BILOG is the colloquial term coined by the Filipinos here for people who are illegally staying in Japan. I personally do not really know the root of this term. Some say it is like another term for "LAPAD", the term for the 10,000 yen note. Some say it is like the action of someone who has to avoid the police. Anyway, it's a usual term here among Filipinos. "O, ingat kayo mga bilog! May mig-mig sa eki ngayon!" (Overstayers, beware! There are immigration agents at the train station now!)
There are different profiles of the BILOG in Japan. One could be a seaman who "jumped-ship" while docking in a port here in Japan. One could be an entertainer who has already finished her 6-month visa and opted to just escape from her handlers, since she would have to borrow money again to pay her recruiter -- while her present debt was not yet fully paid. Another could be someone who entered Japan as a tourist, or maybe a part of a group who came over for homestay or educational exposure. There are also former scholars in universities here who end up overstaying. There are husband-and-wife BILOG's -- either one had to follow the other to Japan to avoid any temptations to adultery or just the mere lack of money to sustain the education and life of their kids back in the Philippines.
Many BILOG's in Japan, unbelievable it may seem, have been here since the late 80's. I have even come to know a BILOG who has been in Japan for more than 20 years. He left his 3-year-old son, only to meet him 18 years later. His son visited him over as part of a group of Pinoys who came over as tourists. When they met, he came to know he was already a grandfather... of a 3-year-old boy!
I was in Tokyo for around 5 years. There are a lot of BILOG's living in the outskirts of the city. Rent is cheaper than living within the city itself. It is not an exaggeration that the ratio between a legally staying Filipino and the BILOG can even be 1:20... or perhaps more! Their jobs are usually the hard and dirty ones, small-scale companies that are into production or construction. Men are usually into small-time construction companies hired by Japanese owners who prefer to have foreigners because they have cheaper salaries. Women are in factories or laundry shops. Some also work in subsidiary o-bento shops. Never expect any BILOG to work in known companies. However, since these known companies also avail the services of small-scale ones, BILOG's also end up working on projects owned even by the government companies themselves!
The difficulty for these BILOG's would first and foremost be the salary. The owner sometimes delays giving the salary. He knows that they cannot complain, or else, they might be reported to the immigration. Plain, outright abuse! Add to the difficulty the tension of having to face everyday, praying to God that they might not be apprehended by any police or immigration agent while going to and from work, since they still have to work for their kids in school. They cannot even go around after work anymore. Some have the courage to do so, but end up getting stopped and questioned by patrolling policemen. The only place where they have more courage to go is to church on Sundays.
There has been a move since some years ago to rid Japan of illegally staying foreigners. The goal was to either reduce them to half or even more. They have allowed e-mail messages or anonymous calls to the police to report on foreigners living in their vicinity. Policemen and Immigration Agents (and many of them in plain clothes) seem to be so adamant to get as many foreigners as they can. There is a rumor that they seem to get rewards for that... and cash incentives, too, to civilians who report. That is why, sad to say, there are some Filipinos who report their fellow-Pinoys so that they get arrested.
I always tell groups of Filipinos who attend mass to not send everything to the Philippines but set aside some amount of money for anything that can happen. You know what they tell me? "No Father, God will protect me. He knows I still have to stay here for my kids. Nasa college na kasi sila."
And in my heart I ask the age-old question on what should come first, faith or practicality?
2 comments:
Hello Father...my name is cris, living here in USA. I have a brother who is now in Japan for almost 2 years as a tourist supposed to be. I really dont know what is going on there, i was confused for what they told me, anyways its a long story and end up my brother now has no job because of someone in his group got jealous as my brother is a hardworking pinoy, he was with a group of filipinos who uses drugs and other bawal na gamot....whatever happens to their group and he is the only one who has been discrinated by their japanese employeer. I was so mad about what his group had done to him, first he was not paid as what their employeer promised him, 2nd he was not paid fully because of rumors whatever it is. In short they are not fair for my brother as they are all illigals.. the way they treated him end up quiting his job before something is going to happen as his boss litsens to others and not to him. What i am thinking is I would like to report the rest of his group to the japanesse immigration. I told my brother to surender and go home to phil. i told him we dont need the japanese money and let them go to hell....i would like to help him but at this time i am financially tight, his prob is he has no way to pay for aifare.. thank God there are filipina who helped him for his place to sleep and food but actully his stay and food are not free, he owes it til he gets a job again but i doubt it as he is an overstaying tourist. I told him, it is easy just surrender and report them also so that, will make it even. As for now this is the only way i can think of. I can find it someway to report those people, not for myself interest but for the freedom of my brother and his family back in philippines. Please Father before i start doing actions i need your advice. What my brother should do? Should I report all of them including my brother? Afer i read your blogs here, my heartfelt for those who are what you called BILOG. God blessed and protect them all. please email me at karysimm@hotmail.com
Thank you Father and God bless!
karysimm,
I sent you an e-mail!
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