Monsod: If you leave the country to work abroad, you are betraying your people

[angelo]

^ didn't expect that from you

Any pinoy who have foreign citizenship betrays being a filipino already. They chose to be a citizen of another country and nagmigrate pa with the whole family.

That is too judgmental.

thats true. but in real essence, actually on paper, dont you renounce your previous citizenship and pledge to protect, honor and the blah blah to the new country you've migrated to? so, up to a certain degree, you have turned your back against your homeland. sad but circumstances push one person to do so for the welfare of the family.

i think on the Monsod speech, she is referring to the UP students and not in general. since these are public school students and the people have contributed to their education, definitely the student ought to give back something and not to betray by leaving the country and earning millions and leave the other Filipinos behind living a very challenging life.

[carpediem]

Winnie Monsod's speech: Deference to elders is getting us nowhere

http://antipinoy.com/winnie-monsods-speech-deference-to-elders-is-getting-us-nowhere/

One of the country's leading "economists" and University of the Philippines (UP) professor, Winnie Monsod recently did what many of our leading elites have been doing for the last several decades. She has managed to divide the sentiments of the citizens of the country once again. The issue is around the speech she gave to her economics students at UP that contained threats against those who plan to leave the country to work overseas and a labeling of them as disloyal.

The debate around this speech rages on, and this time it has moved to an article in response to Monsod, written by a Filipina doctor based in the USA, Joy Antonelle De Marcaida titled, "No Winnie, Filipinos who go overseas are not traitors" published in the GMA News.TV online.

The discussion over Monsod's speech has reached fever pitch with comments ranging from agreeable to highly disagreeable. Discussions like that are not very common in mainstream publications online because responses deemed offensive normally get edited or disapproved by the editor, however, it is something we are used to here at AntiPinoy.com. In fact, I can only rejoice with the knowledge that such a discussion is now openly taking place in a more public forum. Finally, the ideas that we discuss in underground conditions here are slowly going mainstream. Exposure is really the key to bringing forth new and brilliant ideas to the attention of the common man.

Ironically, the last time I went to the GMA News.TV website to check the article, there was an advertisement on top of it promoting jobs overseas. Really, having that advertisement there for everyone to see should have been enough proof to those who agreed with Monsod that not everyone's economic stability and happiness can be achieved within the Philippines. It makes the argument on whether or not it is unpatriotic to leave the Philippines to find a better opportunity overseas, pointless. Check out the ad for yourself:

One can only hope that more Filipinos will start to realize that opinion makers like Monsod do not always say the right things and that people like Monsod who may have the best intentions, more often than not have misguided solutions to the problems of our country. It is unfortunate that since Monsod is considered part of the elite, she is highly sought after for her opinions by many similarly misguided Filipinos.

A lot of her "fans" tend to think that she is always correct in her recommendations. Never mind that she has always been in the country and has always been giving her advice, which means, if she was even right half the time, our country would be at par with industrialized nations in the first world by now. Her credibility is undoubtedly very questionable, indeed.

Monsod's speech couldn't have been more out of touch. In her speech, she was like a disgruntled lola who has reached the twilight of her years but has not had enough of the rock star treatment and so continues to ramble on about life even when she wasn't making any more sense. The threats she made to haunt her students who go overseas after her death is enough indication that she is nearing the end of her wits.

Instead of using sound arguments to convince impressionable young adults to stay and serve the country, she used ghost stories effectively treating her students like they were still in kindergarten when the threat of being snubbed by Santa Clause or a visit by the Bogeyman in the dark of night still worked. Funnily enough, her threats worked because the video of her speech has gone viral and more Filipinos now think that the solution to our economic woes is for every Filipino to stay in the Philippines even if not everyone can be guaranteed a job in the market place or a decent quality life.

Coincidentally, in another part of the world, Italy is also suffering a brain drain. There are many young Italians who are frustrated with the current government headed by an octogenarian Silvio Berlusconi. At least the head of an elite university in Italy recently gave more realistic advice to the graduating students of LUISS University in Rome. In an open letter to his son published in the La Repubblica newpaper, Pier Luigi Celli wrote:

"This country, your country, is no longer a place where it's possible to stay with pride...That's why, with my heart suffering more than ever, my advice is that you, having finished your studies, take the road abroad. Choose to go where they still value loyalty, respect and the recognition of merit and results."

The above letter sparked a session of national expression of distress. I guess the discussion in Italy was just a few notches above the debate sparked by Monsod's speech among Filipinos here and abroad. Apparently, many Italians harbored the same sentiment and had articulated a growing sense that the best hopes for success for young Italians lie abroad.

According to statistics taken from a TIME magazine article, "the number of Italians ages 25 to 39 with college degrees registering with the national government as living abroad every year has risen steadily from 2,540 in 1999 to about 4,000 in 2008. The research institute Censis estimates that 11,700 college graduates found work abroad in 2006 – that's one out of every 25 Italians who graduated that year."

There is even a book and a blog called The Flight of Talent which covers the exodus. It highlights the fact that even Italy is losing its best and brightest to a decade of economic stagnation, a frozen labor market and an entrenched system of patronage and nepotism. Surprise, surprise! Patronage and nepotism are so rampant in the Philippines with the Philippine President, Noynoy Aquino and his mates representing the very epicenters of such practice. It's no wonder the best and the brightest in the country leave for abroad to seek better opportunity, something that Winnie Monsod needs to accept.

It seems that the problems of the youth in the Philippines is similar to what the problems of what young Italians are facing. The old generation is disregarding the young generation. Too much deference to the old folks is leaving the young people disenfranchised. The Italians even have a word for the problem.: gerontocracy, or rule by the elderly.

"Italy has always suffered under a hierarchical system, with the young deferring to authority until it's their time to take the reins. You are not considered experienced based on your CV, on your ability or according to your skills, but just based on your age." A quote from a disgruntled former Italian interviewed for TIME magazine. "When you are under 40, you are considered young." In some cases, entry to some professions is so limited that such jobs have become hereditary. "In a country where success is built on relationship and seniority, only the friends and children of the elite have a chance to cut the line." Why do I keep getting reminded of P-Noy when I read something like this? Ahh...it's because P-Noy practically inherited the presidency from his late mother, former President, Cory Aquino!

Just like in the Philippines, Italy has failed to produce reform-minded leaders like David Cameron of the UK and Nicolas Sarkozy of France. Berslusconi is already 74 years old and serving his third term as Prime Minister and the country's other political players haven't been updated since the 1990s. This is so very similar to the situation in the Philippines where the same public officials have been in their post for decades.

The likes of Senator Juan Ponce Enrile and Miriam Santiago have been the stalwarts for so many decades in Philippine politics. Unfortunately, deference to the elders has also stifled the young guns from replacing them. This was evident in the last Senatorial election when the vacuum in the Senate leadership paved the way for Senator Enrile to take over the Senate presidency once again. Obviously, no one has the guts to take on the oldies.

Deference to elders is most probably the only reason Filipinos still look up to the likes of Winnie Monsod even if she hardly makes any sense. At least those who are already abroad like Dr Joy Antonelle De Marcaida was ready to challenge the professor's flawed reasoning.

Young Italians who leave their homeland share the same sentiments as what the Filipina doctor wrote in her article, " Filipinos overseas are self-exiles. We chose to leave our homeland when this became intellectually, politically, financially, artistically or philosophically limiting or oppressive. We are drawn to another country because of the vitality of its intellectual, scientific or artistic scene, its support and tolerance for innovation, progress and intellectual energy, and by its high regard for the immigrant who brings in new talent and skill, allowing him or her the freedom to achieve success, find his or her identity and express his or her ideas.

Only a handful of people want to leave their homeland and part with their loved ones because they want a sea change. Most people leave their homeland because there's just not enough opportunity for them to stay.

In Italy at least, they don't give threats to the people who leave the country or label them unpatriotic. Members of the Italian parliament who have started to wake up to the problem of brain-drain even created a bill to lure those who have left back to the country by offering them tax breaks. Italy was once a great country after all and despite their stagnant economy in recent years, excellence is still embedded in their cultural DNA so there is no doubt that their country will pull through this hiccup once public officials who are already dinosaurs are replaced with younger blood.

It's hard to imagine lawmakers in the Philippines creating a bill to entice Filipinos living abroad to come back. There are no jobs waiting for them in the first place and the rest of the public are just happy to receive remittances from abroad while they call OFWs ungrateful for leaving at the same time. Who would want to come back?

Unless the Philippines recognizes that investing in the greatest resource – the youth, and creating incentive for them to stay and not with threats, the Philippines will be in a permanent brain-drain.

[pinoybrusko]

wow nice post there carpediem. this is a good exchange of views indeed.

If lawmakers wanted OFWs to come back in Philippines, they should provide us work there. Ano ang gagawin namin sa pinas kung wala naman maibigay na work na related sa profession namin? hehehe. Those lawmakers should study this first thoroughly before doing any step.

Ang isa pa sa hindrance dun e sapat ba yung magigng sweldo pag bumalik at nagtrabaho sa pinas? kaya nga nagabroad ang isang tulad ko kasi gusto ko rin guminhawa ang buhay ng pamilya ko kahit papaano yung walang iniisip na utang o namromroblema kung kanino na naman uutang para may pangtawid lang sa pang araw araw kasi hinde kasya ang sahod sa pamilya kundi sa sarili lang 

[judE_Law]

wow nice post there carpediem. this is a good exchange of views indeed.

If lawmakers wanted OFWs to come back in Philippines, they should provide us work there. Ano ang gagawin namin sa pinas kung wala naman maibigay na work na related sa profession namin? hehehe. Those lawmakers should study this first thoroughly before doing any step.

Ang isa pa sa hindrance dun e sapat ba yung magigng sweldo pag bumalik at nagtrabaho sa pinas? kaya nga nagabroad ang isang tulad ko kasi gusto ko rin guminhawa ang buhay ng pamilya ko kahit papaano yung walang iniisip na utang o namromroblema kung kanino na naman uutang para may pangtawid lang sa pang araw araw kasi hinde kasya ang sahod sa pamilya kundi sa sarili lang 

korek! sino bang gustong lumayo sa lupa mong sinilangan? sino ba gustong malayo sa mga taong minamahal mo? sino bang gustong umalis sa bansa na malaya, na maari kang tumawid sa bawal na daan at magtapon ng balat ng kendi kahit saan.. lol!
simple lang naman talaga ang dahilan kung bakit may nangingibang bayan eh.. mababang sweldo at kawalan ng magandang trabaho.

[pinoybrusko]

wow nice post there carpediem. this is a good exchange of views indeed.

If lawmakers wanted OFWs to come back in Philippines, they should provide us work there. Ano ang gagawin namin sa pinas kung wala naman maibigay na work na related sa profession namin? hehehe. Those lawmakers should study this first thoroughly before doing any step.

Ang isa pa sa hindrance dun e sapat ba yung magigng sweldo pag bumalik at nagtrabaho sa pinas? kaya nga nagabroad ang isang tulad ko kasi gusto ko rin guminhawa ang buhay ng pamilya ko kahit papaano yung walang iniisip na utang o namromroblema kung kanino na naman uutang para may pangtawid lang sa pang araw araw kasi hinde kasya ang sahod sa pamilya kundi sa sarili lang 

korek! sino bang gustong lumayo sa lupa mong sinilangan? sino ba gustong malayo sa mga taong minamahal mo? sino bang gustong umalis sa bansa na malaya, na maari kang tumawid sa bawal na daan at magtapon ng balat ng kendi kahit saan.. lol!
simple lang naman talaga ang dahilan kung bakit may nangingibang bayan eh.. mababang sweldo at kawalan ng magandang trabaho.

korek-korekek! 

[angelo]

well with the current situation, we cannot stop the filipino diaspora.

[hiei]

Sorry to be blunt pero kaya lang rin kami andito sa amerika dahil pera-pera lang yan. Ganoon rin mga kaibigan namin na UP grads na nag-practice na rin ng medicine dito. Pera-pera lang rin lang. At sino namang Pilipino na nasa katayuan namin na  maghahangad pa rin na umuwi ng Pilipinas kung matutumbasan lang rin ang kikitain sa atin. Tama ang sinulat nung Doctor patungkol kay Monsod. Malaking sacripisyo rin ang mawalay at tuloy pa rin naman ang pagtulong ng mga naririto sa bansang sinilangan. Karamihan nman sa mga nag-ibang bayan e may pinapaaral at may tinutulungan pa rin sa atin. At ang tulong na yun ay nagiging malaking parte sa pagpapaandar ng ekonomiya ng ating bansa dahil sa mga remittances.

Nakakalungkot lang di nasasalamin ang mga sakripisyong dinadanas ng mga nagtatrabaho sa ibang bansa. Pangungulila ng mga naiwan pati na rin ng mga umalis... Napakalaking dagok rin na wala sa piling ng mga minamahal at higit na masakit ay di makasilay kahit sa huling sandali sa mga mahal na pumanaw.

Patungkol naman sa green card or american citizenship... My 2 cents worth, napakalaking balakid kasi ng nagtatrabaho sa america at taon-taon ay kelangan mo mag-ayos ng papeles para sa pagtrabaho mo rito. Gayon din kung binalak mong umuwi ng Pilipinas, dahil pagbalik ulit ng America kung ang visa mo ay paso na ay kelangan mo ulit iayos ito. Di biro ang binabyaran ng isang pinoy sa isang immigration lawyer patungkol dito. Kaya pina-convenient na ang makakuha ng green card.

Kami long term plan namin mag-ipon at sa Pilipinas pa rin mag-retire. Maraming pinoy ang gumagawa nyan na sa Pilipinas na rin babalik pagkaraan ng taon na pagsusumikap. Ang mga taon at peran naipon sa Pilipinas pa rin naman babalik dahil karamihan ay nagkapag-establish na rin ng negosyo na nakakatulong rin sa kapwa Pilipino.

Bottomline: Pera lang talga. Ang tanong kung lahat ba ng mga Pilipino na di umalis at tumigil na lang rito magiging mas maigi kaya kalagayan ng Pilipinas? Madalas na maririnig natin isa sa mga sumalba sa ekonomiya natin ay ang mga remittance galing sa ating bagong bayani. Panghuli, nakita nyo na ba ang hirap ng mga OFW sa pagpila sa POEA at support na nakukuha nila sa gobyerno? Saan kaya napupunta ang mga bayarin ng OFW tuwing uuwi ng pinas.

[angelo]

may kanya-kanyang sakripisyo lang ang bawat pinoy, whether you stay here in PH or migrate to other countries.
tingin ko lang diyan, binabangga lang yan sa pangarap. doon na nag-uugat kung aling route ng sakripisyo ang kukunin mo.

sa ating kalagayan, mukhang mas "madali" labanan ang pagkalungkot.

[joshgroban]

to some extent afree ako kay monsod... may sariling bansa tayo ... temorarily pwede  mag work pero para mag stay dun ... i respct them pero di ako bilib  naawa pa ngako e specially if you die there

[pinoybrusko]

meron lang ako dagdag sa point ni Hiei maliban sa pera pera lang, na-observe ko mas magaan ang work dito sa ibang bansa kesa sa Pinas. I'm speaking of middle east OFWs baka iba ang standards sa US at Europe.

so isang ordinaryong OFW dito, magaan na work at mas mataas pa ang sahod, san ka pa? e di dito na hehehe

[joshgroban]

sana lang nga ang nag wowork abroad ay magbalik din talaga sa bansa  kasi pilipino sila... kasowhat happens e ang dami na ngayon ang nagma migrate... di ba parang tinanggalan na natin ng pagkakakilanlan ang ating mga anak... may fear kasi sa tin ... ayaw nating maghirap... pero yun ang kagandahan ng pagiging pinoy to be part of whats happening in our country even in the midst of crisis memorable yun... benigno aquino choose to go back because thats what he feels... to be in his country especially at that time that we are under a dictatorship....personal ko lang naman to hehe

[pinoybrusko]

di mo din masisi ang tao Josh, kasi lahat naman ng tao ayaw maghirap o maranasan ulit ang hirap. Yung mga nag-migrate chose it because they felt mas maganda ang buhay nila doon at doon na sila mamamatay. Yung iba naman though citizen na sila doon pag nag-retire naman sa work saka na lang uuwi ng pinas at doon na magstay hanggang maubos ang retirement benefits at mamatay. Pero yung iilan nag-open ng sariling business abroad so hnde na talaga uuwi pa ng pinas yun kasi for sure ipapa-manage nila sa anak nila yun if mamatay sila. This only happens to US, Europe, Canada, Australia, New zealand, etc but not middle east (KSA, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, etc) at Africa kasi wala namang citizenship na ino-offer sa mga workers. Pero pag meron siguro marami ang mag-aaply  . Kaya karamihan ng cases from middle east at africa, pag vacation sa pinas talaga umuuwi. It can be every month, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, 2 years or more depende sa contract ng employment. 10% na ata ng population natin sa pinas ay OFWs di pa kasama dun ang dependents (asawa at anak). Kahit sang lupalop ka ng mundo pilipino ka pa din kasi may dugo kang pinoy kahit fluent ka na sa salitang arabic, slang american english, british accent, etc. at kahit porma mo ay foreign na foreign na makikita pa din sa kulay mo at anyo mo na pinoy ka talaga 

Sa mga nagwork sa pinas at chose to stay sa pinas, thumbs up at hands down talaga ako dyan. Mas importante na makasama ang pamilya at kalahi kesa sa sariling bulsa  . sama sama sa hirap at ginhawa.

Sa mga OFWs sa Mideast at Africa, thumbs up and hands down din ako kasi iniwan ang pinas at magsakripisyo sa ibang bansa para sa pamilya. Nakisalamuha sa ibang kultura at nagsakripisyo sa iba't ibang amoy at ugali ng tao dito mabigyan lang ng konting kasiyahan ang pamilyang naiwan sa pinas.

Sa mga OFWs sa US, Europe, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, masaya ako para sa inyo at hangad ko ang tagumpay niyo sa pinili niyong i-migrate na bansa. Alam ko na generous kayo sa mga nangangailangan kamag-anak niyo sa pinas kc barya lang un sa sinasahod ninyo at maganda pa dun kasama niyo pa ang asawa at mga anak niyo dyan minsan nga pati pa mga magulang at kapatid nyo andyan na din buong clan niyo na andyan na. Mabuhay ang filipino community sa lugar ninyo hehehe. Sana maambunan ninyo din kami ng swerte dyan 

[maykel]

Just want to comment to..

Para sa akin, ndi betrayal ang pagwork sa ibang country. We all have dreams but other sees their dreams will come true if they worked abroad.

And for me Filipino who betrays their people are the ff:
1. Politicians who aims for their own good not for the good of the country.
2. Former Filipino citizen who insults Philippines. Or bad-mouthing Philippines or Filipinos.
3. Filipino who works here but still no care for the Philippines.
4. Filipino who are qualified to vote but didn't even bother to register as voter or didn't exercise their right to vote.

This is my opinion only..

[pinoybrusko]

Just want to comment to..

Para sa akin, ndi betrayal ang pagwork sa ibang country. We all have dreams but other sees their dreams will come true if they worked abroad.

And for me Filipino who betrays their people are the ff:
1. Politicians who aims for their own good not for the good of the country.
2. Former Filipino citizen who insults Philippines. Or bad-mouthing Philippines or Filipinos.
3. Filipino who works here but still no care for the Philippines.
4. Filipino who are qualified to vote but didn't even bother to register as voter or didn't exercise their right to vote.

This is my opinion only..

ito mas matindi betraying the country kahit nasa pinas lang. double edge sword na panama ito. Marami guilty sa # 3 at 4 

[joshgroban]

respected  ko lahat  mga opinyon dito kahit di ako agree sa iba... mabuhay ang pilipino .... ibandila ang kalayaan....