From the Midwest redneck author of "The Rooster Crows at 4am!," "Lizard Poop!," and "The Philippines Expat Advisor"
April Finds a Job at SM City in Iloilo
My niece April has found a job at SM City in Iloilo. April and Michelle, twin sisters, moved in with us around a month ago. She has been searching online for employment opportunities in Iloilo City and had submitted job applications online to different businesses.
Michelle and April both passed initial interviews at a local call center, SPI Global, a couple of weeks ago. They were advised they would be called in for further testing and more interviews, but have heard not yet received a call back from the call center.
April also passed another "job" interview at a business located near Robinsons in downtown Iloilo. She went back last week to get her orientation schedule. As she left to catch a jeepney for the ride downtown, I was informed that my niece, who calls me "Dad," had to pay a P250 fee for her orientation materials. I was furious! This smacked of a scam to me, and I expressed my extreme displeasure at this to no avail.
April was to report for job training this past Wednesday for her paid orientation. In the interim she heard from the assistant Human Resources manager at the SM Department Store who scheduled her for an interview this past Monday for a Customer Sales Associate position.
Twenty people went in for the interview. She was one of only five people hired. My niece is to report on August 1 to receive her list of pre-employment paperwork needed, and will be assigned to her new job in the Philippines this August or September.
Her wages will be P265 a day, approximately six US dollars, the standard minimum rate for the Western Visayas region. There is no payment necessary from SM for any orientation materials. This is a legitimate job offer. April went back to receive a refund on her orientation fee from the other company and was told to come back this Friday. We'll see if she receives it. I have my doubts. 
I told April that I'm quite proud of her. I admire her intiative. Both her sister and Michelle are doing a great job at helping out around the house. My asawa, their Tita (Aunt) and I both appreciate it.
Don't know yet if April will be a temporary employee on a five-month contract as most of the SM employees in our area are, but any income she brings in will be helpful. We just expect her to help pay for her food out of her salary.
We are not charging her any rent out of her meager salary or expect her to help support us. My spouse and I are both happy for her. She'll be 19 next week, and we plan to visit Raymen Beach in Guimaras next month to celebrate the twin's birthdays.
I know she will need a barangay and police clearance along with an employment clearance from the National Bureau of Investigation, NBI, office in Iloilo City. She has already gone to the local Social Security office to obtain her necessary E1 form. 
More details on her job as they become available but I know April is excited to begin her new career. Remember your first job? Our niece will have her own spending money and is planning to save some of her salary and put it aside to further her college education. She's on the right road and we're extremely happy for her and wish her the best.
Congratulations! I know it’s tough getting a job there. That 6 dollars a day is about twice what my brother’s in law make in construction. Good luck to her!
I just never ceases to amaze me how frugal Filipinas can be. Your niece will be making roughly 6 dollars a day and will be putting away savings out of that? And she’s excited! An American kid would be complaining all the way to a fitting room at the Gap.
Congrats to April by the way!
Grats April!!! Start practicing “Good Morning Sir, Ma’am”
Congratulations and Good luck April!
My wife Meriam taught children when we first met. She was paid 100 pesos per child per hour. She could teach up to 10 children a day….1,000 pesos each and every day. Now her sister Bek is doing the same thing. One child at noon and 3 in the afternoon. 400 pesos per day for 2 hours work. Not bad!
It is more fun in the Philippines!
Congrats and good luck!
Thanks, Randall. Yep, the job market is indeed tough. Our contractor paid the laborers that worked on our CR in Guimaras a couple of years ago, P170 a day. The carpenters were paid “top wages” at P250 a day.
And to top that off, Randy, she’s extremely polite and respectful. Along with her twin sister, Michelle, she carries buckets of water from our outside storage tank to the CR, helps with the cooking, sweeps and mops the floors without being told, washes dishes, helps with laundry and gets up at 4:45 am and supervises our younger niece and nephew and gets them ready to school. She asks permission to enter my room. I’m sure I’m leaving a few things out.
Thanks, Randy!
Thanks, Scott h. I encourage April and her sister to practice their English everyday. And you can bet she’ll be using that “Good Morning Sir, Ma’am” phrase at SM City a LOT. If she’s anything like the other workers there, that “Good morning” phrase will be used even in the late afternoon.
Thanks, Mark G. The “boss” and I are quite proud of her.
Those are excellent wages, Gary. My sister-in-law in Guimaras has three daily preschool classes during the weekday and tutors on the side. Makes more money than she did teaching at a local private school .
Thanks, Steve, I’ll pass the word on to April.
My nieces are the same way. What a contrast between Filipino and American children. Pretty sad actually.
Randy, back in the 50′s and early 60′s that’s the way it was in America, at least in our household. Not any more.
First of all, congratulations, April.
And how true the statements about the difference between how we collectively get a big _fail_ on how children are raised in the US compared to the Philippines.
My wife and I hare proud to be nearly complete with sending our 9also) 19yo niece, Gia through college here in the Metro. Gia is now on the last lap of her course, working at an OJT (“practicum”) position in Phuket, Thailand … and getting paid for it too. Go Gia
During the years she was living with us here in Marilao, she was unfailingly polite, always jumping in to do household chores and always treated us with great respect. We gave her a daily “baon” (allowance) from which she fed herself, commuted and even saved money .. I talked her into a bank account, something many Filipinos twice her age are only dreaming of.
When I see what passes for well behaved college students in America, I am reminded as to why I choose to live in the Philippines.
Not long ago I got a query about various aspects of liivng in the Philippines from a fellow in the US. I answered his questions. he wrote back, “thanks for the help but I’ve decided I don’t want to move there, my teenage daughter said ‘no’”.
Excuse me?!?! Who determined her family would not make a move?
Children, by nature, are naturally good and love and respect their parents. Even cats have those instincts.
But somewhere along the line we Americans seem to have adopted a role reversal situation where the parents fail at being the children’s “pack leader”.
Maybe more US parents should watch “The Dog Whisperer”. Caesar can teach you who should be in charge of the puppies.
In the Philippines, most parents still seem to be aware of how families are meant to work. *sigh*
Dave, I just had to jump back in after your comment. So true every word! I can certainly identify.
I guess I should have mentioned which “Dave” I was talking about. I always appreciate Dave D’s comments and posts. I was actually replying to Dave Starr’s comment this time.
That’s why I started hanging out here again, all kinds of cool people here..
Thanks, Dave, and congratulations to your own niece, Gia. It is an absolute pleasure having April and her twin sister living with us. It’s like we’re living in some time warp. Respectful children, responsible and always helping out with the daily chores.
It’s extremely sad the response you received from the man whose teenage daughter said “no” to moving in the Philippines. Who in the world is in charge anymore, indeed? That’s one thing I enjoy about living in the Philippines, the family is still a strong unit and the PARENTS are in charge and get respect. Thanks for the commentary, Dave, always appreciated.
Randall, you can’t get much cooler than Dave Starr, Randy L, Tom, Papa Duck, Dave W, Scott B and H, Lance, Gary the Wigle, The Ice Man, Boston Pauly, Steve, Mark G, Todd B, Clarrie and yourself, of course, to name a few of my great readers.
I too was raised that way…never ever back talked. Many chores, never complained. I look at the Filipino kids now and I see many similarities to when I grew up.
I never talked back, either, Randy. And when Dad wasn’t home all my Mom had to say was: “Wait until your Dad gets home!” if we did get out of line. That straightened my two brothers and myself out in a heartbeat!
I talked back to my father one time. He took a 2X4 to me. Never did that again.
Hi Dave,it has been awhile since I commented on here,congratulations to your niece April!..a little off topic here,are you still going to Urzone every Thursday? I have not been there yet and I’m stuck with a cold at home today.hopefully I can make it there one of this Thursday’s.take care..Rod in Iloilo.
Congrats to April…she seems like a very good young lady and seems to have two adults in her life that are sure to help keep her on the straight and narrow.
I love the Philippines…and everyone around me knows that, to the point I think I make them nauseous talking about it. One thing I absolutely LOVE about the Philippines is the respect (for the most part) that filipino kids show to their parents and the work ethic as kids so many have.
If you talk about this to American parents that have never been to the Philippines their feathers get ruffled rather quickly…parents (not all, but many) in America just do not get it.
The lack of respect so many American kids show their parents is shocking to me at times. I have a business in America where I am regularly in my clients homes. To hear kids talk to their parents the way they do is amazing to me. And the parents put up with it! It is disgraceful.
The other thing I like so much about the filipines is the teamwork that families show. Yes, I know…there are some really lazy people that want everything done for them, but most filipino families I have been around have an amazing ability to work with each other and help out without being asked to.
Yeah, I admit I DID talk back one time, too, in my senior year of high school, Gary. My dad punched me and knocked me to the ground. Last time I tried that.
Thanks, Rod. Nope, don’t have any regular schedule of where and when I hang out. Scott B and I, along with my asawa, got together at a place called Tuki’s at Smallville last Sunday afternoon. I’ll send you an email letting you know when and where we meet next. Probably won’t be for a couple of weeks. Take care and hope you’re cold gets better.
Thanks, Todd. April and her sister Michelle were raised in Guimaras from the age of six until the age of 16 when they went to Manila to go to school. They had some good supervision in Guimaras. They are absolutely a joy to have around. My only stipulation, which they honor, is that NO Justin Bieber songs are allowed to be sung inside our home.
Don’t you just love the kids here? It’s so refreshing. The respect and work ethic is remarkable. Sure, there are a few exceptions to that rule, just as there are anywhere, but I can guarantee you that the vast majority of Filipinos do honor their parents, grandparents and other elders.
I’ve experienced that disrespect in America many, many times. Not when I was growing up, but in the past few decades. The way some kids treat their parents is absolutely shameful. Why some parents put up with it is beyond me. I dated someone years before I met my asawa. She had two daughters. One child threatened to call the Department of Child and Family Services if her Mom disciplined her in any way. While I certainly don’t believe in child abuse, I didn’t consider spankings at school or by my Father to be child abuse. Something very, very wrong has gone wrong in America. I don’t think it will ever get straightened out. I sincerely hope that it never spreads to the Philippines. Thanks for the input, Todd.
Geez, you two had hard core fathers. With my teenage son, I just withhold his texting privileges for a day or two and I’m gold!
Thanks for the shout out, Dave. I do feel like part of a growing community here!
talking about respect for the elderley..or lack therof. A couple of years ago I used to pick up my niece from her job in a nursing home in Australia .So very sad to see the old ones sitting there day after day alone .Some told me family might visit at Christmas time for a few hours (Im sure often out of duty )…………week before last Josie and I lunched at Robinsons foodcourt in Bacolod.A family arrived at the next table .The older ones seated themselves and I overheard somone say that we must first wait Lola first.I noticed at the outside (maybe 25 metres away )a very old lady being ecsorted by 2 kids ..one either side ..one sloooooow step at a time .It must have taken 15 minutes for them to reach the family but nobody complained.When Lola was finially seated they ordered their foods .I know where Im going to grow old …………..and it aint in a nursing home .
Ha, we could have been brothers!
Gary, I refused a haircut from my father (redneck truckdriver) once, and I wound up leaving a full body imprint in the sheetrock wall. I got my haircut!
Clarrie, three years ago I watched my two brothers shovel my father into a nursing home in Texas. Wasn’t much I could do from Mississippi. He literally withered away there with an occasional 10 minute visit here, another visit there. It was hard for me to even get there but I did, and to see him there with his two sons living around the corner was disgusting. They were just to busy to care. My wife says no way will she end up living in some nursing home in the USA when she has family back home that she KNOWS will take care of her. As for me, I’m opting out…of nursing home care that is. I choose the RP and will get old around people that will truly care. You just can’t beat that!
Man, Dave W., and you call our fathers, hardcore?
Glad you feel welcome, Dave W. I’m glad to hear that. Welcome aboard.
Thanks for sharing that story, Clarrie. One of the main factors that figured into our decision to move to the Philippines was that loving care and respect that the elders receive. I’m 13 years older than my asawa. I knew there was no one in the States who would take care of her when I passed away. I have absolute confidence that my spouse will never go to a nursing home and will be lovingly cared for in the Philippines by our many nieces and nephews. There is no way I wanted to stay in the States and have my asawa shipped off to some nursing home after I died. Your story just reaffirms the belief that we made the right decision moving to the Philippines.
Amen, Randy! As I noted in my remark to Clarrie, I know that my asawa and I both will be cared for in the Philippines. I have no doubt regarding that whatsoever.
I remember one summer my Dad buzzed my two younger brothers and myself. We could have joined the cast of Kung Fu after that with our “shaved monk” look.
Dave, that’s why I rebelled. Buzz cuts were out and Beatle hair was coming in. I got the buzz cut!
Dave,
You Forgot ME !
Sorry, Fearless Frank. How could I forget you? Remember, I’m an old geezer.
Dave that was before Dr Spock wrote the book that it was cruel to discipline your kids and everyone bought into it including the courts. Now USA is going to hell in a hand bag. Kids have to go to school with metal detectors and full time police patrolling schools.
You’re right, George. And what’s even scarier is that the Philippines is considering a law to ban corporal punishment in the schools and at home. I hate to think that the Philippines is going to mimic America. That frightens me to no end.
Dave,
I’m so happy for April. She will do great in her new job. How is Michelle doing on the dating site? Would love to meet them and buy them a nice lunch/dinner when i visit in October. It is so refreshing the respect kids show to adults there. I remember whenever i messed up my father would grab his belt and give me the spanking of my life. I always tried to soften the blow by trying to put a small pillow in my pants lol. Take care
Thanks, PapaDuck. I’m sure the twins would take you up on the lunch/dinner offer. That’s very kind of you. They don’t get out much. I know Michelle is chatting on a regular basis with a few guys on Cherry Blossoms, but I haven’t gotten any feedback lately. There’s one guy that is wearing the goofiest hat on his photo, and she thinks he’s funny.
How in the world did you sneak that small pillow in? I got “the belt” a few times. Not much fun at all. Could have used a pillow.