Sick alien worker needs help to return home

A worker diagnosed with a serious medical condition is seeking the community’s help for her return to the Philippines along with her two young sons.

Geraldine P. Amor, 35, had been ill for weeks until she was admitted to the Commonwealth Health Center’s intensive care unit Monday afternoon. She said she was diagnosed with lupus.

Lupus is an auto-immune disease that can affect various parts of the body, including the skin, joints, heart, lungs, blood, kidneys and brain.

“I want to go home,” Amor told Saipan Tribune in an interview at her hospital bed. “I hope they’ll be able to help us with our air fare.”

Her aunt, Remy Amor, said in a separate interview that her niece’s mother and relatives want her to go home.

Geraldine Amor said she is now penniless after her work permit was not renewed when it expired on Dec. 10, 2008, because of her medical condition.

She is not only worried about her medical bills but also has to take care of her two boys—a 3-year-old and a 1-year-old.

Amor has been working on Saipan for five years mostly as an administrative staff member at a now defunct restaurant before taking a job at Motion Auto Shop.

Under CNMI labor law, the last employer of record should be the one to shoulder the repatriation ticket of an employee and pay for medical bills.

Just the same, Geraldine and Remy Amor are seeking help from members of the community and the Philippine government. Any money raised will be used to defray the costs that won’t be shouldered by the last employer of record, as well as for the airfare of the two minors.

Filipino groups have started to raise funds for the family’s ticket back home.

The Philippine Consulate General, through assistance to nationals officer Violaflor Ancheta, said they have yet to receive a specific request for help from Geraldine Amor or her relatives.

“But we told the family that if they need something, tell us about it and we will help if we can. But right now, there’s no specific request,” said Ancheta.

Remy Amor hopes her niece will soon regain her strength to be able to endure the long travel back home.

Saipan is only about three hours away from Manila through direct flights that are no longer available. Geraldine Amor and her two minor sons will have to take connecting flights that will take them from Saipan to Japan and then to Manila for a total travel and wait time of up to 12 or more hours.

Those who would like to help Geraldine Amor and her sons are asked to call or send a text message to Remy Amor at (670) 484 5811.