For OFWs, love knows no distance

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For OFWs, love knows no distance
Our modern Filipino heroes prove that you can be there for your family, wherever you may be

MANILA, Philippines — Who else can better show love than overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), who willingly work in other countries just to give their loved ones a better life?

John started working as a mechanical engineer in Saudi Arabia in the mid-2000s. He was blessed with kind employers and a community of other Filipinos in the workplace, but for John, nothing beats home.

He felt very lonely without his family, but was only able to come home once a year. Before he knew it, his kids had already grown into teenagers and young adults, with the eldest already working himself.

Around 2.2 million OFWs like John spend months working for strangers far away from home, but you never hear them complain. Here are ways they show love even while continents apart from their family.

Being present through presents

Even if they can’t make it back home whenever they want to, OFWs send their love with a box of gifts. The holiday balikbayan box rush starts as early as September. A lot of thought, not to mention sacrifices, go into buying these gifts — a toy for bunso, makeup for ate, and a bag for nanay.

Since they can’t be present, gifts would have to do in the meantime as a sign of their love.

Strengthening ties from miles away

It can be difficult to find common ground with the time difference. But OFWs still set some time aside so they can talk to their children via video calls, learn about new events back home, and assure everyone that everything’s going well at work.

They always take the opportunity to greet loved ones, provide words of encouragement, and offer life advice, even if it’s just through a cell phone screen.

Helping milestones happen

OFWs may not be able to make it to important events, but they remain an important part of them.

They can’t be there to provide emotional support in case of sickness in the family, but they provide the money for medical bills. They can’t be there for graduations, but they provide the money for tuition and books. They can’t be there for birthdays, but they provide the money for blowouts and gifts.

And while money can never replace the comforting reassurance of a loved one’s physical presence, it’s a big way OFWs can make their love felt from miles away — as shown by the P146 billion they sent home in just five months back in 2016.

If you’re an OFW, you need a remittance service you can trust. With MetroRemit (Metrobank’s Remittance Services), you can be assured of a fast, reliable, and easy money transfer to your loved ones back home. You and your family can also apply for a free Metrobank OFW Savings account at any Metrobank branch nearest you, with no initial deposit and no maintaining balance.

With MetroRemit’s ongoing Premyo sa Padala promo, OFW families or beneficiaries who open a Metrobank OFW ATM Savings account can also get a one-time P100 cash gift upon crediting their cash pick-up remittance to their account. They can also get an additional P55 monthly cash gift for 6 consecutive months, for succeeding remittances to the same account.

Passing on good financial habits

For OFWs, nothing is more important than family. They want to ensure a comfortable life for them.

While sending cash back home helps, it’s important to teach the value of hard-earned money as well. Teaching loved ones how to save money will help them in the future.

In return, families back home can show their appreciation by putting the money to good use and budgeting properly. — Rappler.com

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