Overseas Employment: Purposes nd the Filipino Perspective

Overseas employment refers to employment of a worker outside a country. Overseas employment has been part of Filipino households’ lives. It provides opportunities for developing responsibility, flexibility, and self-resilience. It can also prepare individuals for an international career change that can lead to a satisfying life working overseas. Approximately eight million Filipinos overseas are permanent residents, temporary workers, or irregular migrants. Majority are temporary workers known as Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW). Although, there are some who leave the country for tourism and other purposes but they eventually overstay, seek employment, and become irregular workers overseas.

There are different reasons for individuals to work abroad. To earn money, to meet new companions, to be more skilled, etc. The reasons for working overseas are unlimited - from a desire to travel, learn new ways of living, learn a new language, to developing a stronger career with international experience in your field. Overseas jobs can give you the chance to take on more responsibility and develop some new skills, particularly in the area of cross-cultural communications.

Get quality help now

Writer Lyla

Verified writer

Proficient in: Career Aspirations

5 (876)

“ Have been using her for a while and please believe when I tell you, she never fail. Thanks Writer Lyla you are indeed awesome ”

+84 relevant experts are online

Hire writer

The challenges you'll meet will call on your creativity and resourcefulness. For us students, it helps to solidify our life purpose, or launches us in an exciting new direction with our career aspirations. Hence, this paper aims to answer the following questions:

1. What is Overseas Employment?
2. What are the purposes and effects of Overseas Employment?

What is Overseas Employment?

Overseas came from Middle English “overse” while employment came from Middle French “empleier”, from Latin “implicare” which means "to enfold, involve, be connected with", itself from in- "in" + plicare "to fold") + -ment.

Overseas means pertaining to countries, associations, activities, etc., beyond the sea or abroad and employment means an occupation by which a person earns a living; work; business. Overseas employment is referred as the employment of a worker outside a country, including employment on board vessels plying international waters, covered by a valid employment contract. The nature of overseas employment is that for decades, the toil of solitary migrants has helped lift entire families and communities out of poverty. They have woven together the world by transmitting ideas and knowledge from country to country.

The migrant workers have provided the dynamic human link between cultures, societies and economies. Will I need a work permit or visa? Yes. You can apply for it at the Philippine Embassy and don’t forget all of the documents that you need. How will I search for an appropriate job? Search for an appropriate job which fits and suits your personality. In that way, you will be comfortable and you can easily adapt your current situation when you are working abroad. How will I contact prospective employers? Contact the “legal recruiters”. Ask the government’s agencies if your employer has its permit to recruit and employ applicants like you. What are the purposes and effects of Overseas Employment?

First, what agency is concern about the migration of the overseas workers here in the Philippines? P.O.E.A is the agency that handles the country’s overseas employment. It was created to promote and develop the overseas employment program and protect the rights of migrant workers. It goes hand in hand with Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and Overseas Workers and Welfare Administration (OWWA). DID YOU KNOW?

Philippine is one of the most labor-sending country.

Because of this, migration management has always been grounded on the goal to make labor migration work for the benefit of the migrant workers themselves, their families and society as a whole. Reasons of working abroad

To earn money on the road. Work equals money. Money is needed in traveling. Getting a job abroad is a great way to raise funds and keep your bank account happy; To learn new skills. Working abroad gives you the chance to do all sorts of crazy jobs you’d probably never even think of trying at home; To prove your independence. Generally speaking, jobs you land while on a working holiday won’t be the most challenging, career advancing in the world but many employers still look at time spent working abroad positively. Heading overseas, landing a job, sorting out a place to live and starting a new life takes some guts and clued up employers will take note; To meet the Locals. As you travel, you’ll meet locals. But chances are they will be in the tourist industry and will have a vested interest in being nice to you. If you really want to meet the locals and know their culture, you should fly abroad; To make lasting friendships.

You will meet plenty of travelers, and mostly you’ll get along with people same as your nationality. Stopping to work will allow you the time to develop lasting, meaningful relationships with other travelers and co-workers; To get a feel for destination. As you hop from one country to another, it is normal to feel that you wanted to stay for that particular place for good, for everyday life; To experience real freedom. While you’re working abroad, you won’t exactly be free, but it is having or starting your new life. The whole world opens up to you. Having the confidence to head off anywhere in the world to make a living really gives a great sense of freedom. Once you feel as though you can go anywhere and still manage to support yourself, the world truly is your oyster; For Lots of energy. Majority of works and opportunities abroad requires people who if physically fit and have skills in physical activities that can work harder;

Due to many options. Lots of companies hire young people that tend to work hard, don’t want to be concerned with the needing a job for the rest of their lives, and are willing to take part time work so that they can have a little bit fun; For activities galore. Different jobs in different place. You will discover that every place has its own culture and local attractions and way of life. You can spend free time in exploring; And for schedules to suit your taste. As you are working part-time, you will be able to spend extra time traveling, meeting new people and find out more about the world. Effects of working abroad Positive effects of working abroad are: The migrant workers earn more money, meet new people (foreigners and locals), and they get a chance to travel and explore. While the negative effects of working abroad are as follows: The migrant workers’ health were affected and the families’, discrimination, and no time for the family—with this, everything follows.

For overseas workers, yes you can have lots of money. It may be the quantity of money you could never imagine. Your salaries here in the Philippines may be doubled or tripled depending on the job you are fitted to and offered for. The salary that would help you and your family to build a house you’ve dreamed of, for your children to finish their studies, and for your own personal needs. Filipinos have the mentality of “Magtrabaho ka sa abroad. Mag-nurse ka. Malaki sweldo doon sa abroad” and so on an so forth. That’s why Philippines is one of the most labor-sending country. Being able to work abroad is passed on from generation to generation. The parent who is working abroad has the tendency to get his/her family to live in a particular country for good.

Meet new people. Yes! You may have friends in your work or within the vicinity of the place you’re living at. Foreigners, particularly Americans, are friendly that they are defined as very approachable and helpful (based on researches and facts). You may also have friends same as your nationality. Like in Milan, OFWs in that place stated that they tend to have parties together to know who the Filipinos are living in the country same as them— to mingle and build friendship. One example of a positive effect of this is when a Filipino is heading off and flying back to the Philippines, other OFWs are asking him/her a favor. It may be giving money to the family left or packages. It’s very usual.

Overseas workers can be called travelers. They build up their confidence and perseverance during their work in other countries. Usually, the Filipino heading off to a different country is alone. He/she get a chance to learn being independent, no one to count on, and he/she will be the one to count on by the family they left here in the Philippines. They serve as the bread winners and so they persevere for the benefits of their families.

There may be positive effects but there are also negative effects—like broken families. It may not be literally broken that one of the parents divorces the other. But the thought that it’s not complete. It may be the mother, the father, or both are leaving. The effects are on both of them—the one who leaved and the people left. The one who leaved experience home sick. He/she misses his/her family but he/she has nothing to do knowing that being away from them will benefit them and give their family a more prosperous life. The people left experience hatred and of course missing the parent who leaved. Why hatred? Children who are left at an early age may grow with the thought of “Iniwan niya kami para magpakasaya doon kasi hindi nya kami mahal”. They will rebel against their family and especially the parent who left them. The movie “Anak” is a very good film to understand my point on this.

Health. Being apart from your love ones will have an effect on your health, especially due to too much stressed, too much thinking, too much work, home-sick, sadness and other negative emotions. That’s why OFWs find time to meet people same with their nationality to reduce the emotions and stress.

Discrimination. Why do I say so? Filipinos are known to be very patient, caring, clean, kind, and very hard working. By these, other foreigners tend to discriminate us, give us more work, less salary, and sometimes, for brutal foreigners, they hurt Filipinos. And worse, if you look for the word “Filipina” in a foreign dictionary, the meaning of it is “household or maid”—(by Ms.Aquino). * As of today the Philippine state is pursuing its constitutional mandate to afford full protection to labor, local and overseas, organized and unorganized, and promote full employment and equality of employment opportunities for all.

Filipinos work abroad. Why not work in the Philippines instead? Why leave your own country? Discussed from before, it’s because Filipino can’t sustain the needs of his/her family. So he/she needs to work abroad in order to earn more and give a better future for his/her family.

So what are the disadvantage in the Philippines that Filipinos decide to work abroad instead? Unstable economic situation in the Philippines wherein the lack of confidence in the government to secure a better future for its citizens. Example of this is Corruption, right? People in high authority take the money from the people through Taxes and use them for their own leisure. High unemployment rate in the Philippines this has been a problem in the country that produces almost million college graduates on courses that are popular but whose demand is on decline. Example is the Fresh graduates who just join the labor force, this will the increase that competition for jobs available. Low salary offered by local companies this is the biggest reason why Filipinos are willing to work abroad because of the low salary offered by employers in the Philippines. Even nurses, engineers are paid poorly in spite of the skills they have through the 4 years course.

Contractual employment arrangement this brings high unemployment rate due advantage to employers who simply hire people on contractual basis. Poor Benefits another disadvantage, examples of this is PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG, which is a monthly contribution that can significantly reduce the low-paid workers. OFWs are now pampered, OFWs are now covered by better protection, they are offered advantages in addition to being the nation’s new breed of heroes. It’s not so lonely to go abroad anymore we have so many Filipino communities have travelled all over the world, Filipino entertainers brought the overseas Filipino workers close to home. We have the availability of the Web to communicate with loved ones. Discrimination in job hiring in the Philippines this is very degrading as a Filipino, some are willing to get paid lower salaries and not enjoy benefits and paid holidays.

We came up with the conclusion that, yes, there are a lot of benefits we can get in working overseas. Yes, we earn more money. And yes, we will have a better future. But because of that, we lose all the skilled workers that instead of serving and making the country more progressive, they migrate to different countries. What will happen to the Philippines then? Example of this is the tourist, the foreigners. They visit the Philippines because of the beautiful sceneries. Now instead of their information became ours, the little information we have is becoming theirs. Instead of us giving benefits to them, they rather give us the benefits. Why is this so? Because all of our skilled workers, or all of our professionals are owned by them. Philippines is a rich country, we don’t need to work abroad. We have jobs here. Job opportunities shouldn’t be “Out there” but it must be “here”.

References
Henderson, K. (2007). 7 reasons why working abroad is your best career move. Retrieved from http://matadornetwork.com/bnt/7-reasons-why-working-abroad-is-your-best-career-move/ Tomson, B. (2011). 10 good reasons to work abroad. Retrieved from http://www.ideamarketers.com/?10_Good_Reasons_To_Work_Abroad&articleid=419109 Overseas employment: choosing an international career (2008). Retrieved from http://www.best-career-match.com/overseas-employment.html Fung, J. B., & Tan, F.A. (2010). Preliminary considerations, Handbook on Overseas employment and Pleadings, 1-9 Pinoy OFW (2009). Reasons why many Filipinos like to work abroad. Retrieved from http://www.pinoy-ofw.com/news/355-reasons-why-many-filipinos-like-to-work-abroad.html