MONEY Management Seminar at Insular Life, Makati

by Jaime G. Seculles, Jr.

Magandang araw po!

Once again, Insular Life would like to invite OFWs and their family members to a Forum/Orientation session entitled, "Money Management", in our Makati Office at 6781 Makati Avenue, Makati City on Friday, Sept. 18, 2009 at 2:00 p.m.

"Money Management" is designed for OFWs and their families to make them aware of the opportunities Insular Life is offering, and maybe help them in financial management.

There is no cost or obligation. Spouses and grown-up children of OFWs are encouraged to attend. Slots are limited, so please reserve a seat by calling Cell No. +63-917-5028310 or dropping an e-mail at juneseculles@yahoo.com

Mabuhay!

MONEY Management Seminar at Insular Life, Imus, Cavite

by Jaime G. Seculles, Jr.

Insular Life would like to invite OFWs and their family members to a Forum/Orientation session entitled, "Money Management", in our Imus District Office in Cavite on Tuesday, July 21, 2009 at 2:00 p.m.

"Money Management" is designed for OFWs and their families to make them aware of the opportunities Insular Life is offering, and maybe help them in financial management.

The Insular Life's Imus District Office is located on the 2nd Floor of Sayoc-Abella Building (atop Allied Bank), Aguinaldo Highway corner Tamsui Avenue, Imus, Cavite.

There is no cost or obligation. Spouses and grown-up children of OFWs are encouraged to attend. Slots are limited, so please reserve a seat by calling Cell No. +63-917-5028310 or

Tel. No. 63-46-5020151.

'No' to Bilateral on OFW Pension Funds

by Elizer Peñaranda

South Korea

The author, Editor-in-Chief of Sulyapinoy Newsletter in South Korea, has given Barangay OFW his kind permission to re-publish this article. You may reach Mr. Elizer Peñaranda at elizer_penaranda05@yahoo.com

SEOUL, South Korea--Various Filipino organizations are opposing the National Pension Scheme-Social Security System (NPS-SSS), a bilateral agreement on social security between South Korea and the Philippines.

An ongoing signature campaign widely recognized and supported by the majority of the 51,051 members in different Filipino communities here is paving the way for all Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) to band together in protest. With the help of the religious sector, information and encouragement on the issue are also disseminated to churchgoers.

Regardless of gender, religion and visa status, OFWs are currently calling for immediate revision of the agreement and its planned transfer of the NPS lump-sum refund to SSS. Workers are worried about the vested interests of some allegedly greedy public officials in the Philippines, whom they fear will use their money for anomalies, unscrupulous plans and personal interest.

OFWs, owners of the NPS Lump-sum Refund benefits, feel they have been inadequately consulted by the SSS and the Korean officials on this Bilateral Agreement.

Article III - Bill of Rights, Section 7 of the Philippine Constitution states that "The right of the people to information on matters of public concern shall be recognized. Access to official records, and to documents and papers pertaining to official acts, transactions, or decisions... shall be afforded the citizen…"

The procedure in the formulation of the Bilateral Agreement clearly violated our constitutional rights, resulting in the loss of workers’ small business opportunities upon return, unfair compulsory coverage in the NPS-SSS social security agreement, and the vulnerability of our refund to corruption at home.

All these have triggered the EPS workers, led by the Filipino EPS Workers Association (FEWA), to launch a massive campaign for social awareness and participation by all OFWs.

The Filipino Employment Permit System Workers Association (FEWA) and SULYAPINOY spearheaded the signature campaign, supported by the Hyehwadong Filipino Catholic Community (HFCC) led by its chaplain Fr. Alvin Parantar, MSP;

the Kasan Migrant Workers Community (KMWC); Changhyun Filipino Catholic Community; Human Rights Welfare Organization Filipino Community (HRWOFC); Ansan Filipino Catholic Community (AFCC); Philippine Migrant Workers Association in South Korea (PMWAK); Filipino communities in Busan and other parts of South Korea.

The SULYAPINOY website’s current online signature campaign has demonstrated the online participation of other workers, who cannot sign the petition letter in person. They number an unprecedented 1095 at this writing.

With support from Philippine radio program like DZME, the issue has reached the Philippine Senate through the office of Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago, Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Our campaign program against the NPS-SSS social security agreement continues to empower all concerned workers with the necessary information. We strongly believe that justice should be served for the general welfare of all OFWs, to foster solidarity among Filipino communities and awareness on issues concerning Filipino migrant workers all over the Korean peninsula.

Our struggles are for our families in the Philippines who have been making great sacrifices due to our migration. They keep on praying while waiting for our return, hoping against hope that our end-of-contract refund-resources would be sufficient to rebuild the broken pieces of our lives under social injustice, poverty and unemployment in our own country.

The Perils and Challenges of Working Overseas

by Romulo L. Panganiban
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

This article was originally published in Color and Visions (Volume II / Issue 5), official corporate publication/newsletter of Astra Polymers (www.astra-polymers.com) as a feature article from one of its (former) employees, Mr. Romulo L. Panganiban. Mr. Allan V. Adan, Editor-In-Chief of Color and Visions, has given Barangay OFW his kind permission to re-publish this article. You may reach Mr. Adan at allan.adan@astra-polymers.com

Considering the sagging economy and high level of unemployment in most South Asian and South East Asian countries, the job market in the Middle East has proved to be a lucrative alternative for those aspiring to break free from joblessness and monetary insufficiency. Not only that the Middle East offers employment opportunities for many blue-collar workers, but it also contributes in generating economic rewards for many third-world countries through dollar remittances. Thus, many have left behind their loved ones with hopes and expectations that working in the far away desert would make their dreams come true – a better life.

Risks and Uncertainties
However, working in another country in favor of greater economic gains has enormous risks and uncertainties. Stories have been told about men and women who lost their psychological balance for not being able to handle the pressures of the new environment. There have been many accounts of maltreated workers who had to find desperate means and run away from abusive employers. Similarly, one cannot ignore the sad tales and tragedies about broken marriages, disintegration and moral degradation among families of overseas workers.

Being an overseas contract worker is certainly not easy. It takes a higher level of maturity and emotional strength to tackle the many issues besetting the home, relationships, financial needs, survival at the workplace, and cultural differences. People who opt to work in a far away region are compelled to relinquish the direct and close supervision of the household, child-rearing, family affairs, and family budgeting, among others; and go through the complicated acclimatization process as they set foot in a foreign land.

Emotional Balance and Open Mind
Working in another country does not solely revolve around going to work every day and sending remittances home at the end of each month. Psychological and emotional readiness in living independently and combating homesickness is necessary, as overseas workers should be able to conclude each working day without losing sanity. Hence, a high level of self-determination and self-sufficiency is essential.

It is likewise important that migrant workers possess an open mind to survive the demands of the new job. They must unlearn stereotypes and outdated points of reference and adapt to the new work environment with due consideration to certain factors such as power distance, organizational hierarchy and corporate culture to keep themselves afloat. They must find ways to battle through political bickering, departmental frictions, hostilities, leadership styles and many other challenges, which they will surely encounter within the four corners of the workplace. It is easier said than done. But capitalizing on humility, dexterity and flexibility will surely make them travel far minus the bruises and pains.

A high degree of socialization and interaction with people in the new environment could help manage homesickness and yearning for loved ones. Peer groups and companionship are means by which an overseas worker could establish connection with people, from whom he could seek assistance and company. More importantly, bonding with peers and friends through activities of common interests such as hobbies, sports and recreation expands horizons and enhances social development.

Although overseas workers should remain proud of respective ethnic origin and cultural heritage, they should recognize that thriving in a foreign land requires understanding and respect for other cultures as well as opening their minds to learning and adapting to a few local customs and traditions. The concept of ethnic superiority has long been discarded by modern social scientists. Instead of building cultural fortresses, overseas workers should recognize cultural diversity and assimilation. Instead of passing judgment based on other people’s cultural practices, they should try to look through the intricacies of the interwoven behavioral patterns until they understand the assumptions and beliefs that define them.

Commitment to Marital Fidelity
Working in another country is often more complex for married people. While the covenant of marriage is said to guard couples from infidelity, husbands cannot be certain of their wives’ quandary and private actions. Similarly, some men are quite weak in handling intrinsic physiological desires and end up having extra-marital affairs.

Although fidelity is indeed a challenging vow, couples could survive long distance relationships by centering on commitment, communication and self-control. Overseas workers should remain wary of being hooked into affairs that could lead to marital separation, unwanted pregnancy, and even health troubles (i.e. sexually transmittable diseases). Quite intricate, but such could be achieved through periodic priority checks and keeping one’s focus on the motivations of working abroad – the family. Equally significant, however, spouses back home should exert the same effort in battling momentary separation and support their husbands’ or wives’ quest for economic advancement.

Being Absentee Parents
The harsh reality of not seeing their kids grow is a far more taxing emotional burden among parents working abroad. Though some children have grown normally without the physical presence of their father or mother, a strong parental relationship would certainly have a more positive impact on any child’s psychological and social development. Hence, it is essential for the spouse back home to keep a constant reminder and memory of the father/mother to the kids as well as establish regular communication and interaction with the distant parent. Information technology and modern telecommunication devices are of great use in this aspect of remote parenting.

The Challenges of Returning Home
Returning home to family, friends and community is another challenge for those who have worked abroad over a long period. Some overseas workers find it hard to re-integrate themselves and experience a feeling of detachment and indifference from families and old pals. There is also the pressure of living to the high financial expectations and impression among relatives and friends thereby creating more strain and pushing them to further distress.

These perils and predicaments are just a few of the many challenges that baffle the spirit of overseas workers each day. Additionally, there is the demand of achieving the financial target and reaping the payback of long-term separation from the family.

Frugality and Financial Prudence
Material wealth is fleeting and no overseas worker is spared from the spiral relationship between income and spending. The increasing costs of living, growing demands of family members, and the desire for personal gratification are forces that constantly shake the hard-earned wages of overseas workers.

Overseas workers must imbibe frugality and prudence in their way of life. Financial stability is achieved through efficient management of limited resources and regular assessment of net worth. One should learn the art of spending within reasonable means and channel a portion of his/her income into a savings account or sound investment venture (e.g. real estate, entrepreneurship, marketable securities). Otherwise, the sacrifices invested and the opportunity costs incurred in working abroad will simply lose their essence.

It is likewise advised that they savor the fruits of hard labor by allotting a portion of their income for personal consumption purposes. Youth and time are irreversible occurrences and engaging in reasonable recreation and leisure activities are equally important in living a balanced life.

Employers’ Role
Employers also play a vital role in helping overseas workers survive and thrive in a foreign land. They (Employers) should have a good grasp of the psyche of overseas workers and respond accordingly by providing support mechanisms in the form of proper and adequate job orientation, organized social activities, adequate time for rest and recreation, and coaching and counseling. All these would increase the chance of survival among overseas workers as well as induce efficiency and long-term commitment to the organization. Likewise, empathy and encouragement from supervisors and co-workers would augment the longing for family affection and care.

The Invisible Costs of an Overseas Job
These challenges, uncertainties and risks are the invisible costs of any overseas employment contract, which a number of workers fail to realize and consider when accepting job offers (as they are often fixated on the monetary reward).

Whatever overseas workers make out of their life abroad depends on their personal agenda, priorities, coping skills and way of life. And although the majority’s standard measure of success is centered on tangible and financial accomplishments, overseas workers might consider looking at these priceless indicators whether working overseas genuinely results in a “better life”: relationship stability, family cohesiveness, peace of mind and self-worth.

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.

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.

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.

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!

Manny Villar leads 17 outstanding entrepreneurs

by Domini M. Torrevillas
"From the Stands," Philippine Star

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 Laurel Mansion on Shaw boulevard, Mandaluyong City, over the weekend. The awards were a centennial gift of the Nacionalista Party dubbed Pondo sa Sipag, Puhunan sa Tiyaga.

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 Laurel mansion, “We expect their (the awardees) feats in this nationwide search will serve to inspire our countrymen to follow their lead and take the path of entrepreneurship to spur the economy.”

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 Hong Kong, put up a small sari-sari store in Currimao, Ilocos Norte. Her business, which she and her husband run, has expanded to include a fish cage business, cattle-fattening, swine production, and rice and vegetable farming.

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 Benguet State University in Mt. Province, and her husband started their mushroom culture business with an initial capital of P85,000. Cali’s Mushroom Farm in Solano, Nueva Vizcaya, netted them P190,000 in 2007.

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 Plantation, which raises rattan seedlings at an average of 100,000 seedlings each year. Clients include farmers and provincial governments, and Albert’s farm is being used as a venue for practicum on rattan propagation by agriculture students.

At age 56, Elizabeth Franco Africano, a school teacher, and her two sisters opened Franco’s Café in Cauayan City. The café introduced the first Italian, Mexican and Mediterranean cuisine in the city, and meals without rice consisting of pasta, pizza, salads and deli-sandwiches as well as local delicacies. The café’s success gave way to social responsibility by its employing city health volunteer workers as part-time sales ladies in its outlet at the Pasalubong Center, and segregating and recycling waste materials in its good environment program.

* * *

Dr. Solomon Maylem of Malvar, Santiago City, a veterinary doctor by training, runs an edible mushroom business which earns him P10,000 a day. In his farm he also raises super sweet corn, giant tomatoes, sorghum and lettuce and high variety fruits and vegetables. He has adopted the slogan, FAITH, meaning Food Always in the Home.

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.)

A Joyous Evening with James Skinner

by Carmelita C. Ballesteros

Singapore

When I woke up on the twentieth of June, I prayed for a marvelous and magnificent day. I knew it was going to be a long day because I had several appointments to keep plus an evening talk (7:30 – 9:30 p.m.) by James Skinner.

Who’s he? The e-mailed invitation from Wendy Kwek, co-founder of Executive Directions in Singapore, said that James Skinner is a multimillionaire and business builder. Currently, he’s involved in the online business, YouPublish, with his business partners Mark Victor Hansen (co-creator of Chicken Soup for the Soul series) and Roice Krueger (Founder of listed company, Franklin Covey).

The end-of-the-week talk was free and there was going to be a buffet dinner, also free! So what have I got to lose? Some sleep, that’s all. (I’m a morning person.)

After a warm and brief introduction, James Skinner strode to the front of the seminar room with about 80 attendees. The audience gave him a long and hearty applause. Obviously, they knew him although I didn’t.

What was joyous about the evening?

First, James Skinner radiated joy. He grinned boyishly as he greeted all of us. He laughed at himself, laughed at his jokes, and laughed with the audience. He exuded a childlike curiosity and sense of adventure.

Second, he didn’t give a talk, he didn’t give a lecture, and he didn’t read from a powerpoint presentation. Instead, he told stories which were humorous, suspenseful, and inspiring. I cannot tell if they were true, but they were definitely energizing and invigorating, considering my biorhythm.

Here are some snippets from James Skinner’s talk:

He began by asking, “What is the biggest company in the world?” After several wrong guesses from the audience, he said it is VISA card. Each employee of VISA brings in a revenue of US$1 billion per year! James said, “Money is not real. You can make as much as you want. You can make as much as you can imagine.”

To illustrate imagination in wealth creation, James told us the story of his friend Peter who was bankrupt. Peter told himself that it was a good excuse to build all over again. So he browsed the web and decided to start rebuilding his life by buying a penthouse although he was flat broke. (laughter)

Peter called the real estate agent and asked what it would take to own the penthouse. The agent said, “One hundred thousand dollars in 24 hours as non-refundable deposit. One million dollars in 12 weeks.”

Since Peter was penniless, he mortgaged his mother’s house and paid the US$100,000 deposit on his penthouse. How was he going to make one million dollars in 12 weeks?

Peter was in London at the time, so he paced the streets of London, convinced that there was a way to make one million dollars in 12 weeks. He just didn’t know how. (laughter)

He chanced upon a sizeable vacant piece of land and asked the owner how much the selling price was. The owner said, “one million pounds.”

Peter said, “I’ll buy it at one-and-a-half million pounds.”

The owner said again, “I’m selling it at one million pounds.” (laughter)

Peter said again, “I’m buying it at one-and-a-half million pounds. Give me 12 weeks to close,” said Peter.

“Done,” said the owner.

So now, Peter had a sizeable vacant piece of land, but he must produce one-and-a- half million pounds in 12 weeks to close the sale.

Peter knew there was a way. He just didn’t know how. (laughter)

So he paced the streets of London some more. He noticed that there were many Chinese immigrants in London. He phoned a friend to ask about the culture of the Chinese people. His friend said the Chinese love the number 8.

“Eureka!” Peter divided his sizeable vacant piece of land into eight by eight parcels and sold them at eight thousand pounds apiece to the Chinese. He made himself enough money to pay the owner of the land, pay for his penthouse in full, redeem the mortgage on his mother’s house, and do other things he loved.

James, buoyed by the energy of the audience, continued with another fascinating story. He said a friend of his was bidding to create the Tokyo Disneyland. To win the bid, his friend needed US$500 million. Let’s call his friend Victor.

So Victor went to a bank and asked the president to lend him US$500 million so that Tokyo Disneyland might become a reality. The bank president signed the check pronto!

James went on telling inspiring success stories till ten in evening, 30 minutes longer than the announced time frame. But the audience was so animated that we could have stayed till midnight.

The third reason it was a joyous evening was that James made frequent summaries of the lessons he was teaching in short, catchy sentences:

• Money follows guts. (the most important lesson)
• Treat people well.
• If you want a different answer, ask a different question.
• If you want a different result, do something different.
• Find someone who has the capability to say yes to your request.
• Big people want to be part of big ideas.
• If you’ve ever been a dissatisfied customer, then you have a million-dollar idea.
• Implement your own idea.
• Banks need people who need money!
• Contribute to humanity in bigger and better ways.
• Stop watching TV. Get a life.
• Time management is doing less things. Work on what matters.
• Focus is the challenge.
• The solution to every problem is the same. Make more resources available.
• Create a great company culture by celebrating people’s achievements.

Speaking of people’s achievements, how did James Skinner and his partners Mark Victor Hansen and Roice Krueger celebrate the birth of their latest big idea, YouPublish? How did they show their development team that their impossible feat of creating YouPublish in 97 days was deeply appreciated?

James said that he and everyone involved in the project, including their families, had a wacko party. As the party began, he announced that his five-geek development team survived on pizza while working on the project.

And so they’re going to celebrate by having some more pizza! On cue, waiters came in carrying boxes of pizza which they presented to the development team. Each of the five geeks opened his/her box of pizza and saw that it contained envelopes with a picture of pizza on it.

Were they going to eat pictures of pizza? Each of the five geeks opened an envelope gingerly. Wow! Each envelope contained 25 Benjamins (one-hundred dollar bills) in cold cash!

James didn’t say how many envelopes there were in each box…

Copyright © 2008 to Barangay OFW. All rights reserved.

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.

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.

How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?

This article, "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?" by Teresita Cruz-del Rosario was originally published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer on July 17, 2008 (Manila time). Dr. del Rosario has given Barangay OFW her kind permission to re-publish this article. She is a Senior Research Fellow at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in Singapore. You may reach her at tdelrosario@nus.edu.sg

From nanny-cum-cook-cum-laundry-woman in an Asian city, Maria promptly plunged into work in an export garments factory eight years after her return home. Wages were better, work conditions allowed her one-day-a-week off, and there was handsome overtime pay. Her life as migrant worker was irretrievably over.

Then one day she fell mysteriously ill. What started as a suspicion that she inhaled too much cotton dust from cutting fabric ended with a much deeper malaise, diagnosed six months after a cough that wouldn’t go away. She had contracted the HIV/AIDs virus.

She was promptly thrown out of her home that she helped build and sustain through eight years of monthly remittances. Her husband remarried and her children put her in a government hospital that has since become her home. Along with other patients, like her usually migrant returnees, she is hidden from view, a secret scourge that society has wished away into non-existence.

Maria’s mini-narrative mirrors the vulnerabilities that somehow disappear in the reckoning of advantages to both labor-sending and labor-receiving countries. Remittances and strong labor demand remain at the top of a list of economic justifications for why governments would adopt, however unofficially, the export of labor as government policy.

Yet it is also a central feature of the global labor market that the majority of foreign workers are young able-bodied women, hardly equipped with the socio-cultural-psychological resources to navigate the complexities of the global marketplace. Like Maria, many of them fall through the global cracks. Those who suffer from extreme misfortune plunge into a deep dark hole, unable to redeem themselves.

Some countries have stepped up to the plate, however. Sri Lanka, for one, has negotiated bilateral agreements with a Jordanian insurance company to provide cover for all Sri Lankan domestic workers. The costs borne by Jordanian employers are reflected in model contracts that embody all contractual obligations between employer and employee. Similar arrangements are currently being worked out with the Kuwaiti government.

Recently Thailand entered into bilateral agreements with Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar to manage the logistical arrangements involving 50,000 to 100,000 guest workers. This move aims to curb illegal migration through registration, and provide better monitoring and surveillance of cross-border migration. Such agreements are however silent on migrant labor’s rights or social protection measures available to them.

Singapore’s open admission that its continuing viability as a city-state hinges on constant labor importation translates into a series of policy and programmatic interventions to entice foreign workers to join the Singaporean workforce at all levels. Training for skills upgrading is an option to domestic helpers who can acquire a diploma as a nursing aide.

At the high-end of the labor market, Singapore allows professionals to apply for permanent resident status within three months, a recognition of their worth to the Singaporean economy, and a policy move to retain professional labor.

Most labor-sending countries like Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Philippines require pre-departure training for migrants, provide protection shelters for migrant workers in designated countries, and have institutionalized an overseas welfare fund to provide insurance benefits to workers and their families in case of death, repatriation, partial and total disablement. Membership in these funds is mandatory; hence migrant workers are automatically covered even before they have left for their work destinations.

Maria’s predicament, however, remains unresolved. Current social insurance schemes miss out on various other contingencies that afflict migrant workers the world over. The majority of complaints center on issues of non-payment of salaries, breach of contract, onerous conditions of work and cultural adjustment problems.

Workers arrive in these countries stranded, left to their devices when agencies in the receiving countries fail to show up at the designated pick-up points. Others are officially employed to work in single homes yet are asked to double-up at a family-owned restaurant or clean up a mother-in-law’s house. The worst cases forcibly end up in their master’s bed for sexual favors and much like Maria, their brutal predicaments are known only much later.

For those fortunate ones whose migration experience was all-around trouble-free, their return home is a tale of sudden insecurity. They have provided for everyone but themselves, accumulated no savings, despite long careers overseas. A long line of children, nephews and nieces would have grown up and been educated on remittance money, the family home refurbished, the land title fully secured and paid for, the sari-sari (convenience) store abundantly stocked with monthly shipments of goodies.

But the migrant worker returns home with only a suitcase of clothes and perhaps a television set purchased at the duty free shop in Dubai. Relatives teeming at the airport await a final dole-out of leftover cash. The migrant worker’s first day at home is a wash-out.

To date, there is no pension or forced savings scheme for migrants. For while countries with aging populations worry about the availability and longevity of social security funds and depend on migrant caregivers, there is little thought given to migrant workers’ desires to retire from overseas work someday. Yes, Virginia, migrants become old too.

Perhaps these additional social costs should be factored in when charting supply and demand curves in the global labor market equation. More pointedly, time has come to put more balls in migration governance.

An OFW Daughter’s Perspective

by Rizza Lee
Singapore

She is in her mid 20's, a fashion-plate with designer clothes bought from different corners of the globe. Sweet, witty, and pretty, she is my friend who confides to me not for advice, but to have somebody who can see her in a different perspective.

When she was eight, her parents worked separately in two different European countries. When she was ten, her parents separated and she grew up under the tutelage of her grandmother.

“Who cares? As long as he gives me a good amount of sustento,” was her remark about her father who had re-married and already had his second family abroad.

My friend’s mother came home for a few days once in a couple of years. At age 52, she was still working quite hard out there to spoil my friend with worldly materials.

Spoiled enough, she was! She had four different active cell phones. She used each phone with a different boy friend. This arrangement, according to her, helped avoid confusion of sweet talks and text messages. She also dated several married guys and a few managers in our company.

People either loved her or hated her. She had a ‘bad girl’ reputation which she created herself and heedlessly flaunted. Although most of my female colleagues hated her, I thought of her as a little girl who managed to hide her pains through the attention of an entourage of boy friends who adored her.

One day in the office, she seemed annoyed while talking to her mom on the phone. When she put down the phone, she looked at me and sighed deeply.

“Nakakainis! My mom wants to come home next month--- for good.”

I said, “That would be great!”

But I stopped talking when she continued to say jokingly, “Ayoko nga, noh! I’m not used to having her around. Hay naku, di bale, I will try my best para makisama. She might not give me pasalubong at pera pag inaway ko.”

More than a month had passed and I noticed her coming to work early and working late at night. I was curious how she and her mom were getting along. I asked her about her mom while we were having lunch.

“Naku, gusto ba naman tumabi sa akin sa pagtulog! Tapos sa umaga, she makes me a tuna sandwich kasi healthy daw. Di ba n’ya alam na I don’t eat tuna? Eto pa ha, she prepares my clothes for me kahit di nya rin alam kung ano gusto kong isuot. Hay naku! I hope she stops doing those things, kasi she’s treating me like the kid I was when she left me. That’s why I go home late and come to work early para maiwasan ang encounter.”

I responded to her, “But I don’t think you should be giving her that ill-deserved punishment. Sabi nga nila, the more you hate your parents, the more you become like them, or even worse!”

My laconic comment stunned her to silence. Then she asked, “Uy mare, totoo ba ‘yan?”

“Ewan, pero marami na akong kakilala na ganun ang nangyayari. Alam mo mare, when we were kids, LOVE was spelled TIME in our eyes. Now that we’ve grown-up, and our parents have aged, they realize that at this point in our lives, we were right all along. Love is time spent together.”

During that time, I was planning to work abroad myself so I could afford to provide for more than just my children’s basic needs. My own advice was reflected back to me. As her mother had done, I was also about to brave separation from my own children and work abroad in the hope of giving them a good life.

Was it really all worth it? Would they ever understand? Would they ever see beyond the desertion that I had only the best intentions for them?

Aware of my friend’s perspective as a daughter, I made a promise to myself that wherever I go, my family would come with me and we would always be together. It would be a lot riskier but it was a risk I was most prepared to take.

Two months ago, my friend sent me an email. An excerpt of it says: “I have learned to accept and not to fight back what is happening. And I felt better. I’m just starting to do it, mare. And we are both struggling to be comfortable with each other. All these years, my mom was a stranger to me.”

I felt both happy and sad for her. Happy – because she seemed to have become a new person who had finally figured out her life. Sad – because she felt that her mother was a stranger to her.
The words might not have been spoken, but her mother must have surely felt it. What else could be more painful to a mother who had sacrificed the best years of her life working as an OFW in a foreign land?

Copyright © 2008 to Barangay OFW. All rights reserved.