Those never-ending, unlimited phone calls

Some overseas workers complain that unending phone calls from relatives in the Philippines can be a problem.

I have heard both men and women overseas grumble about the numerous text messages and calls they receive from Filipino friends and family members who often register with an unlimited mobile service.

In the middle of doing their jobs such as cooking, washing clothes, taking care of kids, someone is bound to call, complains one overseas domestic.

And when a fight or misunderstanding happens between our overseas Filipino Workers and their spouses, definitely our OFW gets bombarded with text messages and calls. Some get in trouble with their employers because of this.

There was a man from Ilocos Norte who went to Radyo Inquirer (990 AM) and asked for assistance to call his OFW wife and request her to come home. He said his wife was neglecting her responsibilities to care for their children.

Responding to his request, I called up the wife in Hong Kong. The OFW was fuming mad at her spouse. She was embarassed that he had involved me in his “insanity.”

The wife informed me her male employer was already 89 years old.

After two months, our kababayan visited the station again and insisted Bantay OCW help repatriate his spouse. He had a different complaint. He said his wife and her male employer in Hong Kong were already having an intimate affair.

For the second time, I called our OFW. The wife told me her male employer was in fact already dead. She also said she was sick and tired of the irrational jealousy of her husband. She requested me to talk to her husband and tell him that she would no longer return home in Ilocos.

She said she had decided to stay on working as an OFW until she gets old there.  However, she pledged to continue financial support for her children.

It is sad that the never-ending phone calls by this jealous  husband ended in marital separation.

Susan Andes, aka Susan K. is on board at Radyo Inquirer 990 dzIQ AM, Monday to Friday 12:30-2:00 p.m. with audio/video live streaming: www.dziq.am.Hotlines: 5357209/8819423/0927-6499870. E-mail: [email protected]/[email protected]. BANTAY OCW Foundation Operations Center: 631 Shaw Blvd., Mandaluyong City.