After 10 years of being away in Libya, a Filipina nurse is finally coming home to the Philippines.
Philippine Ambassador to Libya Elmer Cato shared the story of the Filipina whom he sent off at Tunis Carthage International Airport last Sunday.
She was with her seven-year-old son, who will also be seeing the Philippines for the first time.
The ambassador has not identified the name of the nurse but he shared that he waited since April when they first met at the Tripoli Central Hospital for her to decide to finally come home.
“She was among those who want to go home but could not until the hospital finally remits her hard-earned salary that had accumulated over the years,” he said.
Cato added that the Filipina could not even get home to visit her ailing mother in Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija because of the travel ban.
The Filipina apologized to Cato for the inconvenience she has caused them. However, he assured the Filipina nurse that it was their job to look after the Filipinos there.
“Never kayo naging abala sa amin,” we told her. “You are the reason why we are still there in Libya—to look after you and our other kababayan.”
Cato said they gave a stuffed camel to her son as a remembrance before they bid goodbye.
“It is with this as backdrop that the Philippine Embassy in Tripoli joins the rest of the nation in paying tribute to our kababayan abroad as we commemorate Overseas Filipinos Month. We take this opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to serve and protect Filipinos not just in Libya but also those in the other countries under our jurisdiction.”
The Filipina nurse is the 130th Filipino national assisted by the embassy since the war broke out in April this year.
