10 CONSEQUENCES OF BECOMING

AN OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS

Basic dream of every Filipino citizens is to work abroad. By working

overseas as believed by most of the Filipinos is the solution of financial
problems in our country. Filipinos are willing to risk on working abroad
because of its promising compensation package, fair contract and ideal
opportunities for migration and other overseas opportunities for the
family.

While it is true that OFW’s earned greater income and received more
benefits from working overseas it is however undeniably that not all
OFW’s are enjoying the fruits of their labor, instead many are still
returning home with tears in their eyes and some even swears not to
work back there again.

The following are some reasons why Filipinos risk from working
Overseas:

 Promising Compensation to buy house and lot

in the Philippines.
 To earn much for the purpose of capital for
business in the Philippines.
 Offered benefits such as free Board and
Lodging, Free Foods, Free insurance,
hospitalization Or Tax free salary
 Other Benefits such as opportunities to petition
family members, migration, green card or
residence and many others.

This article will guide you from your thought of opting on working
Overseas and risking your family just to reach your dreams of having
financial freedom.

At the end of this Article, it is assured that the reader will be able to
know the consequences of becoming an Overseas Filipino Workers and
for the reader to weigh better whether an option to go abroad is the
right decision for you.

Below are the 10 consequences of becoming an Overseas Filipino

Workers. These are basically the common reasons why our co-Filipinos
who work overseas had returned home even before the end of their
contract and common reasons why Filipinos decided to stay poor in our
country than to die in the other country and be slaved by foreign
employers. These are the following:

1. Become Victims of Illegal Recruitment.

Despite the awareness program initiated by our Government especially

the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) of the
rampant scams, illegal recruitment, modus and anomalies of some of
the recruiters and agencies here in our country and abroad, still there
are plenty are victimized and allowed to become a victim to risk the
dream employment.

These happening can be prevented by following the correct procedure

required by our government before deployment abroad and while
seeking approval of visa, to protect the Filipinos from cruel employer or
unfavorable terms and conditions of employment abroad in short, by
following the right procedure full protection from the government can
be achieved.

Filipinos should be very vigilant nowadays from the threat of expanding

numbers of illegal recruiters who are busy looking for Filipino risk-takers
to become their victims. The effect of having an illegal visa, trusting a
non-existing agency and not registered to POEA are high probabilities of
abuse and no protection received from the government as compared to
those legit employment registered at POEA

Lack of proper information and awareness are common factors of illegal

recruitment. Thus to prevent these incident from happening, any
interested filipinos must first check at Philippine Overseas Employment
Administration (POEA) whether the Agency you will entrust is registered
therein, and determine their employee feedbacks as your basis before
any consideration are paid.

2. High rate of placement fees.

Placement fee is one of the considerations demanded by the Agencies,

Nevertheless, even the government had set forth schedule of placement
fees and charges for overseas employment which should not exceed to
one month salary from the expected employment contract, there are
still agencies that collected exorbitant amount of placement fees and
hidden charges from the OFW’s. Such amount is so big that OFW’s could
hardly pay it within the contract. The OFW’s are mostly deceived by
some Agencies because of an honest believe that no deductions can be
taken from the salary except those agreed upon as payment of
Placement fee, but in truth the deduction became different from that
agreed upon. Some Agencies encourage installment fees.

If this will occur, be vigilant. If you think it is not favorable to you then
you are not compelled to accept such agreement. Look for other
legitimate Recruitment Agencies with reasonable Placement fees with
high probability of deployment.

3. Tendency of Employer abuse

Even the correct procedure before the employment was followed,

Employer’s Abuse is still unpredictable and cannot be ascertain ahead
by anyone even by the Agency or government, so if this will occur it is
necessary that you know where is the Philippine Embassy located, for
an easy access for asking for help.

There are many forms of abuses, it could be physical, emotional, verbal,

or psychological it could also be through racial discrimination,
discrimination against religion, gender inequality and slavery.

This cannot be predicted, but if it happened do not hesitate to call for

help in the Philippine Embassy near you.

4. Prone to have Extra-marital relationships and broken

families

The inability to cope with homesickness and loneliness away from

family is one of the common reasons why either spouse will be tempted
to engage into an extra-marital affair with another person not his or her
spouse. Some are resorting to this activity to get additional income
apart from their ordinary salary overseas such as marriage for
convenience or worst prostitution, but the common result from this
immorality is broken family and cold relationship to children.

This can be prevented if both will maintain the communication, have a

consistent time and attention with the spouse and children also by
having a meaningful conversation with your family.

5. Imprisonment for an offense not committed.

No matter how we do our job well, there is still ingratitude employer

who will indict you from a wrong you have not committed. But because
Filipinos are only foreigners to the place they are working, most of the
evidences to prove for their innocence is difficult to acquire witnesses
are even hard to find. In effect, it resulted to numbers of OFW’s
maliciously prosecuted.

There are families who are begging for their loved ones to be assisted
by the government for a possible settlement and for their release and
eventual return to the country. However, still there are those OFW’s
aside from imprisonment are sentenced to death penalty.

To prevent this from happening, when noticing untoward incident in

your workplace, better stay away immediately, report to the embassy or
even quit the job and report the same to the embassy for its proper
action and to help you facilitate the legal exit in the country. Stay
distance from a doubtful people, stay away also from personal
belonging s so that robbery or thievery will not be falsely charged
against you and Stay away from dubious groups and avoid engaging in
questionable transactions while you are abroad.

6. Failure of Family Business

Entrusting our hard earned money to grow through investment or

business to our family and relatives is not a mistake, it is somehow a
good idea. But not all OFW’s are having a successful business in the
Philippines run by a family members, this is commonly because of their
lack of experience, absence of feasibility study and lack of knowledge
about the business. Investing is not bad, but it should be intertwined by
meeting the basic requirements such as with proper location of
business, knowledgeable in the business, feasibility study, enough
experience and can be trusted in the finances.

To prevent this from happening, it is also required that the person you
entrusted with your money was really trust-worthy.

7. Diminishing value of Philippine Peso

This is true since the Philippine Peso is susceptible of fluctuation of

value the same with other currency such as dollar or yen. This cannot be
controlled by any civilian people since it cannot be predicted or even
anticipated. To prevent from experiencing this situation, OFW’s are
encouraged to invest their income from any trade or business or even
engage in stocks and other passive incomes that will allow you to
receive more than just your monthly expected salary.
 8. Getting caught in violent uprisings and natural disasters
abroad.

This is another instance wherein an OFW has no hold on this calamity or

event to happen. When you are abroad, you cannot be exempted from
experiencing the calamities your country of employment is experiencing
because you are part of it. However, you can prevent from any loses
through investment, savings in our country. Engage more on passive
incomes and other business that will give you greater income.

9. Failure to get assistance from consular and embassy officials

abroad.

Overseas Filipino Workers should be aware of where the consular and

embassy of the Philippines is located in the country of employment for
future reference in case there is a problem with your employment.
However, because of the distance being so remote from the workplace
of the OFW, or due to work load of the Embassy or maybe because they
are not notified thereof which in the end resulted to failure of the
officials or representative to attend the needs of the OFWs

10. Compelling family problems back home

Due to illness of parents, a child getting hooked on drugs, or a spouse

running off with a new partner; these familiar situations are surefire
ways to get a Pinoy OFW to come running back home.

These are not all, there are plenty other reasons why OFWs are not
satisfied with their employment abroad and opted to return our
country. But this will not stop other risk-taker Filipinos from still
pursuing employment abroad.

I hope you learned something from this Article, please don’t hesitate to
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Reference:
http://www.pinoy-ofw.com