Little Belle's Mama

Working abroad is often seen as a golden opportunity, a chance to earn more and provide a better life for loved ones back home. Many Filipinos leave the country with high hopes, believing that their sacrifices will lead to a brighter future. Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), especially domestic helpers in the Middle East, take on challenging jobs, enduring long hours, difficult working conditions, and being away from their families for years. Some are lucky enough to have kind and fair employers, but many are not as fortunate.

For those who end up with abusive or exploitative employers, life becomes a daily battle. Some work more than what was originally agreed upon, with no rest days, little food, and barely any sleep. There are cases where employers take away their passports, leaving them with no freedom to leave or seek help. Others experience verbal, physical, or even worse forms of abuse. In these situations, hope is sometimes the only thing that keeps them going. They endure because they dream of giving their children a good education, building a home for their families, or simply ensuring their loved ones do not go hungry.

Despite the hardships, many OFWs choose to stay because they feel they have no other choice. The wages they receive, even if small by foreign standards, are often much higher than what they could earn in the Philippines. But the cost of earning this money is often their own well-being. Some feel trapped, unable to return home because of financial obligations or the fear of disappointing their families. Others continue working even when they are mistreated because they believe enduring a few years of suffering is worth the future they are trying to build.

The sad reality is that not all OFWs receive the appreciation they deserve. Some families do not understand the true sacrifices being made. While the workers toil in difficult conditions, sending money home regularly, some relatives back in the Philippines spend it carelessly, unaware of the pain and hardship behind every peso. There are heartbreaking stories of OFWs who return home after years of working, only to find that the money they sent was wasted, leaving them with nothing. In the worst cases, some are abandoned by their families altogether, forgotten once their financial support stops.

It is painful to think that those who give so much are sometimes left with so little. OFWs leave their children behind, missing out on their birthdays, graduations, and important life events. They spend years away from their spouses, parents, and friends, sacrificing their own happiness for the sake of their loved ones. The least they deserve is appreciation, understanding, and respect from the people they are working so hard for.

I hope that one day, Filipinos will no longer need to go abroad as domestic helpers just to survive. I dream that the country will one day provide enough jobs with fair wages, so no one has to leave their home just to give their family a decent life. If the economy improves, if opportunities within the Philippines grow, then fewer people will be forced to work in foreign lands under difficult conditions. Families will no longer have to be separated, and no one will have to endure mistreatment just to send money home.

Until that day comes, those who are already abroad deserve better treatment, not just from their employers but also from their own families. A simple “thank you” or a message of love and appreciation can mean the world to someone working hard in a foreign country. Employers, too, must learn to respect and value their workers, recognizing that these individuals have left everything behind to work in their homes. Governments must continue to strengthen policies that protect the rights and dignity of migrant workers, ensuring that no one is left to suffer in silence.

The sacrifices of OFWs, especially domestic helpers, should never be taken for granted. They are the silent heroes who keep families together through their hard work, even from thousands of miles away. They are the ones who send money not for luxury but for survival, for education, for a better tomorrow. They endure loneliness, exhaustion, and even cruelty, all for the people they love.

It is time for their sacrifices to be recognized and valued. Families must learn to appreciate and use the hard-earned money wisely, understanding the pain behind every remittance. Society must respect their contributions, treating them not just as workers but as human beings with dreams, struggles, and emotions. And as a nation, we must all work towards a future where Filipinos no longer have to leave their homeland just to find a decent job. A future where families stay together, and no one has to suffer far from home just to provide for their loved ones.