Should it be considered a betrayal of their nationalism when graduates of top universities seek work opportunities abroad?

Carmela Ramento, Cagayan De Oro City: Nationalism and betrayal are two words farthest from the minds of these kids. If only we could give them opportunities here, working abroad would only be an option.

Joan Cejes, Makati City: I’d have to say yes. They have a choice. Unfortunately, they choose to have plenty of money over rendering service to their country and fellowmen. But I guess that’s life. You’d do everything to survive.

Where the action is

Jose Fabello Jr., Cagayan de Oro City: No, a friend, one of the best and brightest of our engineers, told me the reason for going abroad. “New technology is born in the US everyday. For me to be fully productive, I have to be where the action is.”

There are not enough jobs

Johann Lucas, Quezon City: Graduates of top universities do owe this country a lot. Unfortunately, there aren’t enough jobs around especially those that can support a new graduate towards independence.

Joe Nacilla, Las Piñas City: Those who think that it is a betrayal to their nationalism if graduates from top universities seek work opportunities abroad must have dysfunctional minds. Why insist on having them take on local jobs when there are none or they end up getting underpaid?

Ryan Pahimulin, Rizal: Can’t blame them. How can they be nationalistic when the homeland can’t give them career opportunities and enough compensation?

Ruben Viray, Antipolo City: Nationalism has a variety of meanings. It is loyalty to and love of one’s nation. Graduates of universities seek work abroad because there are limited job opportunities in the Philippines. Wherever you are in the world, as long as you are a Filipino by heart and soul, I believe one’s nationalism doesn’t go away.

Greener pastures

Miguelito Herrera, Cabanatuan City: Seeking job opportunities outside the Philippines does not necessarily mean betraying the country. There is nothing wrong with leaving if these graduates just want to explore the world or to challenge themselves with various opportunities and then bring all the knowledge they gained back home.

Ella Arenas, Pangasinan: I don’t think so. I think the main reason our top graduates leave for abroad is to seek greener pastures that they can’t usually find in the country.

Ricardo Tolentino, Laoag City: Going abroad to work is a practical move for our graduates since they find thousands of opportunities there that are not available here.

Dr. Jose Balcanao, Benguet: What value is nationalism if one has an empty stomach? Our government fails to give hardworking Filipinos the life that they deserve, that is why more and more leave the country for greener pastures abroad. No choice at all.

Pitts Hizon, Metro Manila: Let’s be practical. Seeking greener pastures does not make us less patriotic.

Manny Cordeta, Marikina City: I don’t think so, and to entertain such a perception is quite unfair. In the first place, betrayal readily denotes an act of treason. One cannot be accused of being unpatriotic by just wanting to work abroad to seek “greener pastures.”

Larry Parroco, Quezon City: Those graduates are just being practical. The offers for them to work abroad are too tempting to resist and who can say no to the fringe benefits?

Dino Monzon, Caloocan City: Not at all. Our graduates are just being smart, showing common sense since they know that the quality of life and the financial rewards are better abroad.

They do it for survival

Ric Vergara, Calamba: No, they do it for survival. Corrupt leaders are to blame for this problem.

J.R. Mondonedo Jr., Parañaque City: We don’t have jobs to offer these new graduates, so who cares about being nationalistic? These graduates have to survive and feed their families. If I were a graduate of a top university and a good scientist or physicist, for that matter, I will work elsewhere and be compensated fairly for my good work. Let’s face it. You can conduct a survey now and ask all these new graduates where they want to work. Chances are, they would say they want to go abroad.

Rose Leobrera, Manila: No because let’s face it, there are only limited opportunities in our country. There is no future here. So if these new graduates decide to leave our poor country, it’s not their fault. They are still young and merely want to shape their future.

They endure loneliness

Manuel Abejero, Pangasinan: There are more graduates than available jobs here. Seeking work abroad has nothing to do with nationalism. In fact, our brave OFWs are more nationalistic than some of our government officials. The remittances they send keep our economy float on stormy waters. Just imagine the loneliness and pain they have to endure, being away from their family because there are not enough opportunities to earn a decent income in our own country. The bottom line is, it is more about survival than nationalism.

Robert Young Jr., San Juan: Seeking work opportunities abroad has nothing to do with nationalism. Graduates of top universities are no different from domestics who leave the country by the thousand each day to seek work abroad because there simply are no jobs for them here or if there are, these are low-paying or on contractual basis. Who would want to leave their families and friends behind and suffer loneliness abroad?

They can be heroes, too

Felix Ramento, USA: Rizal and the Luna brothers, among others, nurtured their love for the country abroad. They came home for the ultimate sacrifice, though.

Beacons of success

Desuel Pardo, Mandaluyong City: There are many ways of expressing nationalism and one of them is striving for success anywhere he is challenged. But in spite of the success that he reaps around the world, he remains a Filipino in words and deeds.

Germi Sison, Cabanatuan City: Sense of nationalism is measured not only by staying and working at home but by bearing with pride his authentic Filipino values whatever success he gathers at home or abroad.

Elmo Cruz, Manila: The cherished dream of every student is to reach the apex of success. It does not mean he betrays his nationalism if he takes the opportunities offered abroad. Bringing home the beacon of his success is also the same kind of nationalism found on those who are at home serving their countrymen.

Elizabeth Oximer, Negros Occidental: No, these graduates are even offered post-graduate scholarships abroad. Matinik yata ang Pinoy.

Alexander Raquepo, Ilocos Sur: No! This is like telling the whole world that we have good schools with graduates that are at par with graduates of other countries. I think they bring honor to the Philippines instead of betrayal, besides the economic benefits.

Second-class citizens

Dr. Gen Padilla, Valenzuela: They seek work opportunities abroad because they do not have what it takes to succeed in the Philippines. They end up as second-class citizens abroad.

It’s their right

Valerie Joyce Go, Tacloban City: Not all the time. Students from private universities have the right to choose where to work after they graduate, whether abroad or domestic, since it is not the government that shouldered their education.

Pedro Alagano Sr., Vigan City: Under the Constitution, everyone has the right to chart his own destiny.

C.B. Manalastas, Manila: No, it is the right of every individual to seek better work opportunities abroad, which our government cannot offer.

Ultra nationalism

Rodolfo Talledo, Angeles City: In this very competitive world, one’s love for his country is not misplaced if he goes somewhere else to build a dream. Ultra-nationalism stunts the progress of a nation.

Serve the country first

Luisito Vallo, Pangasinan: I guess we can’t blame these graduates since there are limited opportunities in our country. However, I believe that those who graduated from state colleges and universities should serve their country first before embarking on jobs overseas. It would be their way of repaying their country and their countrymen who paid for their schooling.

Money matters

Lolong Rejano, Marinduque: The question asked and the concept of the OFW as modern-day hero seem to be on opposite ends. Can these graduates of top universities be called nationalists when most of them want unlimited earnings at the expense of their countrymen?

Ferdinand Rafer, Cavite City: These top university graduates come from well-to-do families, and serving the country is not in their vocabulary. The only thing they think about is themselves.

Bayan muna

Rey Onate, Palayan: Yes, it is a betrayal of the “Panatang Makabayan” na “maging isang tunay na Pilipino sa isip, sa salita at sa gawa.” Talino at husay dapat sa bayan muna.

Louella Brown, Baguio City: I believe it is a betrayal of their nationalism when graduates of top universities seek work opportunities abroad. They were trained to serve their countrymen.

Dennis Montealto, Mandaluyong City: It’s their choice. But I believe that it is tantamount to a betrayal of their patriotic duties if graduates of state universities, especially its scholars, seek greener pastures abroad.

It benefits the economy

Deo Durante, Camarines Sur: Nationalism can be measured in the good intent of a man. While our graduates look for greener pastures abroad, they earn dollars and send it back home to support their families. Aren’t our OFWs our modern-day heroes and heroines?

Elpidio Que, Vigan: Why should it be unpatriotic for graduates of top universities to work abroad when the dollars they earn would be sent home to their families? These graduates should even be praised, and prayed for, as idealists for opting not to run in the “baluktot na daan” of crooked businessmen and the government.

Lucas Banzon Madamba, Laguna: It shouldn’t be considered a betrayal of their nationalism when graduates of top universities seek work opportunities abroad. In fact, the idea that Filipino nationals work overseas is more advantageous to the Philippine economy because it would mean more dollar remittances. If only our country were like China, Japan, the United Kingdom, Australia or the United States, then Filipinos wouldn’t have to go abroad.

Concepcion Gaspar, Laoag City: Can the government offer job opportunities and salaries commensurate to their field of expertise? If so, then I’m inclined to believe that there is a betrayal of nationalism, but if not, I would understand if they have to seek work abroad because they wouldn’t want to waste their time here where there is no hope for a brighter future. Nationalism can be shown not only in terms of serving one’s country but also in remitting hard-earned money from abroad, which in turn helps boost our economy.

Ishmael Calata, Parañaque City: First of all, why is this question focused only on graduates of top universities when such graduates of all universities, colleges and even vocational schools who have the opportunity to go abroad to pursue their dreams of a better life. But, answering this question as it is crafted, I find no reason for considering graduates of top universities betraying nationalism when they seek employment abroad. For one thing, do they get free education from these institutions? If not, let them earn what they spent for their studies. Besides, why do we question these graduates’ sense of nationalism when our OFWs remitting dollars to families in their fatherland are called “mga bagong bayani”?

Jesus Mendoza, Pangasinan: I see nothing wrong with graduates of top universities seeking employment abroad. Besides gaining better experience, they send home their income anyway.

Cris Rivera, Rizal: No, working abroad doesn’t mean turning their back against our country. It’s just a chance to succeed and a golden opportunity to help the nation grow.

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.

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