There is this tragic story in the INQ7.net today (4/29/06) about a doctor studying to become a nurse so she can leave for the US. I am not a nurse but I can sympathize with the author being an "OFW" myself. I spent six years trying to "resist assimilation" by rejecting the invitations of my college friends who had shipped out to the US, Europe, and Singapore within the first three years of their IT careers. I can say, I was not in financial want but eventually, me too had to fly out. I would have stayed longer were it not for more reasons not entirely everything economic. Now, I am not sure if I can ever go back because to do so, will mean having to give up the small conveniences you can enjoy by living in a more egalitarian society. Every time I come back for a vacation, I get frustrated and distressed by what I see. I would like our nation, our people, to change for the better, to progress in terms of human spirit, to mature intellectually and economically, for our government and society to address the current gross inequity amongst our people and be the latest Middle Class Economy, so that our doctor neighbors like Czarinah Pagay will no longer find a reason or the need to fly-out, to make a forced-move career-change midstream. Our society need not aspire to be an economic powerhouse like Japan, or a military powerhouse like the US, all she needs is to provide equal opportunity for everyone to choose the kind of life they want to live, with no second class citizens. To let everybody be in control of one's fate provided he/she respects the rights of others to be equal to his/her own. I'd bet that what most would want are just the bare minimum, the basic things like health, food, shelter, literacy, security, peace and quiet, and the small savings that will help us get through our retirement in simple comfort. I am sure many of us - a minority - have already achieved some or all of those wants I mentioned - our bottom-line - but I am also sure that we wish the same bottom-line to be available for the big majority as well as this reduces our anxiety on a day to day basis not having to trouble ourselves with the thought that our neighbors are practically starving or even dying of diseases that could have been prevented were it not for the cure not forthcoming because the doctors are out.
Sincerely,
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6 comments:
Here in the UK, the government persuaded people to train to be nurses, only for them to find the cash had run out and now they are left with no prospect of work as a nurse - it costs £100,000 to train each one apparently.
Aye - here in the UK the Government are finding £25 billion to replace Trident - Scotlands own nukylir weapons (200 of the little buggers) But they are paying off nurses, closing schools and making people work until they are 75 to recieve a reduced pension. Now there is progress. £25bilion could built thousands of hospitals; four thousand new schools or could ensure EVERYONE could retire at 60 with a great pension and free heating fuel to boot. Nice to see the Neo-Liberals have the people at forefront of their minds...
I can not blame you for going out. I am a Business student/Tech Support Representative and despite that there is still no certainty as to my future. The government is on the way to progress (as it seems to be like it for many, many years) but there is so much political instability to hinder that progress (coupled with many external factors).
I do wish that we can put it up together. I would like to stick it up with this country of ours because I feel that we have a lot of brains in here (many of which are leaving) and it would be a waste to have them all out. I wrote a paper at school regading this "exodus," but if the opportunity presents itself to me, I am not sure what I will do.
I guess it may be a matter of deciding if sacrificing yourself for your country is actually going to help your country.
Hi Guys,
I think "sacrificing" is too strong a word for what the majority of us are trying to achieve. For many, the first instinct is survival - be it proverbial or literal. This is what drove millions to seek work overseas by leaving their families behind. By flying out, they help release some social pressure that's continuously building from within straining the society. This is possible because many of us can speak English functional enough to land us jobs overseas. These millions overseas are sending back billions of dollars back into the economy to help keep it afloat. But this comes with a heavy downside - it has been causing other social problems back home which haven't been seriously studied by private and government sector alike so as to make a basis of change in direction. The huge social cost has been mentioned only by the press and being ignored by the public policy-makers.
I for myself have been helping in community effort in my hometown adress the logistical problems of the community public schools like providing internet-ready computers among other things. We are also always on a lookout on how to help our community. For example, last year we launched the $20 Club. Would you believe that school tuition in a public high school is only about $10 but a lot of children couldn't even afford it? That $20 club will pay for the $10 tuition and a pair of PE uniforms of destitute students.
doctors becoming nurses is a personal choice. migration is also a personal choice. i dont have any problems with it except a tiny itsy bitsy concern. its odd that other immigrants like indians for example, were able to bring back their hard earned money as capital and created businesses in india. while filipino immigrant it seems just left and never looked back .. ok correction. people look back but with a significant amount of scorn .. (maybe not everyone) ..
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