Sentidokomon

By Joy B. Miranda

(Published, Tinig Pinoy June 2008 issue.

You see her everyday, everywhere with her signature caps, one that she can’t live without. You tell her to wear skirt, or a lady-like dress, she will do so, but would match it with sneakers. Heels? Yes, she would, for a couple of hours, perhaps. Afterwards, she would just pick them up, sling them out to her shoulders and put her sneakers back. That is very Iska, anyway. But who else has not known her?
Scarlet “Iska� Tugbo is an epitome of a restlessly active woman. She is involved in almost everything one can not imagine to be doing so well.   
Understanding her depths is not hard though, because what you see outside is also what you get inside..so transparent in every aspect. She laughs, shouts, yells, demands, controls, cares, and well, after giving important orders and being refused, she promptly acts by herself, especially when nobody else does.
She came to Cyprus August 1997 with her partner. They both worked for a Greek Tavern in Nicosia whose owner has fired three Russian helpers few months after they arrived and gave all the workloads to them, utilizing them day and night without extra pay for the overtime work they have rendered.
Iska and partner sought the help from the office of the Ministry of Labor which advised the employer to give them their extra pay, but to no avail. So the couple have decided to quit working at the Tavern and started looking for a new job. Unfortunately, both have no legal papers yet, so one day, while Iska’s partner had a training for a new-found job, the Immigration Police had caught him and brought him straight to jail..
It was indeed trying times for Iska but she did not lose hope. She was introduced to Amnesty International, a non-government organization (NGO) which was established in the year 1998, and offers free services for migrants beginning 1999 till present. Amnesty International for Human Rights or better known as KISA or ISAG Director Doros Polycarpou did not hesitate to help the couple in their plight They in turn decided to enlist themselves as Volunteer NGO Migrants.
On 27 March 2001, Iska was likewise been caught. She stayed in Lakatamia prison for six nights and seven days. With Amnesty International defending her and with the collaboration of her new-found employer Mrs. Rosaleen Wotton, Attache Consulate of the British High Commission together with the Ambassador of the British Embassy, she was released from prison.
As being handled by a Human Rights lawyer, Iska’s case has been a well-publicised case, was  interviewed and featured in one of Cyprus tv. Rest is history. Iska continues her journey for survival, a multi-task yet result-oriented civic person, a quality which is very rare considering that she has her own family and kids to attend to. “Mahirap lang buhay ko, magmula noong magkaisip na ako eh nagtatrabaho na akong katulong, ngayon katulong pa rin ako. High school lang ako pero sinisikap kong matuto pa ng mga bagay na makakatulong sa akin, sa pag angat sa buhay na mahirap. Awa ng Diyos, nakakaraos din naman. Ganyan ang buhay, dapat palaban ka!�  

(Johanna, Iska, Joy and Ester)

Indeed a fighter, that is her best drive. During the program of 110^th Philippine Independence held last June 15, 2008 at Cyta Park, she was given a certificate of appreciation (individual category) by the organizing committee  for her tireless and valuable contribution all in the name of service to the Filipino community. To Iska, keep up the good work!