This Domestic Helper will make you think twice about cash remittances!

Have you imagined yourself working for somebody while your loved ones are a million miles away from you? If yes, maybe, your life in the Philippines is truly tough that you have to go overseas for work.

It’s been three awesome years since BeamAndGo was born. Since then, we know that the number one reason many Overseas Filipino Workers leave our country is poverty or better opportunities to support their family. That’s why until now, we’re helping OFWs provide for their family’s needs through our digital gift certificates.

Malapit sa puso ng BeamAndGo ang isa sa mga bansa kung saan ay marami tayong Kababayan na OFWs. Kaya naman, yearly ay nagpupunta at nakikisaya kami sa Hong Kong kasama sila.

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Kwentong Beamer: Kanya-kanyang kwento

Unang Yugto

Nagsimula tayo nitong nakaraang buwan sa ating Kwentong Beamer. Nakita natin ang kanilang mga adhikain, mga alalahanin, at ang kanilang dahilan para ng pag-alis ng Pilipinas. Sino nga ba naman ang gustong iwan ang kanyang pamilya?

Ngayon, babalikan natin sila. Sabi nga ng ating pamahalaan, sila ang mga bagong bayani ng ating bayan. Kayong lahat actually. Sa susunod, baka ikaw naman ang maipakita natin sa lahat. Payag ka ba? Sabi ka lang. Gusto naming marining ang kwento mo.

Ang baguhan: Lotlot Jardin

Kaya mo bang hindi makauwi sa mga magulang mo ng tatlong taon? Hindi biro-biro iyon. Ganyan nga ang naging pagtitiis ni Lotlot Jardin na tubong Quezon.

Good thing for her, she’ll be coming home this month and will be staying for two whole weeks. “Excited na ako makita (ang) pamilya ko.”

Single pa rin si Lotlot; walang asawa’t anak pero sinusuportahan ang magulang pati na ang isang pamangkin na ulila na sa magulang. Sila ang mga dahilan niya para pumunta ng Hong Kong at doon makipagsapalaran. Pero, awa naman ng Diyos, marami siyang nakilalang mga kaibigan kaya masaya naman siya. Things have been really good for her in Hong Kong.

Right now, she’s really looking forward to seeing her parents and her siblings: “Sa aking mga mababait na kapatid, magkikita tayo sa March 2016. Wag kayo mag-alala, maganda parin ako walang kupas. Okay lang ako dito kahit malamig. Miss na miss ko na kayo.”

Apat nang taon: Si Laarni Gonzales

Kung tutuusin, baguhan pa lang si Laarni sa Hong Kong. Apat na taon pa lang siya doon. Dalawang beses na siyang nakakauwi mula nang dumating at nagsimulang magtrabaho. Yun nga lang, parang parating bitin ang pagbisita sa Pilipinas kasi tig-isang linggo lang parati. Parang kulang no?

Pero malinaw naman din kasi sa kanya ang kanyang pag-alis parati: “Bumabalik agad at kumakayod para sa pamilya. Nag-Hong Kong ako to secure my family’s future at tsaka para matulungan ko ang pamilya ko.”

Mahirap pa rin pero mas napapagaan ang pakiramdam kung alam mo kung para saan ang paghihirap mo.

Ang Negrense na 20 nang taon sa HK: si Melinda

Apat na taong pagitan bago mo makita ang anak mo. Wow. That is not easy, right?

Pero sa tulad ni Melinda, isa ito sa mga kailangang gawin. Dalawampung taon na siyang nagtatrabaho sa Hong Kong at tulad ng maraming nagtatrabaho doon, pumunta siya doon para sa kapakanan ng kanyang mga anak na sina Princess at Zania.

“Namimiss ko na sila pero wala akong magagawa kasi kailangan ko maghanap ng pera. Dati every year ako ummuwi pero ngayon mas strict na.”

Fortunately for Melinda, the less frequent trips back home was also rewarded – She now gets to go to different countries like the US, Japan Korea, and others because she’s working with a famous actress and model. For this month, she’ll be going to the US and Australia. How’s that for luck? Swerte no? Siguradong mas maraming magiging pasalubong sina Princess at Zania.

Masipag na Masbateño: Merlinda Gallares

Anim na taon na sa Hong Kong itong Masbateñong ito. Mahirap ang buhay sa Masbate at kahit mismo sa Maynila, marami pa ring mga pagsubok. Ito ang dahilan kung bakit siya lumipad patungong Hong Kong. Mahirap sa isang ina ang iwan ang kanyang mga anak at parati ang turok ng katotohanang ito sa puso ni Merlinda sa bawat sandaling makakausap niya sa chat ang apat na anak na sina Kaye, Kim, Kean, at Karen – ang kanyang 4Ks. Kung maging malungkot man o magkasakit ang isang anak, hindi niya ito maaaring bigyang aliw o ginhawa.

Pangarap niyang makapagtapos ng pag-aaral ang mga anak at patuloy niyang pinagsisikapan ito. Dahil dito, tinitiis niya ang pag-uwi ng minsan lang sa isang taon para mas makaipon para sa pangangailangan ng mga anak.

Ewan na lang sa lahat ng mga sinasabing naglilingkod sa bayan ngayon, ang mga tulad ni Merlinda ang mga tunay na bayani.

Ano ang kwento mo?

Sigurado kaming may sarili ka ring kwento. Sa Hong Kong, Singapore, Middle East, o saan ka man, gusto naming marinig ang kwento mo. Share mo naman sa amin.

Dagdag Sahod Pang OFW: Wag ipagsapalaran

The Philippine Daily Inquirer recently ran a story saying that employers in Singapore now have to pay domestic helpers at least SGD 550. This is SGD 50 more than the former minimum amount of SGD 500. This developed after the Indonesian embassy in Singapore made an announcement that domestic helpers from that country had to be paid SGD at least SGD 550. While the Philippine embassy in Singapore did not come out with an announcement of its own, it was reportedly processing fewer applications for the employment of domestic helpers since many of the applications made mention of salaries deemed too low. What does this mean? Domestic helpers in Singapore thus get a pay raise of SGD 50 to a maximum of SGD 150 depending on how much they currently get. So, paano? Gimik na? Maybe it’s best if we begin by talking about what not to do. Pero paano mo nga ba malalaman kung paano at ano ba ang dapat mong iwasan? Siguro naranasan mo na dati na maraming lumalapit o umaaligid sa iyo basta may pera ka. Ganoon talaga. Basta meron ka, kapag tumaas ang sahod mo, may gusto agad makinabang. Ang malungkot, minsan iyong itinuturing mo pang kaibigan o mismong kamag-anak mo pa ang ganoon. What we need now is to discuss what we shouldn’t be doing with our money especially in a place that’s not our country. These things we DON’T suggest you do:

1. Be a guarantor in someone’s loan. There are just way too many stories of friendships crumbling and a kawawang Pilipino having to avoid jail time because he or she was a guarantor in someone else’s loan. How does this even start? Person A wants to get a loan because of whatever reason. Gambling is one reason and starting a new business is another. Problem is, Person A needs a guarantor so that the lender of money will allow the loan. What this means is that if you become the guarantor, you’re telling the lender that if Person A, who borrowed the money, can’t pay the loan, the lender can look at you and ask you for the money. You sure you want to be in that situation? Also, be aware that some money lenders are notorious in Singapore for resorting to scare tactics or even physical violence to get their money back. Just check the news. If someone asks that you become a guarantor, politely say “No.” If that “friend” doesn’t meet with you anymore after that, congratulations! You’ve been able to find a “non-friend” and you’re better off being far away from that person.
2. Start lending money. When some people hear that you’re now earning more, they think that it’s okay to borrow money. No, you do not become an evil person if you say “No.” This is both for Singapore friends or friends and family back home. Real friends and family will understand. Fair-weather friends who are only out to get money will leave. Best to know now who they are and find some real friends who will love and care for you regardless of how much money you have.

   

   Sabi nga ng matatanda: Walang manloloko kung walang magpapaloko.

3. Start looking for business opportunities indiscriminately. Some people will entice you with this or that get-rich scheme wherein you have to be a member of their group and pay regular fees.

   

   Naku, may extra money ka? Maraming bubulong sa iyo kung paano ka raw puede makinabang dito. INGAT! Kadalasan, yung nagbulong sa iyo ang talagang makikinabang.

   Unless you’re very business-savvy or have someone who can truly look after your welfare, don’t fall into this trap. Even those supposedly proven companies listed with the New York Stock Exchange require you to buy and sell their consumer products costing four, five, six, or even more times than your usual toothpaste, shampoo, soap, etc. These products may be nice but face it, to make real money, you need to recruit more people and you just don’t have that time unless you want to risk not doing your real job.Also remember: Doing business is not for everyone and it isn’t easy. The greater majority of start-ups end up closing their doors and the owners looking for work. There is no shame in admitting that you’re really best in working with an organisation rather than leading one. Forcing yourself to lead an organisation when you are obviously not the next Mark Zuckerberg may just be disastrous. Worse, that trust your present employer has in you may forever be lost.

4. Give in to the usual requests. People will ask for what they usually ask for – chocolates, shoes, laptops, cell phones, tablets, etc. Unless it’s Christmas, give a very gentle “No.” When it is Christmas or maybe someone’s birthday or graduation, have a definite budget for gifts. Listen to requests and consider them and then put these requests beside your set budget. If they don’t fit in your budget, they don’t fit in your budget. Move on. There are more important things like looking at what your family REALLY needs.
5. Get involved in a one-way relationship. Yes, you may be lonely at times but there will always be people who truly value you who will not keep asking for material things. If you notice that in your relationship, you need to keep paying for trips, food, and even clothes, cell phones, computers, etc. you are definitely in a relationship that’s beneficial for just one party and that party is not you. Get out and find friends who don’t care how much money you have.

So ano na lang ang gagawin mo? Pag-uusapan pa natin ito at dapat mong abangan ang mga maaari mong gawin sa pera mo.

Ang una mong dapat gawin ay tignan kung ano nga ba ang mga tunay na pangangailangan mo at ng pamilya mo sa Pilipinas. Dapat sa mga ito naaayon ang mga plano mo.

Actually, it’s only in the beginning where this is an issue. You have to figure things out at the very start, stick to it as much as possible, and only changing your plans when true emergencies happen. Remember: Hindi true emergency and bagong labs na iPhone na gusto ng asawa o kapatid mo.

Ang pinakamainam mong gawin ngayon? Pumunta na sa BeamAndGo at pumili ng mga bagay na tunay na kailangan ng mga minamahal.