Argumentative Essay: OFW: Money over Family

379 Words2 Pages
As of today, there are approximately over 11 million Overseas Filipino Workers all over the world. Each year, a million more Filipino workers are deployed. It is undeniable that life in the Philippines is hard. With the monthly increase in transportation fees and basic commodities, the closing of local companies and factories, not to mention the economic crisis the world has been going through, Filipino citizens, both rich and poor, have been suffering a lot. As a result, people hoped to find a better life in other countries. OFWs are now called as the country's modern day hero; probably because of their selfless act to work to an unknown country to support their family, or maybe because of the $600 billion remittance that they contribute for the country. According to an article in gmanews.tv, the money that OFWs send home is equivalent to about 10% of the country’s gross domestic product. This means not only are these remittances a major factor to the country’s economy, it also help improve the quality of life of the migrants and their families. Despite the economic benefits that OFWs provide for the country, there are negative effects to the family left behind. Melanie Reyes, a professor in Miriam College said that, “While the current volume of remittances seems to constitute a great resource to tap for the promotion and protection of children’s rights, the prevailing separation of one or both parents from their children definitely goes against the interest of the children.” OFW parents fail to fulfill their moral obligations and responsibilities to their children. As a result, they may feel abandoned or disliked by their parents. She also said children with mothers abroad tend to be “more angry, confused, apathetic and more afraid than other children" because the absence of this parental icon could be the “most disruptive in the life of the children."
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