IT was probably the late Blas Ople, who first referred to our Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) as our “modern-day heroes.” Ople, a former desk editor of a prominent newspaper before he joined government, was the labor minister of the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos Sr. Surprisingly, Ople, to his credit, turned to become a prominent senator and foreign affairs secretary in the post-Marcos era. Incidentally, it was Ople, who first referred to the phenomenon of Filipino labor migration as the “Filipino diaspora.”
The OFWs number at least ten million scattered worldwide and remit an annual average of $38 billion to the Philippine economy, helping to keep it afloat even in the most turbulent and uncertain times. The OFW deployment is a rare labor migration phenomenon, as these workers stay committed to the Philippines. After years of service in foreign lands, they return, settle here, and start a new life as entrepreneurs or whatever.
The deployment of OFWs in several countries, including East Asia, Middle East, North America, and Europe, has enabled members of their immediate families to obtain better access to public services like education, housing, and health care. The disposable income from their labor abroad has provided them some flexibility in their spending patterns, empowering them to get better access to modern gadgets and technology.
The export of Philippine labor has become an official state policy during the era of the Marcos dictatorship in the 1970s. It was supposed to be a stop gap measure to meet the problems of those days in foreign exchange and economic imbalance. It has obtained permanence because of the OFWs’ capability to adapt to the varying cultures. Moreover, the failure of public policies in the national economy has made labor export a sufficient economic alternative.
Several factors have contributed to the phenomenon of labor migration and most fundamental are the lack of job opportunities at home, low wages, and economic instability here. Filipino workers, especially those who possess intermediate skills, have opted to work abroad mainly because of the high cost of living here and their strong desire to provide their families with what they define a better future for them.
Foreign employers have opted for Filipino workers like nurses, medical personnel, seafarers, teachers, and domestic help because of their adaptability and knowledge of English, the global language. Furthermore, they have a strong work ethic.
But the deployment of Filipino workers abroad is not a bed of roses, as often projected in many “success stories.” This labor policy has resulted in social problems like severe emotional stresses and strain to affected families. Their children grow up in the care of grandparents as either the mother or father or both become absentee parents and spouses. The long period of separation gives rise to infidelity, triggering married couples to separate. Their children become vulnerable to social problems like drug addiction, alcoholism, and juvenile delinquency.
It is wrong to believe and assume that many OFWs work elsewhere because of their combined sense of patriotism and altruism. They did not go abroad because they love the Philippines. The truth is they were moved mainly by selfish reasons. Many OFWs leave and work abroad because of unhealthy home conditions. They want to escape the gargantuan responsibility to face family issues at home.
It is not uncommon to see professionals like teachers, who leave their jobs here because of their philandering partners and children, who have become uncontrollable to a large extent. Working abroad is a form of escape for many OFWs. There were instances, when many OFWs did not have sustainable careers here and a job abroad is the only alternative.
It is also wrong that many OFWs have sufficient awareness of what has been happening in the country, especially the political issues. It could be assumed that many OFWs lack basic political awareness and education, making them extremely vulnerable to charlatans and agitators. This is exactly the reason why Misfit Sara has been targeting several communities of OFWs in certain countries. They are the OFW communities with extremist views.
It is most advisable to de-romanticize our views of OFWs. The alleged support of OFWs to Misfit Sara comes from those communities of OFWs, which have fallen prey to massive disinformation. They hardly represent the Filipinos among us. At best, they are the social outcasts.
