They used to be called Overseas Contract Workers. But the Ramos administration changed ‘Contract’ to ‘Filipino’ ironically as a homage to the Filipinos’ sacrifice of working in other countries to be able to earn the much sought after dollar. The dollars, once sent to their loved ones in the Philippines, become foreign remittances that feed the country’s economy. In fact, “Remittances sent by overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) reached $17.3 billion stronger than the expected growth in 2009” according to pinoyoverseas.net. (Read the full article on http://pinoyoverseas.net/news/uncategorized/ofw-remittances-hits-17-3-b-in-2009/)

There are around eight million Overseas Filipino Workers. They are deployed to countries all over the globe. The top five countries where OFWs are employed are The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, and Italy.

http://www.seasite.niu.edu/Tagalog/Modules/Modules/PhilippineEconomy/ofws.htm

Indeed, because of the sacrifices and risks they are taking, and because of the dollars they are sending, the Arroyo administration has pronounced OFWs as the modern day Filipino heroes.

However, there are a lot of possible dangers that await an OFW:

1) There are the possibilities of unlawful labor practices of employers that can induce over 200 OFWs to form a protest group against their employer in Saudi Arabia. Complaints include: violations of the Saudi labor law, such as withholding of their 2-month salaries, non-payment of overtime pay, non-compliance with the kingdom’s standard salary rates, unsafe working environment and discrimination. (Read the full article on http://pinoyoverseas.net/news/middle-east/saudi-arabia/100-foreign-workers-join-protesting-ofws-in-saudi/)

2) Workers can be stranded in the foreign country for weeks and many months while the Philippine government negotiates for their clearances with their employers. This can happen if, for example, an OFW breaks his/her contract by running away from his/her employer. (Read the full article on http://pinoyoverseas.net/news/middle-east/saudi-arabia/rp-repatriates-37-workers-from-kuwait-jeddah/)

3) Many migrant workers can be physically, emotionally and sexually abused like in South Korea where “human rights abuses and many of the exploitative practices…still persist.” Indeed, the Employment Permit System (EPS) which commands host countries to recognize the rights of migrant workers was implemented on August, 2004. However, implementation issues are still prevalent. (Read the full article on http://www.filipinosworld.net/search/label/South%20Korea ABS-CBN News October 2009)

4) Remember Flor Contemplacion after 15 years after her death, “OFWs and domestic helpers are still going through the same nightmare that Flor Contemplacion suffered. Many rot in jail. Several have been sentenced to death. Thousands suffer abuse from their employers and neglected by their government. To these OFWs, the Arroyo regime is “chief executioner of the rights and welfare of OFWs.”” (Taken from Janess Ann J. Ellao’s article 15 Years After Death of Flor Contemplacion, OFWs Remain Vulnerable as Ever. March 21, 2010. Read the full article on http://www.bulatlat.com/main/2010/03/21/15-years-after-death-of-flor-contemplacion-ofws-remain-vulnerable-as-ever/)

We are not discouraging aspiring OFWs. We are simply warning them of the possible dangers that await them. Besides this, we are also encouraging professionals and workers to practice their expertise in the Philippines. Filipinos serving other countries means brain-drain to our country. We lose our professionals that could make the Philippines a first-world country. Also, many of our professionals only become underemployed in foreign countries. What happened to the education, to the degree, they worked hard for?