Dealing With an OFW Parent, Is It Hard Or Easy?

By: Mentor Gyver L. Acuña Bec-3


A lot of Filipinos are working outside the Philippines. These Filipinos are called Overseas Filipino Worker or simply, OFWs. The Government treats OFWs as heroes and saviors of our economy.

Why do you think most of the OFWs will work for a lower job for the other country and be alone and to leave their family alone if there is a lot of opportunities here in the Philippines?

It is really the Government of the Philippines that is responsible for the brain drain of many of our talented Filipinos. It is the Government that does not maximize the human resources of our country that cause our economic decline. This forced many of the Filipinos to find a better fortune outside the Philippines and to give their family a better fortune. Many professionals took courses like nursing, nursing aid and caregiving to be able to go abroad easier. These professionals are lawyers, doctors, engineer, etc...

Having a parent in abroad is quite difficult especially if it is both. From some people I interviewed, having this situation is homesicking and sad for them. This situation has an effect on each of every one of them.

Some children whose parent or parents are in abroad experience a hard time. When these OFWs left, their families are left behind here in the Philippines. The major impact of brain drain happens on the some children of some OFW. Some of their children became stubborn and even a rebel, especially with those children who have their both parents working abroad. These rebels lack guidance and love they want. I know someone who finds accompany, friendship and love from somebody and even spending too much for his friends because he doesn’t feel it to his own parents who are working abroad. Maybe they lack a heart to heart communication.

In the contrary, there are still children who are not having a hard time having an OFW parent. One of my classmates, Meggie Shaine Rivera, has a dad working abroad. His name is Brigido. He worked in Taiwan for 7 years and in present, he worked for more than 3 years in the Middle East as an electrician. Meggie said that when she was little, it is sad when her father was leaving but when she grew up, she get used to it with a little miss for her dad. She admitted that she is a Daddy’s girl and she never had any hard feelings for him. Thank to the new technology. Because of this, the daddy’s girl is intact with her daddy. She chat her daddy in the internet for almost everyday. They play tennis and badminton, their favorite sports, every time her daddy comes home in the Philippines. Being abroad was never a hindrance for their bonding moments.

Dealing with an OFW parent is neither a hard nor an easy thing to do. It is what we do to make our life happy or miserable. The selection of kind friends is needed for children of OFWs because they influence them to how they will become in the future. Communication is needed to maintain the good relationship between the parent and child because if it does not exist, misunderstanding could go on the way.

For the children whose parent/s are OFWs, remember that parents love you ten times as you expected. They are enduring the hard life and homesick outside the country for you to study and have a better future. Avoid disappointing your parents because they want you to become better persons some day.