For some OFWs, balancing hobbies and family is a tough job
AL AIN, United Arab Emirates – One can say Sherwin Guarin Boston is like Imelda Marcos in his penchant for expensive footwear. Only in his case, it's rubber shoes.
An interior architect and designer in Thomas Bennett Group, Sherwin, 36, prides himself as a "shoe collector," owning several pairs of Air Jordans and Nikes, most of them of limited releases.
"Bihirang mag-sale ang mga sapatos na nakahiligan ko," he shared via email. "Limited lang ang release at pinagkakaguluhan pa."
As with any collector, Sherwin doesn't put his shoes to their intended use. "Meron din akong ilang pairs na hanggang ngayon ay di ko pa sinuot, naka-store lang."
It was also the same for 44-year-old nurse Ellen Bermal Escobido, whose fondness for buying expensive items started when she was still young.
“Nahilig akong mamili since nung bata pa ako. Ang youngest brod kasi ni Mama ay seaman. Kapag umuuwi siya ay binibigyan niya ako ng pera at doon niya ako pinabibili sa PX [Post Exhange] ng kung ano ang gusto ko,” said Ellen, a charge nurse at Ain Al Khaleej Hospital.
“Hindi rin kasi ako tumitingin kung magkano o mura basta korsunada,” she added.
Of course, being OFWs somewhat allows both Sherwin and Ellen to be more profligate than their counterparts back in the Philippines. But if left unchecked, though, such extravagance — which not uncommon among Filipino workers abroad — could lead to financial dilemma, particularly to the family back home.
"It is also important that we are setting aside a portion of our earnings for future needs, and to do this deliberately and methodically," advised Filomeno V. Aguilar Jr., professor and dean of the School of Social Sciences at the Ateneo de Manila University.
"We have to think beyond the here and now," he added.
According to Aguilar, it is every worker's right to enjoy the fruits of his or her labor. "Purchasing expensive items may satisfy some deep longing in us, which our hard-earned salaries make possible,” he said, but added with a caveat.
"We should not become dependent on the things that money can buy," Aguilar said. "Can we not be happy without these things? Can we put our surplus income into something beyond, and even greater than, ourselves?"
Luckily, both Sherwin and Ellen know their limitations.
"Hindi ko rin naman napapabayaan ang tungkulin ko bilang kapatid at anak," Ellen said.
For Sherwin, he said the money he spends for his shoe collection are his "extra money."
"Ang mga pinambili ko ng mga sapatos na kinahiligan ko ay galing sa sobra na kinikita ko. Kung walang sobra, pinagpapaliban ko na muna ang pagbili. I am not cutting the budget," he said. —KBK, GMA News
An interior architect and designer in Thomas Bennett Group, Sherwin, 36, prides himself as a "shoe collector," owning several pairs of Air Jordans and Nikes, most of them of limited releases.
Sherwin Guarin Boston and his collection.
As with any collector, Sherwin doesn't put his shoes to their intended use. "Meron din akong ilang pairs na hanggang ngayon ay di ko pa sinuot, naka-store lang."
It was also the same for 44-year-old nurse Ellen Bermal Escobido, whose fondness for buying expensive items started when she was still young.
“Nahilig akong mamili since nung bata pa ako. Ang youngest brod kasi ni Mama ay seaman. Kapag umuuwi siya ay binibigyan niya ako ng pera at doon niya ako pinabibili sa PX [Post Exhange] ng kung ano ang gusto ko,” said Ellen, a charge nurse at Ain Al Khaleej Hospital.
“Hindi rin kasi ako tumitingin kung magkano o mura basta korsunada,” she added.
Of course, being OFWs somewhat allows both Sherwin and Ellen to be more profligate than their counterparts back in the Philippines. But if left unchecked, though, such extravagance — which not uncommon among Filipino workers abroad — could lead to financial dilemma, particularly to the family back home.
"It is also important that we are setting aside a portion of our earnings for future needs, and to do this deliberately and methodically," advised Filomeno V. Aguilar Jr., professor and dean of the School of Social Sciences at the Ateneo de Manila University.
"We have to think beyond the here and now," he added.
According to Aguilar, it is every worker's right to enjoy the fruits of his or her labor. "Purchasing expensive items may satisfy some deep longing in us, which our hard-earned salaries make possible,” he said, but added with a caveat.
"We should not become dependent on the things that money can buy," Aguilar said. "Can we not be happy without these things? Can we put our surplus income into something beyond, and even greater than, ourselves?"
Luckily, both Sherwin and Ellen know their limitations.
"Hindi ko rin naman napapabayaan ang tungkulin ko bilang kapatid at anak," Ellen said.
For Sherwin, he said the money he spends for his shoe collection are his "extra money."
"Ang mga pinambili ko ng mga sapatos na kinahiligan ko ay galing sa sobra na kinikita ko. Kung walang sobra, pinagpapaliban ko na muna ang pagbili. I am not cutting the budget," he said. —KBK, GMA News
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