The Economic Times photo courtesy
“Dapat ka bang mangibang-bayan? Dito ba’y wala kang paglagyan?” – Pinay, a popular song in the late 70s by folk-rock singer-songwriter Florante, now living in the United States.
“A warrior chooses a path with heart, any path with heart, and follows it; and then he rejoices and laughs. He knows because he sees that his life will end too soon. He sees that nothing is more important than anything else.” – mystic author Carlos Castaneda
IT IS HUMAN INSTINCT that we all strive to be happy.
To many, having a peaceful and comfortable life for the family is enough to be happy.
Thus, many Filipinos choose to migrate to Canada known for its vast opportunities, non-discriminatory policy on age, gender, education, and race, high quality of living, peaceful and clean environment, polite people, best health care, free education, and child care benefits, among others.
In 2021, there are about 957,355 Filipinos all over Canada.
Of the 13 provinces of Canada, most Filipinos prefer to work and settle down in the reputed prosperous provinces namely Ontario, British Columbia (BC), Alberta, and Manitoba.
Again, based on the 2021 survey posted on Wikipedia, there are about 363,650 Filipinos in Ontario, 174,280 in BC, 216,710 in Alberta, and 94,315 in Manitoba.
The province of New Brunswick, which is now introducing its five-year Critical Worker Pilot Program, has 5,190 Filipino immigrants, while Nunavut has the lowest number, with only 315.
It was learned that six large companies in New Brunswick will directly hire foreign workers, including Filipinos, to fill in their labor shortage.
They will be given free airfare, accommodation, and transportation, bring their families, and a chance for further studies.
On the other hand, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has disclosed that Manitoba is eyeing hiring more Filipino healthcare workers.
In addition, Manitoba will also provide a scholarship fund for Filipino nursing students who wish to work in Canada.
Last February 22, Manitoba Minister of Labour and Immigration Jon Reyes paid a courtesy call to DMW Secretary Susan “Toots” Ople to discuss the labor cooperation between the Philippines and Manitoba.
The DMW bared that Reyes expressed interest in hiring more skilled Filipino health professionals under a new program which will include the provision of airfare, accommodation, and training of Filipino healthcare workers.
And DMW Secretary Toots Ople could not help but express her gratitude to the Canadian government for their hospitality and recognition of the professionalism of Filipino health professionals.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Paul Merriman of Saskatchewan province told GMA-7 TV “24 Oras” news reporter JP Soriano that those who would be hired would be given an initial salary of around P150,000.
A really tempting offer, eh? Considering that the entry-level monthly salary for nurses in the government is only P32,097 under the 2022 salary standardization law, entry-level nurses in the private sector are paid between P8,000 to P13,500 a month.
However, Maristela Abenojar, president of Filipino Nurses United (FNU), has revealed that while some public hospital nurses receive P35,000 monthly under Salary Grade 15, this is deceiving because thousands of government nurses are contractual and get much less.
Opportunity knocks only once, so they say, and it doesn’t make us less Filipino if we venture to find greener pastures or the mystical path with heart elsewhere on this planet.
After all, we are all but one human race that deserves to enjoy life by achieving peaceful co-existence, abundance, and happiness.
Like “The Terminator” once said: It’s time.
(Amado Inigo/MTVN)
