Dim Sum Dialogues: Little Manila

Dark clouds rumble through the steel corridors of Central – the remaining signs of a level nine typhoon that swept through Hong Kong last night. I dash out of the MTR station onto the wet streets, and gaze at hundreds of dark-haired, dark-skinned people around me.

A clamor of chatter echos from outspread blankets, partially covered by a patchwork of makeshift shelters. Groups of girls paint toenails, play card games, and eat food from plastic tupperware. Some sing. Some dance. Some nap. Everyone is having a good time.

For thousands of Filipino & Indonesian “foreign domestic helpers” in Hong Kong, this is their one day of the week off. The rest of the week is spent working for room, board, and a minimum stipend which is often sent home to family. A large percentage hold college degrees, but a lack of job prospects and a better living standard in HK has lured many to immigrate in groups of three or four, to serve a minimum two-year contract. Among many other protections, the Hong Kong government has made it mandatory for every worker to receive one full day of rest per week – and so, every Sunday, Central ceases to be a part of Hong Kong and becomes Little Manila.
A 2005 statistic reports that there were 223,394 foreign domestic helpers in the city; almost 3% of the city’s population. The flow of workers began in the 1970s, when President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos promoted and encouraged labor export, in an attempt to offset rising unemployment rates. Subsequently, the economy of the Philippines became more dependent on the export of labor, and privatization of labor recruitment groups began to shape the nation’s development strategy.

Around the same time, the People’s Republic of China started making economic reforms that provided for a surge in trade with developed nations. Experiencing it’s own period of financial success, Hong Kong became China’s biggest investor – and a majority of labor intensive industries in Hong Kong moved to the mainland. The gap left by this shift was filled by workers from the Philippines and smaller, but growing percentages coming from Thailand and Indonesia in the early 1990s.

By law, helpers must live in the employer’s home, and are to be provided with suitable living accommodation and privacy. They are not allowed to take up any other employment while under contract, and must receive a minimum wage of HK$3,580 (USD $460) per month. The employers must earn a household income of at least HK$15,000 per month for every helper employed, and must pay a tax of HK$9,600 for a 2-year contract. In addition, it is mandatory for employers to provide the domestic helpers with free medical treatment for the duration of their stay. In an interview of 2,500 workers, 25% reported that their employers had violated their contracts. 25% also reported verbal or physical abuse.

But on Sundays, everyone is in good spirits. The most popular card game played is “Tong Its”, which is similar to Mahjong – either of which I have yet to fully grasp. The game is full of surprises and laughs when a good hand trumps a previous player’s move. An overwhelming majority of the crowd is female, but the few males that are present group together to play a more dramatic version of Tong Its. Dancers practice ballroom moves on small portable stereos, or perform traditional dances – sometimes in full costume. The air is full will a vibrant energy that is heightened by the shrill volume of conversation.

Many girls overtly smile or strike a pose as I walk by with my camera. A few that I stop and chat with tell me that the friends that they spend their day with are a mixture of people from home and new friends that they’ve met in Hong Kong. They don’t want to talk about work, and I don’t blame them – so I thank them for chatting and keep wandering. And as I step out into the wet streets of Central alone, dwarfed by the enormous skyscrapers and rain clouds, it strikes me how comforting it must be to have such a strong community in a place so far away from home.

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New Tsunami Early Warning System in Place

Since the catastrophic tsunami of 2004, there have been calls to bolster the deficient tsunami detection system in the eastern Indian Ocean. Nations have installed buoys that can detect tsunamis and offer early warning. But Indonesia, which received the brunt of the wave, is taking it a step further. With the help of a German geo-science company, they have begun to install sensors on the sea floor itself. These sensors will relay seismic data to buoys at the surface, which will, in turn, send them to Indonesia’s Tsunami Center via satellite. The system will give warning of a possible tsunami within minutes of an undersea quake. However, experts say that to be completely effective, the system requires more buoys, more undersea sensors and more electronic tide sensors.

Thailand has put buoys out into the ocean to act as an early warning system. In order to reassure tourists on the island of Phuket, they have also built Tsunami watch towers, which do little else than make tourists feel more comfortable.

Indonesia: Southeast Asia’s Next Great Destination?

Listen to all the chatter about Indonesia on news web sites and travel blogs and you might never set foot on the archipelago. But search for some media that is produced closer to the source and you will find some more balanced opinions. Take The Java Jive as an example. An expat blog written by American transplant Brandon Hoover, it gives a realistic view of life in the rough-around-the-edges metropolis of Jakarta, and beyond the city limits, with plenty of photos thrown in. In fact, it is the photos, as it so often is, that provide a true sense of place. And a picturesque and diverse place it is.

While the island of Bali remains a big tourist draw, most of the rest of the country does not welcome a high number of tourists. Last year, Thailand, a nation 1/5 the size of Indo, welcomed twice as many visitors. Is it that the tourist attractions aren’t there, or is it just that they aren’t advertised? If you peruse Hoover’s photos and blog, you’ll find that, while Indonesia might not be the breezy travel proposition that Thailand is, it has plenty to offer.

Indonesia’s New Hot Spot

No. It’s not Bali or Jakarta. It’s Bandung.

Jakarta’s little sister has a rapidly growing tourism industry. Though most of the visitors are from the nearby mega-city, regional and international travelers have been arriving in ever increasing numbers.

Why?

There’s no surf in Bandung, but…

It’s cool (temperature-wise). Located in the highlands above Jakarta, it is the place to take a break from the tropical, sea-level heat. A two hour drive (that’s not taking Jakarta’s famed traffic into account) means it’s within striking distance for residents and tourists.

Also on Bandung’s plus side: an insanely diverse street food scene and a healthy number of shopping malls. Because of the high concentration of universities, there are some youthful and energetic nightlife venues.

Is there anything wrong with Bandung? If you consider a lack of public transit and an abundance of untrustworthy taxi drivers a problem, then yes, it is lacking in some areas. Popular shopping and eating spots get elbow-to-elbow on the weekend, a by-product of the city’s growing vacation reputation.

The increasing number of visitors to the city shows that, for now anyway, the good is outweighing the bad. Tourists with their mind set on a Southeast Asian vacation will be hearing more about Bandung in the near future.