7/10: Liwanag sa Dilim (Malayo na pero Malayo pa Photo Competition)

By: Jewel Ruby Gamueda

Bawat OFW may baong kwento ng pangarap, takot, at pag-asa. This unfiltered, raw sunset photo taken in Brighton one evening carries a reminder that no matter how far we’ve come, there is always a new day waiting.

Growing up in a typical Filipino humble home, where shoes and clothes were most of the time hand-me-downs, where treating yourself meant saving for months, and where parents would go abroad to give their children a better future, I learned early what the word sacrifice meant. 

From failing the PNLE several times, to almost giving up on IELTS again and again. But with every loss, a small voice kept whispering, “kaya mo ‘yan, one last shot, andito ka na eh.” And here I am now, an OFW who has spent almost a year living in a country I used to only see in encyclopedias.

Little by little, we heal our inner child. I was finally able to buy my first-ever camera at 35! I am only now starting to enjoy the life I once dreamt of.

“Malayo na….” Dahil kaya ng bumili ng sapatos at damit na hindi pinagliitan ng iba. Dahil nakakakain ng mga pagkain na gusto at hindi bubutas ng bulsa. Dahil mula sa maliit na pangarap ng isang batang mahilig sa art at architecture, nakikita na sa personal ang mga istrukturang dati ay nasa libro lang. Dahil nakakapagbigay ng hindi umaaray ang bulsa.Dahil nakakapagtabi na, habang hini-heal ang inner child. 

Pero “malayo pa…”  because the OFW life is not only about opportunities. It’s a mix of loneliness, isolation, and a different kind of exhaustion. It’s the nights spent questioning if coming here was the right decision, and mornings that arrive with new challenges, we still bravely embrace the truth that there is still “far to go.” But in the quiet stillness of this moment, between joy and longing, yet full of gratitude. 

Sa tahimik na sandaling ito, habang nakatayo sa pagitan ng papalubog na araw at paparating na dilim, “Liwanag sa Dilim” becomes more than just a phrase, it becomes a reminder of what it means to keep moving forward despite the weight of the journey. As an OFW far from home, every challenge can feel like a kind of darkness, yet within that darkness, even the smallest light becomes powerful. This light is hope, courage, and the quiet strength that grows from every sacrifice we make for our dreams and the people we love.

And this small light might also be YOU. We all carry our own “liwanag”, but it may dim on the difficult roads we face. Be that small beacon of light of hope for our kababayans, so they too can continue their journey ahead. 

Ready for the next step. Ready for the next sunrise. 

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