PILIPINO KA
SA IBAYONG BAYAN NAKIKIPAGSAPALARAN
MGA MAHAL SA BUHAY AY IYONG INIWAN
UPANG MAGANDANG BUKAS AY MAKAMTAN
ANG PAHINANG ITO AY PARA SAYO….
PAUWI NA handog ni NOEL CABANGON
Ang pahinang ito ay para sa lahat ng mga Overseas Filipinos at ang kanilang mga pamilya. Sa pahinang ito ay maaari tayong magpalitan ng mga kuro-kuro, mga pangarap, mga karanasan at mga problema at kahit ano pang saloobin natin… Nawa’y ang pahinang ito ay makatulong na kahit bahagya at sa kahit anong paraan sa pagpapagaan ng inyong ma nararamdaman
(Para sa karagdagan suggestions at comments para sa host ng pahinang ito mag-email lamang sa josel@akbayan.org)
Group: Victory vs rude writer shows OFW power
A group of Filipinos in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, cheers the Filipino community in Dubai for undertaking a campaign that forced a columnist who maligned overseas Filipino workers to make a public apology and to resign from work, the Arab News reported Saturday.
Ronnie Abeto, a senior leader of the Riyadh-based V-Team for Advocacy and community Service, said the successful campaign against columnist Malu Fernandez shows the power of OFWs (speaking as one) to effect change in Philippine politics.
Fernandez announced her resignation from People Asia magazine and Manila Standard Today on August 24, after reaping outrage sparked by an article she wrote in June that offended OFWs.
Her article, “From Boracay to Greece,” published by People Asia in June, has been drawing a slew of heated words from all over the blogosphere, particularly from a group of Filipino journalists in Dubai, who demanded public apology and her resignation.
The incident Fernandez recounted in her flight via Dubai to Manila in which she insulted OFWs on board an Emirates flight for wearing “cheap” perfumes had no bearing to her story, the journalists said.
They added that Fernandez not only mocked the cheap perfumes of OFWs that diluted her expensive Jo Malone but also showed contempt on Filipinos working at Dubai’s duty-free shop.
“I forgot that the hub (of Emirates Airlines) was in Dubai and the majority of OFWs were stationed there. The duty-free shop was overrun with Filipino workers selling cell phones and perfume. I wanted to slash my wrist at the thought of being trapped in a plane with all of them,” Fernandez wrote in her column.
In a subsequent column in the Manila Standard Today, she said she was not being rude but only being true to herself.
In an unprecedented outburst, overseas Filipinos from all corners of the world joined hands in “attacking” the columnist.
‘Humbled’
Fernandez in her statement said she was “humbled” by the “vehement and heated” response to her article. She said the article was not meant to malign, hurt or express prejudice against OFWs.
“I am deeply apologetic for my insensitivity and the offensive manner in which this article was written, I hear you all and I am properly rebuked. It was truly not my intention to malign hurt or express prejudice against OFWs,” her satement said.
Fernandez claimed that because of the article she became a subject of hate blogs, a target of death threats and personal insults.
“Our society is bound together by human chains of kindness and decency. I have failed to observe this and I am now reaping the consequences of my actions.” Fernandez said.
Fernandez said she now truly understands the “insidiousness of discrimination and prejudice disguised as humor.”
“It is my fervent hope that the lessons that I’ve learned are not lost on all those who through anonymous blogs, engaged in bigotry, discrimination, and hatred,” she said.
Unite one more time
Realizing the strength of OFWs when united, Abeto enjoined all overseas Filipinos all over the world to show the same support for the V-Teams’ petition for a special foreign exchange rate.
The special forex rate pegged at P50:$1 will cushion OFWs and their families from the effects of the declining value of dollar remittance amid the rising value of the peso.
Referring to the petition, Abeto said, “With the same effort and support, I enjoin all OFWs to extend the same support to our campaign and let the government hear our voice. I request all of you to join us in our second wave of campaign that will be communicated to all of you in the next few days.”
He urged those who have not yet signed the petition to log on to http://petition.patnubay.com and sign up so that President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and her advisers would take heed. – GMANews.TV
Nomadic Thoughts 
[…] OVERSEAS FILIPINOS PAGE […]
MY GOD!! I would say Malu Fernandez is a big joke and a very big shame for all the Filipino People. Remember maybe you are very mabango because of your imported and very expensive perfume, maligo ka lang, kasing amoy ka lang ng kahit sinong Pilipino. Remember, God measures us not by WHAT WE EAT, HOW OUR PERFUMED SMELLS, OR HOW GREAT OUR BODY AND OUR DRESS IS, GOD looks inside our heart and soul. Maybe, mababaho yung mga nakatabi mo para sa yo, BUT FOR GOD, THEY ARE ONE OF HIS MOST WONDERFUL AND LOVED CHILDREN. After all, they are HUMAN. Ano ka ba? Shame on You, Shame on You and KUDOS to all the OFW’s of the world. May God keep on blessing you all, except for this WHO IS SHE, kawawa naman, ganyang ganyan ang mga taong . . . OH MY, THERE IS NO WORD THAT WILL FIT YOU OR DESCRIBE YOU AT ALL.
Ang aking masasabi lang ay!
MABUHAY ANG PAGKAKAISA NG MGA PILIPINO!!!!!!!!
ang resignation ni malu fernandez ay hindi pa sapat sa insultong ginawa nya sa mga OFW.Kasama dapat na magresign din ang mga editor at iboykot ang manila standard at peoples asia magazine dahil pinayagan nilang ipalabas ang kanyang artikulo.di ba nila alam ang balik nito at hugas kamay pa sila.Bilhin lang ang dyaryo ninyo kahit manira kayo ng pagkatao ng kapwa nyo filipino ok lang sainyo.dapat dyan magkaisa ang mga OFW na ilathala sa number one na dyaryo sa pinas ang hinanakit ninyo sa ipokritang iyan para bigyan sila ng aral.At ang bawat pamilyang at may kamaganak na may OFW ay wag bilhin ang dyaryo at magasing nabanggit bilang parusa sa kanila.At sa mga empleyado hingin nyo ang sahod nyo kay malu tutal naman mayaman sya di ba at sya ang may kagagawan kaya naapektuhan ang dyaryo at magasin ninyo.Kung di na rin lang kayo makatulong eh wag na lang kayong makabigat.Tao ang sinabihan mo hindi baboy na katulad mo.
This message is for Malu and the fellow OFW’s. I feel so sorry fo you Malu, for not thinking more than once before writing something like that. You could have shared your experience maybe to your close friends, at least manlait ka man ng di mo sadya, they can easily correct you and they will still love and understand you because they know you better than us. Pero the mere fact that you put all your thoughts into writing have caused hurts to multitude of Pilipinos esp OFWs. As a US permanent resident, my heart goes to OFW who are still hurting. Siguro kung alam mo lang it will be bring damage to your career as well, hindi mo nagawa ito. Well. sabi ng laging nasa huli ang pagsisisi. Just keep on praying na sana one day magising ka na wala na ang galit ng mga Pinoy sa iyo at mapatawad ka na nila. Just show to your fellow Pilipinos that you are deeply apologetic not only in words but through action. Do something great na makaka ease ng hurt,hndi ako kasing taba mo but i know kung gaano kasakit malait physically. Nakakapikon di bah pero kung anuman sakit you feel right now, all you need to do is accept it. Im trying to be as objective as i can so payong kapatid lang, please think of anyway that you can to restore your dignity and reputation as a respectable writer. I hope this will serve as GREAT LESSON not only to you but to other people as well. Goodluck!
Hey MAlu Fernandez,Malu-ngkot ang buhay mo ngayon(how pitiful you are right now)because you just prove that your lack of discipline and insecurities did show again not only on your body(tabachoy!)but also from your thoughts/words(mahadera).
Im a US citizen right now,this is because I once became a Dubai OFW(professional)and a well disciplined individual (Filipino)not like you.
Not only that I have unlimited travel privelege(world wide) with seats that I can choose,but I think I will love to sit in the economy class with full of OFW rather than sittinng in first class with passenger like you(Stinky/cranky soul!!).
SALUTE TO ALL HEROIC OFW!!!
I am an OFW (CPA) here in Kuwait and have been so, for the past 17 years ( Dubai, KSA and now Kuwait).
May God bless you Malu! I really pity you for what you are but as God says do not judge so that you will not be judged. We cannot judged you because we do not know your pasts; or what you have been through in your life. If we based on what we learned from psychology – you are simply covering up for what you are! You projected to be ” rich” but in actual life, may be it is the opposite; or may be “you have been so destitute and deprived during your younger days just like me. But thanks God, am too different
from you. Malu, I know you feel the emptiness like those who exists but did not have faith in Jesus Christ. The Holy Bible tells us that what comes out from our mouth are what our hearts are full of. Are you not longing for something that in spite of all the material things you have right now, somehing is still lacking? Why accumulate things that are temporary that you cannot bring them after life?
I advise you to seek first the love of our Lord Jesus Christ by accepting HIM as your personal LORD and SAVIOR,
and you will be amazed by the changes HE will make in your life. You see, we cannot change by ourselves but we need Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit to change us. After all
Jesus Christ has redeemed all of us in Mt. Calvary by shedding HIS blood for all of us.
I challenge you Malu and read your Holy Bible (John 3:16).
May God Bless You.
Sabi nga, apologies can’t undo the damage… nasaktan ang OFWs sa mga panlalait nya. Sana lang she’d learn from this…
o cammon’
bullshit
tapos na ang issue tungkol kay malu kaya tayong mga Pinoy lalo na mga nasa ibang bansa gaya ko dapat na tayong mag move on at ipagmalaki kung ano ang meron tayo na wala si Malu… matagal ko ng gustong bumisita dito sa blog mo kuya selvo , ngayon lang nabigyan ng oras …. i admire you because naging matapang ka para ipagtanggol at itaas ang bandila para sa mga OFWs….
xiao!
What can I say? We all make mistakes, humans as we are. And, while I believe Malu never really sincerely meant to hurt other people’s feelings, she nevertheless only has herself to blame for the conflagration created by her article. I just ope and pray that we have all learned a lot from this unfortunate and unwelcome incident. As we all move on, let us not forget: Let’s live and let live, okay? More power, Kuya Selvo and God bless. And as for you, Malu, keep your hjead and spirits up. It takes real guts to accept and apologize for the hurt you’ve caused a lot of people. Cheer up, girl; it ain’t the end of the world. God bless you, also.
To Ms Malu Fernandez, I sincerely wish you would know what an OFW have to pass through to support and provide for their family back home. Do you ever know how it feels to be separated from your love ones for a very long time? That you have to scrimp and save every centavo you earn just to be able to buy a plane ticket to be with them? The family separation alone can threaten the sanity of a person if they are not strong. What more the loneliness and hardship they have to face. If you are lucky you won’t suffer discrimination from the people around you in that country.
I was once an OFW before I qualified to become a British Citizen. Reading these type of remarks from a columnist at that doesn’t help the morale of the OFW’s working hard to support their families. It takes guts to accept your mistakes but the damage has been done. Whoever will read your column passed on by every filipino, will always feel insulted by what you have written. May you find peace in your self and may you be forgiven for your error. God Bless.
To all the FILIPINO OFW’s out there. Keep up the good work and God Bless you all!
Eto naman ang lumang-bagong issue : http://mitchteryosa.wordpress.com/2007/08/29/anomalies-inside-the-naia/
Salamat sa pagmamalasakit sa iyong munting paraan Mr. Josel
napgbuklod mo ang nagngingitngit na damdamin ng bawat OFW
na inapi o kinutya.
Isa pang issue na kinahaharap namin ay kung totoo bang 7.5%
ang GDP ng Pilipinas. Maari ka ulit magsimula ng Blog ukol dito,
Nababahala lang kaming mga OFW sapagkat apektado kami ng
Projection ng kasalukuyang administrasyon na mataas ang growth mg philippine economy samantalang naghihikahos ang
mga naiwan naming mahal sa buhay. Di nila maramdaman ang
pag-unla dna sinasabi. Nasaan ang Growth na sinasabi kung ang mga pangunahing bilihin ay patuloy na mataas, kung lugmok pa rin ang masa sa kahirapan? The elite still succomb
for power and wealth, yan ang tatsulok ng estado ng buhay sa Pilipinas. Sino ang dapat magbaliktad nito? Sisimulan na ba
naming OFW? Kaya ba namins mob (masa)?
Tumbukin ko na ang talagang issue, nakapagtataka lang kasi
maraming OFW na bawas na ang sahod dahil sa pagbaba ng
palit ng dolyar. Isa ngang campaign na kumakalat na chain letter ay bawasan ng 24 USD ang bawat padala ng OFW para
maramdaman ng administrasyong Arroyo na lahat ng OFW ay
di ayon sa kanilang stratehiya.
Talaga bang mataas na ang GDP ng pilipinas para sabihing
mababa ang palit ng dolyar sa piso o kinukupitan kaming mga
OFW sa bawat pisong aming inireremit sa Pilipinas?
Asan ba kasi talaga ang GDP Growth? wala kasing maramdaman ang ordinaryong Juan, Pedro at Procopio kundi ang mainis sa kasalukuyang kalakaran ng palitan ng piso.
OFW MOB RULES!!! lets extend the campaign after the mahaderang matapobre sa OFW to this issue.
Let’s unite and Fight for our right and deserve what is due for
us. Wag tayong pumayag na kupitan tayo.
Lastly, Maraming salamat sa ginoong Josel pagkakataong mailahad ang saloobing ito not only for me but concerning all
salaries of OFW.
TIGILAN NA ANG KURAKOT WAG NYO KAMING IDAMAY.
yp501
Ako po ay simpleng OFW lamang kahit papano kumikita rin para mabigyan ko ang aking pamilya ng magandang buhay at makatulong sa ating bansa. Ngunit ako poy nasasaktan dahil sa mga taong nanamantala lalo na itong mga politiko na patuloy kinukorakot ang pera ng ating bayan. Maawa po naman kayo sa mga kababayan natin lalo na yong mahihirap. Tapos may mga tao pa na nagkaroon lang ng konting pera kung manlait sa kapwa ay sobra-sobra na ang akala nya sa kanyang sarili ay napaka buti. Sana mga kababayan ko bagohin nanatin ang ganitong mga ugali kc hindi naman ito makakatulong sa atin baka ito pa ikakasama mo. Magkaisa na po tayo … salamat pala sa mga taong tumutulong para mapaunlad ang ating bayan
lalo na ang mga OFW. Sana naman po mahalin natin ang mga OFW na kahit itinataya na namin ang buhay namin dito para makatulong sa ating bansa, kahit gaano kahirap ang mawala sa pamilya ay tinitiis namin. Mahal na pangulo kung tunay kang makabayan parusahan mo ang nanlalait sa ating mga Bayaning OFW, kung hindi mo po sya kayang parusahan katulad karin nang mga politikong sinasabi ko.
pasensya na po drama na po!!!!
MGA OFW MABUHAY KAYO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
mga katotong OFWs sa abroad at sa kanilang mga kapamilya, kapuso, at kasama na naiwan sa pinas,
may balitang suportado daw ni VP Noli ang Fixed Forex Rate for OFWs! silipin niyo po dito:
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=90954
ETO ANG KUMAKALAT NA E-MAIL DITO SA SAUDI ARABIA…
Ang tanong ko lang, kung kinaya nating magbuklod against the mahaderang matapobre sa OFW. Kaya din ba nating magka-isa
sa kagipitang kinakaharap natin ngayon?
Wag na kayo maghintay ng supporta ng sinuman sa gobyerno.
Lulumutin tayo kakahintay pero walang mangyayari kasi di rin natin alam kung palabas lang ang mga suporta nila.
THIS IS THE E-MAIL CONTENT….
Pakikalat na lang po.. Eto lang ang paraan para tumaas uli ang palitan ng peso to dollar for us to cope up with the increasing cost of living sa ating bansa.
SUPPORT THIS CAUSE..
This is not mandatory.. At least we have to lessen our remittances. .
Every 1USD that the OFW ‘ s will cut from the remittance will have a deductive effect of 8,000,000.00 USD for the Philippine government, so, if we all tighten our belts and say lessen our remittance for say 200.00 USD for three (3) months, the government will have a temporary deficit of ;
200.00 x 3 months = 600.00 USD x 8,000,000.00 = 4,800,000,000. 00 (this is 4.8 billion USD) If we will convert this figure at the prevailing rate of 45 Php per 1 USD this is equivalent to 216,000,000, 000.00 PhP. (two hundred sixteen billion pesos na to) I ‘ m sure this figure will be really worth dealing in a civilized manner. (Iilaw na ang mga mata ng mga nasa negotiating panel ).
This is our (OFW) united effort in terms of monetary value. Which the government “seems” to neglect for the very reason that we are not united… and they can step on our nose.. but for as long as we can endure the pain… we should not resort to this option. Unless otherwise kailangan mo nang ibagsak ang huling baraha..
Please, disseminate to others….let us join hand for this cause……tama na ang panggagatas at pampapalubang loob ng gobyerno sa ating mga OFW….sasabihin bagong bayani daw pero naghihirap pa din……tama na ang kalokohang iyan…….. .gising na kami…..wala ng epekto yan…..sa mga katulad kong OFW din,…
Kailangan din nating protektahan ang mga makabuluhan nating mga interes…para sa ating pag asenso ng dina tayo palaging lumalayo pa sa mga mahal natin sa buhay at sa ating mga pamilya para lang makapag trabaho ng maayos di ba?……..
Let us support this cause……pls limit your remittances of your hard earned dollars….. ..let us hold them……ipunin nyo na muna ditto sa abroad…..sa loob ng anim na buwan makikita ninyo ang epekto ng ipinaghihinaing natin sa gobyerno…. .
Ito lang ang paraan sa pambabalewala nila sa mga hinaing natin……
Di naman tumataas ang sweldo natin sa abroad kapag nakapirma ka na ng kontrata dib a?…..Pero bumababa lalo ang ating kita…..dahil sa pagtaas ng halaga ng peso…samantalang patuloy naman sa pagtaas ang mga bilihin at serbisyong kakailanganin natin sa atin……..
Kumilos na tayo mga OFW…….sama sama…….kapit bisig mga kapatid….. .holdyour remittances. ….
In light of the whole Malu Fernandez situation, here’s another problem OFWs should all watch out for and protect themselves against. Heard about this insurance company called TPG, that partnered with LBC for offering their products through LBC branches abroad.
The way I understand it, OFWs can pay for their TPG policy through LBC outlets. Now TPG filed a complaint in court against LBC saying that LBC has not remitted to them the policy payments of their OFW customers for several years now.
The policy payments collected by LBC for TPG were supposedly used by LBC for other purposes rather than to pay TPG. Now, Im not a lawyer but this seems wrong in my book. You can’t use hard earned OFW money, meant for insurance payments, for other purposes. Its just not done.
This is not the first fishy thing i heard about LBC. Its something worth looking at and protecting ourselves against. People can’t just play around with money that’s not theirs.
dont mess with us OFW,MILYON KAMI hindi sasampu.Kala mo kung sino kang BABOY ka.Malamang kaya nagalit yan kasi BAN ang mga kalahi nya sa Middle East o kaya walang feeds sa eroplano kaya nagalburuto si Miss PORKY.Fucking BITCH,social climber.FAT COW.
I was once an ofw, i have ofw siblings and relatives, friends, clients. Your cause is mine as well, just as your pain is… and now your victory. I,m with you in all your effort to make our country a better one. I salute you all!
I am a Filipino-British nurse who have worked here in Britain for the last 32 years. Although life is good, i do not consider this country as home. One could live here for a hundred years but one is still considered a Foreigner. My family and i are always talking and dreaming of the time when we could go back home to the Philippines to be with our love ones and friends again .It was therefore a shock and an eye opener when i read the blogs concerning Malu Fernandez. I forgot that
there are people like her. in the Philippines. Spoilt,selfish and tactless people, who will undermine,; who will put one down to make them selves look more superior than others.
//evangeline// the Philippines will always be home to many overseas Filipinos. kaya lang sa hirap ng buhay dito marami na talaga ang gustong magmigrate sa ibang bansa. it is a sad reality. but there are those naman who live to struggle it out here… fight for changes that would make life better at home so that one day Filipinos would not need to leave for faraway place to make a decent living. pangarap ko din yan.
imagine yourself controlling the rates of your remittances. can we do that? i am not a good writer as malou fernandez but please bear with my writing and read it to the end. i am an ofw working in japan, it’s quite annoying listening from the news, bragging the high peso value. as a filipino, of course i should be proud, BUT, have you heard any news that benefit filipino people including our family in the philippines? NO! in fact, their is a pending proposal of a fare hike! 2nd, price increase of sugar, 3rd, neverending price increase of gasoline which follows all other consumer products. i thought mrs gloria arroyo is an economist? high peso value, expensive consumer products…is this what economy thought by the school she studied abroad? or she just misundertood the meaning, “english kasi”.
Now, here’s my plan, which will raise remittances’ market value. don’t you want that? NO! it is what we NEED! the peso value mainly depends on our remittances, of course their are other sources but we contribute the biggest percentage. they said that makati business men control the rates, but we say, from now on, WE DECIDE!
i propose, november 26 – december 3 2007, STRICTLY NO REMITTANCE WEEK, we’ll call this the NEW HERO’S WEEK!within 1 week without our remittance, the peso value will drop, which will create higher market value of our remittances, dollar or yen, don’t get excited by remitting it when you have seen the rates gradually increase, we will remit it on december 4, by bulk! yeah! hey what’s the difference? either the peso value increase or decrease, nothing happens in our country, only those who seated in malacanang can eat fried chicken without worrying what will they eat the next day. if only few of us will cooperate, nothin happens. i urge those doctors, nurses who were insulted by teri hatcher to join, i know you won’t let those insults starve you’re family in the philippines. i know how we OFWs made Malou Fernadez fired! i know. deep inside, a warrior within ourselves is just waiting to be pushed, but you might ask, WHAT CAN I DO? join this movement, convey this message to every OFW you know all over the WORLD! Do what is agreed!
Hey guys! Join the group which I created in the net, filipino_ofw_warrior_within@yahoogroups.com. we will post any suggestions you think, and vote, and whichever is agreed, we must do, we must be united to be strong, strong enough to control our rates. we will know each member by codenames not by true names. these names will move the seats of those who seated, blinding themselves with money which they got from us. IT IS TIME!Doctors, Nurses, Engineers, CareGivers, DH, etc from US, Dubai, Canada, Australia , New Zealand, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, China, Germany, Saudi Arabia and all other countries where our brother OFW is working very hard, UNITE! Don’t ever think that our government are true to the concern they are giving us, they are just concerned with their names to be broadcast in preparation for the coming election this coming year 2010! and are concerned wih their pockets funded by our own money which we worked hardly for our family we long everyday, to be with us someday. It is our call Filipino OFWs, let us proudly say, THIS IS OUR MONEY, WE WILL DECIDE!
hello
exellent
Hey Malu! Sabi nila sosi ka daw. And your Jo Malone ba yun ay natalo ng Charlie and AXE?
Yeah, I think you consider yourself elitist, class A, sosi, etc… but don’t forget that our SHIT smells the same or mine might be more pleasant to smell kasi puro rice lang kinakain ko.
But I think this is one of the problems being encountered by writers (esp. you). You just consumed your ideas kaya for the sake of writing and earning bucks ay you have insulted the OFW. Why? just being a sosi makes you a demi-god? NO!
As I have mentioned, our shit smells the same or mine is better.
Gusto mo pakulam kita?
Ano mang baho ng OFW may pag-asa ang Pilipinas dyan!!!! SIGURADO!!!!! Di tulad sa mabahong bunganga mo!!! Pag-unlad ng PILIPINAS ay hindi MATATAMO! Sana’y wala ng TULAD mo!!!
selvo, something far worse than malu has come up.
my post on it here.
spread the word. ofws under assault… again.