Family Day is bittersweet for Filipino parents who work overseas
Family Day is bittersweet for Filipino parents who work overseas
By Janelle Alegre
NEW CANDIAN MEDIA
Imagine not being able to watch your child grow up. This is the reality of countless Filipino mothers and fathers. As Family Day in Canada approaches, it brings to mind the growing number of Filipino workers, many of whom are parents, who sacrifice the familial union of this holiday to work abroad.
Approximately, 1.96 million Filipino workers worked abroad in 2022, where the majority consisted of women workers. As well, the total amount of money sent or brought home was around 197.47 billion pesos (roughly $4.9 billion Canadian dollars). As the Philippine economy struggles to provide enough employment to their growing labour work force, these statistics suggest that many of these workers pursue (higher-paying) job opportunities overseas with the goal of providing financial security and support to their children back home.
Sadly, working abroad means that these parents will be supporting their family from afar at the cost of being physically absent throughout their child’s life. Considering how this parental absence can have significant impacts on children’s development, it is reasonable to consider whether the sacrifice is worth it for these workers. While parents’ efforts may provide some significant benefits to their children and families, it does not produce a permanent solution to the systematic issues that disrupt Filipino families in the first place.
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