MANILA: Nanay Gloria Francisco happily hurried outside their house to receive Balikbayan boxes (care packages) loaded on a tricycle.
She knew the packages were from his overseas Filipino son, Michael, who works in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Little did she know that she was up for a surprise as the latter traveled some 5,300 miles to their hometown province in Sta. Maria, Bulacan to have a heartfelt reunion with her, more than just delivering boxes filled with gifts.
Driving the tricycle, Michael was wearing a simple undershirt, shorts, and a cap with a mask on his face. This was part of his plot for the big surprise.
As Michael and his friend unloaded the packages, one of his relatives pointed at the familiar tattoo on his left arm–a portrait of Nanay Gloria. But even then, his mother did not recognized him.
This was when he took off his mask. But just the same, his mother hardly recognize him. It was his voice as he called her “nanay” that made everything clear.
Nanay Gloria immediately ran to him and the next scene became a tear-jerking moment. They hugged each other long and tight, with both of them breaking into tears almost half of the entire 4-minute long video that went viral.
The mother-and-son reunion happened on November 24.
In an online interview with The Filipino Times, the 38-year-old OFW family driver in Jeddah related: “Basta na lang po pumasok sa isip ko surpresahin si nanay sa ganong paraan… kasi po dapat uuwi na’ko ng 24 months palang ako. Kaso hindi po ako makauwi kaya inabot ako ng 28 months,” he said.
“November 22, lumapag ako sa Pinas ng gabi nagcheck-in muna ko sa hotel kasi kinabukasan umuwi na’ko ng Bulacan commute lang po ako hindi po ako nagpasundo talaga,” he added. “Sobrang miss na miss din ako ni nanay po… akala ko nga babagsak siya nung pagyakap sakin kasi mabigat na po siya eh kaya hindi ko siya binitawan baka nga po himatayin.”
Michael also shared that he will not only spend Christmas in the Philippines, but is now planning to stay here for good. However, he is not closing his doors to try his luck abroad when opportunity knocks again.
“Hindi na po kasi yung goal ko po ngayon kaya ako mag i-stay dito sa Pinas ay bigyan ko ng magandang memories ang mga anak ko habang sila’y mga bata pa. ‘Pag nagawa ko na ‘yun baka umalis ako. Kasi po tulad ng sabi ko hindi pa sila nagkakasama-sama kahit minsan sa loob ng halos na anim na taon. Ito po [ang] kailangan kong gawin para sa kanila,” he said.
Asked about his experiences overseas, Michael told TFT about the OFW life. He reminded OFW families as well to recognize the sacrifices of Filipino workers abroad by checking up on them regularly.
“Mga OFW jan sobrang lungkot, sobrang pagod, hindi pa nakakain minsan, unlimited ang trabaho. Narasanan ko na po kasi,” shared Michael to TFT. “Nakangiti lang kaming mga OFW kasi ayaw naming ipakita sa kanila na hihirapan din ang aming mga damdamin at katawang lupa sa mga trabaho at homesick sa kanila.”
It would be Michael’s first time to spend Christmas with his family after two years.
Watch the video of their reunion below:
