MADRID, Spain – Francisca Bolivar Quisto is considered to be the oldest overseas Filipino worker (OFW) in Spain.

At 92, Quisto called Spain her home after serving her Spanish employer for more than six decades.

Her employer did not treat her differently and even recognized her dedication and loyalty to the family.

In fact, she was given monetary inheritance that would provide for her for as long as she lives.
 
Poverty drove her to work for a very rich employer in Iloilo at a very young age of 5. However, she did not receive any salary then.

In 1936, her fate changed when she began working for the Iturraldes, an affluent Spanish family in Iloilo.

During the war against Japan, she and her employers took refuge in the mountains until her male boss was killed by the Japanese. The family then moved back to Spain, bringing her along with them.
 
“Noon tyempong gera, sama-sama ako sa kanila hanggang sa nag-evacuate kami sa mga bundok. Kasama ako después nagpunta kami dito sa España. Nag-trabaho ako sa kanila kaya hindi ko sila iniwanan noong tiempo ng gera sinamahan ko lang sila. Mabuti ang trato nila sa akin,” said Quisto.

It was the year 1952 when they arrived in Spain after almost a month on board the vessel Queen Mary.

She left the family when her female employer, Doña Carmen, passed away in 1999. However, her employer’s relatives treated her like their own family member.

“Siya ay mabait. Tumagal sa employer dahil mabait siya at mapagmahal. Sinsero sa trabaho, tapos nakilala ko siya mabait din siya sa akin,” said Quisto’s friend, Florencia de la Cruz.

Her house help, Sergia Paulete, described her as kind and loving and a role model to OFWs.

“Isa siyang ehemplo sa mga Pilipino na nagta-trabaho dito kahit matanda na siya nag-trabaho lang sa isang amo. Mabait siya. Mapagmahal sa mga alaga. Kinikilala siya at itinuturing na pamilya. Lagi siyang naaalala kapag may sakit siya kaya hindi na iba ang turing sa kanya,” said Paulete.

Quisto declined to say how much money she inherited from her employer. She said the important thing stipulated in her employer’s last will and testament was to see to it that she is cared for.

She added that she is reminded of her happy days working for her employer of 63 years every time she looks at her collection of ashtrays from their trips abroad.

And as for her two cents worth, Quisto has this to say to OFWs: “Maging mabuti sa amo. Hindi lang sila maging after sa malaking sahod kasi para maganda ang kabuhayan nila, magpakabait sa amo, alagaan nila ang mga bata ng mabuti”.