Destination Anywhere

We often hear of migrant workers leaving other developing countries such as Mexico and China, however, little to nothing is ever reported about the Philippines. In this pod we are given a glimpse of their migrant situation where people are leaving their families, often for long periods of time, in order to provide for basic needs as well as the vicissitudes of life. Further, it shows how the length of self sacrifice the less fortunate will make in order to provide for their families.

This is truly an amazing pod and hopefully some of the economic boom China is experiencing will trickle down, save for the environmental issues.

I'm an old white guy who went to the Philippines and struck a agreement with a young Filipino girl fifteen years ago and the relationship has worked out. She is a proud American citizen with a five year old child born in the USA. She has a local support group of Filipino friends with old white guy husbands, who get together regularly. She's on the phone every nite talking locally. Once a month I pay my bills and send a check to her family who are very poor. The Filipino people have always stood at America's side. Their solders have died with American soldiers in WW11, Korea , Vietnam and both Iraq wars. But we refuse to allow them to emmigrate freely to America as we allow Europeans. If we need cheap labor, the hell with Mexicans, who have never stood with American and embraced the Japs and Nazi in WW1 abd WW11.
What this fine story did not tell you was the people have to pay extortion fees to agency and the government to leave and a high income tax when they return weather they accually worked or not. It was the Filipino workers who actually built Guantonamo Prison for the American government
The catholic church forces the extremely high birth rates by not allowing any birth control and takes no responsibility to help educate or feed their second class catholics. The islands have less than 4 inchs of top soil making it impossible to due any real farming. The governm,ent is totally corrupt. A foreigner can not own any land. So no corporations build there and the corruption forbids any commerce. But God I love the people.

Hi Tracey:

This was amazing and, well, disturbing too. I started the video and my current Executive Producer leaned over and started watching too without my prompting.
Naturally, the shots of you (properly) holding that RE-50 mic, getting good sound as well as compelling video and following your script often times with my eyes closed...made me smile. Great work! Very proud.

Doug

This was a very well done and informative pod. When I was traveling in Jordan you would often see domestic workers from Indonesia and the Philippines. I knew a woman who volunteered for a shelter devoted to helping abused foreign domestic workers. It would be great to see a follow-up pod about what life is like for the OFWs. In many cases they have no rights in their host country and can be stuck in indentured servitude with no one to turn to for help if they are being abused or taken advantage of. I'm sure there are also positive stories as well. Good job!

As a Filipino-American, it's taken me awhile to really understand what a lot of my family have gone through, and continue to. Being abroad doing work is one thing, but to be separated as a family, to me, is much tougher.

I get upset why my countrymen have to leave their own country just to make a living, but it goes to show how dedicated, strong, and family-oriented we are. I take great pride in coming from such strong blood, and I hope that Filipinos' stories can illustrate how different life can be, depending on where you are from in the world.

The upside? I've got family ANYwhere, and we speak to each other like we're family. I suggest you say a friendly hello to any you see, we're very friendly folks who love to eat! :)

Thank you to the Producers and staff most especially TRACEY for the very interesting Feature "Destination: Anywhere".

We the Filipino Canadians here in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, through the initiative and leadership of LEADERS CHOICE BUSINESS GROUP, have just successfully launched our latest community Project dubbed as "PAGPUPUGAY AT PULONG PULONG PARA SA KAUNLARAN PART 1 ("WELCOME AND MEETING FOR PROGRESS AND SUCCESS) PARA SA ATING FILIPINO FOREIGN CONTRACT WORKERS SA EDMONTON"

LEADERS CHOICE with support from local businesses and community associations, including the Batanguenos, Bicolanos and Boholanos etc. hosted the Event for the benefit of our Foreign Contract Workers last CANADA DAY, July 1, 2008. Our SPECIAL GUEST was the HON. CARL BENITO, MLA EDMONTON MILLWOODS (First Philippine-born Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta).

The Main Purpose of the Event was to WELCOME and HONOUR the FCWs and to hear any relevant Issues and Concerns affecting the FCWs with the end-view of ultimately addressing those Issues.

Notwithstanding Notice time constraints, approximately 80 FCWs and stakeholders attended the inaugural Event.

Everywhere I went and everyone I spoke with, especially the FCWs who had either attended or have knowledge of our Event, have expressed gratitude and appreciation for our joint efforts at organizing such events aimed at helping the FCWs. As our Kababayans FCWs each took turns to speak and voice their sentiments and stories, my heart bled. As I spoke before those FCWs and look at the eyes of our FCWs kababayans, I could see and feel the glint of HOPE and JOY DEEP INSIDE them. I sincerely believe that we were able to achieve our initial twin objectives with the launching of the PULONG PULONG 1, i.e., making our kababayans FCWs feel that they are welcome here in Edmonton as a very important part of our Community, and giving them a sense of HOPE and security for better working conditions knowing that there is our Group who are all willing to lend them our support when required. Arising from the Event, we have established the SAMASA ("SAMAHAN NG MGA MANGGAGAWA SA ALBERTA") which is an Advisory Committee to the Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta on FCW Matters. It will also act as a "Contact Organization of FCWs" where they have access to valuable Contacts (with the Alberta Government and the local Community), Resources and Support, much like a One Stop Assistance Centre for the FCWs.

In view of its success, we have resolved to hold this Event on an on-going basis. Our PULONG PULONG 2008 PART 2 is tentatively slated for September or October 2008. We are also planning, with the valuable support of Hon. CARL BENITO, to hold similar events in other Alberta Cities and Towns as well including Calgary, Red Deer and Fort MacMurray to name a few.

A journey of a Thousand Miles begins with a single step. We here in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, have taken that pivotal first step for the benefit of our Kababayan FCWs. I exhort our Compatriots to stage similar Events in their respective places.

I thought I should also share with you what we in Alberta are doing for our unsung Heroes, the FCWs, who are not only helping the economy of the Philippines but are also a very valuable part of the current economic success of Alberta and the rest of Canada.

Finally, I wish to take this opportunity to express my deepest thanks to all of our Committee Members, Business Supporters and participating Community Organizations, and the Hon. CARL BENITO (and their respective families) for their generosity in so far as giving their time, talents and treasure and working so hard and making sure our experimental PULONG PULONG 2008 PART 1 was a huge success. WE WILL NEVER REST!

Take care, God bless and best regards.

HERMO TORIBIO PAGTAKHAN
President & Chief Executive Officer
LEADERS CHOICE BUSINESS GROUP
Tel. No.: (780) 905-9288

Great pod on a place that doesn't get covered a lot. But why was that one club with the dancers and singers Japanese?

Have you u been to the United States? Ever tried to get a "REAL" job without using UNICRU online zombie-psych-applications.

love this pod the world needs to know whats going on.Keep doing what your doing we love it.

finally my country has been noticed for at least once in my life and the world has finnaly realised how poor it is probably most of the country is poor squatters that have litlle pay or no pay from having no job im only 11 but i already know that my country is in a high problem crisis that probably can never turn back when i lived ther my father had to pay 12000 pesos(thats wats the currency is called) just for me and my brother to go to school and most people just come to the philipines for its weather and beaches most people dont even know what or where philipines is