Coffee Thursdays Just Brewing Thoughts
Filipino migrant workers and economic struggle
When I was two years old my father left for Saudi Arabia to work as a nurse. Hence, I grew up without a single memory of my father playing with me as a kid. Then I turned five, it was even harder when my mother also had to leave for the U.S. also to work as a nurse for me to be enrolled in a reputable private school in Iloilo City. At a young age, I was immersed with the idea that in order to live comfortably in this country, one had to seek its way out for a greener pasture. Back then, I couldn't understand why this is happening. I am now 25 and faced with my own dilemma. "I must be gone to live, or stay here and die". Shakespeare's words reflect the disposition of most Filipino professionals today. The growing exodus of Filipinos to other countries could be attributed to the following reasons: to leave and escape poverty, a corrupt government or simply to find better work. It is frustrating that this country couldn't provide the opportunity every Filipino deserves.
Nevertheless, it seems that the government doesn't care. This despite the fact that the Filipino overseas remittances reached over 7 billion dollars annually, which amounts to the country's 32 percent GNP. Filipino overseas workers are responsible for helping the economy survive. The brain drain issue is no longer new to the ears of the public; it is a story of economic struggle. The Philippines is recognized as the largest exporter of manpower to the world. Our country surpassed Mexico as the primary source of migrant workers. Over 8 million Filipinos work overseas to support family back home. This is an alarming one tenth of our population.
It should be an issue of shame to our country. The Philippines has an inability to create jobs in order to keep its own people. As to where these people go, Filipinos are scattered like myriad of sands. Filipinos could be in the households of Hong Kong, computer programmers in Singapore, as skilled workers in the Middle East, teachers in China, engineers in Dubai, nurses in the U.S. or crews in sailing ships around the world's oceans. We even joked among ourselves that wherever you go around the world, there's always a Filipino to say kabayan, kumusta?
I had conversation over coffee with my two good friends, Ed and Tan about this issue. Ed is a political science graduate who helps with the family business, while Tan is juggling his time with his 6-month old daughter, his work as a nurse and a band member that performs every Sunday at a local bar. Ed suggested there is work in the country but for long term benefit it seems to be unsubstantial. The work here is multiplied by the amount of effort and stress equals low salary. For instance, if you can work as a call center agent, how long can one sustain and where will that job bring you in five years time. You will be working as an agent who reports at night and sleeps during daytime. Tan's views are quite similar; though he is earning as a full time nurse, his salary is just enough to provide for his family's daily needs. His 12-hour shift grants him less than 300 pesos a day. Lamentably, they agreed that we can't get much success with our careers if we remain in this country. Ed is planning to work and study in Australia, while Tan is processing his papers for the U.S.
In my own understanding, this situation doesn't help our country in the long run. It brings us more damage than good when we are losing our significant workers that belong to the best and brightest in the community. Most of our promising doctors and nurses aim to leave in immediate time. Our health care is imperiled for adequate source of competitiveness in the sector. Our engineers and architects prefer to devote their skills to foreign companies because of better pay. No wonder our technological and industrial advances remain in state of mediocrity. In the end, it ruins the Philippines' chance of becoming a modern and industrialized country simply because there are no longer Filipinos at the best of their fields to support this aim.
To be or not to be, that is the question. Do we have to go overseas and fulfill our dreams or work in this country where our salary is just enough to provide a meal? According to POEA, over 1 million contract workers will leave before the year 2007 ends, the biggest exodus ever. Over 1 million Filipinos made their choice. In my case I am faced with this question: Will I go to the U.S. to work as a nurse and earn P2 million in a year or stay here in the Philippines and take a lifetime to acquire it? This debate rests its case. Moreover, I am sad to leave my country to our government who nonchalantly can't do anything to keep the Filipinos where they should be home.
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