Ask Rodelyn Serna about her life, and she will tell you it has never been short on challenges.
For nearly 11 years, she has carried a burden familiar to many overseas Filipino workers: the ache of missing the people she loves in exchange for giving them a better life.
Working in Malaysia as a domestic helper, she spent more than a decade helping raise someone else's child while watching her own grow up from afar. She missed school activities, milestones, and ordinary days that can never be re-lived. Yet through every hardship, she remained committed to the same promise she made when she first left home: her children would have opportunities she never had.
But the journey was never easy. Before leaving for Malaysia, Rodelyn worked as a private school teacher in Mindoro, while her husband worked in the farm, drying out palay – both earning barely enough to support their family. She remembers giving her children just enough allowance for school while stretching every peso toward daily needs and the dream of owning a home. Determined to change their circumstances, she made the painful decision to work abroad.
"Sabi ko, hindi puwedeng mamuhay ang mga anak ko sa ganitong sitwasyon," she said.”Ayoko yung pagdating ng panahon, sisihin ako ng mga bata na ‘inanak mo pa kami, tapos ganito lang yung buhay na ipararanas mo sa amin.’ Kaya yan, nagsumikap po ako na mag-abroad.”
Like many first-time OFWs, she arrived in a foreign country carrying equal parts hope and fear. "Wala pong gabi na hindi ako umiiyak. Ila-lock ko lang yung pinto at bintana para hindi nila marinig na umaatungal talaga ako sa super iyak, super homesick po talaga," she said, recalling her first days in Malaysia.
Over time, she learned to live with the loneliness. Whenever homesickness became overwhelming, she focused on the reason she left in the first place.
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"Tuwing uwi ako lagi may emergency," she recalled. "Wala pang happy moments."
At times, she wondered when life would give her a reason to simply be happy. But even on the hardest days, quitting was never an option. Faith, family, and love kept her moving forward. "As long as there is love in your heart, you can bear everything," she said.
Then, amid the routine of work and sacrifice, came an unexpected surprise.
While scrolling through social media, Rodelyn came across the Love Knows No Distance campaign, an initiative made possible through SM Cinema’s partnership with PLDT Global through Ramdam, its newest digital ad platform, and TinBo, its digital marketplace for overseas Filipinos. The campaign encouraged Filipinos abroad to send heartfelt messages to loved ones back home, celebrating connections that endure despite distance.
At first, she almost ignored it. "Sabi ko, totoo kaya ito? Imposible naman na may magbibigay ng roundtrip ticket," she shared.
Still, she filled out the entry form and submitted a message for her family, never imagining it would change anything. Weeks later, she received a notification that left her stunned: she had won two roundtrip tickets that would allow family members from the Philippines to visit her in Malaysia.
After years of disappointments and even previous experiences with scams online, she struggled to believe the news. "Totoo ba ito?" she remembered thinking.
Then the reality sank in. For the first time in a long time, Rodelyn found herself crying tears of joy. "Sa 11 years ng stress, nakaranas ako ng saya," she said.
The prize may be measured in airline tickets, but for Rodelyn, its value lies in something far greater. The reunion also reflects the deeper purpose behind platforms such as TinBo, which has become a digital bridge for overseas Filipinos to stay connected with loved ones through services, e-vouchers, and other support tools that keep families close despite the miles between them.
For Rodelyn, that bridge became a lifeline. "I'm very thankful to TinBo, sa PLDT Global, and sa SM Cinema," she said. For years, distance defined her relationship with her children. Conversations happened through calls, messages, and brief visits home. This time, she will get something she has longed for through the years: uninterrupted moments with her daughters, Stephanie and Daniela, away from emergencies, worries, and responsibilities.
"Makakasama ko kayo," she said as she looked forward to their reunion.
"Gusto ko kayo ilibot dito."
