DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES — For many Filipinos in the Middle East, the work is honest, dignified, and deeply respected.
But for one Filipino IT executive, there’s a painful truth that still follows a lot of Kababayans around—especially in Saudi Arabia.
They’re often assumed to belong in domestic and hospitality work.
And even when they don’t… the world sometimes treats them like they do.
“I respect those jobs—but we’re capable of more”
John Michael Panghulan, 37, is an Assistant Vice President for IT Project Delivery at one of Saudi Arabia’s leading sovereign investment institutions. And he’s speaking up, not to belittle domestic or hospitality roles—but to widen the story people tell about Filipinos.
“Here in Saudi Arabia, many Filipinos are still commonly associated with domestic and hospitality roles,” he said—adding that he deeply respects these jobs because they are built on dignity, sacrifice, and resilience.
Then he paused on the bigger point.
Filipinos, he said, are also “equally capable of leading in management, technology, strategy, and executive roles.”
Not someday. Not “maybe.”
Now.
The moments that sting the most
Panghulan said his perspective comes from personal experience—moments that quietly remind you how you’re being seen.
He recalled times he felt looked down on when entering luxury shops, and moments when people asked about his profession during casual, non-business interactions.
“I’m recognized as a Filipino and sometimes not respected on a casual day in a fine dining or high-end shop,” he shared, “but assumed to be non-Filipino when I wear a professional suit.”
That contrast stayed with him.
Not because it made him bitter—but because it made him determined to challenge the stereotype: that Filipinos are only excellent in support environments, and not in leadership rooms.
Nearly 900,000 Filipinos in Saudi—and many are moving beyond the old boxes
According to the Saudi Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD), there are 898,014 Filipino workers in Saudi Arabia, making Filipinos the sixth-largest expatriate community there.
Yes, domestic helpers still make up a large portion of OFWs in the country. But Panghulan points out that Filipinos are also entering more industries as Saudi opens up—oil and gas, transportation, telecom, medical fields, and more.
Filipinos have been part of the Saudi workforce since the 1970s—first known for engineers, construction workers, domestic helpers, and nannies.
But the story is changing.
And he wants the world to catch up.
“It felt like a shared win”
Panghulan has worked in the UAE since 2014, and he was recently recognized as one of the leading tech professionals at The Intelligent Data, AI and Automation Summit in Riyadh last October 8 and 9.
He was the only Filipino recognized.
For him, it wasn’t just a personal milestone.
It felt like proof—especially for Filipinos who feel they need to work twice as hard just to be noticed.
“Having worked in the UAE for many years, I witnessed how Filipinos are highly diverse in their professional roles and are widely accepted in management and leadership fields,” he said.
What he actually does: big systems, bigger impact
His day-to-day work lives in high-stakes environments—workplace upgrades, digital transformation, and enterprise IT projects tied to national-scale development.
He leads planning, execution, and delivery across complex systems like enterprise platforms, smart building integrations, audio-visual solutions, collaboration tools, and network and security infrastructure—coordinating with technical teams, consultants, and key stakeholders.
In short: not “support.”
Decision-making. Delivery. Leadership.
The part of his story that almost ended everything
But behind the title and recognition is a chapter he doesn’t hide.
In college, he worked at McDonald’s, then took a call center job—doing whatever it took to keep moving.
Then in 2015, while in the UAE, life collapsed.
“I went into a deep depression, neglected my health,” he said, “and eventually suffered a major medical crisis that left me partially paralyzed and confined in the ICU.”
It was, in his words, “the lowest point” of his life.
He lost his job. For months, he experienced homelessness. He relied on the kindness of people who took him in.
At one point, he had only AED10 left—about $3.
He reached out to his brother in the US for help. When money was sent, he breathed again—thinking it would be enough to secure a bedspace in Dubai and start rebuilding.
But when he checked the ATM…
Zero.
His credit card had automatically deducted the amount.
“That moment broke me,” he said.
He survived through a close friend who lent him money and covered the cost of a place to sleep.
Not comfort.
Not ease.
Just survival.
“The fear pushed me to give my best”
That kind of experience doesn’t leave you. It shapes how you walk into every room after.
Panghulan said the fear of returning to that level of hardship became fuel—pushing him to give his best in everything he does.
And when asked what success looks like, he didn’t sell a perfect formula.
He kept it real:
Don’t settle for less than the growth you know you deserve.
Remove self-doubt and fear, because once you truly believe in your value, opportunities start to follow.
And in tech, he added, you have to stay sharp.
“The moment you become complacent is the moment your growth stops.”
Beyond the stereotype
His message isn’t complicated.
It’s human.
He respects every kind of work Filipinos do—especially the jobs built on sacrifice.
But he also wants the world to stop putting Filipinos in a single box.
Because Filipinos don’t just belong in back rooms and support roles.
They belong at the table.
They belong in leadership.
And sometimes, all it takes to change the room…
…is one Filipino refusing to stay silent about what he’s seen—and what he knows Filipinos can be.
