Thank God its Friday, and for giving us those other days

I wrote this on a Friday.

Just imagine, the sun is shining, the air is a little cold but still good on your skin, flowers are blooming, birds are chirping, people are doing their own thing, it seems that we - as humans - are born to be like this and appreciate it in every single day. Not just Friday, but on any day that suits us.

As a child, we used to go to the market, to different places, and we are excited to see something different and new. We are so happy we tell it to our parents, friends, classmates, and other relatives. Nevermind if it is just the store on the corner, the environment that accepts us - who we are, is a good feeling.

So what makes Friday special? Well it is the end of the week, where we could rest and unwind from a hard day's work. That is for those working in the office. But for others, like those assigned in engineering, mechanical, medical, telecommunications, its a normal day for them. Before, I even hate Fridays as traffic is in a standstill, lines are long everywhere, and those pickpocketers / snatchers are trying to get easy money by stealing your money away, especially during pay day. By the way, some people are paid on a weekly basis, and they are paid during Friday.

So Friday, is truly a good day. The whole world wants it. It always comes for us and it recharges our souls.
I think the people who are the most happiest are in the MIddle East. As Friday is a weekend for them.

We have to thank God also for giving us Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. It will be boring if all days are named Friday, lols! This means we have always something to look forward to. Just like the many things in our lives - always something good will come out, something where we can be happy and contented. We are lucky that Friday always comes to us.

What does Friday mean to you? Is it good, bad or just a normal day for you? Let me here your thoughts...

How to 'milk' an OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker)?

The diaspora of OFW's and Filipino citizens around the world has been a phenomenon since the early 1980's.
Filipinos has reached on every continent around the globe, the only destination that we have missed is the North and South Poles.

It is simple math. Filipinos are working abroad to have a better quality way of life. The hefty remittances from OFW's are able to send their kids through nice schools, pay their home mortgages, food and electricity, and the important thing is, they can save some money on the side for emergencies and other uses. You can never ever do this in the Philippines. Because after you have paid your electricity (this is the topic i'm researching from now), water, LPG, transportation, food, kid's allowance, taxes, insurance, and miscellaneous expenses, mobile phone cards, you will never get anything afterwards. You are not able to save. And with contractualization is the 'IN' thing for various companies, job security is another problem. You must have that extra money on the side for emergencies.

Yes they suffer a lot through homesicknesses, high cost of living, culture shock, and sad to say, fellow OFW's who are such 'crabs' who put you down while your back is turned away.

I know and we all know that 'money' is the answer why OFW's are leaving the country. But is it really the solution? Who have implanted this way of thinking on our heads?

In the 1960's, the Philippines has been regarded as the second wealthiest nation in Asia, next to Japan. But something came along the way, it was Marcos, due to political and economic mismanagement, our country was in disarray. This prompted some Filipinos to work abroad. They already knew that there is something bad going on. And that was told to me by my father.

"Damn, this Marcos is so stubborn, he wanted to run the Phils in his own hands!"

"Anong gagawin natin? (What we will do now?) My mother said.

"Let us leave for a while, let us go out. Paris, Cali, Tokyo."

"How about the kids?"

"Leave them. Istorbo lang sila, papatakbuhin ko Pinas sa abroad" (They are a disturbance, I'll run the Phils in abroad).

So much for parental love.

A lot of Filipinos left, and they watched in horror how the Philippines, like a deck of cards fell little by little.

During the 90's where my dad talked to various government agencies, he was really worried on how to improve our economy. They are planning again to borrow from IMF, but of course they need something substantial, something where we can repay back our debt and future debts.

While on a meeting, my dad overheard a conversation from a DFA official to his staff, about the deployment of workers in the Middle East. After the conversation, he talked to him.

"How many Filipinos are going abroad in a day?"

"That depends sir, but right now it is more than 2,000 a day."

"Hey, that is too much (in 1990's). Is there an epidemic or something?"

"I don't know sir, but, it seems we are getting good money from them."

My father saw the 'idea light bulbs' on a lot of government officials. My father made a quick look at some financial papers and held a calculator. Yes, the OFW's remittances can contribute to the country's GDP of about 13% to 20%. This is easy money. Without any form of operating cost or expenses, rent, or any other expenditures. Just take a portion of their remittances through agreement with banks and other foreign exchange centers. Increase of prices of basic commodities and imported items sold in the Philippines is another way of getting the money from OFW's. Taxes and government processing fees. They always think that every Filipino has a relative who is an OFW. Just get any amount of money from them, they will give it immediately without any questions.

And if someone wants to leave the country, make it hard for them. So hard that they must pay and various fees before they leave the country. Make the process slow and tedious, so that both parties, the employer from abroad and the employee (OFW) will have to pay the government just to fast track the processing, settlement of fees, etc. No wonder illegal recruitment and human smuggling is rampant in the Philippines.

In simple terms:

* Job application for abroad = money
* Remittances = money

And where those the money go? Philippine Government, into the pockets of corrupt government agencies.

Philippine media has its share of 'brain washing' as well. Always broadcasting and reporting that the 'grass is greener' on other countries. Just look at those endless advertisements from agencies and recruiters who are willing to take Filipinos outside the country.Actors and actresses who are half-Filipino / half-foreign blood are featured and given priority. We do have an 'off' button but sometimes, if it is shown into your face many times, you can't help but to watch it. And the media is also giving credit to those who are half-Filipino or Filipinos who are away from a long time in the Philippines. Duh. They are already living successfully, why waste our time with them?

My dad, then again, has no choice but to approve of the idea. Since our economy is in shambles. There must be something out there where we can get some money. Money that will keep the Philippines afloat. But sacrificing our fellow citizens, leaving their families behind, is truly a sad sight to see, especially crying children and relatives where they send off OFW's onto the airport. More harrowing if they found out that they come home mentally incapacitated, or worse, in a 'box.'

Hopefully, Filipinos are smart and strong enough to show their disgust - LET US STOP THE GREED!

Anatomy of an Overseas Filipino Worker (cont. 2)

2). THE SORE LOSER FILIPINO CANNIBAL

Now this one is a little morbid (if you are eating, please do not read this story).

Filipinos are compulsive gamblers. They gamble on everything that gives random results (I remember before that me and my classmates used to gamble using 'Lucky 9' by checking the license plates of oncoming vehicles.)

I will make this story short as I do not know how to write in a shocking or dramatic sort of way. One Filipino made himself a lottery 'banker' (one who buys prizes and gives out the numbers for betting) to earn some extra money. After the results were drawn (results are based on Thailand Lottery), he saw that one Pakistani guy won the prize. For whatever weird or crazy reason, he doesn't like that another nationality will take the prize, he wants only his fellow 'kabayan.' to win the prize. He and his friends beat the Pakistani guy, they chopped his body in small pieces, put it in a freezer, cooked, and ate it.

This cannibalistic fiasco has been the gossip and buzz from every expatriate I have talk to. Even my boss asked me "Do you Filipinos do that? You eat dogs right? How is human flesh?"

There is more, I told this story to a taxi driver, and he was glad to add more to the story as he is a nurse (wtf! times are hard these days). The Filipino cannibals went to the hospital as their stomach are in pain. Upon analysis of the doctors, they found out that they ate human flesh. The hospital staff called the police and caught the cannibals. Their fate is now unknown.

3) THE END OF A HORNY PINOY

Now this story gives a lot of smile instead of pity. There was this Filipino technician who serviced an air conditioning unit in a tall building. When he entered on a bedroom, a beautiful lady tried to seduced the Filipino. He was reluctant at first but the woman, who was so pretty, she tried to make advances like holding his d**k, and a lot of that. The Filipino can't take it anymore so he went for it - he had sex with a foreign woman.

After they finished, the Filipino wanted to leave the premises. The woman told that he cannot leave. Suddenly, the dressers and cabinets opened which was full of women! They also wanted to have sex with the Filipino. Of course he cannot because he was still 'tired' with the first one. The women became upset and they beat him, and thrown him out of the building.

Well. Those are some of my stories. Hope you enjoyed it. I can write more, if I remember some of them. You can share if you like.

Anatomy of an Overseas Filipino Worker

We all know what Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW's) have been through, they are the ones who work outside their home country for their families. It is for their survival, and good for the Philippine economy as well.

You have seen the news recently, that a former seaman killed his own family in Cebu. It is quite a shock indeed.
Upon reading the story, the man has suffered a head injury while at work. Due to this he cannot work again due to his medical condition.

Maybe he became crazy because of that accident. But there are others out there who became crazy because of extreme stress, i.e. isolation, poor/stressful working conditions, conflicts, debt, homesickness, sometimes even extreme weather conditions affect the OFW's personality.

There are lots of stories out there regarding OFW's, but I always tell these two stories to those who newly arrived in abroad. This will serve as a warning to them, to keep your sanity in times of crisis:

1). THE QUIET BUT DANGEROUS ENGINEER - There was this engineer in the Middle East who has a fat paycheck. Everytime he send almost all his earnings to his lovely wife in one the provinces in the Philippines. One day while working, he received a call from one of the wife's relative - that his wife has a relationship with another man. The engr. became silent, and still he continued his job. After he finished his contract, he did not tell everyone not even his relatives that he was going back to his home country.
Upon arrival, he went immediately to a machine shop and made a long steel tube with a sharp end.
At night, he has hidden himself in the bushes near his home. He waited for the other man to come to his home. The man came and he waited more until his wife and the man are copulating, he then went inside and stabbed them both with a long steel stake.
He surrendered himself to the authorities and everyone was shocked on what he did and his honest surrender. The mayor of that province saw the man's crime and he told him "just go away from here and never come back."

2) (to be continued...)

Do not trust your fellow countrymen

Before I went abroad, my father and our neighbor talked to each other. Our neighbor stayed half of his life in the middle east, gave me an ominous advice:

Do not trust your fellow countrymen.

I didn't argue. I know that he is correct. And my knees trembled a little. If your own countrymen can't help you, who will?

It is a shame indeed.

(To be continued)
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