In Hong Kong, the number of Filipina women working as domestic helpers is increasing fast due to poverty in the native land, the Philippines. They have become an essential part to the facet of our society. The challenges they face are sometimes cruel and have encountered impossible living conditions. Considering their heroic idea to save their family from starvation, being away from their loved ones is not a joke. It entails a lot of homesick dilemma which emanates deep within their hearts. A typical nanny would sacrifice her time away from her own baby just to take care of her employer’s baby with a minimal income. Not all employers are bad though, but majority of these helpers were treated unjust and were tortured physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. They obtain a trauma about being maltreated in a strange land.
It is lucky for a Filipina woman to find a very good employer who treats her and respects her rights as a person. But the percentage of getting a good employer is minimal as compared to being maltreated in another land. It is sad that our heroes, our OFWs can only do what they believe they are capable of doing, which is to sacrifice themselves physically away from their native land, being deprived of hugging their own family, just for a few dollars to improve their lives in their motherland. The government, in turn should treat these heroes with pride and dignity because they contribute a lot to our economy.