MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE:
Navigating Through the Vulnerabilities of Migrant Communities in the Global Economy
In the quiet hum of a remittance center, a queue of workers clutch folded bills and crumpled receipts — earnings from long hours in faraway factories, construction sites, and households. I skimmed through every person within the four corners of the room. Each bears stories untold, hopes, and silent longings. Why does every good come with a cost? I am gravely shaken by the mere fact that the world is truly filled with contradictions. While I’ve seen poverty and hardships etched from the faces of ordinary migrants, I’ve also witnessed the rich grow richer right before my eyes.
As I sit quietly on the edge of the room, I find myself tormented by the deafening sound — the voices and cries of the weary, enslaved by their dreams. It unsettles me to think that while some freely voyage across countries for mere exploration, others are forced to journey beyond borders in pursuit of careers — driven not by leisure, but by necessity and by the lingering hope of their families for a better life.
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Migration weighs so much in the modern economy. When there’s a gap, it fills in. From a bird’s-eye view, this is merely a term that highlights the flow of labor forces across the globe. But in the troubling reality, there is much more to it. Caregivers, seafarers, construction workers, and other OFWs already had vital contributions to the economy and even to big private corporations. Yet, people are only swayed by the remittances that are not just remittances but a lifeline to many. As I continue to open my eyes to the truth, I can’t help but notice the unwavering eagerness of the migrants to work despite being in the midst of the loud, bustling cities; busy streets with unfamiliar faces; unending toil; and scolds of the superiors whom they are bound to serve — all in exchange for making ends meet. To me, the money they earn is such an underestimation of their hard work and tells nothing about the missed birthdays, separation anxieties, and sacrifices that none have ever witnessed.
Unveiling the Vulnerabilities of Migrant Communities
As I type on this blank canvas, it is as if a cold, blustery gale seeps beneath my skin. It is nothing but a fleeting feeling, one I experience as I continue to empathize with migrants who face their vulnerabilities alone and remain unseen. In the Philippines, society places a high regard on those who work abroad and applauds them for the hard-earned income they send home, often overlooking the human cost embedded in those money transfers.
Even careers abroad come with a lot of struggles. There is nothing certain. There comes the unstable contracts, cultural discrimination, restrictive labor laws, and ache of family separation. Recruiters and private companies only have their world focused within what’s in the balance sheet — profits and successes. Yet, as a daughter of a migrant, my vision extends beyond mere figures. To be placed between the privileged and the outskirts is like being able to have a touch of both worlds. It is as if I am granted the nuanced perspective that I managed to enjoy the benefits of it and the cons that come with it.
Migrants are what make the world go round. However, there is always this gut-wrench feeling of being unsecured just by the thought that people who are close to our hearts are not visibly protected the way the outcome of their contributions are.
As I leave this writing open-endedly, may this be a mark of how this discourse remains as a mere discussion but never as an imperative instrument towards driving change within the global economy. Migrant communities have long served as the wings of labor forces but the economy keeps them from soaring high — as the struggles remain unheard as death to the systems that they keep alive.
