Being away from this mother nation Philippines for quite two years made me realize a lot of things. When I saw that article you see below from reading some current news about Philippines, it made me think right away. Did I dream to be abroad? What was my fellow professionals and student by then think about going abroad? What lies ahead in our own dear country? There are a thousand questions, there are a million probable answers but who knows? Who really know? As one of the professionals who's abroad, although I am no teacher at all, I ask myself who's to be blamed in the situation. I have to say that the quality of teachers and teaching methods in the country would worsen if all of those who have capabilities, greater talents and more responsible and brilliant teachers teach somewhere else instead of teaching their fellow Filipinos.

What I can say is, the quality of life and the surroundings where one has to teach also motivate the teacher: they have dream! Until these teachers see what lies ahead abroad, their dreams would be there, within themselves and so strong. We have the shortage in our own country and we have surplus for those who dream to be abroad.

The fact is, if one cannot eat and enjoy in his/her own country, it's better to be out, right? Government does not do nothing at all to alleviate the poverty. I mean, to do something does not necessarily mean to spend a lot of resources. Change start from the mind and the ideas, thus, implementing ideas that can stick in each Filipino mind, and heart and if the leaders themselves practice what they preach (this can be done on media ads in TVs, Internet, etc), change would come slowly. As they say, "Rome was not built overnight" so expect the long term effect of a long term plan!

I have read this newly posted article about the Filipino Diaspora at the Philippine Daily Inquirer today. It has a part more on defending the Filipinos for the blatant attack at the Desperate Housewives series. I am not defending any side on this story. First, I am a Filipino and on the other hand, I am not a fanatic of the show and I also don't think the remark was correct. But let us put it this way, simply to be a little aware of the reality.

Whose fault is it if the people around the world look at our (Filipino's) nurses in this manner as the conversation was delivered? Who in the first place have put dirt in the name of Filipino nurses? We all know the answer that it has something to do with the leak from Philippine Board of Nursing and the people related to the profession themselves, and yes, you are right, the it's the dirty who have put dirt on themselves. Of course, it is not a generalization and yes, it is painful to think that the whole profession was jeopardized due to the action of the few. It was really a BIG DIRTY SCANDAL!

It is a call for us Filipinos to change the "Easy Way"mindset where we want all to be achieved easily. As I have observed, most of us in the coutry have this "Isang Kahig, Isang Tuka" mentality (not to be understood literally as being the description for the poor) where we want the good things to be in the instant; where the future is risked for the sake of the present. It is evident in the way we choose our leaders where thos who gave out 500 pesos today is voted for at least three years offic; in the fact that our rivers are full of garbage without thinking that it clogs the drainage, causes foul odor, makes the surrounding dirty, causes diseases and very obvious, the floods; in bribing our officials today so we have our needed document or favor immediately giving a little start to the big whole nation of corrupts and corrupted. We can say that what each one of us does is only a little thing but if all do the same, it is as big as the whole nation. So please, let the change IT starts with YOU!


See this related note:

To the producers of “Desperate Housewives” and ABC:

We are writing to express concern and hurt about a racially-discriminatory comment made in an episode of Desperate Housewives on 9/30/07. In a scene in which Susan was told by her gynecologist that she might be hitting menopause, she replied, “Can I just check those diplomas because I just want to make sure that they are not from some med school in the Philippines.”

As members and allies of the Filipino American community, we are writing to inform know that this type of derogatory remark was discriminatory and hurtful, and such a comment was not necessary to maintain any humor in the show. Additionally, a statement that devalues Filipinos in healthcare is extremely unfounded, considering the overwhelming presence of Filipinos and Filipino Americans in the medical field. Filipinos are the second largest immigrant population in the United States, with many entering the U.S. (and successfully passing their U.S. licensing boards!) as doctors, nurses, and medical technicians. In fact, the Philippines produces more U.S. nurses than any other country in the world. So, to belittle the education, experience, or value of Filipino Americans in health care is extremely disrespectful and plain and simply ignorant. Many of the hospitals in major metropolitan areas of the U.S. (and the world) would not be able to operate without its Filipino and Filipino American staff members.

As Filipino Americans and allies, we band together to ensure that this type of hateful message should not be allowed to continue on our television and radio airwaves. Given the recent amounts of media attention that has been given to Michael Richards (against African Americans), Isaiah Washington (against gays), and Rosie O’Donnell (against Asian/ Chinese Americans), it is ridiculous that this type of hateful speech made it through various screenwriters, the show’s producers, the show’s actors, and ABC itself.

We demand a public apology to the Filipino American community, and we demand the episode be edited to remove the ignorant and racist remark. We will not allow hateful messages against our community (or any other oppressed community) to continue.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

This is one of the fatal cancers happening in the Philippines aside from graft and corruption. We can say that all the best have ran away to other parts of the world to find better lives. I know it is not easy to be away from home, thus, most of the Filipinos abroad opt to live there, either looking for a better half in the country where he/she works (if single) or if they have families in the Philippines,  they are petitioning and/or sponsoring them to go after. This can be one reason why the country is suffering from too much loss and poverty and Why the Philippines is Poor. But who can be blamed? Even the government itself is promoting people to go abroad! Is it a joke huh! But yes, we even have this "Bagong Bayani" for those overseas Filipino workers, yes, Filipinos call them "Modern Heroes" for serving other countries than serving Philippines.

I have read one of the latest brain drain articles at The Philippine Chess Chronicles highlighting the country's latest loss of remarkable player to Singapore. Take this an an example of the country's "Brain Drain".

I am Counted
Yes, you read it right. I am out of the country. I am here for work because of the dissatisfaction of many things when I was still in the Philippines. I have a bachelor of science degree and even the Filipino people have paid for my education. Yes, I was counted as one of the "Iskolars ng Bayan" (the Nations Scholar) from the University of the Philippines. All right now you can say "Shame on you" to me but I am not alone. You know that! Not only I have this degree but I also have a good, in fact very good qualification as our felow Filipinos may consider, a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) title.

(After I got that scolding and cursing from you) I want to tell how I worked like a carabao in my Makati office. I was given the basic salary plus the fact that the amount of charged overtime was controlled. I worked even in weekends and most of the time, I was still in office at midnight or even at five in the morning. I slept under the table to relax my back from too much sitting and work when I could not hold my tiredness and sleepiness anymore. I ate late lunch when I had to finish something, yes I experienced it. The boss came and told me to finish something and I was eating that time. I never had a choice but to cover my lunch box and start working. See how I worked? And the worse side is, my salary is just enough. Not enough to compensate all the sleepless nights and restless moments that I had.

Now that I am away, I still receive e-mails from my previous co-workers clamouring about their situation. They tell me how lucky I am to have gotten away. Indeed Philippines is poor, not only on the monetary side but the way Filipinos are treated - it is the modern slavery!

Champion in the Brain Drain Contest
Among the Asian countries, Philippines ranks first in the "Brain Drain"tally. Aproximately, there are 730,000 (recently) migrants most of which are having college education. It is not only these days but rooted back since the time of the President Marcos, or even before for accounts of Ilocanos who worked as planters in Hawaii. It has become a major source of dollar for the Philippines growing to the level that there is one among the ten Filipinos are working abroad. Yes, nine million (9,000,000) so far. Daily, there are more than three thousand Filipinos (3, 000) going out to work abroad.

Satisfaction of the Slave
Those who work abroad are all literarate in English. Yes, because they are hired on that basis, to understand and to be understood. Also, to be resourceful and have initiative in work. Filipino seafarers occupy a big part and quantity in cargo ships of the world. Moreover, multinational corporations in the Southeast Asia have got their picks on Filipino professionals for their middle management teams. The worst part of the story is, teachers become domestic helpers or household assistants. Nurses became housemaids and waitresses. Engineers have become construction workers, while tourism graduates has become entertainers and dancers.

Who like to go out and be treated as slave? No one! But the circumstances leading to this fact is very strong, thus poor OFWs suffer. Who is to blame? Not only the government, not only the government officials, it is the whole nation with the wrong mind set. To tell you the truth, it is bad to be enslaved! But how do we stop this? How to stop Filipinos from thinking that progress can only be obtained by being a slave abroad? It is not overnight. Help me think how.   Click here for more info on the "Brain Drain" Issue