Former Hongkong domestic in distress

By Ramon Dacawi

The plea for help this week comes from Labueg, Kapangan, Benguet where Fryla Basilio – de la Pena, a 36-year old  former domestic on Hong Kong, grew up.

Last August, two years after she came home for good, two years after she got married, Fryla  was rushed to the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center where she was diagnosed for end-stage kidney failure.

Since then, she has been on twice-a-week hemodialysis treatment, scheduled on Tuesdays and Fridays on the 3 p.m.-7 p.m. schedule at the dialysis center of the BGHMC.

All her savings from her overseas work had gone to her treatment and regular medication, including occasional blood transfusion and injections to stabilize her hemoglobin count. She had used up her guarantee letter of support from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, together with her 45-session annual coverage from Philhealth.

“I have no other recourse but to make an appeal to the public and hope a Samaritan or two would call up and offer their help,” she said.

While in Hong Kong, she was introduced through text messaging to Joseph de la Pena. The couple married on Dec. 29, 2011 in a civil ceremony in Lomon, Paykek, Kapangan.

Fryla stayed in Labueg where she helped her parents in manning their variety store. Joseph had to be in Pangasinan where she works in a Catholic missionary house in Sison town.

Then the faith-shattering diagnosis came, dashing her hopes of eventually becoming a teacher, having finished her bachelor of science in elementary education from the Perpetual Help College in Binan, Laguna. 

In a social case study report she prepared, social welfare officer Marlon Basco noted: “The client is no longer employed due to her poor health condition. She is dependent on the support of her immediate family. The family is dependent on (its) meager income in farming, storekeeping (which is) just enough for their daily needs.”

Fryla is the third of seven children, all of whom have their own families. If you can call it a consolation, she and Joseph have no kids yet.

For Samaritans, Fryla is just a call away – 09212861510.