Children of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) are often victims of survival and human rights issues rooted in the absence of parents or guardians, according to local children’s welfare groups.
A number of these issues include a lack of financial and medical support, lack of proper guidance, and lack of stability in their developmental years.
In terms of shelter, children of OFWs often have no permanent household that they are part of. There is also a growing trend of minors living alone or being abandoned.
“Daghan na karon (There are a lot now), that’s a growing number among children of OFW... The issues really started when their parents decided to go abroad,” Inorisa Elento, executive director of the Mindanao Migrants Center for Empowering Actions Inc. (MMCEAI), said during a virtual presser on November 4.
Violence against children is also rampant since, without protection from parents or guardians, the children are often exposed to physical, psychological, and sexual abuse.
“We can really attest to that na naa gyud mga cases na ang perpetrator kay ang (there are cases wherein the perpetrators are the) father, brother, relatives, or guardians mismo sa mga bata (of the child),” Rosevic Jayme, RSW OFW Coordinator for OFW Families' Welfare and Crisis Center - City Social and Welfare Development Office said.
Other notable issues are teenage pregnancy or teenage parenthood, and bullying and discrimination from peers.
Although these issues are present, an exact figure is lacking to pinpoint just how many children of OFWs are suffering which kind of abuse. Elento said data from the local and national governments are not yet consolidated.
“Wala pa ta ihap kung pila pa gyod ang mga (We do not have a data on) children or families left behind by OFWs. Dili lang na sa Davao City, sa tibuok nasud wala pa ta klarong ihap (It’s not just in Davao City, there is no nationwide figure as well)” she said.
Elento added that the MMCEAI is conducting their own study and profiling of OFW families from different communities to slowly build a database. As of now, the MMCEAI has reached out to eight communities.
As a step towards resolving the said issues, Jayme said children of OFWs spoke up to address their concerns during the first ‘Children’s Congress for the Left-behind Children of OFWs’ last October 29.
The children of OFWs called for parents’ education such as co-parenting training for their parents or guardians, programs for socio-cultural development, and platforms that would allow them to help develop more policies in protecting and upholding their rights.
“The children were able to come up with a unified children’s recommendation based on their issues concerning the four major rights of a child: survival, protection, participation, and developmental rights... Mas gwapo gyod na natagaan sila og boses (It is better we give the children their own voice on the issue),” Jayme said. ICM