Do you feel the effects of brain drain in our country? How?

Ryan Pahimulin, Rizal: What brain drain? The Philippines is teeming with white and blue-collar workers. Most are unemployed, though.

Ferdinand Rafer, Cavite: Yes, brain drain cannot be denied considering our dearth of good government officials. Palace officials are all amateur. The have committed a lot of blunders this early.

Lack of opportunities

Manuel Abejero, Pangasinan: I am not directly affected but I recognize the reasons why our professionals opt to leave and work abroad lack of employment opportunities, low salaries and our peace and order situation. Most of all, our educational system is designed to prepare our graduates for employment abroad. Imagine licensed teachers, nurses and physical therapists working as domestic helpers, caregivers, office clerks in other countries, and the government seems to be doing nothing to address this concern. And this is because of the billions of dollars our OFWs are sending as remittances to their families, which keep our economy afloat in spite of the global economic crisis. The best our government could do is to assist our OFWs especially those who are victims of rape and abuse.

Classic examples

Kelvin Casamayor, Ilocos Sur: Just take a look at PAG-ASA and PAL whose employees go abroad to seek greener pastures.

Jose Fabello Jr., Cagayan de Oro City: Yes. Even those with very poor English are leaving the country; a singular testament of how we squeeze ourselves dry for money.

Naty Cacdac, Metro Manila: I have long felt the effects of the brain drain in the teaching profession. Through the years I’ve seen and heard colleagues leaving the country to work abroad.

Lydia Reyes, Bataan: Yes, the best doctors in our community are now working abroad.

Rey Ibalan, Antipolo City: The exodus of domestic helpers and professionals to other countries for greener pastures is a clear sign of brain drain.

Lucas Banzon Madamba, USA: Several good and outstanding professionals have left the country in pursuit of a better life and future abroad. This is due to the unstable economic condition in our country.

Diony Yap, Bacolod City: Yes, matagal na. The exodus of our professionals to foreign lands for greener pastures is proof of brain drain in our country.

Mediocre services

Rodolfo Talledo, Angeles City:  Just look around you and see what kind of services you can expect from many government institutions. You’ll wonder where all the competent workers have gone.

Ruel Bautista, Laguna: Maybe I’m too old to be affected but my heart bleeds for the poor kids who are forced to study in public schools with incompetents for teachers.

Editha Monreal, Antipolo City:  Yes, the simple fact of not knowing the weather forecast for the day is indicative enough that we are losing some bright minds.

Edwin Chinel Monares, Rizal: Many of our best minds are leaving the country to work abroad where there are higher-paying jobs. Obviously, the impact of this is the dwindling number of talents who should be managing private and public organizations and institutions in the country, resulting in mediocre services.

Robert Young Jr., San Juan: Many good teachers have left for jobs abroad, the reason why we have a low standard of education. Good doctors, IT professionals, mechanics, electricians, carpenters and even chefs have also left for greener pastures. Those left behind don’t live up to standards.

Miguelito Herrera, Cabanatuan City: Yes, I truly feel the effects of brain drain. The absence of doctors in barrios really saddens me because residents of these areas have to go to quack doctors instead.

Roger Caravana, Bulacan: The effects of brain drain in our country are very obvious on our half-baked graduates. Our best minds are abroad.

Eric Gopilan, Parañaque City: We are losing competent leaders. Almost all of them have migrated to other countries, which is why we have the kind of government we have now.

Financial rewards

Ella Arenas, Pangasinan: Yes, because companies abroad recruit experienced and well-trained professionals like those from PAG-ASA and PAL. Salaries of workers should be increased to prevent them from going abroad.

Jim Veneracion, Naga City:  The brain drain phenomenon has affected us for so long. The country has failed to nurture the best Filipino minds by providing jobs and financial security.

Slow progress

Ed Gulmatico, Bacolod City: We have been left behind by other Third World countries and even by other Southeast nations in terms of advancement in infrastructure, technology, manufacturing, governance and others. Even war-torn and ravaged countries like Vietnam and Cambodia, with the help of their own technocrats and people, progressed steadily and rapidly, compared to our own country. We are on the same level as Bangladesh in terms of slow progress. This happens as the skills and expertise of our bright professionals doctors, nurses, engineers, IT experts and others contribute to the progress of the countries where they are working.

Dependent on remittances

Cris Rivera, Rizal: Brain drain hampers our country’s growth and makes our economy dependent on OFW remittances.

Deo Durante, Camarines Sur: Partly yes. We have lost talented people who could otherwise be serving the country. If they had remained here, they could have become agents of progress and development. They are still helping the country, though, with the remittances that they send to their respective families.

Rico Fabello, Parañaque City: Yes, shut down all money transfer services around the country for a day and you’ll see the real economy of the Philippines.

Abundance of talent

Rose Leobrera, Manila: How could I when we have lots of doctors, nurses and teachers here but there are no jobs available for them? What I feel is the lack of carpenters, masons, welders and plumbers. These are the people who go abroad to earn more money. Their colleagues who are left in the country are not really that good, makukwenta pa.

Alexander Raquepo, Ilocos Sur: No. We still have plenty of talent left in the Philippines. We just don’t have programs to nurture and sustain them.

Loi Castillo, Davao City: No, there is no brain drain, what with the number of graduates we have annually. Also, we have so many talented Filipinos who are based here but are sometimes sent to overseas assignments. The ultimate objective now is for the Filipino professional to practice in a borderless set-up and be accredited to the APEC registry of engineers and the Washington Accord.

Children of OFWs suffer

Celina Denise Javier, Vigan City: Yes, professionals leave our country for greener pastures abroad to be able to provide a better future for their families. This is sad because their talents could be used to help alleviate poverty in the country. Another concern is the upbringing of children left by OFWs to their relatives and guardians. So many people just have to sacrifice.

Other countries benefit

Armando Tavera, Las Piñas City: I’m happy whenever a Pinoy makes good and is praised abroad, as in the case of many of our OFWS. But I am also sad dahil ibang bansa ang nakikinabang sa kanilang talino at galing.

Dr. Jose Balcanao, Benguet: We have many intellectuals and scientists but our government has failed to bring them into the club of millionaires because of too much politics and corruption. This is the primary reason why our intellectuals prefer to work and live in other countries. They were able to transform these countries into industrial giants and economic tigers. As a result, our country remained industrially weak and economically backward.

Sharmaine Joy Pascua, Ilocos Sur: Our adviser during our first year in high school, Ms. Dela Peña, is already in Laos. She was really a great teacher and friend and we were so surprised that she was going abroad. More and more Filipino professionals like teachers go abroad. It is unfair because the other countries are the ones benefiting from the knowledge, skills, and service of Filipinos.

Pinoys with common sense

Ricardo Tolentino, Laoag City: Yes. Simply view the bungled hostage-taking rescue operations and you will ask yourself, “Where have all Filipinos with common sense gone?” Maybe abroad?

Vital roles

Stephen Chua, Ilocos Sur: Yes, I can feel the effects of brain drain in our country. There are many professionals who go and work abroad, depriving the Philippines of great talents. These professionals are supposed to be major contributors to the success of the country.

Carmela Ramento, Cagayan de Oro City: All OFWs contribute to the brain drain problem. Imagine their work potential if they were here instead of there.

Duty to serve

Nicole Anne Battad, Ilocos Sur: Yes, I totally do. Almost all Filipino professionals go abroad because there are more jobs there. But I don’t think it is enough reason that they do it to provide a better future for their families. Each of us has a duty to serve our country first.

Lourdes Gayle Gamilde, Vigan City: The government should find a way to instill nationalism. It is unjust that the proficiencies of our fellow citizens benefit other nations instead of our country, which is deteriorating.

Johnlen Tamag, Ilocos Sur: It is ironic that our professionals go to other countries to work for their own wealth, for their loved ones and for other reasons. We are born here, and I feel that we should serve our country first.

Few cases

Ruben Viray, Antipolo City: I feel the effect but perhaps only on selected technical and scientific fields of profession where talented and highly skilled individuals are most needed (i.e. Pagasa personnel, doctors). If only our government can provide higher salaries and other desirable conditions to these skilled individuals, brain drain can be controlled.

Emotional drain

Abelardo Abilay, Laguna: I wish that Filipinos do not have to leave their beloved families to look for greener pastures abroad. The effects are somewhat negative. More than brain drain, our fellow countrymen might experience “emotional drain” because of family members not living together and not experiencing each other’s guidance and care.

What brain drain?

Elpidio Que, Vigan: Wise guys in government and business still lord it over in our “Kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap” government. So, how could there be brain drain in the country as the question says?

Explore potentials

Germi Sison, Cabanatuan City: Our government and investors should explore to the max the potentials of our scientists and inventors. Their talents and skills are badly needed for the development of our country. So many of them have gone abroad to utilize their potentials. If more Filipino scientists and inventors are recognized and rewarded highly abroad, that will be a sure sign of brain drain in our country that our brainless leaders have been neglecting.

REACTIONS

Col. Ben Paguirigan Jr., Ret., Zamboanga City: Thanks for your editorial Sept. 12, 2010 re cases filed and then forgotten. Why not file charges against these custom people.

Leonard Villa, Batac City: To William Esposo: US-China conflict in the South China Sea, which you fear so much, won’t happen. Have a study of “mutual balance of terror” policy.

Views expressed in this section do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of The STAR. The STAR does not knowingly publish false information and may not be held liable for the views of readers exercising their right to free expression. The publication also reserves the right to edit contributions to this section as it sees fit.

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