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Sunday, December 28, 2003
Dabawenya, who survived Riyadh blast, reunites with kin
By Aurea A. Gerundio
THE Filipino overseas worker from Riyadh, who survived the November 9 car bomb explosion that killed about 400 hundred people, is finally reunited with her family in Kimamon, Sto. Tomas.
Lolita Montealto, 33, was teary-eyed when her family met her at the Davao International Airport (DIA) Saturday.
She was accompanied by Corazon Belardo, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Owwa) desk officer for Riyadh.
Montealto said she is happy to be back in the country, and thanked President Arroyo for helping her reach the Philippines before Christmas. She spent Christmas eve at the Owwa office in Manila.
Despite the bomb blast, Montealto said she is still willing to go back to Riyadh as soon as her fracture in the right arm will be healed.
"Nagpasalig man akong mga amo nga kuhaon gihapon ko nila kung maayo nako. Lebanese ang akong amo. Gihatagan pa gani ko ug 500 rials pag-uli nako. Buotan man sila nako (My Lebanese employers said they will take me back as soon as I get well. They even gave me 500 rials when I went home)," Montealto said.
Montealto said she was confined for 21 days at the King Faisal Specialist
Hospital.
"Nagpasalamat gyud ko nga buhi pa ko (I am thankful I am alive)," Montealto said.
Meanwhile, Owwa 11 Supervisor Zenobia Caro said Montealto was given P25,000 financial assistance.
Caro said Owwa will also provide further medical assistance for Montealto, including physical therapy for her injured arm.
"We will also facilitate the processing of her insurance," Caro said.
(December 28, 2003 issue)
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