Monday, September 23, 2013

Mga Paalala sa mga Uuwi ng Pilipinas

Budget. Oo nga naman. Plan it. Work within your limit. Yung iba kasi one day millionaire, 29 days broke. Hindi na uso ang pasikat. Sarili mo lang lolokohin mo. Mamigay ka ng pasalubong kung kaya mo, kung hindi, wag na. Wala ka naman responsibilidad sa mga kamag-anak at kaibigan mo.

Wag tumunganga sa duty free at mamili ng mamili ng alak at tsokolate. Kung kaya mo mag-abroad, kaya din nila. Hindi ka naman nagwawalis ng dolyar di ba? Wag magdala ng madaming gadget just to show off. Yung madalas na party at painom, iwasan mo na. Isipin mo, hindi habang buhay ang abroad. Tatanda ka din at uuwi. Matutong mag-save for the future. Mag-negosyo habang me trabaho. Fallback ang tawag doon.


Ang simpleng bahay ok na yun. Di na din uso ang bonggang bahay baka ibenta mo lang yan pagdating ng panahon. Mag pondar para me maipakitang nag-abroad ka. Para sa sariling satisfaction yan hindi sa kapitbahay mo. Kung me uutang sa yo pambili ng kotse o pang down ng bahay, aba, bakit? Hindi ka naman bumuo ng isa pang pamilya. Mahirap magpautang sa panahon ngayon. Ibigay ang kayang ipamigay pero isiping mabuti. Yung iba kasi namamantala lang. Mabuti nang isiping madamot ka kesa magkaroon ng kaaway dahil sa utang. Iwas sakit ulo din yan, tol.


Rest. Matulog at magpahinga kasi 12 hours ang duty mo araw-araw sa trabaho. Siguro madami kang kaibigan. Everyone wants to see you pero ilaan ang bakasyon sa pahinga at bonding sa pamilya. Mas importante yun. One year ka nawala, o yung iba, 2 years. Ang bonding sa pamilya, hindi sa barkada. Umuwi ka for them. Hintayin mong mapagod sila sa yo, then set to see your friends.


Pamper yourself. Visit the doctor for medical check-up, pati na dentist. Isipin mo katawan mo. Pag me mangyari sa yo, paano na pamilya mo? Wag mo isipin yung pambayad. Importante to. Kung me pambili ka ng ipad para lang me maipagyabang sa facebook, meron ka din dapat pampa-check up. Magpa-facial at massage din kung me extra. Yung kalyo mo, pa-foot spa mo na din. Pa foot spa ang kalyo? Kung kailangan mong magpa-rebond, just do it. Bangs? Uso pa ba yun? Go! You deserve it. $40 dollars din ang masahe sa Base. Ang gupit $6. E 500 pesos me masahe, facial at gupit ka na. Isang taon ka din nakikipag-patintero sa rocket attack, siguro naman hindi kalabisan ang i-pamper ang sarili.


Have fun. Sabi ng DOT, it’s more fun in the Philippines. Wala nang hihigit pang fun than to be with your family but have fun within your limit. Ikaw din naman ang kakayod kung maubos ang baon mong pera. Saktong tama lang sabi nga ng commercial sa tv para masaya. Kung me kulang pa ang mga paalalang to, dagdagan mo lang. Enjoy your vacation, tol. You deserve it!


Source: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3101089861609&set=a.1092453686960.11113.1695086879&type=1&ref=nf

9 Tips and Guides to Succeed as Overseas Filipino Worker

When you leave the Philippines to work overseas, you probably have set your objectives already. Earn bigger wages, save most of them and return home may be one of them. But in reality, working overseas is more likely to be complicated than what we initially imagined. There are many distractions that dissuade us from pursuing our goals.
Many Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) spent many years working abroad yet they found themselves almost empty handed and unable to figure out why they were unable to save by the time they decided to go back to the Philippines. Remember that a high paying job does not guarantee savings, if you are not diligent in doing so. Or if unfortunate things happen (you figure in an accident or get sick, you get duped, you get laid off from work, etc).
Successful Overseas Filipino Worker sounds very subjective. But for the sake of this article, let’s say successful OFW is one who is able to provide the needs of his/her family along with sustainable source of livelihood long after he/she decides to go back home for good.
Therefore, if you don’t want to take the same route as these ill-fated OFWs and instead be successful, the following tips may be helpful to you.
1. Apply the job without spending a fortune. It is not practical to spend a fortune to land an overseas job, no matter how high-paying it promises. Many Filipinos take the radical route of selling farming lands, houses and other family properties to pay for placement fee for a job that pays only a fraction of that amount. While you successfully get the job, your family’s livelihood or convenience is compromised, putting you in a bind to contribute a significant amount of your earnings on a regular basis. This becomes the main reason why OFWs are unable to save for themselves.
2. Save before you spend. The fact that you are receiving much higher salary abroad than what you did back in the Philippines is a big temptation to spend more. After all, you have the money to spend, right? You might say you deserve a new car or a fine piece of luxury jewelry after all the hard work. That’s not a problem only if you already managed to save a reasonable amount on a regular basis. That amount may be from 5% to 15% of your monthly income. Many Filipinos want a taste of luxury even for a short while, only to regret what they did. You can be like them, but make sure you put money into the piggy bank first.
3. Become a property investor. Investing in farmland, house for rent or lots is a wise investment with guaranteed yields better than passenger jeepneys or sari sari store because they require a bit less maintenance and whose value doesn’t depreciate as much as others. As a matter of fact, real estate property value increases over time.
4. Invest in retirement savings plan, educational plan or life insurance. Even when you’re working abroad, be diligent in contributions to SSS, Pag-Ibig Fund and educational fund for children or future children as well as health and life insurance to safeguard financial security during challenging times.
5. Educate your family members on spending your remittance. Don’t make your beneficiaries think making money abroad is an easy task. Instill in them the value of saving and less reliance on your money remittance (or balikbayan boxes). By doing so, family members are motivated to help stretch the budget and save whatever you send instead of immediately seeking help from you for additional monetary help.
6. Don’t pretend to be a millionaire when you’re not. Sometimes, neighbors have this mentality that if you are on vacation, you are poised to give away stashes of money or bags of chocolates. And many OFWs oblige to avoid being maligned as too prudent and don’t know how to share. Sharing what you have is a good gesture but it does not need to be too extravagant that it’s like starting from scratch when you return to work abroad. What about if your company suddenly shuts down or have to let go of people (you included) due to financial difficulties? Or you got sick and unable to go back to work? These neighbors are unlikely to offer you help.
7. Think of a good investment while you’re abroad. If you are business-minded you can think of ways to establish business in your home town. Internet cafe for computer-literate family members, eatery for cooking mothers and siblings or a business center offering photocopying, typing, and book binding near a school. Don’t invest on a business you have no idea how it’s run. You better save your money in a bank than get involved in a highly risky business venture.
8. Think of acquiring new skills. Acquiring new skill can be accomplished through short-term courses such as dressmaking or cooking courses. Or maybe enroll in a distance learning institute. Other skills are not necessarily for livelihood but are good to have, such as guitar or karate lessons. Being an OFW should not limit you to be part of working class only. It’s still part of living your life, of which we constantly seek self-improvement.
9. Set short-term, middle-term and long-term plans. By planning on a short- (within the year), medium- (2-4 years) and long-term (5 years or more) plans, we are more focused on what we can accomplish on a daily basis. Do I want to own a new house within two years? Do I want to go back home in five years? Can I establish my own business before I reach the age of 40? Draft your own plans first and you’ll be able to steer towards a clearer direction.
These are practical tips that are not hard to do. Even the lowest paid Filipino abroad can still be a candidate to succeed in life overseas. It just begins with forward thinking, a little self sacrifice and focus on achieving dreams.