. I don’t want to be beat with sticks, so I wont.
I’ll just do Hey Juan.
Hi Rust, “Flip” as Filipinos is a term only used here in the US. “Flip” in the Phil is a slang w/ means weirdo or “buang”.
I like how you are able to articulate the inexplicable “Hey Joe” thing. That’s all there is to it–nothing.
Yeah I know it has no meaning. I discovered pretty early on that the best way to ask about Philippine culture is to ask a Filipino. LOL Its even better though to ask three or four because you might get different answers. All of them being correct.
I also know that most Filipino see being white as something to look up too. I sure hope we white folks living here don’t spoil that!
You know what, we probably will spoil it. We don’t deserve to be looked up too. We are no better than anyone else. If we are looked up too, we’ll end up on a pedestal and no person can ever live up to those expectations.
We are just people. Some of us with lots of money. Some Filipino have lots of money too.
I’m pretty sure ‘flip’ is a derogatory term. I wouldn’t use it.
Best I’ve come up with is ‘Hey, what?’
But I agree, Hey Joe definitely isn’t racist.
Hi Jim, nice to have you speak up.
I don’t know, two white guys have told me it was.. I asked my Filipina girlfriend and she said it wasn’t.
I had a friend that was Filipino but lived in the US. Her online name was FlipChick. Man she is one smoking hot girl.
Hi Jim, nice to have you speak up.
I don’t know, two white guys have told me it was.. I asked my Filipina girlfriend and she said it wasn’t.
I had a friend that was Filipino but lived in the US. Her online name was FlipChick. Man she is one smoking hot girl.
I’m kind of tired of hearing Hey Joe but its not racist.
You can turn anything you want into a racist term. That is why this PC mumbo jumbo is so much BS. I’ll give you an example the blacks in America were up in arms years ago about some childrens storys about little black Sambo do you remember them? Well here is the kicker Sambo was not African he was Indian (Like from India) and therfore an Aryan despite his skin color. Yet the blacks claimed it was offensive to them.
If you are willing to look hard enough there is someone who can find anything offensive. There are indeed terms that are blatiantly racist. Many of them are now out of common use to the betterment of us all. If someone is trying to hurl a racist slur at me and hey joe is all they’ve got I’ll just laugh in their face.
Tom, the term, “Little Black Sambo” is offensive on the face of it. Ii wish I could remember more about what was inside them. I remember being shocked at was inside.
I don’t remember it, I learned about it later.
I know it didn’t seem like to it to many white people but then, for many white people, neither was slavery.
From Wikipedia:
“The Story of Little Black Sambo, a children’s book by Helen Bannerman, a Scot who lived for 30 years in Madras in southern India, was first published in London in 1899. (An American edition of the book was illustrated by Florence White Williams.) In the tale, an Indian boy named Sambo prevails over a group of hungry tigers. The little boy has to give his colourful new clothes, shoes, and umbrella to four tigers so they will not eat him. Sambo recovers the clothes when the jealous, conceited tigers chase each other around a tree until they are reduced to a pool of delicious melted butter. The story was a children’s favourite for half a century, but then became controversial due to the use of the word sambo, a racial slur in some countries[1], and the illustrations, which are reminiscent of “darky iconography”.”
This is from the wikipedia article on little black sambo. It had nothing to do with American or African blacks. The later illistrations are what stigmatized the book. The original illistrations were of a south indian. So they are offended by something that had nothing to do with them to begin with.
I read that article on Wikipedia too.
The term “little black” is always racist. It was frequently used. “Little Stevie Wonder” to help make Stevie Wonder more acceptable to white people.
Now finish up your research and search for the word Sambo on Wiki. Its a racist term.
The character was used often in cartoons and was depicted as a stupid black man.
That was after the book was written. The story was originaly written in 1899. The other stuff followed after.
Years ago, all the porters on trains in the U.S. were black. The ones that worked for the Pullman Company were called George in honor of George Pullman the founder of the company. Even though this was intended to be a good thing, the porters all considered this to be derogatory and racist. Any time you try to lump everyone into one category, giving them all the same name, thinking all are rich, thinking all are smart, or whatever, you are assuming a lot that isn’t true. I hate being called Joe. I tried calling Filipinos “Phil” and they hated that. If you can dish it out you have to take it.
You’re entitled to what you like and don’t like.
For me its way too insignificant and no harm is intended by it. I get tired of it, much like I get tired of people in the Southern USA asking “is it hot enough for you?” It gets old but its no more racist than the hot enough question.
Trying to compare a white American in another land to a group of black men in the US is about as far away as you can get for two groups. The people calling the black men that mostly were racist and thought themselves better than the porters. White men were not enslaved, denied the right to vote, hung in the street, had their killers let loose by juries that wouldn’t sentence a white man for killing a black man.
Filipino have no such history of horrible racism of this type.
Beautiful!
Bill should get a sense of who calls him “hey joe”. Why would he take offense–he who must have been educated in the best US educ could offer–over people who were just happy to see a white man? Bill is not on the same demographics w/ those people calling him “hey joe”.
No, there is a huge gap in the two cultures.
I see people in the states get so upset when someone says their name wrong. I’ve never understood this. Its not an intentional thing, why act like it matters.
A person’s intent is all that should matter at all. And even if they mean evil intent, blow it off, life really is too short to spend 5 seconds on things like this. Just say hello back and you’ll get a big smile, every time.
If you were a black person visiting Atlanta, Georgia, 50 years ago you’d be called N by practically everyone. And I’ve seen black people HERE called N by EDUCATED people. I see Europeans called AMERICANS. I’ve heard people who say that U.S. President Obama is not American because he’s black. And they were educated.
Yes, I know that most people who call me Joe probably don’t know any better. Just like the folks in Georgia in the late fifties. But it’s still racism.
Bill, how long has it been since you’ve been to the states? Its not longer acceptable to use that word at all in public. I don’t really agree with that, you should be able to repeat what someone else said but it could get me into trouble with my sponsors so I had to edit it.
People might not like that either but I don’t get any volunteers offering donations either.
Advertising is a fact of life on the net. Its either that or pay sites and that would suck if there were no more free sites.
Anyone that would say Obama is not president because he is black is uneducated, even if they went to harvard. They are completely in the dark about life. I wonder how they can wrap there tiny little minds around that one. The constitution doesn’t require a white man but rather a person over the age of 35:
Article II, Section 1, Clause 5 of the Constitution sets the principal qualifications one must meet to be eligible to the office of President. A President must:
* be a natural born citizen of the United States;
* be at least thirty-five years old;
* have been a permanent resident in the United States for at least fourteen years.
It wasn’t just 50 years ago, 30 years ago I know I heard that word used a lot. I grew up in Jackson, Ms. You know though, when MLK was in a northern state, I think Illinois, he got basically got run out of town and said something like “these people should go to Ms and teach them how to hate.” He left early because he didn’t want to protest to turn violent. He was against violence. You may know all that. Others might not.
As for calling you Joe, there’s no reason for anyone to know better, there’s nothing wrong with the term. Its just not racist. Once again, intent is everything..
Also, I got called down when I called didn’t call a woman named JOAN Jo-ann (not Jone), the way it’s pronounced here. And a man named JOEL is Jo-ell (not Jole). They got very angry. This was at work and these were clients.
I wasn’t there but that is so not the Filipino way, however, I am making the mistake of applying what I know about the Philippines to all of the Philippines which is always dangerous.
Perhaps in Makati that’s the way people act.. I don’t know.
I can’t imagine any of the Filipino I’ve met would get upset with the pronounciation of their names. If so they’d just have to be upset. Sometimes, I can’t even hear Cebuano words, I need them spelled out for me before I can even make sense off them at all. Pronouncing things correctly may never be possible, my tongue just will not roll those R’s.
Nothing I said was intended to attack you. Roy is Filipino and I like him around to keep me on my toes as he’ll call you out in a heartbeat. He seems to do that to expats as a hobby. LOL
He is often wrong about the Philippines too though.
He applies his Manila experience to all of the country at times and then he’s making the same mistake I just admitted to making.
Your input is valued even if I totally disagree with it.
Rusty, I consider myself as someone from Manila but that does not mean I cannot approximate the attitude and behavior of most Filipinos throughout the islands. Manila is also home to all the ethnic groups found in the Phil. Essentially, we are all the same. I also had the benefit of traveling from north to south even within my modest means. I try as much as I can to get the feel of the place, talk to locals and everything. I do point out though from time to time that I do not share the horrific shopping experiences of someone from DVO since it’s obvious that the most the I’ve done shopping there are pasalubong items. So what maybe the norm there is definitely not true in Manila. & I accept that. In the same way that what may be annoying there, like water interruption or rain during the day are just all in day’s work in Manila–so to speak.
But to Bill’s issues. I can attest that Filipinos will not take offense when you mispronounce your names. Even Filipinos themselves are likely to mispronounce their kababayan’s names, i.e., another Filipino might pronounce “Vincent” as VENcint. And about your concept of “educated”, the people who call you “Hey Joe” are not ‘educated’ in the context that you use it.
But that doesn’t mean Filipinos are not racists. They are just not being racists when they call you ” hey joe” or when they just assume every white man as an american. The first one are just excited to see a white man. The second one has no knowledge of geography.
I agree with you on the hey joe but I do find them to be far less racist than American’s are.
I did hear some negative things about Obama from a Filipino, because he was black. That surprised me. Most of the Filipino that talked to me about it, supported Obama.
As for your deducing what the rest of the Philippines are like based on your own exeperience, I certainly agree that you are in a much better position to do so than I am. On the other hand, you have been totally wrong in some cases. It was you that taught me one cannot apply what they know about the Philippines to the entire Philippines. Mostly over the Christmas traditions that you assured me were not Filipino traditions. You were just 100% wrong. Something, I think you find hard to compute.
I very stupidly commented to someone I didn’t know that I didn’t vote for Obama (I’m Republican), which is something we’d say where I came from and everyone would get over it. I was told about how racist I am. I shut up. I didn’t want an argument (and they don’t want to have confrontations?)
Your experience in the Philippines has been vastly different than my own.
Its like a parallel universe it is so vastly different.
Rusty, our disagreement over that Filipino Christmas tradition is simply on your obstinate use of those words–Filipino Christmas tradition. Well, you can argue that I am wrong because it truly happens there every Christmas: Mountain people descend to the town, knock on the doors and expect money to be given. If food instead of money is given, those mountain people will get upset.
That’s how you describe the “Filipino Christmas Tradition.” If I wrongly misunderstood you, then we have nothing to quarrel about. But if that’s how you describe the “Filipino Christmas Tradition” there, then I will tell you–like what I’ve told you then–that we do not have such Filipino Christmas tradition. We do not have to call that a tradition, let alone, have it persist because it’s Christmas anyway. We simply call that extortion. Unlike you Rusty, I do not use qualifiers like “Filipino” or “Christmas” and nouns like “tradition” very lightly. To describe it as “Filipino” it means that it’s widespread and not limited to a certain locality, something that most Filipinos would do. To qualify it further as a “Christmas” thing, it means that there is a modicum of Christianity there. And to nail the practice as a “tradition”, it’s as if you have legitimized the act as the collective repository of the things we Filipinos hold close to our hearts.
Each of those words should not be associated with the acts that you described. They can be summed up though in one word–extortion. A beggar who depends on the liberality of another person and if that person sees fit to give food, instead of money and the beggar demands money is simply extorting money. And if you give in to that demands, there is a word for you as well that escapes me. Anyway, I hope I have made it clear what is not a “Filipino Christmas Tradition” . People knocking on doors during Christmas and demanding money are extortionists. Not even panhandlers because at least pan handlers do not exact compliance.
Wait a minute, what about the basureros (garbage men) passing latas (tins for coins) during Christmas. Well, they are exempted. For the most part of the year, people stay away from them as quickly as they can because of the smell so during Christmas they feel that they owe some token of appreciation. We do not begrudge them. Foreigners though are not required. You can refuse Rusty. You can always refuse.
It maybe true that it really happened to you–people ask for “pamasko” (Christmas gifts)
Roy, this is a serious case of the pot calling the kettle black. I’ve explained why it is, in fact, absolutely a tradition in parts of the Philippines. One I’ve now witnessed for myself.
You have made other generalizations about the Philippines that do not apply to all of the Philippines. I don’t recall what.
Rusty, that’s not a responsive reply. In fact, it’s like you did not reply at all. You maintain that it is a tradition but you didn’t say w/c part of the the Phil where they– mountain people or people– knock on doors during Christmas and expect people to give money them money and if they do not get money they are w/n their rights to throw a fit until they get the money. I assume you’re referring to Bogo. I’m sorry I will not let this pass because any ignorant foreigner would rethink their thoughts about the Fil in general. I gave you a lot of chance to clarify the acts you pointed out as “Fil Christmas tradition”. But your silence on that from time to time only confirms how I understood you then w/c is the same as how I understood you now. By your insistence to label that act w/c may have happened to as Fil Christmas Tradition, you have painted a bad image to the Filipinos Chrismas tradition. Non-Filipinos would “oh that’s a “Fil Christmas tradition” accdg to this white guy who lives in Bogo. That a christmas tradition in the Phil exists where extortion is allowed. In short, extortion is legal during Christmas. You have been propagating these lies about the Phil, besmirching its image where money is demandable during Christmas,and that unlike elsewhere, beggars here can be choosers as long as it’s a legal tender.
Then, you still insist that I make generalizations about the Phil but then you cannot point out w/c exactly to merit your constant harping about it. I imagine it is not as serious as you decreeing that asking knocking on doors and asking money during Christmas is a Filipino Christmas Tradition. Since you are not a Filipino, it boggles me how you have arrived into this conclusion.
I non-responsive response? I like that one, a lot.
I’m sorry you’re unhappy with my response. Had you read my previous ones you would know how I have arrived at my conclusions. I’ve explained it several times.
Not “non-responsive response” Rusty but a non responsive reply. The latter should be the one that you should like.
Roy, surely you didn’t mean to say that no Filipino would take offense. I would think that some would. It is rare though and compared to Americans its far less likely. How many times have I seen you jump on someone for generalizing?
My x-wife would get so hacked off when she’d get junk mail with her first name wrong. I man come on, its a freaking computer spitting out that junk mail. I later discovered that she was mentally ill in a way that she couldn’t consider anything but herself.
Pride, misplaced pride is what causes an over reaction to someone’s name being pronounced wrong. Its silly since people spell and pronounce names any way they wish when they are named.
Most Filipino are in better touch with what is important in life than to get offended from someone getting their name messed up.
I know how one becomes President. I’m an educator. I was telling how people here reacted when Obama became President. White means American. I would love him to come down here and say only, “I am an American.” People will be shocked.
And the word bothers me, too. I always get an excuse that it’s a Cebuano word. I went to Xavier University here in CDO to ask about it and an English professor there told me that the word was first used by the US Navy personnel stationed here. They used the word with the locals and, when they asked what it meant, told them it meant “faithful dark servant,” something like “Kemo Sabe.” Consequently, most Mindanaoans think that word is a native word in the language.
I never said you didn’t know how. I said the people that hold the position that a black man can’t be president is ridiculous. So ridiculous I wonder how they get out the door. Its also extremely racist.
Man I think you let way too much bother you but its your choice. I could care less where people think a word came from..
I meant, to the people here white means American. I hate it when people, usually educated people, tell me I look American because I have pasty white skin. I was with a Scottish friend who, when he was told by a person in a restaurant by a waiter that it was good to have an American, punched him out. It’s bigotry, plain and simple.
Do you like the Philippines?
I’m unsure who punched him out but if they were a Filipino, the puncher should be thrown right out of the country.
Hi Bill, I deduce from your writing that you are not american but still you are a native speaker of English so pardon me if I will copy paste here the definition of bigotry which is pretty strong word I never got to use there when I was in my country but which I only encounter when I got here in the states.
“A bigot is a person who is intolerant of or takes offense to the opinions, lifestyles or identities differing from his or her own, and bigotry is the corresponding attitude or mindset.” …
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bigotry
Now, let me apply this definition in the context you used it. You and another friend walked into a restaurant and according to you, and I quote here “he was told by a person in a restaurant by a waiter that it was good to have an American.”
I actually got confused here. Your friend was “told by a person in a restaurant…by a waiter..that it was good to have an american.” Are there two persons here?
Be that as it may, the waiter whom you assume to ‘educated’ is only saying that he appreciates your business. More to the point, he’s excited at the prospect of serving foreigners who are by his assumptions are americans (due to the inconsequential fact that you’re caucasians). Unfortunately for the rest of caucasians, Americans are reputed to be very good in tipping. Even Europeans know that. Italians, Spaniards & French (well, I’m not sure w/ the French) know that americans tip well. There’s a good reason to that. Tipping is deeply ingrained here. You do not like being mistaken for an american. I can understand that. But unfortunately for you, you are in the Phil. Americans are embraced there. Elsewhere though, I’ve heard of Americans impersonating themselves as Canadians. My point is people adapt to the locality they are in either for survival or just to enjoy more.
I am an American. But I have many friends. And I am not as rude in public as my thoughts here make me seem. I have lots of questions. I’ve lived in other Southeast Asian countries.
When I lived in Indonesia, I was one of those “high on the hog” foreign English teachers (under the guise of a high school music teacher) who only got paid the same as the local teachers at my school (with additional pay for housing, transportation, children’s education, and helpers). One Sunday, we told our maid that we would have guests coming with us after church to eat lunch and use the recreational facilities at the school. She asked if they were American. My wife said yes.
We let our guests in the house first and the maid would of greeted them, except that she ran and screamed, “You told me they are American! They are not American! They are black!” Fortunately for our friends (both the husband and wife worked for the US Government), they had been with this before and did not feel insulted. But they said it took about 40 times before they got used to it.
Having lived in Vietnam, Singapore (the most tolerant), and Malaysia, I can tell you that this idea abounds in all those places. But the most educated and exposed understand that the color of a person’s skin does not mean nationality. And here the two terms are used as synonyms.
And about the mispronunciation of names: Yes, some Filipinos ARE offended by mispronunciation of their names. I will never forget the hour long lecture I received from my boss about the sanctity of a person’s name.
Well,I think your boss is ego tripping. In any case, he is not like most Filipinos. I for one can say this. I have the distinction of having almost a girl’s name. One little mispronouncing of my name will definitely make it a girl’s name. I never take offense over that. I feel that my values and sensitivity are same w/ the rest of pinoys. Although sometimes I have a more acute sense of taking offense.
It wasn’t just me. It was clients.
You know what they say: First impressions last forever. They can NEVER be erased.
I have been in other parts of the Philippines. When I arrived here, I went to the Cagayan Valley. What you said about racism here applies there. I was in Cavite. Not a quiet place, not even compared to Manila. Was robbed twice in Cebu. (Filipino police are good in that they don’t make the victim feel bad about having been in a crime.) I’ve been here in Northern Mindanao since last late last year.
i am always proud when someone calls out hey joe to me–my standard answer is hey my friend
I came across this blog while looking for some G.I. Joe fun facts. I don’t even know why I clicked the link. I guess it was the title…
Anyway, if I may, I’d like to put my 2 cents in.
First of all, I agree that “Hey Joe!” is not racist. And I’m not saying that just because I’m Filipino.
Most Filipinos cannot speak english fluently. They may know a few words here and there from watching TV ( A favorite pastime), and have a small grasp of what those words may mean, but it is rare that they will have full comprehension of them.
The phrase “Hey Joe!” is merely a greeting used by those that can’t speak English very well to acknowledge the presence of a Caucasian. Think “Hey man!” or “What’s up Dude?”. For most Filipinos, “Hey Joe!” is the same thing.
And terry, you are right. The use of “Hey Joe!” springs way back to when we were still at war. I know because my grandfather, who was in the war, says hi to all his American buddies by saying, “Hey Joe!”…
Hello Erric!
Seems many expats have a hobby of sitting around and complaining about the Philippines. This complaint about Hey Joe is, in my opinion, just that, something to complain about. We go out on a limb if we acknowledge we like something so we humans often take the safer route and put something down. When we do that we are more likely to accepted into the group. I say we but, I’m not included. There is nothing wrong with the term “Hey Joe” it is obviously routed in WWII and its a term used all over the world, not just in the Philippines.
I hope youu keep coming, can always use a Filipino hanging around to keep me accurate.
Rusty,
No doubt. To me, it’s all about perception…
Sure thing. I’ll add your blog to my Favorites list.
I think it should be looked at with the intent of the person that says it.
Exactly…
I don’t know why some people tend to react right away instead of taking a step back and looking at the situation before they actually react.
The phrase: “Shoot first, ask questions later.” comes to mind…
Im a filipina but in washington state now, Here’s what christmas is all about in cebu. Its mostly a religoius thing and suppose to be very fun specially for kids. When I was growing up. We do carolling you go to houses and they give you 1 peso , 2 pesos ,5 pesos and when your lucky some give 10 pesos. What we buy on it are candies or probably funding for christmas party. Party is not like the party in the USA,, its just dancing, eating together with some filipino food. Dont forget Simbang gabi because its tradition and buy some hot chocolate with puto bungbong its really good. Simbang gabi will go until 25th of dec on early mornings. Its fun lots of teens go to church because its like a gathering with friends. On the Eve of the 24th of Dec its like july 4th in the USA there. fire crackers everywhere its also the most were people loses there fingers ,foot , toes ,get blinded very dangerous but still a lot of fun, Because all of our family will be there really having fun with neighbors ,dancing ,good food special ones, like lenchon baboy, lechon manok, pancit, spaghetti fruits, keso de bola, ice cream, everything u can think of, Hey if you dont have much in your house during christmas your always invited from your other relatives or even from your neighbors. Its fun its all about fun ,, sharing,giving and a whole lot more. Of course this things are on our neighborhood I dont know in other areas.
HI , Bill im sorry for what happened to you in cebu, I advice for all foreigners to travel with somebody they know or avoid places where there is robbery happening all the time, Im from cebu, I know whats going on. the big city and Im a victim of a robbery too not only once but many times, they even showed my face on tv news i didnt know about it till my friends and family called me and they told me that i was on tv. I prefer to be called a Filipina or filipino Im proud to be one. “FLIP” when I was younger the meaning of that word is crazy or BUANG or coco head which is Im not. I never call no foreigners Joe or any nicknames I prefer to use Sir or Madam or Mam. But I know Joe is an american which is refering to a soldier from america.
Hi Rusty
I am fairly new to your site and enjoy reading everyones comments. But regarding Hi Joe as racial, Americans having been calling us Brits Limeys for years. We dont think it is racial, just a nick name. Same as Aussies call us Poms. We call Americans Yanks. These things have gone on for years. Why get upset about it.
Madge
I am an American, retired military and have lived in the Philippines 7 years. I lived in Angeles (2 years), Northern Luzon (1 yr), Tacloban, Leyte (1yr) and now reside in Borongan, E. Samar. I’ve taken 1 or 2 week vacations to almost everyplace there is in the Phils and the people are pretty much the same, except for Angeles and we all know the reason for that. Angeles is full of corrupted foreigners and Philipinos, prostitutes and beggers. I’ve been called Joe more times than I can remember, especially in Tacloban, probably due to McArthur. I speak fluent Tagalog/Philipppino and good Waray and I have gotten to know this people pretty well. Their a docile, religious and respectiful race and mean absolutely no insult by calling you Joe, it’s just an acknowledgement of your presence and if you just smile back that is sufficient. Here in Borongan the people are very religious and have high moral values. They don’t call me Joe, when I take my walks in the mornings or when I’m out for whatever reason, they generally say good morning or evening. The younger ones will sometimes add a sir to the end. I’ve served in many overseas areas, South American (4yrs), Afganistan (1yr), Korea(3yrs) and others on temporary duty of 3 months or more. I would not live in any of those countries due to the predjuice I experienced, but come to think of it, I wouldn’t live in Biloxi, Mississippi either. As for real predjuice, I’ve seen and experienced more from Austrailians, English and especially French while living in Angeles City, Central Luzon, than from any Philippino. All the way to downright hatred for Americans, expouted to me in my face, for no reason at all. They were just drunk (Your all war mongering bastards, who think you control the world). That’s never happened with a Philippino and I’ve been drunk at the annual Fiesta at my wife’s mother’s house every year for the past 5 years and mom lives remote, I mean really remote. My point is, at first I conplained about the way Philippinos did things and then finally realized why and that this is not my country, it’s their’s. I choose to live here and love it. I have the ability and right to go home anytime. It’s up to me. Live, love and be happy. Life is short.
This is a question for any people who live in the phillippines. I’m a African American women and I am suppose to come work in manila, phillippines with my job I’ve heard alot of stories of racism and terrisom there so, I wanted to know how your culture responds to Blacks and if I will be directly in harms way?
You will face much less racism in the Philippines than you would in the USA… Terrorism happens but it pockets, you could see that in Manila but you wont be the target, at least no more than any other American.
I think you’ll enjoy your time here if you can adapt to missing a few of the luxuries we are so use to in the USA.
No I don’t think so. Don’t know what your job is gonna be but, if it’s at the Embassy or other government agency, you’ll have no problem at all. There are and have been blacks working at these places for years and the Philipinos have learned that they are just as much Americans as anyone else. Don’t know if your single or married but I do know that Philippinos perfer white skin. When you get here every store you go into sells skin whiting lotions, soaps and pills. This is one phenominom I still don’t understand even after asking countless Philppinos. My wife and women I knew here before her, all use them. I’ve told my wife and the others than their skin is beautiful and they don’t need this whiting stuff. But, after 5 years of talking to her, just the other day she bought a bottle of pills to lighten her skin (go figure) and still uses the whiting soaps and lotions. I’ve given up and don’t bring up the subject anymore. I personally think dark skinned women are beautiful and have had relationships with African-American women in my life. You’ll have a great time here, just go with the flow and be patient at the ATM.
To Daphne — you shouldn’t worry too much. Philippines is not big on racism. I reckon it’s because we’ve suffered it for too long already that we wouldn’t want others to go through it as well. But what hurts us most are foreigners coming in on our country and becoming the biggest racists of all times. Considering us second rate beings just because their skin is paler and the only language they can speak is english.
I always say one thing to those kinds — If you don’t like our country, then get out.
We may be of different colors. cultures and traditions — but RESPECT is a universal thing.