UP graduates should serve the country first before going abroad

The worsening "brain drain" situation in the Philippines is one issue that needs to be addressed by our authorities in the government. Although there are no concrete figures, I think the Philippines is one of the top contributors of émigrés in the health care industry of developed nations.

I find it ironic that while it is true that we are on the path to economic development (of attaining the rosiest growth rate of 7.3 percent), brain drain situation in the Philippines is still at the alarming level.

If the government is serious in curbing the migration of workers abroad, they should start channeling priorities to other sectors that would further reinforce economic growth. Hailed as the modern-day heroes, our OFWs contribute a chunk to our growth rate through their dollar remittances. Our government should impose some kind of control and let other channels of growth flourish. Pejorative or not, we have become the proletariat of the world.

An economist from BNP Paribas said that the Philippine economy has to grow by at least 10% to 15% to curb the worsening brain drain. But will this assure us of a lesser pinoy nurses, physicians, engineers, accountants, pharmacists, care-givers going abroad?

Although we see poverty as the main reason why we have this massive hemorrhage of talent, we have to consider other factors that contribute to such exodus. Patriotism is one virtue that we have to foster among us Filipinos. We should not allow the western culture to dominate us or get lured by what the Americans have.

It would be awful to see one day, that given an improved per capita income that is comparable to the income levels of developed nations, the Philippines still suffering from brain drain.

In the meantime, given the current brain drain situation and the promises of the WTO-GATS (remember that we have a president who is a WTO proponent) we, as tax payers, have all the right to dictate to all UP graduates and other alumni of state colleges and universities to stay and serve the country. It is their moral obligation to serve the country because their education had been subsidized by the taxes collected from us.

I am glad to have stumbled upon an article by a UP journalism student regarding the issue. JM Tuazon, in an article titled "UP: Ang Galing Mo?" wrote "when we step outside UP, we don’t tend to forget our greatness, in fact, we arrogantly proclaim it to the world. But what we tend to forget is to whom we owe that greatness, to whom it came from, and to whom it should be returned: the nation’s people who tirelessly paid for our education."

He further went on by saying "we’re not called “Iskolar ng Bayan” for nothing. Yes, we are all scholars, but we’re also of the people, and therefore for the people (pardon this little cliché moment). UP’s relevance to this country doesn’t stop at being great; more importantly, it is made more significant and meaningful by our selfless offering to our homeland."