Building Flood Response and Self-Rescue Tutorial Demonstrations

Recently, several departments of the Philippine Immigration Bureau jointly raided the SSK Building in Parañaque, which even made the local news. Unfortunately, our company was located on the 8th floor of this building. On that day, all the foreigners in the building were taken by bus directly to the immigration detention center, where they were collectively detained for two whole nights.

At first, we were quite calm because our company had a regular work visa and all the necessary procedures were complete and legal. However, once we arrived at the detention center, we found that the shortest stay for anyone there was at least two weeks, and the only options were "deportation" or "pending deportation," which really shattered our morale. The conditions in the detention center were poor, with only floor mats for sleeping and mushy meals, and all mobile phones were confiscated.

Since it happened during work hours, a group of colleagues were detained together. Our first step was to immediately contact a lawyer for defense; the second step was to report to the embassy for help; the third step was to contact people outside to send supplies, including all documents and files. Of course, in a place like the Philippines, there's nothing that money and connections can't solve. After being detained for two days and after multiple departments checked and signed off that we were clear, we were finally released.

After this experience, we were truly shaken, so we specifically wrote this note to warn everyone: the Philippines is currently in the midst of government midterm elections, and the situation is particularly unstable. If it's not necessary, really do not go out casually. Law enforcement actions here sometimes are just about extorting money, over and over again, so be sure to protect yourself and put safety first! Also, remind everyone to be cautious with your words and actions abroad, and avoid making inappropriate comments.

Although the incident is over and our mindset has gradually stabilized, it was indeed a profound lesson in life. We can only sigh that the length of life might have been shortened by a few inches, but the depth of life has increased by a few degrees. We sincerely hope everyone can cherish the present and live well.