Orly Albaracin of Davao del Sur felt what most Filipino workers who decided to work abroad felt. He knows that his salary in the Philippines is so low that it won’t be enough to give his family the good life that he wants them to enjoy. He also thinks that the culture of “palakasan system” is so evident here that it is so hard even for an honest and hardworking employee to get promoted and earn more. Orly said that even if he toiled so hard his efforts would not pay off and he would still remain poor.

Feeling hopeless, he set his sights on foreign land. It’s a good thing that overseas job hunting comes easy for him. Knowing his qualifications and skills, a friend who is already working abroad recommended him to the company he is employed. He was hired and able to go out of the country without paying a single cent. Everything from the processing fees to the plane ticket was taken cared of by the employer. 

He arrived in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia on  July 21, 2008. He was initially hired as a Lineman/Rodman. The salary is not that good and he also find the work difficult at first because the job requires a Geodetic Engineer when he is an Agricultural Engineer. He also needs to learn how to use high tech machines that are npot available in the Philippines such as Trimble Total Station, Trimble 5700 GPS, Nikon Total Station etc.

Even if Orly did not find the overseas life easy, he persevered and did his best to learn everything that his job requires him to. This includes learning how to drive a car. Soon all his hard works are rewarded because he is promoted to be a

Chief Surveyor. Soon after, he became the Supervisor of the CAD and Field Surveying works.

Orly enjoys his current job and one of the memorable things he did was when he traveled different parts of Saudi Arabia to inspect Survey Control Monuments (GMN Control). He visited the east and west side of Riyadh such as Hufof, Harad, Jubail, Dawadmi, Al shaqra, Bijadiyah, Jeddah, Rabigh, Ruwaydah, Quawayiyah, and a lot more. 

But of course, he still miss the Philippines especially his one and only child which is his inspiration in working abroad. Orly’s wife is also working overseas so their only child is left alone in the Philippines.

This is Orly’s message to all OFWs across the globe. “Sipag at tiyaga- maliit man ang sahod, sikapin nating ipakita ang buo nating kakayanan upang umangat sa trabaho at maibigay ang karapat-dapat na para sa atin.