Remains of OFW arrives in MisOr hometown from Qatar

The exact date of her death has yet to be determined, but the Philippine authorities in Qatar said her remains had been frozen since mid-September.
(Photo by Renzoy16 – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The remains of a female overseas Filipino worker (OFW), who died in Qatar last month, is now in the hands of her family in Misamis Oriental, the provincial government said Tuesday.

The body of Mariah Edna Daaca, 48, a native of Jasaan, Misamis Oriental, arrived at the Laguindingan airport from Manila on Monday, said Nicole Managbanag, the provincial information officer.

Managbanag said Daaca died in Qatar due to an acute asthma and had to be frozen to preserve her body by the hospital where she was confined.

The exact date of her death has yet to be determined, but the Philippine authorities in Qatar said her remains had been frozen since mid-September.

The Provincial Employment Services Office (Peso) said Daaca’s body was turned over to her mother Maura Cutanda.

“We are very grateful to Gov. [Yevgeny Vincente] Emano for helping us bring back my daughter Edna to Jasaan from Qatar,” Cutanda said in an interview.

Cutanda said that last time she spoke to Daaca was on Sept. 11, 2017.

For his part, Emano said it was the provincial government’s responsibility to bring back a dead Misamisnon working in other countries so they could be properly buried in their birthplace.

“No matter where you are in the world, if you are from Misamis Oriental, we will help you get back home,” the governor said.

Managbanag said it was the PESO that sought the assistance of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to retrieve Daaca’s remains.

In most cases, it would take three to four months for the body of a dead OFW to be returned to the country, but Managbanag said it was hastened due to the PESO’s intervention.

According to the provincial government, Daaca worked in Qatar since 2012 as a beauty consultant.

A mother of two girls, Daaca had a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree at the Tagoloan Community College in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental.