A lot of Filipinos have this mistaken notion that those working abroad have a lot of money. Many of us think that these overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are surely rich because they earn several times the average monthly salary that workers receive in the Philippines.
The college son of OFWs working in the US recently had a vacation with his paternal grandmother in the Philippines. Because he had spent most of his years with his father’s side of the family, he thought that it would be a good idea if he now spent time with his mother’s side while he is on vacation for 3 weeks.
It was a mistake that led to him losing all his money, including his emergency savings because his ‘entitled’ relatives seemed to think he has a lot of money to give to everyone.
The guy later shared his experience on Reddit, posting under the handle crazy4dcoffee.
I just have to vent real quick. I recently went to the Philippines with my Lola for a 3 week vacation. I was given $1,000.00 by my parents as an allowance ( 50K pesos). I thought thats too much for 3 weeks. 2 weeks I stayed with my mom’s sister and her family. Now let me tell you this…the block that my aunt lives on….their cousins and other 2nd and 3rd cousins live there. Some of them I have no idea who they are but my luggage was packed with gifts for these people AND ALSO CASH. 11K of that 50k went to my them. Now I had 39k left. I still had 17 days left. I thought it would last me but no it did not.
I had some of them ask me if I can pay their electricity and tuition for school. I could not at this point call my mom and ask her I can since it was 3am back home. Also they ask me this in front of everyone, I don’t want to be called greedy etc. You know how it is.
So I paid it.
I even had to use my emergency money that worked hard for. $140 which was around 7,400 pesos. By the end of the day I had 2k left.
I knew my aunt was stealing from me but my mom as usual says its okay I will deal with it. BUT SHE DOES NOT. I left it alone but I was so upset and I told my mom that I worked hard for that money and that she needs to give it back to me when I get home.
dont you just hate when they tolerate this sh*t. I’m sorry, im not trying to make it look like all Filipino relatives are like this but why do you think just because Im from abroad, I am mayaman or rich like why cant I just be me??? of course I have money, I’m on a foreign land on vacation. But it does not make me a walking bank account.
Also hate when they guilt trip you for not giving money and tell sob stories so you feel bad and give in.
My grandma is my dad’s mother so she was in another city. I wanted to get to know my moms side of the family so I stayed there. I am never going back there again.
I also have to pay when we eat out and mind you most of the time, I’m not the one who insisted we go. THEY DID. what the actual…..I lost my sh*t when I had to pay for 12 people.
My mom even had the nerve to tell me why I had no money left when I had only 2 days left before I went back home to the US. I told her that obviously I was their bank account. She couldn’t say sh*t.
Whats worse is when I went back home, my uncle who asked me to pay for the tuition, asked my mom for another 5k because he needs transportation money. She got mad but didn’t tell him and I literally just laughed in her face. I feel bad but she deserves it for encouraging such behavior.
Also my mom’s sister got alot of clothes. She got 2 shorts and t shirts and even some chocolates and got mad at me because the shoes she requested wasn’t there and I had to explain to her that I had no more space in my luggage and that the got alot already, it wont be fair. She said next time we go home she expects the shoes. My blood was boiling to the MAX.
Another thing too, when I got to her house, as I was taking the gifts out to put in plastic bags…she stole a perfume from me. One that she asked was for and I said its an extra gift just incase I meet a friend of mine that used to live in the US. She took it when I looked away. I found it in her room a week later. I was so confused as to why she doesn’t just ask me this.
I hate that I feel this way but why are some relatives such parasites.
Dude, also bro 17 pesos toothbrush I had to pay them back…..I was like are you serious??? a rat peed on my toothbrush and there was poop on it. Is that my fault? I was just like whatever that’s like $0.40? So I gave it back.
Sadly, many OFWs can relate with the young man’s experience. If only people will change their mentality about OFWs…
