By JELLYN GUECO

Living abroad is the ultimate dream for so many Filipinos. According to an SWS survey, 17 percent of Pinoys aspire to live abroad, equivalent to almost one out of five individuals. So when we hear stories of Filipinos returning home, after years of working in other countries, it’s natural for those who have never left to wonder why. And for those who are still living the Pinoy expat life, thoughts of whether it’s even feasible to go back home and rebuild their lives cross their minds.  

Will I be able to find a job that pays well? Will I be able to provide for my family? These are just some questions that haunt the minds of returning OFWs. Despite these uncertainties, however, there are many successful stories of overseas Filipinos who have returned home and have successfully restarted their lives.

Aileen Kessop, 43, screenwriter and founder of Lucid Dreams Creatives

If her career is a movie script, Aileen’s narrative is definitely nonlinear. It does not have a smooth beginning, middle, and end. Hers is a story crammed with plot twists, multiple storylines, and unexpected characters. One of the biggest turning points in her story was when she accepted a gig as a photographer on a cruise ship.  

During that time, the newbie Film graduate from UP Diliman was working odd jobs in the movie industry— wardrobe stylist, crowd director, and trainee for film director Bb. Joyce Bernal. The last project she was part of before boarding the cruise ship was the movie Feng Shui by Chito S. Roño.  “When I heard about the job opening at a cruise ship, it was a no-brainer. The attraction of having a stable job, being paid in US dollars, and traveling all over the world in my mid-20s was too irresistible,” confessed Aileen. Aside from seeing the world, she also thrived in her job. She was promoted as the first Asian female in the male-dominated audio-visual department of the cruise ship line. 

Aileen also met her now-husband in her second year working on the cruise ship and they got married and settled in the Philippines after three years of being together. “While the experience of living in the Philippines and being on your own turf is incomparable, the reality is that it’s not as financially rewarding compared to working abroad. So of course, there was the temptation to go back abroad,” she said. But Aileen could not bear the thought of leaving her young daughter behind. She shared that she thought long and hard about her priorities and decided she wanted to grow her family without being apart from them. That meant, however, that they had to begin from the ground up.

“We pursued different work opportunities that would allow us to have multiple streams of income. I accepted remote work as a video editor, got writing gigs, and worked on other ‘rakets’ that I got from my contacts,” Aileen recounted. “Eventually, my husband and I were able to invest in a condo unit which we put up on Airbnb to help with the expenses. In the past few years, I was also given the opportunity to write movie scripts, including the Netflix Original Finding Agnes and the Aga Muhlach starrer Nuuk from Viva Films.”

At the premiere night of the latest theatrical film she wrote, Dearly Beloved starring Cristine Reyes and Baron Geisler, Aileen was all smiles. This moment was like the resolution of a 20-year story plot about her career. That may be somehow true, but really, she feels that she’s just gearing up for a brand new season in her life.

“It’s been 15 years since I came back home, and I am now in what I would call my own startup era. I started my own company that focuses on the creative development of films and series. I know that some risks and challenges come with entrepreneurship, but I’m excited nonetheless. I guess that I wouldn’t have developed this mindset if I never worked abroad and saw how other nationalities are aggressive in creating opportunities not only for themselves but for others as well.” 

Alvin Mark Felipe, 40, architect and director at Peluche

Alvin was one of the many Filipinos who decided to return home during the pandemic. After working in Singapore as an architect for 15 years, he felt it was time to expand his design business in his home country. 

In his 20s, Alvin took advantage of the Singapore architectural boom and left a stable job at the Subic-Clark Alliance for Development Council (SCADC). After passing the Architecture Licensure Exam, this Mapua alumnus yearned for a new challenge and wanted to experience the international scene. 

Alvin started as an Interior Architect in Singapore and worked his way up to become the Chief Designer at design firm The Plush Pte Ltd. He was eventually able to set up his own design company in Singapore, become a Registered Foreign Architect, and was conferred the ASEAN Architect title. 

“The best part of my job was meeting people of different nationalities and being able to design for them. My works have attracted the attention of both commercial and residential clients, as well as property developers and international businesses,” Alvin said. “I was also able to see new places like France, Italy, Hong Kong, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.” 

When the pandemic hit, Alvin saw the opportunity to tap into the local market. With his wife and two young daughters, they decided to return home and raise their family in Pampanga.  “Our roots are in Pampanga. My wife and I both studied in a Benedictine school in our hometown where our upbringing was centered on Christian values, specifically ora et labora—which means prayer and work,” he said. “We wanted our kids to be brought up in the same kind of environment."

Alvin admitted that at first, it was difficult for his children to learn Tagalog and deal with a new culture since they grew up in Singapore. But now, they have adjusted pretty well.

“It was a good decision to move my kids back here. They are excelling academically and are continuously developing new talents and skills. They are also being acknowledged by their school for their achievements,” he said.

After three years of coming back home, Alvin is still a believer that there’s no place like home. His plan is to stay for good and grow his business here.

“If you’re thinking of returning back home, never stop learning and embrace change,” he said. There will always be challenges, so learn to anticipate them and turn them into opportunities.”

Anna Tiglao, 40, professional makeup artist

Many Filipinos have to forget about their degrees and work in unrelated industries when they go abroad, but for Anna, it was an opportunity to finally work in a field she studied for and earn a higher salary at the same time.

Anna, an Interior Design graduate from the University of Santo Tomas, struggled to find a well-paying design job even after passing the board exams. Being a single parent, she shifted careers and worked in BPO companies for higher pay.

When the offer came to work as an interior designer in the Middle East, she seized the opportunity. After a year, however, the company closed down due to the global crisis. Anna chose to stay abroad and found a job in the automotive industry.

“It was ironic that I left the Philippines to work as an interior designer, but ended up working in a completely different industry for several years,” Anna intimated. “But I am still grateful that I was able to earn for my family and excel even while working in a different role. I was also able to travel to different places like Japan, Paris, and Maldives.” 

When Anna left to work abroad, her mom single-handedly looked after her four-year-old son. But with her mom getting older and her son entering his teen years, Anna knew it was time to return after six years of being away. Naturally, finding a job in the Philippines wasn’t easy. Anna decided to take that time to reflect on what she really wanted to do moving forward. 

“I’ve always wanted to become a makeup artist but it was a hobby I did not see as a potential career. Then, I asked myself, do I really want to go back to the BPO grind or start again as an interior designer? I realized that both paths would require me to start from scratch anyway, so I might as well do something I was passionate about,” beamed Anna.

Her decision to become a makeup artist was an unconventional one. Some loved ones doubted her choice and even pressured her to find a “real job,” but she was determined to make it work. She took up makeup artistry lessons, attended master classes, and worked hard to hone her craft. It took years before she started seeing a steady stream of clients, gradually building her portfolio. 

“To an outsider, being a professional makeup artist may seem like all glitz and glam, but it’s a rollercoaster ride filled with mascara-streaked tears and lipstick smudges,” laughed Anna. “When the pandemic struck in 2020, I was back to square one with all the weddings and events canceled. I was ready to give up, but this was my passion and I couldn’t let it go that easily.”

In her eighth year in the beauty industry, Anna is now making a name for herself as a wedding and events makeup artist, with a few celebrity clients under her belt and even collaborating with local brands for their campaigns. 

To those who are contemplating going back home, Anna has this advice: “It’s never too late to start over. Going home does not mean you failed. Just follow your passion fearlessly and the rest will fall into place.” 

Gabriel Cunanan, 35, agriculture business owner

After a three-year stint working in a large manufacturing company in Japan, Gabriel returned back home to take over his father’s livestock business. If it were only up to him, he said he would’ve probably stayed abroad. But with his dad migrating to the US, he was the only one of his siblings who had the option to continue the family business.

After a three-year stint working in a large manufacturing company in Japan, Gabriel returned back home to take over his father’s livestock business. If it were only up to him, he said he would’ve probably stayed abroad. But with his dad migrating to the US, he was the only one of his siblings who had the option to continue the family business.

“I was hesitant at first because at 27 years old, I didn’t have any experience in managing a business, especially in the agriculture industry. My dad said I would earn more if I pursued this, so I gave in,” Gabriel recalled.

But during the first two years of managing the business, Gabriel faced a lot of challenges. Managing livestock, people, buyers, and even the competition was not as easy as he thought it would be. Gabriel admitted that the urge to go back to Japan at that time was very strong. 

“Even if the business was making a profit, it was not significant enough compared to what I was earning in Japan, especially when you factor in the stress and pressure of managing it all on my own,” Gabriel said. “But if there was one thing I learned from working with the Japanese people, it was their strong work ethic. The Japanese are always focused on their work and even if they’re only employees, they work as if they owned the business. You have to be consistent in your work, day in and day out, for the business to succeed. When I applied that attitude to my own business, things started to turn around.”

This mindset helped Gabriel develop his own work ethic, pushing him to work even harder and be more determined to make the business a success. He started making new investments, diversifying the products his business offered, and establishing relationships with other farmers and suppliers. Now, Gabriel’s business is not only profitable but also more sustainable.

“Perhaps you’ve heard that returning back to the Philippines after a life abroad is not easy and that’s 100 percent true,” he said. “There will be challenges that will make you want to pack your bags and go back to the comfort of your previous life. But if you work hard and stay focused, it’s very possible to succeed here in the Philippines.”