Working Abroad Solution Sa Kahirapan?

[tomatostellar]

Firm ako dati na I don't want to go abroad - but now, seriously considering it.
Sagot sa kahirapan ~ I think yes kung marunong ka mag manage ng finances mo.

[Girltalker2]

Working abroad may be a solution to poverty, but not at the the expense of others or yourself. Kasi normally may kapalit na kalungkutan, mawalay from your loved ones, etc. Worse pa, pag minalas ka, baka lalong malubog sa utang - see horror stories of OFWs yung mga naloko ng recruiter, na maltrato ng amo, minalas sa accident.

Siguro walang 100% na solution sa kahirapan. But I think if you do things right, from pagkabata mo, all the way sa adulthood, puede syang maiwasan.

So I suggest, ticket to alleviate yourself from poverty:

1. studies
2. living below your means - hindi lang ikaw, but also family mo, including your siblings, parents
3. huwag mag asawa at mag anak kung di mo mapakain kahit sarili mo lang.

GO where you will get paid best for your basket of employable skills -- not gross salary, but in net take-home/send-back pay.   baka kasi where you're working, mataas cost of living & taxes --  so konti na rin lang disposable income mo.   

I would also suggest think also in the long run.  If you accept the job abroad, will it add to your credentials such that kung bumalik ka (in case you still plan to come back to Pinas), you will be more employable?

Kasi for example, you are a school teacher.  Then nag work ka as DH abroad, ya, mas malaki ang kita, but is there any long term career progression there?  Hindi naman sa sinasabi kong mali, pero it would have been better if they did that, while studying on the side (getting a teaching license on wherever they plan to teach), then pursue teaching career sa abroad. That way, mas may mararating ang future mo.

Working is a way of life, hindi mo puede sabihin, work ka lang for 5 years, mayaman ka na. Kelangan somehow, you should also look at sustainability of your career para tuloy tuloy ang income. Ang daming OFW balak magbusiness pag uwi sa pinas, and yet marami din lugi. Kasi for a start up business, kelangan super swerte ka talaga, or magaling ka sa biz, or marami kang capital for you to succeed, at least IMO. Hindi sya madali.

[joban99]

For me, the solution sa kahirapan is a proper mindset. Yes, its true that most jobs abroad pay a better salary as compared to the Phil. Pero wala rin if you dont know how to manage your finances. Also, you need to also talk to your family and extended family ang give them the proper mindset about money (pero thats easier said than done, hehe.) Lets say Ms A works abroad and makes 100k/m and her monthly expenses are 80k/mo and Ms B works in the Phil and makes only 50k/mo and her monthly expenses are 20k/mo. In the end of the month, who has more money for saving or investing? But again if you look at it, if Ms A could just lessen her monthly expenses  while shes abroad, talagang she can make lots of money. So working abroad can make you more money, but you really just need to learn more on how to manage your finances and also teach your family and extended family about proper finance management. If you have a proper mindset and work in the Phil, you can still get out of povery, but if you have a proper mindset and work abroad, youll have a much better and faster chance to get out of poverty.

[belle_v2g]

If you know how to use your hard earned money wisely, then yes. yung iba kasi waldas..

[FayeP]

sa totoo lang talagang mas malaki income kun tutuusin, un nga lang sa mga nakikita kong kakilala, kamag-anak na nag aabroad, mahirap pa din, baon pa din sa utang gaya nun bago mag abroad...kasi di nga maingat....porke't malaki un narereceive na pera montly eh bongga kun gumastos tapos utang ulit....nagugulat na lang un nag aabroad na wala palang kinapuntahan un pera na kinita nya...

pero if kunyari may opportunity for me to go abroad na kasama or maisasama ko un family ko, pwede inconsider....maybe we can start a new life abroad....

[17glut]

Being an ex-ofw, ang msasabi ko lang is NO - hindi solusyon sa kahirapan ang pag trabaho abroad. Yes, it helps kasi malaki laki ang cash inflow mo pero pag walang disiplina sa pag hawak ng pera useless din.

Napansin ko lang kung sino pa yung mga laki sa hirap dito sa pinas sila pa yung mga gastador kung umasta pag dating sa abroad. Hala bili ng designer bags, pag may bagong gadget, kaskas dito kaskas doon ng debit card pero pag uwi ng bahay nilagang itlog lang ang ulam, tapos, mangungupit pa ng bigas ng housemate para may pang saing. Worst case scenario, ang kukunin pang gadget yung brand new na nakatali sa contract, and take note, madalas pa yan pag may bagong labas. I've seen close friends and colleagues reeling from debt kasi hindi masustentuhan ang monthly expenses sa pag aakala na kaya naman mabawi sa susunod na sahod ang nilabas na pera pero due to some unforeseen circumstances like getting laid off ng walang abiso or aksidenteng hihingi ng panggastos ang pamilya sa pinas, and ending, hindi ngayon makabayad ng utang. So ang siste, yung kakarampot na naitabi pinambili ng plane ticket pauwi para lang takasan ang mga pinagkakautangan. Samantalang yung mga kuripot at hindi mahilig sa mga abubot na uso ay sila pa yung mga nakapag pundar ng maliit na negosyo.

What I'm trying to point out is dapat matuto mag designate ng ipon. I set a specific amount threshold to put aside. Personally, I don't remit often myself, I just keep my savings on another bank account for the purpose of emergency fund in case mahospital ako or what tapos tinatago ko para hindi ko malustay. Then after a few months, saka ako mag remit ng amount to my bank here in pinas, once that's done, saka ako ngayon bibili ng gusto ko pero within my means lang.

Hindi lang waldas sa luho ang pinupuntahan ng pera ng ibang kababayan natin na hindi makaipon, minsan nasa lifestyle din nila. Like hahanap ng malilipatan ang dami pang arte na kesyo gusto aircon ang room, ok ang wifi, solo ang kwarto at gusto pa talaga sa condo with amenities included blah,blah,blah samantalang yung iba nagttiyaga sa mga maliit na flat na kulang man sa magagarang furnishings pero laking tipid naman sa renta at other expenses. 

Eto pa, akala ng karamihan lalo na nung mga kulang sa tamang kaalaman sa pagiging ofw na automatic ang magandang kita once na nakahanap ng work sa abroad. Gradual po yun mga kababayan, hindi agad agad malaki sahod mo sa umpisa parang dito lang sa pinas. Kung kaya't wag basta susugod sa kahit na anong bansa ng hindi handa. Kahit pa sabihin mong may kakilala ka na tutulong syo wag pa rin papasiguro, kung meron ka nang magandang trabaho at sahod dito pa lang sa pinas wag mo agad bibitawan. Yung iba kasi dinadahilan na bulok ang sistema ng pinas (bagamat totoo) sinuko ang magandang posisyon na meron sila sa pag aakalang kikita sila ng husto sa pag abroad only to be greatly disappointed ng hindi nakahanap ng work within a few months - nagastusan na ng limpak limpak tapos back to zero pagbalik ng pinas.

Imho lang naman po. 

[aktib]

I can say na makakaipon ka talaga. Since times 3 yung sahod abroad at the same time hindi magastos kasi walang gala, well in my case here. Walang yayaan every 15th, walang ktv every 30th. It may not be a solution to poverty, but you can elevate yourself from being broke 3 days before ng sahod. I'm very happy I tried going abroad after I finish my college. It makes me open minded and explore what's outside my comfort zone. I don't have my own family yet, so this makes my expense lighter, although may pinapaaral pko pero kayang kaya naman. Now at the age of 25 I will buy a piece of land, and hopefully magkapagpatayo ng bahay before I turn 30, without mortgage. Don't be afraid to try, but be cautious too.

[Priceless]

I would also suggest think also in the long run.  If you accept the job abroad, will it add to your credentials such that kung bumalik ka (in case you still plan to come back to Pinas), you will be more employable?

Kasi for example, you are a school teacher.  Then nag work ka as DH abroad, ya, mas malaki ang kita, but is there any long term career progression there?  Hindi naman sa sinasabi kong mali, pero it would have been better if they did that, while studying on the side (getting a teaching license on wherever they plan to teach), then pursue teaching career sa abroad. That way, mas may mararating ang future mo.

I think this is a great piece of advice for all those who plan to work abroad. Hindi sa mina-maliit yung mga DH or any profession for that matter, pero you need to look at where you are now and where you want to be in the future.

It's very tempting to accept job offers lalo na pag na factor mo yung currency exchange at maganda ang $$$ na matatanggap mo each month, but, as what aquacharly mentioned previously, you really have to look at the net take home pay (kasama dito all potential expenses arising from your employment abroad - like yung mga dagdag na kamag anak na kailangan mong suportahan), and analyze if it's really worth it.

Karamihan kasi nasisilaw kaagad sa $$$, but hindi na naconsider nang mabuti yung long term potential ng job or career abroad. And if you plan to come back to the Philippines (whether by choice or not), what will be your career prospects sakaling kailangan mo pa ring magtrabaho or kumita?

A lot of friends I know are afraid to go back to the Philippines for a lot of reasons, and kasama na dito is the uncertainty of getting a job that will be equal or at least close to what they were paid abroad. Syempre nasanay na sila sa lifestyle abroad and finding something in the Philippines that will sustain that kind of lifestyle will be hard.  So in the end, hindi sila makabalik-balik sa Pilipinas and they will just want to work abroad  for as long as they can para pag balik sa Pilipinas, they just retire on their savings nalang (although sometimes, pati yung savings nauubos kagad kasi di makapag adjust sa lifestyle and they end up having to work again... parang hamster lang na paikot ikot sa wheel nya).

[missus13]

It depends. Dito sa pinagtatrabahuhan ko, ang isang oras na sahod ko equivalent sa isang araw sa pinas, pero ang cost of living naman is too high. Depends din sa experience and profession mo..

[cutemama]

Ako rin kahit gusto kong mag abroad.. hindi ko kayang iwan family ko esp now that we already have a baby.
We know naman that almost all na nag aabroad eh nagiging cause nag pagka sira ng family. Marami akong kakilala na ganito..naging ok nga pamumuhay nila pero sira naman ang pamilya.. habang nasa abroad si mister yung misis feeling dalaga and puro luho inaatupag imbes na magsave..  yung iba din na husband nagfefeeling binata sa abroad. Sinasabi single sila.
Tska iba pa rin talaga pag andyan ka para sa anak mo. Maaalagaan mo siya at masusubaybayan ang paglaki. Mabilis lang lumaki mga bata ngayon, kaya gusto ko maenjoy muna siya.. yung iba halos 10 yrs nasa abroad imagine ilang yrs nilang hindi nakasama family nila tapos in the end hindi pala nakapag save..
Kung magaabroad man ako gusto ko yung magkakasama kami.

[virniel]

It's too simplistic to say that working abroad is the solution to poverty, but unfortunately, many Filipinos have that mentality. At the end of the day, the only thing that matters is that we get to know what really matters to us.  Agree ako sa mga na-raise na points dito sa thread na to, i.e. depende sa paghawak ng finances yan since malaki or maliit ang cash inflow, pag mali ang pag-manage ng pera, wala din. So dapat lang mamili ng Pinoy, ano ba ang top priority and value nila? Pera? Malaking bahay? or material things?  In my case, education is the real answer to poverty.  Basta mapag-aral ang mga anak at maturuan ng tamang values, we can be assured of a much better future.

[kiz_me1109]

Depende siguro sa tao on how he/she manage her/his finances. Madami akong kilala who worked abroad for so many years and then pag uwi dito walang ipon or walang pera.

For me personally, it's not. Definitely because I have a family of my own and I really believe that there are other ways to earn money and at the same time you're with your family. There are certain things naman kasi na naiisip mo na mas importante kapag may family ka na (your child's graduation, stages habang lumalaki siya, time with your husband, anniversaries, birthdays, etc) Something na hindi kayang bilhin ng pera and hindi na siya maibabalik.

Madami naman means dito sa Philippines e. In fact, maganda naman ang economic stability ng Government natin. It's really up to you kung pano mo i manage finances mo.

Again, it's a case to case basis. Pero kahit nung single ako, never ko naisip na mag abroad para kumita ng mas malaki.

[simang]

Hmm for me no. Sabi nga diba mayaman ka not by the measure of how much money you make, but with how much is left. Kung kumikita ka ng 1M a month at naglalabas ka din naman ng 1M a month, you're still broke. Yun ang downside I guess ng working abroad lalo na hindi marunong magmanage ng finances. Yung kinikita ng OFW abroad, malaki lang ang value nun dito sa Pinas. My mom was an OFW for 11 years, and I don't think it was worth it. Sure, nakapagaral kami lahat and nakatapos, but I felt like we could have done it still kahit andito sya and we knew better then.

[romantico]

It may offer a bigger salary than here in our country but usually they have a high cost of living as well. So you can save better if you live below your means. You can only see some money if you spend your money here.

Also, if you are sending money back home to your family then you will have a hard time saving up lalo na kapag ang pamilya ay umaasa lang dun sa padala at ayaw magtrabaho. I have personally seen this kind of case over and over again and not just hearsay. Like in my previous business, I would see a lot of tambays, man and woman, who are healthy are still very much able to work. They usually just hanging out and often drinking with other bum neighbors. Later, I find out that most of these tambays have a relative or two abroad and they are just living it off on the remittance money. Imagine the amount of money they could save if they are also working. A lot of family members feel that they are already "rich" if someone in their family is working abroad.

So I think it's not always that you can save. I often heard a saying that whenever an OFW returned home, he/she is just in the same status as when he/she was prior to working abroad. I pity those OFW whose family members are just living off of the remittance.

[Obachan]

Working Abroad Solution sa Kahirapan?

Not exactly.

Having a comfortable life than before na nag-work ako sa pinas - Yes.
Pero ang kapalit naman sobrang pangulila ko sa baby ko na hindi ko na nakita pag laki nya.

And NOT a solution either,
lalo na kung un padadalhan mo sa pinas to budget wise un pinaghirapan mo e wala naman sa ayos.
 

[carlavinoya]

It's a fallacy. I used to believe in that pero hindi na ngyon. Meron dito sa Pilipinas na nagooffer ng malaking sahod at madaming incentives and benefits para makaahon ka. Like sa pinagwowork ko, isang BPO, dito ko nafeel na kaya pa din sa Pilipinas!

[Castell]

Yes sagot ito sa kahirapan. pero dapat may goal ka lang at may time limit ang pagging OFW hinde forever..
dapat alam mo kung para san ang iniipon mo at hanggang kelan ka lang. hinde ka pwede tumanda sa abroad lalo na kung visa resident ka lang. kasi every 2 years mag rerenew ka lang hinde ito pang matagalan.

sa mga bata pa okay lang mag abroad kayo para mabile nyo yung mga pangarap no like bahay kotse or business pero dapat may naka set ka goal sa buhay mo kung ano gagawin mo pag nakuha mo na ang pangarap mo.

mas maganda mag abroad ka lang mag ipon at bumalik ka pinas habang bata para kung ang Plan A mo hinde gumana may chance ka pa uli kapag tumanda ka sa abroad at wala ka na pundar or ipon luhaan ka lang babalik sa pinas at magging kawawa ka lang.

[HapNiAce]

Hi, I'm an Online Tutor and Japanese Students ko. Yung ibang student ko part timer at highschool palang yung iba college na. I was shocked na nakakabili sila ng kotse, nakakapagibang bansa kakaipon sa part time job nila. Yun pala yung salary nila per hour e minimun wage (Manila rate) sa Pinas, so satingin ko mas nakakaipon talaga pag mag aabroad. To be honest, walang pag asa sa Pinas. Yung sahod mo sakto lang sa mga gastusin.

Me personally, gusto kong mag abroad but sana with my family. Mahirap malayo sa kanila pero mas mahirap na hindi natin sila mabigyan ng maayos na buhay.

[izabelle]

Case to case basis.. Hindi sa lahat ng pagkakataon. I know a lot of people ilan taon nagwork sa abroad pero nganga pa din pag uwi sa Pinas. Hindi kasi natuto mag invest. hindi natuto mag ipon. In short either waldas sya or waldas ang pamilya dito.

Yung iba nasa abroad na nakatira, akala mo big time, puro branded stuff, only to find out kabikabila ang utang.

So, for me, depende sa tao.. Abroad is not always a solution sa kahirapan and does not always mean mas may magandang buhay.

at the end of the day, it is how you managed your finances.

[HapNiAce]

Sabagay, tama nga naman haha Pero ikaw sis saan mo gusto dito o abroad?