One overseas Filipino worker (OFW) shared his sentiments against people not content with their ‘pasalubong’ and his post went viral, with many OFWs agreeing with him; though there were others who think he’s being too arrogant and just doesn’t want to give pasalubong at all…
Many people think that OFWs have a lot of money. After all, their salaries are much higher than those received by people working in the Philippines – and many of their family members and friends don’t even have stable jobs. So, the OFWs are considered as rich, even if they don’t actually earn millions. As long as you’re an OFW, you are rich in the minds of those left back home.
Every single time an OFW comes home for a vacation, he/she is expected to bring ‘pasalubong’ for everyone. And while most OFWs happily buy chocolates, soap, perfume, toys, and some other stuff they can give to their family and friends, many of them don’t really have a lot of money to buy everything for everyone. Often, they can give one person one item, not all the types of ‘pasalubong’ they brought.
The problem there is that many people expect a lot from the OFWs, thinking they deserve to receive a lot of ‘pasalubong’ to enjoy stuff from abroad. What’s worse, they don’t just expect to receive a lot, they also want expensive stuff and are not ashamed to tell the OFWs so. Tsk. Tsk.
Raymond Lopez, an OFW in Saudi Arabia, posted his sentiments about this ‘pasalubong’ issue on his Facebook account. Many could not help but agree with him.
“Minsan, nakakadala talagang magbigay ng pasalubong kapag nagbabalik-bayan ka, bigyan mo man sila o hindi, meron at meron silang masasabi sa’yo, na kesyo “ito lang”, “nagbigay ka pa”, “kuripot naman”, “‘yan ba ‘yung abroad?”, “tatlong-taon sa abroad heto na ‘yun?”.
Una po sa lahat, hindi po nagbabalik-bayan ang isang OFW para bigyan o pasalubungan kayong lahat, walang obligasyon ang isang OFW na bigyan kayo ng mga tsokolate, sabon, pabango at kung anu-ano pa! umuuwi ang isang OFW hindi para magregalo, mamigay o magpamudmod ng kung ano. kundi, umuuwi sila para pansamantalang makapagpahinga, makapaglibang at makasama ang kani-kanilang pamilya’t mahal sa buhay.
Sana, subukan n’yo ‘hong mag-abroad, para po maranasan n’yo rin ang mga sakripisyo namin, ‘yung mga pagtitipid, pangungulila at kalungkutang nararanasan dito at ng mga kapwa-OFW namin sa buong mundo. Matuto po sana kayong magpasalamat o makuntento, dahil kahit papaano’y naabutan at naalala kayo nung tao.”
What do you think of his post?
Best Pasalubong to Bring?
There are lots of pasalubongs that one can buy for family and friends after going on a trip. Popular options are the following:
- Ref magnets
- T-shirts
- Hats or caps
- Native delicacies
- Bags
- Keychains
- Other souvenir items
