Buhay OFW, Mabuhay ang bagong Bayaning Filipino: This Woman will inspire us with her life story as an Overseas Worker
An OFW named Mercy Humlang shared her story with KAMI. She is currently at the age of 49 years old, a widow with 5 children. She suffered from unhealthy married life, because of her irresponsible husband. Therefore, she decided to work overseas to fulfill her family's needs.
It was the year 1993 when she first leaves the Philippines to work overseas in Singapore. Her first employer is a Taiwanese with three children and doesn’t even know how to speak English. For her, it was a tough job, ‘hirap aq dun dhil sugarol amo ko nun na babae at kung saan siya sinasama ako dahil my alaga ako ung bunsong anak na 4yrs old. hangang madaling araw kung saan saan makarating. Pagdating sa bahay umaga na umpisa na work ko so kulang na kulang tulog ko.’
One time, she cannot handle the situation, therefore; she pretends that she will send a mail since it was a walking distance away from her place. Her employer doesn’t have an idea that she was planning to escape and go to the embassy to report her experiences.
‘One time di ko na matiis kaya nagpanggap aq na maghulog ng sulat sa labas kasi walking distance ung mail box...pero di na nila alam planu ko mag run away sa embassy dahil sobra sa pag maka utos minsan sinagot ko siya hangang nagkasagutan kami so from there paglabas ako sa gate dahil hawak nya remote nito kaya di basta maka labas..yun tumawid na ako sa kbila kuha ng taxi papuntang embassy ..pero nkatagal ako sa kanya ng 9 mos..kasi nun 7 mos salary deduction..tiniis ko yun, nabigyan ako ng agency ko ng chance na magtransfer sa ibang amo kasi nasa katwiran ako dun ok yung naging kalagayan ko dun,’ shared by Mercy.
Mercy stayed with her employer until 1998. After one month of her vacation in the Philippines, when she was about to return to Singapore Mercy’s husband hide her passport, therefore, she was reported to the Police. She became block listed because of that incident.
Mercy then decided to apply in Malaysia, where she suffered a lot.
‘Ang masaklap sa lahat wala ako makain kahit ako nag luluto kontrolado at halos naging butut balat na ako nun so di ko natapos kontrak ko inisip kong pabalik na lang sa agency at matransfer sana pero pagdating ko sa agency galit sila sakin na ayaw nila ako payagan magtransfer sabi babalik daw ako sa amo ko so nagdecide ako na uuwi na lang kaysa babalik uli dun.. nagalit agency sa desisyon ko at pinagbbayad ako ng 80k daw pero sabi ko san ako kukuha nyan kaya nga ako pumarito para kikita ng pera. So pinarusahan nila ako nag stay ako sa agency nagtrabho na walang sahod...tiniis ko basta maka uwi ako. 2weeks ako dun na nagwork , tas ako pa bumili ng ticket ko pauwi , nagpadala pamilya ko ng pinambayad ng ticket nun, dahil naka utang ako nun inisip ko uli aalis Qatar naman destinasyon ako at first na amo di rin maganda hirap ako so nagpabalik ako sa agency awa ng Dios ok na uli yung second amo ko i work in a princess and prince in Qatar dun nag tagal ako ng almost 6 yrs,’ she shared her experience.
It was the year 2015 Mercy given a chance to had her vacation in the Philippines. It was also the time when her husband died because of an ailment due to his bad habit.
‘Dahil iniwan lahat ang responsibilidad sa akin kailangan aalis na naman ako so 6mos after his burial i decided na apply uli at eto ngaun ako dito SAUDI. Ang pagttrabaho dito parang sugal lang but of course pananampalataya. prayers ang kasama q lagi.GOD IS GOOD.’ Mercy said.
Source: KAMI.com.gh
