Hello!Let us look at a young Filipina’s story in her bid to be an overseas Filipino worker (OFW). We call her Charm - isang taong may dating o karisma. She has divinely conferred talent inspiring devotion in others. This gift saved the day for her. Her path took time and planning. Who would know she will succeed after a long climb up?
According to Charm: “Noong bata pa ako, naranasan kong magutom, maglakad papuntang eskwela, mangutang pambayad ng tuition, at manghiram ng uniporme hanggang makatapos sa hayskul. Hindi ako nawalan ng pag-asa sa harap ng kahirapan o nagpadaig sa hiya. Ginawa ko ang lahat ng paraan para makatapos ng pag-aaral.”
With only a high school diploma, Charm landed a local sales clerk job to help meet household expenses. No way, she soon found out, that her PhP110/day job can help pay for more than the utility bills and her own personal expenses. So, she studied well to finish her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree.
Even before she did, she asked friends, and friends of friends where best to apply for future employment. The current dollar exchange rate is something like PhP33 for a Singapore dollar. The starting pay is SG$2,500 a month and this already looked rich enough for her, but she got more. “Kung may tiyaga, may nilaga – totoo ito, napatunayan ko. Hindi ako tumigil o nasiraan ng loob sa harap ng mga pagsubok.”
This is Charm’s advice: “Sa mga gustong mag-abroad, talino at tapang ang kailangan, hindi lang tapang. Kung matapang ka lang at walang pinag-aralan, gagamitin ka lang at pagsasamantalahan ng mga taong mas matatalino sa ‘yo. Tiyaga ang katapat ng talino. Walang ipinanganak na likas na bobo o tamad. Lahat ng tao ay may kaloob o potensiyal, at ang maagap daig ang masipag.”
One cannot enter Singapore as a jobseeker – either you already have a job offer or you go in as a tourist. “Nakalista lahat ng gagawin ko para masiguradong walang makalimutan. Malaking gastos ang pamasahe at bedspace – tapos, uuwi ka lang na bigo. Pag-aralan ang mga sistema at wag lumabag sa mga ito; gayunpaman magsaliksik ng mas madali, matipid at maayos paraan.”
Her steps were planned out well: where to find the cheapest lodgings, what to eat, and where to take a ride. Everything seems simple and easy for anyone with the desire to make the chance of a lifetime work.” Sana huwag ka magbakasakali sa paghahanap ng trabaho. Paghandaan mo. Siguraduhin mong may trabahong nakaabang sa ‘yo bago bumili ng tiket.”
So, Charm was right to finish her graduate courses to make herself globally competitive. One must always remember that an overseas job requires a higher skills set as you are pitted against the Chinese, Malay, Indonesian and your own compatriots.
Charm really expanded her skill set to shape up. Sloppy does not get the job done. She grew adept at using the Internet and other forms of technology related to her job. Precise information is important to her because not all available data is accurate. She was given management tasks in addition to her main job. ***