EXPORTING Filipino manpower to the world began during the later years of President Ferdinand Marcos’ term, when his labor minister, Blas F. Ople, created the road map for this novel sector of the employment market. At a time when the national economy was in the doldrums, this avenue of job creation especially in the Middle East and North American markets easily took off, earning for the Philippines much-needed dollars for its foreign reserves, and making many families enjoy extraordinary purchasing power.
Since prolonged separation among family members is inherent in foreign employment, the overseas employment program necessarily caused social problems and dysfunction, so that although the dollars coming in are important, a whole line of Presidents from Cory Aquino to Bongbong Marcos had touted the dream that someday, when the economy is stable and the problem of extreme poverty is solved, our Filipino overseas workers could soon return to the Philippines and find employment or business opportunities at home.
In his message during Go Negosyo’s Kabayan Awards 2022 in Pasay City last Saturday, President Marcos Jr. expressed hope that overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) will “explore local business opportunities and become entrepreneurs to make working abroad a choice instead of a necessity.”
‘However the OFWs and other sectors want to please the President with a cooperative response, this cannot happen with the ease of doing business still just a plan…’
Marcos’ message was read by Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual, as the President could not make it. First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos represented Marcos in the event.
“We aim to make entrepreneurship an avenue where we can help OFWs and their families generate additional income to support their needs. We hope that through entrepreneurship, our OFWs will now have the option to come back home,” the President said in his message.
The Chief Executive urged the OFWs and budding entrepreneurs to be adept at topics such as financial management, smart investing, discerning business opportunities, and many others that could help in their reintegration into the economy as businessmen.
On many occasions, PBBM kept on harping about the Filipinos’ need to tap on their entrepreneurial spirit and their ingenuity in order to contribute to our local economy.
However the OFWs and other sectors want to please the President with a cooperative response, this cannot happen with the ease of doing business still just a plan, the cost of electricity, food, fuel, health care and other essentials hitting the roof, and the economic managers are still pursuing yet another risky sovereign wealth fund that is vulnerable to corruption.
