In 2005, I worked as a Furniture Designer in China. I had a good job in Cebu, but the furniture industry slowly dissipated and I was scratching surface to make ends met. I have two children and my money was just enough for our daily expenses and, most of the time, nothing was left for savings or for emergency needs.
When an opportunity knocked at my door to work abroad, I welcomed it without any misgivings or second thoughts. After all, I would be doing it for my family it would be an opportunity for me to send OFW remittances to the Philippines
When an opportunity knocked at my door to work abroad, I welcomed it without any misgivings or second thoughts. After all, I would be doing it for my family it would be an opportunity for me to send OFW remittances to the Philippines
My first week in China was hard, but I survived. I had a very good salary --- much more than what I had expected. I was earning $1500 a month and, at that time, the currency exchange rate of a dollar into pesos was around P55.00. Obviously, I was very happy as an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) and a father to my family for I was able to provide everything they wanted.
For three years, I worked hard in China. Aside from my regular job, I also had other sidelines. I sent 80% of all my earnings to my wife. However, having too much money tempted her to begin going out with friends and eventually became unfaithful. After years of sending her monthly remittances, I found out that she has spent them all to her boyfriends. I was devastated and wanted to die, but the love for my children and the thought of what will happen to them once I am gone prevented me from taking any drastic action against myself or my wife. Eventually, I applied for annulment and continued to work overseas for what was left of my family.
For three years, I worked hard in China. Aside from my regular job, I also had other sidelines. I sent 80% of all my earnings to my wife. However, having too much money tempted her to begin going out with friends and eventually became unfaithful. After years of sending her monthly remittances, I found out that she has spent them all to her boyfriends. I was devastated and wanted to die, but the love for my children and the thought of what will happen to them once I am gone prevented me from taking any drastic action against myself or my wife. Eventually, I applied for annulment and continued to work overseas for what was left of my family.
My children, being young, were still with my wife and I only sent a monthly remittance of P5,000 for their food expenses. I assigned to my sister the payments for their school’s tuition fees and other relative expenses for I no longer trust my ex-wife. Being totally disheartened by the arrangement I have set, my wife left the kids to my mom and never came back. Without having second thoughts, I left my job and rushed back to the Philippines to personally took care of my kids.
I had saved enough for myself and my children which enabled us to live comfortably despite having lost my job. Since the furniture industry in Cebu was no longer as flourishing as it was before, I invested around P100,000.00 to grow bangus (milkfish) and prawns in a fishpond I bought in Bohol. I entrusted its management and care to my sister-in-law’s brothers and even paid them more than the minimum wage. But I found out that the fishpond was not very well taken cared of as it should be which eventually resulted to a very poor harvest. Instead of confronting them, I just charged it to experience.
I shifted into another business which was hog raising, but the profit was not that big and the labor was so extensive. I tried another business again and again before I realized that I was not cut for this. I became desperate as my savings slowly diminished and the needs of my children had increased. I had long days of thinking, worrying, and sleepless nights about what must be done.
With so little money that was left from my savings, I accepted a big financial help from my mom and built a small sari-sari (convenience) store. With God’s blessing, the business brought in bigger profits. As my store grew, so does my goods. I had sold rice and became a distributor of softdrinks and beers to smaller sari-sari stores.
I may no longer be earning as much as I did in China, but I am happier now being with my two kids who have been my inspiration and motivation to persevere and work harder.
I shifted into another business which was hog raising, but the profit was not that big and the labor was so extensive. I tried another business again and again before I realized that I was not cut for this. I became desperate as my savings slowly diminished and the needs of my children had increased. I had long days of thinking, worrying, and sleepless nights about what must be done.
With so little money that was left from my savings, I accepted a big financial help from my mom and built a small sari-sari (convenience) store. With God’s blessing, the business brought in bigger profits. As my store grew, so does my goods. I had sold rice and became a distributor of softdrinks and beers to smaller sari-sari stores.
I may no longer be earning as much as I did in China, but I am happier now being with my two kids who have been my inspiration and motivation to persevere and work harder.
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