We often hear a lot of ‘kabayans’ and ‘kailyans’ alike who are unfortunate victims of some shady visa processing or to put it bluntly, illegal recruitment. The lure of the illusive greener pasture pulls us blindingly to do whatever it takes so we could earn more than what a peso promises.
A good friend asked me to write something about warning and re-emphasizing to our ‘kailyans’ to be extra careful with the people whom they entrust their money with in terms of visa and document processing. She did so out of the concern and worry that a growing number of fellow Cordillerans have been reported as needy for all sorts of legal and financial aid because of the dismal circumstances they are currently undergoing right now.
A good friend asked me to write something about warning and re-emphasizing to our ‘kailyans’ to be extra careful with the people whom they entrust their money with in terms of visa and document processing. She did so out of the concern and worry that a growing number of fellow Cordillerans have been reported as needy for all sorts of legal and financial aid because of the dismal circumstances they are currently undergoing right now.
Due to naivety, perhaps even ignorance, and trust given to the wrong people, we invest some hard earned or loaned money to someone who guarantees legal, proper, and efficient processing of the necessary documents to go outside the country. And even though doing so is really very costly, we have all sorts of varying personal reasons why we willingly take all known sacrifices and risks just to pursue what is perceived as a better opportunity overseas.
The tragic thing is that despite the existence of laws and continued efforts to eliminate the operations of illegal recruiters, they continue to increase and victimize unsuspecting and unwary workers. Thousands of Filipinos including their families are suffering because of trusting these frauds.
In UAE alone, specifically the Cordilleran community here, the regional organization often extend their help—legally, morally and financially, to countless unfortunate fellow Cordillerans who had to suffer adverse consequences as victims of these unlawful recruiters. They come here under the guise of legal documents and expect to be in good hands in terms of work. But this is not the case. They get to be thrown in an alien world with nothing to fend for themselves. Guts alone cannot save one here because being an illegal alien can turn one’s cards for the worst.
What happens then is that one is left with no choice but to go back home, penniless and lost in all the senses of the word. It is very self-defeating.
The Cordilleran community encounters a lot of cases like this and it never gives second thoughts about extending help and to see that these individuals can at least get rides back home. This unhesitating aid from the organization is the least Cordillerans can do to their ‘kailyans’ who meet such ill fortunes.
One still feels blessed that despite the bad luck after making the unsound decision of entrusting his or her finances and fate to these lawless recruiters, selfless people are there to catch one’s fall. But let this not be a reason to be careless about our actions and decisions. Let this be another reminder yet again to be very wary about people we deal with, especially people whom we hand over our fates with.
Sometimes we are misled. We believe that as sons and daughters of Igorots who recognize the word ‘inayan’, we are more grounded to basic morals and less likely to commit such atrocities but appallingly, that’s not the case. Even ‘kailyans’ are capable of these deceitful operations.
It’s horrendous how money can trigger people to take advantage of each other. We learn our lessons about making more sound and calculated decisions. But it’s sad that we have to learn these the hard way.
The tragic thing is that despite the existence of laws and continued efforts to eliminate the operations of illegal recruiters, they continue to increase and victimize unsuspecting and unwary workers. Thousands of Filipinos including their families are suffering because of trusting these frauds.
In UAE alone, specifically the Cordilleran community here, the regional organization often extend their help—legally, morally and financially, to countless unfortunate fellow Cordillerans who had to suffer adverse consequences as victims of these unlawful recruiters. They come here under the guise of legal documents and expect to be in good hands in terms of work. But this is not the case. They get to be thrown in an alien world with nothing to fend for themselves. Guts alone cannot save one here because being an illegal alien can turn one’s cards for the worst.
What happens then is that one is left with no choice but to go back home, penniless and lost in all the senses of the word. It is very self-defeating.
The Cordilleran community encounters a lot of cases like this and it never gives second thoughts about extending help and to see that these individuals can at least get rides back home. This unhesitating aid from the organization is the least Cordillerans can do to their ‘kailyans’ who meet such ill fortunes.
One still feels blessed that despite the bad luck after making the unsound decision of entrusting his or her finances and fate to these lawless recruiters, selfless people are there to catch one’s fall. But let this not be a reason to be careless about our actions and decisions. Let this be another reminder yet again to be very wary about people we deal with, especially people whom we hand over our fates with.
Sometimes we are misled. We believe that as sons and daughters of Igorots who recognize the word ‘inayan’, we are more grounded to basic morals and less likely to commit such atrocities but appallingly, that’s not the case. Even ‘kailyans’ are capable of these deceitful operations.
It’s horrendous how money can trigger people to take advantage of each other. We learn our lessons about making more sound and calculated decisions. But it’s sad that we have to learn these the hard way.