Digitally Yours

By Virginia J. Pasalo

 

OR how OFWs deal with “homesexness.”

In 1990, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and the Women in Development (WID) Foundation developed the Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar (PDOS) to prepare departing overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) face the challenges of working overseas. This program was launched with other partner non-government organizations (NGOs), handling various sectors of OFWs. During the pilot stage of the PDOS, the WID Foundation handled the women and other vulnerable sectors.

After two years of conducting PDOS, WID Foundation conducted a follow-through study in Hong Kong, and one of the most important findings is that, women had developed their own ways of coping with their sexuality, in more creative ways than ordinary people can actually imagine. Dr. Itchon and Ms. Yamzon interviewed more than 200 women in Hong Kong, and conducted the same among 300 returning women OFWs from the Middle East.

In response to the study, the Women Overseas Program, where the PDOS falls under as a project came up with two interventions initiated by the Curriculum Committee led by Dr. Gloria S. Itchon (gynecologist) and Ms. Mildred M. Yamzon (psychologist): a. an interactive radio program in Hong Kong, where OFWs, especially women OFWs can call in anonymity to seek advice regarding sexuality issues; and b. a Module on Sexuality and Spirituality that discusses the woman’s coping mechanisms while working abroad. This module is unique to WID Foundation and was not included in the regular modules conducted by other NGOs because the competency to handle it requires expertise and experience with women.

Ten years after, WID opted out of the PDOS givers network on account of institutional policy differences with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), who took over the PDOS from the POEA. However, it continued its advocacy and assistance to women OFWs whenever it can, and conducts researches specific to the conditions and context of women OFWs.

To the question as to how they cope with their “homesexness” (a word coined by Dr. Itchon and Ms. Yamzon), here is a composite of the many ways cited in a continuing study on women OFWs:

“Nagse-selfie ako ma’am, na hinahalikan ko siya, tapos, send” (I make a selfie of my face kissing him., and then I send it.)

“Minsan, sabihin niya, pa-picture ng boobs mo,” (Please take a photo of your breasts). At pi-picturan ko naman ang boobs ko, tapos send. (And i take a photo of my breasts, and send).

“Pag madilim ang kuha, sasabihin niya, kunan mo uli, di ko makita utong mo! Kaya, punta ako sa tapat ng ilaw, at kunan uli ang boobs ko.” (If the photos are dark, he tells me, take another photo, i cannot see your nipples!).

“Pag maganda na ang kuha, sasabihin naman niya, hawakan mo utong mo, na parang pasususuhin mo ako.” (When the photos are good, he tells me, take another picture holding your nipples as if offering it to me.).

“Sa pagkakataong ito, ma’am, siyempre, nalilibugan na rin ako, at kukunan ko ang hita ko na bahagyang nakabuka, at send!” (At this point ma’am, i am already aroused, so I take a photo of my partially-opened thighs, and send!)

“At sa pagkakataong ding yun, para na siyang asong ulol, at ang sabi niya sa akin, ang labo, tumapat ka sa ilaw, di ko makita singit mo!”

“Kaya, ta-timing ako, mag-aantay akong matulog muna employer ko, at sasabihin ko sa kanya, sandali, mahal, gising pa amo ko, “willing to wait” ka ba?”

At ang rumaragasang sagot niya ay, “How many minutes? Willing to wait ako!”

“Pagkaraan ng limang minuto, may message siya uli, di pa ba tulog ang putang-inang yan? Mamamatay na ako sa paghihintay!”

“After fifteen minutes, tulog na ang amo ko, may pagkakataon na akong tumihaya sa tapat ng ilaw at kunan sa liwanag ang singit ko! Click!, click!”

“At last! Ang gaganda ng kuha, kitang-kita ang singit! Pinili ko ang pinakamagandang photo, at send!

“Antay ako ng antay sa sagot niya, pero wala. After thirty minutes, wala pa rin!”

“I want to sleep na, pero biglang may message! Inaasan ko sanang may photo rin siya ng kanyang singit, pero walang singit!”

“Ang sabi niya, eh, ang tagal mo, nagising na ang anak mo, kelangan ko ng magpagatas!”

(For your comments and reactions, please email to: punch.sunday@gmail.com)

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