ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY FOR OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS (OFW)

"TOKEN OF APPRECIATION OR UNAPPRECIATED"

We are all heroes in our own special ways. May it be through our good deeds- helping other people
specially those who are in need, loving oneself and other God’s creatures or being nationalistic by being
proud of who and what we are, the land where we were born or the nation where we grew up. And
often times, heroes are almost everywhere, but what’s peculiar about that is that most of us never
recognizes what they are doing for their family, their countrymen, and for the growth of our society.
They are one of the assets of our economic growth and development, but are we paying enough
attention to their needs and to the benefits that they must have after working so hard and proving that
they are worth of all those stuffs? Are we sensitive enough to be able to know whether they are
suffering or not? Maybe we are, but the big question is that: are we doing or trying to do something for
them as a reward for all their sacrifices?

I salute for all those OFW that working so hard abroad, and yet far away from their love ones or
family. It is so hard and difficult to work in abroad the first thing that you might sacrifice is your family
you will not get in touch with them easily when you needed them the most, second is you must not
easily adopt the environment in abroad especially their attitudes and language you must have to study
and learn first their culture and their beliefs.

For the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW), the heroes of the modern era, working abroad is a very big
opportunity- to earn currency, to gain experience, and to have successful lives ahead. But for their
families, it’s a no, no, but they have to accept that it is for their benefit. These are the most difficult times
wherein they have to bid goodbyes to each other for a certain moment of their lives. The Commission on
Filipino Overseas estimates that 10 % of our population or around 9 million people are temporarily
working overseas at a given point of time. They are often engage to unfair working conditions because of
long hours of work, low salary, and some sort of abuses which sometimes affect their integrity as
humans. Most of the money they earn were sent to their families as remittances which they spend for
foods, or any other expenses and are able to save just a little part of what they have worked for.

Those OFW's are the true heroes in our country, yes it is also true that working abroad is a big
opportunity for the Filipino to work abroad, because of the arising crisis here in the Philippines most
of the Filipino people choose to work abroad even though it is very difficult to do but everybody has to
accept and claim it for the sake of their families lives.

According to Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), OFWs and/or their families who are
members of OWWA shall receive the following benefits: medical care, disability and health benefits,
education and training benefits, worker assistance, and social services and family assistance. But for the
past few years, we often heard some news regarding the conditions of our OFWs. Abuses of their
employers, not enough salary for a very long hours of work, and what’s worst is the assaults they are
experiencing to those people whom they trusted most of their lives. Some of our OFWs don’t have any
background of the jobs they are going to face overseas. They just think that what they are doing is for
their families and accept every work as if they have no other choice. And most often, they are suffering
and all they can do is to wait for a long time for their voices to be heard.

One of the most reason of accepting OFW carreer is their benefits that might really help their family
and give them the suitable lives that will be benefecial for both of their sides. But most of the times,
OFW experiences must not good and it will affect their conditions and their family also by giving not
enough salary, by working in long hours, and by suffering for their works.

The Philippines Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) is one of the government agencies which is
responsible for the employment of Filipino Workers overseas. According to them, they advise
recruitment agencies to work on proper documents an OFW should have. Also, they wanted to make
sure that the hired employees would be able to read, sign, and understand every contract given to them
before travelling to the respective countries. But still, most of the abused workers are not easily
administered by our government because of the typical reason that their documents are invalid or
illegal. If the government which is assign to safeguard our OFWs are checking the proper and legal
recruitment agencies, maybe they can have an easy access to the needs and hardships of our Filipino
workers, and of course, to make a response on how to make the situation better when it is at worst.

Working abroad is not easy, first is the requirements every details of each and everyone's documents
must be needed. All details and documents need to be valid and authentic.When accepting the
opportunity working abroad we must know the functions, the rules and regulations to make an effecient
work.

Section 4 of the Republic Act 8042 also known as “Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995”,
states that Filipino workers must only be employed to the countries where the rights of the Filipino
migrant workers are protected and respected. But Overseas Filipino Workers are still subject to different
abuses- low salary, assault, and long working hours. But as far as they wanted to go back home, they
can’t. For some reasons that most of their documents are illegal, invalid and what’s worse is that the
government have not yet known all of the hardships they are facing maybe because they are focussing
on some other aspects involved in our society, maybe in business or political aspects. And it is hard for
them to accept the fact that they still have to wait for a very long time before they could have their
journey back home.

One of the most difficult part of life is leaving your loved ones just to sustain their needs for everyday
life. Distance is the worst enemy of every relationship people have. And sometimes, although they are
trying to sacrifice everything, still, most of the people never appreciated what they are doing. There
are lots of benefits that they must possess upon doing such sacrifices but not all of them are granted.
We Filipinos must know that our Overseas Filipino Workers have proven enough that they are all
worth it of that rights and opportunities for they have been serving the Filipino community. And as of
this very moment, maybe we are aware of what is happening concerning them, but on the latter part,
we are still unable to do some acts on how to protect, secure, and appreciate them. So as far as we
would like ourselves to be respected and protected, we must respect and protect other people first. As
what the golden rule says, “do unto others what you want others do unto you”.

Salute all those true heroes not in our country but also in the universe, Overseas Filipino
Workers(OFW). We appreciate all your efforts and hardships to sustain your families needs and wants.
We appreciate all your sacrifices.