Overseas Filipino Workers

[JJReyes]

My wife and I have just returned from a 12 nights Caribbean cruise which gave me the opportunity to meet and converse with Overseas Filipino Workers.

Talk about hard working Filipinos. Breakfast buffet starts at 7:00 am and the staff has to start working by 6:00 am. Wake up call is 5:00 am. First break is one hour at 10:00 am. At 11:00 am, they begin preparing for the 12:00 noon lunch buffet. Next break is 3:00 pm for one hour before starting preparations for the evening buffet at 6:00 pm. The day ends at 9:00 pm or 15 hours later.

The work is seven days a week for the duration of the contract, typically it is six months. When the ship is in port, service staff can apply for a two hours shore leave. Most head for a remittance center to send money to families.

Cost of airline tickets are deducted from their wages. At the end of the contract period, you are required to fly home for a two months rest period before applying for another contract.

The allure are wages averaging between $2,000 to $2,500 a month. The amount is something they are unable to earn in the Philippines. Although OFWs don't pay income taxes, everyone tries to tap into their earnings including mandatory fees by the Philippine Overseas Employment Agencies and monetary gifts to recruiters.

The cruise line charges a mandatory $12 per passenger per day gratuity that is automatically charged to your credit card. That's $288 for my wife and I during our 12 nights cruise. Unknown to many passengers, you can demand the cancellation of the mandatory gratuity. I then distribute the $288 as tips.

The elite group for the international hospitality industry are Overseas Filipino Workers who have experience in the cruise industry. The best resorts and hotels worldwide hire them as soon as they read their resumes. The OFWs always greet the guests with a smile and a cheerful disposition. Try to get the Chinese, Pakistani or Indian workers to smile.

Edited March 22, 2015 by JJReyes