MANILA – In the Philippines, bringing ‘pasalubong’ has long been part of the culture. People have come to expect ‘pasalubong’ from anyone in the family or friends who travel to some far away place. This is particularly true, especially for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who are expected to bring ‘pasalubong’ for everyone as they come home for a short vacation from their jobs abroad.
It is sad, though, that many recipients think they deserve better, more expensive gifts or that they want something the OFW brought for someone else!
OFW Raymond Lopez expresses his sentiment against people not content with their ‘pasalubong’ – and his post went viral, with many fellow OFWs agreeing with his statement.
“Minsan, nakakadala talagang magbigay ng pasalubong kapag nagbabalik-bayan ka, bigyan mo man sila o hindi, meron at meron silang masasabi sa'yo, na kesyo "ito lang", "nagbigay ka pa", "kuripot naman", "'yan ba 'yung abroad?", "tatlong-taon sa abroad heto na 'yun?"” he lamented on Facebook.
“Una po sa lahat, hindi po nagbabalik-bayan ang isang OFW para bigyan o pasalubungan kayong lahat, walang obligasyon ang isang OFW na bigyan kayo ng mga tsokolate, sabon, pabango at kung anu-ano pa! umuuwi ang isang OFW hindi para magregalo, mamigay o magpamudmod ng kung ano. kundi, umuuwi sila para pansamantalang makapagpahinga, makapaglibang at makasama ang kani-kanilang pamilya't mahal sa buhay.”
After explaining this on his post, he also told these people that they might want to try being an OFW so they would realize just what each OFW sacrifices in his/her job abroad. He encourages everyone to learn how to be grateful and simply be content with what the OFW gives them.
“Sana, subukan n'yo 'hong mag-abroad, para po maranasan n'yo rin ang mga sakripisyo namin, 'yung mga pagtitipid, pangungulila at kalungkutang nararanasan dito at ng mga kapwa-OFW namin sa buong mundo. Matuto po sana kayong magpasalamat o makuntento, dahil kahit papaano'y naabutan at naalala kayo nung tao,” he added.
His post was met with mixed reactions. There were many who agreed with what he said, saying that though OFWs technically earn more money than the ones in the Philippines, they are not just picking dollars off the streets! But there were those who said that the OFW should also not complain about these people because no one is forcing him to give pasalubongs if he didn’t like doing it…
— Joy Adalia, The Summit Express
It is sad, though, that many recipients think they deserve better, more expensive gifts or that they want something the OFW brought for someone else!
OFW Raymond Lopez expresses his sentiment against people not content with their ‘pasalubong’ – and his post went viral, with many fellow OFWs agreeing with his statement.
“Minsan, nakakadala talagang magbigay ng pasalubong kapag nagbabalik-bayan ka, bigyan mo man sila o hindi, meron at meron silang masasabi sa'yo, na kesyo "ito lang", "nagbigay ka pa", "kuripot naman", "'yan ba 'yung abroad?", "tatlong-taon sa abroad heto na 'yun?"” he lamented on Facebook.
“Una po sa lahat, hindi po nagbabalik-bayan ang isang OFW para bigyan o pasalubungan kayong lahat, walang obligasyon ang isang OFW na bigyan kayo ng mga tsokolate, sabon, pabango at kung anu-ano pa! umuuwi ang isang OFW hindi para magregalo, mamigay o magpamudmod ng kung ano. kundi, umuuwi sila para pansamantalang makapagpahinga, makapaglibang at makasama ang kani-kanilang pamilya't mahal sa buhay.”
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| Photo credit: Raymond Lopez / Facebook |
After explaining this on his post, he also told these people that they might want to try being an OFW so they would realize just what each OFW sacrifices in his/her job abroad. He encourages everyone to learn how to be grateful and simply be content with what the OFW gives them.
“Sana, subukan n'yo 'hong mag-abroad, para po maranasan n'yo rin ang mga sakripisyo namin, 'yung mga pagtitipid, pangungulila at kalungkutang nararanasan dito at ng mga kapwa-OFW namin sa buong mundo. Matuto po sana kayong magpasalamat o makuntento, dahil kahit papaano'y naabutan at naalala kayo nung tao,” he added.
His post was met with mixed reactions. There were many who agreed with what he said, saying that though OFWs technically earn more money than the ones in the Philippines, they are not just picking dollars off the streets! But there were those who said that the OFW should also not complain about these people because no one is forcing him to give pasalubongs if he didn’t like doing it…
— Joy Adalia, The Summit Express
