It's no secret that being a Filipino Overseas Foreign Worker (OFW) isn't always easy. It means leaving the comfort of one's homeland and, often, loved ones along with it. Despite the structural limitations of living abroad, many Filipinos gain new skills and work in higher-paying jobs, providing greater economic stability for their families.
However, leaving one's home country also means adjusting to different customs and cultures, as well as more physical discomforts such as isolation, language barriers, and homesickness. Adjusting to new countries can be difficult enough without having to figure out how to access government services, where to find support from other Filipino workers in similar situations, or even how to make friends in unfamiliar environments.
This is why creating a website specifically for Filipinos abroad would be beneficial, providing resources and support to aid their adjustment in their new environments. Such a website would offer timely information about the rights of OFWS both in their current countries and back home in the Philippines; connect OFWs through forums or chat rooms; or have job boards or event calendars tailored toward OFWs looking for employment opportunities or interested in networking with other Filipinos abroad.
Given the sheer number of Filipinos living and working abroad, it's no surprise that there's a need for services to support them. Unfortunately, the Filipino diaspora faces numerous challenges: inadequate job opportunities and educational attainments; language barriers; loneliness; cultural shocks; unequal wages; social exclusion; and racism.
The Filipino OFWs need reliable sources of information such as job offers, legal advice, interpretation services, and housing options. They also require connections so they can find compatriots with whom they can share experiences and emotions, as well as access to healthcare professionals who can provide care efficiently and compassionately.
Apart from these practical needs are the emotional needs that come with leaving behind one's native language and culture: a sense of belonging within a unified community; a platform to share stories; connecting with those back home; meaningful content such as podcasts or forums; easy access to events where the Filipino diaspora can meet in person or virtually; and an opportunity for self-expression through creative outlets like music or art.
An online platform would be hugely beneficial for these supports for Filipinos abroad—one that provides resources on visas and work permits in different countries; an interactive community for people to share their experiences in living abroad; a newsroom featuring current topics about Filipino OFWs around the world along with issues affecting them. It will be a helpful tool for current and future OFWs alike—a place where they can get informed while fostering familiarity among its members located all over the globe.