Financial
Support of Relatives in the Philippines
In case it hasn’t been beaten
into your head yet, I’ll say it again: Family is everything to Filipinos.
If you understand that, you’ll
also understand that most Filipinas in the west seek to support their
impoverished relatives in the Philippines. When you marry a Filipina, voila,
you are part of her family and she is part of yours. Consequently, your wife
will expect your cooperation in providing financial assistance to her (and now
your) family in the islands.
This financial support takes
many forms. Most often, it is a regular, monthly allowance sent via wire or
bank transfer, in the sum of a hundred dollars, U.S., or more. Infrequently,
you may also be expected to pay for emergency medical bills, school tuition,
uniforms, and supplies, food, transportation, and even housing.
The degree of assistance
depends on your in-laws’ needs, your own financial health, and your wife’s
personality. There are a certainly Filipinas who are willing to “cut off”
financial assistance to their families if they feel that the money is being
spent frivolously, or if they feel they their families are taking advantage of
them and their husbands. Some Filipinas will require their families to send
them receipts for items or services purchased, while some families will do this
as a matter of course, without being asked to do so. It is also not unusual
for a Filipina to take on a “maternal” role once she begins dispensing money.
In this guise she will tell her family exactly who she wants the money
distributed to, and how she wants it spent. Still other Filipinas will give
generously without requiring receipts or setting guidelines, and will continue
to give even if they learn that the money is being wasted on booze and
cigarettes. Usually the husbands get involved at this point, of course.
One thing I’ve observed…
(End
of book excerpt – if you’d like the entire text, please consider ordering
The ASAWA Guide to Fil-West
Relationships. Thank you!)