Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Maling akala ng mga kaibigan at kapamilya ng OFW sa Pilipinas

Sa mga kapwa ko OFW: Naranasan mo na ba na umuwi ng Pilipinas at lahat ng kamag-anak at kapitbahay mo ay darating at hihingi ng pasalubong? Naranasan mo na bang makatanggap ng sulat, text message o email galing sayong mga kamag-anak na humihingi ng tulong pinansyal?


Sa karamihan di na ito bago. Naranasan ko at ng kapwa ko OFW. Minsan nakakapagod na kasi kahit anong paliwanag mo na wala kang pera dahil sa maliit lang naman ang kinikita mo sa ibang bansa. Sa Hong Kong o Singapore ang kinikita ng mga DH ay nasa 19k o 20k lang naman sa isang buwan. Me dalawa o tatlong anak sa Pilipinas ay kulang pa ito kung tutuusin. Di sila makapag-ipon para sa kinabukasan nila dahil sa dami ng humihingi ng tulong sa kanila. Don't get me wrong, Hindi masama ang tumulong. Pero kung yon tinutulungan mo ay nagsisikap din para sa kanilang buhay at pamilya pero kung sila ay palagi naman ng umaasa sa padala at tulong mo ay teka muna, mali na po yan. Isang beses kang tulungan ng kamag-anak mo ay tama lng pero sana maintindihan nila na me pamilya rin kayo at me mga pangarap din kayong gustong maibigay sa sarili nyong pamilya na hindi matutupad kung sa tuwi-tuwina ay me dumadaing kang kamag-anak.

Hindi  po pagdaramot ang tawag dito. Ito po ay pagpapahalaga sa pagod at hirap na dinadanas nyo sa pagtatrabaho sa ibang bansa. Hindi po tayo habang-buhay malakas. Me mga araw na magkakasakit tayo. Paano ang kinabukasan ng sarili nating mga anak kung dumating ang araw na di mo na kayang magtrabaho? Marami po akong kakilala na nagtatrabaho sa abroad ng mahigit pa sa sampung taon pero me naipon ba? Wala. Ang karamihan sa kanila nagsisisi kasi di sila naging wais sa buhay. Ngayon ay me mga edad na sila at binibilang na lng nila ang taon na pwede pa silang magtrabaho sa ibang bansa at hanggang ngayon ay patuloy na nangangarap na makapag-ipon para sa pagbabalik nila sa bansa ay me maipuhunan kahit sa isang maliit na negosyo lamang.

Maging wais na po tayo. Ating unang tulungan ang ating mga sarili bago ang iba kasi mahirap tumulong kung ikaw nga ay naghihikahos sa buhay. Kung gustong tumulong sa kapwa, tulungan mo sila na ituwid ang buhay nila. Pangaralan sila sa kung ano ang nararapat na gawin para maabot din nila ang kanilang mga pangarap sa buhay. Turuan po natin ang mga anak natin sa wastong paghawak ng pera. Ituro po natin ang pagpapahalaga sa mga bagay na pinaghihirapan natin para paglaki nila ay marunong sila sa buhay at kampante ka na maaabot nila ang mga gusto nilang makamit.

Sana po ito ay maintindihan din ng mga kaanak ng OFW. Hindi po sila bangko. Puyat at pagod po ang dinaranas nila sa ibang bansa para kumita ng pera para sa kanilang mga anak sa Pilipinas.

 

lagay ko lang link ng isang blog na nagpatawa sakin. Sakto ang mga sinabi nya about OFW. Click on Tatess blogs.






Wednesday, September 12, 2012

What is it like to be an OFW?

If you are an OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker) reading this blog, you know the feeling pretty well. You leave your own country to work hard for your family's future and perhaps for your own dreams too. We leave the country with high hopes, to earn money and provide financial support  for our family.


 It is never easy when you start missing the children, husband or partner. Crying a lot when your kiddies are sick and you couldn't be there to take care of them, to hold them and reassure them "it's okay" and that you are not going to leave their side until they get better. Abroad, all you can do is cry and pray hard that they will be alright as soon as possible.

The parents working abroad misses a lot in their children's everyday lives. They aren't there when the kids get home from school and you can't see the excitement on their faces when they got a good grades or they have done something great in school or when they come home crying because someone bullied them in school. Those were just a few among other important things you missed when you are working abroad. Some of us experienced being a stranger when they go home to their family. Those little babies are now 7 0r 10 years old and is confused whether you're the real Mum or Dad. You've been away for so long they don't know how it feels like to be around you. And trust me, IT HURTS A LOT!

I am sharing this story coming from my own experience too. My mother who has been a OFW so long that whenever she comes home for a 2-3 weeks vacation my youngest brother usually is apprehensive for a day or two.  It also happened to her friend's family and mine too. We all got this painful stories to tell but it always amazes me how this people could still manage to smile and pretend everything's alright. Perhaps they just want to be strong in front of their family.
 
Another common story of OFW's who are working really hard to provide for his/her family. This is the case where the family thinks life abroad is too easy. That you got all the money at hand. That you can send them money in one text message. Maybe they want a nice laptop, iphone, ipod, ipad or money for a party. They don't realize their parents are working day and night just to provide for them. And let me tell you this, some of us, OFW,will do everything to give them all they want just to make them happy, we all do want that, for some reasons we also give in to their unwanted necessities thinking it might compensate for all the time you missed. 

I have been working abroad long enough to know the disadvantages of this culture. I've long heard this same story countless times from friends and other OFW's were they almost always end up in debt, no savings and no investments because they have live beyond their means. They are supposed to be saving money instead they tend to give in to their family's  requests. They usually spend an approximate 30-50% more than their salary. So what do you think would happen?
They will have to work longer abroad, couldn't get out of debt. It is a very sad story of OFW's and I really do hope it'd change for the better and that the family in the Philippines be more appreciative of what the parents can give them. And for the OFW's to explain carefully with honesty about their hard earned money. Let them know what you do so you can give them the life you want for them but not to over spend money to "wants", teach them the difference between "wants" and "needs." And that if you want to be with your family sooner you'll need to save and invest.








http://allabouthomeandgardening.blogspot.com.au/
http://letstalkaboutfoodandkitchen.blogspot.com.au/2012/09/sweet-potato-and-carrot-muffin.html