Read: There are some one million Filipinos working in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia alone. This is according to a local Saudi writer named Abdullah Al-Maghlooth. I received an e-mail of an article he wrote titled, “Imagine a World Without Filipinos” and I was very enlightened. According to him, in 2006 alone, the Kingdom recruited some 223,000 workers from the Philippines while we comprise about 20 percent of the total sailors around the world. He said there are about 1.2 million sailors working in various places.
Al-Maghlooth said that it is hard to imagine a world without the efficient, reliable and hardworking Filipino workers. He attributed the Filipinos’ “uniqueness” as global workers to our ability to speak the English language fluently and the technical trainings incorporated in our education system. Honestly, this is the first time I read praises for our educational system, much more coming from a foreigner.
The writer’s article is focused on the role of Filipinos as workers enabling the success of the day-to-day business of other nations. So he is putting much weight on the thought that if Filipinos suddenly and simultaneously stopped working around the world, there will be great disaster.
And I was really touched to read the lines of the writer encouraging all people around the globe to thank the Filipinos because they take part in building and influencing the world economy. And saying that “they” are dependent on us, he asked his readers to “pay respect” to Filipinos and “learn” from our experiences.
I want to believe that the article supposedly published in Saudi Arabia is real. It makes me proud of what we contribute to the world. Seeing our nation’s strength and meaning in the eyes of a foreigner is a consolation to our misery as a democratic state.
But taking the writer’s point of view, it is indeed liberating to think that all over the world, industries, schools, hospitals, clinics, studios, entertainment and amusement parks, casinos, hotels, restaurants, cruise ships, and even in government offices like The White House, there are Filipino workers.
The global Pinoy virtually controlling the world economy. He may not be the powerful voice that dictates the rules, but the global Pinoy is the muscle that moves the world economy. He is part of the means of production. He has the power to create a paradigm that would eventually change global economy.
But this possibility of the global Pinoy creating a paradigm shift in the global community also makes me think of all the reasons why we fail to boost our own economy. Filipinos excel abroad. Most of our skilled, trained, educated and middle class workers take chances in working for other countries rather than stay here and starve.
Our greatness is actually our failure. The continuous brain drain and human resource export is gradually crippling our own economy. Come to think of it. More and more of our college graduates and degree holders work overseas. More and more scientists sell their ideas to other countries. More and more doctors are treating the sick in other territories leaving our country short of specialists, making our people sicker than before.
The national government should seriously look at this problem instead of promoting brain drain and human resource export. Instead of getting contracts requiring export of our skilled workers, the Arroyo administration should concentrate in truly addressing the needs of our local economy. The national government should focus on pushing for entrepreneurship, agribusiness opportunities and invite more investors to locate in the country.
Better jobs means better pay. This would encourage our educated and skilled citizens to stay in the country and be productive in our own grounds. Better strategies and political drive for more investments will entice our people to stay here and influence our own economy. It is good to pay tribute to the global Pinoy but I dream of the day when the world looks up to us because of our country’s strength as a productive and progressive nation with strong local economy influencing global trends. (30)
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