Family Break-ups Plague Filipino Migrant Workers
A commentary by Edmond D. Macaraeg
United Church of God pastor, the Philippines
 Almost
10% (approximately 8.3 million) of the 89 million Filipino citizens
live or work abroad in 193 countries.
Filipino Senator
Manny B. Villar recently commented: "Overseas Filipino Workers
(OFWs) are generally regarded as today's heroes for their most valuable
contribution to the [Filipino] economy...." The OFW remittance
last year was about US$20 billion.
But the story doesn't end there!
The horrendous social cost
Outspoken Catholic Archbishop Oscar Cruz recently lamented that "Despite
their 'modern-day hero' status, overseas Filipino workers
(OFWs) continue to bear the brunt of social costs of the global economic
crisis…" (GMA News). According to the prelate, the worst
part of the story "is that OFWs experience physical violence and
emotional trauma, with some of them returning home in boxes" (ibid.).
An even broader part of that social cost is the effect overseas employment
is having on OFW families.
In an article published September 7, 2007 in the Arab News headlined, "OFWs
Warned of Family Breakup as a Social cost to Migration," Gloria
Esguerra Melencio, reported: "The costs of Filipino overseas
migration outweigh the benefits in terms of social, economic, political
and individual losses a non-governmental organization in the Philippines
warned."
Rhodora Abano, advocacy officer of the Center for Migrant Advocacy
explained "that an undetermined number of families are breaking
up due to spouses taking on another partner while the husband or wife
is away. Likewise, most children of OFWs have become 'materialistic,'
asking for more money to compensate for the emotional absence of one
or both parents. Some of the OFW children have also dropped out of school...or
resorted to early marriages because of teenage promiscuity, or bore
children out of wedlock. Worst problem for OFW children is when they
fall into drug addiction, gambling or other vices" (ibid.).
Incest has become common
On March 11, 2007 Veronica
Uy of INQUIRER.net reported: "As more Filipino mothers leave
for work abroad, incest between a daughter and the father who are
left behind has become an emerging social problem."
In connection with the International Women's Day, Philippine Senator
Pia Cayetano called public attention to "an emerging problem in
labor-exporting countries like the Philippines." The senator noted
that "older daughters of women OFWs are made to take on the roles
left by their mother, sometimes as 'substitute spouses'" (ibid.).
Senator Cayetano also noted that "women now comprise 70 percent
of Filipino workers deployed abroad" (ibid.). She described the
phenomenon as one of the most damaging social impacts of labor migration,
one that can never be measured by any of the government's socio-economic
indicators or captured by statistics on labor export.
Advice that would change the nation
Why can't the Philippines provide employment for its own people?
The first issue seems to boil down to basic character weaknesses in
both the nation's government and its people. That corruption is
endemic is widely acknowledged.
So what's the solution?
The first and most obvious need is a change in our national character.
And the advice that best fits our nation's crises comes from one
of the oldest books in existence, the Bible.
Proverbs 14:34 pinpoints our national problem: "Righteousness
exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people." And Proverbs
29:2 sums up our problem with corrupt officials: "When the righteous
are in authority, the people rejoice; but when a wicked man rules, the
people groan.
Another scripture explains what every citizen should be doing to reduce
the corruption that is now rampant in our Filipino culture:
"Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought
nothing into this world, and it is certain we can
carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall
be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and
a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown
men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of
all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith
in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows" (1
Timothy 6:6-10).
Someone asked the question: Which does more damage to children during
their formative years, the lack of cash or the non-presence of a parent
who is working overseas? In reply, it's hard to improve on the
wisdom of Deuteronomy 6:7 regarding God's biblical instructions
and commands: "You shall teach them diligently to your children,
and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by
the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up."
  For
some excellent information on how to avoid family disasters and make
your life work effectively, please request or download our free, informative
publications: Making
Life Work and Managing
Your Finances.
|
