When Two Nations Collide Over a Life‑Ending Struggle
Tara Dhar Hasnain, a 71‑year‑old Singaporean, found herself in the most emotionally taxing role ever: a patient’s silent confidante across continents. While her friend Gelerina Hernandez was stranded in Singapore, her husband from the Philippines was fighting for his breath in a distant hospital.
October 6 Last Year: A Video‑Call at the Edge of Life
In Ulu Pandan, Gelerina sat beside a phone screen for about four hours, watching her 53‑year‑old husband, battling throat cancer, take his final, silent breath. “Seeing him close his eyes after that last exhale was hard enough,” Gelerina told the Straits Times. She had to say goodbye from a screen, not a bedside clutch.
Long‑Distance Family Drama
- Gelerina cannot visit his hospital due to Covid‑19 travel restrictions.
- She told him, “Don’t worry about the kids; I’ve got them.”
- The husband died right before his 54th birthday.
- Since his passing, Gelerina hasn’t gone back to the Philippines.
Tara’s heart sank too. “You can’t just watch a loved one drop away—especially when you’re so far from home,” she confessed.
The Bureaucratic Hurdle: Quarantine Bells and Financial Bells Ringing
After the death, Tara and the Gelerina family sprang into action to help the maid, who was responsible for an even deeper emotional overhaul. They wanted her to go home for the funeral, but Manila had a 14‑day quarantine rule. That would mean her funeral was a no‑show. Tara was forced to learn from Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower that any quarantine or treatment cost would fall on the employer.
Gilifer drove her hard into defying that mindset, saying, “I wouldn’t go and end up stuck in Manila.” With a heavy conscience and a stressed budgeting mind, Tara had to explain the situation—and the worst part—the maid wouldn’t be able to play “Fortnite” when she returned because of hospitalization costs for any potential virus that might latch on during her trip back.
Saving Future Goals, One Paycheck at a Time
Honestly, the biggest worry was the impact on Gelerina’s kids’ futures. “If I returned home, I might need to stay away forever because of COVID regulations, and that’s the future of my children’s education,” she said. So, there was a catchy knock‑on effect: Without her financial stability in Singapore, the kids’ schooling would hang in balance.
Final Takeaway: In a World of COVID, Loneliness, and Duty
So, in a nutshell, this was a tri‑coloured drama of grief, global travel rules, and the raw itch for workforce stability. Tara stepped in as a de facto counselor, Gelerina as the battlefield heroine, and the maid emerged as a grass‑roots person who accidentally found herself needing a buddy—economically and emotionally—in a pandemic‑tainted world.
<img alt="" data-caption="Ms Gelerina Hernandez's late husband (top row, centre) with their three children.
PHOTO: Gelerina Hernandez” data-entity-type=”file” data-entity-uuid=”bda78a74-3722-4c60-9060-43646576812e” src=”/sites/default/files/inline-images/gelerina.jpg”/>
Rising to the Occasion: A Widow’s Journey from Bacnotan to Bright Futures
Bacnotan, La Union—about 280 km from Metro Manila—housed a resilient mother who now stands as the sole pillar for her three children. With a 27‑year‑old daughter in the healthcare field and two high‑school lads aged 15 and 16, the family’s home feels like a bustling newsroom of hope and determination.
Life on the Other Side of the Family
- Maria Hernandez’s daughter—the 27‑year‑old—has carved out a career in nursing, bringing home the joy of saving lives.
- Her teenage sons—15 and 16—are navigating the ups and downs of high school while yearning for a supportive presence at home.
“They can see why I chase opportunities far from home, but their hearts keep tugging toward the family’s legacy,” Maria shares. “Now that their father’s gone, they long for someone who’s hand‑in‑hand with them, everyday.”
Friends in the Frontlines: A Touch of Singapore
When the gentle hands of Ms Tara stepped in, they became more than financial allies—they became emotional anchors. She pitched in with funeral expenses for Maria’s late husband and pulled in a close friend from Singapore to sit beside Maria during her grieving moments.
“We need employers to feel a pinch of humanity,” Maria’s friend chimes. “Imagine being in the back‑room while everyone around you is a distant dream. Show some warmth—especially after two years of COVID, where families aren’t just numbers on a graph.”
Choicings from the Past to Build a Future
Retired University lecturer, Dr. Elena Torres, weighed in: “A simple kindness can fill the void left by loss. Domestic workers carry more than chores; they carry stories of love, sacrifice, and waiting.”
Her words echo a sentiment many share: that gratitude and empathy should be the bedrock of any employer‑employee relationship, especially when a family’s backbone is being pulled in different directions.
