She was earning P119/day working as a sewer of baby dresses at Novelty Philippines.
She resigned after ten years because she moved to Riyadh. She did not apply but one day she received a visa and a telegram from Rhawabi Tailoring Nhd asking her to leave in ten days. A former workmate of hers recommended her to the Saudi employer. There were seven other Filipinos and two Egyptians working for Rhawabi at that time. She worked in Rhawabi from 1988-1991.
When she arrived in Riyadh, her husband Ric left his job in Dammam after 11 years. He was receiving a salary of $1,600 a month plus overtime. He was employed as welder under CDCP and not directly under Aramco. When the gulf war started, their salaries were reduced and many were retrenched. Ric was lucky enough to have found a job in Bulgaria, under Polar Maritime Shipping company as welder in a shipyard. The project ended after 2 1/2 years.
With several real properties and savings, Antonia and Ric started their life together. The have a two hectare farm, a carinderia in front of Sienna College and other micro businesses.
One day, a drunken 21 year old boy driving a motorcycle flew from the other side of the road and hit Ric on the head who was walking on the sidewalk. He was in the hospital for one a half months. He was lucky to have sustained no physical injury but he lost three senses, sense of smell, taste and hearing. All their savings went to his medical expenses which totaled P250,000. Their only child had to stop going to school. She couldn’t work because she was caring for Ric.
The nieces of nephews of Antonia whom she helped send to school when she was earning well, helped pay for some of their expenses.
After five long years, Ric finally received a partial settlement for damages in the amount of P150,000. The first that he did after receiving the money was to inform his wife and to tell her to stop working and just be with him and their daughter.
Antonia accompanied her husband to Quiapo to buy two hearing aids costing P45,000 each. I didn’t know that hearing aid is that expensive. Some models cost P900,000 to over a million. Ang mahal pala nyan.
Antonia spent a night at their home in Soldier Hills in Muntinlupa on monday. That’s one of the many properties her husband was able to invest on while working abroad.
She came back on tuesday afternoon feeling so giggly. Konting hangin lang sobra syang kilig na kilig. She was blooming. Kasi daw she and her husband made labing-labing.
Happy Antonia
