Remittances of OFW's were reported to have hit US$11.5bn for 2005, on account of the record numbers of Filipinos deployed for overseas jobs. A lot of them are taking on highly-skilled professions, such as nurses, engineers and increasingly, positions in the banking sector. Which means higher pay, and thus higher per capita remitted. I suppose the Middle East remains among the biggest market for Filipino workers abroad. I have a few friends who are currently working overseas. In fact, back in 2000, I got accepted for a bank position in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia but I had to back out because I haven't completed my academic degree yet.
It's not that there is a dearth of opportunities in the Philippines. You only have to look for it. I mean, you see a lot of Koreans and Chinese nationals, even some Vietnamese, manning various bric-a-brac shops in Quiapo, Divisoria and Baclaran. A lot of them, however, turn out to be illegal aliens and some of them sell mostly bootleg merchandise. The point is that while many foreigners are risking life and limb trying to eke out a living here, Filipinos are leaving the country in record numbers.
What is alarming is that we are not limited to exporting domestic helpers, drivers and construction workers, the blue collar jobs, anymore. Many highly skilled, professional people are leaving as well. If this "brain drain" continues and remains unabated, we will not be able to develop strong industries that are well-equipped to compete globally. In fact, the main beneficiaries of the precious talent and brains leaving the country are foreign companies and industries which, ironically compete with our own.
Pity, the Philippines seems very pre-occupied with mainly two things: (1) politics and (2) show business. In fact, the two are not necessarily independent of the other, given the number of celebrities who used their status to gain positions of power. We should pay more attention to creating a culture of entrepreneurship instead, because not only does this create jobs, it brings out our creative nature which ultimately, is the driving force in any winning business proposition.
I'd like to cite India as an example. Indians have this annoying habit of talking too much. They tend to philosphize and rationalize just about anything, to the point that nothing is really accomplished. It think they're changing now. They're now more open to the outside world and receptive to changes brought about by globalization. And they still talk and rationalize a lot -we all do- although they tend to overdo it.
You ask,what has India got to do with the subject on the Philippine diaspora. I have no idea. I just thought I had to mention it.
It's not that there is a dearth of opportunities in the Philippines. You only have to look for it. I mean, you see a lot of Koreans and Chinese nationals, even some Vietnamese, manning various bric-a-brac shops in Quiapo, Divisoria and Baclaran. A lot of them, however, turn out to be illegal aliens and some of them sell mostly bootleg merchandise. The point is that while many foreigners are risking life and limb trying to eke out a living here, Filipinos are leaving the country in record numbers.
What is alarming is that we are not limited to exporting domestic helpers, drivers and construction workers, the blue collar jobs, anymore. Many highly skilled, professional people are leaving as well. If this "brain drain" continues and remains unabated, we will not be able to develop strong industries that are well-equipped to compete globally. In fact, the main beneficiaries of the precious talent and brains leaving the country are foreign companies and industries which, ironically compete with our own.
Pity, the Philippines seems very pre-occupied with mainly two things: (1) politics and (2) show business. In fact, the two are not necessarily independent of the other, given the number of celebrities who used their status to gain positions of power. We should pay more attention to creating a culture of entrepreneurship instead, because not only does this create jobs, it brings out our creative nature which ultimately, is the driving force in any winning business proposition.
I'd like to cite India as an example. Indians have this annoying habit of talking too much. They tend to philosphize and rationalize just about anything, to the point that nothing is really accomplished. It think they're changing now. They're now more open to the outside world and receptive to changes brought about by globalization. And they still talk and rationalize a lot -we all do- although they tend to overdo it.
You ask,what has India got to do with the subject on the Philippine diaspora. I have no idea. I just thought I had to mention it.
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