OFW's can't always be our Unsung Heroes...

The reason why OFWs are called "heroes" is because as a group or collectively, they bring in dollars that finance our country in its global transactions. This is compared to other groups of wage earners or industries. Individually, these OFWs don't think about that when they decide to work abroad. They think that they will earn more for their families. Helping our economy isn't really a driving force that pushes them out of our country. But I think that as long as people see that they can earn bigger and faster out of our country, there will always be OFWs. I don't want to sound so pessimistic but I don't see our country or government being able to change that in the near future. No matter how turbulent some countries may be, there will still be Filipinos who are willing to risk it just to "earn more for their family". Everyone who helps the country in any way is a hero. It's just that the OFWs is a big group so they are given recognition. But we can all do our part, even if we're not recognized for what we do. Even in such basic acts like keeping our surroundings clean. Someone has do that. The OFWs can't do that, obviously. But it's an important thing in the survivial of our country. We, in ourselves, should not belittle the things that we can do for our country. Imagine, what would happen if each Filipino who is left here in the Philippines keeps their surroundings clean everyday? Wouldn't that be really nice?! That's just an example. As long as we're helping, then that's all that matters. Even in the small things that we do.

hi letran I am back and am thinking what a shame that the Phillipines cannot have enough good jobs that your fellow countrymen do not have to go to dangerous and volatile countries to get good paying jobs.My elderly opinion for whatever its worth is that your country needs to find ways for your fellow countrymen to work at home in the phillipines. of course your government would have to step up and help make this possible too. YOu need to have honest people in your government a nd I know this is easy for me an American to say that. I am just hoping that some good changes for you and all your people will help to let more young people stay home to work and still make a good living. You are right OfWs cannot always be your unsung heroes in dangerous countries now warring against their own corrput governments. its up to your government to clean up their acts and help make your country wonderful again.

They are the latest heroes because being out of your country is already a risk... Plus they bring on a lot dollars. The corruption is another story. I agree with you though that we should not encourage them to leave their families here just for money. Children growing up with no mothers supervision gves them unfair disadvatage... Id say when you bring up a family they should be together... Not far from each other. I hope our own country generates enough work internally... Where There is no need for filipinos to work abroad.

I think this is a collective act of us if we really want to make our country a better place to stay in for our countrymen. I think we the ordinary citizen together with the government should act. We should not always blame the government for this failure to provide enough jobe for everyone and encourages our excess labor to find it somewhere else. We should promote entrepreneurship for our country to create more jobs and lessen the unemployment which further prevents us from looking outside for jobs. What makes this situation bad is because there is imbalance between the employees and employers.

hi LK, it felt very sad listening to the tales of survival this people experienced while leaving Libya. let us just hope that everyone get a new job elsewhere. we dont want them in unsecured places where their lives will be at stake. we all know that they are suffering being away from their families because our country cant give them the work they need. ann

Honestly I believe that the upper middle class that barely struggles to survive and fight it out here in our native land to stay afloat and continue to provide some decent employment to the lower class and pay the right taxes should also be treated as heroes although I do not discount the contributions of our OFW's, I agree that over emphasis ( any thing in excess is bad)would be dangerous, every body just wants to leave, so they take anything offered to them and this could be very risky, we read it all the time in the paper or in the news

I think that the main reason why we are called Filipinos is because we were born in our country, the Philippines. I just hope that we just live by this identification. I think we will appreciate it more if we just stay with our homeland. I believe that the distinction that we have from other nationalities is because of our land. I think that it will be nicer to look at if we all just stay here. We may go out of our country to travel but not to live their because of work. I think that families will be happier having each member of them come home each night to enjoy their company. I always believe that this country can survive on its own if handled well. I guess that the main issue comes back to corruption. This practice of having Filipinos leave for work will not end if people remain corrupt.