Returning OFWs from UAE plan to build their lives again

Following months of uncertainties caused by job loss and cancelled flights, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from the UAE who are finally home are planning to rebuild their lives, saying it should not be too challenging.

"We're planning to build our lives again," said Sarah Gollayan, who went through the whole nine yards of doing odd jobs from housecleaning to being a nanny to survive two years of not having regular employment in Abu Dhabi.

"Dito sa Pilipinas, hindi na namin kailangan mag-isip pa para sa mga visa namin at rents," added Gollayan, who eventually snagged an admin work at a medical clinic before the COVID-19 pandemic struck.

"We may be in troubled times now, pero we know the ins and outs here. Kumbaga, balwarte natin 'to. Totoo, mangangapa pa. Mahirap sa umpisa. Pero this is our home."

Gollayan said they were still trying to explore and learn the norms, having been away for years.

"Upon observation, wala naman pong masyadong nabago. Medyo pasaway lang po ang mga tao when it comes to law implementation. Nandito pa rin sa Pilipinas ang warm and friendly approach ng mga taong nakakasalamuha namin.

"We haven't really explored pa fully ang Pinas experience, pero as of now, it's good to be back," she said.

Meantime, another OFW, Phillipe Liwaliw, a flights operations officer for a private aviation company who is currently on leave without pay, has also returned home.

Liwaliw said he will be staying in the Philippines temporarily because it will cost him his hard-earned savings to stay in the UAE with no income.

"Nagdya-job hunting din habang naka-forced leave para kahit paano may kinikita," he said.

Flights

Gollayan, who arrived at Clark International Airport on board an Emirates Airline flight EK 2572, on July 6 with husband Jose Gollayan, Jr., a restaurant staff, said they will be looking for jobs.

"Maraming offers actually. Kailangan lang mas maging masipag, matiyaga at maingat. Also, hindi mawawala ang paghingi ng guidance sa Panginoon," she said.

Gollayan, who has been in the UAE together with her husband since Dec. 7, 2014, said returning home was a "hard decision" for them to make. "But it has to be done," she said.

The couple, who stays in Commonwealth,  Quezon City, said they booked their flight as early as in the second week of May following the partial lifting of restrictions on the movement of people as part of COVID-19 measures in the UAE. It was cancelled to a later date, which prolonged their predicament as resources were running out.

Process

Gollayan also shared airport procedures where upon arrival at Clark airport at 4:30 p.m. they were awed "kasi maayos yung sistema."

By 10 .pm. they were already checked in at their designated hotels, provided for by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), whose representatives, she said, were "very organized."

"OWWA was there to assist us. Pinaupo po kami and we were elated dahil nagpa-follow sila strictly ng social distancing sa pag-upo. After waiting for almost 30 minutes, we were called para sa verification ng OWWA. We gave our passports, then after around five minutes, nag-delegate na sila ng hotel for us," Gollayan said.

"We were escorted sa swab testing booth, immigration, baggages claiming. Ang pinakamatagal po ay yung pag-aantay ng bus na maghahatid sa min sa mga hotels. Around 8 p.m. nakasakay kami ng bus and they provided food po. Unloading po ay medyo matagal, thorough po kasi ang pagdisinfect nila sa bawat tao. We checked in mga around 10pm na," Gollayan narrated.

Quarantine, she explained, was from the time of the swab testing until the results were out which took around 3 days. COVID-19 testing was shouldered by OWWA, she said.

Gollayan said there were delays at the airport because of the large number of repatriates. "We experienced na hindi sila naging rude  kahit super toxic na ng ginagawa nila while wearing full PPE sa gitna ng init," she said.

Thermal scanners

Liwaliw, who arrived on June 30, 2020 on board Emirates Airlines, meantime advised OFWs flying home not to have someone with them at the airport in Dubai because it was not allowed.

"Habang pumipila sa check-in ay may mga thermal scanners po na naka-tutok upon entering the area kung nasan po ang check-in counters at nagi-issue din sila ng health/sanitation travel kit," Liwaliw shared.

He said airport authorities are strict with hand-carries.

At the boarding gate, Liwaliw said forms were distributed to be filled-up like travel card and health declaration.

"Marami pong civilian na pulis sa airport sa Dubai and dapat maging maingat sa social distancing. Meron din nagko-conduct ng random testing doon dahil meron po akong nakita na tinawag ng isang local nung nakita niyang parang unwell yung isang passenger," Liwaliw further shared.

He said that upon arrival at Clark airport, OWWA personnel were on stand-by for the returning Filipinos. "Priority po nila ang mga buntis at may kasamang bata,” Liwaliw said.

While queuing in for hotel quarantine, more forms have to be filled-up including one providing information on which local government unit should the OFW be assigned,” he said. In the same

"After that, meron pila for swab testing –  isang nasal at isang oral. After makuhaan ng swab sample ay proceed na po sa pagkuha ng mga bagahe na nakacheck-in at proceed na po sa respective buses para maihatid sa hotel

"Every day po may nagtse-check ng temperature and yung libreng meal po is three times a day. Nagbibigay din po sila ng tubig at kape at mga cup noodles,” Liwaliw said.

Liwaliw also booked his flight but with a different airline in May. It was twice cancelled. — KBK/RSJ, GMA News