BABALIK NA SI MA'AM by Howie Severino

CHARACTERS:

Bagong Bayani - the term called to the filipinos working abroad or Overseas Filipino Workers(OFWs)

Regina de Ocampo - a good teacher with a kind heart.

Mercy Elegado - Domestic Helper in Hongkong for 13 years. A teacher in Isabela.

Sammie Sandal - live in Ilocos Norte and OFW in Hongkong for 5 years.

Delia - wife of Sammie Sandal

Rizalyn Abello - Teacher in Pasig River and a former Domestic Helper.

Hermie Aquino - passed the Licensure Examination for Teachers(LET)

Raul Roco - Secretary of Department of Education.


SYNOPSIS

"Babalik na si Ma'am" is an i Witness documentary by Howie Severino which is one of the best documentaries she has made. As a matter of fact "Babalik na si Ma'am" was a finalist at the 2003 Japan Price Educational Program Contest.
It is about the story of Domestic Helpers(DH) abroad who were actually teachers in the Philippines before but pushed to seek better paying jobs like DH because of the poor income in their profession in the Philippines.
But the government has offered good opportunities for these Overseas Filipino Workers(OFWs) to sent them back in our country with assurance that they will be given jobs according to their professions as teachers with appropriate salaries.
Mercy Elegado was just one of the DH abroad who was given a chance to continue her profession in the Philippines. She was so happy knowing that she will be able to meet and accompany her family again as well as she will be teaching in Isabela. But she also felt sad for leaving the people she had served and considered family too like Alice Cheung that according to her was a nice and kind boss.Upon teaching again the grade one and two pupils of Isabela, Mercy has dignify herself from being Domestic helper and bring back her loved profession and be respective teacher again. According to her she was one calling her boss "ma'am" before but now she is the teacher being called "ma'am" that for her shows so much respect from her students.


COMMENTARIES

The "Babalik na si Ma'am" is a touching and inspirational story that also made me admire of the people who were introduced here like Mercy Elegado, a diligent teacher and domestic helper. But another face of the story is pity and dislike.
I feely pity for the OFWs who tried their luck abroad to find better opportunities and sacrifice to be separated from their love ones specially their families just to give them a better future. Although these opportunities might lessen their pride and social existence. Like the filipino domestic helpers (DH) abroad who were teachers before in the philippines; come to think of it, teaching is a better profession than being domestic helper in terms of respect and pride but apparently domestic helpers abroad have greater income compared to teachers in the philippines.
I don' t blame the OFWs in their decision but how can they sacrifice their family for the purpose of obtaining more money from other country. Why not find some other way around and work locally? They are working in other country and the said country will benefit from their service instead from their own.
In fact an increase in number of OFWs also give rise to the number of broken families in the country because of the lack of interpersonal communication and absence of one parent in the family to show his or her love and comfort. Their are lot of children today who were engaged in different vices because of lack of guidance from both parents. One parent is not enough to fullfill the emotional needs of their children because they need total attention from parents. So if one parent is working abroad, children might find something to make them happy or lessen their loneliness, and they might think they can find it from their friends or from using drugs. So by decreasing the number of OFWs, number of broken families will also decrease and children will not bother to become apart from their parents.
Although the government has made a program for the OFWs, still it is not enough to answer the issues on employment and low salaries which give idea to the filipinos to work abroad. Lot of job opportunities and proper salaries will help solve these issues.
As a future entrepreneur, I am hoping to be a job provider instead of job seeker in the future. I will help filipinos to have good jobs with the purpose of increasing the employment rate and decreasing the number of OFWs.