How Do Ofw Families Spend Remittance Money?

[Mr Lee]

I found this story pretty interesting because it sort of helps us get into the minds of the families or OFW. I posted some of the sections which shows just how much the Philippines depends on remittances. So I wonder what part Expats add to the inflow of money and what part do people who are married to Filipinos and sending home money home adds to the countries economy? It looks like without OFW's money and that of all the people who send money home, my guess is that the Philippines would totally collapse. What do you think?

[tropicalwaste]

The article is very "fudged" to give a fairly positive light when in essence it doesn't mention how for example OFW's remittances get linked to Red Horse profits.. or where the majority of the money goes. From the people I know who are OFW's I have seen someone with a wife abroad who sent money home for windows to be installed in their house to find the husband drink the money away and no doubt she will return to realise her mistake in trusting her own husband! I worked in the UK before with a Filipino woman who used to work alongside me in the evenings at a cake factory ( I took on a part-time job on top of my full-time) for years she sent money to assist with the family and also bulk sums for "emergency" repairs. Upon returning home for the first time for a few years she noticed none of the money she sent for the families main house had ever been spent on it including for a "disaster" that never happened as it was exactly like it was when she left they didnt even buy a tin of paint to spruce it up to pretend at least something had been done. The reason she was at the cake factory was down to her working to give remittances. She said her husband works hard enough to pay the bills and that the family is her problem she worked a day job as well where she helped her husband with the cost of living in the UK and at night worked alongside me because that money was to help her family.. Works 14 hours a day 6 days a week when she could be working 8 hrs a day for 5 and for what?A load of drunken lying relatives who care not about her life but only themselves.. Give it another 10 years I can see things being very different simply because OFW's I have seen and met are grumbling now but realising the same curse will carry on in their children is starting to break the mould especially with the current economic climate.

[cebuexpat]

Well I can tell you for sure, I know one thing they DO NOT DO with thier money from overseas. That is pay back the stupid White Man who let them borrow with the promise they would pay him back since they would have a good job overseas. This Much I know for sure....... Big heart and weak mind is something you can not have living here, time to get tough

[Singers]

Well I can tell you for sure, I know one thing they DO NOT DO with thier money from overseas. That is pay back the stupid White Man who let them borrow with the promise they would pay him back since they would have a good job overseas. This Much I know for sure....... Big heart and weak mind is something you can not have living here, time to get tough

Dear P,Your "Big heart" is a great trait and you can rightly be proud of your generosity in the past. IMO.THEY are not worth a thought and in my experience have a miserable time of it -- ALWAYS looking over their shoulders.UK Tom

[FlyAway]

Pretty sad when you have an entire sector of the government set up to handle exporting your own people for labor. They call the OFW's the countries Hero's.

[Tom in Texas]

Pretty sad when you have an entire sector of the government set up to handle exporting your own people for labor. They call the OFW's the countries Hero's.

I does seem sad... but... when a country does not have an inherently valuable natural resource (oil, etc.), and has created a system of laws and customs that effectively prevents foreign (whether corporate, private, NGO or otherwise) assistance in developing a modern infrastructure, legal system, financial system and business environment... what else can they export? Tom in Texas

[tropicalwaste]

Pretty sad when you have an entire sector of the government set up to handle exporting your own people for labor. They call the OFW's the countries Hero's.

I does seem sad... but... when a country does not have an inherently valuable natural resource (oil, etc.), and has created a system of laws and customs that effectively prevents foreign (whether corporate, private, NGO or otherwise) assistance in developing a modern infrastructure, legal system, financial system and business environment... what else can they export? Tom in Texas

Lets wait and see :thumbs-up-smile: China has started training thousands of nurses and no doubt shipping will follow.. they will be cheaper quality of training etc. I don't know enough about but lets be honest look what they have done to most of the manufacturing industry they are going to attack the OFW market heavily over the next few years. The same as people already operating in China.. My wifes brother is working in Macau and they are employing "Chinese first" if they struggle to fill vacancies then they will look for foreigners.. what i love about china is the fact its prepared to screw everyone yet complains if it goes the other way at any point.. but they are getting away with it!So lets wait and see.. the OFW market may not be the global resource the Philippines can rely on for the next 20 years..