Contractual Relationships

The first time I’ve come across the so called ‘Contractual Relationship’ was when I was still younger and doing part time job in a major fast food chain the Philippines.  They called it contractual since the relationship between the couple starts and ends with their 5 months contract.  I’m not generalizing but there are couples who ended up together forever, as in, getting married and starting their own families.

In the Kingdom of the Sands, having  a contractual relationships are very common.  People entered into relationships and end it when one of them decides to exit for good.  Like the rest there are exceptions  like there are couples who last longer than expected.  But most of the couples in the Kingdom of the Sands are fake couples posing as real married couples.  Some of my coworker from my previous workplace are involved in this kind of relationships.  Some of them go to the extent of getting fake marriage licenses just so the Mutawa “Religious Police” would not catch them for immorality.  In the Kingdom of the Sands, it is forbidden for men and women to go out in public together.  If caught, you’ll be subjected to severe punishment like imprisonment and eventualy deportation.  Some are into live in arrangements and even go to family events together.  I know of another case where both of the couple have their own family back home, yet they decided to start a family here.  I wonder what arrangement they’ll make once their children grows up or if they’re availing their annual vacation.

I don’t want to judge people but I see how my friend, an engineer, lived a kahabag habag existence.  Like, he’s an engineer but he constantly runs out of money.  Who wouldn’t when he’s supporting two families, one in the Philippines and another one here. 

… and the reason for all these, loneliness which I don’t buy.  Most of us OFWs by the way left our country for the purpose of giving better life for our families.  Betraying our love ones by entering into a relationship with another person, because we’re lonely, is not acceptable.  It destroys the real purpose and the reason why we left in the first place.  I think another reason for the betrayal is the macho image of the Filipino male species.  We don’t mind this kind of relationships because it’s cool.  That’s the reason why illicit affairs like these are tolerated here.

I also think that being away from your family you gained the freedom that you don’t avail back home.  If you’re lucky in the Kingdom of the Sands, you’ll end up in a place where nobody really knows you or recognize you.  No former classmates, no friends, no neighbors which means, walang mga mata ni Angelita.  The freedom of being unnoticed is dangerous because it will make you try things.  In the case of Filipinos in the Kingdom of the Sands, it’s having an affair and being engage into a contractual relationships.