I.

Introduction

This is an appraisal on some moral issues encountered by

migrant workers in different parts of the globe. These are the
results of a headlong development in the world that in spite
of its progress, the fact of inequalities and imbalances are
in the different sectors of society, which now becomes a
global problem. Moral issues on human dignity and man’s
freedom that will give way to a certain events of their lives.
In the theological point of view, the church acknowledged and
reacted on these realities and continuously involved her for
the well being of these people.

The problem will be focused on how the society today had

been co-opted by the mega-trends in terms of social, political
and cultural which had been glossed by the advancement in
technology and lead somehow to the dramatic migration of
people to the different parts of the world. It will state some
causes and effects of globalization, which has a great
significance on the issue of worldwide phenomenon of
migration. Living in a world, which is continuously moving
ahead on its technological advancement whether in the fields
of communications and medical researches and other related
realities of development, these will help present to us the
various effects in our daily existence.

This could be a hint on some questions like, what are the

causes of these? What could be the effects of this in the
modern man? What are some of the moral implications they used
to encounter in the foreign land? Does it have a historical

1
significance? What are the advantages and the disadvantages?
How the Church reacts on this? What are her moves in order to
address their needs? Are there any programs or schemes that
they already introduced? These are the questions that could
possibly bring us to the realm of the problem of migration in
our postmodern world.

This will make us aware that this kind of phenomenon has

great implications in our lives today. We could consider that
over the turn of the centuries till the present moment, the
phenomena of migrant labor have been a crucial concern of
every region in the world today. This would set us up to a
certain perspective of realities of man’s struggle for
survival and on how he put himself to a risk of chances.

This would make us also aware that this is not something

new, that this occurrence is already ancient in reality. It
will show the concern the church, which has a vital role to
play on how she address and facilitate of handling the
situations in different aspect which would help to realized to
the end, that it has a spiritual dimension to consider.

The people who would benefit from this are the people who
are planning to migrate which would be helpful for information
purposes, and the consequences having their luck for those
people who are already gone to these stages are somehow would
affirm the realities that they already encountered.

It is important to have an open view on how to react to

some of the important issues in our societies today especially
on the issue of migration wherein it has a great effect in our

2
society and culture worldwide. Showing importance to this
topic will somehow help some other people to realize the value
of having knowledge of it.

Considering its value in the field of research, it has a

great deal in the matter of importance, that is, the effect of
this phenomenon in the family relations wherein in the unity
or the closeness of family is slowly diminishing. Father or
Mother feel the need to leave his or her family because of
financial brokenness and forced to do so because of the
responsibility of taking care of the future of their children.
In the other way around, some of the siblings are moved to
work abroad because of the same reason and because of young
age and in terms of experience in life, some were led to be
abuse by their host and added to their traumatic experiences.

The Catholic Church observes her moral obligations in

dealing with the intriguing issues of the faithful. She
introduced some programs to facilitate the needs of and to
insure the moral principles of her faithful especially the
migrant workers. She serves as a custodian to some of those
who didn’t know yet their rights to depend their rights as a
human person and trying to make sure their value as a
Christian or our brethren from another faith may preserved
from the attack of disillusionment of the principle of the
world that corrupts the dignity of a human person.

3
Definition of terms:
Migration means an act or process of leaving a certain
place or country to settle or to work in a certain period of
time.
Immigration means an act or process of leaving a certain
place or region or country to settle or work over a period of
time.
Globalization means that the world we live in is turning
into one global village or community having one common trend
of culture in terms of structures, lifestyle and line of
principles.

Human freedom is based on the line of thinking of Richard

Gula, which explains that human freedom is the true basis of
morality. It derives from the idea that man came from the
image of God, which he deserves a certain dignity that he
claims as his own. The nature of man’s freedom is based on the
values he perceives, the experience that he encountered and be
challenged by the realities of life. By his limitations, he
chooses among his diversified motives in order to come up with
a decision or disposition that will determine his goal and his
end.

On Human dignity, the church teaches that man has a right

to live a dignified life, which entitles him to acquire all
the necessities in order to survive. God uniquely creates
every person in the world, which he has a gift to contribute
for the well-being and for the good of the community he
belong. He needs to enhance his giftedness in order to be of
help and contribute for the welfare of society.

4
 On natural moral law, it has a general principle, which
states, “ that there is a good to be done and evil to be
avoided.” It refers to human nature. It also means that
regardless of the embodied laws of society, it is already
infused in man’s heart to respond with goodness. The church
teaches that the idea of the natural moral law, which means
the participation of practical reason in the wisdom of the
divine creator.

Conscience is something that is spontaneous. It comes out

from the person who has a clear outlook in life. He is well
disposed for every action that comes from within. It means,
that it should be coming from the heart. A heart that is pure
and clear of any biases and prejudices. A well-disposed
conscience can act more objectively rather that subjectively.

It really would take time making some research and

finding some sources just to make this study more relevant and
definitive. Fortunately, the sources were available and there
are cases that you really have to read a lot in order to
justify some sort of appraisal on the related subject matter.

I consider the line of thinking of some contemporary

authors who has something to comment on the said subject
matter. The teaching office of the church could somehow helps
for the proper understanding of its limitation in terms of
principles especially in the fields of morals. Journals with
regards to this issue have a great contribution in order to
have the present updates of the subject matter, bringing me to
the realm of the events that occurs in a global situation. Not
neglecting my own experiences as a migrant that make this
study much more significant and meaningful.

5
II. Historical Development

Migration is not new in context. Even in ancient times

movements of people looking for a place of refuge wherein they
could find they way of living. During the time of the ancient
Greece, people in Asia Minor from Ionian group of people
traveled across the seas just to settle in a place like Greece
wherein a good standard of living flourished.

Ionian migration occurred due to the decrease on the

local trades and most of their movements were heading to the
Hellenistic culture. Greece was very rich in culture, stable
economy, military prowess and it was the rise of the great
thinkers of the ancient history. Strong they might be, the
times went by, that the other culture started to flourish and
that was the rising of the Romans. Similar occurrences had
been observed on the diffusion of civilizations in different
parts of neighboring continents.

Diffusion of civilizations caused migration even in our

ancient historicity was very much evident. People who suffered
from famine and other sort of pestilence searched for cities
that possessed a good economy and politics were point of their
destination. A place they that they could consider as haven in
order to perpetuate their generation, culture, tradition and
beliefs. With this social activity, interactions between
traders occurs, languages were also affected and people from
different places of origin were being exposed to the different
skills in trades, in economy, politics, intellectual

6
enterprise and even intermarriages. So, this kind of
phenomenon continuous to occur even up to these days.

III. Biblical accounts

This development reflected similarly on some of the
Biblical accounts of Migration like on the case of Abraham
when he was called by God to leaved his homeland where he
traversed from the land of Ur along the two great river of
Euphrates and Tigris heading towards the land of Haran and
continuously traveled until he reached the land of Canaan.
When famine on that land broke out, he went down to the land
of Egypt to stay there for a time since the famine on that
country was severe1.

Similarly happened during the time of Jacob and his

family leaves for Egypt to procure something in order to
survive, this was also the time when Joseph was the Governor
of Egypt2 and one of the most beautiful episodes in the Old
Testament.

From the Book of Exodus, Moses and the people of Israel

leaved from the claw of Pharaoh King of Egypt and journeyed
ahead to the Promised Land3.

The story of Ruth the Moabitess4, after the death of his

husband, a man from Bethlehem who had emigrated to Moab,
return to Judah with her mother-in-law Naomi and marries Boaz,
a relative of her husband.

1
Gn 12:10-11, New Jerusalem Bible
2
Gn 42:1-24, Ibid
3
Ex 13:17-22, Ibid
4
Ru 1:1-2, 2,4, New Jerusalem Bible

7
 In the New Testament, the flight into Egypt 5 of the Holy
Family (Jesus, Mary and Joseph) to escaped the persecution of
King Herod.

There were a lot of examples that we can get from the

scriptures with regards to migration. Some were caused by
famine, persecutions and other similar accounts that would
lead to this phenomenon. It would only show that this kind of
movements are natural for man or to a certain group of people
who are looking for a place to survive and sustain their daily
needs. Of course, there were a lot of implications that caused
by this.

Adjustments to other cultures, adaptation to the new of

living in terms of lifestyles, economics, politics, languages,
inter-marriages and even religious worship are the common
occurrences.

IV. Migration Phenomenon in the Modern world

The world today is continuously moving on in its
technological advancements whether it is in the field of
intellectual enterprise, communications and medical research
that affects socio-cultural realities. This development is
rapidly reaching beyond borders and boundaries in every
continent. People can now avail to travel faster, have a good
mobility to transport their domestic goods to a worldwide
market, have an access to communicate through the use of
advance technology, and have a chance to learn more about the
latest updates of worldviews on ones finger tips. Theologizing
at the threshold of the millennium has been focused on the
global issues.
5
Mt 2:13-15, Ibid

8
Causes:
 Urbanization

 Modernization/Globalization

 Ultimate Values
-Structural sins (graft and corruption)

-self interest/individualisms
-capitalist values
-pluralism

Effects:

wide spread poverty

injustice
exploitation of both people
and natural resources
violation of human rights

The realities that are now recurring in our present

world, on the phenomenon of globalization6, wherein the
peoples from different cultures is now on the brink of a
global character and living as a one global village. This
changes puts man on the idea of accepting that humanity is
rapidly becoming a global society, which has a positive and
The shift from the rural to urban living
negativemigrants
Exposes implications.
to a new worldview:

1. In rural life, association are often intimate, bound together by

years
6
of interlacing family and village traditions.
People on the Move, “The Migrants Plight at the end of the Second Millennium”, vol.28 (1999):68.

2. cities, however, tend to post impersonal relationship that are

9
based on commodity exchange.
Living conditions of workers and families:
• No security of tenure
• Constant relocation
• Disintegration of the family
• Constant fighting in their homes due to lack of money
• Basic necessities are not met
• Low self-steem
• Children not going to school and forced to help working for the family

( survey by Urban Missionaries Foundation, Inc.)

However, we come to realize that in spite of the headlong

development and progress in every side, we cannot deny the
fact that there are occurring inequalities and imbalance on
man’s living condition. Here, comes some group of people and
nations who manipulates the proper distribution of world’s
goods and services that resulted to the aggravation of the
lesser class of the society especially the poor and the
marginalized. To maintain their status and privileges as a
influential nations, they even categorized those who are not,
as a third or fourth world nations. This is the reason why
there was a lot of people living in a marginalized structure
of society because there is no proper distribution of world’s
goods, and the use of their power and authority are under
control by some individuals or by some collective group of
people.

10
Classifications:
1. Local migration
2. Regional (Asian) migration
3. Continental Migration

Four distinct Forms of Migration:

1. Permanent Migration
2. Refugees
3. Professionals, managers and technicians
4. Contract Migration – the major form of migratory
movement in Asia.

 Cause of regional Migration is the economic

recession.

• Short term contracts

Characteristics of
• Recruitment process
Contract migration • Decreasing profitability
• Migration selectivity
In Asia • Feminization
• Poor working condition

Due to these uncontrollable results, this generation is

now suffering from the claw of utilitarian concept of society,
wherein people are practically used for a practical purpose.
Since, the economy of the poor and the underdeveloped nations
are continuously fluctuating and diffusing gradually to its
course. No wonder why we have this kind of worldwide

11
phenomenon of modern migration7 that it is so vast and
dramatic because people are already experiencing financial
brokenness and they are trying to find ways I order to
survive, even to the point of leaving their families and
consequently suffers of living in a foreign land. Morally
forced due to domestic economic recessions, they quest to look
for a greener pasture in order to survive both for the active
and passive alienation8 that somehow leads to experience an
increasing attitude of rejection and closure of the host
country.

This issue has a special place on the study of morality

since man is consider as an agent and a point of departure for
giving us detail on this appraisal.
In order to capture more on some particular issues on
morality of people living in such particular dimension, let me
cite on some of the interesting experiences and stories that
occurred when I was still working as a Filipino contract
worker in KSA and being a situationer for that matter was a
unique experience to tell.

For the valuation purposes, the concept of man’s dignity

as a human person is significantly relevant. This essence of
man’s freedom as a basis of morality is very much evidently
manifested on both migrants and the host of that country.
Conscience was somehow under constraint in dealing with one’s
disposition to react on something that is unusual to one’s
conduct. These three vital concepts on morality have great
implications both positive and negative to the one who undergo
with this kind of experience.

7
People on the Move, “The Migrants Plight at the end of the Second Millennium”, vol. 28 (1999):69.
8
Ibid

12
V. A Moral Evaluations on the Issue of migration:

The church teaches us that human beings are created in

God’s own image and likeness which he really deserved such a
dignity9. Man has a right to live a dignified life, entitles
him to acquire all the necessities in order to live and to
survive. God uniquely creates every person in the world; he
has a gift that he can contribute for his well being and for
the good of the community he belong with. He need to enhance
his giftedness10 in order to be of help and has something to
contribute for the welfare of the society. Since no one exist
by oneself, he cannot do away of having a thought that, he
need to relate, to be in communion, because first and
foremost, he is a social being and capable to relate and to
love and being engage with this sort of relationship with
other fellowmen would resort to the totally of his being. But
sin11 came into picture those blocks away the grace of God, for
it denies or refuse to cooperate to do well and to be of help
in working for God’s kingdom. It veils the giving of self or
could abort the entire possible communion with God and the
rest of men.

All throughout the ages, man as a subject of history,

pains and failures, progress and development, he learns from
the past all the tragedies he endured, but still, the reality
of man to integrate all the capacity to live a moral life is

9
Austin Flannery, Vatican Council II, the Conciliar and Post Conciliar Documents, vol. 1, The dignity
of Human Person # 12 ( Costello Publishing Company: NY,1984), 913.
10
Bernard Haring, Free and Faithful to Christ: Moral Theology for Priest and Laity (Australia: St. Paul
Publication, 1978), 105.
11
Austin Flannery, Vatican Council II, the Conciliar and Post Conciliar Documents, vol. 1, The dignity
of Human Person # 13 ( Costello Publishing Company: NY,1984), 914.

13
somehow grayed by the continuous influx of globalization,
which also installed man in its perspective of alienation.
History can show us the clear picture of man’s quest for a
life that is due to him, but in his own experiences, he has
always engage to live a life of differences with other fellow
human beings. He is always aspiring for his basic human
necessities and it is his aspiration to enjoy the fruits of
his labor.

Countries who belong to the First World took the

opportunity to let the people form the Third or Forth World to
be the object of their advancements. When a certain powerful
nation suffered from an economic recession both domestic and
international, they will go to use all the possible means in
order to balance the deficit they have and they even have to
step on some other toes of nations that are weak just to
sustain their own.

Philippines can be considered as one of those affected by

that kind of regional economic recession that occurred before
the end of the century. The result was dramatic. The country
enjoys the increase of productivity and development before it
happened both in rural and urban areas. But because of that
sudden event in that economic history, came a massive pending
of construction development and retrenchment of a lot of
employees in different levels. Peso plunged against the dollar
in a double ratio.

A lot of big establishments had been shut down and

closed. The lifestyle of living started to rise up and
alongside with it, many people become unemployed. Many were so
desperate to search for a job both local and abroad and in

14
most cases fell on a brink of uncertainties. So, there were
people and even up to this moment there who are courageous
enough starting to venture or trying their luck to work abroad
and it resort to a dramatic movement of migration to other
countries and I consider to be one of them. It was so awful
indeed to have in mind to leave my family behind and the
country you love most. To experience alienation is a different
thing and my outlook in life has change.

Personal valuation (Jonathan M.)

These could be my point of departure in discussing the
moral issues I encountered as a migrant, an event of my life
that cannot escape my imaginations and questions that keep on
lurking my imagination.

We are convinced that the true basis of morality is human

freedom12. Derive from the idea that he came from the image and
likeness of God, which he deserves a certain dignity 13 that he
claims as his own. The nature of man’s freedom is based on his
values he perceives, the experience that he encountered and
challenge by the realities of life. By his limitations, he
chooses among his diversified motives in order to come up with
a decision or disposition that will determine his goal and
end. Consider a certain situation that really happened during
the time of economic recession. The issue goes like as
follows:

During the fluctuation of Peso against the Dollar, the

local economy suffered a lot especially those who were
belonging in small-scale businesses like contracting
12
Richard Gula, Reason Informed by Faith: Foundation of Catholic Morality (New York, 1989), 77.
13
Austin Flannery, Vatican Council II, the Conciliar and Post Conciliar Documents, vol. 1, The dignity
of Human Person # 17 ( Costello Publishing Company: NY,1984), 917.

15
 business like mine. In order to cope up the difficulty, I
took my chances locally, but since the competition in
this kind was so high and the corruption was so rampant,
I been forced to consider my chance to work abroad. Since
it was against my will, I grabbed to take up my chances.

In this kind of situation, freedom was somehow influence

by the harsh realities of existence wherein the behavior and
decision was in a brink of uncertainties14. Even though
oriented of the culture for that place of destination, somehow
I cannot afford to think of the actual realities of that host
country, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Having this kind of
thought, I cannot do away of thinking of my financial
brokenness and the family who clings for my support. And that
influenced me to do such crucial decision of my life.

In my astonishment, I even met my father’s co-employees

from the National Steel Corporation at the arrival area in
Riyadh and to my surprise; I discovered that we belong to work
in same company and all of us were assumed to a post of
managerial and technical staffs. I was consoled for that
matter, knowing that I am not the only one who experienced
such kind of tragedy.

The event serves as an eye opener and an occasion to

develop my capability to respond fully to some unavoidable
situations. Here I able to realize the beauty and the goodness
of the Lord in spite of the ambiguities in life like this and
I learned how to integrate it on a level of my maturity, to be

14
People on the Move, “The Migrants Plight at the end of the Second Millennium”, vol. 27 (1997): 65

16
open in dealing with different circumstances of life and to
realize that it became a blessing instead of curse.

Man in a certain level, such situation touches the

societal elements of freedom, since the social order would
thereby collapsed, he still have a chance and ability to
participate in an appropriate way to direct one’s
relationships to personal maturity and for the sake of common
good.

There is a limit of freedom, which determines by one’s

level of environment and culture:

“If you had met a car accident and it happened to be in

Saudi Arabia, no one would assist you immediately to get out
of it and be brought to the nearest hospital unless the Saudi
Police could arrive at the scene early, then you are lucky.
Chances are, you are already dead by the time they arrived at
the accident scene. Their reason is, once you helped the
victim and it so happened they died along the process of
helping them, likewise you are liable for his death. With
that, you will be put to jail. This is very similar to what
was happened to us, and I’m so lucky that I am still alive up
to this moment. Forty five percent of their death toll is
caused by car accident, no wonder they are already in the
Guinness Book of Records.”

Man’s liberty is somehow restricted to a certain degree

because of the limitations of some culture15. However, man has
determining factors to set his tasks and duties that broaden

15
People on the Move, “The Migrants Plight at the end of the Second Millennium”, vol. 28 (1999): 70

17
his scope of extending his hand in order to do well. He has
the power to do such things.

The documents of the Second Vatican council has something

to say when it comes to man’s freedom from Gaudium at Spes #
17 which explains that man has a free choice to act, moved and
drawn in a personal way from within. It is inherent to man to
do such thing even if there is no one can dictate him to act
freely out of his choice. Since human freedom is fashioned in
the divine image, he cannot do away to do lesser things but be
motivated to commit himself and be challenged to venture of
doing the greatest good out of himself.

Taking into consideration of the case, which had been

stated earlier, the situation is maintained by laws or norms
that are totally conditioned by history and culture. Natural
law has a general principle, “that there is a good to be done
and the evil to be avoided.” Natural law is refers to human
nature. It means that regardless of the embodied laws of a
society, it is already infused in man’s heart just in case he
meets an immediate act or response of a certain situation.
Here is another case:

“My friend of mine happened to stroll along the boulevard

during our free day, when suddenly a man in front of him. An
Indian national fainted at the edge of the street. So, he took
him up and he immediately rushed him to the hospital for
relief. Out of his generosity, he was put behind bars for
three days. The Police reasoned out that he was no right to do
such thing because he is not a doctor or any medical
practitioner. My friend did not regretted it of doing such a
thing because according to him it is a virtues thing to do and

18
no one could took away that wonderful decision he had at that
very moment. After sometime, the man thanked him later.”

As a Christian who used to work on that kind of culture

was so difficult enough to stand with, since we belong to a
country wherein the culture and beliefs are considerably
friendly in which we can use our practical reason to help
somebody out there who needs our immediate help. Very evident
for us Filipinos to help our fellowmen in times of need even a
foreigner. In doing this, there should be a heart to
participate in the wisdom of the One who created us all in
committing ourselves in order to have a stand to be raised in
the dignity of the other person because they are also
fashioned in His own image and likeness. We need guidance from
the church to direct us for the proper disposition.

The church teaches us about the idea of the natural moral

law16, which is the participation of the practical reason in
the wisdom of the Divine Creator and Lawgiver. Even the Pope
defends the immutability and universality of the natural law
and he added that it extends to all humankind.

Consider the above-mentioned situation, the Indian

national who fainted along and helped by someone, is a good
example of a man equipped with a good conscience. Because he
has this kind of ‘malay’ that somebody needs immediate help
regardless of who that person is, his conscience or
‘kabutihang loob’, immediately reacted to the situation
regardless of the existing prohibition of the law of that
certain country; he continued to follow his heart desire to
help somebody else with no relation at all. That kind of
16
John Paul II, Pope. Veritatis Splendor: Natural Moral Law # 40 (Vatican: Vatican Press, 1993)

19
action in the midst of unprecedented situation would give us a
hint that the goodness or kindness didn’t happened overtime
but in fact, it was the habitual exercise of doing good thing
which started from childhood. In addition, indeed it was a
heroic act.

Conscience17 is something that is spontaneous. It comes

out of the person who has a clear outlook in life. He is well
disposed for every action that comes from within. It means,
that it should come from the very core of his being. A heart
that is pure and clear of any biases and prejudices. A well-
disposed conscience can act more objectively. Even the
scriptures have a clear notion of what a good conscience has:
It pertains to the heart of the person, which is the very seat
of his being; a wisdom to understand things and events; and a
spirit that can overcomes and share life.
Let me share another kind of situation:

“Before I left for Saudi, I used to live a life of a good

and devoted Christian by attending my duties and obligations
well. Living my life in that deserted place, I just can’t stop
me of not saying a prayer or even making a sign of the cross,
even though it is so highly prohibited to exercise one’s faith
publicly. In spite of the restrictedness, I still continued
sharing my faith to the least of my ‘kababayan’ for a long
time ago didn’t have a chance to exercise and live their
faith. I even had courage to visit people in the hospitals
right after my office hours with some of my friends in order
to give some sort of consolation through our mere presence
regardless of nationality.”

17
Austin Flannery, Vatican Council II, the Conciliar and Post Conciliar Documents, vol. 1, Gaudium et
Spes # 16 ( Costello Publishing Company: NY,1984), 916.

20
 Conscience is like an inner voice, which would guide and
suggest things that are need to be done in the right attitude.
An act of right practical judgment on how to respond out of
one’s goodness that really and undeniably true to him
penetrates deeply to other’s heart. The church affirms that
conscience is man’s sanctuary and it is like a call that keeps
on echoing from the depths of his being in order to do good
and avoid evil as Gaudium et Spes # 16, which states that:

“Deep with in his conscience, man discovers a law which

he has not laid upon himself but which he must obey. Its
voice, ever calling him to love and to do what is good and to
avoid evil, tells him inwardly at the right moment: do this
shun that. For man in his heart a law inscribed by God. His
dignity lies in observing this law…”

This could be a good point of reflection for those who

worked abroad and later fall into temptations of infidelity to
their spouses, having another man or woman in their lives
aside from their lawful partners. What will happen if the
family of his or her discovered such kind of anomalies, it
would only create a monstrous problem that would really affect
the relationship as a one and happy family.

Synthesis on Moral Valuation:

1. The explosion of Filipino “forced" migration – result from a world
economic system.
2. The demand of workers, particularly in the small industries in Asia.
21
3. The host country benefit most from the productivity of migrant
workers
4. The hard work and sacrifices of OFW bring improvement to the quality of life in
their family.
5. The situation of Filipino women in migration is even more vulnerable.
6. They are the particular target of illegal recruitment and face physical and verbal
abuse abroad.
7. Migration has serious impact on the Filipino migrant.
Family reunification is a common difficulty in Asia.
8. Returning migrants experience difficulties in their reintegration process.

VI. The Church’s response

The church has something to say with regards to this
matter. It is all about the approval of the International
Convention of the Protection of all Migrant Workers and the
members of their families. The Holy Father spoke before the
participants in the Plenary Meeting18 of the Pontifical Council
for the Pastoral care of the Migrants and Itinerant People,
which took place on April 12, 1991, and he stated:

“Beside religious rights… the church’s vision and message

include human rights. The church is working to approve
national and international legislation in regards to
fundamental rights of person to life, a homeland, a
family, to just treatment… its hope is that the
protection of people who are forcefully uprooted from
their land and far from their loved ones may be given
ever more room in the international law.”

18
People on the Move, “The Migrants Plight at the end of the Second Millennium”, vol. 28 (1999): 70

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 It is an invitation for every Christians to examine their
personal responsibility in the heart of the society and of the
church. We must show to the world that the Gospel of Christ is
at the service of the good and it is the freedom of all the
children of God.

The teaching of the Church and other people who

contributed on the education for good morality in different
aspects of man shares a lot of thought for the general
welfare, for the common good, his relation with his fellow
men, his contribution in the society and for his final end
which is God.

The understanding on Man’s dignity, which is fashioned in

God’s own image and likeness, is a vital element that raised
man to the realm of God’s love. He only needs to cooperate and
participate actively in the divine revelation through the
acknowledgement of God’s saving grace. Having a thought of it,
one has to react responsibly once he engage or enter into a
relationship, which is the basis of our calling, to love.

God gave us freedom not under constraint but it should

flowed out from the very depth of our hearts, which propelled
us to cling what is basically good and ought to be good and
not necessitated by a must. We need to enter into a sort of
relationships through an encounter, which is free from any
biases and prejudices that came from tricky human structure of
norms and laws.
The morality of man is in vain if we did not consider our
conscience, which serves as a unifying factor, a sacramental
principle between God and man. The inner voice of God in man’s

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heart that continually guides and assists when the right
moments comes and learn how to avoid evil.

VII. Conclusion
On the appraisal of the above mentioned is not new, since
it has already an origin of its kind way back from the time
memorial. What I would like present in this paper is our
conformity with the reality that usually and subtlety affects
our lives. It may be in terms of our daily economy wherein the
hopelessness of living a condition of poverty that lurking
around our neighborhood or even within our own families.

Up to now a large of volume of contract Filipino contract

workers of about 13,000 a day who left this country of ours
who are trying their luck just to have something to fill the
necessity of the one’s family. Because of high competitiveness
here in our country, a lot of Professionals left, some are
fortunate but there are some who are landed on a lower type of
job and some are worst landed to jail or have nothing at all.
When I was still in abroad, a group of ours usually help our
“kababayan” who were unfortunate, we bought plane tickets for
them just to get home instead. And to those who were strong
and courageous enough to face the different challenges in
their place of work. “Nagkakamalay sila sa mga bagong realidad
ng buhay sa labas ng bansa at tumitibay ang ‘loob’ upang
harapin ang mga hamon ng buhay.”

As a Christian, we cannot ignore a phenomenon of modern

migration that is so vast, dramatic and worldwide occurrence.
This trend in the structure of global society is a reality
that cannot be ignored.

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 The present economic turmoil, with the resulting
migration, should not be look upon as a fatal destiny but
rather serves as a challenge to the sense of responsibility
both by local and international communities and even the
church sector as well.

We have enough of these disadvantages of this migration

problem let’s look on the brighter side of this social facts.
There were a lot of migrants who worked abroad gain to develop
certain virtues like patient endurance and a sort of skills on
their own particular field of expertise and turned to be
globally competitive.

Virtues had been developed upon them like sense of

determination, hard work and widen their perspective on the
understanding the culture their host country. Other positive
aspect like increase of remittances that added to the revenue
of our government, learning new languages, new form and
techniques in production, creativity and initiative and
punctuality are the things we need to consider in the
development of our migrant workers.

The Church recognized this kind development in our modern

world. With prudence, she fulfills her pastoral obligations to
cater the needs on the problem of migration. She releases a
series of documents and encyclicals in order to answer all the
outstanding cases of her flock as a whole. She even demands
for the proper observance of the law in concordance of the
host state or cities in order to protect the rights of every
individual.

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 A lot of seminars had been conducted both by the church
and the local authorities in their particular embassies to
ensure the welfare of the Filipino migrants those are working
both by land and by sea. Intensive screenings are conducted by
different promotional agencies that are authorized by the
government before leaving abroad. In spite of these actions by
the church and by the government, still, there were a lot of
our ‘kababayan’ use the back door for assuring a job outside
the country, but most of them were fall as victims of abuses
and irregularities.

• Through the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care 
of Migrants and Itinerant people
• In its letter “ The Church on the Move”, which states that. “A similar
inclinations leads Her today to leaven the reality of immigration with the Gospel and
if possible, to make it means for fulfilling her mission.”

• If the migrant workers is to become truly evangelizing, it is crucial that one

be first be evangelized through proper faith formation, through worship and the
participation in the sacraments.

• Integral evangelization requires that we become witnesses in our lives to

the values and norms of the Gospel based on our baptismal consecration.

• It is thus the responsibility of the Church of Origin, to not only prepare the
Migrants but also to ensure that proper legislation has been set up to protect the
dignity and Rights of all.

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Bibliography

A. Books
Flannery, Austin, O.P. Vatican Council II: The Councillar and
Post Councillar Documents.NY,Costello Publishing Co.,1975.
John Paul II,Pope. Encyclical Letter: Veritatis Splendor.
Vatican Press, 1993.
Gula, Richard. Reason Informed by Faith: Foundation of Catholic
Morality, New York, 1989.
Haring, Bernard. Free and Faithful in Christ: Moral Theology for
Priest and Laity, Australia, St. Paul Publication, 1979.

B. Journals

People on the Move. Migration: Points of Reference for the

Christian, Vol. 26, 1997.
People on the Move. The Migrants Plight at the end of the
Second Millennium, Vol. 28, 1999.

Other sources
Miller, Donald, The Church in the City: A mediating and catalytic agent for
social change

CBCP Monitor, Catechizes, Our people and the sacred heart of Jesus, vol.
VIII no.13, June 27,2004

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