The Philippines is undeniably one of the best places in the world to unwind and explore. However, as with any other destination, there are both highs and lows — and returning citizens are no exception.
Here are some of the ill experiences overseas Filipino workers have reported through the years. Of course, it is needless to say that these do not happen all the time. If they do happen to you or someone you know, the things listed below are good to know.
1. Corrupt airport workers.
Whether you’re a foreigner or Filipino, there are a few customs officers who can’t help but take advantage once you get to their section. They will generally ask arriving passengers to pay high fees for certain products brought in, like appliances and gadgets. They also tend to confiscate food and other items that are supposed to be prohibited when, in fact, they only take these for their own use.
2. Overcharging taxi drivers.
Several cities around the Philippines have taxi drivers that do not turn their meters on when you step in. They instead ask you to pay an exorbitant fixed rate. If this happens, never negotiate and instead insist on having the meter turned on. Otherwise, walk away and look for another cab.
3. Long queue at NAIA arrival hall.
Long lines are a constant problem in the Philippines regardless of where you are. As soon as you arrive at the arrival hall, you should expect to stay for another 30 to 60 minutes at least because of inefficient personnel and outdated checkout systems.
4. Luggage lost or delayed.
Many OFWs also experienced having their luggage lost or placed at a different flight to a different destination. Some are fortunate to get their luggage back while others have to settle for cheap reimbursement. Such things happen even if security guards manning the exit doors occasionally check luggage tags to catch baggage thieves.
5. Nagging neighbors asking for pasalubongs.
Whenever OFWs come home, they don’t only need to worry about their immediate and extended family. There are also so many neighbors who will be asking for gifts and money. Solicitation forms for graduation. Money to claim pawned jewelry. Money to buy an ailing relative’s medicine. It looks like the vacationing OFW has suddenly become a walking loan officer.
6. Family members expect you to give more money.
Many Filipino families also think of OFWs as endless sources of financial resources so they ask for cash aside from the gifts you already brought. This is because many believe vacation in the Philippines is a luxury and not a necessity, so they believe you must have enough money in your wallet to afford travel.
7. Everyone asking for money.
OFWs, regardless of the duration of their stay, have to deal with additional expenses since they will be targeted by family members who would like to ask for money to apply for a job in a different place, start a small business or purchase new appliances. NAIA personnel asking for tips. Taxi driver asking for tips. A barker insisting on carrying your bags asking for money. Did we mention family and neighbors also asking for the same?
8. Children do not recognize their parents anymore.
Some overseas Filipino workers have to stay abroad for a year or longer, so they find it very sad and disappointing how their children barely know or respect them when they return. If you’re working overseas, it’s best to have constant communication with the people at home: parents, siblings, cousins, and of course, immediate family members. With the technology available, all this is very much possible.
9. Confirmed gossip that spouse already has another family.
The long-distance relationship between spouses usually puts a strain on the marriage. Some couples file for legal separation while others just discover that their husband or wife has been having an extramarital affair and has a second family. Painful isn’t it? But these sad tales of infidelity and broken families extend beyond ‘Maalaala Mo Kaya’; after all, MMK is supposed to be based on real-life stories.
10. Going back to work abroad empty-handed and debt-ridden.
Filipinos are naturally generous so they usually spend more than what they saved for when coming home to visit. They usually charge the additional expenses using their credit card or borrowing from their company or coworkers abroad. In the end, they have to work longer and harder to pay back debts, which means that they’re going to need to stay in foreign land longer than before.
There is no doubt that working abroad and away from your loved ones is tough. Manage your relationships (and your finances) well and you will never have to experience these horrors throughout your OFW life.
ganoon talaga pinoy d n ika pagtaka yan akala nila madali kumita sa abroad d nila alam n noodles lng ulam mo para makatipid lang at may iuwing pera sa pamilya
kala nila pinipulot lng pera sa abroad di nila alam gutom at pagod ang tinitiis pamadala lang sa kanila ang pera yan ang buhay abroad
No to WONDER expected already!
Kla cgwo nla pinupulot yung perA s kalsada..itlog,noddles or pancit canton lng plgi ang ulam…binansagan n nga yan ang pambansang ulam ng mga ofw..
#2, shameless taxi drivers in NAIA with endless modus i hate them from head to foot…must be shot in sight.
marami talagang mapagsamantala dyan sa NAIA I LOST 1 LUGGAGE KUWAIT AIRWAYS FLIGHT411 KWT./MNL.DATE OF ARRIVAL 12/06/14….UNTIL NOW NO LEAD, NO NOTHING KUNG NASAN NA UNG BAG KO.FOR ALMOST 20YRS.COMING AND GOING NGAYUN LANG NGYARI omg! nakaka lungkot sa sariling bansa pa nanyari.
correct ganyan talaga sa pinas
Napaka simple lang naman ang dapat gawin. Spend wisely. Magalit na kung magalit ang di mo mabigyan.
Napaka simple lang naman ang dapat gawin. Spend wisely. Magalit na kung magalit ang di mo mabigyan.
kawawang ofw dapat wag ng mag bakasyon
sa Pinas
Ang buhay abroad ay sugal may talo may panalo ung mga noodles ang ulam panalo pa kau non kc may nappadala pa kau At wag din kaung magalit sa mga nahingi kc kng cla ang nag abroad ganon din ang ggawin nyo pasalamat pa tau at nakapag abroad tau di lahat ay pweding mag abroad
OFW should be more cautious with regards to their earnings.. Make sure that at least 30% is being saved monthly by you or by your wife in the bank or money market/mutual funds unless you already set up a business and running smoothly while working abroad.. Living a simple life is the best way to cut down expenses and save more
Kaya ako ayoko umuuwi ng pinas. Kung umuuwi man sa ibang lugar ako pumupunta.
buti na lang na open ang clark
buti na lang na open ang clark
Kasalanan nanaman ni PNOY to….?!?!?!
Ang problema lng sa napansin ko. Eto ang kna mulatan ng mga tao uuwi sa pinas naka Jordan shoe rolex bracelet at necklace n 22k gold dami pasalubong ngiting artista, kung umasta VIP, sana mga kabayan wag natin pilitin sarili natin maging sikat. Ang lahat ng sikat lumulubog. Mas ok n makilala tayo dahil sa ugali natin wag sa material na bagay. Experienced ko to office boy s UAE pag dating sa pinas mayores pag balik ng uae tulala.
Ang problema lng sa napansin ko. Eto ang kna mulatan ng mga tao uuwi sa pinas naka Jordan shoe rolex bracelet at necklace n 22k gold dami pasalubong ngiting artista, kung umasta VIP, sana mga kabayan wag natin pilitin sarili natin maging sikat. Ang lahat ng sikat lumulubog. Mas ok n makilala tayo dahil sa ugali natin wag sa material na bagay. Experienced ko to office boy s UAE pag dating sa pinas mayores pag balik ng uae tulala.
laging magpray para di makita at mapansin ng mga BUWAYA sa airport,dinanas ko na yan noon nang akoy galing sa SAUDI,buti ng nag KUWAIT NA ako ay walng BUWAYA pero nakikita ko sa FB na may mga nabibiktima pa din na mga kababayan natin na kunwari iniinspektion ang bagahe para makapanlamang lamang at makahingi ng lagay,pray din natin na walang ligtas mga yan sa parusa,..MAG ABROAD DIN KAYO HOY para maranasan nyo ang hirap namin,
iisa lang ang sagot diyan.,.,sanihin SA KANILA na hindi ka siniwerte at pangsariling gastos lang ang natira,.,.anu tayong mga OFW.,.,ATM?
tama kayo kabayan, minsan nga kahit man lang pambili ng noddles ubos na talaga.
ganun talaga. halos mabaliw na tau kapa padala kang isang ling go pa txt na nman. Di nila alam panu mg hirap ma padalhan lang sila. Kung walang pag kain I txt kpa. Kala agad agad may pera huh hi. kylan kya tau matapos sa ganito ng situation siguro kung patay na tao or disabled na.
Yeah its true this happening in life especially for those people spend more than a year in other country like Saudi Riyadh
Most of them ganito ang mga mindset nila na akala nila lahat ng ofw is mayayaman diba nila alam ung hirap n nrramdaman ntin sa ibang dayuhan n akala mo eh mpera.tapos pag dating sa pinas mga kamaganak na akala mo yaman yaman my pasalubung n nga magreklamo pa hingi p ng pera.
Honestly speaking takot ako sa airport sa PINAS kay sa ibang bansa na kong tutuusin dapat kampanti kana kasi nasa sariling bayan kana pero iba ang pakiramdam ko “something na may kukuha ng gamit mo na di mo alam daming nanghihingi kuwari tutulong pero maging kaaway mo na kong di ka mag bibigay… sana d na mag alok ng tulong kasi di naman sya tinawag na patulong. Pagsakay mo ng taxi iba na naman ang modos… Kaya mga ka OFW konting aware lang INGAT talaga sa mga taong lalapit sayo sabihin na kaagad na wala akong pambayad sayo in a nice way lang po na pagkasabi….
Dapat tinantanggal ang administrator jan. Kulang kz diciplina ang mga tao nya lalo na kya ang namamahala.
Yan nga ang hirap sa mga ma datnan natin masama ang loob pag hindi na bigyan! Akala nila madami pera bit bit ng OFW napadala na sa family may I uwi kapaba?
Kaya pag uuwi kau , wag na mag astang maraming pera.
May effective na paraan sa mahinaon pag sabi ” wala na sa budget ko yan or short na ako sa budget”. Tayo mga OFW sanayin na rin natin or marunong masabi nang “NO” sa mga bagay na dapat o di kailangan bilhin, unahin natin yung talagang priority. Ang “PINOY WISE INTERNATIONAL” ay nagbibigay siminar specially para mga OFW. Doon ituro ang mga information tungkol sa “SOCIAL CAUSE OF MIGRATION AND THE FINANCIAL LITERACY”. Marami tayong matutunan dito mga OFW. Kung saan ka ngayon na work as OFW mag inquire sa embassy.
Buti nalang marunong na Ako
Sakin hindi..pinaintindi ko na kac sa kanila dati pa na magbibigay ako not as much as they expect me to give to them.pag gusto ng isa bili raw ng handphone di ko kinokonsente..sinasabihin ko silang magsipag kayo ng mabili nyo gusto nyo..tapos aabutan ko lang sila ng 500 pesos bawat isa…tapos sasabihin ko pa na..o cge bibilhan ko kayo ng gusto nyo pero di ko tatapusin ang pagpapatayo ng bahay..so at least mag _iisip sila ng better option diba.?
..sad but true..
It’s really a life experience for 20 years,,,but what to do,,,I still want a better future for my family,,,,be frank n honest in life,,,so yearly vacation to pinas makes too much experience to discover,it’s more fun in Philippines,,mabuhay!!
It’s really a life experience for 20 years,,,but what to do,,,I still want a better future for my family,,,,be frank n honest in life,,,so yearly vacation to pinas makes too much experience to discover,it’s more fun in Philippines,,mabuhay!!
It’s up to you if u want to eat kfc evryday or spare ribs etc…stop making libak of ur loved ones…reklamo kau ng reklamo padala nmn ng padala.
So? What’s d big deal about it? Its normal! Why make it a big deal? What’s important is evrybody happy!
Minsan kc kahit may problema na ang NASA abroad ok p ri. Ang sagot wag lng mabigyan ng isipin ang mga mahal sa buhay..
Kinakaya para sa pamilya at Hindi para mamigay ng pera 🙁 … Sad to say pag uwi ofw ang kawawa
Yan hirap Sa Pinoy ,Hindi nila alam kung anong paghihirap Sa abroad inisip
Ako simple lng, uuwi sa pinas gabi, walang bagahi, nasa banko lahat pera huwag ilagay sa wallet baka masnatch, at d mapilit na magbigay.
Gather ko family at saby saby kakain.
D ko rin pinapansin sabi sabi d namn ako mamatay dun.
Ngayon nasanay na sila kaya wala ng pumupunta pag uwi ko.
defende rin sa uri ng trabahong pinasokan mo….at gaano ka katagal sa abroad….kong merun edi suwerte nila kasi nabigyan mo….eh kong wala wala talaga bakit ano gagawin nila?
sempleng font lang ang ginamit dito, hindi ko mabasa ng deretso pa tigil tigil..kau ba ganun din? hehe
Sa tingin ko ang OFW na nakakasama ko dito halos tipid sa pagkain masunod lang ang layaw ng pamilya sa pinas, puro payabang sa mga kapitbahay pero ang sitwasyon nya dito nagnanakaw ng makakain sa pinagtatrabahoan
mali po ang katuwiran na nagtitipid ka sa pag kain dito para alng may mapadala sa pamilya? eh cge tipirin mo katawan mo.syang gatasan nang pamilya mo?kung magkasakit ka sa katitipid mo sa kakainin mo?ikaw ang magkasakit at matudas?sino ang mag papakain sa sinasabi mong pamilya? kaya wag kang magtipid para sa kalusugan mo kabayan….noodels araw araw at hotdog?tapos pamilya mo jollibee KFC? ikaw ANG NAG HANAP BUHAY nag titpid……yon ang mali sa ugali natin kabayan kung yan ang gagawin mo.diko sinasabing mag sosyal ka namang kumain sa labas….
indomie lang.ayus na.
Nakalimutan yung padala!Padala galing abroad at padala galing Pinas.Yung magbabakasyon instant courier.Ang masaklap pa,overbaggage ka dahil sa mga yun.andyan naman ang DHL, Air 21, etc. Para makatipid e pano naman yung abala doon sa uuwi.
one to four is constant
ayuko tipirin sarili ko sa pagkain ako kay nag tatrabaho…
Isama nyo na din yung mga salbaheng porter na kumukuyog sa pagbubuhat ng gamit mo then would just grab the money from your hand