High in competence, low in attitude
One of the saddest commentaries about Filipino workers in general, and OFWs in particular, is that they excel when it comes to knowledge and technical skills, but allegedly fail in attitudes and habits. Having worked as a Labor attaché in three countries, I have heard these unsavory comments myself, and I argued that Filipinos are really good. Only a few misguided OFWs might have some rough edges and unfavorable behavior. Thus, in my stint abroad, I put up a Sunday school for migrant workers where we developed our OFWs to be more refined, well-mannered, positive-looking, and polished in their words and demeanor.
I told OFWs in Malaysia, Kuwait and Taiwan that PILIPINO means, "Pili Na Lipi Na Pino ang Ugali.''
My wife and I taught social graces to our household service workers and factory employees. There were 45 other Filipino expats, mostly engineers and business executives and sales personnel whom I recruited to constitute as volunteer faculty members. They served without pay, except a pittance for transport and I gave free foods and drinks, and a special ID that gave them preference and top priority in embassy functions and affairs. I asked the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to donate hundreds of computers and other hardware and I taught OFWs basic and advanced computer applications. But above all, they learned good manners and social graces.
They say Filipinos are noisy in airports and boisterous in social gatherings and public places. They say Filipinos are high in skills but low in manners and attitudes. I beg to disagree. After working with them for about seven years in three countries, I found them very courteous, polite, loyal, and trustworthy. They are not rough anymore but well-behaved. They dress decently and act in manners befitting of cultured and well-educated people. They are not dishonest or unfaithful if you just trust them and counsel them. Yes, there are some who are misguided or put up fronts for deep pains they suffer. It takes a true leader to turn them into diamonds from what they are, unpolished gems.
Today, I still advise many OFW organizations based abroad. I defend them in their cases before the POEA and the NLRC. I give them legal and behavioral counseling. In Taiwan I taught them financial literacy and monetary independence. In Kuwait, I taught them leadership and team-building. Malaysia, I molded them into fine ambassadors of goodwill for our country. It is not really true Filipinos are misbehaved and have negative habits; they just need a mentor and leader, a model to emulate, who is also competent and committed to polish them. Yes, Filipinos are worth sacrificing for.
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