The sad story of an OFW, aka National Hero

Rody J. Jaleco
FORT WASHINGTON, Maryland. With outstretched arms, they prayed over the frail-looking woman. They were throwing a despedida party for her Nelia Holgado, who was going home to the Philippines to die.

Until a few weeks ago, very few knew about Nelia. She has terminal cancer. Nelia underwent a mastectomy in 2003. Sabi nila pag nalampasan ko yung 5 years, okay na. Pero hindi umabot ng 5 years. Ginawa nila MRI, CT scan, bone scan, doon nila nalaman mayron tumubo sa tabi ng inopera sa akin, she recounts.

Hindi nako kaya gamutin, hindi nila puwede operahan dahil pag inopera ako may ugat doon na baka masagasaan lalo lang daw mapadali buhay ko.

Doctors say her metastatic breast cancer has spread to her lung and liver.
Last three months yung chemotherapy hindi nag-work. Malungkot nila (doctors at the National Institute of Health where she was treated) sinabi sa akin na it did not work. So nung sinabi nila yun nag-decide na ako mag-quit. Sawa na ako sa gamot. Ang katawan ko hirap na; kaya ganito ako kapayat, Nelia recounts.
All she wants is to go home and spend whats left of her life with her two grandchildren. Doctors gave her six to 12 months to live.

But she was alone in America. Her husband passed away seven years ago. She had no savings because she sent almost everything she earned working as a domestic helper to her son in Novaliches and helping a legion of needy relatives back home. Alam ko naman mahirap buhay, mahal ang bilihin sa atin, Nelia says.
Her plight, said lawyer Arnedo Valero of the Migrant Heritage Commission (MHC), is typical of many overseas Filipinos.

A Fil-Am nurse at the National Institute of Health, Yvonne Horneffer, learned of Nelias desire to spend her few remaining months with her family in the Philippines. She shot off an email that spread like wildfire in the close-knit Fil-Am community of Washington DC, northern Virginia and Maryland. The response has been overwhelming.

Her former employer has paid for her ticket home, and two volunteers Carl Abella of MHC and a Filipina nurse Jeanette Calahong have volunteered to escort her back to Manila at their own expense. Money raised in the series of fund-raising activities, is given directly to Nelia to help her when she finally gets home.
Perhaps it was her compelling story or inner strength or just the simpleness of her final wish that drew the outpouring of support and sympathy from the Fil-Am community here.

Im ready, hindi na ako natatakot, Nelia declares when we asked her if she wasnt afraid of dying.
Doon rin naman ako pupunta so bakit ako matatakot. Kunwari makauwi ako, makikita ko ang pamilya ko, Im happy, she said, trying to ward off the tears.

Makita ko lang sila na they are happy, it will be okay for me. Im ready, she says emphatically.
She and her husband entered the US over a decade ago on a tourist visa but lingered here, driven by the lure of the American dream.

Hindi pa siya sumasahod nakamarka na kung kanino ipapadala ang pera, Atty. Valera tells the crowd at Nelias despedida party last Saturday evening. He added that thanks to Nelias help, she was able to send two relatives through college.

Valera shared Nelias humor with the audience, Hindi raw siya natatakot mamatay sa Pilipinas dahil sa sampung taon pinalagi niya dito daan-daan raw ang pinadalhan niya ng tsokolate.

Hindi siya nag-iiwan ng pera para sa kanyang sarili, ang kuwento niya yung pamasahe niya lang. Lahat padala. May bagyo doon (a powerful typhoon tore off a sisters home in Bicol), pinagawa niya yung bahay.
Ang nakikita natin, bayani ang halos isang milyung Pilipino (in the US) na nagre-remit ng pera, nakakatulong sa ekonomiya, sa pamilya nila. Pero siguro hindi rin alam ng marami sa Pilipinas na yung bayani tinutukoy nila dito ay nangangailangan din ng tulong, Valera averred.

We asked Nelia if she wasnt worried no one will take care of her when she goes home. Hindi ko iniisip yun, she shoots back. Matagal na sinasabi ng anak ko umuwi na raw ako. Pero sabi ko sandali lang. Tapusin ko muna ang pagpapagamot ko dito, Nelia recalls telling her son.

Now that shes headed home, Nelia says her son and grandchildren are excited to finally be with her. Ang sabi nila kasi imbes ng lola, tawag nila nanay Nanay, umuwi ka na, hindi ka pa namin nakikita. Sabi ko huwag kayo magalala darating din ang panahon uuwi ako, hindi na ako mapigilan dito. Ayun dumating na nga ang araw, she says with a nervous laugh.

Nelia said her son promised to take her to Fr. Fernando Suarez, who reportedly has healing abilities. He is holding to the hope she might defeat her cancer when she returns home.
Kung ano man oras ako kukunin ni God, I am ready. Kung kukunin niya ako natutulog, na hindi na ako magising, I will be thankful. No problem. Si God lagi ang nasa isip ko, Nelia declared.

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