ILOILO – Mothers will always be mothers to their children, no matter how far they are from them.
Three Ilongga overseas Filipino worker moms share their motherhood journey while away from their families.
Angel Galvan is a single mother to a 15-year-old girl. She is currently working in Saudi Arabia.
For Angel, no matter where mothers are, Mother’s Day is worth celebrating.
“(It’s) the day to celebrate amazing mothers worldwide – mothers who always try their best to give the best to their children… Mothers who are willing to sacrifice despite the hardships, pains, being far away from their families… even feeling homesick (just to give a) bright future to their children,” Galvan told Panay News.
Distance is never a hindrance to show the love of mothers for their children, she stressed.
She cited the wonder of technology that eases all the burdens despite the time difference.
“Talking on cam or chatting with families is the best energy booster for all mothers working abroad like me. Even though this pandemic has changed the world, the love of mothers for their children stays stronger forever,” she added.
For 28-year-old Grace, also a single mom who works in Singapore, this Mother’s Day is the saddest one for her because she lost her four-year-old son to an illness.
Her son was the reason why she went abroad but never did she think he would be the saddest reason why she had to suddenly leave her work abroad.
“Pamatyagan ko daw nagkulang na ang pagka-nanay ko sang nadula ang akon bata,” Grace grieved.
Nevertheless, Grace said, being a mother is supposed to be a no-break-time job. For her, Mother’s Day should be celebrated every day.
“Adlaw-adlaw Mother’s Day kay wala break ang pagka-Nanay. Isa na dira ang pag-sakripisyo, ma-realize mo ang purpose mo, indi na pareho sang dalaga ka pa,” she added.
Grace returned to Iloilo on May 5 for the wake and funeral of her son.
It pained her that she could no longer feel the warmth of her beloved son.
On the other hand, Norafe Losbañes of Mina, Iloilo was an OFW in Singapore. She’s a mother of two.
She shared her struggles of being away from her children, though there’s technology.
“Una ngaa budlay, wala kami oras… budlayan ko paiguon akon oras kananda, kapin pa kung tama ako kasaku sa adlaw-adlaw nga tanan,” Losbañes lamented. “Kung emergency indi man kami dayun katawag sa amun pamilya… kabudlay tungod nga kaisa free time kaw, tawgan mo sanda waay sila signal or wala nila masabat phone nila.”
Being an OFW, she said, her own family is not only her priority, “but una mo gid priority imo mga ama kag amo.”
Losbañes also shared how it pained her taking care other people’s children, but she got no choice.
“Kadamo sang kakulangan ko sa akon kabataan,” she said. “Masakit man nga iban nga bata akun ginaatipan kabaylo sa ila… indi madali ang sitwasyon kung ikaw ari na sa iban nga nasyon.”
How does a mother send love from afar?
“Paagi sa materyal nga butang lang gid kung birthday da baklan ka cake, regalo, tawgan ko sanda paagi sa social media… amo lang gid ‘na paagi ko mapakita sa ila nga palangga ko sila.”
Does Losbañes have any fear as a mom in this time of pandemic?
“Daw indi matungkad,” she said. “Kaisa mahibi ako gulpi, kaisa makabatyag ako kulba kag damo-damo pa nga what ifs…”
She is praying for her good health, for her family’s.
“Labaw sa tanan gina pangamuyo ko gid hopefully makauli ako sa akon pamilya, nga mayad man lawas kag waay ti sablag,” she added.
Working moms also shared to Panay News their work-life balance and how they deal with every day struggles.
“As a mother and local official dako nga responsibilidad ang akon ginakaptan sa adlaw-adlaw nga tanan,” Liga ng mga Barangay president Dorothy Paes of Dumangas, Iloilo told Panay News.
“Pag-abot sa panimalay, oras sa pamilya akon nagahatag bisan gamay. Sa tunga sining pandemya, ang proteksyon naman ang akon ginapanumdum,” she added.
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, Paes also encountered struggles in terms of maintaining the safety of her constituents and her family especially that she’s a frontliner.
Paes also shared how she is nurturing her kids.
“Pag-abot sa pamilya, ako ang gin padako nga sa tagipusu-on may gugma sa Diyos, abyan ilabi na sa akon pamilya,” she said.
“Ang pagpalangga ko sa akon nga bata akon ginapakita paagi sa pagsuporta sa iya, sa kug ano ang magahatag kaalam kag kalipay sa akon bata nga may dako nga handum,” she added.
Marylou Sumbing, 60, of Barangay Calubihan, Jaro district also shared her decades of being a supermom. She is an employee at the Iloilo Provincial Capitol.
“I have five kids, ang subang ko 38 years old; ikaduha, 36; ikatatlo, 33; ikaapat, 29; youngest is 19,” she said. Four of her kids are professionals now, while one is still in school.
“Kon sa pagkaon nila, usually nagabugtaw ako aga tapos nagadigamo kag ginabilin sa ila… kag sang gamay-gamay pa, ginadul-ong ko sa eskwelahan. Sang gamay sila ti may nagabantay nga yaya and ara man si Papa nila,” Sumbing shared.
She went on: “Then pag-uli ko 5 p.m. mahapit sa tienda mabakal sang sud-an para lutuon sa gab-i. Tapos kon weekend manglaba kag kon ano pa nga obra sa balay.”
When it comes to quality time, she said she’s more than fulfilled to have her kids always by her side.
“Naga-bonding gid kami pirme ka kabataan ko sa balay lang. Indi palalagaw. Upod gid kami ‘ya every day… The family that eats together stays together kuno mo,” she added.
Sumbing added that through prayer and God’s guidance, she felt just as secured.
“Grabe gid ‘ya ang sakripisyo sang nanay… ako ‘ya hands-on,” she said. “Despite nga naga-obra ako, hands-on gid ako.”
“Dapat bilang nanay istoryahon mo gid ang mga bata mo, mangin open sia sa imo as mother, wala dapat sang sekreto,” Sumbing shared./PN
