Every country has its own distinctive customs, culture, and traditions. This is the main thing that Filipinos should be mindful of before going to the UAE to work.
They need to know that living in the UAE is not the same as life in the Philippines. There are certain habits that overseas Filipinos must leave back home.
Aspiring and first-time OFWs should be wary of certain acts that might be dismissed in the Philippines, but are forbidden in the UAE.
Here are stories of expats and tourists in the UAE who did such acts and paid the price of their actions.
“Hindi mo na kailangan ipakita sa mundo na mahal mo siya”
In May 2017, a man and a woman, of different nationalities, were jailed after they were caught hugging and kissing in a public washroom in Dubai. The UAE takes a harsh line on public display of affection; there have been several arrests in recent years for couples kissing in public.
It is illegal to have sexual relationships outside of marriage or with a member of the same sex. In this case, the couple was “caught” by a petrol station attendant, who became suspicious when they didn’t leave the washroom for 10 minutes. He alerted his supervisor, who peeped through the small glass window on the washroom door and saw that the couple was hugging and kissing.
The Dubai Misdemeanours Court convicted the couple of public indecency and jailed them for one month each. The presiding judge further fined one defendant Dh2,000 for consuming alcohol. They were both deported after the jail term.
“Kontrol kontrol din sa emosyon”
Cussing and other rude gestures are illegal in the UAE. It is a must to hold your tongue, control your language or actions. It is simply not allowed to cuss in public place, even as a form of expression.
“Hinay-hinay sa pag-selfie”
Taking a photograph of someone without their permission is regarded as a violation of privacy in the UAE. According to Federal Law No.5 for 2012: “That who commits an act which breaches the privacy of other people’s lives by listening to a conversation, recording or sharing a clip, or taking a picture of a person without their consent, faces jail or a fine.”
“Iwan mo na ang bisyo mo sa Pinas”
Alcohol is only sold at registered hotels, and bars here. Drinking alcohol outside of those premises is a ground for imprisonment or deportation. Meanwhile, driving under the influence of alcohol is also frowned upon and can cause one’s arrest.
The UAE also has a zero tolerance policy towards drugs. Just like in other countries, possessing, using, and peddling of drugs can land you in the courtroom.
Likewise, smoking cigarettes and vaping is also prohibited.
“Sama ng loob na lang ang itapon mo, wag ang basura mo”
Tossing garbage on the road from a car, a window, or a balcony is one of the annoying offences that authorities in the UAE are up against. There’s food or cigarette stubs, tissue paper, juice packs dumped on streets or flipped on water bodies.
On a single day in April last year, Dubai Municipality picked up 30kg of discarded cigarettes from Sheikh Zayed Road. The emirate also fined 1,807 residents and motorists for littering in public places during the first half of 2017 — which was an improvement over the 2,900 fines for littering in 2016. Littering remains the top violation listed by the Waste Management Department at Dubai Municipality.
Abdulmajeed Abdulaziz Saifaie, Director of the Waste Management Department at Dubai Municipality, said, “There are no separate fines for littering from a car or general littering. Both acts fall under violations that damage the city’s appearance.”
Now, an offender could be fined up to Dh1,500 for throwing waste from his or her vehicle by Dubai Police and Dubai Municipality at the same time.
“Pag-isipan nang mabuti ang mga bagay na lumalabas sa bibig mo”
Authorities in the UAE are seeing red over red gums that stick to the streets and walls of many neighbourhoods across the country. Last year, Abu Dhabi Municipality hauled up 180 people for spitting in public spaces.
In 2015, the fine for the offence was increased from Dh200 to Dh1,000 in Abu Dhabi. The common culprits are consumers of paan (betel leaf), paan masala and gutka (chewing tobacco), but chewing gum addicts are equally guilty.
Dubai Municipality tweeted that chewing gums were “small in size, but it has a negative impact on the appearance of the city”. Spitting out a chewing gum on a Dubai road can attract a fine of Dh500.
Fines for unlawful behavior
Listed below are the fines you stand to incur if you get caught commiting the offenses written above:
– Dh1,000 for spitting on the road or in public spaces in Abu Dhabi and Dubai
– Dh1,000 for repeat offenders urinating in public
– Dh500 for spitting out chewing gum in Dubai
– Dh2,000 for smoking e-cigarettes either inside or near the entrance of a shopping mall
– Dh150,000 to Dh500,000 for breaching another person’s privacy by taking their picture without consent
– Dh1,000 for motorists caught flinging cigarette butts from cars in Dubai
– 3 months to 3 years in jail for flashing the middle finger
