Worldremit Powers Long-Distance Love
Love makes many feats possible. This
statement rings true for many Filipinos who have been working overseas to
better provide for their loved ones this Valentine’s Day.
This February, WorldRemit shares stories of love – particularly about how two OFWs have made
long-distance relationships work throughout the years and how remittances have
acted as a currency of care.
“Today’s rising cost of living has only
pushed more Filipinos to seek better opportunities abroad, resulting in more
couples living apart,” said Earl Melivo, Interim APAC Managing Director of
WorldRemit. “It is also worth noting that many couples are married with
children and are finding ways to provide for their families. This makes being
away for longer periods of time necessary yet even more difficult.”
A 2018 study showed how
Filipino husbands were more likely to be separated from their wives, with 58%
of OFW children having fathers who worked abroad. Jonathan, a father of three,
has been a supervisor for an oil firm based in Brunei for 25 years. There, he
initially lived and worked together with his children and his wife Bam, an
optometrist. After 12 years, they returned to the Philippines, where his wife
put up her own optical clinic.
Jonathan chose to stay behind to maintain
their family income. Now, he only sees his family once a year, which he
considers as the hardest part about his extended stay. “It’s difficult to cope
with their present activities,” he said.
Another case
is Manny, a management assistant who has worked in the Middle East for 32
years. “Being an absentee father to my three daughters makes me regret at times
being away while they are growing up,” he also echoed.
However, as
a result of their sacrifices, both fathers were able to achieve significant
milestones for their families together with their wives. In the years they
spent apart, Jonathan and Bam have been able to acquire a house and lot, a car,
and another clinic for Bam’s practice. They are currently seeing all three of
their children through college.
In the long run, both OFWs share the same
goal of having all their children finish their education and putting up a
business that can support them after retiring. For now, their main advice for
other OFW couples is daily communication.
“Constantly
communicate, update the one who’s away with everything going on with the
family, and always give each other assurance,” Jonathan said.
While
Jonathan and Manny are now able to maximize video calls to stay connected with
their families, Manny still looked back fondly at how he and his wife got by
before the internet.
“Letters and
voice tapes delivered through post were the only ways we could convey our
affections. We would receive each other’s letters in about a week if we were
lucky, or in two weeks at most. Telephone calls were an option, but were rare
as they were quite expensive,” he said.
At present, Manny is thankful enough for
the ease and convenience offered by technology. After all, online remittance
services like WorldRemit are the reason he and his wife are able to work
towards the future they’ve always dreamed of together.
“Despite challenges like difficult working
conditions and homesickness, Filipinos are ultimately motivated by their love
for their families. WorldRemit not only recognizes this love but empowers it,
enabling reliable and real-time digital transfers which make OFWs feel like
they’re right there,” Melivo said.
Read more inspiring stories from migrant
workers around the world. Get to know them better through the WorldRemit
community at https://www.worldremit.com/en/blog/community/.
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