Problematic love affairs overseas
Aside from financial debts, another thing that worsens the situation of an OFW is having affairs abroad. Truly it’s natural that loneliness pushes some of our kabayan to seek a companion who can they talk to and share their time with. There are frequent meetings. It may come to pass that they fall in love with each other.
If both have no family responsibilities it would be okay. All the world loves lovers. But what if one or both of them have families to support back home? Big trouble is certainly on the way.
The overseas lovers may want to live together. They will rent a house. Buy appliances. There are monthly expenses like payment on electric, water, telephone bills, etc. In the end, the OFW father or mother may have problems sending money to his family in the Philippines.
An additional burden begins should an OFW woman get pregnant. But what if the OFW woman also has marital or family obligations in the Philippines?
In one case we know about, the OFW man was obliged to send money to his lover’s family every month so that no one would notice what was really happening to her overseas.
Eventually, his remittances to his own family fell from 100 percent to 30 percent only. More than 60 percent of his earnings would just go to maintaining their love nest abroad and to the money sent to the family of the woman.
This is how complicated the situation of an OFW can get. Their choices lead to dilemmas of love and money.
There is this story of an OFW woman who gave birth abroad without her husband and family’s knowledge here in the Philippines. She chose to keep it a secret. In such cases, they willfully don’t go home and continue their relationship overseas in the belief that their overseas relationship will not be discovered.
Susan Andes, a.k.a. Susan K is on board at RADYO INQUIRER 990 DZIQ AM, Monday to Friday, 7:00-8: 30 p.m.(live streaming: www.dziq.am) Contact Bantay OCW Foundation Operations Center: 631 Shaw Blvd., Mandaluyong City. Hotlines: 5357209/ 8819423/ 0919.214.0699 E-mail: [email protected] / [email protected]
