Filipino Worker Killed in Hong Kong Fire Was Returning Home for Christmas

Maryan Pascual Esteban, an overseas Filipino worker, tragically lost her life in the devastating fire at a high-rise residential building in Hong Kong. She was scheduled to return to the Philippines on December 16 to spend the Christmas season with her family and her 10-year-old son.

Esteban, 40, had been working in Hong Kong for four years after a decade in Lebanon. Her family in Jones, Isabela, expressed deep sorrow and hope that her remains would be repatriated swiftly.

"Our Christmas would have been so happy, but this happened," said Manayon Esteban Medina, Esteban’s mother, speaking in Ilocano. The family also mourned the birthday of Esteban’s father, Jaime, who said they could not bring themselves to celebrate amid their grief. "I hope they can hasten the return of her remains. I hope they can do it in three weeks," he added.

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) have assured the family of financial support and the immediate repatriation of Esteban's remains. DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac and OWWA Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan personally visited Esteban’s young son in Cainta, Rizal.

The Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong has extended relief assistance to Filipinos affected by the fire, including financial aid and help in recovering lost documents.

Esteban was planning to regain custody of her son upon her return. OWWA committed to providing educational assistance to support the boy through college. In a poignant moment, when asked about his future ambitions, the child expressed a desire to become a firefighter to prevent others from suffering the same fate as his mother.

The tragic incident, which has claimed at least 151 lives, continues to impact Filipino migrant workers and their families deeply.