The millions of Filipinos who serve as contract workers — caregivers, seafarers, nurses, hotel and cruise personnel, construction workers, singers and professionals — are preferred by employers around the world because of our unique brand of Filipino service. In this sense, the Philippines has a great competitive advantage because of the Filipinos’ ability to adapt, our light hearted and happy disposition, our warmth and spirituality, our willingness to work beyond expectations and our orientation to be of service. One only has to experience the service levels of our Asian neighbors to truly appreciate Filipino service.
We all realize that the separation of families caused by contract work has grave social implications. However, the reality is that hundreds of thousands of Filipinos leave our shores every month attracted by salaries that are not available at home. Feeling sorry for them or for ourselves, and closing our eyes, will not make this migration go away. Instead, we should be proud of our Filipino workers, stop feeling like victims of circumstances and look positively at the opportunity to develop a dynamic and vibrant service industry managed in a focused and deliberate manner, offering "Filipino service — the best in the world."
Our new vision must be supported with a strategic business plan. We should research into the worldwide job market to determine what services are needed and to assess where we have a competitive advantage. The government could negotiate for higher quotas for Filipino workers and establish a target growth rate for jobs per annum against which we develop our manpower and measure our performance. Our labor attaches should be trained to be pro-active in promoting Filipino service abroad and to help in the pre-screening of employers.
We should then design handbooks of service standards to be at par with or exceeding international standards. This handbook, per job position, will be the basis for the development of skills taught in school and through rigorous skills training. The government, manpower agencies and NGOs can cooperate on urgent, massive training programs not only for overseas contract workers, but also for service personnel at home. There should be as much added value as possible. For example, a person trained as a maid can also be taught hair grooming for children. Or a male valet can be given a course on electronics for house maintenance. We can follow the Thai example where American consultants traveled around the country to upgrade the quality of Thai cooking
The tragedy today is that most of our overseas contract workers leave without any skills training. Imagine the fear and insecurity a young woman from the province feels when she arrives in Hong Kong to work as a cook. What if, instead, she had arrived feeling confident in her ability to perform her job well? The program can include incentives such as free passports for those who pass training with flying colors.
We can follow the example of the 200,000 Filipino seafarers who generate US$1 billion per annum and who today comprise 20 percent of the manpower of the world’s fleet. Because of international safety conventions, seafarers are required to undergo specific maritime education, skills training and certification, which are strictly monitored by the Maritime Training Council and port state controls around the world. To curb corruption and illegal recruitment, the ship-manning sector requires manning fees to be paid by the employer. In addition, seafarer contracts provide for a yearly vacation at home with their families as well as a system of inward remittances of a percentage of salaries through the banking system.
A visioning workshop is urgently being organized among ship-manning industry stakeholders on a strategy how to keep our market share under fierce competition from China and the Eastern-block countries that are determined to take these jobs away from Filipinos. Similar strategic planning must be organized for other overseas contract workers to develop a massive campaign promoting "Filipino service — the best in the world." With well-trained people, a good, honorable image and reputation, a clear strategy on how to remain competitive and in demand, we can afford to become more selective over the jobs we accept.
The strategy must include other social safety nets. We must establish community-based support systems for families left behind. During training, we must inspire the workers to observe, learn and make contacts so they can return home one day as entrepreneurs. An IT worker can start a sub-contract business with his contacts abroad. A nurse can own a retirement home. A maid can open a bed and breakfast in the province.
I am convinced that we must grab this opportunity which brings jobs, wealth, prosperity, knowledge, and pride to so many Filipinos here and abroad. I became convinced when I went to Guam recently and saw the Filipino presence as part of mainstream Guam life. One sees this in the signs advertising "Filipino Food Festivals," the dominance of Filipino service staff in every hotel, restaurant and store. I was impressed with the confidence projected by the Filipino service personnel I met — the car rental manager, the concierge at my hotel, the salesgirls and store managers at the top-brand stores, all exuded great competence and poise.
I am also privileged to work with the best seafarers and cruise ship personnel. I am convinced when I board a ship and witness what great ambassadors they are for our country. I become convinced whenever I am with Norma Barcelona, who helped me bring up my children as their beloved nanny. She now has a great job in New York and is good at what she does. All of them are great Filipinos who love their heritage, are prouder of being Filipino than many people I know. Perhaps Jessica Zafra is right. The global dominance has begun.