In 2008, Joseph Badilles was granted an opportunity to work overseas and saw it as a way to achieve financial security which seems so elusive in the Philippines. According to Joseph, one of the reasons why he decided to be an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) is to cope up with his huge credit cards bills then. And of course, he also wants to explore new horizons and seek greener pastures. As he would receive a much higher salary, Joseph thinks he will be able to secure his future faster and easier by working abroad.

A native of Cebu City, Joseph did not find it so hard to find an overseas job. His profession is in-demand overseas and he saw that there so many job openings posted then in the Classified Ads section of their local newspaper. He submitted his applications and was immediately scheduled for an initial interview. After a month, he was called for a final interview.

He met the foreign employers in the second interview, a British, an Irish and Finnish. Fortunately, the employers liked him so he soon received an employment offer. He then processed the required documents and was able to leave the Philippines two months after receiving the job offer. He arrived in Doha, Qatar on May 16, 2008.

Joseph finds his overseas job challenging as the company where he is employed is just starting so the employees need to exert their best effort to help it grow and prosper.

Aside from the adjustments he had to do in a foreign workplace, he also finds it difficult to cope with the weather in Qatar. The weather is extreme because it can get very hot during the summer months while it can be very cold during the winter season. Nevertheless, he loves the breathtaking sceneries there especially the sand dunes which he finds so beautiful.

Still, like all OFWs, Joseph misses the Philippines very much. He longs for the perfect weather here and the delectable Filipino foods. As an OFW who went to work abroad to achieve financial security, Joseph wants to share these tips to his fellow OFWs all over the world so they can help them attain financial security:

·         Open a savings account for yourself separate from that of your beneficiary. This way you are able to segregate your savings from your transactional account, i.e., funds needed by his beneficiary for day-to-day expenses.

·         Plan how much to save and set aside as budget for the family expenses which he will consult with his beneficiary. This way the plans are aligned with the needs of the family and the road to financial stability becomes a family affair. Ideally, you should be saving between 40% from your income and 60% percent of your monthly income for your family.

·         Invest wisely and keep your promises to family, wife, children and yourself.