We met a lot of Filipinos there who are working as contract workers.
Yapese in general are warm, hospitable and generous people.There are almost 200 Filipinos living in Yap. Some of the people we have met like Connie Mendes, Danilo David and Jennifer Mentes have been in Yap for over ten years.Mendes is now managing her common-law husband’s restaurant the Ganir Restaurant in Colonia while David works as a maintenance worker for Yap Cooperative Association and Mentes is the caretaker of Hiltop apartelle.In an interview with them, they said they fell in love with Yap’s natural beauty and simple living. They liked the laid back style and the orderliness of the place.“We feel safe here. We can walk on the road at night without any fear that somebody will attack us,” said Mentes who has been the care taker of the Hiltop for over four years.The main shopping center in Colonia is the Yap Cooperative Association and business is only open during weekdays.People spend their time on the beach swimming and fishing during the weekends.Mendes and husband John Fanoway, former Immigration officer are living in a village which is an hour drive from the center.The couple are in town five days a week to attend to their restaurant.The establishment is closed during weekends.Filipinos would usually gather in one house for bonding during birthday occasions.Yap is located in the Western Carolines and is comprised of main islands of Yap, Gagil-Tomil, Map and Rumung.Yap’s capital and center of business is Colonia, a small town situated along the waterfront and around a bay.Many of the Yapese are still practicing their old cultures and live in the villages outside of Colonia.Some of the old men and women are still wearing traditional attire of loin clothes, “thus” for men and “lava lavas” for women.Yap is known for their stone money and many of them are still using stone money for funeral practices, wedding and as tokens for gratitude.
