No, the Filipino worker is not lazy and a slowpoke.

The Filipino worker is not lazy.

The Filipino worker is not a slowpoke.

The Filipino worker is just worried — worried that, at the end of a few months, his contract will end and will not be renewed. When one lacks security of tenure, he feels disposable and insecure. What will he feed his family? What will the working mother tell her hungry children? What will the working father do?

The Filipino worker is not lazy.

The Filipino worker is not a slowpoke.

The Filipino worker is just not motivated — in spite of working for extended hours, he goes home tired and with a payslip that does not reflect the total number of hours he worked for and the benefits that he deserve under the law. He goes home with his hands dirty. She goes home with her body tired. They go home with their will defeated, if not only for their families whom they want to give a life.

The Filipino worker is not lazy.

The Filipino worker is not a slowpoke.

The Filipino worker is just suppressed. He cannot complain and just leave his work because finding another job will take time, and it is difficult for someone who did not have any formal education to find another decent job. Finding a job is already a struggle for college graduates; imagine the greater plight for those without diplomas.

The Filipino worker is not lazy.

The Filipino worker is not a slowpoke.

The Filipino worker is just tired. He was under the sun for 12 hours, peddling what he produced the entire night before in order to sell it at a low price. She was busy walking for miles, going from household to household to ask if they have dirty laundry which needs some washing. He was carrying cargoes more than half his weight, cargoes which perhaps have more value than his salary for 15 days. The Filipino worker needs some rest.

The Filipino worker is not lazy.

The Filipino worker is not a slowpoke.

The Filipino worker is just sick. With quality healthcare being almost inaccessible, the working Filipino endures the pain just to continue earning his meager wage. The working conditions make it even harsher. It is inhumane. It is more than eight hours of punishment. It is risky. Workplace accidents remain unattended. Medical leaves are not granted. Disability benefits remain unpaid. Ironically, what keeps us alive is what slowly kills us as well.

The Filipino worker is not lazy.

The Filipino worker is not a slowpoke.

The Filipino worker is just angry, angry that in spite of being part of the workforce, that in spite of contributing to the economy, that in spite of paying taxes, he sees plunderers walking free, he see thieves take centerstage, he see criminals bathe in impunity. He watches as public funds are dissipated. What could have been used to provide education, provide healthcare, provide jobs, or promote tourism, for instance, was used for personal gain.

No, the Filipino worker is not lazy.

No, the Filipino worker is not a slowpoke.