University of Wollongong Research Online University of Wollongong Thesis Collection University of Wollongong Thesis Collections 2012 The migration-development nexus revisited through the lens of nationality: a case study of Filipino origin workers in information technology and nursing in Singapore Seori Choi University of Wollongong Recommended Citation Choi, S, The migration-development nexus revisited through the lens of nationality: a case study of Filipino origin workers in information technology and nursing in Singapore, Doctor of Philosophy thesis, School of Social Sciences, Media and Communication, University of Wollongong, 2012. Research Online is the open access institutional repository for the University of Wollongong. For further information contact the UOW Library: [email protected] THE MIGRATION-DEVELOPMENT NEXUS REVISITED THROUGH THE LENS OF NATIONALITY: A CASE STUDY OF FILIPINO ORIGIN WORKERS IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND NURSING IN SINGAPORE A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements of the award of the degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPY from UNIVERSITY OF WOLLONGONG by SEORI CHOI School of Social Sciences, Media and Communication Faculty of Arts 2012 ABSTRACT Globalisation, and associated population movements, blurs the boundaries drawn by nation-states (Castles, 2004), but the era of globalisation is a “time of continuing and even heightening nation-state building processes” (Glick-Schiller et al., 1995, 59). This thesis explores the ways in which nationality/citizenship shapes the subjectivities of ‘skilled’ people born as Filipino citizens currently living and working in Singapore. It is based on empirical investigation amongst Information Technology (IT) workers and nurses. In doing so, this thesis revisits the migration- development nexus as a site to reproduce the institutional and ideological/moral salience of the nation-state. Its salience is maintained through its capacity of ‘(re)defining’ the population moving across state borders. People crossing state borders come to embody particular national meanings, while discourses around cross-border population movement are constructed by political leaders and intellectuals as being associated with development. The employment of ‘skilled’ Filipinos in Singapore is a site where competing discourses produced in ‘development’ processes in the Philippines and Singapore intersect. ‘Skilled’ Filipino origin workers in Singapore represent ‘lost brains’ contributing to poor development outcomes in the Philippines. They are simultaneously hailed as national ‘heroes’ for their earnings shared with their family members remaining in the Philippines. Filipino citizens’ labour is re-evaluated as they are deployed to the Singapore labour market through Singapore’s immigration (citizenship) regime that determines under what conditions non-citizens can live within its jurisdiction. This regime reflects the Singapore state’s vision of nation (or what ‘development’ should look like) and symbolises the lines of inclusion/exclusion drawn in the nation-building process in Singapore. This thesis makes a comparative analysis of the viewpoints and i experiences of ‘skilled’ workers in IT and nursing fields in order to explore the intersections between labour and citizenship. Using the data largely drawn from interviews, carried out between April and October 2009, in the Philippines and Singapore; this thesis explores the ways in which ‘skilled’ Filipino origin workers in Singapore negotiate the different national meanings they embody and contribute to the nation-building processes in both countries. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This thesis is the outcome of a long journey of ups and downs. I could not have written it without the support of many individuals. My sincere thanks to Rica Agnes Castaneda, Caroline Manaloto, Ramer Ortega and Joyce Zaide for their generous help in recruiting the research participants. A heartfelt thank you to the research participants for their time and personal accounts shared with me. I acknowledge with gratitude the support of my supervisors, whose breadth and depth of knowledge made my journey intellectually enriching. I am deeply grateful to Associate Professor Ruchira Ganguly-Scrase, who despite her heavy work commitments, spared me her time to provide guidance and encouragement through every stage of my research. Her constructive feedback and suggestions were imperative in turning the raw data into the meaningful written text. I owe a debt to Professor Lenore Lyons (now at the University of Sydney), whose insight and thorough feedback were critical in the process of developing and clarifying the conceptual framework of this research. I also thank Dr. Vicki Crinis for discussion and support in the writing stage. I am grateful to the University of Wollongong for offering me a University Postgraduate Award, Higher Degree Research Fee Exemption Scholarship and Postgraduate Research Support. I have benefited from the research seminars and the intellectual support base of the Centre for Asia Pacific Social Transformation Studies (CAPSTRANS). The Centre also provided me with fieldwork support. Many thanks to the research support team of the Faculty of Arts, who provided me with kind support in various ways. I also thank the Wollongong Campus library staff for their excellent service. Acknowledgement is also due to the Asia Research Institute, the National University of Singapore for the sponsorship during my fieldwork in Singapore. This research project was born during my time with the Scalabrini Migration Center. I thank Dr. Fabio Baggio and Dr. Maruja (Marla) Asis for giving me invaluable opportunities to learn about labour migration from the Philippines. Marla, thank you for your encouragement and inspiration over the years! The friendship of John Paul Asis, Leony Domingo, Cecilia Guerrero, Cecilia Marave and Lance Velasco sustained me during my time in the Philippines. My gratitude is due to Auchaluck (Jimmy) Colakidis, Sheree Grubb, Christine Hayward and Robyn Wilkes who made me feel at home in Wollongong. Thank you, my friends and colleagues in Wollongong, especially Suzana Azizan, Dr. Suttipong Bunmak (now at Thaksin University), Lucy Bo Pang, Kikumi Kai and Chittrathip Warnpeurch for being there for me through good and bad times. My special thanks to Dr. Anne Loveband for discussion on my research. To my parents Moon-Kyu Choi and Young-Soon Kim. My deep appreciation to you for everything I have in life. I also owe big thanks to my sister Dr. Haeri Choi, who shared so much of my journey as a friend. iii ABBREVIATIONS ADB Asian Development Bank AFTA Association of Southeast Asian Nations Free Trade Area ANU Australian National University ASEAN Association of Southeast Asian Nations BES Bureau of Employment Services BPO Business Processing Outsourcing BSP Balik Scientist Program CPF Central Provident Fund DOLE Department of Labour and Employment ERC Economic Review Committee EFMA Employment of Foreign Manpower Act EFWA Employment of Foreign Workers Act EVP Exchange Visitor Program FNA Filipino Nurses Association GATS General Agreement on Trade in Services GATT General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade GDP Gross Domestic Product GFMD Global Forum on Migration and Development GK Gawad Kalinga GNP Gross National Product HIV/AIDS Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ICA Immigration and Checkpoint Authority ICN International Council of Nurses ICT Information and Communications Technology iv IDA Info-communication Development Authority ILO International Labour Organisation IMF International Monetary Fund IMR International Migration Review IOM International Organization for Migration IT Information Technology ITE Institute of Technical Education LAC Labor Assistance Center MRA Mutual Recognition Arrangement NAFTA North American Free Trade Agreement NAIA Ninoy Aquino International Airport NGO Non-governmental Organisation NHS National Health Service NRCO National Reintegration Center for OFWs NSB National Seaman Board OCW Overseas Contract Worker ODA Official Development Assistance OEC Overseas Employment Certificate OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development OEDB Overseas Employment Development Board OFW Overseas Filipino Worker OWWA Overseas Workers Welfare Administration PAP People’s Action Party PEP Personalised Employment Pass PIA Philippine Information Agency PIDS Philippine Institute for Development Studies v PSIA Philippine Software Industry Association PNA Philippine Nursing Association PNG Papua New Guinea Philcomdev Philippine Consortium on Migration and Development POEA Philippine Overseas Employment Administration POLO Philippine Overseas Labor Office PR Permanent Resident RA Republic Act SARS Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome SMC Scalabrini Migration Center SNB Singapore Nursing Board TESDA Technical Education and Skills Development Authority TOKTEN Transfer of Knowledge Through Expatriate Nationals UK United Kingdom UN United Nations UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNESCO United Nations Economical, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNITAR United Nations Institute for Training and Research UNGA United Nations General Assembly US United States vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract ............................................................................................................................. i Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................... iii Abbreviations .................................................................................................................