Wake Up Call for OFWs

Last June 16, I've read an article from the arabnews.com which is entitled, "Imagine a world without Filipinos". While reading the article, I was so amazed on the words the writer used to describe the attitude of my fellow Filipino workers. The sentence, "They are known for their professionalism and the quality of their work.", made me realized so many things.

If Filipinos are considered good workers in other countries, why is it that Philippines is still a poor country where in fact there are 80 million more Filipinos there? Does this tells us that people running the Philippine government are non-professionals that they failed to uplift the lives of the Filipinos?

If OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers) are really considered as heroes, why is it that OFWs are so afraid in facing those thieves in the Philippines? Stop this illusion. I am an OFW and we are not heroes. We just work abroad for our families and not for our country. So we are not heroes at all. That's it.

The arabnews.com's article is a wake up call for OFWs to realize that we, Filipinos, have the ability to clean the Philippines and improve our lives. We don't want to be forever exploited by many countries. We have to do something so we can go home and serve our countrymen. Let's prove to the world that we can change our country and Filipino image.

OFWs are not yet heroes

Today is labor day in the Philippines and I would like to write something about Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). As an OFW, I have felt what is to work far from home. Loneliness, homesickness, cultural adjustments, and sacrifices are just some of the daily emotional feelings of an OFW is facing. To stay long in work, one should be immune to those feelings. Afterall, at the end of the month, there's money to send home in the Philippines. And that's what matter most to OFWs.


But are OFWs really heroes or "bagong bayani"? Is giving remittances be considered heroic act? I strongly disagree. Heroes are people who made significant events that uplift the lives of the people and the country to the next level.

Years of giving remittances change nothing to the situation in the Philippines. It's still the same. Most of the Filipinos are still poor and corruption in the government becomes a hobby.

OFWs still need to discover its power -- the power far greater than EDSA I or II. The birth of this power will only begin if the OFWs will be united and impose the "No Improvements No Remittances" policy to the government. This powerful policy will pressure the people in the government to minimize corruption and thereby create better services, which, in the end, will uplift the lives of the Filipinos. Thus, to exercise this power is a clear heroic act and failure to realize this power will remain OFWs as the not yet heroes.