Happy tears were overflowing at the airport when an OFW and his 10 other family members were reunited after 13 years!
For 31-year-old OFW Harbex Goylos, it was indeed an answered prayer when his family arrived in UAE last December 11, 2023, after not seeing each other for more than a decade.
“That is my first time for me to see them [after 13 years]. Normally kasi ‘yung pinapapunta ko lang dito is ‘yung mama ko, kasi hindi ko pa afford. It’s my first time to hug my tatay again for how many years. Kahit ‘yung mga pamangkin ko for the first time lahat, kaya I’m so happy talaga,” Goylos told The Philippine STAR.
Goylos was just 18 years old when he left the Philippines to work abroad, dreaming of providing a better life to his family in Negros Occidental.
“Ang hirap ng buhay talaga, as in isang kahig isang tuka talaga. I came to Dubai at the age of 18 years old, I started here I was working as a watchman, para siyang security guard. Pero sa Pilipinas, ‘yung life namin is very, very hard na ‘yung mama at tatay ko po ay magbababoy lang po. Sabi ko kailangan ko sigurong mag-abroad para makatulong sa pamilya,” he shared.
But his life turned upside down after arriving in Dubai 13 years ago.
Noting, “When I came here, it [did not go] well. Hindi siya ‘yung finore-see ko na, ‘Ah okay, ‘pag abroad ka, life would be easier.’ Hindi. Pagdating ko dito as in I struggled so much.Nagkaroon ako ng case within the company. ‘Yung mga tao do’n sa loob ng company they’re stealing money and the owner thought all of the ‘kabayans,’ the Filipino is stealing money from them.”
“Hindi naman ako nagnanakaw, at tsaka kakarating ko lang do’n just like for one month. Wala akong pambayad ng lawyer and everything. For eight years naging homeless ako,” he added.
Goylos couldn’t go home with his family due to problems he had to face over the years. He worked on several jobs just to sustain his needs abroad.
“Nag-carwash ako, naglilinis ako ng bahay, ilang bata ‘yung napalaki ko kasi nagbabantay ako ng bata. I really suffered na wala akong matulugan. Meron ding mga taong mababait na papatuluyin ka sa bahay nila kasi dito, you are not allowed to sleep on the streets,” Goylos recalled.
It also came to the point that his family had to send money for him just to buy food. Goylos admitted that there were times he really wanted to give up.
“It took me 10 years to fix it. And then the remaining years, ‘yun na ‘yung tipo na kahit gusto ko mang umuwi but I cannot because at that time, wala akong pambayad ng abogado. I borrowed money from other people. I try to work hard. Makuha ko ‘yung justice na kinakailangan ko. That’s why I fight for it and thank God I won the case, and then napatunayan na wala akong kasalanan, naipanalo ko ‘yung kaso,” he stressed.
“Sabi ko nga sa mama ko, ‘Alam mo ma, nangarap lang naman ako eh na magpunta ng ibang bansa para lang matulungan sana kayo tapos ito pa ‘yung naranasan ko dito.’ Naging anchor ko talaga is ‘yung mama at tsaka ‘yung tatay ko, ‘yung mga kapatid ko rin. Isa talaga sila sa nagpalakas ng loob ko nang sobra-sobra,” he added.
Goylos was over the moon when his siblings agreed to pitch in so they could have one month vacation in Dubai last year.
“Sobrang pasalamat ko talaga sa Panginoon na kahit papaano ay napapunta namin sila dito at nakita ko na naman sila. Iba, ang sarap ng feeling. Alam mo ‘yung lahat ng mga sakit na naranasan ko para siyang nabura lahat kasi parang it is a new chapter na,” he said.
