Hogan Spartans in Dubai: A Fil-Am Reunion Amidst the Shadow of War
Hogan Spartans in Dubai: A Fil-Am Reunion in the Desert
Looking back at 2021 with Glenn Victa, Dennis, and Isagani — and praying for the safety of our kababayan today.
⚠️ LIVE CRISIS UPDATE: MARCH 12, 2026
Our thoughts are with the millions of kabayan in the Middle East. With regional instability rising, the Philippine government is preparing chartered repatriation flights starting tomorrow, March 13, from Fujairah. Stay vigilant.
The Hogan High School Class of 1985 legacy isn't confined to Vallejo. In 2021, I visited Dubai and reconnected with fellow Spartan Glenn Victa. Sharing the evening were Dennis and Isagani, two kababayan whose hospitality offered me a real look at the "global Pinoy" experience — the sacrifice, the grind, and the community that makes a foreign city feel like home.
💡 DID YA KNOW?
Dubai is the Filipino capital of the Middle East, with over 450,000 Filipinos in Dubai alone — making up more than 21% of the emirate's total population. Deira is the heart of the community — a bustling district where Pinoy culture and food make the desert feel like home.
🇵🇠TAGALOG WOD
Kababayan (or 'Kabayan'): From the root bayan (nation/community). It's more than "countryman" — it's a soulful recognition of a shared origin. When we call someone Kabayan, we are saying: "You are part of my home, no matter where in the world we are."
🚨 EMERGENCY CONTACTS FOR KABAYAN
MWO (Assistance to OFWs):
+971 56 353 5558
Consulate (Non-OFWs):
+971 56 501 5756
MWO Hotline:
+971 56 270 9157
OWWA Repatriation:
+971 54 557 2121
Repatriation Note: If you are near Fujairah, please coordinate with the DMW immediately for the March 13–14 chartered flights. Stay in shelter-in-place mode unless instructed to move by official PH Embassy channels.
🇵🇠OFW Fil-Am Fact: Filipinos in Dubai
Filipinos are the third-largest expat group in the UAE, with roughly 700,000 kababayan across the country — about 450,000 of them in Dubai alone, making up more than 21% of the emirate's total population. Filipino migration to the Gulf began in earnest in the 1970s following the oil boom, and today OFWs in the UAE span every sector — from nursing and engineering to hospitality and finance. In 2021 alone, OFWs in the UAE sent over $1.32 billion in remittances back to the Philippines — money that funds family education, housing, and small businesses back home. Every Spartan reunion in a Dubai living room, every shared plate of adobo in a Deira apartment, is part of that larger story of sacrifice and love. More OFW stories →
Author & Photographer: J.F.R. Perseveranda
J.F.R. Perseveranda is the architect and lens behind PinoyBuilt. From IT Product Manager to Fil-Am storyteller, J.F. bridges the diaspora through photography and culture.
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