The mother of the two-year old boy who was believed murdered while in the custody of his relatives yesterday said that for lack of other option, she had to bite the bullet by working abroad to be able to provide for her two remaining children.
“It is painful to leave them anew but I cannot find work here that would pay enough so I could provide for my children,” said Erlinda Cagalitan as she fought tears at the Kapihan sa Davao.
Murder charges were filed against Ronilo and Sara Jane Alca-in for the death of John Earl Cagalitan while in their custody.
The city prosecution office has found probable cause to charge them for the murder of John Earl who was last seen by witnesses being manhandled by the couple.
Cagalitan had two other children by her husband who died earlier.
She said she found it ironic that she was able to protect her employer’s children abroad but could not protect her youngest son. She works as a cashier in a restaurant in Bahrain with a monthly pay of P15,000.
She said that aside from having to provide for the needs of her two remaining children, she had pay for the rental of the house where they staying with her parents. One is in college with the other one in high school.
Inorisa Sialana-Elento of Mindanao Migrants, a nongovernment organization, said her group has counted more than 700 children of OFW in 12 barangays.
“The welfare of these children is one of the concerns we are posing as a challenge to the Duterte administration so that it could come up with a mechanism to see to those left behind by the OFW,” she said.
She her organization has been also working with the Barangay Council for the protection of children to address the concerns of the families of OFW and their children.
She said the organization has been working on profiling the families of the barangays they were able to reach.
At the same time, she said the OFWs should not be blamed to insisting on seeking work abroad “because they have a special reason to go out.”
“In the meantime, effort should be in place to ensure that their children are monitored and taken cared off in their absence,” she said.
