Name: Kyle Marc T.

Cotejo

Topic: An Overseas Filipino Worker

Article: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2019/09/01/study-reveals-health-woes-of-ofws/

The OFW Health at Risk

The life of an Overseas Filipino Worker is one of the hardest and biggest adjustment

from the life in the Philippines. The choices these OFWs made are for the benefit of their

families, to be able to give them a better life. This stigma is one of the most common conceptions

Filipinos have. Each waking day is a challenge for them, and it never really gets easier.

According to Jonathan L. Mayuga (2019) in his Business Mirror article, OFWs suffer

from different common illness like diseases in reproductive health, cardiovascular, urinary,

neurological and immune system. Majority of this OFWs are undocumented who fear

deportation that is why they tend to avoid seeking professional medical help. Their physical

health deteriorates over time due to stress of both employment and unemployment. It is

astounding what OFWs go through each day. They are subjected to poor working conditions

especially due to the difference of culture in the Philippines and the land they work in. For

example, in Saudi Arabia, domestic helpers expect to serve one family but in the Islam culture,

they practice polygamy, so these OFW domestic helpers serve even the extended families as

revealed by Christia Maria Ramos (2019) in her Inquirer article. Moreover, OFWs are prone to

maltreatment. Eighty percent of OFWs are subjected to a form of abuse, especially women,

(Ramos-Araneta, 2018). Angara stated that Filipinos abroad experience inhumane conditions and

that we need to protect OFWs against these conditions.

 Despite all these obstacles, Filipinos have a way to come out stronger. This is the Filipino

resilience. But, the most ideal condition would be for the Filipinos to have opportunities in their

own land. As Angara demanded in his Press Release, to bring home OFWs, create more and

better local jobs.

References

Press Release - Angara tells gov't: Bring OFWs back home by creating better jobs. (n.d.). Retrieved

from https://www.senate.gov.ph/press_release/2019/0327_angara1.asp.

Ramos, C. M. (2019, August 23). PH seeks better working conditions for OFWs in Saudi through

labor pact Read more: https://globalnation.inquirer.net/179268/ph-seeks-better-working-

conditions-for-ofws-in-saudi-through-labor-pact#ixzz6AjhMDQDy Follow us: @inquirerdotnet

on Twitter | inquirerdotnet on Facebook. Inquirer. Retrieved from

https://globalnation.inquirer.net/179268/ph-seeks-better-working-conditions-for-ofws-in-saudi-

through-labor-pact

Ramos-Araneta, M. (2018, March 7). https://manilastandard.net/mobile/article/260389. Manila

Standard. Retrieved from https://manilastandard.net/mobile/article/260389