A son of an OFW had shared his story on Facebook about how he felt having OFW parents who left him growing with his lola. The story earned more than 60K likes and 32K shares from netizens who were moved by his story.
A certain J.A. Pascual shared that at a young age, he would only dream of finishing his studies. He claimed he felt angry towards his OFW parents who were not there during his graduation in High School and in College including important occasions so he started to ask his lola about it. However, his lola would always explain that they have to do it so they can give him a better life and future ahead.
As such, his lola revealed that his mother would always ask for an advance salary so she can send it to him and his 5 other siblings. Because of that, she had to work to pay for it which made her unable to go back home. She also added that without his knowledge, his mother was solely raising them since she got separated from their father.
Upon learning the sacrifices that his mother had to endure just to raise him well and his siblings to be able to provide their needs, J.A. cried and had felt guilty for being angry towards his mother.
Life has turned out to be good to J.A. as he was able to work in an Engineering Firm in Baguio after finishing College. He suddenly thought of his mother who was still abroad at that time. Without his lola’s knowledge, he flew to Bahrain to look for his mother.
With determination and perseverance, he was able to locate where his mother was working.
“Hinanapkoang address ngpinagtratrabahuanniya at saawangdiyosnahanapkona. Nag DoorBellako at biglang may sumagotAlamkobosesniNanay, ‘Nay ikawbayan, ako to si J.A. Pascualbiglangnawalabinabaang phone may lumabassamaliitna gate nakitakoangaking Ina, subrananiyangtanda. Hinawakankoangkanyangmgakamay, na halos lumabasnaangmgaugat, biglakongsinabiNanayumuwi kana saatin, akonalangangmagtratrabaho, umuwi kana, sabayiyakngakingpusonapagkasabi. Biglangtinawagangaking Ina ngamonyanagtanongkungsino (I told you; visitor or family are not allowed to go here, galitangamoniya) Sabiko madam i am her son i miss my mother.”
His mother was not allowed to leave by her employer because she had advanced BD 1,000 (Bahrain Dinar).
With strong determination, J.A. borrowed money from his workmates to raise the said amount and paid his mother’s employer. Soon, his mother flew home to the Philippines.
J.A. then appealed to all children with OFW parents to understand their situation and think of their sacrifices. He then added that he now understands why his mother left him to his lola. He then hopes that his story would be able to enlighten the readers about how they should feel towards their parents working abroad.
J.A. had been working as an OFW for 2 years in Manama, Bahrain.
Facebook Post :
ANG PANGARAP NG ANAK OFW..
Noong bata pa ako nasa edad 10 taon gulang, simply lang pangarap ko ang mag-aaral hanggang makatapos. Graduate ako ng high school wala ang aking ama at ina, sila ay OFW. 6 kami magkakapatid, lola ang nag-aalaga. Noong araw na iyon galit na galit ako sa aking mga magulang, panay sabi na uuwi pero hindi naman natutupad. Ako ay nasa kolehiyo na, lagi kong sinasabi ang mag abroad ay hindi ko pinangarap. Hindi ko tularan ang aking mga magulang, bawat may nababasa ako tungkol sa OFW ay hindi ko didaramdam.
Araw ng aking graduation sa kolehiyo hindi pa rin dumarating ang aking mga magulang. Tinanong ko si kung lola bakit wala sila, sabi ni lola ang iyong Ama at Ina ay matagal nang hiwalay. Ang iyong ina na lamang ang kumakayod para sa inyo. Kung uuwi ang iyong ina, malamang hindi ka nakapagtapos ng pagaaral. Katulong lang ang iyong ina hindi nakapag aral ng kolehiyo kaya huwag kang magalit sa iyong ina. Nagpapakahirap siya hindi makauwi ang iyong Ina kasi panay advance sahod sa amo niya. Hindi ko mapigilan ang umiyak, hindi ko alam hiyang hiya ako sa aking ina, na nooy sinasabi ko mahalin niya mga alaga niya kasi sila ang kanyang mga anak.
Nakapagtrabaho ako sa isang Engineering Structure sa Lungsod ng Baguio at ok naman ang sahod, pero di kakayanin kasi 2 kong kapatid ay koliheyo, may high school at elementary pa. Naisip ko ang aking ina na hindi pa rin umuwi. Biglang sumagi sa aking isip na mag abroad, di ko pinaalam kay lola at sa aking ina na nag apply ako. Sa awa naman natanggap ako. Sabi ko sa aking lola; Lola hindi ako makakauwi kasi na assign ako sa Maynila bilang supervisor ganun din ang sinabi ko sa aking ina na hindi nila alam na lipad ko na pala patungong gitnang silangan (middle east) ng bansang Bahrain. Umabot ng 2 buwan sobrang namiss ko ang aking mga kapatid, lalo na sa aking ina na nandito rin sa bansang Bahrain. Hinanap ko ang address ng pinagtratrabahuan niya at sa awa ng diyos nahanap ko na. Nag “DoorBell” ako at biglang may sumagot ” Alam ko boses ni Nanay, ‘Nay ikaw ba yan, ako to si J.A. Pascual biglang nawala binaba ang phone may lumabas sa maliit na gate nakita ko ang aking Ina, subra na niyang tanda. Hinawakan ko ang kanyang mga kamay, na halos lumabas na ang mga ugat, bigla kong sinabi Nanay umuwi kana sa atin, ako nalang ang magtratrabaho, umuwi kana, sabay iyak ng aking puso na pagkasabi. Biglang tinawag ang aking Ina ng amo nya nagtanong kung sino (I told you; visitor or family are not allowed to go here, galit ang amo niya) Sabi ko madam i am her son i miss my mother.
…………… Arabic hindi ko na intindihan ang mga sinasabi kasi bago lang ako. Sabi ni Nanay magbayad daw siya ng BD1,000 bahrain dinar, yun ay advance ng aking Ina sa sahod niya at payagan na siyang umuwi ng Pilipinas.
Tumawag agad ako sa mga katrabaho ko na uutang sa kanila, nakabuo ako ng bd1,000 at umuwi na si Nanay.
Sa ngayon, 2 na taon na akong nagtratrabaho bilang OFW naintindihan ko na si Nanay kung bakit di siya makauwi uwi noon dahil sa pinipilit niya kaming patapusin ng pag aaral.
Sa mga anak na nasa Pilipinas intindihin po natin si Nanay o Tatay kung hindi man makauwi sa mahalagang okasyon ngayong Marso, Abril o Mayo 2018.
Thank you to the Reader,
J.A. PASCUAL
Overseas Filipino Worker
Manama, Bahrain
