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30 abandoned children, born mostly to Filipina mothers, under care of Dubai gov't
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Thirty children who were abandoned when they were infants are under the care of this city's government, most of whom have Filipino lineage through their mothers.
Their sanctuary is the Family Village, a residential orphanage in Al Warqa under the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) operating in coordination with the Community Development Authority (CDA).
The facility receives the children from the Dubai police, whose investigation after retrieval have shown most of their mothers are Filipinas, an informed source told GMA News.
"Sad to say, kababayan po natin ang mga ina nila (Sad to say, our countrymen are their mothers)," the source said.
The children were left in hospitals after birth, apartment units by their mothers supposedly off to work but never returned again, inside a mall, or in some dark streets, the source said.
The abandoned children are adopted by Emirati nationals, or repatriated following court proceedings.
A new home
The Family Village was formed 17 years ago with Marites Rufo, a registered nurse who currently heads the facility. She supervises 15 nurses and 10 caregivers.
Rufo was a pediatric nurse at a Dubai hospital when she got onboard the Family Village.
"In our hospital ward, there were few cases of babies whose mothers absconded (from work). No family to take care for them. No mother, no father. The numbers of these babies rose following a census, so they had to be transferred to a facility provided by the government, the Family Village Shelter. And I was assigned as the unit in-charge," Rufo said in a mix of English and Filipino.
Rufo said she was "hesitant, at first" because she was thinking of career growth. "But I thought about the children. They needed more than medical treatment they needed unconditional love, comfort, reassurance, hope, and someone who would never give up on them."
Partnership with PH gov't
The facility has been coordinating over the years with the Philippine Consulate General (PCG), which then works with the Migrant Workers Office (MWO) through the labor attaché and the social welfare attaché and the Philippine Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in cases of repatriation.
Consul General Ambrosio Brian Enciso III said, "The Philippine Consulate General in Dubai highly values its close cooperation with the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children (DFWAC) and the Family Village managed by the Community Development Authority (CDA). Through this vital partnership, both institutions provide critical temporary shelter and essential documentation assistance for abandoned children."
"This support ensures their safety and well-being while Philippine authorities actively work to secure reunification with their families in the Philippines, or coordinate directly with receiving domestic institutions and specialized care facilities equipped to accommodate them upon repatriation," said Enciso.
The DFWAC takes care of the abandoned child after he or she is transferred from the Family Village while waiting to be repatriated.
Repatriated to PH
Social Welfare Attaché Cherrylene Girado said one child has been flown home in July this year while two were repatriated in 2025.
The July repatriation involved a baby girl who was just four months old when placed under the care of Family Village. She was nearly two years old when repatriated accompanied by Girado, who turned her over to DSWD for custody and "placement." They arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on July 9, 2026.
Repatriation, Rufo said, is treated as a "highly regulated humanitarian and diplomatic process" where multiple government bodies like the Dubai Police Criminal Investigation Department (CID) work directly with the corresponding foreign embassy or migrant ministry, such as the Philippine Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), to coordinate the process.
To establish legal parentage, nationality, and safely clear identity blocks, local authorities assist with administering DNA testing and security clearances. The UAE government processes official travel outpasses, bypassing standard visa fine complications for the minors.
Vulnerable
Today, Rufo said almost half of their 30 wards are now in high school. One of them is 21 years old.
The UAE government shoulders all expenses, including board and lodging, as well as education.
"We should be thankful to the government here because it really gives support to these children," she said.
In terms of how the abandoned children are coping, Rufo said they are very "vulnerable."
"Their feelings are very vulnerable, I need to make them feel that they were not left alone, we are here," she said.
Motherhood
Rufo admitted that she is at a loss trying to figure out why these children's mothers left them.
"I hope we can be responsible mothers, responsible OFWs here in UAE before we do anything. We need to think that we're here for our family back home in the Philippines, that's why we need to follow the laws here and stay responsible," said Rufo.
Rufo said she feels for the children, especially since she is a mother herself.
"I am also a mother, I have two children. I can't judge whoever did what they did, they have reasons. But of course, in the eyes of God, in the eyes of humanity, I can't surmise how you, a mother, can abandon your child just like that. It is still unacceptable how you can do that. Up until now, I don't understand. There are a lot of who come back, feeling sorry for what they have done. But they have to face the consequences," Rufo said.
'Mama' to many
On many occasions, Rufo said she has been called "mama” by the children, which she said is "very rewarding.”
"For a parentless child to call me 'mama' – it has meaning. I am recognized. I somehow became a real mother to them. At times, I'd receive a call at 1 a.m. and they'd share their problems. They can be emotional, and ask: 'Why was I abandoned, mama?'" Rufo recalled.
Rufo's efforts for the children of the Family Village have not gone unnoticed. She was recently named the grand winner of the Dakilang Manggagawang Pilipino 2026. The event was organized by Pinas Cargo, a Filipino-run, care box logistic company.
Earlier, she was also bestowed the Best Nurse 2021 honors in the second season of the Angel Awards. Under the directive of Dubai Crown Prince and Defense Secretary, Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Rufo was recently granted the UAE Golden Visa, a 5- or 10-year self-sponsored long-term residency program. — VDV, GMA News
