A Filipina domestic worker who spent more than four decades in Lebanon is finally back home. The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) welcomed 73-year-old Zenaida Caritativo Macanyanan at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 in Pasay City on November 1, where Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac personally greeted her and conveyed the President’s appreciation for her service abroad.
Macanyanan first left for Lebanon on December 8, 1982. Since then, she remained employed in a single household and worked through some of Lebanon’s most turbulent years, including the civil war, the 2006 conflict, and cross-border tensions involving Hezbollah and Israeli forces.
Earlier this year, the Migrant Workers Office in Lebanon honored Macanyanan as the “Oldest OFW Awardee” during its 30th Migrant Workers Day celebration led by Labor Attaché Adam A. Musa.
Her journey, according to the DMW, highlights decades of loyalty, responsibility, and resilience. Macanyanan raised two children as a widow, both of whom are now migrant workers themselves. Her daughter works as a registered midwife in Israel, while her son continues to serve as a gardener for the same family in Lebanon.
The veteran OFW arrived alongside Tessie Caritativo Mosquito, who also worked for the same employer overseas. Each received Php 50,000 in assistance from the government’s AKSYON Fund to help them transition back into life in the Philippines.
Secretary Cacdac emphasized Macanyanan’s legacy, saying her experience symbolizes dedication and integrity that Filipinos around the world can take pride in.
