‘Every cent counts in Gaza’: Freed Pinoy shares lesson from captivity

Jimmy Pacheco, one of the two Filipinos freed by Hamas, said it was in Gaza where he learned to save money because every cent counts in the war-torn Palestinian territory.

That was the lesson he wanted to impart to his fellow overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) as he looked back on the past 49 days he experienced in Gaza, where he was taken hostage by Hamas.

“Sa mga kapwa ko OFW, ingatan po natin yung mga bawat sentimong pinagpaguran natin, kasi hindi natin alam, gaya ko po hindi ko alam na, dudukutin ako, hindi ko alam kung papatayin ako that time (To my fellow OFWs, value every cent that you’ve worked for, because you wouldn’t know, like what happened to me, what could happen to you, I didn’t expect I would be taken hostage or I would be killed),” he said in a video message posted by the Philippine Embassy in Israel.

Many Filipinos go abroad to find better opportunities. They sacrifice not being able to see their families for a long period of time, mostly years, to be able to save for their children’s future.

In Israel, there are about 30,000 Filipinos, who are mostly caregivers.

“Kaya mag-ipon. Pangalagaan ang bawat sahod. Kasi doon ko narealize sa Gaza na bawat sentimo doon mahalaga sa kanila (So save. Value your earnings. Because it was in Gaza I realized that every cent counts for them),” he added.

Pacheco was attending to his ward, Amitai Ben Zvi, in Kibbut Nir Oz when Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7.

Amitai was among the 1,200 people killed during the surprise assault, while Pacheco was among the 237 who were taken hostage to Gaza.

The OFW was released on Nov. 24 during the first day of the humanitarian truce agreed by Israel and Hamas—which he said he did not expect.

Pacheco lost several kilos while in captivity. In one of his Facebook stories, he disclosed having to eat tissue for breakfast to fill his stomach.

“Di naman enough yung food na ibibigay sayo (The food given to me wasn’t enough),” he said.Pacheco said he never thought that he would be spared by Hamas considering what they did to his ward. But he kept his faith in God and found strength in his family.

“Doon ko napatunayan na kung kailangan mo ang tulong ng isang Panginoon, nandoon pa rin Siya sa likod mo (That’s where I realized that when you need God’s help, He is always by your side),” he said.

Pacheco said he wished to return to the country to spend his Christmas as he has not yet been able to spend the holiday season with his family since he went to Israel six years ago.