More on Israel's ambassador to the Philippines

There are quite a few Filipino families who have traveled to Israel in the past, mostly as part of their Holy Land Tour. My wife Babes and I have gone on this tour over a decade ago, and it was a milestone for us, so it was a pleasure interviewing the current ambassador of the State of Israel to the Philippines, H.E. Menashe Bar-On.

Last week, we shared part of the interview with our readers where the kind ambassador shared snippets of his personal and professional life as well as some basic information on its history and geography. In this second part, we talk about this tiny state’s trade and commerce, its dominance in agriculture in the world market, as well as the Filipino community in Israel.

Although the total area of Israel is only 27,799 square kilometers which already include East Jerusalem, the Golan Heights and the partially Palestinian-governed territory of the West Bank, it is considered among the most advanced countries in southwest Asia, especially in terms of industrial development.

The World Bank ranks it third in southwest Asia in the index of Ease of Doing Business and in the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report. They have bested many others in the region that have far bigger areas, assets and resources. It was also ranked as no. 17 among the world’s most economically developed nations, with the Bank of Israel besting all other central banks in the world for efficient functioning.

The ambassador is first to admit that the country does not have much natural resources, unlike in the Philippines. “Our best asset are our people”, he says, and the government is hard pressed to do well for the country so that their good people keep the desire to stay in the country and not move out in search of greener pastures.

Agriculture is still the main driver of their economy, and with harsh land and climate conditions in this country, it is indeed amazing to see the leaps they have taken in this field. Because water is not as plentiful, they have conceived and perfected the “drip agriculture”, and because of desert-like conditions in some areas, they have likewise optimized the greenhouse technology. “We transformed the desert into one big plantation”, said Ambassador Bar-On, “with the minimum manpower needed to operate it. With our technology, we can have two different fruits and come up with three or four.” Amazing!

What is also commendable is their desire to share their technology, and Filipino farmers are far richer in knowledge with the new technologies that have been shared by the Israeli government in coordination with local governments in Region 3, South Luzon and soon in Mindanao, free of charge. This program has been running for 10 years now. There are about 250 Filipinos every year sent to Israel to live with and learn from Israeli farmers, and another 50 invited by the Israeli government and sent by our local and national government to learn more about their system of governance.

The Israeli community in the Philippines is a very small one – somewhere between 80 to 100 families only, mostly in Metro Manila, with a few in Cebu. All told, since the start of reckoning, only about 5,000 Israelis have resided here. In contrast, the Filipino community in Israel numbers approximately 60,000 and the number of Filipino tourists visiting Israel every year is around 30,000. There is a big expat community in Israel, and the Filipinos comprise a significant chunk of it, many of them working as caregivers. The elderly Israelis, says the ambassador, are very appreciative of the Filipino’s kind ways and expertise in care giving, and their knowledge of the English language is a big plus. (English is the most widely used foreign language in Israel.) Many of our Filipinas have married Israelis, formed families and have decided to settle in their new country.

I asked the ambassador if there is still room for more Filipino labor in Israel, and he said yes but cautioned that they should never try to enter the country illegally. For one, he says, his government assures protecting the foreigners working in Israel, and addresses all labor-issues promptly. But the worker who is not properly documented cannot hope to file complaints for illegal labor practices such as under-paid services, etc. if he does not have the proper visa to show. The minimum wage in Israel is now $1,100/month.

The ambassador enjoyed his forays to Cebu, Baguio and Samar as well his recent visits to Davao and Aurora (hosted by Senator Ed Angara) where he visited the local museums. He is very appreciative of the fact that our local governments work hard to conserve the age-old traditions to pass on to the future generations. He hopes to visit Boracay soon, and two of his daughters who came to visit only recently vowed to visit again within the year—that is how much they appreciated the country’s tourist spots and our friendly people.

In terms of cuisine, alas, they do not lay claim to a national one. Israel is an immigrant country where one can find Jews from different parts of the world. “We have more than a hundred cuisines,” says Ambassador Bar-On. Years back, most of the Israelis were born outside the country; today, about 60 percent of the citizens are born in Israel.

Of the local cuisine, he heard so much about our world-famous lechon, but regrets that he cannot even taste it. In their Jewish tradition, they cannot even eat seafood except certain fishes. Locally, he enjoys our lapu-lapu and tilapia, or St. Peter’s fish to the Israelis.

In closing, we thanked the kind ambassador for his country’s gesture of friendship when he asked for and was granted a budget from their government to provide relief goods to those affected by the recent big typhoons through the Shalom Association here. “It is difficult to see people suffering,” said H.E. Bar-On. He also expressed profound thanks for the many Filipino friends he and his wife now have who have made them feel at home in the short time that he has spent here in the country.

Mabuhay!!! Be proud to be a Filipino. 

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