MANGALDAN – Christmas came too late for the family of an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW0 from this town when her wish came true only in the second week of the year, through the courtesy of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).

Although she did not succeed in her quest for a better life for her family, former domestic helper Crestita Bercasio of barangay Lanas here fulfilled her dream with her selection as regional awardee of a special program of the OWWA.

Bercasio, who had worked in Hong Kong, Dubai and Jordan and yet failed to attain a better life for her family, was among 16 awardees nationwide of the “OWWA Aish Ko Lang Project” designed to help OFWs who did not succeed.

OWWA Regional Director Luisa Reyes admitted that while many OFWs have really succeeded in their work abroad, several others failed, and thus need to be helped, like Bercasio, mother of five.

Under the “OWWA Aish Ko Lang Project”, Bercasio and her family got the biggest surprise of their life when OWWA officials led by Overseas Operations Director Jocelyn Hapal went to their house today bringing with them goodies, cash and a promise for livelihood assistance.

Together with husband Benito, Crestita received P5,000 worth of grocery items, P10,000 cash, an Automated Teller Machine card with P10,000 deposit, a Globe auto-load prepaid SIM, P50,000 insurance certificate from Sunlife and $100 educational assistance to the couple’s youngest daughter May Pearl, courtesy of an OFW couple based in Tripoli, Libya.

Mayor Herminio Romero of Mangaldan also announced that he is giving the Bercasio family a stall in the public market where they can sell fish and enjoy free rental for one year.

After being domestic helper for many years in Hong Kong and the Middle East, Mrs. Bercasio and family had remained poor.

Crestita’s little earning from her many years of working abroad was used in buying a piece of land in Sultan Kudarat where the family was originally living but failed to cultivate it because of the fierce fighting there between government forces and the rebels.

Thus, the family moved to Luzon to settle in the hometown of Crestita’s mother in Mangaldan. But when they moved to Luzon, they could not take with them the couple’s sons Iric. 22, and Loregie, 19, as they have no fare for them.

The couple’s other wish was to have their two children reunited with them. Moved by the appeal of the family, OWWA sought the two boys in Suldan Kudarat to have them reunited with the rest of their family in Mangaldan.

Tony Liwag of the OWWA regional office said the family made a heart-moving scene when they saw each after being separated for many years. (PNA)