EDITORIAL - A sad ending

An Overseas Filipino Worker was recently found dead in a waterway in Hong Kong several days after she was declared missing by her employer.

According to initial reports the death doesn’t appear to be the result of foul play or a suicide, so in the absence of any other evidence the only conclusion we can reach is that it was the result of an accident.

The family of the deceased OFW is set to receive aid; the Department of Migrant Workers also said they are working closely with Hong Kong authorities in their investigation into the incident.

This is usually the story of OFWs. While most can find gainful employment with decent and honest employers who treat them like human beings, some don’t. Others finish the terms of their contract without incident; for some, fate has a different plan for them.

It gets even worse for others who end up wounded, injured, maimed, or even dead, depending on what circumstances they are in or what destiny has preordained for them.

We aren’t saying people should avoid working abroad because it isn’t safe. Working abroad comes with its own share of dangers and risks, the same ones we have working here. Accidents happen there as often as here.

While we aren’t psychics or fortune-tellers, we do venture to guess that the OFW might still be alive today had she not gone to work abroad. And that she may not have gone abroad to work if there had been better-paying jobs to support herself and her family here.

Again, this is usually the story of OFWs. As much as they want to work here close to their families, friends, and places they have come to love, they just can’t find a job or one that pays well enough to secure a stable future.

While it is a sad ending, this incident should be taken as a reminder that more effort should be taken to ensure that people don’t have to leave the country to find good-paying jobs.