A Boholano overseas oil driller was crushed to death by a fallen 40-ton gas surge safety equipment just three days after his return to Saudi Arabia---where he had worked for 17 years---from home vacation. The tragic accident ended the life of overseas Filipino worker (OFW) from Corella Jose Delgado Castro whose terrifying fate shocked his wife Rosalie and their three children of tender ages. His reunion with his family before he flew back to his foreign job site would later turn out to be their final and last. Gov. Edgar Chatto was himself deeply saddened by the news of the Boholano worker’s violent death in the alien land that floats on oil. The governor would love to see someday his fellow Boholanos preferring to stay home and that is precisely why his administration has pushed hard its economic development and inclusive growth agenda, which spells employment and livelihood. From his vacation to his family in Canangcaan, Corella, Castro returned to Saudi Arabia last July 6---and reported back to work in Al Khobar on July 8 only to find his end.

His remains were flown from Saudi Arabia to Tagbilaran City via Manila just on Friday, August 9. The governor had his OFW Desk in-charge Reinerio Real escorting Castro’s family in meeting the OFW’s corpse at the city airport. Already the assistant project manager, Castro was killed on the spot by a fallen 40,000-kilo blowout preventer (BOP), a steel equipment used on a drilling rig to prevent an oil blowout or stop unexpected surges of gas from the well bore. Right on the day following the tragedy, Castro’s wife received an overseas call from another OFW named Gilbert Ocampo informing Rosalie of her husband’s death. The tragedy was confirmed by Castro’s brother, Cesar, who is also working in Saudi Arabia but for another company on a different job site. The ill-fated OFW had worked for oil driller Nabors Arabia Company Ltd. in Al Khobar for 17 years until the tragedy that at the same shattered all his dreams for his dear wife and kids of yet ages seven, four and two.

HE DIED A “HERO”

Castro died a “hero,” according to fellow Boholano OFW Manuel Añana of Carmen who escorted his fellow worker’s dead body all the way from Saudi Arabia to Bohol. Añana works in the office of the same company of Castro. Castro saved two co-workers, a fellow Filipino and an Arabian, by pushing them away from the falling BOP before he could himself dash for safety as he tripped and was alone hit by the immensely heavy object that instantly pinned him to death, Añana narrated to the governor’s OFW deskman. The lifeless OFW was not immediately transported back home owing to the Muslim’s month-long holy Ramadan observance that hindered the processing in Saudi offices of his repatriation papers. In response to the request of the OFW’s family, Chatto intervened with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) until Castro’s remains finally returned home on Friday, which coincidentally fell on the feast marking the end of Ramadan. The governor directed his OFW affairs in-charge to assist Castro’s family and coordinate with OWWA-7 in processing the benefits and other claims due the dead OFW’s survivors. Dead Castro’s case has once again proved that an overseas job’s promise of financial comfort could at times be---with no one to blame but harshest fate---completely destructible to the very life of an OFW, of a Boholano. (Ven rebo Arigo)