The Anatomy of Overseas Filipino Workers

The prime dollar reserve contributors in the Philippine economy are the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW). Dubbed as "New Heroes" of the country, OFWs face the challenges of working outside the country.

The land-based workers can be domestic helpers, caregivers, nurses, engineers, office clerks, factory workers, IT specialists, hotel front-liners, bar-restaurant service crew, utility or maintenance crew and the like. The rest are ocean-based workers, like seafarers that comprise 23 per cent (the largest slice) in the seafaring world.

OFWs undergo screening through their qualifications, mostly college and the rest high school or vocational graduates. Aside from passport, they need to get other requirements, like training certificates, assessment test, visa, medical exam among others.

The paper-mill strategies in the country make it difficult to all OFWs to process their contract easily.

What more the realities of life abroad are not the wholesome expectations they wish to experience.

This hub is dedicated to these unsung heroes that are painstakingly helping the country to have economic stability.

You know nothing about the country you'll be working for. You don't have an actual experience about its people. For a first-timer, the dilemma of coping up with the rigors of life abroad can be hard to swallow.

This hubber observed that:

1. Filipina domestic helpers are gravely abuse in the Middle East countries. The philippine government cannot issue blacklisting of these oil-reach countries of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and other reported countries that violated or even killed some Filipinas working there.
2. Filipino seafarers, although occupying the title as being the most number of seamen on board commercial vessels, the rate of payments on basic wages and overtime are way down low the worldwide standard in shipping compensation.
3. Most Filipino workers are overworked, both males and females. They silently endure harsh treatment in order to save and send money for their families back home.
4. Sad news of death and involvement of illegal drugs are what the headlines are spilling out when it comes to news overseas. The foreign affairs department occasionally turn into deaf ears about such grave issues.

Maltreatment to almost all overseas workers are hidden from the scrutiny of the public. It always happened at the workplace or even after work.

Admit it, the slavery in the world is still going on. See how rich countries treat most of their foreign workers, including OFWs.

Most of the foreign workers' tales are kept in secret but the humiliation will always reflect on their attitude once they go home.

The Philippines is the largest organised labour-exporting country in the world, according to statistics from the US-based Brookings Institution.

An estimated eight million Filipinos live and work overseas, but for many workers trying to earn a living the job is proving dangerous and even fatal.

Al Jazeera's Marga Ortigas reports. (Oct 16, 2010)

Grievances are not channeled to the proper government personnel by the OFWs who experienced abuses while working in other countries.

Some of the consul representatives are accused of conniving with foreign-counterpart to commit sexual harassment with Filipina domestic helpers, to mention a concrete example.

The death of many OFWs are the sickening truth on how some of our countrymen trusted other people so much, risking their lives in return for the sake of their families.