OFW in Ireland dies of COVID-19, leaves four children orphaned

A Filipino man who worked in a factory in Ireland has died due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), leaving his four children orphaned.

His death comes six years after his wife succumbed to colon cancer.

Miguel Plangca, who originally hailed from Ozamis City in Misamis Occidental, battled the disease in the intensive care unit for 41 days, before passing away last May 13. He was 55.

In an interview with GMA News Online, his eldest Mikee said he started showing symptoms on March 28, but he still managed to go to work. She said he works nights in the packing section of the factory.

His symptoms started to get steadily worse, until on April 2, he asked her to call an ambulance because he was having difficulty breathing.

"He had an underlying medical condition, which is diabetes," Mikee said. "First na nag-complicate sa kanya is 'yung kidney kaya he needed to be put on dialysis, hanggang sa 'yung lungs na 'yung na-infect. Hanggang nagtuloy-tuloy nang lumala."

She said that he was always sedated and hooked on a ventilator.

Despite the severity of his condition, Miguel put up a fight, his daughter said.

"Lumaban din talaga siya kahit papano. At the same time doctors were doing their very best na sakaling mag-respond siya sa medicines kasi alam din nila 'yung background ni Papa na single parent na lang siya and apat kaming nag hihintay sa kanya. But sad to say 'di talaga kinaya ng katawan nya," she said.

For Mikee and her three younger siblings, it was an old nightmare coming to life. She said it brought back memories from when they lost their mother in 2014.

"Double po 'yung sakit, even nung nasa hospital pa siya until na nawala siya, kasi parang nag-flashback lahat nung nangyari last 2014 na nawala yung mama namin," she said. "I never have imagined na mangyayari ulit kasi this time siya na lang 'yung nasa amin eh."

She added that she and her siblings are still in shock and disbelief that they have lost both parents.

They are currently staying with their aunt in Ireland, where they moved in 2016, following their mother's death. They actually have a half-sister, but she is currently based in Abu Dhabi.

Mikee said they want to remain in Ireland, but their fate remains uncertain for they were all dependents of their father, and they are not yet citizens. She said they'll get in touch with the government regarding the issue.

21-year-old Mikee meanwhile is employed to be her younger brother's carer since 2019.

In the meantime, a GoFundMe page had been set up for them and generous residents have pitched in to help.

They managed to raise €280,974 for the Plangca kids, exceeding the target of €5,000.

Miguel is said to be the second Filipino in Ireland to die of COVID-19.

—JCB, GMA News