Undocumented OFW: Does the means justify the end?

Growing up, we were always taught that lying is morally wrong, however we were not taught as to why it is wrong. We were just forced to understand as a kid that it is wrong because in reality ‘lying’ is much more complex than it is just being ‘wrong’. According to Kant, the act of lying or deception attacks our morality as it undermines our ability to make free, and rational choices or it corrupts the most significant quality of being a human being. Now, the widely accepted definition of lie is making a statement believed to be false, with the intention of getting another to accept it as true which was mentioned by Igor Primoratz.

Why is the concept of lying necessary to ‘working and labor’ specifically in the discourse of overseas Filipino workers' issues? 3.6 percent of 1.83 million overseas filipino workers from the latest data released from april-september 2 .021 were accounted for those who are undocumented or who are working abroad without working visa or work permits such as tourist, visitor, student, medical and other types of non-immigrant visas but were employed and working full time. From a facile discussion of the context of deception, we could dive deeper to these issues.

One reason that we could almost memorize when they (OFW) are being asked why they take risks in working in a foreign country is “para umahon sa kahirapan” (to combat poverty). This reason is always being romanticized as resiliency where in fact it is merely an indication of how poor our country is. People are mostly eager to provide food to their table to the extent of forging documents and risking their security while being away from the comfort of their homes. More than brave citizens, undocumented ofws are victims of mismanaged government and a poor country.

Long and expensive processing of legal documents

Ofw are indeed heroes on their own, but to get to that title they had to go through the complexity of producing legal documents and going through a long process. Having the valid documents alone, one must ensure to have more than enough money that will cover all its area which includes the long processing of documents in government agencies. Adding to that, seminars and orientations are also a significant part of being able to legally work in a foreign country. All of which are expensive and time consuming. One should also undergo medical and trade testing which makes the procedure costly. All that said activity and procedures are all still depending on which country one aspires to work in, most of the time there is so much more to it.

For the Filipinos who are in the marginalized sector, the entirety of this process and acquiring significant documents could be a really hard and exhausting phase. Application of the passport alone already costs 900-1200 in pesos, and that is the most significant and basic requirement one should have. Not to mention all the other documents. That being said, Filipinos who are on the edge of one’s seat may find an easier way to work abroad, illegally.
Frailty of Government.

Although others might get the impression that people are to be blame for being undocumented workers, we could also look more into the system itself. It’s problematic alone that they could only detect an undocumented worker when they are subjected to being deported back to the country. Problems arose from then on. The government should ensure the safety of their people in and outside of the country– and that should start by establishing strong security that could discern all people who are undocumented, before flying to another country to guarantee the welfare of every person who aims to work overseas. Strengthening the security shouldn’t mean to make the process more complicated, strengthening could somehow mean watching closely and accommodating people in a more pleasing and congenial manner. With the guidance of people who have authority and have a vast knowledge when it comes to being an overseas Filipino worker, people who also wish to work internationally could be comfortable in doing the right and legal process of being one.

We could also include in this discourse the incapability of the Government to produce and issue humane policies that would make employees want to stay in the country. If people here think that salaries and taxes are balanced efficiently or the taxes are being used properly, people would think more than twice if they still want to be an OFW. I think one thing that is also being overlooked most of the time is the serious issue of overpopulation.It's reasonable to assume that the prevailing poverty is the major or primary source of all that has been described above.

“The means justify the end”, we often hear this when something is done that defies our ethics or our moral values as it condones the occurrence of the particular activity. In this matter we could really give all our sympathy for those who are undocumented migrant workers for the reason that the majority of them make enormous efforts to support the families they left behind in the Philippines.

The decision of leaving one’s home country is already a tough commitment. It gets harder as one pursues it. Complications and other external problems are inevitable but there are solutions that could be of help to people more than just “emotional and moral” support. As stated from above, strengthening the security and making the process more manageable and accessible to people of all sorts, regardless their social status, and their gender identities, could be of great help and aid to people. Free consultations and seminars may also contribute to the society’s knowledge of what are the opportunities for themselves.

Even though the means of pursuing to be an OFW despite being an illegal migrant worker means well for themselves and their families, the consequences of it can go severe. However, with the right amount of support and humane considerations among people, we could lessen the number of undocumented workers and have them walking and working freely in a foreign country.