A Filipino domestic worker in Abu Dhabi who was previously gifted by her employer Dh23,000 (P320,000 approx.) to buy a house and small block of land in her hometown in the Philippines last October 2017 recently received another incredible gift from them on January 3, 2019: a car.
Exactly a year after, The Filipino Times featured her life as an OFW in the UAE. Dina Tenerife Celo, 47, who hails from Sagñay, Camarines Sur and started working for her Emirati employer, Melissa McPike, in 1998, has recently been gifted a second-hand Nissan so she doesn’t need to take public transport to visit her son who is also working in the UAE.
Dina said that a bus re-routing took place in December that made traveling even harder for her. However, since she wants to keep seeing her son every now and then, she still took the bus despite her concern.
“Bigla na lang sinabi sa akin ni Madam Missa na, ‘After two weeks, no more bus’,” she said.
“Kasi nakikita nya na lagi akong nahihirapan at naghahabol ng oras tuwing sumasakay ako ng bus para bisitahin ang aking anak na nandito rin sa UAE. Kapag wala kasing available na sasakyan, sa bus ako sumasakay,” Dina said. “Ang hirap sumakay ng bus. Kailangan ng dalawang sakay sa bus para makapunta doon. Inaabot ako ng mahigit ilang oras sa biyahe. Kaya sobrang laking tulong nito,” she added.
Melissa said Dina was trustworthy and hardworking. The employer also said she does not consider her as an employee but as part of the family. Aside from the car, Melissa and her sons Saeed and Saif also gave Dina Christmas gifts.
“Lahat ng suporta at tulong binibigay niyo sa akin. Pati ang aking nag-iisang anak, alam ko at naramdaman kong mahal niyo din,” Dina continued.
source: filipinotimes