Wife and child of Taiwan OFW killed in fire struggle to accept his loss

With her husband's remains set to be brought back to the Philippines, the widow of one of the three Filipinos who died in a factory fire in Taiwan is trying to come to terms with life going on—including the impending birth of their second child—without him.

According to Mark Salazar's report on "24 Oras" on Wednesday, Renato Larua and two other Filipinos were among the seven people killed by the blaze that hit the Lian-Hwa Foods Corporation in Changhua county last Tuesday.

Larua no longer had a pulse by the time he was pulled out of the burning building.

That same day, his wife Rosette was informed of the news. She is eight months pregnant with their second child.

"Kailangan ko pong magpakatatag. Oo, magluluksa ako pero hindi ako pwedeng matagal magluksa kasi kapag nanganak ako may bagong buhay na sasandal sa akin, kaya tinatatagan ko na lang ang loob ko," she said.

She said their child struggles to accept that her father is gone.

"'Pag pinalitan ba ng puso 'yung papa niya mabubuhay pa raw ba? Pag pinalitan ang utak, yung mga body parts? Ang hirap ipaliwanag sa 10-year-old kasi hindi talaga siya makapaniwala," Rosette said, in tears.

Some Overseas Workers Welfare Administration personnel came by earlier to arrange the documents needed to bring Renato's remains home.

"'Yung insurance po ng death claim: so, accident, P200,000. P20,000 for the burial, meron din po tayong livelihood, P15,000. Ang kailangan lang po namin is yung resibo at lugar na paglalagyan ng negosyo," said OWWA family welfare officer Imelda Delos Reyes-Corpuz.

"Meron din po kaming educational assistance para sa anak niya hanggang college. Pag-aaralin namin," she added.

A representative from Larua's manpower agency was also present to submit the papers. JS Contractors Inc. will also shoulder the P175,000 needed to bring home the remains.

Five OFWs who survived the fire are being treated and their hospital bills are covered by Taiwan's national health insurance, said OWWA Administrator Arnel Ignacio.

Ambassador Silvestre Bello III, head of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei, has communicated with the authorities to investigate the cause of the fire. — Sherylin Untalan/BM, GMA Integrated News