Date Posted:08:00:08 12/02/08 Tue Author:LORNA T. BULAON-DE LOS REYES (YOUR FACES MUST BE ON PESO BILLS) Subject: FILIPINOS - IN FOREIGN SOILS
This message was elicited by the point of view of one American based contributor. That Filipinos abroad are either unrecognized, under valued, or under educated. I would say... "and so the rest of the world."
But the fascinating point about that message is that to send a message accross that being abroad is no holiday like what the rest of the families left behind imagined. That life abroad is hard, difficult... and so Filipinos should not misconstrued that they are having a ball.
On a short note... sometimes it is not the families' fault they thought that way. When you see Mommy and Daddy, Kuya, Ate, Auntie, Uncles, on those "kodak moments" ... with all those beautiful backgrounds, historical and famous places only seen on books... one cannot help but daydream and wish someday, he too will be there.
When "balikbayan boxes" popped up with generous amounts of imported chocolates, canned goods and toiletries, who would ever think, life in America or abroad is not as sweet as honey ! ! !
Not to mention those endless cards...Christmas Cards, birthdays cards, mother's day card... father's day, valentine's day, graduation day, easter cards,earth day cards... that yield dollar bills !!!
If pictures can say a thousand words, "a note," from loved ones abroad; specially a "dollar note" stirs up the receivers' wild imaginations and dreams. This kind of "note" also implies prosperity and bounty on sender's part. So, who says life abroad is difficult ?
Congress should pass a bill to put OFW or Filipino expats or balikbayans faces on peso bills. They say you all are heroes. Having sent billions of dollars yearly to your families, you become the backbone of Philippine economy; by being the number one Philippine export. Do you know that if you guys abroad hadnt sent your money here, Philippine economy has long collapsed ? long before the Americans and the Europeans ! the Lehman Brothers ?
I have made acquaintances, lived and befriended lots of overseas Filipinos from all walks of life in their places abroad. I've seen their perseverance, personally witnessing their struggles and difficulties. And with all their perceived "PAGHIHIRAP SA ABROAD...JOBS, WORK, RACISM, PREJUDICES..."; I have only one word for them. GOD IS GOOD TO THEM...LIFE TREATS THEM WELL.
It is only during my travels abroad that I have seen rich and poor shop at the same supermarket. Hourly-paid Filipinos abroad can afford the same food, groceries clothes the Americans, and Europeans buy. Have you seen a Filipino poor shop at SM ? The farthest their money can go is the neighborhood sari-sari store.
Borrowing the now famous lines of millions of overseas workers applicants : "HINDI BALE NANG MAGHIRAP SA ABROAD NA KUMIKITA, KAYSA DITO SA PILIPINAS NA NAGHIHIRAP NA...WALA PA RING PERA."
My point is that whatever you do, whoever you are, whereever you are...no matter what stature, education, job, career, positions, titles, salaries, university or college degree, or recto diploma you have up on your sleeves, but if you continuously and generously help your loved ones here in the Philippines; that is the only most important thing that counts. Undergraduate or not, unrecognized or not, valued or not, easy life or difficult life, doing "heroic" gestures for the love of God and family is one best character Filipinos are admired for in the whole world. THIS ASSET, NOBODY CAN BEAT THE FILIPINOS IN ANY WORKPLACE IN THE WORLD.
MALIGAYANG PASKO AT MANIGONG BAGONG TAON SA INYONG LAHAT MGA KABABAYAN DIYAN SAAN MANG SULOK NG MUNDO !
As an overseas worker myself eh napakalaking sakripisyo talaga to live alone away from your love ones.Pero ang di naiintindihan ng mga mahal natin sa pinas kung anong tunay na sitwasyon mayroon tayo sa abroad at ang di maganda ay walang humpay na daing, tulad ng may lagnat lang pero pag tinawag sa kapamilya na sa abroad "nakaratay sa sakit at dina makakain" yan ang terminong ginagamit, pag dinala sa center or doktor para patingin "isinugod sa doktor" at pati na rin ang extended family iisa ang daing may sakit at kailangan ang pampagamot, may sakit si ganito, si ganoon kailangan ng tulong pero pag nagbaksyon ka ay makikita mo na kasisigla ng mga katawan ay may pundar na mga gamit sa bahay.Nakakasuka ang ganitong ugali ng mga pamilya ng mga OFW at di nila naiintindihan ay parang sasabog ang utak mo sa kaiisip kung paano pagkakasyahin ang konting kita para makatulong sa kanila at makapagpundar din naman sa mga anak at ang importante ay paghandaan ang pagbabalik kung paano magsisimula.Mahirap din tumawag sa pinas kasi sa halip na masaya ka na makausap sila para kang binagsakan ng langit at lupa kasi lahat ng problema yon ang sasabihin sa iyo, pag nagpadala sa halagang di nila gusto masama ka pa kasi akala nila sako sako ang pera ng OFW. Ito po ay base lang sa aking karanasan at wala po akong layunin na makasakit sa aking mga kababayan.
to lorna, totoo yun sinasabi mo na kami mga ofw e dumadaan sa lahat pag titis malaman lang namin na ang mga mahal namin sa buhay e nakakabili ng pagkain, di sumasalat sa oras ang mga pamilya sa pilipinas pero totoo din yun sinasabi ni tonyo na marami ang nagsasamantala sa mga kapamilya ng ofw. ako mismo hanggang ngayun nangyayari sakin akala nila ganun kalaki kita ng mga ofw pero sa totoo lang di lahat. may sinuswerte at may minamalas. pero di lahat araw o oras e swerte pano pag me nangyari sayo o natanggal sa trabaho? lalo ngayun recession sa ibang bansa di kami napapalagay kung sakali mawalan kami trabaho. uuwi kami ng wala ipon dahil lahat halos pera namin naiipadala sa mga mahal sa buhay dyan dahil sa mga daing, pag hihirap etc bukod pa sa monthly budget. hanggang kailan kaya kami ofw andito na di kasama pamilya? sa nababasa ko karamihan mga anak ofw naliligaw daw ng landas dahil wala ama o ina o silang dalawa. sana naman mag karoon kami mga ofw kasiguruhan na sa pag uwi namin di na kami babalik pa
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Re: FILIPINOS - IN FOREIGN SOILS -- Pinagpala, 02:36:01 12/06/08 Sat
To Lorna: Thanks for your American contributor and yes, most of those statements were true but you forgot to realized those relatives whose given gifts from abroad means a LOT to them, they appreciate our hardship, endless work, sacrifices. Our relatives and friends value those gifts or money because we explained it to them how we got them by simply working hard. Ang ibang OFW o kaya’y tiga ibang bansa na, na kapag umuwi sa Pilipinas ay parang di madapuan ng langaw, nagyayabang gastos dito gastos dun na di naman kailangan, sa ganoong ugali ipinakikita nila sa kanilang kamag-anak na madaling kitain and pera sa overseas. Hindi ko inaalis na magyabang sila kapag umuwi o dumalaw ng Pilipinas pero sana naman ipaliwanag sa kanilang pamilya o kamag-anak ang kanilang situasyun sa overseas. Nagpapasalamat kami na sa dami ng aming kamag-anak batid nila na una una lang ang biyaya na mapupunta sa kanila at sapat lamang upang ang biyaya ay makamtam ng lahat. Sabi nga nila ang isang bote ng kape kung paghahatihatiin mo maraming mabibigyan. Eka nga “kung may lason yang padala sa atin lahat tayo patay”. I recently visited the Philippines and had a birthday party. Some of our relative found out that money don’t grow on trees here overseas that in order for them to get some they have to work for them. We don’t need to hire someone to prepare food, arrange the place to be presentable our relatives did it all with pride, love and understanding. To date none told us a flaw even surface on the gathering of our friends and family. As I told them “Don’t thank me but, thank the LORD for giving me BLESSING and GOOD HEALTH”.
For the readers who received BLESSINGS (money, clothes etc.) from overseas please say Thank You, because you never know when it is going to end. I’m hoping they fulfill their needs first before they send you the BLESSINGS otherwise SOON you will both lose.
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Re: FILIPINOS - IN FOREIGN SOILS -- maskulado, 14:37:30 12/06/08 Sat
Diko mapigil di mag comment nakakatangay itong mga kababayan kong OFW.Mahirap talaga malayo sa pamilya kayalang talagang ganun sabiko nga tayoy VICTIM OF LOVE,love para sating pamilya.Diko malimutan nung unang linggo ko sa abroad nagluluto ako ng cornbeef na tumutulo ang aking luha ito na pala ang kung tawagin ay HOMESICK naku!ay talaga naman tsk!tsk!grabe parang gusto kong mahibang.Isa pa ay ang clima pagtaglamig di maiwasan ang dumugo ang ilong at ganun din naman sa tag araw.Masaya lang pag susweldo na pero parang magic sandali lang sa bulsa e ipapadala na dahil naiisip ang pamilya na baka wala ng magagamit at pagkatapos nun isang buwan nanamang kayod at pagtitiis.Sana nga lang pahalagahan ang sakripisyong ito at matupad ang pangarap na magandang pamumuhay para sa mga anak sila ang inspirasyon ko kaya kahit minsan kahit masama ang pakiramdam babangon at magtatrabaho sayang parin kasi iyong mababawas sa sweldo makadadagdag ng panggastos ng mga anak.Mahirap pero salamat sa DIYOS may pinagkakakitaan pa tayo.
most ng relatives ng OFW tend to be lazy, dahil mayroon silang ina-asahan.. most of the time they think na there will be always help around the corner, kaya they spend like there's no more tommorow. they don't bother to study hard enough..
sometimes parang masama din ang may OFW sa family dahil wala na silang tyaga sikapin umasenso ng sarile nila..
Dati rin po akong OFW and heard a lot of stories about families left behind na walang patumangga kung gumastos at paran bang wala ng bukas. Pag-uwi ni lalaki eh ni wala man lang ipon si babae so ang payo ko lang po eh dapat na matuto rin kayo na magtabi at huag ipadala ang buong sueldo. Sa mga anak naman ng OFW's eh sana naman bigyan ng halaga ang sacrifices ng inyong mga TATAY OR NANAY dahil hindi puro sarap ang buhay sa abroad. Thanks Lorna sa iyong pagpupugay sa ating mga OFW's and Mabuhay ka.
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Re: FILIPINOS - IN FOREIGN SOILS -- dannie b. lavaran, 09:55:52 08/17/09 Mon
hi lorna,i dont know if you are the lorna that i know from cabanatuan city.a frien of mine told me that you went abroad too. i have been looking for lorna for a while now.she went to araullo lyceum.please let me know if you are that lorna.....thanks dannie
I think before someone decides to work overseas, there are a lot of factors to consider like personal, professional, financial considerations. Can you stand being away from your family for an extended length of time? Many employers will need you to stay for the entire duration of you contract before allowing you to have a vacation or go home to your country.
I think before someone decides to apply for <a rel=nofollow target=_blank href="http://www.gopinoy.com/advice/job-search-strategy/are-you-ready-to-take-up-a-job-overseas.html">jobs overseas</a>, there are a lot of factors to consider like personal, professional, financial considerations. Can you stand being away from your family for an extended length of time? Many employers will need you to stay for the entire duration of you contract before allowing you to have a vacation or go home to your country.
