Written By Juan Mercado
Maids are seen, not heard, cacique-style households claim. But then, they never met Ophelia A. Belo. An overseas domestic helper, Mrs. Belo bested 489 other students in a skills training program, at the Filipino Workers' Resource Center, in Malaysia. Here's an abridged version of her valedictory address:
There's joy in my heart because I proved, once again, there's a reward for hard work and excellence. But I'm sad for my fellow graduates, myself, our country and people.
Homeland of brilliant, highly skilled and articulate people, (the Philippines) is now number one supplier of cheap labor. We kid ourselves saying: nothing wrong in being a domestic helper. Oh come on! I' m a "DH," and not ashamed to be so. But then, what?
Look at the big picture. There's not much hope if we remain in our country. Over 3,200 Filipinos leave daily, many of them for good. (They seek) jobs that can send children to school, buy medicine, repair our dilapidated shanties, or pay our (debts).
What happened to "Pearl of the Orient Seas?" In 1961, many Malaysians dreamt to study in UP, La Salle or Ateneo. Today, Malaysians employ Filipino domestic helpers. They sent an astronaut into space, while we quarrel about government contracts and election rigging. OFWs must begin the renewal process.
Global labor markets are unforgiving. Only those who never stop learning will survive in this mind-boggling competition for skills. Filipino engineers and IT technicians compete with Indian computer wizards. Our oil and gas engineers are preferred by Malaysian employers. (Their) engineers work in UK and the Middle East - the result of globalization of human capital.
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(Filipino) domestic helpers are preferred by Malaysian royalty and top businessmen. But they're only a miniscule 2% of Malaysia's DH market. Indonesia commands more than 90% of the 500,000 household service providers here.
The Philippine government aims for quality jobs. We frown on quantity of the "5 D's": jobs that are "dirty, difficult, dangerous, demeaning and deceptive". But the few Filipina DHs have higher pay and better terms of employment. Along with other OFWs, they study in FWRC and learn word processing, multiple computer applications to even financial management. Embassy officials arm OFWs with knowledge of labor, family, immigration, contract, even criminal law Migrant workers are more confident when confronted with legal issues. OFWs from Malaysia now venture to UK and Canada with better attitudes and skills.
Commencement is a starting point. After this celebration, we need to create a meaningful difference in our country.
First: Let us not remit everything we earn. Let us save at least 50% and keep it until we go home for good. Second: let's take courses that will help in our reintegration, It is excellence we must bring to a globalizing world.
Third: Let us write our congressmen, newspapers, e-mail our opinions and denounce abuses of our political leaders. And fourth: let's rally behind honest hardworking officials.
Fifth: Let us share our knowledge with other OFWs Sixth: Let us discipline our families at home. They should learn not to squander our remittances. We worked hard for the money and we should not tolerate extravagance.
Seventh: let us be aware of economic, social and political developments in our country. We should monitor trends and programs for our country's future. And let us share our thoughts with those who spend our remittances.
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Number eight: Be aware that, in the Philippines, all that was, all that are, and all that will be, are driven by economic realities: high population growth, excess cheap labor, globalization without safety nets, insufficient social services. These exacerbate our people's pains. Thus, the joy of my success is eclipsed by sadness in our situation as a nation and as a people. We must feel the pain, so we will do something about it.
According to a social scientist: "The future belongs to the discontented." Filipinos should start to be discontented with our situation and tell our leaders of our discontentment.
A Chinese philosopher said: "It is crazy to expect different results if we continue to repeat the same mistakes." Filipinos must accept there are far too many mistakes. And we have to correct them.
And according to Dr. Jose Rizal, in his novel "Noli Me Tangere": recorded in the history of human sufferings is a cancer of so malignant a character that the least touch irritates it.
More than a century after Rizal, the cancer is still here - a social cancer, an economic malady. The only difference is that we can do something about it. And we should.
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Topic: Domestic Helpers Seen and Heard (Read 1179 times)