It is common for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to dream of owning their own house and land. Many of them grew up renting or living with relatives, and some even in informal settlements. Due to poverty and lack of opportunities, they go abroad to work and seek a better future.
But for some, the dream is not just a simple house. There are OFWs who invest in apartments, condominiums, or land for income—a step not only for the present but also as preparation for their eventual return to the Philippines.
Strategies to achieve this dream vary—some save diligently, some take on multiple jobs, and others start businesses. But the root is the same: sacrifice. One successful example is Marlyn Flores Castro, 45, a former OFW who is now an entrepreneur and owner of a balikbayan box company in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with a branch also in the Philippines.
Marlyn grew up in Pampanga with her 11 siblings. Her family struggled financially. She shared a painful memory of losing their home.
In the 1990s, they lived in a house on private land—land that wasn’t theirs. One day, the owner arrived and forced them to leave. They stayed with relatives multiple times but never for long.
“We lived in my grandmother’s house. But who could accommodate all 12 of us?” said Marlyn, the fifth among her siblings. At one point, all 12 of them crowded into a 100-square-meter house bought for just ₱70,000.
That’s when her dream began: to have a roof of her own. “We experienced homelessness. I promised myself that one day, each of us would have our own home,” she said.
At 14, Marlyn worked in a restaurant to support her education. She worked hard to secure a scholarship and eventually graduated with a degree in Business and Finance.
On March 31, 2005, she flew to Dubai and became a secretary and officer-in-charge at a care box cargo company. Her first salary was Dh1,000 (around ₱15,000), including some allowances.
For nine years, she worked as a regular employee in logistics. During that time, she also worked part-time as a travel agent and in food catering. At one point, she went five months without pay but endured the hardship.
“I persevered because my family in the Philippines depended on me,” Marlyn said. Eventually, she increased her income to Dh9,000 per month.
In 2008, while still employed, Marlyn bought a lot in Angeles City. It was her first investment. She paid for it over ten years until she built a three-story house in 2018.
That house fulfilled her first dream: a roof for her family.
With nine years of experience in three logistics companies, Marlyn became skilled in business. In 2014, she resigned to establish her own balikbayan box company with a business partner.
“I don’t spend my earnings on unnecessary things. I’m always in investment mode. I live simply,” she said.
They opened a satellite office in the Philippines, expanding operations. Additionally, she franchised 15 branches of a well-known international doughnut chain in Pampanga.
One by one, she provided houses and land for her siblings.
In 2023, she became the sole owner of her company after her business partner retired.
Today, she has 400 employees—140 in Dubai and 260 in the Philippines.
Marlyn never forgot her roots—especially being a working student. That’s why she launched her own scholarship program.
“Success is when you help others succeed,” Marlyn said. “One of my biggest dreams is this scholarship program, giving back to the community and sharing the Lord’s blessings.”
Two of her scholars have already graduated. Currently, she supports 15 scholars in the Philippines and 8 in the UAE, mostly children of OFWs.
Some of them are studying criminology, agribusiness, computer engineering, biology, and secondary education. A few now work in Marlyn’s company.
Marlyn represents an OFW whose goal is not just personal comfort. Behind every balikbayan box her company sends lies a story of sacrifice, determination, and love.
The child who once dreamed of a roof now provides homes, livelihoods, and hope to others.
And with every step of her success, she carries
