Wednesday, July 15, 2009
PEBA Entry: Where my OFW dollars go?
Foreword: This is (more or less) a true-to-life narration of where my OFW dollars go. The names of the characters are fictitious (and the way I drew them is very kindergarten-ic -- pardon me!) but, I assure you, their circumstances are all true.
My OFW dollars go straight to the bank located in my hometown.
Most of it gets withdrawn by my family for their daily and emergency needs. Some dollars left in my account are used by the bank for investments: either as loans to Filipinos who want to acquire a house or to purchase a car or for putting up a small business.
Amy has two sons in grade school. My nieces go to that same school where Amy's sons go.
One of them is Sir Peter.
Sir Peter is still single and is taking care of his ailing mother.
Sir Peter buys her mother's medicines from Mercury Drugstore, where my parents also buy their own medicines.
Mang Kaloy has five kids, ages three, five, seven, nine and twelve. His wife, Aling Thelma, sells vegetables in the public market. We are her suki.
Gina has two sons, all grown-ups and studying engineering in college. The sons also want to work abroad but Gina narrates that they have to finish school first before they can do that.
For our groceries, we buy them from Shopwise (I think it's owned by Rustan's).
He finished second year in college and wants to get his degree. He said he dreams of going abroad too. In the meantime, he said, he's saving his Shopwise salary for his education. He is single and ulila.
Every three months, a portion of my dollars go to Sunlife for my pension (hey, I'm getting old and a pension from Sunlife will be a great help when I reach 60 -- many, many years from now!).
Ate Gloria has two kids and his husband is tricycle driver, Kuya Dave.
Kuya Dave (who's gone driving elsewhere that's why he's not in the picture) charges us PHP15 per head from the market place to our home. Costly, but what can we do? That's the tariff imposed by the association of tricycle drivers in our place.
That's where Kuya Dave gets gas for his tricycle. That's where we get our gas too for our small car (which my family only use during Sundays in attending mass).
Speaking of gas, we get our Shellane from Mr Katindig who also sells us rice. My mom said we consume one cavan of rice every month and two Shellanes every three months.
You see, there are a lot of people who benefit -- directly and indirectly -- from my OFW dollars.
Oh, by the way, I think a fraction of my dollars gets back to the government in the form of tax.
Being an OFW in Saudi, I am tax-free. But the likes of Aling Thelma, Mang Kaloy, Ate Gina and Kuya Dave are not. So in a way, a portion of my OFW dollars goes to the government.
Based on recent reports, the Philippine Government employs 501,188 public school teachers (PDI 05 July 2009), more than 110,000 police, more than 17,000 elected officials (from barangay councilors to senators) and a partridge in a pear tree.
(Note: The numbers quoted above were taken from the National Statistical Coordination Board. Except, of course, the partridge.)
Who else?...
So you see, my OFW dollars go a long, long, long way. It gives people jobs and it helps some children get their education. My OFW dollars, in ways, mobilize the economy of my beloved Philippines.
Here's actually how I view myself:
Just kidding.To them who call me a hero, I, with all humility, blushingly say:
Post-publication notes:
- This article was published in the website of Kakkampi (Kapatiran para sa Karapatan at Kaunlaran ng Manggagawang Pilipino sa Ibayong Dagat). Date of publication: 19 July 2009. Click link.
- Revision note: Post was updated on 20 August 2009.
- Code PBA09oqs3s33 for PBA Best Post.
Yan ang katotohanan!, :)
Nagtatrabaho tayo para sa mga mahal natin pero ang di natin alam marami ang nakikinabang dito..
Good Luck sa atin brod, kita kita sa finals :D
Wow ang galing naman hehehe, kakatuwa yun mga drawing, ikaw ba ang nagdrawing ng mga 'to? That's true sa bawat padala natin ng dollars marami ang nakikinabang....kaya nga bayani nga raw kayo sabi ng gobyerno.....kayong mga OFWs (kasama ba ang mga expats dito? parang hindi eh hehehe). Anyways, mabuhay ang PEBA! Sa PEBA ang OFWs at Expats ginagawang bayani....bow. Good luck Nebz! Good luck sa lumahok. Lahat ay panalo.
nice drawing kuya...
and such a true post...
Thank you for joining PEBA.
All the best!
btw kuya, kindly email the link of your entry to peba09@gmail.com include also your location (city/province, country)
once you're in the poll, you may grab the nominee badge!
all the best kuya!
Two thumbs up! Ang galing! It's a more beautiful representation of a cycle/flowchart. =)
well done nebz! informative and creative itong entry mo. naaliw ako sa mga drawings. naalala ko tuloy yung mga drawings ko nung bata ako. pero tama ka, yan ang obligasyon ng mga OFW. ang kumayod upang kumita ng perang pakikinabangan ng ating pamilya at gobyerno.
good luck sa PEBA! good luck sa lahat ng finalists :)
Well-explained, well-illustrated! Talagang umuwi po kayo at pinaguhit ang mga 'to sa pamangkin niyo? o",)
Maraming sponsors ang post na ito! Allied Bank, Mercury Drug, Shopwise, Unslife, at Shell! Wow!
A great entry, I really admre your creativity Nebz. Thank you for making me realize where my dollar remittance goes, ang pagkakaunawa ko ako'y bahagi lamang ng mga OFW na nagpapasok ng dollars sa Pilipinas... but now it makes me proud that for 17, maraming natulungan ang aking remittance. Akala ko nagtatapos ang aking remittance sa bulsa ng aking pamilya lamang.
Sa iyong panulat nabigyan kabuluhan ang ating remittances na pinadadala hindi lamang para sa ating mga kapamilya, kundi para sa lahat ng ating kababayan.
Purihin Nebz sa pananatiling mapagpakumbaba, at ang mga Migranteng Pilipino at ang bloggers ng KABLOGS at PEBA.
God bless.
Okay to Nebz, napakinabangan mo at inaply dito ang natutunan mo sa "Power Point presentation".
O ngayon, e di mag mumuni-muni muna ang mga taong taliwas ang pag-aakala sa mga kababayan nating uma-alis para mag trabaho sa ibang bansa.
natuwa ako at nabighani,saka ngayon ko naintindihan ang halaga ng piso para sa mga OFW.
MABUHAY KA NEBZ,sa simple, ipinakita mo ang halaga ng paghihirap ng isang OFW.
sa huli pards.. naiyak ako sa tuwa.
natuwa ako at natawa, lalong lalo na sa HARI NG PADALA, kunin kaya namin na sponsor ang LBC?
When I told you when we met nung EB that when you will join or submit an entry, you will change the CONTEST, I was thinking you will be submitting an essay.
This is a very Unique Post, with drawings from your pamangkin, this is touchy.
I suggest you write an addendum that the drawing is from your nieces, if it is. hehehe
Thanks, guys! Maraming salamat sa suporta. Lahat tayo'y matagal nang nagwagi. Lahat tayo'y bayani sa ating sariling bahay: OFW man o expat.
I was hoping my niece could draw them all; that was my original plan.
Sa Saturday, ipo-post ko po ang photo ng nagdrawing ng mga graphics ko.
Very very well said, Nebz! I guess you cannot just say you're a lowly OFW because for me, our family is the world :)
Pinag-isip mo ako doon bro. Sabi ko pa naman ako kaya ang kinalaman nina kuya, ate, aling, teacher,boy atibp sa kuwento.
The picture comes so clearly. It make me proud of what I am, OFW. It is our pride na malayo ang nararating ng ating Riyals :) kahit na sandali lang sa bulsa natin.
Napakagandang komik script bro. Congrats and have a nice week end.
wow kuya nebz...very well explained with illustrations pa.. very creative..bow ako sau.. Goodluck po.. :)
one of the best entry so far.
Mukhang lalong tumitibay sa ganda ang pa kontes.
HIRAP na Judges, Im sure, hahahahaha!
Nakakataba naman ng puso ang mga comments...
Salamat po.
Mabuhay tayong lahat.
first of all, welcome back nebz! matapos ang maigsi ngunit makabuluhang bakasyon, sabak ulit sa mahabang panahong pagsasakripisyo para sa pamilya.
isang katotohanang kabayanihan, yan ang nilalaman. entry mong kay ganda, ibinahagi sa masa. salamat sa istorya, simpleng bumabandera. isang masigabong palakpakan sa bayaning tulad ni isla.
goodluck!
ang ganda ng entry! sa mga drawing pa lang, kahit batang musmos makakarelate at maaappreciate ang perang pinaghihirapan ng mga Pinoy Expats. sana makita ng gobyerno kung gaano kalawak ang network na pinupuntahan ng mga perang pinapadala natin. cheers!
PANALO! I love this post so much I showed it to my wife too. Ang galeng, truly worthy of an award! This about sums up exactly why I believe that OFW's are the true heroes of the Philippines. And the economic progress we've experienced the past few years are attributed to you guys.
Yes, the OFW's deserve all the credit. Thank you and good luck!! :)
that is soooo cute, and so informative, even the little ones can understand. It is the whole economics. Mabuhay ka, kapwa OFW.
Very creative post! Well done. It is absolutely true, for every dollar we send, every one gets a portion of it! Good luck and thanks for reminding us that our remittances truly indeed a blessing to every Pinoy!
galing!!! effort to the max! love it :)
nice one...congrats for sharing tour thoughts...good luck din sa iyo!
galing din ng mga drawings ...ingat!
ooopppsss correction please!
**your
Just now i get a glimpse of your entry, Nebz. No doubt, if i were one of the judges, ur entry is hands down- an outright winner! Not only it is so unique and rich in graphics but it is also very comprehensive.
Nebz, indeed ur a true hero in many aspects. U're also a gift to ur fellow bloggers with ur extraordinary wit and intelligence.
Good luck to ur entry. You deserve to win! No offense meant to other entries, but this one stands out.
Merry Christmas again and good luck!
WEW!!!!kailangan ng celebration to!!!! ready nako para sa friday o kelan mo gusto mag celebrate!!!!hahahaha!!
nagkamali ako sa hula dahil si doc Rj ang inakala kong manalo...ngayon ko lang kasi nabasa entry mo..akalain mo yun?...lolz...
Congrats nebz!!!
congratulations! well deserved....
wow! congrats! congrats Nebz!!!
basta sa celebration don't forget andito lang kami sa kabilang kanto...hahaha!
happy new year too!
you almost forgot to mention that half of the tax we paid goes to corruption.
btw, i forgot to congratulate you for the winning entry!
just i was browsing the net and saw ur blog... congratulations...
nice blog and worth reading.. and a source of inspiration too esp for us newbie in the world of blogging....
tnx.
super like. that's the most creative and the simplest way to describe the numerous contributions of OFWs to our country. :)