I left the Philippines for Hong Kong when I turned 19, leaving behind my father and siblings and my unfinished Nursing degree. In an ideal world, a 19-year-old should still be in school, dreaming and hanging out with friends, making mistakes, and preparing for the real world, but then my reality is far from the ideal. Poverty is our reality. My mother, a domestic worker, needed to leave us to give us a better life, but then I became one myself. Migration has shaped our lives, and up to this day, it is our reality.

This experience is not just mine but shared by many children of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) left behind. As a child of a migrant worker, I dream of a country where no mothers need to be away from their children because we have enough. I dream of a leader whose compassion is beyond the numbers during the election period.

I dream of a leader who believes in data–on how many children are left behind and how it affects their well-being especially their mental health; a leader who uses these data with a heart to create more impact. Maybe if we have the numbers, leaders will find a solution and fix the core of the problem. I dream of a future where children grow up into adults without the generational trauma caused by migration.

We cannot escape migration, but it can be a non-catastrophic event. I am not asking for a leader who stops mobility but for a leader who will prioritize, protect and fight for OFWs.

'We, as Filipinos, can save ourselves when we exercise our rights to choose a leader who will serve our nation well.'

We need a leader who encourages efficiency to lessen the burden for Filipino migrants because efficiency leads to less paperwork and queueing for the OFWs, and easier access to their protection. There should be less fees to lighten the financial burden for OFWs whose hearts are already shredded into pieces when they leave their children. We need a leader who believes that we need to recalibrate when Filipino children are growing up missing one or both parents.

Are the Balikbayan boxes of chocolates, clothes, and new shoes worth the family separation? Or should we demand more from our leaders, so no more children shed a tear for a mother who was not there when she needed her most?

I started documenting migration in different cities in 2014. I documented migration in Hong Kong, Singapore, the US, Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines because I am one of them and I’ve lived the experience of a migrant worker. I am an insider to their stories because it is also my story. I authored the book We Are Like Air to celebrate migrants as champions and I still celebrate them to this day.

One common observation in all the migrants who allowed me to witness their lives away from our home country is the desire to go back home to a better life than what they left behind—a better life for their families and children.

Photos by Polaris Norton Novice

I spoke to many children whose parents went overseas, and every time, we cry together for the missed birthdays, graduations, and holidays. The longing of the Filipino children for a complete family makes me wonder if migration is worth it.

Are the Balikbayan boxes of chocolates, clothes, and new shoes worth the family separation? Or should we demand more from our leaders, so no more children shed a tear for a mother who was not there when she needed her most?

We do not need our leaders to be heroes because migrant workers are our modern heroes. A hero is supposed to uphold us, and we, as Filipinos, can save ourselves when we exercise our rights to choose a leader who will serve our nation well. We are the heroes because the power is in our hands. We can select a leader who will see us as humans and lead us with his or her heart, brain, and guts aligned.

I believe that we all want the same thing: financial stability, to love and be loved, peace, and happiness together with our families. For the parents who long to be with their children, think of them when choosing our leaders. For the left-behind children, think of our parents when we exercise our votes.

I dream of a nation where everyone is together with all our heart's desires, and leaving is only an option, not the only choice.

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