Filipinos in Poland, the citizens of the
Philippines as well as their descendants who are currently living in
Poland, are mostly residing in the country on a temporary basis.[2] As of September 2012[update], there were an estimated 525 Filipinos across the country.[1]
Demographics
Although Filipinos in Poland are spread throughout the country, they are mostly concentrated in urban centers, with Filipino communities in cities such as
Warsaw,[3]Kraków,[4]Poznań,[5] and
Łódź.[6] Most Filipinos in Poland are employed either in the banking sector, in the hospitality industry, as domestic helpers, or as Catholic clergy.[7] Some are employed also as computer programmers,[8] while a number are also students: twelve Filipinos have studied at the
University of Warsaw from 2010 to 2013 under the European Union's
Erasmus Mundus program.[9]
Society and culture
The Filipino community in Poland regularly organizes events, at times with the participation of the
Philippine Embassy in Warsaw. Filipinos are a fixture at Warsaw's only English-language Catholic
Mass, where many are active in church services,[8] and around 100 people also gather every first Sunday of the month to hear a separate community Mass at the
Parish of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church in the
Mokotów district of Warsaw.[10]
Likewise, the Philippine Embassy organizes events around major Philippine holidays such as
Independence Day and the
People Power Revolution.[11][12] In 2011, the Philippine Embassy organized a Marian pilgrimage to
Domacyno, its first outreach project outside of Warsaw.[13]
There has also been interest in organizing an Association of Filipinos in Poland.
In February 2018, the Jesus Is Lord Church Worldwide has started holding its Sunday Worship & Healing Services in Leonardo Royal Hotel in Warsaw, Poland. This church bring all peoples to the kingdom of the living God regardless of race, status, belief and religious affiliations through the saving, healing, delivering, and transforming power of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Filipinos have appeared on Polish television shows such as Dzień Dobry TVN,[15]Pytanie na śniadanie and other programs. Notably, Filipinos who joined Polish
talent shows on television have done well: these include Cristina Bien winning Szansa na sukces in 2008,[16] Alexander Martinez placing third in the second season of Mam talent! in 2009,[17][18] and Conrado Yanez placing second in the Polish version of Must Be the Music in 2011.[19]