We were 95 women.
They told us that we were the first Filipino community
who came to Romania to work as seamstresses.
The company we worked for was MONDOSTAR, a garment factory.
We had a contract for a minimum period of 2 years.
On April 2008 we arrived in Sibiu, Romania.
Just 5 months later in October we flew back to Manila.
This is our story.
Halfway around the world
Taytay Manila, Philippines
I worked in Malaysia for 2 years,
I worked in Hong Kong for 6 and a half years,
I worked in Romania for 5 months.
I am an OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker).
I worked in Malaysia and Hong Kong as a domestic helper.
When I heard of the agency EASTWIND INTERNATIONAL,
that was hiring workers for Sibiu, Romania,
I wasnt focused primarily on the salary, or on the amount of the placement fee.
I only thought: Ill go to Europe!
I was working as a seamstress for the first time in a foreign country.
I could not work as a domestic helper any more,
because in Hong Kong, they only accept women younger than 38 years old.
Im now 50 years old.
9 million people from the Philippines work abroad.
That is 10 percent of the population.
They are called: Overseas Filipino Workers or OFWs.