#BuhayOFW: The Ups and Downs of being an OFW and everything you need to know.

Bakit nga ba marami sa ating Pilipino ang pinipiling lumisan ng bansa? Isa lang naman ang sagot d’yan – upang kumita ng perang sadyang mas malaki kumpara sa kinikita dito sa Pinas. Sino nga ba namang tatanggi sa oportunidad na ito kung dito nakasalalay ang magandang buhay at kinabukasan ng maiiwang pamilya?

Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) – wala man ang bawat pangalan nila sa history books o superhero comic books, whether they save a thousand or a single person’s life, or help their fellow directly or indirectly, sila ang itinuturing na “Modern-Day Heroes”.  Isa na d’yan si Ms. Myrna Padilla.

 

 

 

Si Ms. Myrna ay panganay na anak ng isang mangingisda sa Bohol, habang ang nanay niya ay mula naman sa Mindanao. Sa murang edad na sampung taon, nagtrabaho na siya bilang kasambahay kasabay ng kanyang pag-aaral sa elementarya.

Sa kasamaang palad, hindi nakatapos ng High School si Ms. Myrna kaya’t nang taong 1988, nakipagsapalaran siyang mangibang bansa para mamasukan bilang Domestic Helper. For almost 20 years, siya ay nagpalipat-lipat sa Singapore, Taiwan, at Hong Kong. She also founded OFW-centered organizations, served the OFW community, and won dozens of awards and certificate of appreciation for her work with OFWs and her
accomplishments in business.

In the year 2006, nagdecide si Ms. Myrna na umuwi na sa Pinas for good to focus on Mynd Consulting, an IT-BPO business which she established using money she had saved from her long service pay. Interestingly, Myrna learned and mastered everything she has to know about the IT-BPO industry thru her own experiences and discoveries from being an OFW.

That being said, Myrna is definitely an epitome of a successful OFW, the one we should be inspired from. Kaya naman our BeamerKada could not have any better guest speaker for BeamAndGo’s Friday program other than Ms. Myrna Padilla, to tackle about the stages of Buhay OFW.

STAGE 1. Ang Paglisan

For first time OFWs, walang hirap ang hihigit sa pag-iwan sa pamilya at sa sariling bayan para mag-trabaho sa ibang bansa.

When asked what urged Ms. Myrna to work abroad, ang numero unong sagot niya ay “para sa edukasyon ng mga anak.” Not being able to earn a college diploma, naging layunin niya na makamit ng mga anak ang diplomang hindi niya nakamtan.

In terms of the challenges our OFWs face when deciding to work abroad, Ms. Myrna enumerated three key factors:

1. Homesickness – Fighting the anxiety of being away from your family.
2. Problems with employer – Struggling how to continue working despite maltreatment.
3. Communicating your plans to your family back home.

To know more of Ms. Myrna’s advice to first time OFWs, watch the first episode of Buhay OFW Special here:

 

STAGE 2. Hanggang Kailan?

Ang tanong na malamang lahat ng ating mga Kabayan ay naitanong na sa sarili –  hanggang kailan ba ako magiging OFW?

In the second episode of BeamAndGo’s Buhay OFW Special, the life after leaving their home was discussed. Ms. Myrna also shared the worst and the best part of being an OFW: The fear, pain and anguish of being separated with her family, especially her children, and on the other hand, the learning, earning opportunity that you should take advantage of.

Ms. Myrna also wanted the OFWs to take note of the three (3) motivators when you are at your lowest point: 1. Hope for success, 2. Faith in God and in yourself, and 3. Love for yourself and your family.

To find out what Ms. Myrna has to say on how to guide your children as they grow even when you’re miles away, watch the second episode of Buhay OFW Special here:

 

 

 

STAGE 3. Uwian na, Kabayan!

All OFWs look forward to that day when they can finally come home for good – hindi dahil sa biglaang pagdedesisyon na umuwi ngunit kalaunan ay mangingibang bansang muli dahil hindi pa pala sapat ang naiipon.

Kaya naman Kabayan, kung nasa abroad ka pa at nagpa-plano ka nang umuwi ng Pinas, make sure to ask yourselves first:

• What do I have to secure before deciding to come home?
• What should I expect in terms of familial relationship once I come home?
• How should I handle finances and savings I earned?

Lastly, when can you say that you’re completely ready to come home? Of course, hindi pare-pareho ang sagot ng bawat OFW dito bilang may kanya-kanyang consideration sila. But what does Ms. Myrna has to say about this? Alamin ang tips niya sa third episode of Buhay OFW Special. Panoorin dito:

 

 

We hope this Buhay OFW series became useful for you until you reach the point in your OFW life that you have to prepare for your homecoming. Hindi ka pa man nakakauwi, Kabayan, tandaang hindi natatapos ang pagsubok sa buhay sa pag-uwi lamang. It may be the happiest moment for OFWs’ lives, but know that you will be facing entirely new challenges back home – and you will be able to handle this smoothly.

Ano mang plano mo pag-uwi, always remember: Napakaraming aral at karanasan ang naituro sa iyo ng pagiging OFW. Gamitin mo ito patungo sa iyong tagumpay!

BONUS: Paano ko mase-secure ang pangangailangan ng pamilya kahit na nasa malayo ako?

BeamAndGo was born to help you with this concern, Kabayan! To make sure na sapangangailangan ng pamilya napupunta ang pinaghirapan mong pera, #GroceryRemit is made possible for you thru BeamAndGo !

Sign-up now and start remitting smarter! Let us help you handle your remittances and empower our OFWs to have control of your hard-earned money. Here are the Convenience Store, Gas Station, Supermarket, Department Store, Fast Food Restaurant, and pharmacy merchants na maaari mong maipadala sa pamilya with the help of BeamAndGo!

You can easily pay for your purchase via credit card, debit card (PayPal), online bank transfer at kung gusto mong magbayad ng cash, pwedeng-pwede kang pumunta sa remittance centers na tumatanggap ng BDO deposit and through our partners – Pacific Ace (Hong Kong & Macau) and iRemit!

Wanna learn more about the smartest way to remit? Don’t hesitate to watch this video!