OFW Children Must Understand Why We Are Here

I received an early usual morning text message from my daughter last Thursday, February 18, 2010. Her message usually so sweet that could always complete my day here in abroad. My wife does the same thing all the time too.

That morning the message said she was in school attending a forum discussing the topic regarding children of Overseas Filipino Workers. The Colegio de San Juan de Letran in Calamba, Laguna conducted a forum with unusual topic (to me) “Anak ng Nangibang Bansa, Aruga at Ikaagapay”. It was attended by children of OFWs studying in Letran. She told me during the forum she got emotional that she sent me series of text messages in my Smart Roaming, thanking me for all things I am doing our the family. Although my family is well-aware of some of the tricky things I am doing, not everything in my police service of course, she was able to realize more about the hardship of an OFW is exerting just to give them a better life.

Well I just re-grabbed this line but actually the lines “giving them a better life” and “Bagong Bayani” are all over-rated things to me and started becoming really boring.

“Sasapakin ko na tatawag sa akin na Bagong Bayani, sige (lol!) .”

The forum gave another definitions to these words as, I believe, it knocked out the idea from those children who always see their parents abroad as mere provider of stylish gadgets. This time, my daughter said, everyone was enlightened and was given a chance to appreciate more the very meaning why most parents need to work abroad and be alone for years. There was one of the attendees who even admitted doing things just to catch his parents’ attention and force them to go home and be with his siblings. But this is not actually a simple over the table request, we parents understood the present and future things more than out children, and I guess an option of going home will not gonna happen soon. We have extraordinary dreams and goal for our children and that is the very reason why we are here.

After the forum maybe everyone will understand now why this kid was acting so stupid all the times that he almost gain ownership of the School Counselor’s Office. While on the other hand, he will somehow understand that his attitude is baseless and should stop immediately as it adds another heavy burden on his parents abroad.

Now I am thinking that aside from Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar or PDOS, a mandatory requirement for OFWs leaving the country, forum like this one held in Letran should be introduced in all schools nationwide yearly. It is high time for the OFWs’ children to have second look on the plight of their parents abroad. Needless to say that most of these children see their parents working abroad as providers of extraordinary needs, and missing the point of appreciating the very reason why they need to leave. This eye-opening forum should start and be held as a regular part of yearly curricula, not to mention that Human Rights Seminar which should also be included as part and parcel of education system. After all there is a great chance that most of the school children we have today are from OFW families.

I see this as far more significant than forcing an ex-OFW to attend PDOS, which is now becoming more of just a "compliance" than being "objective". And everyone knows when something that supposed to be objective by purpose has turned to becoming more of a compliance in nature; it will be a big source of corruption through exploitation of the memorandum or rule covering it. If you are an OFW and have been in and out of the country for several times, is it not that you may have attended PDOS more than ten times, having the same topic over and over again? Does it make sense? You have already become far better than the speaker discussing the topic in PDOS.

That’s why we need to have second look in preparing the life like what we have right now. Being an overseas worker should be a preparation of our life's and family’s both worlds. The world they will have being the ones left behind, on one hand and the world we will have in our new-found land here abroad, on the other hand. This is not only about the culture we are about to face, but it is about the new culture our children will be facing. Well, that includes the culture of having more money of course… and you can’t imagine what a culture shock they will get huh! Kidding aside, but this is true.

More often than not, misunderstood kids in school are product of incomplete family, lack of parents’ attention, lack of appreciations and close parental guidance. This type of seminar or forum, whatever we call it, will help somehow these children to think about things and start getting the deeper positive sense out of being away from their OFW parents, not just being a financial provider, but provider of true and unselfish love. Not everyone is as lucky as these guys, other parents never lifted a finger in order to provide but rather exploit their children to get over on their parental responsibilities.

We need to have this kind of forum. I can call it “Pre and Post Departure OFW Family Orientation Seminar”. Maybe we can include barangays to launch the same thing, to inform everyone that when one works abroad it is not a gate way to luxurious life but a great deal emotional and mental sacrifices that everyone in the family must be involved in maintaining the equilibrium to achieve the main goal of going and working abroad. Every cent earned must be looked upon not just as a grain of rice alone but a painful piece of moment of one working across the sea and vast land. It is not all about celebration of a new life, since our life is still uncertain even when one goes abroad to work for the family. It is about taking advantage of uncertain prosperity that no one knows how long or how short it will be.

Life abroad is indeed uncertain. The fellows back home must take and learn the lesson of the ants’ colony, to work while there is still sunshine, to save while they still can. There are hundreds of bad things thinkable and possible to us to happen while working abroad. Death, lay-off, becoming victims of illegal recruitment, termination, accidents, and many more that could bring storms to the “colony”. Think about that and let our kids learn it. Earn what your OFW parents have painstakingly got and sent you overseas.

Maybe through this type of objective gathering, we can prevent infidelity, financial crisis due to over expenditures, way-ward style of studying by OFWs’ children, and the non-compliance to what the couple has planned before one of them decided to work abroad. These are the common failures we OFWs are experiencing, realizing that after a long years of stay and hardship w abroad our lives back home never moved an inch forward, and at the end of the day our favorite song will be ”Napakasakit Kuya Eddie”. Our children, our beneficiaries are always part of it. Let them realize and play their in building a better future for themselves.

To my children, thanks for the text messages I appreciate the fact you have really appreciated the real sense of my being here.

NOYNOY is Every OFW

This is what I have in mind right now....based on this photo

We have been asked by a batch mate in our high school Yahoo! Group email thread regarding the three "presidentiables" kung sino iboboto namin. It seems it was from a forwarded email circulating in the internet. There was a photo also attached of the three selections (You can check the above insinuating photo). I know it was not from my batch mate Laudemer and its owner is too impossible to identify.

I realized it is a nice topic to discuss about (I mean the photo) and my few understanding about my candidate for president. Let me put it straight, I AM FOR NOYNOY AQUINO. In my opinion, let's forget about the senate and the house of representatives for the meantime (or the legislative branch) and let's face the fact that the president is the most powerful among the three branches of what we so-called government. You can include judiciary branch as being inferior to executive branch nowadays if you want, pero para sa akin cool lang naman ang Court kumbaga..walang naman kasing mga kibo eh...hmp!..

Wala namang nagawa 'yang House sa pag iinarte at tantrums nung maliit na ale eh. So wala silang bilang muna, mas matindi ang upuan nung ale. So whoever will succeed her will be the important issue.

What we have today is not actually a "government" but huge type of syndicate, as I can see it. There are collusions everywhere as approved by our "favorite Tita". I am not saying that I want Noynoy to be the next head of the syndicate but should be the next LEADER of the Filipino Nation. Right now we don't have that "Filipino Nation" being governed by a leader, but a nation being mobbed up and robbed up, where white color will be red as she wishes and no one will gonna contradict on that. She was made right when she was VERY wrong.

Anyways, I don't know so much about Noynoy Aquino, aside from few that I read from the internet and from the news. I think all of us do not have so much informations about our candidates, because like me, most of you guys are not so personally close to these candidates and probably what you guys know about them is limited to what you have read and what others have fed to you. Chinismis ika nga!

And that's a reality, we are actually voting, though we have been given so much time to scrutinize each one of them, for those who have strong campaign gimmicks and remarkable advertisement, kaya nga tayo "na-leche eh". We have been so "possessed" by "pagkain sa bawat hapag kainan" modus-operadi, and yet at the end it was their plates that had the most expensive dinner ever.

(Oooops! commercial muna: I am actually watching http://www.ustream.tv/channel/blogwatch right now while Noynoy is being interviewed, 6 Jan 2010, Kenji Solis informed about it. Actually, I am watching it, writing this blog post and doing project estimates and costing, lol!)

OK let's continue. Here's my stance and why Noynoy is my man for Malacañang. Let me explain my hypothetic idea about " Mr. Galing and Talino". Just being GMA's boy, this man should have no place right away in all four corners of government. Putting him in the Office of the president is virtually putting back GMA.

The tag "Galing and Talino" is actually all about him but since he is an administration bet, we cannot help but to think that they are dining on the same table and feast on the same kind of food, therefor have a "common goal". They have led the country to all formidable scandals and horrifying involvement in human rights violation.

I would rather drop down the idea of voting for "so intelligent and so skillful" since these things are being used to exploit us Filipinos and especially us Overseas Filipino Workers. She's a Harvard alumna and being such is being a hell of being so intelligent, and where did she use that gift? So being "matalino and magaling" is no longer a plus-point because all them are smart and talented already. Pero nakita n'yo ba kung paano prinitong buhay ang anak niyang panganay ni Winnie Monsod? Why.. hehehehe! he's exactly the opposite of her mother. Kung super talino ang mudra, nuknukan ng "ewan", panoorin niyo na lang ang links. Pero ang yaman ng loko ano po!

here are the links again:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4q0JKzpjh_o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_B6I8h24sC8

So no doubt lahat naman sila may "galing at talino" wala kang tulak-kabigin. Magkaka-level sila d'yan !

Here's another one "Mr. Sipag at Tiyaga". Everyone knows this is pure propaganda, right? The concept of this modus is to sow inspiration which is agreeable to be good. Has he been doing this "sipag at tiyaga" thing long before the election? Or lumalabas lang ito every election.

He is pointing out this "ST" thing today because he is running for presidency. When he won a senate seat the first time, did he continue his "sipag and tiyaga movement? No he did not. He kept his "sipag and tiyaga" secrets to himself. What is the effect of this slogan to us, wala di ba? Absolutely nothing but made us voted for him. So clearly it's a propaganda and nothing else. Parang gusto pa yata tayong palanguyin sa basura sa jingle niya e.

Also, as I observe this guy has been very active these days in helping the OFWs. Aside from showing the public how he helps them and with matching "heroic speeches in time of distress", he also has plans for us OFWs. That is, if elected, there is no need for us to go and work abroad. Hallleeeer! Wake up, man. That is next to impossibility, are we dreaming to become the next North Korea?

Do you know what is the result of bringing home the more than 12Million OFWS?

Scarcity, over population and food supplies will be limited and who will bring the billions of dollars every year? Di mo po kayang kunin 'yang bilyones na yan sa revenue ng investors lang 'no. Even extremely rich countries have their citizens work abroad. So isa itong pambobola..lumang pulitika at taktika!

What we need is realistic approach and plans for us OFWs..walang bolahan. Migration, temporary or permanent, is deemed necessary, dudong.

Wheew! Ka Blas Ople cared for and helped us OFW without the need to run for president, kaya n'yo ba yun?

Filipinos do not need "sipag and tiyaga" inspiration as we are so naturally HARDWORKING already since time immemorial. The sad thing was that the fruits of our hard work were abused, much more stolen from us by greedy government.

Of course, capturing the more than 12-Million OFWs is more than winning the lottery. They need to have the best political gimmick just to show that they care. One could imagine, if you multiply that 12-Million by at least three voting members of each OFW family, that a sure thing lottery.

Get OFW majority and their families..you are undoubtedly a winner!

So there you are fellow OFWs, let me remind everyone that with us alone..we can make a president... a leader and not a "LORD"

The problem with the first two good-looking candidates, they were crafted, dressed-up and groomed by their parties long before they dreamed of running for president.

So just like in construction industry, all possibilities were anticipated including accidents to achieve a "common goal". Be it a bad or a good goal, they have prepared ways to achieve it no matter what. They have all the well-prepared crew to answer things, to cover things, to scientifically explain thing in more complex way so nobody could understand and accept it whatever it is.

That's all for the sake of the PARTY.

So all in all base rin sa sipag at tiyaga, magkaka-level sila riyan!

So here's my guy, NOY!

At dito walang ka-level si Noynoy pag-dating sa utos ng magulang.

Based on the photo, I would rather go for MAMA at PAPA! The one who follows the guidance of righteous parents, than those who follow the dictates of the party. Here, we have Daddy Ninoy at Mommy Cory guiding the political direction of the party, if that's what the picture above tried to emphasize.

He has one noble guidance, and that is just to LOVE and take CARE for all of us. With this guidance, everything else will fall in proper places. Just like a good father who loves and cares for his family, exactly just like us OFW -- just like you and me.

We are here abroad driven by our love and care for our families, working HONESTLY to keep our jobs for their sake, kahit mahirap and working HARD for them in order to provide their necessities.

Just like Noynoy and us OFWs, WE will never steal because we do not want to put our families in scandalous situation.. WE will never put our families' future at stake for sake of our own personal interest. And most of the time, friendship (or party) is immaterial if things are prejudicial to our families.

So equate that, equals:

"Filipinos is the big family of Noynoy.. our families is his family too, therefor NOYNOY IS EVERY OFW."

Maybe, there were few guys out there who got dismayed during Pres. Cory's time because of her convictions and her true-to-the-line governance..but that few did not represent ALL of us...NOT the majority of the Filipinos.

Look at us today, look around...it's the other way around and exactly the opposite. Only few guys are so happy, the rest of us are begging for a real life we deserved.

Just like his mother, Noynoy's running for presidency is impromptu and consulted no one but his conscience.

Good governance need long planning and presidency is a short term stint. But to corrupt the government needs longer one, longer than planning a good government and it is also a long term operation where 6 years is not enough. So in order to plan for a bad government that will enrich the whole clan and everyone in the party, it should start from ambition down to planned re-election, from one position to another.

Noynoy never dreamed of becoming a president. It is the people who wished him to run, and he did not fail us on that request.

Sabi ko nga sa email thread dun sa Yahoo! Group:

Mas mabuting pumusta ako kay Noynoy at matalo, or mabigo ako sa expectation ko. At least expectation ko lang, afterwards, wala na siya. Kesa magbakasakali ako sa iba...bigo ka na..asar-talo ka pa..mas maraming unexpected na ayaw mong mangyari ang gagawin nila.

Etong move na ito, expected nyo ba:

Tatakbo pang Congresswoman.....tanga lang maniniwalang pagmamahal sa bayan ang nagtulak para muling mag-lingkod sa bayan at constituents ang nag-request. Tanga ba kayo diyan sa lugar na yan at di niyo halata ha?

Si FVR nga panay tulong naman until now ah.

Sa sobrang talino, pinaikot ang batas, binalewala ang moralidad, ininsulto pa ang lohikong pag iisip ng bawat Filipino. Awkward! parang di natural!

So di naman ako galit, nagpapaliwang lang, medyo asar nga lang ako dun sa ale..bad trip!

SO KANINO KA?

Ako, di ako makakaboto..wala ritong presinto sa Afghanistan...kaya eto lang kaya ko.