Broken Promises: The Case of the Family’s Pursuit of a Good Life Abroad as OFWs

Pursuing overseas employment as Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) but facing unforeseen challenges and setbacks reflects a broader migration experiences among Filipino labor migrants. This study examines the failed migration experiences of a Filipino family from Bonfal West, Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines situating their narratives within broader patterns of OFW labor migration. Anchored on Push–Pull Migration Theory, social history, and family history perspectives, the study situates migration not merely as an individual economic choice but as a collective family strategy shaped by structural constraints and social expectations. Using an oral history approach and a personal narrative design, data were gathered through face-to-face, semi-structured interviews to explore migration motivations, challenges abroad, and post-migration family dynamics. Findings reveal that economic instability and limited local employment opportunities served as primary push factors driving overseas migration. However, deceptive recruitment practices, unsafe and exploitative working conditions, and unmet contractual promises undermined migrants’ aspirations abroad. These hardships produced significant emotional, psychological, and economic consequences that extended beyond individual workers and reshaped family relationships and well-being. Despite these adversities, the family demonstrated resilience through shared coping mechanisms rooted in faith, mutual support, and collective endurance. The study underscores the need for strengthened labor protections, transparent recruitment processes, and communitybased support mechanisms.