(I'm a Filipino in my heart and thoughts. A Filipino by birth and then migrated abroad..)
This topic is getting old and I wonder if I could come up with a decent write-up. I've switched opinions more often than the traffic light changes colours, perhaps because there are so plenty of facets of this issue that I cannot decide between diaspora and nationalism, and all the grey areas in between.
First of all, I believe that it's the natural right of Filipinos to seek for greener pastures abroad for whatever reasons they have. The Philippine government has neglected its duties and responsibilities to it's citizens that caused major unemployment, underemployment, abysmal services, high crime rates, poor infrastructures, and an environment not conducive for personal development. My case falls on the last category, and as selfish it may sound, I think my reason is the most noble of all. For me, it's not just about the money, but the opportunity to become a better overall person. I guess, that puts me in an elitist minority. Anyway, everyone has a valid "excuse" for leaving the Philippines and I respect that.
The bright side is that the rise in the number of OFW's has created a new middle class in the country. Gone are the days when Manila lags so much behind the best Asian cities, in terms of the quality of life it's residents have. For instance, a half-hour city tour would amazed you with the number of big and luxurious cars on the roads. Maybe, the image of a foreigner of a 3rd world country are underdeveloped asphalts for roads and horses for transportation. But even "balikbayans" admit that they are surprised that there are so many SUVs and BMWs on random streets, much more than they can see abroad.
Besides cars, a lot of Filipinos have now access to technology. I think at least 90% of Filipinos owns at least one mobile phone. And can you imagine that the specs the Filipinos are using are much high-tech than those in the US and Europe. Other than that, laptops, digital cameras, game consoles, mp3/4 players are also booming, and they are no longer considered as luxury because they have become very affordable.
But the most important contribution of OFWS to the Philippines is that more Filipinos can now afford to pursue their studies. Before, it was virtually impossible for minimum wage earners to send all their 6-8 children to school, forcing them to quit schooling even before high school. But because each family now has at least one first-degree relative living abroad, studying on private institutions has become much more feasible for many.
In short, many Filipinos have became "can-afford" on 3 primary aspects-- luxury, technology, and education.
On the other end of the spectrum, I'm also doubting the sustainability of this trend. For one, the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) are already beginning to feel the effect of rise of the peso against foreign currencies. Throw in the plummeting economy of America, and then suddenly their hundreds of dollars of remittances don't buy as it used to. And unless there will be any wide scale government destabilization as before (which has other drastic repercussions on the economy) then expect the dollar to drop below 40 in a year or less. The yen is also reaching new-lows.
However, foreign exchange is just the tip of the iceberg. After all, people abroad can just work longer hours and shun from fancy restaurants once-in-a-while. The real deal for me is the situation in the Philippines. As I said, a new middle class has been born, and a strong middle class is always a sign of a strong economy, like Japan for instance. But then, what kind of dysfunctional society are we investing on for the future?
It is true that more people are now able to go to the universities through the help of their relatives abroad. But then when they graduated, there is also no available jobs for them in the country, unless of course if they are medical professionals, but in which case, they are also aiming for a US green card. What I'm trying to say is that we still won't be able to produce professionals for the lack of local industries in the country.
I graduated in a Science course in the University of the Philippines and I was fortunate enough to get scholarships abroad, but then half of my colleagues who stayed in the country are left without any other option but to venture the world of call centers. So, now we enter a vicious cycle. Filipinos who cannot find suitable employment in the Philippines goes abroad, in order help their family members and relatives, who themselves wouldn't be able to find jobs.
This just shows that the Philippines, as a nation is not really developing. We are only relying on surplus of dollars triggering the increase on GDP. But then again, as I pointed out, there is a question on how long can we sustain such trend of brain-drain? What if the time comes when we run out of doctors because everyone has given up their profession for nursing? What if there are no more qualified teachers to teach on public and private schools because they found lucrative offers in the community colleges of the US?
Because the population of many first-world countries is aging fast, they would be needing more man-power from highly-populated countries like the Philippines, and this spells much more opportunities for Filipinos in the future. But then when that time comes, what will be left of our country?
Perhaps, as someone looking from the outside, we can hardly be bothered by that. We can simply ignore it and migrate all of our relatives abroad. That's the goal of most of us, although some are modest enough to say they'll be back after they have saved just enough for themselves.
But maybe just maybe, there will be nothing left to come back to. Now, that's a scary thought. Still, I cannot decide..
Currently listening to: What a wonderful world?
Currently reading: Studying CA
Currently feeling: worried
I guess, they do cause almost everyone I meet has no hang-ups nor distress in their lives. Very, very much different from Japanese and Koreans company employees and students who are ill-ridden with suicidal tendencies and enduring such a dysfunctional society.
kase naman masyado talaga akong mapili, mataas ang standards ko. gusto ko super pogi, matalino (tiga-UP or Ateneo), mabait, and complimentary sakin. 
It just goes to show that in business, luck is as important as preparation. When the tide doesn't go your direction, then no matter how much effort you have invested, if something is meant to go wrong then it will go wrong. Thereby, businessmen must always be flexible and be able to move out of structured framework. Also, they must always have contigency plan, if everything is really messed up.
憧れます
Yow! Peter Galante -- I love you! Thanks a lot for the lessons and I'll tune in for the next few years or so. More Power to Japanese pod 101. If I will have money in the future, I'll try to subscribe so I can show my gratitude to your podcasts. 
サブタイトル」が入ります。皆で可笑しいな言葉を話したものだからよ。
no money too.
i mean, most of the students are wearing the typical Irish Football attire (hooded sweaters of schools and baggy pants), but the organizers are all in neat suits and tie. so, at least, i wanted to blend in with the crowd. 