Have you ever faced dicrimination in Hong Kong?

[Mikhail 1]

My wife and I recently took a trip to Hong Kong and we had a great time, but my wife was detained in the airport and interogated for hours with a few other Filipino women,while she was there she was asked questions about our relationship, why she was there and who i was. the man who held her even tried to tell her that we were 10 years apart in age. which we are not. which leads me to believe he was trying to confuse her. right off the bat the man told her she was beautiful and said that he loved her and my wife did not like that at all, it was a middle eastern man who could speak tagalog. anyways after showing pictures of me she was able to wait in the baggage claim. after the trip i found a story just like mine on the internet except the filipino women were given strip searches, im so glad my wife did not have to go through that. Anyways for the remainder of our trip the local chinese and Indian people would stare or inappropriately look at my wife whenever we walked by on the street with looks of disdain sometimes even point and laugh when they were behind us and they thought we couldnt see them. It was very obvious what was going on. I also sort of got the impression Filipinos are kind of like second class citizens there(which i sort of found out was the case after the fact) you see them looking after white families kids or chinese families kids. Like a caste system or slavery. I did not expect that at all. What do you guys think?

[Marzy 1]

Well, you do know that some Filipinas in HK are prostitute, so they stereotype your wife. That's the fact. Open your eyes while you sleep in Hongkong's hotel.

You can complain about this if you really want too. However, your wife is not the only person they discriminated, many others..

Edited April 16, 2010 by Fresgal

[PrinceandPrincess 0]

My wife and I recently took a trip to Hong Kong and we had a great time, but my wife was detained in the airport and interogated for hours with a few other Filipino women,while she was there she was asked questions about our relationship, why she was there and who i was. the man who held her even tried to tell her that we were 10 years apart in age. which we are not. which leads me to believe he was trying to confuse her. right off the bat the man told her she was beautiful and said that he loved her and my wife did not like that at all, it was a middle eastern man who could speak tagalog. anyways after showing pictures of me she was able to wait in the baggage claim. after the trip i found a story just like mine on the internet except the filipino women were given strip searches, im so glad my wife did not have to go through that. Anyways for the remainder of our trip the local chinese and Indian people would stare or inappropriately look at my wife whenever we walked by on the street with looks of disdain sometimes even point and laugh when they were behind us and they thought we couldnt see them. It was very obvious what was going on. I also sort of got the impression Filipinos are kind of like second class citizens there(which i sort of found out was the case after the fact) you see them looking after white families kids or chinese families kids. Like a caste system or slavery. I did not expect that at all. What do you guys think?

Hi Mikhail,

I'm sorry to hear about your wife's experienced during your trip to Hong Kong. My husband and I stayed in Hong Kong for almost one week when we went home to visit my family in the Philippines last 2008. We never had any problem. I was a Philippine passport holder that time. As far as I know that the immigration officer will only detained an individual if they need to verify some info from their computer in that particular passenger. Did your wife asked the immigration officer why she got detained?

[Mikhail 1]

Hi Mikhail,

I'm sorry to hear about your wife's experienced during your trip to Hong Kong. My husband and I stayed in Hong Kong for almost one week when we went home to visit my family in the Philippines last 2008. We never had any problem. I was a Philippine passport holder that time. As far as I know that the immigration officer will only detained an individual if they need to verify some info from their computer in that particular passenger. Did your wife asked the immigration officer why she got detained?

they only detained her beacause she was a filipino she had a passport and copy of our itinerary stating what hotel we would stay at, they just discriminate against them maybe you were lucky

[Jared and May 16]

Ugh I'm sorry to hear that.. We went to Hong Kong in January and Milagros didn't have any problems.. Very sorry to hear this..

[Mikhail 1]

Well, you do know that some Filipinas in HK are prostitute, so they stereotype your wife. That's the fact. Open your eyes while you sleep in Hongkong's hotel.

You can complain about this if you really want too. However, your wife is not the only person they discriminated, many others..

Yeah thanks for telling me my wife is not the only one discriminated against, i didnt know that.....im just posting to see what other peoples experiences were with discrimination in hk if there filipino. I dont think they act like that just cuz a few are prostitutes its because there wondering why shes out on weekdays with a tall handsome white guy, and not tagging behind a couple holding there kids hand as they cross the street. In hk filipinos have sunday as a day off from work and i think they were suprised that she was not there working

[oliver-chris 3]

Yeah thanks for telling me my wife is not the only one discriminated against, i didnt know that.....im just posting to see what other peoples experiences were with discrimination in hk if there filipino. I dont think they act like that just cuz a few are prostitutes its because there wondering why shes out on weekdays with a tall handsome white guy, and not tagging behind a couple holding there kids hand as they cross the street. In hk filipinos have sunday as a day off from work and i think they were suprised that she was not there working

[Ann Marie and Leo 9]

Many years ago, I went through the same thing, with a girl that was then my Fiancée. The only difference was I went into the office with her, and as we sat there about 1/2 hour to 45 minutes. I walked up to a guy, and told them we are very tired and want to go to our hotel, and asked for a explanation as to why she was pulled into secondary. They just told us to go after that, but many Filipinos (almost all women) were still there waiting. The main reason is many Filipinos do go there on tourist visa, but actually intend to work, and as mentioned many of them are going there to work as freelance "ladies of the evening", working the local pubs districts. It is also not uncommon for a foreigner to escort them, when they are a part of a syndicate, that pays for everything upfront for the girls, then take a big cut of there "tips' they receive for services rendered.

[MI.PI 7]

Many years ago, I went through the same thing, with a girl that was then my Fiancée. The only difference was I went into the office with her, and as we sat there about 1/2 hour to 45 minutes. I walked up to a guy, and told them we are very tired and want to go to our hotel, and asked for a explanation as to why she was pulled into secondary. They just told us to go after that, but many Filipinos (almost all women) were still there waiting. The main reason is many Filipinos do go there on tourist visa, but actually intend to work, and as mentioned many of them are going there to work as freelance "ladies of the evening", working the local pubs districts. It is also not uncommon for a foreigner to escort them, when they are a part of a syndicate, that pays for everything upfront for the girls, then take a big cut of there "tips' they receive for services rendered.

Filipinos do not need to have tourist visa to go to Hongkong (for a short visit, maybe a couple of weeks) but you do need a visa if you go to Macau from Hongkong. I have been to Hongkong and Macau with my then boyfriend but never experienced this kind of thing. It is actually the first time I ever heard this. I wonder how they pick out those who needs to be detained for questioning as there are many filipinos who go to Hongkong for short vacations and business meetings also and I am sure many go there with foreign companions also.

[Darnell 8,478]

checks at the airport are cyclical, sometimes based on intelligences sent off to the immigration folk in HKG.

IMO, you two fit the profile of a 'prostitute and her handler', which, apparently, the Immigration folk were LOOKING FOR, on that cycle.

Also, IMO, since the 'search was on' , you were very lucky to get OUT of secondary.

If you'd really like to complain, there are avenues for that, but don't expect much result unless you want to bring a lawsuit in HKG (and thats a bit expensive, alas).

Many aspects of life in HKG are racial, also tied into class and socio-economic status. A woman from the PI in HKG usually is either a child-minder, maid, or a prostitute. There are exceptions, sure, but those exceptions are usually either foreign students, rich ppl, IT workers.

In closing, it wasn't PERSONAL for you and yer lass - but with an 'alert' in place, and you two 'fitting the profile', well, sorry, ya went into secondary.