This is definitely not the kind of OFW story that we would like to hear, especially to those who are looking forward to working overseas in order to help their families back home in the Philippines.
However, as sad as it is, this is the reality that we have to accept, and to remind us that working overseas can be anybody’s choice but hopefully, it won’t be a permanent one. This is the reason why financial literacy training and regular health check-ups must be required of all OFWs wherever they may be in the world.
Filipina Passes Away After Working for 26 Years in HK
A Filipino domestic worker who had been working in Hong Kong for 26 years and was due to return home passed away at Queen Elizabeth Hospital due to kidney failure, as shared in a report by the Sun HK.
The domestic worker, Susie Olid, who was 55 years old at the time of her passing, was a mother of two from Nueva Vizcaya. Olid first felt symptoms of being very ill back in February 8, for which she was hospitalized. Two days prior to leaving back home for the Philippines for good, the Filipina’s condition quickly deteriorated, and was admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) three days before she passed away on March 9.
Olid’s employer for the past two years and four months reported the Filipina’s death to the Philippines’ Overseas Workers Welfare Administration office in Hong Kong.
An officer from the Philippine Consulate’s Assistance to Nationals Section shared that Olid’s family had already been informed of her passing, and her brother, as next-of-kin, would be receiving her remains.
A public viewing of Olid’s remains was held on Sunday (March 17), and her body was repatriated to Manila the following day.
To all our compatriots working overseas, let this be a reminder to all of us to prioritize of what’s truly important in our lives. Let us not wait for the time when we become sick, and reach our death bed away from our families and loved ones. There are better ways to provide for our families, and enjoy our late years with our loved ones.