FEATURE BLOG OF THE WEEK

( This is an essay on nihonggo speech written by a college classmate of mine. )

         Sayounara Papa by: Cliffen Lumacao 

              Nowadays, Filipino fathers are sometimes forced to work abroad; however it has many disadvantages that are as many minuses as pluses.

Looking at the families without fathers, I thought of it as a disease or a pattern that leaving home to find work elsewhere was part of their role as providers.

Yet I often asked, “What does it really mean?”Why do they have to leave the country to find work?Can’t they carve a future for their family here?

I was 6 years old back then when my father first left us to work abroad.

We were 6 in the family and I was the fourth.

The eldest was 11 and with a 2 year gap each the youngest was only 1 year old.

Thinking how hard it is for us to grow up without a father on sight, I could not forget how much we cried out for each step that he took as he walked away from home carrying his luggage.

The neighborhood was so sad as each of the days followed because almost 80% of the fathers were doing the same thing after the mining company of our barangay was shutdown, leaving a lot of jobless individuals with a family to feed.

At that young age, my skepticisms stopped by convincing myself that if I grew up and become the president, I will not allow any father to leave his children because it’s really lonely and sad at home without a father.

But that was just a wish.

Now I am 24 years old but I did not become the president of the country.

Now, I begin to understand why working abroad is becoming an increasing and unquestionable option.

But I cannot neglect asking myself what kinds of adult will result from children growing up without fathers at home?

As a positive result, we used to be financially stable but somehow we grew up with more adjustments in the absence of a father.

We even experienced some emotional hardships.

I even could not forget that first time my father came back after a year for vacation when my two younger sisters didn’t recognize him as they saw a stranger who just walked inside the house.

“Who is he?” asked the little one.

“Who are you and why is everyone seems so happy to see you?” the older one asked.

“Don’t you recognize me? I’m your father.”

“Please go away and stop dragging us.You’re not our father, our father is just in the picture.” Cried both of them.

It took three days for him to completely win their hearts.

When men migrate, the left behind wives assumed more responsibilities with their dual roles as fathers and mothers.

Looking at the neighbors, left behind children also painted a less pessimistic than popular perceptions suggest.

Some children grew up as drug addicts, including even my brother.

Some are spending their nights on the streets, some are wasting their times gambling, while some were juvenile delinquent individuals ending up in jails.

A few ended up as teenage parents.

Some married at an early age.

Many stories, rumors, and speculations circulate about philandering wives, spendthrift children, and children becoming wayward.

Working abroad is really not good because negative possibilities are inevitable to the families left behind.

It is said that a father is the foundation of the family.

But how will the children be raised without the foundation?

What kinds of adult will result from children who will be growing up without a father?

How do children view their father’s departure?

What about the wives left behind?

Fathers of the Philippines, will we just remain this way?

Is this the inevitable fate of the Filipino family?

First  Price Winner !.. ^_^ Nice one Cliff.. hehehe makahilak man sad..

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