Many Filipinos work overseas, and for those who have families, they have to endure the pain of being away from their children.
This probably explains why a video of an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) dancing with his daughter at the Ninoy Aquino Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 went viral over the weekend, leaving netizens touched, if not a little teary-eyed.
The woman in the video is named Lindsay Limon, who celebrated her birthday on Aug. 18 but posted the video only on Aug. 27. The video only went viral recently after it was reposted by Facebook page Pilipino Star Ngayon last week.
Lindsay’s father Noel Limon was supposed to fly to Manila from Kuwait to attend her 18th birthday but unfortunately, the multiple flight delays caused by the Xiamen plane that got stuck at NAIA’s runway made it impossible for him to attend the event.
A woman’s 18th birthday is very important in Philippine tradition. Called “debuts” they are the Philippines’ counterpart to Latin America’s quinceañera. Debuts are typically big parties where celebrants wear ball gowns; one of the most important traditions is the father-daughter dance.
Lindsay, along with her sister Angelica Limon and aunt Sheena Mendoza, picked Noel up from NAIA instead.
Lindsay told Coconuts Manila through a phone interview: “We went straight to NAIA because I didn’t have an after party. When we danced, there were very few people who saw us, and we didn’t bother a lot of people. Those who did see us were just smiling.”
Noel has been an OFW for at least 20 years, first as a seaman and now as a gym instructor in Kuwait. He was in the country for only a week and Lindsay is not sure when he will be back.
But Linsday is glad that the video has gone viral. The video has become so popular that Lindsay even sat down for a TV interview yesterday.
“I was surprised. I didn’t expect that it would go viral and that a lot of people and OFWs would like it,” she told Coconuts Manila.
Netizens were touched by the post. Wrote Bekya Malabanan: “I feel like crying tears of joy. Happy Birthday Lindsay Godbless.”
Dominic Aracan wrote: “Respect to you, young [l]ady!”
Wrote YenKai Zara in Filipino and English: “I’m sure your father was devastated when his flight got delayed. He would probably hit anything just to be with you. [When you did that,] he probably forgot his exhaustion, as well as you and your mom. Kudos to you, girl.”
Happy birthday, Lindsay!
Have you witnessed any scenes at NAIA similar to this? Share with us by tweeting to @CoconutsManila.
