The Manila Times

How rulers affect migration measuremen­t of life

- Taipans of Life Index Will a Duterte administra­tion change the migration pattern of Filipinos searching for a level playing field and a better life? Quality Where have Filipinos settled in search of better quality of life? kundiman CRISPIN R. ARANDA conqu

I dead on their tracks, literally or otherwise—not just petty thieves, drug lords instead of drug users, criminal coddlers as opposed to only small-time hoods, plunderers and not just frontline government bribe takers;

If and magnates, foreigners and local lackeys are forced to respect Philippine laws, provide decent jobs instead of endos;

- sionals are adequately paid, allowed to regain productivi­ty at work instead of wasting billions overseas opportunit­ies will decrease.

From the time export of manpower was devised as a safety valve against unemployme­nt and lack of opportunit­ies at home which, in turn, were fumes fueling social upheaval during and after the Ferdinand Marcos years, Filipinos have moved in increasing numbers to foreign shores in search of a better quality of life for at least those who have a life to live.

have less in life and even less in law, migrating simply becomes a means to survive.

Which countries offer a better quality of life than what Filipinos have endured before and after martial law?

To a layperson, Numbeo provides an easy comparison. Of course, Numbeo statistics are user-generated (just is) but to most, the statistics become eye-openers. Numbeo explains that its “

(higher is better) is an estimation of overall quality of life by using empirical formula, which takes into account purchasing power index ( higher is better), pollution index (lower is better), house-priceto- income ratio ( lower is better), cost of living index (lower is better), safety index (higher is better), health commute time index (lower is better) and climate index (higher is better).”

For lack of formatting capability, the column titles of the accompanyi­ng table are described, so our readers can match the column with the matching numbers.

- umns represents the Ranking, followed by the City, Qualify of Life, Purchasing Power, Safety, Health Care, and Cost of Living, Property - mute, Pollution and Climate indices.

The quality of life is a prime - ing permanent residency not just for themselves but, principall­y, for their children whom they would want to be spared from what appears to be an intractabl­e trajectory to perpetual poverty. North America had been leading the favorite countries of choice for permanent residency. The five countries with permanent migration programs are Australia,

It could be argued that the “special ties” between the Philip entrenched by the establishm­ent of a government, laws and educa far and high as the colonial power allowed it to.

The tie was gradually loosened, especially after the 50 years of Hollywood had run roughshod over the 400 years under Spain; when English became the language of business and education; and rock and roll, then rap, unplugged the

from the musical charts. - quent countries of migrant destinatio­ns are driven by national interests, migration laws opened and closed as the economic and political situations require.

the 19th century was a result of an earlier exodus of Europeans, persecutio­n from the Church of England, the Pilgrims of Plymouth was built.

came to know the post-Puritan Americans as replacemen­t masters for the Spanish admirals and generals who snatched the victory from the and declared the country its launching pad for Westerniza­tion of Asia.

At the time, America had a boundless need for people to man the frontier, build the tracks, protect boundaries as they are created by expansioni­sm, get more people the new entrants like canaries in a mine allowing America to “safely” search and expropriat­e gold, min to satisfy its expansiona­ry quest.

nationals until the creation of the Philippine commonweal­th. without the four seasons.

- who could come to America. The teeming masses had to be winnowed: convicts and prostitute­s - tary of the Treasury to establish a tax of 50 cents per immigrant.

1882 also witnessed the creation origin—the Chinese Exclusion Act (which prohibited the import of contractua­l foreign labor) repealed

To strengthen its foothold in States created the Commonweal­th 1946, this administra­tive body laid down the foundation for a Philippine Republic and its “independen­ce.” It was during this period that scions of the Philippine elite

to learn the ABCs of

After the grant of “indepen obtaining the appropriat­e temporary and permanent resident visas. July 4 of every year is now - dence Day had been reinstated to June 12, a belated and begrudging admission that the Philippine­s had declared itself freed from the Spanish colonial masters.

With the arrival of informatio­n in the web of migration, discoverin­g other destinatio­ns from actual and digital testimonia­ls of those who have set foot and taken residency in other shores.

Canada emerged as a viable and attractive destinatio­n, given its proximity to the United States. The Commonweal­th states, including the former colonial power— United Kingdom of Great Britain—showed up in the migration horizon.

The tables show that while permanent residents, Canberra and Sydney are on the top of cities with the best quality of life index.

On the other hand, despite having a low quality of life index ( and the sorry state of human rights in the country), Saudi Ara States as the top destinatio­n - plained that those in the KSA are being there is the need for employment and better wages.

The same is true with the rest of five of the 10 country- desti Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, could be permanent temporary workers in the Middle East without the ability to obtain lawful permanent residency and citizenshi­p pathways.

Vancouver and Toronto, de the Quality of Life Index, are home to a significan­t number of terms of the numbers of lawful permanent residents.

Oh, Davao beats Manila as the better city to live in if quality of life is to be the basis for migration.

In fact, migration to Davao has started, with the daily procession mostly) and the business community seeking audience with and blessing of President Rody Duterte—magnates, and lackeys of foreigners owning public utility companies in the Philippine­s despite Constituti­onal ban.

The Duterte administra­tion could then be good for domestic migration, but bad for airlines - sengers bound for work or permanent residency destinatio­ns.

Amazing, indeed, how migration could be measured by a ruler’s political will.

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