Filipino OFW's

My husband is working in UAE. It's really hard for us to adjust because we just married when he left and I'm also pregnant that time. But we have to sacrifice since it's for the future of our family. If we can only have a good source of income here in the philippines then he would not be there instead, but we have a crisis so he had no choice but to take chances abroad. Thanks to the technology now that we can already chat online anytime we want, at least it can lessen his sadness.

Honestly, i did tried to work abroad 1-2 years ago, gladly i was accepted, i only decline because of the salary, i was promised to receive minimum of $1,000 month but when i was to sign the contract there were lots of deduction, my monthly pay dived to $650 after the deducting my food and boarding allowance. my second application was also a dismay, i was promised a work in Angola but was later transferred to Saudi Arabia... My friend took the bait, but me i remained home and just continue doing the my Farm Works.. i pity some of my colleagues who have to go abroad for a low salary of P15,000/month, I wish our government do something about this problem, we are being sold as slaves by our Government. ( although some have landed for a good JOB and i believe many will take the Bait for a low salary,) You are from Manila,right, you can visit the numerous agency near St Paul Manila, UP Manila.

Well, I am one of the OFW who are working hard away from my family. It's really, really, really hard at the beginning. New environment, new people around you and of course your away from your family. On my first week until 2 months I felt very bad because I am adjusting myself to the new environment and also the people around me. When I felt homesick I convert it to good things will happen if I stay here. This will help me to struggle the homesick I felt everyday. I also asked some of the OFW here how they fight their homesick before when they are also new to this place. I hope the new government officials will concentrate in helping OFW's because not all Filipinos working abroad are lucky. There's alot of bad news we heard and read that they are maltreat by their employer.

I have two OFW friends, I just chatted with one of my friends from Oman last night. I asked her is it sad where she is, she replied the first month was really sad, she cried almost everyday cause she misses her family. But now she got many friends and bf there, so the sadness lessen. She still don't have savings cause her mother had stroke so she's sending money for medication. My brother is in Saudi Arabia too, although he is fighting for sadness, he needs to work abroad to earn more, he's got 5 children and he is old so he can't find job here. He can speak arabian language now, he's smart so he can easily adopt with the country. I too, want to work abroad, I just need to process my papers to be able to have a passport, when I get my passport I will immediately apply for job, hope I can make it for my family and for my future.

Hi! Letranknight, I am one of the thousands of OFW's whose working in a far away country to support my family back there, and I may say that whatever we are receiving here and remitting there in our country are not just a product of our hardwork and sweat, you can also add tears, and to some even blood; as it is really very hard to work in a far away land with nobody around to help when trouble comes,when sickness sets in and discouragements abound,we can only rely on ourselves alone and struggle to keep the faith within just so our family will not go hungry. Thank you for acknowledging our efforts to support our families. Somehow I'm still hopeful that time will come that we can all go back home to or country and stay for good without even worrying of how to survive there in our own land, may we one day have job security for each and every filipino.

some Filipino decides to go to abroad coz they believe that abroad can help their economic stability in staying their unlike here in the Philippines we should admit that we can afford to employ all jobless people that's why many of us decided to have their fortune in abroad

I have stayed abroad to work and study. And it is not easy. The difficulty of being in a strange place sorrounded with people speaking different language and having different culture adds to the difficulty. Plus there is homesickness. Although I always keep myself busy not just to earn and cover my expenses but I also wanted to send money to my parents. However, sometimes depression always comes my way. I've also seen how other OFWs have problems, difficulties and sometimes, disaster. I once went to a house of Filipino construction workers and I can't help but pity them when I heard the discrimination they've experienced under their employer. I've also met a Filipina who mentioned that although everyone in the Philippines are happy with her money and everyone thinks that she's earning a lot but she said, she even have to scrub toilet bowls while others are spending her money. When I have actually seen them, and even experienced working abroad, I have came to appreciate their hardwork all the more. I just wish their families in the Philippines will not waste the money being sent to them. Those are hard-earned money so everyone should value the money sent by the OFWs.

I do agree with you. Our OFW's contribute a lot to our economy. It is really hard to work abroad considering the sacrifice that you make. Well, there is always the advantage and the disadvantage. The advantage of course is earning higher than what you earn here in our country. Of course the counterpart is the feeling of sadness and loneliness on being away from the love ones. I just hope that time will come that our economy will improve that job will be there for everyone so and so that our people will never have to go abroad to provide a better future for their love ones.

"Adopt" like "ampon"? hehehe just kidding I think you meant adapt. Anyway, I'm not really an OFW but soon I will be working. I'm still studying. Yes, we Filipinos are everywhere just like mushrooms that come out of nowhere after the rain. We should support more of our own than other things. Well, I don't plan to grow old here because it's lonely and I have witnessed it here in US. It's hard to live here when you are old even if you have a retirement plan because your kids will leave you unlike in the Philippines where there are lots of people outside that you can talk to. Here everyone is for themselves, I find that sad.

One of the reason why the Philippines still thrive is because of the OFWs.Without their remittances, this country could have sinked further down the drain. It's the normal impression that OFWs earn more which is correct if we convert their money to pesos but in reality they're not. The main reason other countries import labor is because no one from their country is willing to get the job. A classic example is DH worker. They are the most vulnerable because they live with their employers and they're subject to abuses. And god knows what abuses their employers can think of. Lucky are those who landed as skilled workers since they pay is really good. Or seafarers who can go home every few months.

We have a wealth of manpower, highly skilled manpower but we are not able to take advantage of this because our government is not instituting the needed change. Japan was a whole lot of mess after world war 2 more than we were but look at where they are now and how we lag behind. Same goes for Malaysia and Singapore. The government only works for the elite few to serve their own purpose and motive. Seems like all they do at sessions is bicker at this and that rather than to work together to make changes.

I salute all filipinos around the world who work just to provide a comfortable life for their family. I know how hard to be a million million miles away from them. The only thing that I can say is learn how to use your money and then you must invest your money here in Philippines so that you can create job for everybody. Be a globe trotter and be proud to be a Filipino...

There are luck of opportunities here in the Philippines thats why a lot of Filipino's go to abroad in order to earn a lot of money to sustain the needs of their family and to avoid famine.

i am fresh graduate of nursing..still waiting for the board exam result..i have plans to go abroad to have a greener pasture..but no matter how nice my plans are, NOTHING COMPARES TO GOD's GOOD, PLEASING AND PERFECT WILL! God bless!

my husband also is an OFW and it is really sad that he have to go away for us to live a comfortable life. the nature of his work is a really lonesome one, because he is a seaman. for 10 months of his life every year, he spend it on the sea. our kids are growing without him beside us. he don't want to go anymore, he wanted to stay with us, but life here is real hard, so that we have no choice but for him to work overseas. the kids are living comfortably because of his allotment, we were able to send the eldest to a good school, and provide all their needs. we miss him most of the time, we think about him especially on occasions where his presence is needed. but i think this is what it takes so we could provide the life we wish to give our family. we plan that it won't be forever, though. he will stopped working as a seaman after 5 years. we just need to save for a capital to start a business, and he will never be away from us. that day we look forward..

with my experience working abroad as an artist, yes it is hard to adjust at first but you'll get used to it. my stress in job and the hardwork pays of when i know that i was able to give what my family needs more than when i was working back home. i'm not getting too much from my work but at least just enough to cover my responsibilities.