For over a decade, Jeffrey Ongoco has witnessed his daughter’s childhood primarily through a screen, a common sacrifice for many Filipino migrants seeking economic opportunity abroad. He and his wife reside in Doha, Qatar, working to support their 16-year-old daughter. She has lived in the Philippines since infancy.
Ongoco, a 46-year-old document controller, works for a construction firm. He first left his home country in 2007 for a job in Saudi Arabia, before relocating to Qatar in 2010. His daughter remains in Bataan province, approximately 130km (80 miles) northwest of Manila, under the care of relatives.
Economic necessity drives this separation, representing a tough trade-off for countless overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). The couple felt compelled to make the sacrifice. Their goal was to provide their daughter with a better future.
As parents, we don’t want our kids to experience the hardships we had before. So even if it’s very difficult for parents to be away from their children, we will do everything we can for their future.
Ongoco’s experience highlights the difficult choice faced by many. Higher earnings abroad often come at the cost of years spent apart from the families they strive to support.
