Our Overseas Filipino Workers' part of keeping our economy adrift cannot be denied by anyone. They send billions of pesos in remittances to their families regularly, and yearly the numbers increase as a lot of Filipinos leave to work in foreign lands.
According to the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration's statistics, about 9 to 12 million Filipinos or approximately 10-12% of our population currently chose to leave their family members to work as OFW's anywhere worldwide.
Migration has been a much needed option for working Filipinos since the era when I was born, during the 1970's. The Philippine government then opted for labor export and liberalization of the trade industry to help on the economy development. The deployment of workers abroad was done during Martial Law also to address unemployment and lack of foreign exchange with priorities on the agricultural and manufacturing sectors only. It was actually a temporary measure before to stabilize the government because of the national debt we had by then. But after more than four decades, our country cannot employ all Filipino workers and has not enjoyed freedom from labor migration. Migrant workers are consumed with a strong challenge of nationalism and sacrifice. Our duty as Filipino citizens is to maintain tough and sincere attachment to our beloved homeland. One of our functions also is not only to do our duty to our family but to our country and community as well. Most of these migrant workers were probably the ones who worked hard in our country but were not properly compensated. Or the people who were not able to graduate in college and were not able to find jobs there. No person would exchange a stable and a well-compensated job to work away from his/her family. In all the Philippine households, one or a number of members is an OFW. We all have an OFW family member that occupies the empty bed in our room. We all miss hugs of those loved ones during bad days. We all long for their smiles and laughs during good days and celebrations. I am actually from the generation of sending letters and photographs to my OFW relatives through the post office. I am also one of the children who would run to my aunts and uncles' houses to get my "pasalubongs" from them sent by means of a "balikbayan box".
All the people from the government acknowledge the huge contribution of all the migrant workers dispersed around the world. The Philippine economy is dependent and actually partly built on OFW's backs. What is disgusting is that although everybody is aware on this reality, migrant workers lack total access to the most basic labor rights and privileges. I really do not want to dwell in to all the sacrifices made by all these "unsung heroes" of today. I really do not want to stress the sacrifices made by those who work as nannies and domestic helpers. I really do not want to emphasize the social cost of sending OFW nannies and caregivers to care for other families while leaving their kids behind.
OFW's are indeed "modern heroes" of the new generation. However, would I probably be right to say they are suitably called the "tragic heroes" of today? Is the Philippines spending enough resources to protect these "migrant heroes"? Yes, we've got agencies and institutions established for the migrant workers. Were they able to establish enough programs to service OFW's? I am talking about the problems/issues that beset a lot of OFW's around the world.
*Employer's Maltreatment/Abuse
*Contract Switching
*Illegal Recruitment
*Drug Related Cases
*Sexual Exploitation
*Underemployment
*Underemployment
*Corruption at the Airport
I do not need to emphasize thousands of tragic incidents such as death met by many as an ultimate price to climb their way out of poverty. For some, migration is a tragedy of being forcibly separated from your loved ones out of desperation and necessity.
I do not need to emphasize thousands of tragic incidents such as death met by many as an ultimate price to climb their way out of poverty. For some, migration is a tragedy of being forcibly separated from your loved ones out of desperation and necessity.
It is indeed a huge irony to know that while Pinay nannies raise other kids, Filipina caregivers care for the thousands of sick and elderly away from the country, and Pinay teachers who educate thousands of students abroad... about ten million Filipino children grow up with virtual moms on Facebook and Skype. We left the country in our own accord and yes we went abroad in search of higher income because of an obvious reason. Our country can not provide jobs that offer good salaries to most of its citizens. That is definitely true, the decision was more of a necessity, the price of survival. It is because our country cannot provide sufficient jobs for everyone. I do not want also to mention the ever-soaring high cost of education and commodities. Collateral damage? ...leaving your family behind and loving them from a distance.
On the other hand, I still dream of a government that creates a lot of jobs at home so that working abroad will not be a necessity but only an option. I am optimistic that I will have a government that will not think of migration as an answer to unemployment and underemployment. I am still sure that I will have a government that will provide sustainable domestic jobs. I am still wishing for a government that when its people choose to be a migrant worker, their protection and their welfare will be one of its priorities.
On the other hand, I still dream of a government that creates a lot of jobs at home so that working abroad will not be a necessity but only an option. I am optimistic that I will have a government that will not think of migration as an answer to unemployment and underemployment. I am still sure that I will have a government that will provide sustainable domestic jobs. I am still wishing for a government that when its people choose to be a migrant worker, their protection and their welfare will be one of its priorities.
My dreams of having a government that values OFWS were shattered when I learned that the Bureau of Customs conceived an idea of putting additional tax and a plan to conduct random inspection to OFW's balikbayan boxes. An OFW's balikbayan box is a symbol of love. It is the equivalent of his/her presence that brings simple joy to all the members of the family. A migrant worker actually spends months to buy stuff for his/her loved ones to complete a box. OFW's boxes do not contain contrabands. They contain a representation of joy and love sent in the form of gifts by the hardworking migrant workers. (Though sending them on a regular basis is not a good idea afterall.) Is this a planned policy to help the BOC or a corruption scheme for the greedy? There are gigantic issues that need the eyes and scrutiny of the officers of the BOC. The corruption is rampant in the system involving large-scaled smuggling, lagay-system, misdeclaration of goods, and a lot more that need your expertise.
At the end of the day, I still believe on Kennedy's ASK NOT WHAT YOUR COUNTRY CAN DO FOR YOU, ASK WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR COUNTRY. However as of this moment I actually have one question in mind for the BOC...are you kidding me? seriously?
