Did you know that yesterday was Filipino Migrant Workers Day? We didn't, until we read a teeny-weeny news about it. Er excuse me, bakit hindi maugong ang selebrasyong ito?! Anyway, we read the articles a day late. But better late than never!
This day came in cosmic timing as co-expat bloggers over at Kablogs are waging war against a certain Mike Avenue's post that berates OFWs (us and our parents, thank you) and the lives we supposedly lead abroad. Obviously, Mike Avenue's entry is lacking in research... and experience, so the Pink Tarha Girls will no longer waste time in refuting what was already said on his post and giving the blogger and his blog a brighter limelight. Besides, the Kablogs community has released a manifesto. We share the same sentiments.Republic Act 8042 provides June 7 of every year as “Migrant Workers Day” in recognition of the untold sacrifices of Filipinos who have to leave their country of birth to seek greener pastures abroad. This year's theme is “Bayanihan para sa Kagalingan ng OFWs.”
The Pink Tarha Girls respect Mike Avenue's views and comments on the entry "Tsokolate" (now set for private reading only) but that is not to say we agree to what was written. Excuse me mister, aren't you glad you're living the good life in the Philippines and doesn't need to work abroad? Working abroad is a SACRIFICE. A kind of sacrifice a person will not know unless he/she experiences it.
Kaya naman, pinararangalan ng Pink Tarha Girls ang lahat ng mga Filipino migrant workers, hindi lamang tuwing June 7 kada taon, kundi sa araw araw na ginawa ng Diyos, para sa hindi matatawarang sakripisyo at walang pagiimbot na pagtulong at pagmamahal sa kanilang pamilya at sa bayan.
True, OFWs aren't perfect "citizens" nor "bagong bayani" of the homeland. We will not provide excuses for every OFW's mistakes and faults. Pero, ang tanong... ikaw na Pilipinong nasa Pilipinas, ano ang ginagawa mo para sa bayan mo?
On a side note, may we interest you in beautiful poetry perhaps?
Diaspora, Issue 27 of Poet's Picturebook.Read online poems on overseas Filipinos, by award-winning writers.
