WHEN FIREFIGHTERS FORCED their way into a smoke-choked flat inside Hong Kong’s Wang Fuk Court, they found a young Filipina domestic worker unconscious on the floor—her arms still wrapped tightly around the three-month-old baby she had fought to protect.
Just days into her new job in Hong Kong, Rhodora Alcaraz made a choice that would define her life: she refused to let go of the infant even as flames roared, smoke thickened, and survival became uncertain. Her instinct was not to escape, but to shield the child with her own body.
The baby survived. Rhodora, however, remains in intensive care, clinging to life on a ventilator.
‘Many see (Rhodora’s) act of courage as a shining reminder of the sacrifices migrant workers make every day—quietly, dutifully, and often heroically. In a city haunted by loss, one woman’s final instinct—to protect a child who depended on her—has emerged as a symbol of hope and humanity amid despair.’
HERO IN THE DARK
Rhodora’s family in the Philippines learned of the fire in the most agonizing way—through a frantic video plea recorded by her sister and shared on social media while the blaze was still raging. Hours later, firefighters reported that they had found Rhodora collapsed but steadfastly cradling the infant.
Her act of selflessness quickly spread across Hong Kong and the global Filipino community. Messages of gratitude poured in, praising her courage in a moment when instinct would have driven anyone to flee.
Her former employer, Rhoda Lynn Dayo, described her as hardworking, gentle, and devoted. “People are recognizing her bravery,” Dayo said. “You fight for your own life, but the fact that she never let go of the baby—even when it wasn’t her own—says everything about who she is.”
A CITY IN MOURNING
The Wang Fuk Court conflagration has become Hong Kong’s deadliest building fire in decades, with over 148 fatalities as authorities continue to identify remains and account for the missing. Multiple high-rise blocks in Tai Po were engulfed on November 26, sending towering plumes of smoke across the district and trapping residents on upper floors.
Crowds swelled across Hong Kong in the days that followed. At a park near the charred buildings, thousands lined up for more than a kilometer to lay flowers, offer prayers, and grieve. Candlelight vigils were held in Victoria Park and the central business district, many attended by migrant workers who had their Sunday rest day.
Among the victims confirmed by the Philippine Consulate General (PCG) was Maryan Pascual Esteban, an OFW who perished while taking care of her employer’s child. Her 10-year-old son told DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac that he wanted to be a firefighter “so no one else will die in a fire.”
SEACHING FOR ANSWERS
Hong Kong authorities have launched an interdepartmental task force, while the city’s anti-corruption watchdog arrested 11 people linked to the tragedy. Police also made a sedition arrest after reports of individuals distributing flyers calling for accountability and an independent probe.
Investigators are working to determine whether systemic failures or negligence may have fueled the devastating spread of the blaze. The Buildings Department has halted work on 30 ongoing private construction projects as part of safety assessments.
GRIEF ACROSS BORDERS
The Philippine government is extending full assistance to the families of affected OFWs. Of the 83 Filipinos registered as residents in the affected blocks, 70 have been confirmed safe, while 12 remain unaccounted for.
For Rhodora Alcaraz, who is now fighting for her life, the Filipino community has rallied in prayer. Many see her act of courage as a shining reminder of the sacrifices migrant workers make every day—quietly, dutifully, and often heroically.
In a city haunted by loss, one woman’s final instinct—to protect a child who depended on her—has emerged as a symbol of hope and humanity amid despair.