Dear fellow teachers from the Philippines,
I am teaching overseas right now. Please do not allow yourselves to be victimized by recruiters. Please read the article about Filipino teachers held in 'servitude' in the USA in the link below.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-10-27-filipino-teachers_N.htm
You don't need recruiters. You don't need middlemen/middlewomen. You can take control of your job search.
Let me share with you how I applied for my overseas job.
As an Overseas Filipino Worker, my first overseas job was a teaching position at the Da-Yeh University in Changhua, Taiwan. I taught there for 5 1/2 years. I applied online by posting my resume on Dave's ESL Cafe. It was free. Afterwards, Dave's ESL Cafe sent me job ads posted by schools and language centers.
I sent my application portfolio to several universities in different countries. After considering the offers, I chose to sign up with Da-Yeh University in Taiwan. Everything was free in the sense that I didn't have to pay any middleman/woman (the recruiter). Of course, I paid for my passport at the Department of Foreigh Affairs and my visa at the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Makati City.
I applied personally for my passport and my visa. I didn't allow any recruiters or travel agents to make money off me. I was a direct hire.
Right now, I am teaching at the National Institute of Education (NIE) in Singapore. How did I apply for this job? I surfed the web, found advertised job openings for academic staff in reputable institutions, and sent my application documents in 2007 to some.
After going through the usual interviews and waiting for several months, in November of the same year, I received from NIE an air parcel sent through a 24-hour courier. It contained my letter of appointment and other relevant documents. I signed an acceptance letter which I sent back through a 24-hour courier, too. A notice was e-mailed to me to pick up my air ticket from the nearest Philippine Airline sales office.
On Nov. 30, 2007, I flew to Singapore. I checked into the university's executive centre for free, then transferred to a faculty flat on Dec. 3, 2007. I received my first paycheck on Dec. 15, 2007.
I was a direct hire. I didn't allow any recruiters or travel agents to make money off me.
It breaks my heart when I hear of fellow teachers who are victimized by recruiters. I understand the dream that you dream. For heaven's sake, don't let it become a nightmare!
Concerned,
Carmelita C. Ballesteros
Showing posts with label Mission. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mission. Show all posts
Monday, November 2, 2009
Friday, September 5, 2008
My ‘Addiction’ to Photography
by Manuelito N. Dagohoy
Saudi Arabia
It all started with the eyes, my eyes. I use these eyes to see things differently in multi-color, black & white, lights, emotions, patterns, nature, and people. I appreciate the many beautiful creations around I encounter outside and inside my home, office, school, shopping centers, outdoors, streets, my trips in and out of the Philippines, and others. But my human memory chip can not store all those beauties and savor all those moments. Thus, I have turned to my camera to help me capture those moments and share them with others.
Back in high school, I got interested in photography when a classmate showed me his SLR camera and different photography books. However, the realization of having my first film SLR camera (Olympus) came about only when I started working in Saudi Arabia in 1998. I took that camera to Germany and Brazil in 2000 and my eyes had a feast taking images of those beautiful countries, particularly the mega city of Sao Paolo. Then I went back to the Philippines in 2001 and took pictures of my hometown in Mindanao.
Unfortunately, a film camera has disadvantages in the digital world. Films are expensive in areas of exposures, development and storage. Like other photographers would say, you can take a million shots to get one beautiful image. Imagine using hundreds or thousands of film rolls to get that one ‘Kodak’ moment’. Film negatives are difficult to store for future development. Exposure to the elements can damage films. Moreover, film development is expensive compared to digital post-processing using computer applications like Photoshop and GIMP where I can do the processing myself.
Thus, I bought my first digital SLR, the Olympus e500, two years ago. Recently, I bought an Olympus e3. Why I’m into Olympus cameras is another story. Where I got these? From the same shop in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia where I bought my first film SLR. The digital SLR has helped me in many ways. Cost-effective, the compact flash memory cards can be re-used to capture thousands of images. I can store the images in my computer external hard-disk. I can do in-camera editing and I can do my digital post-processing in my PC (admittedly I’m not yet good at this digital processing thing). Printing the picture is now cheaper.
In many ways, digital photography opened the door to more knowledge in photography techniques, equipment, networking with other photographers and business opportunity. On-line sites for photography techniques, reviews, brand forums, SLR buy & sell abound for digital SLR users.
Photography is social networking. To hone my skills in photography, I joined a photography workshop in Riyadh. I met several Filipinos and others from different countries. These photographers share their views, techniques, gears and their photo sites. On-line photography forums are available from the Philippines, UK, Canada, Saudi-Arabia, UAE, the USA and other countries. Some photographers -- enthusiasts, hobbyists or professionals -- joined the forums from other countries thereby expanding the network, skills transfer, and techniques.
Many of the workshop attendees found out that other photography buffs are just two corners away from their homes or offices. Some live in nearby streets or cities. This realization led to the formation of photography clubs. Filipinos in Riyadh formed a photography group called, ‘Desert Fox Shooters’ or DFS.
Back in high school, I got interested in photography when a classmate showed me his SLR camera and different photography books. However, the realization of having my first film SLR camera (Olympus) came about only when I started working in Saudi Arabia in 1998. I took that camera to Germany and Brazil in 2000 and my eyes had a feast taking images of those beautiful countries, particularly the mega city of Sao Paolo. Then I went back to the Philippines in 2001 and took pictures of my hometown in Mindanao.
Unfortunately, a film camera has disadvantages in the digital world. Films are expensive in areas of exposures, development and storage. Like other photographers would say, you can take a million shots to get one beautiful image. Imagine using hundreds or thousands of film rolls to get that one ‘Kodak’ moment’. Film negatives are difficult to store for future development. Exposure to the elements can damage films. Moreover, film development is expensive compared to digital post-processing using computer applications like Photoshop and GIMP where I can do the processing myself.
Thus, I bought my first digital SLR, the Olympus e500, two years ago. Recently, I bought an Olympus e3. Why I’m into Olympus cameras is another story. Where I got these? From the same shop in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia where I bought my first film SLR. The digital SLR has helped me in many ways. Cost-effective, the compact flash memory cards can be re-used to capture thousands of images. I can store the images in my computer external hard-disk. I can do in-camera editing and I can do my digital post-processing in my PC (admittedly I’m not yet good at this digital processing thing). Printing the picture is now cheaper.
In many ways, digital photography opened the door to more knowledge in photography techniques, equipment, networking with other photographers and business opportunity. On-line sites for photography techniques, reviews, brand forums, SLR buy & sell abound for digital SLR users.
Photography is social networking. To hone my skills in photography, I joined a photography workshop in Riyadh. I met several Filipinos and others from different countries. These photographers share their views, techniques, gears and their photo sites. On-line photography forums are available from the Philippines, UK, Canada, Saudi-Arabia, UAE, the USA and other countries. Some photographers -- enthusiasts, hobbyists or professionals -- joined the forums from other countries thereby expanding the network, skills transfer, and techniques.
Many of the workshop attendees found out that other photography buffs are just two corners away from their homes or offices. Some live in nearby streets or cities. This realization led to the formation of photography clubs. Filipinos in Riyadh formed a photography group called, ‘Desert Fox Shooters’ or DFS.
The members come from different fields of profession. There are interior designers, engineers, technicians, nurses, pediatricians, graphic artists, teachers, bank & supermarket employees, salespersons, and others. You can view the images from our Desert Fox Shooters website . The club has also helped our spouses and children become budding photographers. We have our ‘kulitan’ in the on-line forum. Most of all, members share their images, techniques and photo opportunities. You can view my photos from this site.
Our group has expanded from Riyadh to other cities in Saudi Arabia. Other members who had left Saudi Arabia for other countries linked with other ‘Pinoy’ photography clubs, i.e. Gulf Photographers Network. Well-known photographers and digital artists from the Philippines have also joined our network. These well-known artists offer huge discounts to club members in their workshops.
We are into different photo coverage for the Filipino community in Riyadh. We cover sports, weddings, school activities, embassy functions, corporate events, glamour shots, portraitures, food & product shoots. Most of these are done free of charge. We also meet for in-house photo sessions where we invite other Filipinos like a Chef for our food photography, families for family portraits, and models for glamour shoots. Sometimes, other photographers pose as models, too. We do these to enhance our skills as photographers because we simply enjoy shooting images. At the same time, we scout for opportunities to grow in the photography business.
Business opportunity in photography is where I plan to invest my retirement as an OFW. Why? I love seeing beautiful images of different people, places, and events. And I’m not alone. There are so many people who are not photographers who want to capture and relish special moments in their lives. This is where the business opportunity comes in.
Business opportunity in photography is where I plan to invest my retirement as an OFW. Why? I love seeing beautiful images of different people, places, and events. And I’m not alone. There are so many people who are not photographers who want to capture and relish special moments in their lives. This is where the business opportunity comes in.
People want to share their images taken when they were young, growing up, in groups, in events, in their weddings, graduations, parties, and trips. Other than individuals, there are corporate business opportunities like shooting products of a company, clinic, and sari–sari stores and there are opportunities from government functions like conference, tourism, town fiestas, fashion shows and school sports development.
Admittedly, photography is not a cheap hobby. Some say it’s a very expensive ‘bisyo’. For me, I’d rather have this kind of vice which offers a business opportunity. Compare my kind of hobby to others who splurge on designer clothes, who play mahjong, or who go night-clubbing and drinking. I can use my camera anywhere and get paid, that’s the big difference.
Others dream of becoming famous photographers featured in National Geography, Getty Images, Time, Sports Illustrated, etc. I choose to live and see the colorful world and at the same time learn, earn and enjoy my hobby.
A few years from now, the photography equipment I have purchased will be relocated to my new studio in the Philippines. My camera will be with me to capture that magic moment!
Copyright © 2008 to Barangay OFW. All rights reserved.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Eugenia and Evelyn: Fellow OFWs
Eugenia Baja and Evelyn Milo were both Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).
According to a Bulatlat news report, Eugenia Baja, 24, left the Philippines for Saudi Arabia on May 6, 2007. She went back home on June 12, 2008 in a cargo box. She was deployed by Aisis International Manpower, Inc. as a domestic helper although she had signed a contract as a patient server.
The cause of Eugenia’s death was uncertain. First, it was reported by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) of the Philippine government that she had died of an illness. But later, the DFA claimed that she had committed suicide by hitting her head with bathroom tiles.
A Philippine Daily Inquirer report headlined its story that the family of Evelyn Milo, 24, did not believe her alleged suicide in Abu Dhabi, UAE on August 9, 2008. Her remains were flown back to the Philippines on August 19, 2008.
Evelyn, a saleslady in Abu Dhabi, allegedly jumped off from a building to her death. But her family told reporters that her body bore marks of foul play. They pointed out that if she had really jumped off from a tall building, her body wouldn’t be intact any more.
Mrs. Thelma Milo, Evelyn’s mother, protested indignantly that Bright International Manpower, the agency which recruited Evelyn, added insult to injury by offering her three hundred pesos!
Senator Manny Villar heard and immediately heeded Mrs. Thelma Milo’s heart-rending appeal for help on QTV Channel 11 so that she could bury her daughter. By inference, one could conclude that the DFA and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) had been sleeping on the job. It is a reputation both offices do not endeavor to change.
Evelyn will be buried today, Saturday, August 30, at the Makati South Cemetery.
As an OFW myself, my heart goes out to Eugenia and to Evelyn. As a mother, I feel Mrs. Thelma Milo’s grief, indignation, and unspeakable pain.
If we had known one another, what would I have told Eugenia and Evelyn? What could I tell other women out there in Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, Lebanon, Japan, Italy, Singapore, Israel, Hong Kong, etc.?
What must I tell everyone back home in the Philippines?
The OFW dream is not for everyone. For some, the OFW dream is a nightmare which choke them in their sleep. A new day never dawns for them. They leave the Philippines dreaming of a good life, but they come back with battered bodies, broken spirit, and shattered dreams.
Stop being a victim!
Stop being a victim of recruitment agencies, government offices, and foreign employers. Stop working as domestic helpers or whatever euphemism it’s called.
Stay in the Philippines!
Better be a poor mouse in your own country than a slave or an object in a foreign land!
According to a Bulatlat news report, Eugenia Baja, 24, left the Philippines for Saudi Arabia on May 6, 2007. She went back home on June 12, 2008 in a cargo box. She was deployed by Aisis International Manpower, Inc. as a domestic helper although she had signed a contract as a patient server.
The cause of Eugenia’s death was uncertain. First, it was reported by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) of the Philippine government that she had died of an illness. But later, the DFA claimed that she had committed suicide by hitting her head with bathroom tiles.
A Philippine Daily Inquirer report headlined its story that the family of Evelyn Milo, 24, did not believe her alleged suicide in Abu Dhabi, UAE on August 9, 2008. Her remains were flown back to the Philippines on August 19, 2008.
Evelyn, a saleslady in Abu Dhabi, allegedly jumped off from a building to her death. But her family told reporters that her body bore marks of foul play. They pointed out that if she had really jumped off from a tall building, her body wouldn’t be intact any more.
Mrs. Thelma Milo, Evelyn’s mother, protested indignantly that Bright International Manpower, the agency which recruited Evelyn, added insult to injury by offering her three hundred pesos!
Senator Manny Villar heard and immediately heeded Mrs. Thelma Milo’s heart-rending appeal for help on QTV Channel 11 so that she could bury her daughter. By inference, one could conclude that the DFA and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) had been sleeping on the job. It is a reputation both offices do not endeavor to change.
Evelyn will be buried today, Saturday, August 30, at the Makati South Cemetery.
As an OFW myself, my heart goes out to Eugenia and to Evelyn. As a mother, I feel Mrs. Thelma Milo’s grief, indignation, and unspeakable pain.
If we had known one another, what would I have told Eugenia and Evelyn? What could I tell other women out there in Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, Lebanon, Japan, Italy, Singapore, Israel, Hong Kong, etc.?
What must I tell everyone back home in the Philippines?
The OFW dream is not for everyone. For some, the OFW dream is a nightmare which choke them in their sleep. A new day never dawns for them. They leave the Philippines dreaming of a good life, but they come back with battered bodies, broken spirit, and shattered dreams.
Stop being a victim!
Stop being a victim of recruitment agencies, government offices, and foreign employers. Stop working as domestic helpers or whatever euphemism it’s called.
Stay in the Philippines!
Better be a poor mouse in your own country than a slave or an object in a foreign land!
Monday, August 18, 2008
To All Filipinos Everywhere
by Dina Sembrano
Ang Kapatiran Party, Philippines
This article was originally published in the website of Ang Kapatiran Party (AKP) on February 19, 2008 (Manila time). Mr. Eric Manalang, President of AKP, has given Barangay OFW his kind permission to re-publish this article. You may reach Mr. Manalang at angkapatiranparty@yahoo.com
I used to think that corruption and criminality in the Philippines were caused by poverty. But recent events tell me this isn't true. It is one thing to see people turn into drug addicts, prostitutes, thieves and murderers because of hunger and poverty, but what excuse do these rich, educated people have that could possibly explain their bizarre behavior?
And to think I was always so relieved when petty snatchers got caught and locked away in jail because I never fully realized that the big time thieves were out there, making the laws and running our country. Can it get any worse than this?
Every night, I come home and am compelled to turn on my TV to watch the latest turn of events. I am mesmerized by these characters. They are not men. They are caricatures of men - too unreal to be believable and too bad to be real. To see these "honorable" crooks lambast each other, call each one names, look each other in the eye and accuse the other of committing the very same crimes that they themselves are guilty of, is so comical and appalling that I don't know whether to laugh or cry. It is entertainmentat its worst!
I have never seen so many criminals roaming around unfettered and looking smug until now. These criminals wear suits and barongs, strut around with the confidence of the rich and famous, inspire fear and awe from the very citizens who voted them to power, bear titles like "Honorable", "Senator", "Justice", "General", and worse, "President".
Ironically, these lawless individuals practice law, make our laws, enforce the law. And we wonder why our policemen act the way they do! These are their leaders, and the leaders of this nation Robin Hoodlum and his band of moneymen. Their motto? "Rob the poor, moderate the greed of the rich."
It makes me wonder where on earth these people came from, and what kind of upbringing they had to make them act the way they do for all the world to see. It makes me wonder what kind of schools they went to, what kind of teachers they had, what kind of environment would produce such creatures who can lie, cheat and steal from an already indebted country and from the impoverished people they had vowed to serve.
It makes me wonder what their children and grandchildren think of them, and if they are breeding a whole new generation of improved Filipino crooks and liars with maybe a tad more style but equally negligible conscience. Heaven forbid!
I am an ordinary citizen and taxpayer. I am blessed to have a job that pays for my needs and those of my family's, even though 30% of my earnings go to the nation's coffers. Just like others in my lot, I have complained time and again because our government could not provide enough of the basic services that I expect and deserve. Rutty roads, poor educational system, poor social services, poor health services, poor everything.
But I have always thought that was what all third world countries were all about, and my complaints never amounted to anything more. And then this. Scandalous government deals. Plundering presidents pointing fingers. Senators associated with crooks. Congressmen who accept bribes. Big time lawyers on the side of injustice. De Venecia ratting on his boss only after his interminable term has ended, Enrile inquiring about someone's morality!
The already filthy rich Abalos and Arroyo wanting more money than they or their great grandchildren could ever spend in a lifetime. Joker making a joke of his own "pag bad ka, lagot ka!" slogan. Defensor rendered defenseless. Gen. Razon involved in kidnapping. Security men providing anything but a sense of security.
And it's all about money, money, money that the average Juan de la Cruz could not even imagine in his dreams. Is it any wonder why our few remaining decent and hardworking citizens are leaving to go work in other countries? And worst of all, we are once again saddled with a power-hungry president whose addiction has her clinging on to it like barnacle on a rusty ship.
"Love (of power) is blind" takes a whole new meaning when PGMA time and again turns a blind eye on her husband's financial deals. And still blinded with all that is happening, she opts to traipse around the world with her cohorts in tow while her country is in shambles.
They say the few stupid ones like me who remain in the Philippines are no longer capable of showing disgust. I don't agree. Many like me feel anger at the brazenness of men and women (Ed.) we call our leaders, embarrassment to share the same nationality with them, frustration for our nation and helplessness at my own ineffectuality.
It is not that I won't make a stand. It is just that I am afraid my actions would only be futile. After all, these monsters are capable of anything. They can hurt me and my family. They already have, though I may not yet feel it. But I am writing this because I need to do something concrete. I need to let others know that ordinary citizens like me do not remain lukewarm to issues that would later affect me and my children.
I want to make it known that there are also Filipinos who dream of something better for the Philippines. I want them to know that my country is not filled with scalawags and crooks in every corner, and that there are citizens left who believe in decency, fairness, a right to speak, a right to voice out ideas, a right to tell the people we have trusted to lead us that they have abused their power and that it is time for them to step down.
I refuse to let this country go to hell because it is the only country I call mine and it is my responsibility to make sure I have done what I could for it. Those of us who do not have the wealth, power or position it needs to battle the evil crime lords in the government can summon the power of good.
We can pray. We can do this with our families every night. We can offer petitions every time we celebrate mass. We can ask others to pray, too, including relatives and friends here and overseas. And we can offer sacrifices along with our petitions, just so we get the message to Him of our desperation in ridding our nation of these vermin.
After all, they cannot be more powerful than God! I implore mothers out there to raise your children the best way you can. Do not smother, pamper, or lavish them with too much of the material comforts of life even if you can well afford them. Teach them that there are more important things in this world.
I beg all fathers to spend time with their children, to teach them the virtues of hard work, honesty, fair play, sharing, dignity and compassion "right from the sandbox" till they are old enough to go on their own.
Not just in your homes, but at work, in school, everywhere you go. Be good role models. Be shining examples for your children so they will learn to be responsible adults who will carry and pass on your family name with pride and honor.
I call on educators and teachers. We always underestimate the power of your influence on the minds of our youth. Encourage them to be aware of what is happening in their surroundings. Instill in them a love of their country, inculcate in them the value of perseverance in order to gain real, worthwhile knowledge, help us mold our children into honorable men and women.
Encourage our graduates, our best and brightest, to do what they can to lift this country from the mire our traditional politicians have sunk us into. The youth is our future and it would be largely because of you, our educators, that we will be able to repopulate the seats of power with good leaders, presidents, senators, congressmen, justices, lawmakers, law enforcers and lawful citizens.
I ask all students, young people and young professionals everywhere, to look around and get involved in what is happening. Do not let your youth be an excuse for failure to concern yourselves with the harsh realities you see. But neither let this make you cynical, because we need your idealism and fresh perspective just as you need the wisdom of your elders.
YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU! Let your voices be heard. Do what you can for this land that gave you your ancestors and your heritage. Use technology and all available resources at hand to spread good. Text meaningful messages to awaken social conscience. Try your best to fight moral decay because I promise you will not regret it when you become parents yourselves.
You will look back at your past misdeeds and pray that your children will do better than you did. Remember that there are a few handful who are capable of running this country. You can join their ranks and make their numbers greater. We are tired of the old trapos. We need brave idealistic leaders who will think of the greater good before anything else.
I voted for Atty. Martin Bautista and his team and I sure hope they will run again. Do your utmost to excel in your chosen field. Be good lawyers, civil servants, accountants, computer techs, engineers, doctors, military men so that when you are called to serve in government, you will have credibility and a record that can speak for itself.
For love of this country, for the future of our children, for the many who have sacrificed and died to uphold our rights and ideals, I urge you to do what you can. As ordinary citizens, we can do much more for the Philippines than sit around and let crooks lead us to perdition. We owe ourselves this. And we owe our country even more.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Manny Villar leads 17 outstanding entrepreneurs
This article was originally published in the Philippine Star on August 7, 2008 (Manila time). Ms. Torrevillas has given Barangay OFW her kind permission to re-publish this article. She is a columnist of the Philippine Star, a leading broadsheet in the Philippines. You may reach Ms. Torrevillas at dominimt2000@yahoo.com.
Sen. Manny Villar gave the awards to the country’s 17 outstanding entrepreneurs over the weekend at what is now called
The awardees came from different regions across the country and chosen from thousands of entries, and each of them received P100,000 and a statuette. Senator Villar, who is president of the Nacionalista Party, said, “We give due recognition to our entrepreneurs who have exemplified the Filipino spirit of excellence and resilience in their respected fields even amid trying times.”
The party and the Sipag at Tiyaga Foundation joined hands to realize the party’s vision of propelling entrepreneurs through the Pondo sa Sipag initiative. It was at the party’s 100th year celebration held at the Philippine International Convention Center in November last year that the nationwide search for the most promising and innovative entrepreneurs was launched.
The winners, coming from different regions of the country, are: Sarah Dabucon and Margarita Allado from Region 1; Albino Francisco, Calma Arcala, Albert Dulnuan, Elizabeth Africano and Solomon Maylem from Region 2; Pacifico dela Cruz from Region 3 and Antonia Villanueva from Region 4; Marianne Olano from Region 5; Roland Madera from Region 6; Lucresia Saga from Region 7; Elizabeth Rafal from Region 12; Ernesto and Alicia Paglinawan from the CARAGA Region, and Marie Saclag and Regina Mado from CAR.
Now, why am I saying that the senator headed the 17 outstanding entrepreneurs? The reason is that he embodies the traits of sipag (industry) and tiyaga (patience), among others. At the awards dinner, he proudly recounted his journey from a seafoods vendor in Tondo to office employee to distributor of gravel and sand to builder of possibly the country’s biggest number of low-cost and middle-cost housing projects, and although he did not say it, to become one of the most wealthy of the country’s legislators. He said that what he has become has been due to industry, patience, humility and innovativeness.
At the awards dinner, the winners were given cash awards of P100,000 each, to encourage them by providing them with additional capital. As Senate President Villar told the audience that packed the historic
Due to space constraints, I’m writing very brief sketches on how the entrepreneurs started their businesses. They share similar experiences of facing difficulties and making their businesses grow — from very little capital.
* * *
A native of Binamar, Banna, Ilocos Norte, Sarah Dabucon’s husband abandoned her and their three children. In 2002, with a seed capital of P5,000, she started a home-based enterprise producing rice coffee and soya coffee. Her business, SCUFYND (an acronym of the three names of her sons), is now a success, netting P308,688 last year.
With an initial capital of P10,000, Margarita Allado, once a domestic helper in
From Region 2 comes the winner, Albino Francisco, of Maura, Aparri, Cagayan. His small refrigeration and airconditioning shop, is used by TESDA students for their training. His 25 years in the business may not have much financial reward, but it has helped him and his wife raise their family.
No. 4 awardee Calma O. Arcala, a graduate of agriculture from
Albert Dulnuan, an Ifugao by birth, is a retired teacher, a former principal of a public high school, and a former municipal councilor. He started the A.B. Dulnuan Rattan Seedling Nursery and
At age 56, Elizabeth Franco Africano, a school teacher, and her two sisters opened Franco’s Café in
* * *
Dr. Solomon Maylem of Malvar,
From Region 3 is winner Pacifico dela Cruz, 54, a native of Plaridel, Bulacan, who started his itikan (wild-duck poultry) with only 185 ducklings. At present he has more than 3,000 ducks in his farm. His itlog na maalat is very popular for its outstanding taste.
(This article has a second part. As of post time, however, it is not yet available. Ed.)
Monday, August 4, 2008
Alternative Insurance, Anyone?
by Freddie P. Base
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
The heading I believe will be more interesting if I tell you the story of two employees working in the same department of an insurance company in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Both suffered from medical conditions which required the support of their medical insurance coverage.
Danilo Pagdanganan
Company: The National Company for Cooperative Insurance
Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Diagnosed with colon cancer
Medical Insurance coverage: SR100,000 per annum
Life Insurance Coverage: 36 months of basic salary
Died: August, 2004
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Danilo's medical surgery including radiotherapy and chemotherapy had exceeded the SR100,000 per annum limit. In a very rare circumstance, the employer approved the continuity of his chemotheraphy and radiotheraphy sessions beyond the medical insurance limit. Estimated additional expenses had reached more than SR30,000 when the patient died of cancer-related complications.
Danilo's remains were repatriated to the Philippines after 21 days. This was considered by many as faster than any known repatriation recorded in Saudi Arabia. The average number of days to repatriate a cadaver takes about three months to process. The procedure is indeed time- consuming owing to the many governmental procedures one has to follow in getting the required documents and approval.
Danilo Pagdanganan
Company: The National Company for Cooperative Insurance
Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Diagnosed with colon cancer
Medical Insurance coverage: SR100,000 per annum
Life Insurance Coverage: 36 months of basic salary
Died: August, 2004
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Danilo's medical surgery including radiotherapy and chemotherapy had exceeded the SR100,000 per annum limit. In a very rare circumstance, the employer approved the continuity of his chemotheraphy and radiotheraphy sessions beyond the medical insurance limit. Estimated additional expenses had reached more than SR30,000 when the patient died of cancer-related complications.
Danilo's remains were repatriated to the Philippines after 21 days. This was considered by many as faster than any known repatriation recorded in Saudi Arabia. The average number of days to repatriate a cadaver takes about three months to process. The procedure is indeed time- consuming owing to the many governmental procedures one has to follow in getting the required documents and approval.
Life Insurance Benefit
Danilo's surviving wife and three adult children each received US$16,320 being the equivalent of Danilo's 36 months salary as indicated in his life insurance coverage in case of death.
OWWA Insurance Benefit
Danilo's beneficiaries received from OWWA the maximum Php100,000 being his insurance coverage in case of death.
Danilo's surviving wife and three adult children each received US$16,320 being the equivalent of Danilo's 36 months salary as indicated in his life insurance coverage in case of death.
OWWA Insurance Benefit
Danilo's beneficiaries received from OWWA the maximum Php100,000 being his insurance coverage in case of death.
Freddie P. Base
This is me telling you my story.
Company: The National Company for Cooperative Insurance
Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Diagnosed with Acute Myocardiac Infarction
Medical Insurance coverage: SR250,000 per annum
Life Insurance Coverage: 36 months of basic salary
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Early morning of December 10, 2006, I felt a pain in my left neck while applying body lotion after a morning shower. It was a cold day and I thought I would have a stiff neck (as usual during winter) the whole day.
Getting out of the bathroom and putting my clothes on in preparation to getting to work, my stiff neck became a stab-like pain in my back just opposite my heart. I thought it was a really cold day and so I asked my house mate to rub my back with vicks vaporub.
Suddenly, I started to sweat profusely and my hands became almost numb and too weak to hold anything. I realized that I wouldn’t be able to drive myself so I asked my house mate to call our neighbor to take me to the nearest hospital.
I had the feeling that I was having a heart attack, judging from my symptoms which I had read about from the Internet. I started coughing loudly (as recommended to a person having a heart attack) and managed to guide my driver-neighbor to the nearest hospital.
The emergency room was immediately filled with doctors and nurses in seconds. The attending doctor announced my condition: Acute Myocardiac Infarction. One nurse was yelling my blood pressure at 70 over 40 while another nurse yelled that my temperature was no more than 30 celsius. I heard the doctor instructing another nurse to administer morphine. The nurse’s face was contorted and she advised me to hang on. From her looks, I told myself I was dying.
With God's blessing, I survived the ordeal. I underwent angio-plasty surgery. The medical bill cost more than US$10,000, all paid for by my medical insurance. I was discharged from the hospital after 7 days with life-time prescription of medicine worth no less than Php500 daily. Without the medical insurance coverage, which OFW will survive spending at least the equivalent of Php15k per month?
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Both stories above tell you of one similarity: availment of medical insurance coverage in the country of work. While one succumbed to cancer, another lived to tell these stories. Both were recipients of a comprehensive medical insurance. I could have died without my medical insurance coverage. Both of us had the same life insurance policies. For the late Danilo, his beneficiaries were able to receive the much needed money in times of grief. With the payout, his beneficiaries have continued to live a normal life.
In contrast, there are many cases reported in the newspapers and media of OFWs who had died because they did not have the kind of insurance to cover the medical and hospital bills during confinement. Sad to say, these cases go on and on until today.
What must the OFW do? What must be done today? What is Alternative Insurance?
This is me telling you my story.
Company: The National Company for Cooperative Insurance
Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Diagnosed with Acute Myocardiac Infarction
Medical Insurance coverage: SR250,000 per annum
Life Insurance Coverage: 36 months of basic salary
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Early morning of December 10, 2006, I felt a pain in my left neck while applying body lotion after a morning shower. It was a cold day and I thought I would have a stiff neck (as usual during winter) the whole day.
Getting out of the bathroom and putting my clothes on in preparation to getting to work, my stiff neck became a stab-like pain in my back just opposite my heart. I thought it was a really cold day and so I asked my house mate to rub my back with vicks vaporub.
Suddenly, I started to sweat profusely and my hands became almost numb and too weak to hold anything. I realized that I wouldn’t be able to drive myself so I asked my house mate to call our neighbor to take me to the nearest hospital.
I had the feeling that I was having a heart attack, judging from my symptoms which I had read about from the Internet. I started coughing loudly (as recommended to a person having a heart attack) and managed to guide my driver-neighbor to the nearest hospital.
The emergency room was immediately filled with doctors and nurses in seconds. The attending doctor announced my condition: Acute Myocardiac Infarction. One nurse was yelling my blood pressure at 70 over 40 while another nurse yelled that my temperature was no more than 30 celsius. I heard the doctor instructing another nurse to administer morphine. The nurse’s face was contorted and she advised me to hang on. From her looks, I told myself I was dying.
With God's blessing, I survived the ordeal. I underwent angio-plasty surgery. The medical bill cost more than US$10,000, all paid for by my medical insurance. I was discharged from the hospital after 7 days with life-time prescription of medicine worth no less than Php500 daily. Without the medical insurance coverage, which OFW will survive spending at least the equivalent of Php15k per month?
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Both stories above tell you of one similarity: availment of medical insurance coverage in the country of work. While one succumbed to cancer, another lived to tell these stories. Both were recipients of a comprehensive medical insurance. I could have died without my medical insurance coverage. Both of us had the same life insurance policies. For the late Danilo, his beneficiaries were able to receive the much needed money in times of grief. With the payout, his beneficiaries have continued to live a normal life.
In contrast, there are many cases reported in the newspapers and media of OFWs who had died because they did not have the kind of insurance to cover the medical and hospital bills during confinement. Sad to say, these cases go on and on until today.
What must the OFW do? What must be done today? What is Alternative Insurance?
Group Insurance Policy
With an ordinary income, insurance premium if taken individually will cost too much for any OFW. Also, the benefits depend on how much premium is paid to the insurance company. Low premium means less benefit. More premiums paid mean more benefits.
If grouped together into a single policy, the premium cost decreases as the number of insured increases while retaining the same benefits for every member. This is called group insurance policy – a group of individuals duly insured in a single policy but having each insured receiving the same insurance benefit.
With this concept, the OFWs can group themselves together and apply for a group insurance policy. In the Philippines there are insurance companies which accept the concept of group insurance policy and insure a group of individuals with common benefits. If you cannot afford as OFW an individual insurance policy, try and get this group insurance with less premium yet with the same benefits if you were to pay for a single policy.
But why get another insurance policy? Is this not provided by the Overseas Worker Welfare Administration (OWWA)? What about Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth)?
With an ordinary income, insurance premium if taken individually will cost too much for any OFW. Also, the benefits depend on how much premium is paid to the insurance company. Low premium means less benefit. More premiums paid mean more benefits.
If grouped together into a single policy, the premium cost decreases as the number of insured increases while retaining the same benefits for every member. This is called group insurance policy – a group of individuals duly insured in a single policy but having each insured receiving the same insurance benefit.
With this concept, the OFWs can group themselves together and apply for a group insurance policy. In the Philippines there are insurance companies which accept the concept of group insurance policy and insure a group of individuals with common benefits. If you cannot afford as OFW an individual insurance policy, try and get this group insurance with less premium yet with the same benefits if you were to pay for a single policy.
But why get another insurance policy? Is this not provided by the Overseas Worker Welfare Administration (OWWA)? What about Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth)?
The Real Score about OWWA and… Philhealth
The Overseas Workers and Welfare Administration (OWWA) has never been an insurance company. It was a government agency formerly known as the Welfare and Training Fund for Overseas Workers created by law (presidential decree). Renamed as OWWA, it was expanded to provide for compulsory Medicare coverage which was later transferred to Philhealth, another agency created out of OWWA funds.
Originally envisioned by the government, OWWA imposes the US$25 contribution from the employer of every Filipino (the Overseas Filipino Worker or OFW) going out of the Philippines to work abroad. However, this amount has been shouldered by the OFWs because no foreign employer can be fooled to pay this mandatory fee to the Philippine government yearly or every contract renewal of the OFW.
The US$25 constitutes the fund which in the original omnibus policy shall be used exclusively for the benefit of the OFW. The fund has grown into hundreds of millions of pesos according to the latest claim by several NGOs notably Migrante International.
The Overseas Workers and Welfare Administration (OWWA) has never been an insurance company. It was a government agency formerly known as the Welfare and Training Fund for Overseas Workers created by law (presidential decree). Renamed as OWWA, it was expanded to provide for compulsory Medicare coverage which was later transferred to Philhealth, another agency created out of OWWA funds.
Originally envisioned by the government, OWWA imposes the US$25 contribution from the employer of every Filipino (the Overseas Filipino Worker or OFW) going out of the Philippines to work abroad. However, this amount has been shouldered by the OFWs because no foreign employer can be fooled to pay this mandatory fee to the Philippine government yearly or every contract renewal of the OFW.
The US$25 constitutes the fund which in the original omnibus policy shall be used exclusively for the benefit of the OFW. The fund has grown into hundreds of millions of pesos according to the latest claim by several NGOs notably Migrante International.
Sad to say, being a government agency, OWWA is subservient to the whims and caprices of the government bureaucracy. It is said that the OWWA fund can be diverted easily with mandate from the Office of the President as in the case of the creation of Philhealth.
One of the objectives of OWWA reads: To provide social and welfare services to OFWs, including insurance, social, work assistance, legal assistance, cultural services, and remittance services. Its quality policy says: OWWA measures its worth by total member-OFW satisfaction with timely interventions and quality standards set forth.
While insurance is one of OWWA's objectives, it has never been properly administered and the benefits have never been paid consistently by its management. There isn’t any OFW who can unconditionally claim being satisfied with the services provided by OWWA.
Let’s take the case of a very recent tragic incident.
Eugenia Baja’s death and much-delayed repatriation of remains were featured in the media and leading newspapers in June 2008. Reading this kind of news always breaks my heart -- not so much the sad story of the death of Baja but the delayed repatriation of her remains. Let's face it, death in whatever form – tragic or natural - is inevitable.
One of the objectives of OWWA reads: To provide social and welfare services to OFWs, including insurance, social, work assistance, legal assistance, cultural services, and remittance services. Its quality policy says: OWWA measures its worth by total member-OFW satisfaction with timely interventions and quality standards set forth.
While insurance is one of OWWA's objectives, it has never been properly administered and the benefits have never been paid consistently by its management. There isn’t any OFW who can unconditionally claim being satisfied with the services provided by OWWA.
Let’s take the case of a very recent tragic incident.
Eugenia Baja’s death and much-delayed repatriation of remains were featured in the media and leading newspapers in June 2008. Reading this kind of news always breaks my heart -- not so much the sad story of the death of Baja but the delayed repatriation of her remains. Let's face it, death in whatever form – tragic or natural - is inevitable.
It is a pity the following should happen first before the remains of Baja could be transported back to the Philippines. As gathered from the news:
1. Lilibeth Baja-Garcia followed up the repatriation of her sister’s remains with the
1. Lilibeth Baja-Garcia followed up the repatriation of her sister’s remains with the
Overseas Workers Welfare Association (OWWA) and the Department of Foreign Affairs
for three months to no avail.
2. When Garcia felt that her pleas were being ignored, she brought along representatives
from the 700 Club, a news talk show of the Christian Broadcasting Network.
3. ...because of the presence of media, OWWA officials immediately promised to give them
P20,000 ($450.349 at an exchange rate of $1=P44.41) for burial expenses, and a
P100,000 ($2,251.745) life insurance policy... The OWWA also gave them a direct contact
number to a certain Ed Lamparas who is working in the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh.
In her own words, Garcia summarized it: “Nag-iiba sila kapag may kasama kang media. Samantalang dati pinabalik-balik pa nila ako."
And do we have to add political color in the midst of grief?
4. …through the help of Migrante International, an organization of OFWs and their families,
In her own words, Garcia summarized it: “Nag-iiba sila kapag may kasama kang media. Samantalang dati pinabalik-balik pa nila ako."
And do we have to add political color in the midst of grief?
4. …through the help of Migrante International, an organization of OFWs and their families,
Lilibeth Baja-Garcia was able to ask Senate President Manny Villar for assistance. Villar
gave money for the plane tickets of Garcia and two other relatives going to Bohol for
Baja’s wake. Congressman Edgar Chato of Bohol promised to shoulder the funeral
expenses for Baja.
5. Gladys Garcia from the legal department of Senate President Manny Villar was able to
negotiate with the NAIA administration to allow the relatives to fetch the casket.
What’s the real score?
We cannot change OWWA - how it is managed the way we would like it to be managed. It is not an insurance company that can invest the premiums collected in order to sustain claims when due. Because it is not an insurance company, OWWA cannot issue an insurance policy. Thus, the payment of benefits can be subjected to discretion by any OWWA personnel. This has been proven many times and only corrected (if ever) when exposed to media scrutiny.
With alternative insurance, OFWs will be assured of a well-managed, competitive premium payment, on one hand, and the insurance benefits consistently and uniformly applied to all members unlike with OWWA.
Worldwide Insurance
What is worldwide insurance? How is this made possible? How can the ordinary OFW be assured that his alternative insurance will have a worldwide coverage?
In every insurance contract, a premium is paid for by the insured to cover a certain risk which is assumed by the insurer. The premium, as we know of, is way below the assumed risk. The best example here is the OWWA contribution of US$25 (premium) with a return maximum claim (assumed risk) of Php100,000 in the event of death by the insured OFW.
In the case of OWWA, the individual contribution of US$25 is deposited in any accredited bank inside the Philippine territory and is expected to grow into millions what with contributions pouring in from millions of OFWs every year.
With this system, the funds remain inside the Philippine territory and the assumed risk is totally absorbed by OWWA itself. In the event of a catastrophe, this system will not be able to sustain a very large loss of the OFW population.
So how do you make the US$25 get a worldwide coverage?
If managed by a private insurance company, part of the US$25 would be paid as re-insurance premium to an insurance broker with worldwide acceptance among the leading re-insurers outside the Philippines. This is called re-insurance contract.
The concept of re-insurance is to spread the risk so that in the event of a claim, every member of the re-insurance contract will have to share the burden of claims payment. In a very competitive insurance market, we can expect any local insurance company to provide the best and most efficient management of claims applied for by the beneficiaries.
In the US, every citizen is encouraged to buy medical insurance coverage. Most often than not, hospitals do not accept payment in cash but prefer medical insurance to cover patient's hospital bills. Cash is accepted to pay for hospital service that is not covered by the medical insurance. For added premium, repatriation of remains is included in the coverage.
In Saudi Arabia, the government has made it compulsory for all employers to provide free medical health insurance coverage to all employees effective 2005. This compulsory medical insurance covers Saudis and Non-Saudis; thus, making this country the leader in terms of providing free medical insurance to its workforce in the Middle East. Lucky employees are provided an additional free life insurance coverage by large companies.
If such worldwide insurance coverage is possible in countries like Saudi Arabia, it is also possible to have this kind of insurance coverage in the Philippines.
What is Alternative Insurance with worldwide coverage?
An alternative insurance coverage is another insurance premium paid for by the OFW to secure insurance coverage both for himself/herself and family. The benefit is worldwide and covers OFW repatriation (dead or alive). It will include the medical health benefits of the family in the Philippines during the tenure of the OFW working overseas. After the long sojourn, the OFW may opt to continue the coverage while re-integrating himself/herself and may have the option to terminate the insurance coverage at any point in time.
Before working overseas, an OFW should buy this special kind of insurance so that in the event of death or when incapacitated, it is the insurance company that will work toward the fulfillment of the claim applied for by the OFW or the beneficiary.
In the Philippines, there is an actuarial study (feasibility study) being conducted by one of the biggest insurance companies providing this kind of alternative insurance cover for OFWs. The study is considering payment of affordable premium similar to the payment of US$25 while the benefits triple or quadruple the benefits you get from OWWA.
If this alternative insurance cover is realized, OWWA's term will have to end and instead a more responsive and competitive insurance scheme will take place. OFWs will embrace the alternative insurance. NGOs will request the government to discontinue the existence of OWWA.
With the alternative insurance, OFWs wherever they may be deployed, will have the comforting thought that come what may, during their tenure in their country of work, their loved ones left in the Philippines will be supported financially.
Unlike with Eugenia Baja's remains that had to wait for political and financial patronage in order to be repatriated, beneficiaries of a worldwide insurance coverage only need to submit the required documentation by the insurance company located in the Philippines and wait for the OFW’s remains to be delivered at the beneficiary's doorstep.
And unlike with OWWA, the beneficiaries need not beg. They need not wait for three months or more. They need not go to the Department of Foreign Affairs for assistance. They need not employ tactics like contacting media to get the attention of the government authorities.
Copyright © 2008 to Barangay OFW. All rights reserved.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Domestic Work is Work… Not Slavery!
by Carmelita C. Ballesteros
Singapore
The lights were turned off in a tiny auditorium at the Substation, a small art gallery for emerging artists on Armenian Street in Singapore. About a hundred men and women in the audience hushed. Soft, background music which sounded like a muted lamentation slowly filled the silence.
Six women in batik pants literally crawled in from the backstage. Then they struggled to stand up. They pantomimed a ritualized beating-up of a poor, hapless slave. As the victim pleaded for mercy, an angel came and snatched her from her tormentors.
The lights were turned on and the six women performers took a bow. It was then that I noticed what their t-shirts proclaimed, “Domestic work is work…not slavery!”
I tried not to cry, but I felt hot salty tears streaming down my face.
H.O.M.E., a registered charity organization which looks into the welfare and rights of migrant workers in Singapore, had sponsored the free screening of the film “ina… anak, pamilya.”
Starring Joel Torre, Eula Valdez, and Angel Aquino, it is a mixed documentary and fiction. Surprisingly, its director, J.P. Bautista, is an amateur film director who resigned from her comfortable Makati job in order to go into advocacy work through the film medium.
The ladies’ pantomime was just a front act. After the introduction of the director and her producer-husband, the lights were turned off again.
It was a simple film about a mother and wife who decided to work as a domestic helper in order to provide more food on the table for her family. Her husband had a lowly clerical job and his salary was hardly enough for food, house rental, school uniforms and shoes for their three children.
On the day that the mother left for the first time, her bunso was probably five years old. It was early dawn and she didn’t wish to wake up the children. As her husband (Joel Torre) stood waiting, holding her suitcase in the doorway, the mother (Eula Valdez) looked longingly at her children. She couldn’t resist caressing ever so gently her bunso’s hair as he slept peacefully.
I tried not to cry, but I felt hot salty tears streaming down my face.
Eula Valdez wasn’t crying; neither was Joel Torre. The children were asleep. There were no words spoken. There wasn’t any music. Then I heard my seatmates to the left and to the right sobbing. My face was getting soaked, so I took out a hanky. I heard a collective sniff. Everyone was crying!
How could a simple, underacted scene make everyone cry? It was because of the depth of our collective anguish, unspoken pain, and silent yearning for our families to hold and to love.
Interwoven with the mother’s story were statistics, survey results, and interview excerpts. It said there were 10 million domestic workers around the world in chains. In addition to Filipinos, these workers included Indonesians, Thais, Sri Lankans, Burmese, Cambodians, Vietnamese, Lao, etc.
Toward the end of the mother’s story, hope through OFW reintegration programs was shown. The husband attended an NGO-sponsored seminar and the docu-part of the film talked about the government’s initiatives towards providing loans for small entrepreneurs.
When the lights were turned on, the director of the film spoke again saying that her hope was that OFWs would be able to go home for good, succeed in their small businesses, and never ever have to leave their families behind again.
Copyright © 2008 to Barangay OFW. All rights reserved.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
First Pit Stop
by Nardito Sapon
Singapore
I have been taking taxis for some years now in my daily morning ride to the office and I have often thought how some cab drivers resembled our barbers back home in certain ways.
It seems as if it is not only their duty to drive us down those well-paved Jurong roads and do what they are being paid for, but also to regale us with some stories, mostly on their work before becoming a cab driver, some familiar, some unheard of and some on how it was in Singapore ages back.
Many of those short glimpses into their lives, including the storytellers themselves, I could no longer remember, but there is one I shall never forget.
This particular cab driver seemed to be a breed apart from the rest. He sounded well-educated and even talked about some cosmic forces regulating the planets’ movements and was a confessed avid watcher of Discovery and Animal Planet cable TV channels.
But it was his chance remark that made me retrace my overseas work-life roadmap. In particular, it made me check where I am right now, not so unlike the x-marked “You Are Here” kiosks found in big shopping malls. Am I truly headed where I want to be? Am I on that strategic path that will lead me back to home?
It was totally unexpected. Upon learning I was a Filipino, he candidly remarked, “What are you doing here? You have a country far richer than Singapore. Here you can find trees, but most do not bear fruit. You can see tall buildings, but there is not enough land.”
I was astounded as he continued, “Go back and find your gold mine in your own country.” He sounded serious. I could only smile and utter a meaningless yeah in return.
I didn’t have a chance to tell him the real score, the true plight of my beloved Philippines, as the cab negotiated the bend to Gul Avenue and abruptly stopped at No. 39. However, I made an unspoken promise to make an effort to heed his call, “gold or no gold.”
There’s more or less 1 in a 15,000 chance, but if ever I get to ride his cab again, I would proudly inform him that a group of compatriots working in various parts of the globe recently launched an internet blog site.
He will not be interested in it, that’s for sure, much less would I be able to convince him that in being part of this group, I have embarked on my journey back home to become an ex-foreign talent. And most importantly, I have found the first pit stop in Barangay OFW.
Copyright © 2008 to Barangay OFW. All rights reserved.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Key OFW Issues and Proposed Reforms
by Mark Serrano
As if living in strange lands -- far away from home and their loved ones -- is not hard enough, OFWs have to deal with the challenges imposed upon them by their own government and people.
OFW horror stories emanate from POEA, OWWA, Immigration and Customs at the airport, and the recruitment agencies back home. The supposed "heroes" are actually "martyrs" in their homeland, subject to the opportunism and ill treatment from their fellow Filipinos.
Barangay OFW has come together to bring to the forefront these key issues. It has also taken the pro-active stance to propose reforms in a holistic manner.
In one document, Barangay OFW would like to share the collective experiences, thoughts, desires and bright ideas of OFWs from all corners of the globe with the Philippine government, the Filipino nation and the rest of the world.
This is a tiny step toward, “Reforming the Present, Creating the Future.”
Indifference has been the ally of oppression; conviction its antidote. Fellow OFWs past, present, and future, if we all make a stand and take a tiny step forward today, we shall soon claim the magnificent destiny we all deserve. Mabuhay!
Read this document on Scribd: Consolidated OFW feedback & proposed reforms
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Country Mouse & OFW Mouse
by Carmelita C. Ballesteros
Singapore
Singapore
Country Mouse: Hello, cousin! How are you? How’s life in Singapore?
OFW Mouse: Hello, cousin! I’m fine. I’m going home soon.
Country Mouse: Would you lend me the money I need for the placement fee?
OFW Mouse: No, I can’t. I haven’t saved that much.
Country Mouse: Then why are you coming home?
OFW Mouse: Because I don’t want to be killed and raped like Fatima Maulana.
Country Mouse: Who is she?
OFW Mouse: Don’t you listen to the news? She was a domestic helper in Kuwait. She was from Carmen, Cotabato.
Country Mouse: Silence…
OFW Mouse: Hello, cousin. Are you still there?
Country Mouse: Yes… I don’t know what to do.
OFW Mouse: Stay where you are. Stay with your husband and children.
Country Mouse: But my husband is jobless.
OFW Mouse: My husband was jobless, too.
Country Mouse: Does he have a job now?
OFW Mouse: Yes, he’s driving a taxi.
Country Mouse: How much does he earn?
OFW Mouse: Five hundred pesos a day, net. That’s three thousand a week, twelve thousand a month.
Country Mouse: But my husband doesn’t know how to drive.
OFW Mouse: Your husband can cook very well. He makes the best kilawing dilis (fresh anchovies marinated in calamansi and other spices) and the best crispy pata (deep-fried pork leg).
Country Mouse: But I’ve signed a promissory note at the recruitment office that I will pay the placement fee next week.
OFW Mouse: It’s just a promissory note. Just tell them that you have changed your mind.
Country Mouse: But I really want to go…
OFW Mouse: Why?
Country Mouse: The recruitment officer said I’ll be able to save enough to build my dream house, to buy a car, and to send my children to college.
OFW Mouse: That’s a lie. How much is your placement fee?
Country Mouse: Eighty thousand pesos.
OFW Mouse: How much monthly salary will you get?
Country Mouse: Three hundred fifty Singapore dollars.
OFW Mouse: When will you start getting it?
Country Mouse: After eight months.
OFW Mouse: So you’ll be able to start paying back the 80K you’re borrowing from me only after eight months!
Country Mouse: So will you lend me 80K for my placement fee?
OFW Mouse: No, I can’t. Don’t you understand?
Country Mouse: Please, cousin…
OFW Mouse: Listen to me, cousin. I spent the first 16 months of my 2-year contract here in Singapore with hardly any money to even buy my own soap. All of my salary went to the recruitment agency, and then to Mrs. Mouse Loanshark in the metro mouse village.
Country Mouse: But my husband’s cousin is doing very well in Saudi. You remember Mr. Architect Mouse, don’t you?
OFW Mouse: Of course, I do. Listen, cousin. An architect is different from a domestic helper. Architects, engineers, doctors, nurses, teachers, accountants, etc. are different from domestic helpers.
Country Mouse: But I didn’t finish college.
OFW Mouse: I did, cousin.
Country Mouse: You did? Why did you become a domestic helper?
OFW Mouse: Because I was stupid. Because I believed the sales talk of the recruitment people. Because I was blinded by my dream. Because my husband was jobless.
Country Mouse: It’s okay for you to come home because your husband has a job now. My husband works as a carpenter only once in a while. It’s not enough.
OFW Mouse: He makes the best kilawing dilis and the best crispy pata (deep-fried pork leg). He can be a cook.
Country Mouse: He applied in a newly-opened fastfood restaurant in the metro mouse village. But he failed the interview. He couldn’t speak English.
OFW Mouse: Open your own eatery. Take orders from other mouse villages. Offer home delivery service.
Country Mouse: But we have no capital.
OFW Mouse: So you’d rather be a domestic helper, an OFW mouse.
Country Mouse: Yes… I’d like to go… I’d like to…
OFW Mouse: How old are your children?
Country Mouse: The girl is four; the boy is two.
OFW Mouse: You know, my baby was only 10 months old when I left. I cried every night for two months. Now, she’s almost three. And I can never bring back the two years we’ve lost.
Country Mouse: But if I stay, my children will never be able to go to college.
OFW Mouse: I don’t know if Fatima Maulana had children. If she had, her children didn’t just lose a chance to go to school. They’ve lost their mother forever.
Country Mouse: But Fatima Maulana’s fate is different. Maybe it’s her destiny.
OFW Mouse: Destiny? We have a choice. You have a choice. Being a domestic helper is not the only choice. If you stay with your husband and children, you’d be there with them to laugh and cry together. If you stay where you are, you will have a life. Being a domestic helper is like being a slave!
Country Mouse: Silence…
OFW Mouse: Cousin… I don’t want to end up like Fatima Maulama. I want to be with my little girl. I want to raise her. I want to listen to her sing. I want to watch her dance. I want to comb her hair. I want her to sit on my lap. I want to hug her tight. I want to kiss her. I want to take care of her when she’s sick.
Country Mouse: But I want to be an OFW mouse for my children’s sake.
OFW Mouse: For your children’s sake, stay with them.
This was originally published in the Filam Weekly MegaScene, Illinois, USA on May 30, 2008. The publishers may be reached at filammegascene@aol.com
Copyright © 2008 to Barangay OFW. All rights reserved.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Dying Filipino caregiver in Canada is being kicked out
This article by Ms. Ma. Ceres P. Doyo was originally published in her column, HUMAN FACE, in the Philippine Daily Inquirer on June 19, 2008 (Manila time). Ms. Doyo has given Barangay OFW her kind permission to re-publish this article. You may reach her at cerespd@gmail.com
Please hang in there, Mrs. Juana Tejada. We are praying for you and everyone concerned.
In my column last week on “Caregiver” the movie, I ended by saying the movie should have a sequel. Well, it’s that column piece that is having a sequel. And this is for Filipino caregiver Juana Tejada. Juana de la Cruz, the EveryOFW.
I now step aside to project the myriad voices raised on her behalf. First, let me quote portions of a stinging column piece (“Our nanny state, save for nannies,” June 11) written by Joe Fiorito for Canada’s The Star.
"Corey Glass may get to stay. He is the American deserter—call him a war resister; better still, call him a conscientious objector—who came to our country to avoid the war in Iraq."
"All parties in the House of Commons approved a motion last week urging the government to allow him and others like him to remain in Canada as permanent residents. The vote was 137-110 in favor. If the motion is not binding, it has moral force."
"He came here to save his life."
"At the same time we are kicking Juana Tejada out of Toronto and we are sending her home to die."
"Juana is from the Philippines. She came to earn a living looking after other people’s kids. She did not sneak across the border. She came to be a citizen. She followed all the rules."
"And then she got cancer."
"She must go. He might stay. There was no motion in Parliament for her. Why the hell not? Is it race? Is it class? Is it gender?"
"There are perhaps 100 war resisters living in Canada at the moment. Their numbers are too small to be of import, but their presence illustrates a principle: we keep an open door. Remember Vietnam? ..."
"We ought never to forget that nannies enrich our lives with their hard work. They raise our kids. They enable our lives of privilege. They are the working women who carry other women on their backs…"
"We offered Juana a path to citizenship if she would wipe the snotty noses of our brats. But some dim bureaucrat—in Alberta of all places, where they have the least understanding of what life is like here, and now—has decided that Juana’s illness ‘might reasonably be expected to cause excessive demand on health and social services.’…"
"She came here in 2003. She came to work. Never mind her dues, she paid her taxes. It is as simple as that. Here is another principle: we are Canadian; we do what’s reasonable."
"Juana would have earned permanent resident status when her three years were up. She did not choose to get cancer in 2006. We are giving her no choice. We are sending her home to die…"
You can read Fiorito’s entire piece by logging on to http://www.juana-tejada.info/. The petition letter addressed to Prime Minister Stephen Harper is there for anyone to sign. I was the 801st signer. There is space for your own personal message.
I personally know one of the persons behind the petition. My US-based schoolmate Mila Alvarez-Magno and her husband Oswald are trying to gather as many signatures as could be gathered before Aug. 8, the day Juana is to be sent home. Here are excerpts from the letter:
Please hang in there, Mrs. Juana Tejada. We are praying for you and everyone concerned.
In my column last week on “Caregiver” the movie, I ended by saying the movie should have a sequel. Well, it’s that column piece that is having a sequel. And this is for Filipino caregiver Juana Tejada. Juana de la Cruz, the EveryOFW.
I now step aside to project the myriad voices raised on her behalf. First, let me quote portions of a stinging column piece (“Our nanny state, save for nannies,” June 11) written by Joe Fiorito for Canada’s The Star.
"Corey Glass may get to stay. He is the American deserter—call him a war resister; better still, call him a conscientious objector—who came to our country to avoid the war in Iraq."
"All parties in the House of Commons approved a motion last week urging the government to allow him and others like him to remain in Canada as permanent residents. The vote was 137-110 in favor. If the motion is not binding, it has moral force."
"He came here to save his life."
"At the same time we are kicking Juana Tejada out of Toronto and we are sending her home to die."
"Juana is from the Philippines. She came to earn a living looking after other people’s kids. She did not sneak across the border. She came to be a citizen. She followed all the rules."
"And then she got cancer."
"She must go. He might stay. There was no motion in Parliament for her. Why the hell not? Is it race? Is it class? Is it gender?"
"There are perhaps 100 war resisters living in Canada at the moment. Their numbers are too small to be of import, but their presence illustrates a principle: we keep an open door. Remember Vietnam? ..."
"We ought never to forget that nannies enrich our lives with their hard work. They raise our kids. They enable our lives of privilege. They are the working women who carry other women on their backs…"
"We offered Juana a path to citizenship if she would wipe the snotty noses of our brats. But some dim bureaucrat—in Alberta of all places, where they have the least understanding of what life is like here, and now—has decided that Juana’s illness ‘might reasonably be expected to cause excessive demand on health and social services.’…"
"She came here in 2003. She came to work. Never mind her dues, she paid her taxes. It is as simple as that. Here is another principle: we are Canadian; we do what’s reasonable."
"Juana would have earned permanent resident status when her three years were up. She did not choose to get cancer in 2006. We are giving her no choice. We are sending her home to die…"
You can read Fiorito’s entire piece by logging on to http://www.juana-tejada.info/. The petition letter addressed to Prime Minister Stephen Harper is there for anyone to sign. I was the 801st signer. There is space for your own personal message.
I personally know one of the persons behind the petition. My US-based schoolmate Mila Alvarez-Magno and her husband Oswald are trying to gather as many signatures as could be gathered before Aug. 8, the day Juana is to be sent home. Here are excerpts from the letter:
Dear Prime Minister Harper:
We, the undersigned, respectfully file this petition on behalf of cancer-stricken Juana Tejada, a Filipina caregiver, who has been ordered to leave the country by August 8 and whose application for permanent residency has been refused on the ground that her illness might pose excessive burden on the health care system.
We regard the deportation order against Tejada as no less than a death sentence, and a cruel and inhumane decision. It tarnishes Canada’s excellent international reputation as a humane and compassionate nation…
Like the thousands who hope for a better life in Canada … Tejada answered Canada’s call for caregivers and has served in Canada since 2003, separated from her husband and six siblings. She worked hard in a low-paying job that demanded more than the usual number of working hours that other working Canadians enjoy, to earn her right to become a permanent resident.
But for her medical condition, she would have been assured of permanent residency, able to sponsor her family, after the required three years of service as a caregiver under Canada’s Live-In Caregiver Program. Her cancer is a disease she did not choose to have. She might even have contracted the disease in this country. During all the three years when she was able, Tejada, in her small way, had supported the health-care system that she now desperately needs to care for her.
She is no burden to the health care system. She is being looked after by generous and compassionate doctors who are providing their services for free. She is buying her medications with the financial support of friends, neighbors, and members of her community.
Even granting that there is a cost to the system, surely, it cannot be said that in order to save a few thousand dollars in health care costs in this isolated case, Canada is prepared to suffer the ignominy of sending Tejada back to her homeland, the Philippines, a country with no socialized health care system, to die.
Caregivers like Tejada provide valuable home care services to thousands of Canadian families. They enable Canadians who use their services to lead productive lives, and to maximize their contributions to society. Unlike the thousands of refugees Canada is known to accept and protect from potential harm or death, Tejada has served this country and paid her taxes dutifully. She has more reasons to seek humanitarian protection and care from Canada than most refugees…
Canada’s greatness as a country rests, not on the stone-cold and literal application of its laws, but on the humane application of such laws and the wisdom of its national leaders in doing what is morally right….
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Welcome to Barangay OFW
Tuloy po kayo! Maligayang pagdating!
We are a group of OFWs who believe that all of us overseas Filipino workers must focus on bringing about reforms and reintegration for the benefit of all Filipinos working overseas around the world as well as our families in the Philippines.
This blog site is for all of us past, present, and future OFWs as well as our families. Our group will maintain this blog site for OFW-related information, education, and advocacy.
Please write your comments, questions, and suggestions with regard to posted articles. If you wish to share an OFW experience, yours or that of someone you know, please e-mail either Dr. Carmelita C. Ballesteros at barangay.ofw@gmail.com or any of the contributors at their personal e-mail addresses.
Today, there are about 10 million OFWs in every country around the globe. In 2007, the estimate was that we remitted through the banks a total of USD14.3 billion. Thus, we keep the Philippine economy afloat. Hence, we are hailed as “Bagong Bayani.”
But unlike Manny Pacquiao for whom government and mass media fall all over themselves to give a hero’s welcome, we OFWs are treated shabbily at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), at POEA, at OWWA, at Philhealth, at the Department of Foreign Affairs, at Philippine embassies, at recruitment agencies, etc.
Our Vision
Overseas Filipino Workers are world-class. Thus, we must be genuinely valued, admired, and respected by both the public and private sectors in our own country.
Our Mission
We are a group of OFWs who believe that all of us overseas Filipino workers must focus on bringing about reforms and reintegration for the benefit of all Filipinos working overseas around the world as well as our families in the Philippines.
This blog site is for all of us past, present, and future OFWs as well as our families. Our group will maintain this blog site for OFW-related information, education, and advocacy.
Please write your comments, questions, and suggestions with regard to posted articles. If you wish to share an OFW experience, yours or that of someone you know, please e-mail either Dr. Carmelita C. Ballesteros at barangay.ofw@gmail.com or any of the contributors at their personal e-mail addresses.
Today, there are about 10 million OFWs in every country around the globe. In 2007, the estimate was that we remitted through the banks a total of USD14.3 billion. Thus, we keep the Philippine economy afloat. Hence, we are hailed as “Bagong Bayani.”
But unlike Manny Pacquiao for whom government and mass media fall all over themselves to give a hero’s welcome, we OFWs are treated shabbily at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), at POEA, at OWWA, at Philhealth, at the Department of Foreign Affairs, at Philippine embassies, at recruitment agencies, etc.
Our Vision
Overseas Filipino Workers are world-class. Thus, we must be genuinely valued, admired, and respected by both the public and private sectors in our own country.
Our Mission
- To pursue pro-OFW services from the government and private sectors through structural and/or institutional reforms.
- To help shape a prosperous post-OFW future through a holistic reintegration policy.
Copyright © 2008 to Barangay OFW. All rights reserved.
About Us
We are a group of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) intent on bringing about reforms and reintegration for the benefit of Filipinos all over the world.
Our Vision
Our Vision
World-Class Overseas Filipino Workers: Valued, Admired, Respected
Our Mission
- To help shape a prosperous post-OFW future through a holistic reintegration policy.
- Information Dissemination
- Policy Studies and Advocacy
- Nonformal Education on Entrepreneurship, Citizenship, and Governance
Core Values
- Integrity
- Truth
- Courage
- Financial Intelligence
- Compassion
- Creativeness
- Commitment
- Determination
Copyright © 2008 to Barangay OFW. All rights reserved.
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