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- OFWs are the country’s modern-day heroes because they not only boost the Philippines’ economy through remittances but are figures of resilience. OFWs endure homesickness, personal sacrifices, and horrible working conditions in order to support their families back home.
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Why are Filipino workers called 'Overseas Filipino workers'?
Aug 11, 2023 · Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) is a term referring to Filipino migrant workers, individuals who have left their homes to work abroad and provide comfortable lives for their families. Referring to these workers, former President Corazon Aquino coined the phrase ‘Bagong-Bayani’ in 1988.
Jan 1, 2024 · The historical evolution of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) during the Marcos and Aquino administrations has led to a complex interplay of economic needs, cultural dynamics, and social implications that drive Filipinos to seek employment abroad. The reasons for working abroad are varied and compelling:
Profile. By Maruja M.B. Asis. Young people ride motorcycles in Batac, a city in northern Philippines. (Photo: Bernard Spragg) In the Philippines, a deeply rooted and pervasive culture of migration has made moving abroad common, acceptable—even desirable—as an option or strategy for a better life.
Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) are an integral part of the Philippine economy and society. They have been leaving their homes in search of better opportunities abroad for decades, and in doing so, they have made significant contributions to both the Philippines and their host countries.
- Overview
- Acquiring Skills for Jobs Abroad
- Objects to Remind Them of Home
Families in the Philippines receive billions from the ‘new heroes’—nannies in Hong Kong, sailors in the Arctic, and domestic workers in the Middle East.
This story appears in the December 2018 issue of National Geographic magazine.
Recuerdo Morco was 22 when he first saw snow. Wrapped in four layers of coveralls and parkas, he looked up into the swirling sky as huge flakes settled onto the deck of his cargo ship.
He carved his girlfriend’s name into the snow and circled it with a heart. Recuerdo had grown up in the Philippines on a tropical island rimmed with white sand and coconut palms. Standing on the cargo ship slicing through the icy waters near the Arctic Circle, snowflakes tickling his face, was a dream come true. “I’m really here,” he thought.
They pulled into the port of Kemi, Finland, in the wake of an icebreaker, jagged blocks of white peeling off the sides of their ship. Recuerdo stepped ashore and went on what he calls the “seaman’s mission”: find the nearest shop and buy a SIM card so you can call your mother.
Now 33, Recuerdo has spent the past decade working as a merchant sailor on cargo vessels. He has called his mother, Jeannie, 66, from Finland, the Netherlands, Papua New Guinea, and nearly every country with a port between Sweden and Australia. Jeannie can’t keep track of where her son calls her from, but she’s always happy and relieved to hear from him. Hearing her voice, Recuerdo says, “takes away the boredom, homesickness, and sadness.” He adds, “She’s the most important person in my life.”
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For decades the Philippine government has facilitated migration abroad as a way to develop the country. A sprawling trade school industry helps give Filipinos needed skills. Nannies (first photo) are trained to dote on babies without making mothers jealous. Chefs (second photo) prepare for jobs in hotels and restaurants. Nurses (third photo) learn how to deliver care in foreign languages, and domestic workers (fourth photo) learn to cook foreign foods.
For decades the Philippine government has facilitated migration abroad as a way to develop the country. A sprawling trade school industry helps give Filipinos needed skills. Nannies (first photo) are trained to dote on babies without making mothers jealous. Chefs (second photo) prepare for jobs in hotels and restaurants. Nurses (third photo) learn how to deliver care in foreign languages, and domestic workers (fourth photo) learn to cook foreign foods.
Embarking on a life as an overseas worker, as the Morco family knows all too well, means entering a seemingly endless cycle of longing—forever reaching for your dream abroad and pining for the home you’ve left behind.
Four of Jeannie’s five children are named for loss and longing: Memorie, Souvenir, Remembrance, and Recuerdo, a Spanish word that encompasses all three. She couldn’t have known how prescient two of those names would become: Along with Recuerdo, Memorie, now 48, has been working abroad for years. In their sleepy hometown of Taytay, on Palawan, Jeannie has had to accept that she won’t grow old surrounded by all her children and grandchildren.
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Family is one of the greatest motivators for Filipino migrant workers. In a country where class inequalities are entrenched, a good job abroad could mean lifting your family members to a better life that may not have been available to them before. Overseas Filipino workers cherish family photos and other mementos from home.
Family is one of the greatest motivators for Filipino migrant workers. In a country where class inequalities are entrenched, a good job abroad could mean lifting your family members to a better life that may not have been available to them before. Overseas Filipino workers cherish family photos and other mementos from home.
Out at sea Recuerdo often dreams of going home to Palawan, the same way he used to stand on his beach and dream about working as a merchant sailor. But there’s always a new reason he needs a few more paychecks, and the day he comes home to live in Palawan seems always to be just beyond the horizon.
“Masakit na masarap,” Recuerdo says about life as an OFW. It’s “a pain that gratifies.”
What is the role of Overseas Filipino Workers in the economy of the Philippines? According to the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), Overseas Filipino Workers should be considered temporary workers for the purpose of labor export policy formulation and program implementation.
Overseas Filipino workers, often hailed as modern-day Filipino heroes, embody the enduring spirit of the Philippines. Their courage to venture beyond our shores in pursuit of better opportunities is a testament to their resilience and dedication.
