Aling Nena was struggling to catch her breath as she pulled her small hand-carry suitcase through Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

She had flown in from Riyadh.

Ten long years.
Ten years of working as a domestic helper overseas.
Ten years without coming home even once.

“Plane tickets are a waste,” she used to tell herself whenever homesickness crept in. “Better to send the money for Jay-jay’s tuition.”

Jay-jay.

Her only child.

He was still in high school when she left the Philippines. Now he was twenty-five years old. Aling Nena had watched him grow up through a cracked phone screen—graduation ceremonies viewed on video calls, birthdays celebrated through shaky internet connections, milestones marked by blurry screenshots and late-night prayers.

Jay-jay had always dreamed of becoming a pilot.

Aviation school was impossibly expensive. Aling Nena’s regular salary barely covered the fees. So she worked longer hours. She washed clothes for other families on her days off. She skipped proper meals, surviving on instant noodles and bread, telling herself hunger was temporary but her son’s future would last forever.

Now, she was finally coming home—for good.

Her hands were rough. Her back constantly ached. Deep lines traced her face, proof of years spent cleaning other people’s homes while missing her own child’s life.

She boarded the aircraft quietly, taking her seat in economy class.

Seat 42A. Window side.

The cabin was crowded. Passengers chatted, overhead bins slammed shut, flight attendants moved briskly down the aisle. Aling Nena rested her head against the seat and closed her eyes.

“Thank you, Lord,” she whispered softly.
“I’m tired… but I made it.”

Just then, the plane’s PA system chimed.

“Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. This is your Captain speaking. Welcome aboard Flight PR 102 bound for Manila.”

Aling Nena’s eyes snapped open.

Her heart began to pound.

The voice.

It was steady. Calm. Familiar.

Too familiar.

Her fingers tightened around the strap of her worn handbag as a strange feeling rose in her chest—something between disbelief and fear. She felt tears gathering, though she didn’t yet understand why.

She pressed her trembling hand against her mouth.

And then the captain continued speaking.

And in that moment…
Aling Nena finally understood what all those years of sacrifice had built.