|
Sure, I
know it is not going to happen. And actually, I am not
in favor of any sort of ban of this type. But I thought
someone should say it at least once.
I am
concerned by the evolution that it has taken and the
current attitude toward Filipinos leaving the country.
The deployment of overseas workers over the years
created a pattern that looked something like this:
Unskilled workers who could not find enough jobs in the
country began seeking employment abroad. Educated
workers like teachers then sought jobs overseas to make
more money performing much less-skilled jobs, like being
domestics and nannies. Highly skilled and specialized
Filipinos like engineers took important positions in
industries that could not get enough workers, and they
made more money than in the
Philippines.
Now, we have reached a point that Filipinos are going
into training with the sole intent of migrating abroad.
I find
this a disturbing trend, and I am troubled by the
attitude that this may be a natural and even a positive
development.
A press
release from the office of Sen. Loren Legarda troubles
me. Titled, “Loren to graduates: Go guilt-free,” it
excerpts comments that the senator made during
commencement exercises of the Northern Christian
College.
“The
Senator said she was open to the idea of new graduates
migrating overseas to join the growing class of
white-collar workers and professionals” who have top
jobs around the world in positions of high
responsibility across a wide range of fields. “Sen.
Loren Legarda yesterday said new graduates should feel
no guilt whether they would decide to stay in the
country or work abroad and become a global citizen.”
The
press release went on to say, “But while the former
multiawarded broadcast journalist said she had no
regrets having opted to stay in the country, members of
the graduating class of 2008 have to answer the
question.”
I
understand what the senator was saying in light of the
realities of the 21st century and the global migration
experience, though I wonder if her audience thoroughly
appreciated it.
The two
examples of people in the senator’s profession who went
abroad are Rico Hizon and Maria Ressa.
Yet, Mr.
Hizon worked for GMA 7 first and was awarded one of The
Outstanding Young Men for broadcast journalism before he
worked for two of the world’s largest television news
networks, CNBC and BBC World.
Ms.
Ressa worked her way up at CNN to become a bureau chief
and then, after many years, returned to the
Philippines
to take a high position at ABS-CBN.
Neither
of these examples are of a fresh graduate immediately
going abroad to find a job. Perhaps one of the reasons
journalism in the Philippines is strong and energetic is
that Senator Legarda and members of her generation did
not go abroad.
I wrote
in these pages two years ago that, “Every nation depends
on the vibrancy, literary, commercial, scientific and
social dynamism of its youth to make substantial
national progress for the future. Twenty years ago,
Thais and Malaysians did not leave their home country.
They stayed and built their nation. Forty years ago,
Taiwanese graduates did not go abroad, except for
education, and now we provide the manual labor for their
economy.”
When you
see a large number of Filipino high-school graduates who
list as their ambition to get a nursing degree so they
can work abroad, you have the makings of a serious
long-term problem.
The
senator talked about the opportunities that await young
Filipinos who join the international or “global citizen”
work force. “She said Canada has accepted skilled and
well-educated workers as work-visa holders, with a sure
path to citizenship; Australia wants foreign students to
stay.
My first
response is, “Yes, but what if?” What if a global
economic slowdown shuts the door on Filipino “global
citizens”? What if economic isolationist policies become
stronger in the
First World countries? What if we see a repatriation of Filipinos forced
to give back their jobs because of rising unemployment
in the host countries?
The
Philippines is not prepared for this possibility, and
will be less prepared if we condition our youth that an
overseas job not only will be there but also is
something one can always expect and plan for.
Twenty
years ago, no one predicted the Philippines would send
thousands of nurses and caregivers abroad. Twenty years
ago, no one predicted thousands of jobs would be created
in the
Philippines
from outsourcing. Yet, are we are prepared to, should we
believe that these kinds of trends will continue for the
next 20 years? Does this type of thinking make sense?
Perhaps
more important on the migration issue, if it does
continue through another generation, where does that
lead the Philippines?
“The
view that opposes the migration of the well-educated and
the well-trained has been losing steam and credence of
late,” Senator Legarda opined. Sadly, she may be
correct. I respect Senator Legarda’s pragmatism and
realistic assessment of the situation.
However,
the illogical conclusion of this phenomena may be a time
when “WOW Philippines” could mean something entirely
different from today.
“World
of Workers
Philippines:
We breed them, we train them, we ship them to your
doorstep around the globe.”
E-mail comments to mangun@email.com. |
