OFWs should be treated like a gem

Passing through Queen’s Road in Hong Kong last Sunday, I was again reminded how overseas employment for Filipinos has become a major industry that is not receiving the urgent and needed attention it deserves.

Jaime Augusto Zobel, Ayala Corporation CEO, echoed this sentiment in a recent speech. He warned that our present competitive advantage and niche in the international labor market, as a supplier of skilled workers, must not be taken for granted. "We must strive to raise our game and put our OFW program leagues away from our competitors – not just in terms of the skill that our workers offer but also in terms of the support system that they receive from government and our training institutions. The government should start professionalizing and modernizing the training and deployment of workers going overseas."

When one thinks about it, an industry that generates over US$8 billion in official inward remittances should be nurtured like a gem. Why have we not taken the time out to develop an overall strategy for this important activity that brings wealth and hope to over seven million OFWs and their families? How can we persuade the government to make the needed investment in promotions, development of new opportunities, skills and added value training? Why have we not harnessed the potential of this competitive advantage into a truly world-class enterprise?

We must address, once and for all, the conflict and guilt we feel about industry social costs: the separation of the family, danger of exploitation and exodus of the country’s best and brightest with a pragmatic gameplan. Programs that strengthen the support systems for family members left behind, train family members how to deal with separation and single parenting and teach how to save and invest allotments must be developed. We must augment skills education by inspiring ambition in workers to rise to become entrepreneurs or professionals – how to absorb what they see abroad, make contacts and develop a business or career out of it when they return home. Greater investment in training will eventually give the worker greater discretion and the ability to shorten time and the personal sacrifice away from home.

We must also overcome the dilemma faced by government when making investments in workers who will eventually leave the country and pay taxes elsewhere. We must not forget the tremendous economic benefit generated from the multiplier effect of inward remittances. Assuming a multiplier effect of 10, US$8 billion or P400 billion can create economic activities for the nation equal to P4 trillion a year. From this the government can expect to earn at least five percent or P20 billion in the form of income tax, VAT or import duties derived from money spent and jobs created.

There must also be general agreement among stakeholders to take a long-term view to overseas employment if we want to maximize its potential. Short term practices like corruption in any sector of the industry by manpower agencies, licensing offices, educational institutions, ambulance chasers, and courts will mean jeopardizing jobs – as well as the opportunity for everyone to prosper in the long term.

Simply, government, the labor courts, the unions, labor, and the business sector must work under the guidance of the principle that overseas employment at this point in our history is a great opportunity for our people. Perhaps the DOLE (Department of Labor and Employment), should shift its thrust from labor welfare, to being the DOEL (Department of Employment and Labor) tasked with finding employment opportunities and ensuring that we are equipped with skills through training and education to be the best.

Finally, let us stop calling our overseas workers heroes. They are not martyrs but professionals who are doing a serious job. Let us stop feeling they are victims. This diminishes their self-worth. Instead, let us give them the confidence that comes with skill, the courage that is drawn from support, and the conviction that results from knowing that they are doing something great for themselves, their families and their country.

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Thanks so much for your comments at dorisho@attglobal.net.