Filipinos are known for their big dreams—full of goals to achieve and ambitions to fulfill.
However, for some, the Philippines isn’t the ideal place to chase those dreams. Many OFWs in the UAE have shared with The Filipino Times their reasons for venturing abroad, and it’s easy to see why—the UAE is an oasis overflowing with opportunities.
Take Dubai-based Rondell Julian Manalo, for example. His passion for cooking ignited during his junior college years. “Our classes on cooking ignited the passion inside me, plus watching cooking shows on The Food Network and cooking beside my grandmother,” Manalo said.
However, when Manalo searched for chef opportunities in the Philippines, he found that the options were quite limited. “There was a lack of competitiveness in the food scene where I was from. And after a lot of searching and interviews, I couldn’t find a company that would give a good salary and incentives.”
Manalo tried various jobs in the Philippines, including cashier, housekeeping, waiting tables, and even real estate. Eventually, the opportunity to work in Dubai came up. Although it was daunting to embrace something new in a distant country, Manalo took the leap. His first-ever job as a chef was as a Commis 3 or Line Cook at a Middle Eastern Fusion Restaurant.
“I experienced cooking for delegates and VIP people back when Expo 2020 was open. From company events and birthdays to social gatherings,” Manalo said.
Now, with seven years of experience in the UAE, Manalo works as a baker at a sophisticated café known for its specialty: Pavlova, a delicate meringue-based cake.
Like Manalo, over a million Filipinos in the UAE are pursuing the perfect opportunity to fulfill their dreams. One such story is James Guion Jr. a.k.a. Emcee Papa James, who began hosting events as a hobby.
In the Philippines, Guion volunteered to host various bar events purely for the joy of engaging with people, never considering it as a career move. It was driven by passion, not profession.
“Initially, I was more focused on helping out friends rather than earning money from hosting gigs. Whenever they needed someone to host an event, I was happy to step in,” Guion said.
When Guion moved to the UAE, he began hosting small office gatherings and celebrations, like Christmas parties. He had no idea that his talent for entertaining would bring so much joy to his colleagues. Impressed by his skills, one of his bosses asked him to organize and host their company’s family day event, which included a large number of executives from various countries.
“The success of that event was significant, and seeing the joy on everyone’s faces was incredibly rewarding,” Guion shared. “The day after, a hotel manager contacted me, offering me the opportunity to host their company event.”
Guion was thrilled when this unexpected opportunity came knocking at his door, calling it “a turning point” in his life. Inspired, he created a Facebook page to showcase his work, sharing photos and highlights from his hosting gigs. This marked the beginning of more people reaching out to him for events, turning his passion into a growing career.
“I decided to pursue hosting more seriously. Since then, through referrals and positive word-of-mouth, my bookings have continued to grow,” Guion said. “I’ve been hosting for over a year now and have completed close to a hundred gigs,” he said, sharing that he had hosted a wide variety of events, including birthdays, weddings, christenings, baby showers, gender reveals, anniversaries, and corporate functions.
Facing the fear of the unknown
Many people have this fear of pursuing their dreams, thinking that it may not be worth it or it would be unsuccessful. However, for both Manalo and Guion, taking the first step is necessary to fulfill their dreams—and they found it in the UAE.
“The first step is always scary, but then you have to ask yourself, how badly you want it or how far are you willing to go for you to grow your career,” Manalo said. “The enemy is your self really because you have to battle yourself every day. The key is being self-motivated,” he added.
Likewise, Guion agrees with Manalo’s statement. “If you have a passion that you dream of turning into a source of income, don’t be afraid to pursue it,” Guion said, encouraging others who have this fear to pursue the unknown. “Don’t let fear or others’ doubts hold you back. Focus on your vision, be innovative, and trust that things will fall into place.”
