Tearful goodbyes as some OFWs head back to work before New Year


Though with heavy hearts, OFWs are beginning to troop back to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) to return to their overseas jobs to continue supporting their loved ones in the Philippines.
Mark Anthony Jacolbe is one of these OFWs. Though sad, he said he is doing it for his family.
"Para sa kanila 'tong gagawin nating sakripisyo," Jacolbe said in a report by GMA News' Ian Cruz on Balitanghali on Thursday.
Another OFW, Miraflor Esnardo, told her baby that she loved her minutes before her flight to Saudi Arabia, while Leah Cayog bid her new lover goodbye as he accompanied her to the airport for her return to Italy.
"Mabigat, mahirap. Akala sa una madali, pero pag nandito na, talagang mabigat," Cayog said.
Yet some OFWs are only beginning their vacations, as is the case with Lorna, who came home from Saudi Arabia to ring in 2018 with her family.
"Masayang-masaya kasi makakasama ko na po sila. Maipagluluto ko po sila ng mga paborito nilang pagkain," she said.
About 1.6 million passengers used the national airport in 2017, marking a 8.7 percent increase from the 1.4 million passengers from 2016, and more are expected to use NAIA past the holiday rush.
The 2016 Commission on Audit report on the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency also showed an increase of OFW requests for repatriation, showing a 62.73 percent increase from 2015 (5,629) to 2016 (9,160). —Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News

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