A Filipina was declared missing by her host family in the Netherlands and believed to have fled to another country to work.
In her post, Narmeen Iesa asked the Filipino community in the Netherlands for information about the possible whereabouts of April Joyce Briones, an Au Pier they adopted.
An au pair differs from an Overseas Filipino worker in that they are considered ‘equal’ by their host family, mainly for cultural exchange.
They also receive accommodation and pocket money to do simple house chores.
“I am looking for my filipino aupair APRIL JOYCE BRIONES. She was just fot two weeks with us and we enjoyd a lot.She had 2 free days last weekend on Friday and saturday and she was supposed to be here on sunday morning. She told me that she is going to 2 friends of her, one of them is living in Amersfoort and the other one in Wijchen. She took the train from Opheusden where we live and went to Wijchen. She told me also that she is going to saying Goodbye to a filipino aupair on Schiphol, as she was at the end of her aupair year. April was suposed to be with to Girls who belongs to Family aupair agency in Amsterdam,” Iesa wrote.
Several Filipinos in Amsterdam reported that Briones left the Netherlands and traveled to Spain.
Iesa said that she couldn’t understand why Briones left their household despite their good treatment of her.
“I am so sad, I couldn’t sleep almost for 2 days, I treated her like my children; she had a beautiful room, I gave her a Zoo card for one year, and an OV card, the Netherlands phone number, and she did almost everything with us. I put a lot of money and energy in bringing her to the Netherlands, and she did something like this . What a shame!!” she said.
Iesa also posted a photo of Briones with her acquaintances in Spain.
In another update, Iesa said that Briones had already messaged her and apologized for her decision to leave their household.
The Filipina was reportedly planning to work in Spain without proper documents.