Life after Japan

Typhoon Henry had entered the Philippines via Bicol last Saturday evening. Early Sunday morning, July 30, the heavy rains came through Metro Manila but it momentarily stopped mid-morning. We texted our friend in Laguna to ask if the typhoon was passing through their area as well and whether our reunion would push through. "Cloudy but no rains yet," came the answer. "We are expecting you all."

With that response, we embarked on our long-awaited reunion with our OFW friends who stayed in Japan for many years as undocumented workers. On the way to their place, we noticed how rich and productive Laguna was in terms of corn, rambutan, and many other crops and goods. How ironic, we thought, that a place that could offer so much food and activity would also be the place of origin of many OFWs, including our friends.

About 30 minutes into our trip, the heavy rains due to the typhoon came and caused us to slow down through the expressway and then the local road that led to the barangay which our friends now called their home after Japan.

Two hours after being on the road, and after the usual warm hugs and exchanges were made, the rest of their expanded family were introduced to us. The infant whom we witnessed was born in Japan has now grown to be a lovely lass, quiet but serious and is now ready to take the UPCAT (UP's entrance exams) this week. After Japan, our friends had two more boys, both still in their elementary years now.

While the older sister talked about the latest phase of her parenting - her anxiety about any of her older children now ready for marriage - her younger sister had just graduated from a care giving course and was now awaiting word from another relative for employment in Italy.

The reunion also included news about other OFWs from Japan, our common friends as well as their neighbors whom we did not yet meet. The post-Japan situation of some of their friends was not good news either. One story particularly caught our attention.

The father had gone to Japan and remained there for many years as an undocumented worker. While there, he was able to save, enough to build and complete a modest home, and enough to get by for a few years. Upon returning to the Philippines, however, they soon realized their savings were not enough to send several children to school. Soon, even money for food and other daily needs became difficult. They resorted to having their home rented, and they lived in a cheaper place. Their own home, after some years however, needed major repairs. With no money for repairs, no one could live in their former house, not even them. They are now living in the riles ( by the railway ), just trying to make ends meet on a daily basis. Their friend needed help badly, our friends told us. We all agreed he needed to have hope restored in whatever remained of his life.

And there are so many of those who return from migration with ample savings, with some savings, or no savings at all. Those with ample savings are those who are able to see their children finish college and have the children take care of them when they get older. Their house, constructed with OFW money, may look old and may need repairs here and there, but on the whole, they are better off then those with some savings but not enough to construct a sturdy home, not enough to see all their children through school, and not enough to see them through what to them is a very bleak tomorrow.

Can you imagine what life is for those migrants who spent so many of their young life abroad and came back without any savings at all? If they have not already given up on life earlier, hope must already have died in their hearts and souls. The optimistic among them have tried to migrate again and again and again. Some succeeded, but some were swindled and found themselves even poorer and more desperate than before. Those with strong kin networks could have survived somehow despite the storms that met them after migration. Sadly, we know that there were those who did not make it through the storms after migration.

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