We would like to petition the Philippine government to invest in an embassy or a consulate office in Calgary, AB, Canada. There are over 50, 000 Filipinos living in Alberta, many of which are here on work visas. With the current labour shortages, there is anticipation of further need of foreign workers in the next decade and the Filipino OFW (overseas foreign worker) community is expected to grow. Many of these workers support families back home and remit a large portion of their pay to the Philippines. This in turn stimulates the Philippines’ economy through the investment of OFW monies in the Philippines through real estate, retail goods, education and savings.

Alberta is a rich province. It is the richest province in Canada and the cost of living is high. There are many opportunities here and the job market is hot and growing. A large portion of these opportunities will be filled by Filipinos with a work visa. Currently, the process to renew their visa is very costly in time and money.

The nearest embassy is in Vancouver, BC (a 13 hour drive from Calgary). 

Here’s a calculation of the cost of travelling to Vancouver for a typical Filipino worker in the service industry. 

Average hourly wage of worker in the service industry = $10.00

Average work hours per week = 40

Average gross wage per month = $1700.00

Average tax costs = 20%

Average monthly rent for room & board = $500.00

Using these values, the average net earnings per month for this worker would be $1400.00. Less the $500 in rent and they have $900 for transportation, food, & other living expenses left.

Approximate cost of monthly Calgary transit pass = $100.00

Because Calgary is a prominent & rich city, food costs are high: 

Average monthly food cost per person in Calgary = $200.00

We now have only $600.00 left for hygiene products, clothing, entertainment (all of which also has a higher than Canadian average cost in Calgary) and most importantly to send back home to their families.

Average cost for return airfare from Calgary to Vancouver = $600  

Average cost fuel & time cost to drive from Calgary to Vancouver = $330 (not including food & accommodations)

For this typical Filipino worker, spending $600.00 to travel to Vancouver to renew their visa and continue supporting themselves, their families in the Philippines, and the Philippine economy is a costly venture. They would need to give up almost 43% of their net monthly income in order to continue working and providing for their families and the Philippine economy.

These OFW are the modern day heroes of the Philippines, leaving their families, their homeland, and all that they are used to and come to a foreign place to work a job that is typically not lucrative for local Calgarians. These jobs are typically physically demanding, thankless jobs, and yet these heroes are dedicated , committed, and do it all with a smile on their faces. 

We ask that the Philippine government invest in alleviating this burden to these hard working expats who’s main goal is to improve their lives and the lives of their family while paying respects and honoring their culture and homeland. This investment is actually an investment in the Philippines since many remittance from these workers are getting invested in the economy of the Philippines . The families of these workers are able to buy food, shelter, & education with these remittances., thereby increasing their overall quality of life. 

SO PLEASE GOVERNMENT OF THE PHILIPPINES, INVEST IN YOUR COUNTRY, AND YOUR PEOPLE. 

PROVIDE A CONSULATE OR EMBASSY OFFICE IN ALBERTA, CANADA! 

Here's the FB page that inspired it all in Tagalog:

Ako po si Conrad Cabornay isang dating contract worker dito sa Bansang Canada sa siyudad ng Calgary probinsiya ng Alberta, ako po ay nag minsahe sa inyong programa sa kadahilanang wala na po kaming madaingan ng aming sama ng loob/makuhaan ng simpatya sa serbisyo ng Gobyernong Pilipinas dito sa bansang aming Pinagtrarabahuhan,

Mga OFW/OCW tinuturing ng Bayani ng makabagong panahon ng ating bayan, mga Pilipinong gaya ng iba pa nating kababayan sa ibat ibang parte ng Mundo. Ang mga Pilipino ho dito sa alberta ay laging namromroblema ng pag aayos ng papel dahil laging kasama ang N.B.! passport sa requirements upang makakuha ng bagong work permit, resident visa, open working permit at kung ano ano pang papeles upang mapag patuloy ang trabaho at makapag lingkod sa Pamilya , at bayan. daang libong Pilipino ho dito ang nagtrarabaho ho dito sa Alberta ay pASO na ang mga passport, dahil sa walang konsul o embahada sa Alberta kinakailangan pa hong Bumyahe ng Vancouver B.C., 13 Hours Driving na may halagang 300 hangang Limang daang dolyar (cd) o sumakay ng eroplano na nagkakahalaga ng 500 hangang 600 dolyar. tapos kailangan by appointment pa kung kusa kang pupunta duon walang walk in service.

kawawang Juan Dela cruz yung kanyang isang lingong sahod napunta lang sa pamasahe, siyempre kakaiin din yan at mag babayad sa tutuluyan.. oho! alam po naming na minsan me dumadalaw sa minsan sa lungsod ng aming pinagtratrabahuhan upang mag re-new ng pasaporte ngnit hindi sapata upang matugunan ang ilang- libo pa ho nating kababayan . ang sumunod na aming reklamo ay ang pag re-new ng aming NBI habang kami ay nasa bansang Canada... lalo na ho sa ngayon wala nang renew kailangan lahat bagong applicant , na nagiging sanhi nang doble dobleng padala sa Fedex DHL at kung ano ano pang ahensiya na makapag deliver sa Pinaka mabilis na pamamaraan. ito po ay nag kakahalaga hangang 85 dolyares hangang 100 Dollrs, papadala ni Juan dela Cruz ang ilang papeles ipapakita sa NBI magbibigay ng Form papadala uli dito, mag finger print,papadala uli sa Pinas, ipapakita sa NBI ipa process papadala uli dito para Prin-tan uli ng finger Print at ipapadala sa ahensiya ng Gobyerno ng Canada..

Napipilitan gawin ang ganitong sistema ng pag aayos ng papel sa NBI dahil sa kanilang bagong Requirement sa pag kuha nito kung bibilangin ho natin kung ilang beses ito pinapadala ito po ay umaabot ng 500 dolyar lalo pa ho itong tataaas kung me pag kakamali pang mangyayari , tulad ng mali ang pag-kakalagay ng finger print dapat malapad at kung anu -ano pang dahilanat mas lalo pa kung yung mga nasa ahensiya ay sumusubok pang mangikil instead of tumutulong sila na masolusyunan ang problema mas lalo pa nilang minamali or being so Picky!! 

pansamantala ko pong ililihis ang usapan ito.. ako po ay mag lalahad ng ilang paragraph tungkol sa trabaho po namin dito,, nagtrabaho po kami ng 8 to 12 hours kada araw pero me panahon na madalas nag-babawas ng oras ang kumpanya, so my off season din lalo na sa mga nag tratrabaho sa Food Industry,,kadalasan 7 oras. sa tipikal na contract worker ho ay sumahod lang po ito ng 9 to 10 dollars per hour ipag palagay ho nating 8 x 10 80 hours a week 800 dolrs bi weekly, - tax 15 percent,E -I insurance, Transpo expenses, siyempre mataas din po ang cost of living dito, ang tipikal na upa ng lwarto dito 300 dollrs a month to 500 dollrs, me grocery ,utility expenses at siyempre padala sa Pilipinas para sa pang araw araw na gastusin,, Hindi ho mayaman ang mga contract worker sa Canada para pahirapan sa pag aayos ng kanilang papel,,ang ating Gobyerno .

Tinuturing na bayani pero sa pag aayos ng requirement halos buong sahod sa buong buwan napupunta lang sa mailing ng papeles lalo na ang NBI at Pag renew ng Passport, pag si Juan dela Cruz ay walang naitabing pag ayos ng papel isang Buong Pamilya ang mamatay sa Gutom ...ganun pa man maraming salamat ho sa mga Taong magbabasa nito at mag bibigay ng atensiyon .. Pumanhin at napili ko po ang inyong programa pag labasan ng aming hinaing, sana ho makatulong po ang inyong programa na makarating itong aming hinanaing, dahil po ang ating mga kakabayan dito ay kumakapit sa patalim maayos lang ang pinag hahanapan ng buhay.. maraming maraming salamat po

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