The way you see it, why do most Filipinos choose to leave their homeland and live and work elsewhere?

Cris Rivera, Rizal: There are many reasons why but one thing is certain. It is one step away from falling into the pit of incredible political stability and imaginary progress.  

Felix Ramento, USA: They have more to offer out here, though there’s no place like home. 

Lack of good-paying jobs

William Gonzaga, Marikina City: The lack of good-paying work opportunities in our country has forced millions of Filipinos to live and work abroad. The abuses and corrupt practices of the Marcos-Erap-Arroyo triumvirate have caused our economy to lag behind. 

Ernesto Oliquiano, Las Piñas City: The main reason I can cite is the lack of job opportunities and the low pay in our country. The compensation that professionals receive is inconsequential to the cost of earning their degrees. Thus, they have to go abroad where compensation is much higher even if this means leaving their loved ones. The bottom line is our poor economy. No matter how the government tries to picture our economy as stable and prosperous, the fact that Filipinos still prefer to leave their homeland to live and work elsewhere is living testimony to the contrary. 

Luisito Vallo, Pangasinan: Well, there are more job opportunities abroad and the standard of living is better in most countries than in the Philippines. Most of all, the salary is much higher in other countries. 

Kelvin Casamayor, Ilocos Sur: Simply because they have to look for a job that can support the family. If there’s a job available locally, the salary is usually not enough to feed and support the needs of the family. We lack jobs and opportunities here at kung mayroon man, mababa rin ang suweldo. Undeniably, these factors make our kababayans seek life and employment in foreign countries. 

Renato Taylan, Ilocos Norte: Seldom does one find work in our country where the remuneration is decent enough to defray his or her family’s basic needs. 

Elmo Cruz, Manila: Most Filipinos are forced by necessity to leave their homeland to work and live in other countries due to lack of opportunities and the ever-troublesome situation in the Philippines. 

Rose Leobrera, Manila: Jobs here are difficult to find. Sad to say, though Pinoys are considered second class citizens in other countries, they can succeed there just by being industrious and flexible to the demand of their new environment. 

Edwin Castillo, Tanauan City: Job opportunities here are very limited. Kung makakuha ka ng trabaho dito, mababa naman ang suweldo, hindi ka aasenso. 

Armando Tavera, Las Piñas City: We have very limited resources and opportunities here. Working abroad isn’t bad. It helps ease the burden of thousands of jobseekers. 

 Kyle Laluces, Quezon City Our country does not provide enough opportunities. Even the ones who were given opportunities here are unfairly reciprocated. 

Engr. Eduardo Santos, Metro Manila: Filipinos are known to be hardworking people but they leave their homeland because there are hardly any available jobs that suit their qualifications. 

Ed Alawi, Davao City: Higher wages abroad, no available jobs here, lack of basic services, corruption and dynastic greedy government officials. 

Richard Decena, Quezon City: Bukod sa kakulangan ng trabaho, wala po’ng job security, walang benefits, sweldong hindi makakabuhay ng pamilya o sa kanyang sarili. 

Ego boosting

Rodolfo Talledo, Angeles City: For many, it is fashionable to go and work abroad even if they are already gainfully employed here. The bottom line is pure vanity and ego boosting. 

Edwin Monares, Rizal: There is a dearth of job opportunities in the country compounded by low salaries. Also, albeit psychologically, going abroad elevates one’s status symbol in the community. The media and our educational system, not to mention society in general, would reinforce the mindset that going abroad and working offshore is the best option. 

Manuel Abejero, Pangasinan: Lack of opportunities, what else, and the ardent wish of making it big abroad para pag-uwi, big shot na. 

Gerii Calupitan, Muntinlupa City: Different motives: a) To earn foreign currency and taste ‘La Dolce Vida’ or ‘La Vida Loca’; b) have a chance to marry a foreign body as my ex-wife Jo and I used to joke; c) status symbol a.k.a. ‘yabang’. Our niece, who migrated to California, came back after a year. She asked, “Is there a McDonald’s here nearby?” So I replied: “Ayan sa kanto, di ba Grade 5 ka pa andyan na yan?”; d) Adventure/challenge//naiinggit/ or all of the above. Not for me. 

For the sake of family

Rey Ibalan, Antipolo City: It’s inherent among Filipinos to do everything for the sake of family, especially during crises. 

Abelardo Abilay, Laguna: From what I observe, Filipinos work abroad to give their children a good future. However, leaving their kids has negative consequences. The children grow without the guidance of the parents. In my opinion, parental presence is as important as provision. 

Jim Veneracion, Naga City: Lack of viable opportunities here and the desire to provide a decent family life are just two of the major causes of the Filipino diaspora. Will it ever end? 

Angela Javier, Las Piñas City: Probably because earnings in our country are way too low in comparison. The conventional thinking is that it’s better to raise kids abroad in a secure environment. 

For want of a better life

Nony de Leon, Malolos City: People migrate to improve their lives. Birds, fish and zebras do it. So did prehistoric men, ancient races, more recent Africans, Asians and Europeans. It is nature’s way of correcting inequalities; between the overcrowded and the roomy, the poverty-stricken and the affluent. 

Lucas Banzon Madamba, USA: Filipinos choose to leave their homeland and live and work elsewhere in order to have a better life abroad. 

Ishmael Q. Calata, Parañaque City: In the early part of the 20th century, many Ilocanos were enticed to go to Hawaii and California to work as fruit pickers, leaving their families behind. The reason then was to earn much more and to put their families in a more comfortable position, plus the adventure of going to the land of milk and honey. I wonder why after all these years, especially after we gained independence from American rule, we have not reached a point where the phenomenon on migration would reverse. Instead, it has worsened to the point that we now have a scenario of brain drain. Our best and brightest are leaving this country for better pay abroad. Our country is battered by the neglect and abuse brought about by our kind of politics in the land; and because of this, our economic progress is at a snail’s pace, offering nothing but a bleak hope for our working citizenry to rise from where they are financially. 

Ruben Viray, Antipolo City: It’s for want of a better life and opportunities. However, most Filipinos tend to return to their homeland for good when they’re financially stable. 

J.R. Mondonedo Jr., Parañaque City: You can ask any Juan dela Cruz if they want to leave this country to work abroad and 99.9 per cent of them will pack their bags right that moment to do it. Why? Because of poverty, low wages, lack of opportunity, corrupt government, high cost of utilities and many more. 

June Deoferio, Cavite It’s in pursuit of bigger income, health benefits and a comfortable life that Filipinos move and work abroad. 

For the love of money

Ric Vergara, Calamba: Filipinos live and work elsewhere for love of money and the only solution to this problem is good and honest governance. 

Elizabeth Oximer, Negros Occidental: We have become too materialistic, that’s why. We want to earn dollars for our wants, not needs. 

Jose Fabello Jr., Cagayan de Oro City: To try something different has always been a strong motivating factor. Coupled with the anticipation of big money to earn, Filipinos choose to live and work elsewhere. 

Junn Cordero, Leyte: Filipinos going abroad, as in the case of OFWs, are primarily driven by financial considerations. Adventurism is a distant second reason. 

Feeling of desperation

June Bamba, Metro Manila: Filipinos opt to leave due to the feeling of hopelessness and desperation. 

Jae delos Santos, Muntinlupa City: Reasons? Economic. Hopelessness. Greener pastures. Bigger opportunities. 

C.B. Manalastas, Manila: It’s to fulfill a dream of having a better life and future for the children and family, which can’t be attained in our country due to desperation caused by too much politics, wanton violation of laws, corruption, lack of job opportunities, low income that can’t meet the daily needs. 

Elpidio Que, Vigan: Economics, injustice and inequity compel them to make an exodus from our homeland, the entire opposite of Moses and his people’s biblical stunt. 

Janet Lopez, Manila: In 1968, we left because we could see that the corrupt Marcos regime would ruin the country, its economy and finally, its morals. We were right. 

Desuel Pardo, Mandaluyong City: The Philippines, compared to well-developed countries, is backward in many ways and seems hopeless in getting away from a culture of corruption that most Filipinos want to leave the land of their birth to work and live in other countries where they could find peace and prosperity. 

Our leaders have failed us

Rey Onate, Palayan City: We cannot find the leader who is committed to lead us to prosperity. We cannot find the team of leaders that are true Pinoys. We can only select from the oligarch, rich families and showbiz personalities who are never Filipinos and of dual citizenship. Pero ako, tiis na lang dito. 

Germi Sison, Cabanatuan City: Filipinos, like other people around the world, will leave their native land for another country where they could find the fulfillment of their mission in life. The majority of Filipinos want to migrate to other countries where they could raise their family safely and sound. Others find it hard to cope with the lack of opportunity aggravated by the ill manner and bad behavior of their relatives and countrymen plus their hopelessness in having a good leader that could inculcate national discipline to the heart and mentality of the citizen to achieve a corrupt-free Philippines. I hope, however, that the Philippines, through the new leadership of President-elect Noynoy Aquino, will turn our country into one where Filipinos will feel secure and proud. 

Noel Banias, Makati City: A lot of Filipinos opt to live and work elsewhere because of the climate of apprehension pervading the country for the past several years. Political uncertainty, coupled with economic constraints, contributes to the reasons why a near mass migration of our countrymen is very evident. Hopefully, with the changing of the guards, the new dispensation can alleviate the persisting climate of uncertainty to stop the bleeding of the country’s brain pool. 

Ruel Bautista, Laguna: We are like a family on a bigger scale. If you can’t feel the love of your parents, go somewhere where your love could be reciprocated. 

Search for greener pastures

Lorenzo Fernandez Jr., Cabanatuan City: Filipinos are the first to realize that leaving the country means greater opportunity, hope and security. 

Eric Gopilan, Quezon City: Filipinos are searching for greener pastures abroad and we can’t blame them because of the economic crisis that our country is facing. 

Lydia Reyes, Bataan: There are no better job opportunities here, that’s why. Most Filipinos work abroad in search of greener pastures. 

Maricel Maralit, Naga City: They choose to leave because they want to look for greener pastures. Ours is a poor country and there are very few job opportunities here. 

Erwin Espinoza, Pangasinan Foremost is to look for ‘greener pastures’. Secondly, they wish for the Western lifestyle. 

Leonard Villa, Batac City: Out of necessity, many Filipinos go and work abroad despite the risks involved as second class citizens in other countries. It’s for survival and greener pastures. 

Jayson Biadog, Mandaluyong City: It’s because they’re looking for higher salaries and greener pastures, which they can find outside the country. 

Pedro Alagano Sr., Vigan City: We can’t all be politicians or Lopezes, Ayalas, Tans, Gokongweis and Sys, et al., so Filipinos with “no guts, no glory” choose to look for greener pastures abroad to be able to fasttrack their economic condition and stay abroad for good for personal reasons. 

Manny Cordeta, Marikina City: “For greener pastures”, as the oft-repeated line goes. Beyond this option could be for adventurism or maybe, experience. But a more compelling factor could probably be low-paying jobs locally, the driving force for academically learned professionals to migrate to the “land of milk and honey”. With the US currently in deep recession, the Middle East and European countries have become a logical choice of Pinoys in pursuit of hard-earned bucks or adventurism. Come to think of it, I hope the question never intended to picture the Filipinos’ lack of nationalism. The phrase “to leave their homeland” left me intrigued and stunned. 

Mandy Rillon, Cabanatuan City: It is so rewarding and economically fulfilling to work and live abroad. Having a resilient character, Filipinos thrive well in an environment of fair competition. In the Philippines, workers are underpaid and abused, especially the rank and file. 

Deo Durante, Camarines Sur: If only there were big opportunities locally, would we experience the exodus of our countrymen? In the 1960s when the exchange rate of the peso to the dollar was two to one, seldom did we hear our friends and relatives leave the country in order to earn a living abroad. 

Robert Young Jr., San Juan: For every job availability at home, there are a dozen applicants, unlike in Japan, where for every employee, there are 10 jobs available. Contrary to government statistics, unemployment must be in double digits. Because supply far exceeds demand, employers are paying minimum wages even to supervisory positions. Ask employees of fastfood chains, and you will be surprised most of them have been to college some even are HRM graduates. Oversupply is also the reason why employers break the law by hiring employees on contractual basis. I know a lot of people that have toured the malls. Five months here, five months there. Some resort to changing their names just to be rehired. It’s pathetic. IT personnel are paid by multinationals up to P50,000 a month but if they go to Singapore, they can easily get P200,000. New-hire nurses have to pay hospitals to hire them. They are paid $50, 000 in the US. Many teachers from private schools work as domestics in Singapore and Hong Kong because they receive higher pay there. Only fools won’t seek greener pastures abroad if they had the opportunity. By the way, I have two OFW children. 

Romeo Caubat, Masbate: It’s because of the following reasons: 1. They have no jobs in their homeland; 2. Terrible peace and order situation in their place. 

For the fulfillment of their dreams

Louella Brown, Baguio City: Most Filipinos choose to leave their homeland and live and work elsewhere because they want to fulfill a childhood dream. 

Views expressed in this section do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of The STAR. The STAR does not knowingly publish false information and may not be held liable for the views of readers exercising their right to free expression. The publication also reserves the right to edit contributions to this section as it sees fit.

NEXT INBOX QUESTION From C.B. Manalastas, Manila: What is your comment on the grumblings sweeping the Armed Forces of the Philippines?

You may also email your views to: [email protected].

(Editor’s Note: We have just added another channel to reach Inbox World via the growing Facebook community. If you have a Facebook account, add up PhilStar Inbox and give us a glimpse of your views on raging issues of the day. Selected comments will be published in The Philippine STAR Inbox World. Readers may also post intriguing questions for other Inbox friends to comment on. See you there.)