Far from home, close to grief: why millions of Filipino migrants dread Undas
For over three decades, Dolores Balladares Pelaez has lived and worked in Hong Kong without once returning to the Philippines for Undas, the annual two-day observance honouring the dead. This year, she is arranging prayers from afar for her late father and four siblings, but will once again miss the gathering back home. On Thursday morning, the 56-year-old domestic helper called her mother and…
Millions of Filipino migrants dread Undas, the annual two-day observance to honor the dead, as they are far from home and unable to join their families. Dolores Balladares Pelaez, a domestic worker in Hong Kong for over three decades, will pray for her late family members from afar but will miss the traditional gathering. Undas, observed on November 1 and 2, combines All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day and involves visiting cemeteries, offering prayers, and sharing meals.
For Pelaez and other overseas Filipino workers, the holiday brings a mix of mourning and the desire to be reunited with their loved ones. Filipino migrant workers send money, prepare for the observance, and pray while missing the shared memories and experiences that make Undas a celebration of family unity.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
