ofw

OFWs against the tides

I am trying my best to take the high road and brush-off the criticisms towards us OFWs, as we do not want people to put us down while we undergo hardships and make sacrifices for our loved ones in the Philippines. I however feel that the government biased policies, not-thought-of comments, and below-the-belt remarks have have come to a point of abuse. So I would like to give my personal take on the recent events to shed some light as to why the OFW population should not be looked-down-upon or treated with a grain of salt.

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What OFWs miss about Filipino Christmas

Christmas is just around the corner, and this time brings a different kind of nostalgia for Filipinos who are based abroad, like myself. Being away from home for the past four Christmases in total, I would say, one can never be used to not celebrating the season Pinoy-style. In the Philippines, the holidays are a well-celebrated time, and Filipinos are always big on Christmas. It seems automatic for Filipinos to condition each other that the most awaited season of giving is at hand. Here are some reasons why:

  1. “-ber” months

Filipinos are overly conscious about the “-ber” months that start on September. You can hear almost everyone raving about how fast the months flew and it is already Christmas in September. Most shopping malls also start preparing for Christmas decorations in August to accommodate the September 1st welcome for the holidays. Local Christmas songs, such as those of Jose Mari Chan and old Filipino Christmas folk singers, are also played during these months.

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