Despite persistent news about overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who were abused by their employers, stories of kindness restore our faith in humanity, showing us that there are people out there who are willing to take care of and give importance to our modern-day heroes in the absence of their families.
UAE residents are not new to these stories. Being one of the top destinations of OFWs, encounters between UAE residents and OFWs are very common. These stories, however, are very special. They are stories of kindness and compassion.
1. When an Emirati employer gifted a Pinay nanny with her dream house
Usually, gifts come in boxes. Dina’s gift was nothing but the usual –her employers gave her a house and lot.
Dina Tenerife Celo is a 45-year-old domestic helper from Sagñay, Camarines Sur who was gifted by her employer with Dh23,000 (P320,000 approx.) last October 2017 to buy a parcel of land in her hometown.
Her employer, Melissa McPike, who got her UAE nationality after marrying an Emirati, also promised to help finance the construction of her dream house back home.
The little boy who Dina took care of in 1998 has since become a pilot. He flew to the Philippines to help Dina plan the construction of her dream house
“Sabi ni ma’am, pati ng mga alaga ko, hayaan ko daw namang sila naman ang magparamdam sa akin ng pagmamahal na ibinigay ko sa kanila,” Dina said.
McPike said that household workers like Dina should be treated with respect and kindness as they play a big role in the family.
2. When a family in the UAE helped a Pinay nanny pay her Dh121,000 debt
Madeline Palustre is an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who got herself entangled in a Dh121,000 debt eight years ago from various creditors for a deal gone sour.
After a couple residing in the UAE hired her, she told them about her financial woes, to which they responded in an unexpected way – they decided to help her pay off her debt.
“Ipaliwanag ko daw yung problema ko, yung mga utang 5-6. At yun lahat binayaran nila. Pero di nila binigay sa kin na pera – yung mga taong hiniraman ko, tinawag nila, pinagsabihan na dapat di nila to ginagawa sa ibang tao, lalo na sa mga nagigipit. Sila nagbayad tapos kinakaltas nila sa sweldo ko, ” Palustre said.
This effort from her employers has since become one of the most defining moments in Palustre’s life.
“More than the financial assistance, I am more thankful for their moral support during that difficult time of my life. I will forever be grateful not only for their being the best employers I have ever had, but for the lifelong friends I have found in them.”
3. When an Emirati saved a Pinoy couple from drowning
Kindness of Emiratis towards Filipinos does not only happen between employers and OFWs. An Emirati man in 2017 was able to save a Filipino couple from drowning.
Othman Al Naqbi was driving along the beachside of Khor Fakkan beach when he heard the Filipinos’ cries for help after their jetski flipped over.
Al Naqbi immediately called the authorities to report the incident, then removed his clothes and, despite his shoulder injury, jumped into the water to save the couple.
The Khorr Fakkan resident brought the Filipinos ashore, where they were given first aid and taken to the hospital for a check-up.
4. When an Emirati vlogger thanked Filipinos for changing UAE
Emiratis are also noted for being appreciative of the other people’s efforts as evidenced by the previous stories in this list and this one where a vlogger thanked Filipinos for their role in making the UAE a better country.
Emirati vlogger Khalid Al Ameri posted a video on his Facebook page in January thanking the Filipino community for their significant contributions to the UAE.
In a short video titled “Filipinos Changed My Country,” Al Ameri gave a message for the all the Filipinos in the country.
“The tagline of the Philippines is “It is more fun in the Philippines,” and that is what the Filipino community has brought to this country – their joy of life, their kindness, their ability to smile no matter what – and through that, they make this country a better place,” he genuinely said.
5. When an anonymous donor helped settle a Filipino baby’s hospital bills
Some Emirati residents also extended their help to Filipinos they do not even know. A UAE resident, who wanted to remain anonymous, paid for the Dh500,000 hospital bill of a Filipino infant who was born premature.
Baby Ethan has been in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of University Hospital Sharjah since October 2017. He was born only 23 weeks into his gestation period weighing only 650 grams, a Gulf News report read.
Ethan’s parents were in complete shock when a hospital staff revealed that their bills have been settled and that a certain anonymous individual has promised to help them pay their bills until Ethan is discharged.
6. When a Dubai-based family flew with their nanny to the Philippines to treat her family
Elizabeth Elizarde is a 48-year-old OFW in Dubai who came home to the Philippines to spend time with her family. What she did not know was that her employers in Dubai had a plan for her during her stay in the Philippines. Her employers were also preparing for their trip to the Philippines.
The employers, Jaime and Brenda Church, along with their two kids, decided to fly to the Philippines to visit the Filipina and her family. During her employers’ stay in the Philippines, they met Elizabeth’s family, took them out to fancy restaurants and amusement parks – things that her five children never experienced.
“I felt overjoyed not only because I got to see my children happy, but also because of the friendship and trust that the Church family has given me,” she said.
