By the Weekly Sillimanian
As citizens of a third-world country, Filipinos are raised to believe that true career success lies in securing work abroad. But the reelection of convicted felon Donald Trump challenges aspiring overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) as his immigration policies could further restrict opportunities for non-native workers.
During an interview with the National Broadcasting Company, Trump claimed that there is “no price tag” in pursuing mass deportation after his victory—appointing leaders in his government that vowed to run the most significant deportation force in American history. His aggressive stance on immigration is well-documented, and migrant workers are likely to face the repercussions of his policies. Unfortunately, Filipinos are no exception to this.
Filipinos already face enough red tape in processing the necessary documents to work abroad and adapting to a foreign environment and its differences from home. These challenges, however, become all the more difficult if Trump’s reelection and loose-cannon leadership lead to Filipinos treading even more carefully around his immigration policies.
For many, working abroad can be considered not only as a symbol of success but also a chance to achieve stability, support family back home, and access better opportunities than those available locally. Although these goals are accomplishable in one’s later years, the pressure to choose a career path outside the Philippines is a burden students may carry even at the earlier stages of their education.
Through this pressure, their choices become grounded on what can eventually lead them to a career abroad, including what course they take and which reputable school is worthy of their parents’ hard work. Nevertheless, such opportunities after graduation only remain feasible if the government—especially foreign ones—keeps its doors open even for people not native to their land. These challenges are shaped by the leaders elected through one’s votes.
The recent presidential election in the United States illustrates the influence of voting power on immigration policies that impact migrant workers. It tells the world that the leaders they plucked among the powerful share their values. And if the American values deny Filipinos their right to better opportunities abroad, their collective effort as a generation will only cease to remain just as that: an effort. However, their election is not the only democratic challenge we must face but ours as well.
America’s case highlights the crucial responsibility of practicing one’s right to suffrage. Particularly, the coming 2025 midterm elections will include electing another slate of leaders that will either protect or harm the OFWs of today and tomorrow. What presently stands between them and the future of Filipinos is our vote.
As a progressive campus press, the Weekly Sillimanian strongly encourages every Sillimanian and, more importantly, Filipino to elect leaders who can guarantee progress in solving systemic inequalities and injustices. The coming elections offer an opportunity for Filipinos to elect leaders committed to addressing systemic issues and ensuring a future where opportunities are not limited by restrictive foreign policies.
While Trump’s foreign policies may control access to overseas opportunities, the future of the Filipino people is ultimately shaped by our own choices. Let us choose leaders who will fight for our OFWs, support educational advancement, and improve international relations. This 2025, let’s make our votes count
