A 10-year-old Filipino boy has shared his dream of becoming a firefighter after losing his mother in a deadly apartment fire in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district.
According to GMA News, his mother, Maryan Pascual Esteban, 40, was one of the 10 foreign domestic workers who died in the five-alarm fire that broke out at a public housing estate in Hong Kong.
The fire also left three others seriously injured.
Had planned to go home for Christmas
Maryan had been working in Hong Kong for four years and had previously worked in Lebanon for 10 years.
She was the main breadwinner of the family and was set to return to the Philippines on December 16 to celebrate Christmas and her father’s birthday with her parents and son.
She told us to take care and talked excitedly about coming home soon,” said her family. That phone call on November 24, just two days before the fire, turned out to be their last.
Her father, Jaime, shared, “We can’t sleep. We still cannot believe she’s gone.”
Government will help repatriate her remains
The Philippines’ Department of Migrant Workers described Maryan as a “heroine” who died while caring for her employer’s 5-year-old daughter.
They have promised to provide financial aid and arrange for her body to be brought back to the Philippines.
Maryan’s family is urging the authorities to repatriate her remains quickly so they can hold proper funeral rites.
Son hopes to prevent future tragedies
Her 10-year-old son, who lives in Cainta, Rizal province, told the Philippine media outlet that he wants to become a firefighter when he grows up. “I want to make sure no one dies in fires anymore,” he said.
The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) said he will receive full educational support up to college.
The agency also encouraged him to study hard and fulfill his late mother’s wish for his future.
Families to receive compensation
According to Hong Kong media outlet ST Headline, Hong Kong’s Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Chris Sun, confirmed that 10 foreign domestic workers were killed in the blaze, and three others injured.
Each victim’s family will receive around HK$800,000 (approximately RM424,300), while the injured will get HK$50,000 to HK$100,000 (RM26,500 to RM53,000), depending on the severity of their injuries.
The Philippine Consulate in Hong Kong also confirmed that of the Filipino citizens involved, 92 are safe, one is injured and hospitalized, and one — Maryan — has been confirmed dead.
