Painful

TO learn of a loved-one who left the country as an OFW out of desperation die a violent death is most painful to the surviving members of the family for whom he/she toiled. Even more painful when the date of repatriation is not easily ascertained.

Thus news of three of our fellow Pangasinenses who died while another is still recovering from serious injuries in a fire last week is truly depressing. The tragedy is particularly poignant because it happened thousands of miles away, out there across the other side of the Asian continent — in Dubai, where they were living as overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

The situation is made even more agonizing for the family and friends back here because the repatriation of the remains of their loved ones is facing delay due to the fact that the burned down apartment where they lived and died was reportedly built illegally.

And that was not the only thing illegal. One of the three fatalities has been found to be working there without proper documents. The investigation by the Dubai authorities on how she entered the country will expectedly extend to her illegal employment and how she was harboured by the others in their razed living quarters. The survivor is burdened not just with the difficult circumstance of having no loved ones around him as he recuperates but also the dread of possible consequences.

This story of our kabaleyens once again brings to the fore the gruelling plight that our OFWs face. While there is supposedly more income to be made by going abroad, life in a foreign land, far away from home, is not necessarily easier.

The families of OFWs must never take for granted that the remittances they receive are hard-earned money — made not just with sweat but social and emotional sacrifices — and thus must be spent, saved and invested sensibly.

Our local government officials, meanwhile, must take their cue from the current Aquino administration, which has declared a direction towards promoting more local employment opportunities. Hail that day when all Filipino workers who go overseas do so by choice rather than out of desperation.

The Philippines currently ranks fourth in the world in terms of remittances sent by the labor force abroad. That is billions of dollars worth of economic gain and an unmeasurable amount of heroism.

Back to Homepage

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments