Reflection: Write a short reflection on the topic. "How does Global
Migration Benefit the Philippines? Will your answer be the same on
account of the new development on COVID-19 pandemic? “
Over the past decades, outward migration has shaped Philippine
society in many ways. Initially intended as a temporary measure to catalyzed
economic development, migration is now a major contributing economic
force. Thus, a balance of benefits and costs of migration remains a challenge
for Filipino migrants, their families, the government, the church and other
stakeholders. Filipinos have been going overseas to seek better employment
opportunities since the 1970s, when the Marcos government deliberately
sought to export labor to ease unemployment in the country and gain from
remittances sent back by the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).
While innovations in technology such as smartphones and social media
applications like Facebook have led to cheaper and more efficient ways to
communicate with loved ones, the challenge to ensure quality
communication among family members in order to maintain positive and
resilient relationships still remains. Another issue is that the family members’
dependency on their OFWs relatives not only for their needs but also for their
many wants. Many OFWs hold the wrong view that they best help their
families by giving in to their various demands to assuage their guilt from
being distant from the family. Even grown-up children continue to rely on
OFWs parents for their financial needs. Migrants work extra or double time to
earn extra incomes or fall into debt just to meet family wants.
Furthermore, the challenge of becoming financially independent arises
from the consumerist lifestyles of OFWs with higher incomes to buy things
that they could not afford while earning in the Philippines. As a child of an
OFW, it is indeed painstakingly hard for me to not have my parents beside
me but I know that it is for the betterment of my future if they worked in
abroad.
Nowadays, I can’t help but see OFWs / tourists who came home from
abroad as a threat, we don’t know if they’re carrying the said COVID-19
pandemic or not. While exemptions might be made for key professions (e.g.,
scientists, doctors, journalists, government leaders), those who travel
to work and travel for work may not be able to do so for the foreseeable
future. This will have family, economic, and potentially food security
implications. Migrant workers currently overseas may not be able to get
home, and families already dealing with complicated immigration and visa
regimes may experience prolonged separation for an entirely new reason. It
is conceivable that, in response to current and future quarantines or “stay at
home” orders, businesses will also accelerate development of automation
This study source was downloaded by 100000850872992 from CourseHero.com on 02-12-2023 02:39:05 GMT -06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/79550000/Reflectiondocx/
Migration Benefit the Philippines? Will your answer be the same on
account of the new development on COVID-19 pandemic? “
Over the past decades, outward migration has shaped Philippine
society in many ways. Initially intended as a temporary measure to catalyzed
economic development, migration is now a major contributing economic
force. Thus, a balance of benefits and costs of migration remains a challenge
for Filipino migrants, their families, the government, the church and other
stakeholders. Filipinos have been going overseas to seek better employment
opportunities since the 1970s, when the Marcos government deliberately
sought to export labor to ease unemployment in the country and gain from
remittances sent back by the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).
While innovations in technology such as smartphones and social media
applications like Facebook have led to cheaper and more efficient ways to
communicate with loved ones, the challenge to ensure quality
communication among family members in order to maintain positive and
resilient relationships still remains. Another issue is that the family members’
dependency on their OFWs relatives not only for their needs but also for their
many wants. Many OFWs hold the wrong view that they best help their
families by giving in to their various demands to assuage their guilt from
being distant from the family. Even grown-up children continue to rely on
OFWs parents for their financial needs. Migrants work extra or double time to
earn extra incomes or fall into debt just to meet family wants.
Furthermore, the challenge of becoming financially independent arises
from the consumerist lifestyles of OFWs with higher incomes to buy things
that they could not afford while earning in the Philippines. As a child of an
OFW, it is indeed painstakingly hard for me to not have my parents beside
me but I know that it is for the betterment of my future if they worked in
abroad.
Nowadays, I can’t help but see OFWs / tourists who came home from
abroad as a threat, we don’t know if they’re carrying the said COVID-19
pandemic or not. While exemptions might be made for key professions (e.g.,
scientists, doctors, journalists, government leaders), those who travel
to work and travel for work may not be able to do so for the foreseeable
future. This will have family, economic, and potentially food security
implications. Migrant workers currently overseas may not be able to get
home, and families already dealing with complicated immigration and visa
regimes may experience prolonged separation for an entirely new reason. It
is conceivable that, in response to current and future quarantines or “stay at
home” orders, businesses will also accelerate development of automation
This study source was downloaded by 100000850872992 from CourseHero.com on 02-12-2023 02:39:05 GMT -06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/79550000/Reflectiondocx/
