The need to prove something to herself and to her relatives is primarily the reason why Ma. Cecelia Jardinico or Celia of Negros Occidental as friends call her decided to leave the Philippines to work abroad. The yearning for a greener pasture and a brighter future is only secondary.

A newspaper advertisement lands Celia a job as an X-ray technologist at a private clinic in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. However, even if she is qualified for the position, it had not been so easy and smooth for her. Celia has no money to pay for the processing fees and even for the medical exam. But the lack of finances to support her application did not prevent her from pushing through with her plans.

Luckily, there are many people who believed in her and are so willing to help. Her landlady lets her borrow the money she needed to be able to take a medical exam. When the placement agency told her that her application cannot be processed along with other hired candidates, a doctor and a dentist overheard the conversation. They are Dr. Joel and Dr. Heidi Gonzales. They are part of the group Celia will be working with at the clinic in Riyadh.

Without hesitation, Dr. Heidi Gonzales let her borrow money to pay the agency. She did this even if she doesn’t know Celia personally. To get to the airport, her roommates in the boarding house contributed money for her taxi fare.

Celia paid Dr. Gonzales the next day when they met during their departure in the airport. The money came from her sister who lends her money now that she’s sure that Celia is indeed going to work overseas. It was March 1997 when she arrived in Riyadh. When she received her first salary, Celia immediately paid her sister and landlord.

It can be said that fate has been good to Celia in Riyadh and the decision to work abroad seems right enough. In fact, this is also where she met her husband, a childhood friend and a former schoolmate back in her province Brgy. Payao, Binalbagan,Negros Occidental. They are blessed with three children.

When Celia finished her 2-year work contact in the clinic, her husband helped him apply in one of the government hospitals. Celia is currently working in one of the big government hospitals here in Riyadh. Her salary is thrice the amount than the one she used to receive and she also gets nice benefits.

Celia’s message to all OFWs around the world? To have guts, to be more patient, to be honest in their work and erase the crab mentality. Let us unite and give moral support to our fellow kababayans especially when it is their first time in the jobsite and please don’t criticize them.