Migration & Systems Thinking in the Philippines

We continue our series of systems thinking chats where we connect with different social impact leaders from the Philippines about how and why they are trying to incorporate systems thinking in their work. This time, we focused on Migration & Systems thinking where I had the opportunity to chat with Cristina Liamzon who is the Co-Founder of the ALSE OF-LIFE program.

ALSE OF-LIFE empowers overseas Filipinos and their families through a holistic learning program that incorporates Leadership, Financial Literacy, and Social Entrepreneurship. To date, they have supported over 4,500 migrant Filipinos and their families in over 16 countries. The program is managed by a consortium of four organizations: Ateneo School of Government (ASOG), Social Enterprise Development Partnerships Inc. (SEDPI), UGAT Foundation, and Overseas Filipinos Society for the Promotion of Economic Security (OFSPES).

Below is a summary of key insights from the three-part video series. You can also check out the full series playlist here.

PART 1: Tina’s Story

Tina started by sharing her story of living in Italy for over 20 years and how this led to her working on migration issues and co-founding the ALSE OF-LIFE program.

• “They are really not able to save” In the beginning, Tina focused on one of the more immediately visible challenges for overseas Filipinos which was the inability to save and invest despite the comparatively higher salaries that they were receiving abroad. This led to overseas workers staying abroad for many years despite their initial plans to work, save, then return home to their families in the Philippines.
• “But there was no real substantial change in the financial behavior” Standalone financial literacy seminars were not enough. People were interested and saw the value of what was being taught but it did not lead to actual changes in financial behavior.
• “The problems were not just financial… but they’re all related”
  Tina recognized the interconnectedness of the challenges that overseas Filipinos face. This included both financial and psychosocial challenges that affect not just the migrant but also their families.
• The need for a “whole-of-society approach” Tina spent time learning about the complex family dynamics and the challenges that young people faced even when they were eventually reunited with their migrant parents. She mentions the need for a “whole-of-society approach” where a strong community of support is built for young people rather than relying solely on one family member to take care of those left behind.
• Inviting overseas Filipinos to be changemakers. The ALSE OF-LIFE program helps participants adopt a changemaker mindset where they seek to contribute not just to the wellbeing of their own families but also to their host countries and the Philippines.

PART 2: Applying Systems Thinking in Supporting Migrant Communities

• “We weren’t aware of this framework” Like many of the systems leaders that we meet, Tina wasn’t aware of the term systems thinking before but she realized that this was already something they were naturally incorporating into their work.
• “It’s the interconnectedness of it all” She sees the relevance of systems thinking in dealing with complex issues like migration because it is ineffective to only focus on one type of intervention or teach one specific skill. You see the interconnections and positive effects of combining things like financial literacy, leadership, and interpersonal communications.
• Going deeper into the root causes. Interestingly, Tina shared the example of how a systems thinking mindset could help de-escalate common tensions between migrant parents and their children. As systems thinking invites us to dig deeper to understand the root causes of a problem, they encourage migrant parents to ask questions and listen first in order to understand what is causing their child’s behavior.
• “A lot of the work needs to be done even before they leave” By having a better mental map of the different factors that will affect both their experience abroad and their relationship with their families at home, migrants can plan ahead and lay strong foundations of support. Before they leave the Philippines, they can start to work and plan collectively as a family and community who are looking out for one another.
• Leadership, Communication, and Conflict Resolution. Tina appreciates how systems thinking can help widen someone’s analysis of a problem and increase the range of solutions that they are able to identify. In relation to this, she shared the common challenge of fragmentation within Filipino communities abroad where leaders choose to break away and set up their own associations rather than try to find a collective solution to their current conflicts.

PART 3: Migration as a Systemic Issue

• “They leave because they feel that they have no choice” Tina believes that it is important to understand the underlying causes of why people choose to migrate. Ideally, they do this with a sense of agency and choose to go because they see exciting opportunities abroad and can come back whenever they want to. But for most of our migrants, migration is more of an economic necessity. They feel that this is the only way they can provide for the basic needs of their families and give them a better future. Would this many people still choose to leave their families if there were enough opportunities and social protection available for them locally?
• The need to see migration in its totality. Overseas Filipino workers are usually labelled as modern-day heroes and there is much value placed on their economic contributions to the Philippines through their remittances. However, many times people forget the psychosocial consequences of migration and the separation of families. Tina feels that it is important to have a wider systemic view of migration and acknowledge both its positive and negative effects, especially when planning government or social development programs related to migrants.

For more resources on systems thinking, you can check out our free facilitators guide for systems thinking in the Philippines or follow the Systems Thinking PH channel on Youtube.

Note: The speaker interviewed above and the program she represents are not currently funded by Firetree Philanthropy.

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Migrasyon at Systems Thinking sa Pilipinas

Ang blog post at mga video na ito ay pagpapatuloy ng aming serye tungkol sa systems thinking sa Pilipinas at kung paano ito ginagamit ng iba’t-ibang mga lider. Nakapanayam namin si Cristina Liamzon na Co-Founder ng ALSE OF-LIFE program at pinag-usapan namin ang isyu ng Migrasyon at Systems Thinking.

Makikita sa blog post na ito ang ilan sa mga pangunahing insight mula sa aming interview at mapapanood ninyo sa link na ito ang buong serye na binubuo ng tatlong maikling video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQ74Gpghahw&list=PLzd6u-khyQS0VygiqC0XbrzlgOMMMWkjE

PART 1: Ang Kwento ni Tina

Link sa Video: https://youtu.be/gQ74Gpghahw

Nagsimula si Tina sa pagbabahagi ng kanyang kwento. Nanirahan si Tina sa Italy sa loob ng mahigit na dalawampung taon at dito nag-umpisa ang kanyang interes sa isyu ng migrasyon at ang pagtatag ng ALSE OF-LIFE program.

• “Hindi talaga sila maka-ipon” Sa simula, nakatuon si Tina sa isa sa mga agad na nakikitang problema para sa mga overseas Filipino workers (OFW) — ang kawalan ng kakayahang mag-ipon kahit na mas mataas ang suweldo nila sa ibang bansa. Nagiging dahilan ito sa pananatili ng mga overseas worker sa ibang bansa sa loob ng maraming taon sa kabila ng kanilang planong mangibang-bansa upang pansamantalang magtrabaho, mag-ipon, at tuluyang makauwi sa Pilipinas.
• “Ngunit walang pagbabago sa kanilang financial behavior” Nakita ni Tina na hindi sapat ang paisa-isang seminar sa financial literacy. Interesado ang mga tao at nakikita nila ang halaga ng mga itinuturo ngunit hindi ito humahantong sa aktwal na pagbabago sa kanilang paghawak ng pera.
• “Isa lamang ang financial literacy sa mga problema… at magkakaugnay ang lahat ng mga problemang hinaharap ng isang OFW” Kinilala ni Tina ang pagkakaugnay ng mga problemang ikinakaharap ng mga Pilipino sa ibang bansa. Maliban sa problemang pinansyal, nandyan rin ang problemang psychosocial na nakakaapekto hindi lamang sa migrante kundi pati na rin sa kanilang mga pamilya.
• Kailangan ang isang “whole-of-society approach” Pinag-aralan ni Tina ang relasyon at pakikipag-ugnayan ng mga pamilyang OFW at ang mga problemang ikinakaharap ng mga kabataan lumaking malayo sa kanilang mga migranteng magulang. Ayon kay Tina, kailangan ang isang “whole-of-society approach” kung saan binubuo ang isang malakas na komunidad ng suporta para sa mga kabataan sa halip na umasa lamang sa isang miyembro ng pamilya upang alagaan ang mga naiwan.
• Ang mga OFW bilang “changemakers”. Tinutulungan ng programang ALSE OF-LIFE ang mga OFW upang makabuo ng “changemaker mindset.” Ito ang pananaw kung saan hinahangad nilang mag-ambag hindi lamang sa kapakanan ng kanilang mga pamilya kundi maging sa bansang kanilang pinagtratrabahuan at sa Pilipinas rin.

PART 2: Ang Paggamit ng Systems Thinking sa Pagsuporta sa mga Migranteng Komunidad

Link sa Video: https://youtu.be/f0hxrSR5W3A

• Tulad ng marami sa mga lider na nakikilala namin, hindi alam ni Tina ang terminong “systems thinking” noon ngunit natural na niyang ginagamit ang mga konsepto nito sa kanyang pagtratrabaho.
• Nakikita ni Tina ang kahalagahan ng systems thinking sa pagharap sa mga kumplikadong isyu tulad ng migration dahil hindi epektibong tumuon lamang sa isang uri ng interbensyon o magturo ng isang partikular na kasanayan. Nakikita mo ang mga pagkakaugnay at positibong epekto ng pagsasama-sama ng mga bagay tulad ng financial literacy, leadership, at interpersonal na komunikasyon.
• Ang pagtuon sa ugat ng problema. Ibinahagi ni Tina ang isang halimbawa kung paano makakatulong ang systems thinking mindset sa pagpawi ng mga karaniwang tensyon sa pagitan ng mga migranteng magulang at kanilang mga anak. Inaanyayahan tayo ng systems thinking sa mas malalim na pag-unawa upang makita ang ugat ng isang problema. Kaya’t hinihikayat nila Tina ang mga migranteng magulang na magtanong at makinig muna upang maunawaan kung ano ang sanhi ng pag-uugali ng kanilang anak.
• “Maraming kailangang gawin bago pa man umalis ang isang OFW sa Pilipinas” Sa pamamagitan ng pagkakaroon ng mas mabuting mental na mapa ng iba’t ibang salik na makakaapekto sa kanilang karanasan sa ibang bansa at sa relasyon nilang magpamilya, ang mga migrante ay maaaring magplano nang maaga at maglagay ng matibay na pundasyon ng suporta. Bago sila umalis sa Pilipinas, maaari silang magsimulang magplano nang sama-sama bilang isang pamilya at komunidad na nagtutulungan.
• Pamumuno, Komunikasyon, at Conflict Resolution. Ibinahagi ni Tina kung paano makakatulong ang systems thinking na palawakin ang pagsusuri ng isang tao sa isang problema at palaguhin ang mga solusyong makikita niya. Kaugnay nito, ibinahagi niya ang karaniwang problema ng pagkakawatak-watak ng mga asosasyon ng Pilipino sa ibang bansa kung saan pinipili ng mga lider na humiwalay at magtayo ng sarili nilang mga asosasyon kaysa subukang humanap ng sama-samang solusyon sa kanilang kasalukuyang di pagkakasundo.

PART 3: Ang Migrasyon bilang isang Systemic na Isyu

Link sa Video: https://youtu.be/2swrZWARIP4

• “Umalis sila dahil wala silang ibang maaasahan” Naniniwala si Tina na mahalagang maunawaan ang dahilan kung bakit pinipili ng mga taong mangibang-bansa. Sa ideyal na sitwasyon, ginagawa nila ito nang maluwag sa kalooban dahil nais nilang sulitin ang isang pagkakataon sa ibang bansa at kusang loob din silang makakauwi. Ngunit para sa karamihan ng ating mga migrante, ang pangingibang-bansa ay dala ng labis na pangangailangan. Pakiramdam nila, ito lang ang tanging paraan upang maibigay nila ang mga pangunahing pangangailangan ng kanilang pamilya at mabigyan sila ng magandang kinabukasan. Pipiliin pa rin kaya ng maraming mamamayan na iwanan ang kanilang mga pamilya kung may sapat na oportunidad at proteksyong panlipunan dito sa Pilipinas?
• Kailangang makita ang kabuuan ng isyu ng migrasyon. Ang mga manggagawang Pilipino sa ibang bansa ay karaniwang binabansagan bilang mga modernong bayani. Labis na pinahahalagahan ang mga kontribusyon nila sa ekonomiya ng Pilipinas sa pamamagitan ng kanilang mga remittance. Gayunpaman, kadalasan ay nakakalimutan ng mga tao ang negatibong epekto ng migrasyon at ng pagkakahiwalay ng mga pamilya. Naniniwala si Tina na mahalagang magkaroon ng mas malawak at sistematikong pananaw sa migrasyon at sabay na kilalanin ang positibo at negatibong epekto nito, lalo na kapag nagpaplano ng mga programang may kaugnayan sa mga migrante.

Para sa iba pang mga systems thinking resources, maaari niyong tignan ang mga links na ito:

• Libreng Facilitators Guide para sa systems thinking sa Pilipinas
• Systems Thinking PH channel sa Youtube

Ang speaker na aming nakapanayam sa seryeng ito at ang organisasyong kinakatawan niya ay kasalukuyang hindi pinopondohan ng Firetree Philanthropy.