service is what Filipinos need

Here is an excerpt of a commentary that I replied to:

No, Winnie, Filipinos who go overseas are not traitors
By JOY ANTONELLE DE MARCAIDA M.D.
Share I am a Filipino. I live and work in the United States. I have established myself as a physician of some stature in my community. American physicians acknowledge me as an esteemed colleague, students look up to me as their mentor, patients respect me as their doctor. They do not question the color of my skin. They do not treat me any differently from any other respected member of their community. I have been integrated into their lifestyle and have adapted to their culture. I speak as they speak. But I am Filipino. And I am proud of it.
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Here is my commentary:

There is a difference between a Manileño choosing to work in another part of the country and a Filipino choosing to work in another country. I guess I don't have to explain the surface difference.

 

Transgressing the obvious, it is clear that serving other nationalities differs immensely from serving our countrymen. This is especially true for those who studied in SCUs. Part of our tuition fees comes from the taxes that our countrymen pay without question to the government. But more than the money they have given, it is the trust that students of SCUs will serve Filipinos directly. It is true that the remittances of OFWs and immigrants had made the economy survive. But let us take a look at the fact that the so-called economic growth does not properly translate to economic development. Economic growth and sustainability do not translate to a better served Filipino citizenry.

 

One doctor less in a hospital would create a change in the working hours of other doctors in that hospital. One teacher less in a school would mean teachers handling more classes that he/she should normally handle. And the same goes for the rest of the other professions. And the timeline does not end there. If these doctors, teachers, and other professionals become overworked, at a certain point in time, the delivery of services to the Filipino people will not be as earnest as the service they could deliver if they are working under normal conditions.

 

So there is a difference. And it is not just the distance nor the location.

 

More than money and a stable economy, service to a fast growing Filipino nation is what is needed by this country.