The Filipino community in Japan is in deep mourning after the tragic death of 28-year-old Gladys Grace Testado, a licensed agriculturist from Barangay Ulamian, Libungan, North Cotabato, who was killed in a hit-and-run incident while crossing a pedestrian lane in Tokyo on November 24.
Testado—described in her community as a brilliant, hardworking young woman—was struck by a stolen vehicle in Umejima, Adachi Ward. Authorities reported that the car had been stolen only minutes earlier from a nearby dealership after the suspect found a smart key left inside, allowing him to quickly start the vehicle. Instead of stopping, the carnapper sped through the pedestrian crossing, hitting Testado first before ramming into a commuter van and injuring 10 others. A senior citizen also died from the crash. The 37-year-old suspect later attempted to flee but was eventually arrested.
For years, Testado worked quietly in Tokyo for a food company—far from home but close to her dreams. A cum laude graduate of the University of Southern Mindanao, she spent many years preparing and striving for the opportunity to uplift her family and provide a better life for her loved ones in Barangay Ulamian and the rest of Libungan, a dream shared by millions of OFWs who endure hardship, loneliness, and danger abroad.
Her sudden death is not just a statistic—it is a painful reminder of the risks that our migrant workers face every single day in foreign lands. They navigate unfamiliar streets, cultures, and uncertainties, all in exchange for hope: a better life for the people waiting for them back home.
Now, her grieving family in Libungan, North Cotabato is appealing to the national government for urgent assistance to bring her remains home, so they may finally lay her to rest in the community she never stopped striving for.
The story of Gladys Grace Testado is a heartbreaking testament to the immense sacrifices OFWs make—sacrifices that sometimes demand more than anyone should bear. Her life, her dreams, and her love for her family will be remembered, even as her tragic passing calls for stronger protection and support for Filipinos working overseas.