Reflection: Flor Contemplacion (JH Acidera)

The story of Flor Contemplacion was very disturbing to me. It was amazing to see how her life suddenly turned around. Throughout the movie, you can clearly see that she was a very caring person, someone who was very loving and sincere to her family and friends dearly. She wanted the very best and therefore sought work overseas so that she could earn a little more money to help support her family and in hope to live a better life for herself.

Despite all the evidence, supporters, testimonies, and documents that supported Contemplation’s innocence, it was very disappointing to see how the power of people and the corruption of governments is used in order to fulfill what they think is right. She deserved to live, not to die. Her friend’s employer went too the extreme by abusing his ties with the government in Singapore so that her death sentence would go through without any problems. It is just hard for me to understand this kind of corruption. There was no fair trial what so ever. I feel that she wasn’t given a fair chance to prove her innocence. The bottom line is that her friend’s employer should be the one to blame and serve a death sentence for his doing. Furious over his son’s death, he takes it out by killing two oversea workers. How is that to justify and bring closure to the lost of his son? What he did, I fell, is called for a death sentence.

Despite Flor Contemplacion’s troubled marriage, she maintained to be very close with her children, most especially her children. You can see the love that she had for them when she would return home to bring gifts, or simply when she was concerned when her children would be out late or even when she was in jail. Overlooking tears of sadness and stress, she only thought for the best for them and made sure that they would be cared for. She tried in every way that she could to be a part of their lives until the very day of her death. She was confident in her ways as she confronted her husband’s mistress who their children referred to as “auntie”. She confronted the situation by talking to him and sometimes going to the mistress house without any shame towards her husband nor the mistress. It was nice to see how her mother also took a part in trying to comfort her regarding these challenges that she had in her life. Contemplation remained to stay clam, to think positive, and to be strong in order for her to live her life.

To me, this movie clearly represented the many oversea workers that are abused of their rights and who have been belittled by their employers. I understand that if they talk or say something, there could be a chance of risking the lost of their job. For the most part, they seems as if as long as they would do as asked, their jobs would be secured. On the other hand, I feel that they should be able to have a say. There should be a place where they could go to make complaints or to be protected from situations of mistreatment from employers. Despite being in other countries, justice should be made accordingly and not through corruption of various individuals through networks and corruption of governments. It is not right to torture someone as she was tortured. It is simply not fair.

Unfortunately, things are done when only something happens, especially if it were something like the case of Flor Contemplacion. Clearly she is a hero and a representation for many who look up to her for inspiration.