Sorry Delta, you still haven’t got a chance from my prospective. I wrote a post about this previously in this blog and basically complained that the problem with U.S. airlines are the attitudes and customer service provided. I wondered how the Aisan airlines like Philippine Airlines, China Air, and JAL had such fresh young faces who seemed eager to help every step of the way through your journey to Asia.

One of the comments I received I think hit the problem on the head. First off, many of the countries in Asia are very youth oriented probably because of a younger population vice the aging U.S. population. It’s a fact that the United States is becoming older due to such things as birth control and the rise in abortions. If you are living in the U.S. I’d advise you take a trip to another country (Mexico or Canada don’t count) and you will see this for yourself.

My friend who commented says that since the U.S. airlines started feeling financial difficulties they had to start laying off employees. Of course since they are unionized seniority rules so the younger employees with less time are let go and the older employees are kept. What that generally leaves you with are employees who are pushing their forties or fifties and are generally burnt out and are tired. You can tell the difference when you are served either at a ticket check in or by a flight attendent. Your food is basically thrown at you on the U.S. flights and if you might ask for something extra like a glass of water, you may get it or not. Oh, and if your seat is not in the upright position at the right time expect to get a good tongue lashing on the U.S. line and smiling assist on the Asian line.

Have you ever noticed how there have been some attendant/passenger confrontations on U.S. flights for such things as not turning off an ipod or cell phone. Haven’t heard much about that on the Asian flights.

So my suggestion to Delta or any other airline trying to break in to the Asian market, take a flight on one of the home airlines like the ones I’ve listed above and maybe you will see how the competition makes it in one of the most profitable regions for air flight.

I was reading an article on a website concerning Moving to the Philippines entitled “How to move to the Philippines-with a bag, suitcase, or container-with your full household or just personal belongings.” In this article the author offers a few facts to help a person decide what to take. For example, due to the weather, winter clothes will not be needed. In fact, he recommends that you bring few clothes because of the low prices on clothes, tailor made or otherwise.

The article goes on to mention the availability of musical items and sporting goods at the malls and stores so I won’t need any of that. The furniture probably wouldn’t hold up under the high humidity and most mattresses would rot away in no time. That’s great because I like rattan furniture better than the cheap stuff I have in my house now.

The cost of moving a whole household by container plus the expenses of customs fees really opened my eyes to going with everything new. And it would take awhile, possibly months, before the stuff from the states would arrive. What would I do until then?

So its just practical and cheaper for me to leave everything behind and move to the Philippines with what I can carry on the plane, just a bag and a suitcase. Anyone know where I can get some good rattan furniture?

According to counts there are more than 11 million overseas Filipinos worldwide which is equivalent to 11% of the total population of the Philippines. Each year more than a million Filipinos leave to work abroad as skilled workers and also as unskilled workers.

Money sent by OFWs back home is a major financial boon to the country’s economy. In 2005 according to Philippine banks, US$10 billion was sent through remittances to the Philippines. In 2006 that number was US$12.8 and in 2007 the number was US$14.45 which equaled 10% of the gross domestic product. These numbers don’t reflect the money sent overseas via non-banking methods such as door to door and human couriers.

My Filipino family has quite a few OFWs in various countries around the world. I have a sister in law in Israel as well as a niece. I have three nephews that work for cruise lines in the US and I have a niece that works in Canada as a domestic helper. In fact my wife was working in Israel when I met her. I can tell you for a fact that if these relatives were not working abroad and sending money home this family would be suffering. In fact because of their children working abroad my in laws are doing quite well. My concern is that my nephews and one of my nieces have spouses and children at home. The children are growing up without the influence of their fathers and mothers and it could and has led to problems.

Please comment and tell me what you think about the Overseas Filipino Workers. Do you think it hurts the Philippine economy in the long run? How many OFWs are there in your family or are you an OFW? Any stories to tell from personal experience?