Skyline College/North San Mateo County Oral History Archives, Skyline College Library
Student project for LSCI 110 – Digital Oral Research Project, Skyline College

 Federico Fernandez

Click on the links below to hear audio segments from an April 2012 interview by Richard Fernandez with Federico Fernandez, who grew up in the Philippines and immigrated to the United States in search of a better opportunity.

 

Federico Fernandez

 

Table of Contents:
1. Introducing Federico
2. Social Class

3. Neighborhood

4. Marcos Part I

5. Marcos Part II

6. Expectations

7. Searching for a job

8. Looking Back

 

 


Introducing Federico
(1:43)
 Federico talks about the place he grew up in and what life was like during his childhood.

 

Federico in his younger years.

 

 

 

 

Back to Table of Contents

 

 


Social Class
(2:01)
Federico explains the social status of his family and his role in helping out his family business.  He had to stop school at a young age for a while in order to help his father.

 

Tatsulok (social structure in the Philippines)



Back to Table of Contents

 

 


Neighborhood
(0:57)
He lived in a crowded with mixed people from different regions.  A lot of people of people gambled, but some worked hard to improve their life.

 

Federico’s friends and neighbors

                                                                                                                                           
  

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Marcos Part I
(2:28)
Federico talks about the events that happened during Marcos’s presidency and up to his dictatorship.

 

Marcos declaring Martial Law on December 21, 1972

 

 

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Marcos Part II
(1:49)
Federico talks about how his lifestyle changed during Martial law. The government was ruled by the military, press was controlled, and there were curfews.

 

People rallying against Marcos

 

 



 

Back to Table of Contents

 

 


Expectations
(1:56)
Federico explains the expectations that he had about the United States before immigrating.

 

Fancy Cars. Fancy suit.

 

 

 

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Searching for a job
(1:52)
Federico explains the obstacles he had to go through in applying for a job in the United States.  He was not able to use his engineering degree from the Philippines in the United States. 

 

CNA Graduation

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back to Table of Contents

 

 


Looking Back
(1:11)
Federico has not visited the Philippines ever since he arrived in the United States because the fare is very expensive.  In addition to the fare being expensive, he doesn’t have any reason to go back because his family is already in the United States.

 

Federico’s family in the United States.

 

 

 

 

Back to Table of Contents

 

 

 

 

Image sources:


Tatusulok:
http://redstudentswill.multiply.com/journal/item/429/Lumpen-Intellectuals_Sept._7_2009

People Rallying: http://blog-by-taga-ilog-news.blogspot.com/2010/09/on-commemoration-of-declaration-of.html

Marcos: http://marcosneveragain.wordpress.com/2011/10/24/bongbong-marcoshave-you-experienced-zona/

 

 

 

 


last revised: 5-17-12
by Eric Brenner, Skyline College, San Bruno, CA
These materials may be used for educational purposes.  North San Mateo County Oral History Archives, Skyline College Library.
All commercial rights are reserved. To contact the coordinator, or send comments or suggestions, email: Eric Brenner at brenner@smccd.edu