OFW's quest for true freedom

The Filipino communities in the Middle East are gearing up to celebrate away from our country, the Philippine’s 111th Anniversary of Independence. The theme for celebration is somehow enigmatic to some Pinoys: “Kagitingan, Kagalingan, Kasipagan Tungo sa Tunay na Kalayaan". We have no problem with Heroism (Kagitingan), nor Excellence (Kagalingan) neither Hard Work (Kasipagan). The question focuses on the last part: Towards a Genuine Freedom, which begs the question: Is our freedom not genuine yet? As a diplomat here in Kuwait, I summoned the best minds amongst the Filipinos here and tackled in a simple symposium, the topic at hand. The conclusion is clear: The Independence declared in Kawit, Cavite, if at all, was merely a political independence. The Filipinos' quest is still ongoing, the search for economic freedom is a work in progress. Political freedom is never genuine without an economic basis. The OFWs families can not eat politics.

The migrants' journey to promised land

Like the Biblical exodus of the Israelites from Egypt to the Promised Land, the OFWs continue to march in the desert of life, to work hard, with great heroism and excellence, in order to gain their true freedom. They suffer much and endure great hardship if only to remove the yoke of poverty, powerlessness and hopelessness among the poor. They leave their loved ones and embrace isolation and homesickness in far-away lands of alien cultures and unusual rules. That is why the OFWs are not too much interested in politics (only small fraction registered in the overseas voting and expectedly a smaller number will actually vote), because politics to them is not too relevant to their daily struggles. They feel that politicians are merely using them for partisan political agenda. Generally, they don’t feel that most politicians do really work for their economic emancipation. The OFWs are searching for their new Moses, and a new Joshua to lead them in crossing the Red Sea of the global economic crisis.

How OFWs celebrate freedom

The OFWs here are girding up to showcase economic, social and cultural activities, rather than the political symbolisms and rituals. While the traditional ways to celebrate Independence Day is to do a Flag Raising and a reenactment of the Aguinaldo Balcony Declaration, here in the Middle East, the Filipino communities would rather do a job fair and facilitate the meeting between putative employees and employers, and a Filipino food festival to showcase all the delicious Pinoy culinary products. We shall also have a socio-cultural show to include a talent competition, on-the-spot painting contest, essay-writing contest for the young ones, and a Balagtasan. There shall be more songs, more audio and visual arts and less speeches. All the diplomats shall wear barong and terno and Maria Clara attires and they will talk in Tagalog, Bisaya, Ilocano, Bicolano and Hiligaynon, Pampangueno and other languages and dialects. If only for a day, feeling truly PILIPINO – PILI na LIPI na PINO ang ugali.

News tidbits from Middle East

The 5.6 earthquake in Western Saudi and the reported volcanic eruptions there sent many OFWs to the evacuation centers in AL-Azis province. Another sad news from Saudi is the suicide of a 48-year-old OFW due to loss of job and massive debts. This was followed by a tragic vehicular accident that resulted to the death of some OFWs. Meanwhile, in Oman, many undocumented workers who crossed to the borders from neighboring Gulf countries, are crying for help. Last week, a group of 39 workers of a cement factory in Kuwait complained of delay in their salary which prompted them to seek the help of the POLO. Labor Attaché JB Jimenez and Welfare Officer YU Penaranda rushed to the site in the outlying desert and brought them food and basic medicines. The Labor Attaché brought them to the Embassy and summoned the company and the agency, and as a result of the conciliation, most of the issues were resolved and immediate relief was granted to the workers. The Female OFWs in Kuwait are celebrating the victory of four women Kuwaitis in last week’s parliamentary elections, the first ever in the Middle East for women to be elected in the lawmaking body. They hope that pro-workers, pro-women laws can be enacted soon.

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