Filipinos Take Care of People all Over the World
The Universe
(May 16, 2004)
It is always a happy day when young people graduate near the top of their class.
Recently, three young men - Filipino-American scholars - graduated as nursing aides with excellent grades through the scholarship programme of the PREDA Foundation where I work. Education is the greatest weapon to fight poverty and Filipinos are eager and highly motivated. Thousands have succeeded and work all over the world.
These young people endured childhood poverty, racial taunts and survived on their own after being abandoned by their US navy fathers. They were among the “throwaway children”, the “souvenir babies” left behind when the US military bases closed in 1992.
Despite the hardship they worked their way through school doing any work they could find. One became a professional driver at 17 and work till midnight to ear his keep. Another became a vendor and worked in the market between classes. When they finished high school they were referred to the PREDA scholarship programme for Filipino-American youth.
It was a proud moment when they received their nursing-aide pin and diploma marking the completion of their course and hospital experience.
There is a great demand for trained Filipinos in the developed nations with ageing populations and few nursing graduates. Recruiting agencies and hospitals flock here to hire the best nurses and care givers because of their quick intelligence, fast learning ability and mastery of the English language. They recognise that the hardworking and friendly nature of Filipinos is a huge bonus and especially their respect for the elderly a long deeply ingrained cultural and spiritual values of the Filipinos.
This reverence for life and a dedication to selfless service has roots in their Christian faith. Many Filipinos join church choirs and parish organisations wherever they find employment and generously share their earnings with their families back in the Philippines.
There are almost a million Filipinos working abroad in the caring professions and together with other Filipino overseas workers they send as much as US$8 billion annually to the Philippines to help their families and the economy afloat.
The demand for Filipino care workers abroad is increasing and our three graduates will probably soon join their ranks.
Fr. Shay Cullen is a Columban missionary: PREDA Centre, Kalaklan, Olongapo City. www.preda.org
