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A tribute to OFWs

April 5, 2011 | 12:00am

Recent events that have caused headlines in the Philippines, namely the execution of our kababayans in China (who I don’t personally consider as OFWs because of their circumstances but still, their story is partly why I am writing this), the exodus of Filipino OFWs from Libya, and the shameful Willing Willie “macho boy dancer” episode (which, by the way, really made me cry), have made me think a lot about my own family, especially my parents.

You see, both Papa and Mama were OFWs. They were part of the millions of Filipinos who chose to seek greener pastures abroad for the sake of their loved ones. Papa was born to a poor family in Bicol, the eldest of 12 children (only 10 lived to adulthood). Mama is the third of eight kids, and had a father who himself was an OFW for a brief period of time.

You could say that both my parents could not be considered well-off in those days, and had to overcome lots of challenges while growing up. It may not be a surprise to many then that they chose to look for jobs overseas when they had children of their own.

Papa was the first to leave and his destination was Brunei. After a year, he was blessed to be able to bring over our whole family. I know that sadly, this is not the case for most OFWs, who have to leave their children and spouses behind to make a better living for all of them. I am truly grateful to God that our family was able to be together in Brunei, and that my siblings and I were able to spend most of our childhood years with my parents.

The Santiago family in our first family home in Brunei, circa 1984 (From left to right: My sister Lisa, youngest brother Jay, Papa Mon, Mama Tita, me and Joam, my kuya)

That is why the events that I mentioned above really saddened me and made me think why there are so many Filipinos out there who are really desperate for a better life, i.e. kapit sa patalim, as others would say. Now, don’t get me wrong though; I am in no position to judge others for the decisions they make. It just makes me think: “What can I do to help my kababayans both here and abroad? What can I do to help the families they left behind? What can our government do? What can the Church do?”

I titled this blog post “A Tribute To OFWs Everywhere” because I am a product of an OFW family, and have even experienced being an OFW of sorts when we were in Timor Leste as missionaries. Hubby and I were in Timor with my parents when the 2006 crisis broke out, and I ended up being evacuated on a C-130 plane along with my mother, our female co-missionary, Nirva, and other Filipinos. Despite the dangerous situation then though, many of our kababayans chose to stay for fear of not being able to go back and of losing their jobs.

This is why I want to pay tribute to our OFWs. Despite the hardships, sufferings, trials and sometimes even discrimination, they choose to plod on, for the sake of their families and in the hopes of a more abundant life. Like my parents who ended up working in Brunei for about 30 years, they continue to work abroad to help, not only their children, but also their parents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins and even their distant relatives.

I want OFWs to know that even if I may have no idea what is going on in their lives, or why they are where they are right now, I am one with them in prayer. I pray for their families, who may be dealing with the effects of long-term physical separation from their loved ones this very moment. I pray for their jobs and situations, that the Lord may keep them safe and provide for all their needs.

I pray that they will be able to find a way to come home and stay home if that is what they truly desire. I hope that they will come to increase their financial literacy through “schools” like the Wealth Academy, which has the battlecry “No family left behind,” so that they will actually be able to grow their hard-earned money, and not end up penniless should they end up losing their jobs.

Most of all, I pray that OFWs everywhere will seek solace in God, whoever their God may be and no matter what religion they may have. I personally know of many OFWs all over the world who have discovered an intimate personal relationship with God because they had no one else to turn to in their time of need. Communities like Couples for Christ and those organized by the Catholic Church are wonderful venues for OFWs to find support, help and people to pray for them. (My parents joined CFC in Brunei, and it was there that they eventually discovered God’s call for them to go on mission in Timor).

To our OFWs, our modern-day “heroes,” as a child of OFWs who grew up in an OFW community, I give YOU this tribute.

I honor you for your strength, courage and commitment to provide for your loved ones. I admire you for your willingness to work hard, sometimes even juggling two or three jobs that have no relation at all to your field of expertise, just so you can provide your kids with good education.

I appreciate how hard it must be for you to be away from your spouses and children and cannot even begin to imagine how lonely you must get. I applaud you for being ”unofficial ambassadors” of the Philippines, because the world will know how God-fearing, faithful, respectful, diligent and honest we Pinoys are because of you.

To you, my fellow Filipinos, maraming salamat po at mabuhay po kayo!

P.S. I want to take this chance to pay tribute to the OFWs closest to my heart – Papa and Mama, thank you for all the sacrifices you made for our family, and thank you for teaching us the value of prayer, hard work, discipline, and love for God and country. We love you po! And to my dearest Ate and Kuya Rhenee, we love you! Come home for good please! Hehe.