A bank is a place where they lend you an umbrella in fair weather and ask for it back when it rains. — Robert Frost. 

 

This short statement of Frost is reflecting the current financial crisis of some of the countries in Europe specifically Greece, Italy, Spain, Ireland and Portugal who are now under the rain, not of blessings but of struggles on paying its debts. These countries host thousands of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in its broad territories as doctors, nurses, IT professionals, engineers, architects, technician, teachers, caregivers, domestic helpers. In fact, there was a Filipino movie entitled Milan released last 2004 highlighting the life of an OFW in one of the largest city in Italy, where the title of the movie was based from, Milan. The present monetary crisis that these countries are facing could not help one to think of how would this affect the OFWs who are presently employed at the said countries. 

 

Most of the Filipinos ran into these countries for greener pasture, for more opportunities and for the beliefs that their dreams will be fulfilled in the vast continent of Europe. However, the economy is always changing and they for sure never thought that even the economic walls of Europe could be shaken by financial crisis due to its debts. 

 

Despite the news of financial crisis Europe is facing at the present, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said that there was no massive displacement of OFWs in Europe. Rosalinda Baldoz, Labor Secretary stated that the debt crisis affecting Italy and other European countries are not likely to distress or affect the OFWs employment. “Even if there is crisis, usually the employers do not pre-terminate existing contracts. They are just finishing their contracts so it won’t affect our workers there,” Baldoz said. This statement of Baldoz is not suggesting an overall assurance that OFWs are safe with their current employment, because one can’t help but entertain the thoughts of “what will happen when the OFWs’ contract is over?”  Currently, there is an increasing fear of job losses or roles downgrade in the next year to come among nurses in England and this could affect the Filipino nurses as the financial crisis squeezes the National Health Service (NHS). The fears of the nurses came when mental health trusts across England decided to reduce their nurse workforce as part of the efforts to help NHS’s  £20bn cost-saving drive. The Plymouth hospitals NHS trusts plot to cut  281 posts, including 145 nursing jobs, to save £31m this year. According to Dennis Campbell a health correspondent, “The RCN is concerned that 130 existing nursing vacancies at the trust have led to staff shortages in some areas of medical care, and that patient safety could be at risk.”  The plan to restructure the community services in London, Camdon and Islington NHS foundation trusts, dealing with mental health services will lose 69 posts for nursing, psychologists and social workers.  

 

Portsmouth hospitals NHS trust aims to shed 99 posts by next April at least six of which will be nurses and three of which are specialist-nursing posts. A Department of Health spokesman said, “We don't agree with this estimate. Nurses and other frontline staff are central to our plans for the future of our health service and we are freeing them from bureaucracy to take their own decisions on patient care. Our modernisation plans will cut the costs of administration by one-third over this parliament, and every penny will be reinvested into frontline services to improve quality for patients." This fear of losing a job is understandable to all OFWs who are the breadwinner of their families in the Philippines.  They have children they sent to school, parents with medications to maintain, their own debts to pay or personal investments that they still need to compensate for example the house and lot or the car they just bought, losing a job will be a sudden change to the lives of these OFWs. As an answer for this Baldoz added that if the situation will get worsen the government is ready to provide assistance for the affected OFWs. The government, DOLE in particular is also willing to help facilitate local or overseas re-employment for workers who will be affected by the debt crisis. OFWs should consider this assistance offered by the government and by DOLE because no one can tell when the debt crisis of Europe will end. Baldoz added that DOLE has not perceived any critical decline concerning job orders or hiring for OFWs in Europe at the present. 

 

The debt crisis in Europe does not represent the overall scenario of OFWs’ employment in Europe, Germany and France are the leading powers in the 17-nation euro zone and have promised to propose a comprehensive strategy to fight the debt crisis.”There is nothing permanent except change” as Heraclitus once said, so as the economy. All should be positive that the debt crisis would be over after all we lose nothing by being optimistic.