I was stranded in the Manila Domestic Airport the other day for four hours. I pray that Cebu Pacific solves its problems, but I must say that to their credit, they softened the agony by giving us free dinner and free one-way ticket.

Someone told me Lance Gokongwei is a tough competitor, because he is good at fixing problems encountered in the airline's operation. I leave the others to validate that.

At that time, I pitied the lady who had to make the announcements 3 or 4 times about the delay, because the passengers just could help but boo her. In fact, I was tempted to join, but I resisted. Anyway, the time was not totally wasted.

I met a priest-friend, and we talked most of the time while waiting. There was another foreigner-priest who spoke perfect Ilonggo who just opened a conversation with me. We exchanged views and experiences about our ministries.

But I most distinctly remember the time I had a conversation with a couple of women who just sat beside me and started to talk. They just flew in from the States, where they've been working as teachers to special children.

They said that in their free time, they also teach catechism in the parish. I was happy, of course, to learn about that, which led us to talk about the state of things in the States, especially as they affect children of Filipinos working there.

They were not quite happy with how things are. They said the children are fast acquiring values and habits that do not sit well with our Filipino culture which stresses respect for parents, obedience, piety, affection, etc.

I contributed to their observation by saying that one day while I was surfing the Internet, specifically the Friendster site since my nephews were egging me to enter there, I was shocked.

I noticed that the teeners in this Friendster site just can say anything. What used to be taboo are now held as something normal to talk about. I'm referring to sex and drugs and other unhealthy gimmicks.

This does not mean that these young people are rotten. No, not at all. They can look decent and act civil. They can have good grades in school, or have good jobs. Still, the mentality is very different.

"Yes, Father," the two women corroborated, "we have never heard young people in the States talk about God, but about sex and drugs, they can talk a lot and sound knowledgeable." My heart bled.

Then, while at a wake recently, another friend told me that his sister-in-law in the States, recently widowed, decided to return to the Philippines, at least for some breather, because she could not bear anymore her daughter's apparent lack of concern and affection she needed.

"What can we do in a case like this," he asked me. Both parents were busy because of their work, and could hardly find time and strength to spend with their children, he said.

Besides, if the Filipino way would be strictly imbued, the children would stand out as weird to their peers.

A complicated situation, of course! But I am still convinced that if the Filipinos abroad would still want their children to have not just the Filipino way, but also the Christian spirit and culture, they have to really take care of the family. That's their greater, more basic responsibility.

The family should come first, ahead of their work and their social activities. I know it's not easy, but that is the law that governs all of us, whether in the States or here, violating which would inevitably produce bad results.

The Filipinos abroad should just find a way to follow this law. If they can be very creative in staying there even illegally, they ought to be more creative in finding how to care for their families while abroad.

And caring for the family starts with strengthening everybody's spiritual life. Talking about God, about faith and religion is a must. Obviously, when they are remiss in this, they should not be surprised to see aberrations sprout in their families.

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Fr. Roy Cimagala is the Chaplain of Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE) in Talamban, Cebu City. You can email him at:Email: roycimagala@boholchronicle.com