05/09/2026
Sa social media, we love to see the beautiful things. The positive results, the new house, the car, and all those big achievements. People don't have a clue how you got there—your sleepless nights, your tears, and the literal blood you poured into that "dream."
Kumuha ako ng house and lot sa Pag-IBIG during my first time abroad as an investment. But it was a failure.
It was my ultimate dream to have my own house and lot. Yung galing talaga sa pinaghirapan ko, yung ikaw ang magdedecide ng interior, outside landscape and the furniture. That imagination was finally happening during the process of acquiring the house. It was a happy moment for me, a real sense of pride na, "Salamat, nagawa ko rin sa wakas."
First-time OFW ako sa Taiwan year 2022. There, I was receiving an income double to triple compared to working in the Philippines. I was lucky to have my siblings backing me up to go abroad. Napapaligiran ako ng mga taong supportive, kaya hindi na ako nag-worry kung paano mabuhay mag-isa sa ibang bansa. My brothers and sisters shared their experiences and lessons with me, so the only thing I needed to do was push myself, be determined, and have the dedication to make my dreams of a "good life" come true.
Taiwan is very close to Pinas. I was living and working in Kaohsiung, which has thousands of OFWs working in the manufacturing and services sector. Kaya naging madali ang transition ko—it was actually like living abroad with a bunch of Filipinos, so walang homesickness for me. The only adjustments were the culture, the food, and the...
