Pwede Pa Ba Mag-Abroad ang May Bakal sa Katawan? A Story Worth Sharing

Marahang tinatanggal ng nurse ang mahabang tube na nakabaon sa aking kaliwang braso; maingat ang kanyang paghugot, ngunit may sakit pa rin akong naramdaman—marahil dahil sariwa pa ang sugat—kasama ang mga namumuong dugo na dumadaloy sa loob nito. Malinaw pa rin sa aking alaala kung paano ito ginawa; paraan ito para i-drain ang mga fluid mula sa operasyon upang hayaang maghilom ang sugat. Lucky that the nurse doing it was very nice and professional. I stayed in the hospital for 5 days, and it was the 3rd day after my ORIF surgery.

Back on February 11, 2025, I was playing on a waveboard in the middle of the night—day off ko kasi that time. I was playing together with a friend. It was during one last turn when I said to myself na I wanna go home na. Night shift ang work schedule ko, kaya normal na gising at active pa ako sa mga oras na iyon. Bagong bukas ang park na iyon sa may Kaohsiung, Taiwan, malapit sa Carrefour. Maraming sports activities na pwedeng gawin, maliwanag kahit gabi, at medyo malamig pa dahil papatapos pa lamang ang winter season.

That one turn and a bad fall caused me to break the bone in my left forearm. I was in shock at that time. I couldn't believe that a sudden fall might end my journey in Taiwan and ruin my career in an instant; 'yan ang thought process ko while in shock and in pain. Kung dadalhin ko kayo sa moment na iyon, hindi ko talaga ma-imagine na ganoon lang kabilis nangyari ang lahat. Hindi ako nasugatan, walang buto na tumagos sa balat ng aking braso; ang tanging nangyari ay nabali ang buto sa loob.

My friend and I were both in shock. We thought na maaayos pa iyon, thinking na bumaluktot lamang 'yon. Pero dahil nakalaylay na ito na parang lantang gulay, alam ko sa sarili ko na wala na nga—na nabali talaga ang buto. About 5 minutes passed when we decided to call an ambulance. I went inside, and they applied first aid so it wouldn't move, because it hurt badly.

It was my first time being confined in a hospital and experiencing an emergency situation. It gave me a firsthand realization of what high-quality healthcare truly looks like. Dumating ako around 1:00 AM. They instantly assessed my situation and did an X-ray. They put a cast on me, gathered my information, ran lab tests, gave me a shot of pain reliever, and put me into a patient observation room. After that, the surgeon told me that they will be performing an ORIF and that they will be putting in a metal implant. He asked me if I would be using the Taiwan national health card or if I had other insurance cards, and if I wanted to avail of their premium plates and screws, which would cost a separate amount. He advised me not to eat or drink anything because my operation was under general anesthesia, and I was scheduled for surgery after few hours.

That metal implant was sticking in my mind. What would it look like? Will I look like a robot, or like Iron Man? My thought process was going wild. All my memories flashed back as I sat there thinking that I might never be able to work abroad ever again, and that my hospital bill might be so expensive that I couldn't afford it.

To make a long story short, the operation was successful. After 5 days, I was discharged with a bill of 46,978 NT (around 93,000 Philippine Pesos). But instead of paying the whole amount out of pocket, it was covered by my healthcare insurance, so I only paid 4,540 NT plus the fee for the medical certificate, and a cd copy of my X-ray I requested upon my discharge. I also asked important questions to my orthopedic doctor, such as how long it would take before I could go back to work, whether the implants would ever be removed, and how long the total recovery would be. All of those crucial questions needed to be answered.

My broker had advised me to get a medical certificate upon discharge, along with the X-rays and billing statements, because they would be processing a medical group insurance and a labor insurance claim. My doctor advised me to rest for 3 months. At that time, I only had three months left before my contract ended, so the timing was tight. Fortunately, I recovered faster. Two months later, I asked the doctor if I could go back to work because my paid medical leave was only for two months. The doctor agreed on the condition that I would do light duty and not bear any weight more than 10kg on my left forearm.

In every follow-up checkup, I secured another copy of my medical certificate and a copy of my X-ray. May 2025 was my very last month in Taiwan, and since I was scheduled to leave at the end of the month, this also became my final checkup with my orthopedic doctor. I requested my final medical certificate to be written in English so that any doctor could understand it, especially since my doctor advised me to continue my follow-up checkups back in the Philippines.

A lot of our kababayans—and even I, back then—repeatedly ask the question, "Pwede pa ba mag-abroad ang may bakal sa katawan?" The honest answer is: it depends on the situation, and it is your doctor who will ultimately decide if you are still able to work or can work abroad.

In my case, may bakal ako sa aking kaliwang kamay sa may radius at ulna. How I made it to Europe?

I made sure to gather all the medical documents I had from the very start, following the orthopedic doctor's advice to have follow-up checkups in the Philippines. I never underwent physical therapy because my doctor in Taiwan never suggested it, since I already had a full range of motion. After my final checkup in Taiwan, I just needed a bit of time to heal better. Exactly one year after the surgery, I went to an orthopedic clinic in the Philippines for a final assessment. Bringing the medical certificate and the X-ray from my previous doctor, I requested a new medical certificate because I was accepted into a full scholarship for a post-bachelor mechanical and automation engineering program in Taiwan.

Before that student route opportunity happened, I had tried several times to apply for a job back in Taiwan, but getting back was proving to be difficult—and here is why:

Initially, for all my job applications back in Taiwan, I disclosed that I had a previous surgery. Some agencies accepted my application, like Eyequest International Manpower, but Skyborne Agency rejected me. They told me they wouldn't accept my application because it required a waiver from the employer, and none of their partner employers processed waivers.

I had failed at going back to Taiwan through the work route, so I tried the student route instead. I invested so much money, time, and effort, and I had already submitted all of my documents. The accepting university and the company sponsor had already accepted me for a full scholarship. It was the Taiwan Ministry of Education who rejected me. I even called the project manager of the program in the Philippines for an appeal, especially since she had told me my application was 99% sure. But it was a dead end—simply because my undergraduate school back home was not on their official cooperation list, I was disqualified.

Instead of giving up after that painful setback, I tried another path, and this time around, it led to Europe. Even though I knew it would be much more difficult to pass because of the negative thoughts surrounding implants and the previous rejections I faced, one email changed everything: an offer to work in Hungary arrived.

Fortunately, I passed the employer interview! The agency staff asked me if I had any existing illnesses or medical risks. I disclosed my previous surgery, and they said it was okay. Even so, hindi pa rin ako mapakali because I knew that the final assessment and decision would still rest on the PEME (Pre-Employment Medical Examination) doctor. I also knew I would be spending money on that medical exam, and if I ended up getting rejected, it would be a waste, so I was very worried.

Before the medical exam, I prepared all my medical documents: my final discharge papers from Taiwan, my medical certificate from the Philippines granting me orthopedic and fit-to-work clearance, and my latest X-ray results. If I walk you through the physical exam, here is what happened:

The doctor checked my whole body—of course, I had no clothes on at all. They asked if I had any previous surgeries, and I said yes, in my forearm. I told them what happened, and the doctor asked if I had brought the medical certificate. I replied yes and handed over my three documents. She looked them over and continued asking questions. She held up the certificate where the words "fit to work, healed fracture, orthopedic clearance granted, and fit to travel" were clearly stated, and ordered me to make a photocopy of it to attach to my medical application papers.

After a few days, I was informed by the agency that I passed the medical evaluation and that the next step was the visa process! It was such a happy moment for me. After a year of setbacks and overthinking, I could finally work abroad again—and this time, it’s not just anywhere abroad, it's Europe! God really answers prayers. My secret was that I submitted to the process and made sure to practice due diligence with my medical history and documents, knowing I would need them sooner or later. The rest is history to make.

That is my story! So if you are also asking yourself kung "makakapag-abroad ka pa ba," take my experience as your inspiration.