A quiet moment at a Starbucks café in the UAE has left a deep impression on Filipino professor and philosopher Dr. Rex Bacarra — and now, the touching encounter he shared online is beginning to resonate among overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
In a Facebook post that’s gaining traction, Dr. Rex Bacarra recounted a heartfelt moment he witnessed while checking student papers at a café. Seated beside him was a Filipina nanny gently correcting her young foreign ward — a moment that, for Bacarra, stood out not just for the words spoken, but for the calm authority, emotional intelligence, and grace the nanny displayed throughout the exchange.
“I didn’t like what you did… but I love you,” the nanny told the child, calmly addressing a moment of misbehavior while affirming her love. The boy, no older than six, responded with an apology and sought reassurance, to which she replied, “Of course. Sometimes we make mistakes. But people should still love the one who made the mistake.”
For Dr. Bacarra, it was more than a simple lesson in manners. “She corrected like a parent, not a subordinate,” he wrote. “She treated the child with full dignity… No raised voice. No shame. Just clarity.”
Moved by the nanny’s poised demeanor and articulate guidance, he reflected on the deeper story that may lie behind her quiet authority. “She looked educated. Thoughtful. Sharp. I would not be surprised if she once held a different life in the Philippines. Perhaps a teacher. Perhaps a professional.”
Though the post is not yet viral, it’s drawing praise within the OFW community. “She deserves more,” Bacarra added. “Not just kind words. But the dignity to be with her own family. The opportunity to live her life, not just serve in someone else’s.”
In the comments, readers echoed the emotion. “She is probably a parent too,” wrote Mazzy Calderon. “Made it more painful to watch raising kids while your kids are being raised by others.” Another, Maria Marga Angeles, pointed out the irony of so many capable, nurturing Filipinos raising children abroad while Filipino families back home are left searching for the same kind of guidance.
As Dr. Bacarra concluded in his reflection, “She raised him to be better. I hope the world knows, or remembers, who taught him how.”
