Where is the Boom? OFW’s in Libya’s Choice: Die as Heroes or Die in Hunger

Populist politics tell us that they know more what is good or best for the OFWs caught in the ongoing Libyan war. So they have exhorted them to return to the homeland care of taxpayers. But apparently paternalist self-righteous politics have been rebuffed.

From today’s headlines at the Inquirer.net (bold mine)

Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Libya prefer to stay in the strife-torn North African country because they have “better chances of surviving” there than in the Philippines, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Monday.

Only 1,700 Filipinos working in Libya have signed up for repatriation since the Philippine government ordered a mandatory evacuation of its more than 13,000 workers there last month, said Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario.

Even more…

Despite the danger, many Filipinos in Libya have ignored the government’s order for mandatory evacuation, DFA spokesman Charles Jose told reporters on Monday.

“The usual reason we hear from them is that they would rather take the chance. They think they have greater chances of surviving the war [there] than of surviving uncertainty [without jobs] here,” Jose said.

Such are very revealing commentaries.

For OFWs to say they have “better chances of surviving” can be interpreted as it is better to die as “heroes” than to die in hunger or even as a starved forgotten voter.

I say “heroes” because the Libyan healthcare system heavily depends on OFWs

From another Inquirer headline 3 days back:

More than 3,000 health workers from the Philippines, making up 60 percent of Libya’s hospital staff, could leave along with workers from India, who account for another 20 percent.

Libyan hospitals are flooded with a wave of admissions, victims of the fighting that has shaken the capital and Benghazi...

“Hospitals could be paralyzed” in the event of the mass departure of Filipino health workers, Libyan health ministry spokesperson Ammar Mohammed said, while authorities warned of a possible “total collapse” of the healthcare system.

So one reason OFWs may have opted to stay in Libya, aside from economic reasons would be about contribution to society.

This passage gives us a clue:

Filipino nurses are especially apprehensive about leaving because employers have enticed them to stay with additional pay and they are committed to their hospital work, Del Rosario said. 

So populist politics (politicians and their media apologists) fundamentally neglected the OFWs individual interest as revealed by Maslow’s hierarchy of needs such as belonging, esteem and self actualization. So the "bring-them-back-home" solution (feel good, noble intention, vote generating) solution has only backfired.

Yet even more striking is the statement: They think they have greater chances of surviving the war [there] than of surviving uncertainty [without jobs] here” 

To repeat with emphasis: GREATER CHANCES of surviving the war than of surviving WITHOUT JOBS.

Yikes!!!  

So what happened to the supposed Philippine economic boom??? 

Why has the OFWs not partaken of the boom? Why the stunning aversion to go return, despite the 7% 'transformational' boom that has been broadcasted all over the world? 

Why has working in the battlefront become the ONLY "life or death" or survival choice for the OFWs? Or why the lack of alternative that has led to desperate choices?

Who has benefited from the supposed boom?

Well, some boom eh.