SINGAPORE — Filipina Arlyn Picar Nucos, one of the two foreign domestic workers who died in the horrific Lucky Plaza car crash last Sunday (Dec 29), was well-loved by her employers and friends for being a “model” domestic help.

Nucos, who was 50 and unmarried, had worked with the same family since 1992, raising three children in that household — all of whom are now adults.

The three, who appeared to be in their 30s or 40s, were distraught as they sent their long-time helper off at a funeral parlour in Sin Ming on Wednesday. They declined media interviews, requesting privacy. 

Mr Bernard Menon, executive director of the Migrant Workers’ Centre, who spoke on their behalf, said Nucos’ track record showed that she is “as close to a model domestic worker that you could find”.

More than 50 people, many of them Nucos’ foreign domestic worker-friends, wept as they attended an hour-long memorial service. They gathered around Nucos’ white coffin as a Catholic priest led them in prayers. 

Filipina domestic worker Ren Camat, who met Nucos when working for her employer’s neighbour, described her as a “very good adviser”. 

“She advised me to relax because I’m a hot-tempered person. She taught me how to take care of my money, my salary,” said the 38-year-old, who used to tease Nucos by calling her “manager”, or “gurang”, which means senior citizen in Tagalog.

Nucos, who is from Caba in the province of La Union on the north-western part of the Philippines’ Luzon Island, died after a black Honda crashed into her and her friends at a pavement on Nutmeg Road, behind Lucky Plaza on Orchard Road, at about 5pm on Sunday. 

The crash also claimed the life of 41-year-old Abigail Danao Leste, who is from Aparri in the province of Cagayan on the north-eastern part of Luzon Island.

Leste’s wake has been ongoing at a funeral parlour at Block 89 Geylang Bahru since Tuesday. When TODAY visited the wake at about 2pm on Wednesday, dozens of her friends and acquaintances were there. 

Leste’s cousin, who goes by the name of Ronalyn, was seen wailing loudly in Tagalog.

Ms Marieta Quinoneza, 49, said that Ms Ronalyn was grieving that she never got to meet Leste as they had planned on Sunday. 

“I was calling her. She never replied my messages. She never answered,” she said.

MORE THAN S$250,000 RAISED FOR VICTIMS

Four other Filipinas were injured in the crash. They include Ms Egnal Layugan Limbauan, 43, and Nucos’ sister, Ms Arceli Picar Nucos, 56, who had to be warded in the intensive care unit (ICU) at Tan Tock Seng Hospital. 

The remaining two victims, Ms Demet Limbauan Limbauan, 37, and Ms Laila Flores Laudencia, 44, were discharged from the hospital by Monday evening. 

A fundraising campaign set up by the Centre for Domestic Employees (CDE) for the six victims and their beneficiaries has so far raised more than S$250,000 in donations. 

While it is unclear how the money will be divided among the victims and their families, the CDE said that it will be working towards getting a “full sense of their immediate and urgent needs in the coming months”.

In an update on Wednesday on the sidelines of Nucos’ memorial service, Mr Menon confirmed that Ms Arceli Picar Nucos is the only victim who remains in the ICU. 

She is to undergo a second surgery for fractures in the pelvic area, the Phillippine Embassy said in an update on Tuesday.

Although Ms Egnal Layugan Limbauan has left the ICU, Mr Menon said that her condition is still serious, and she remains in a high dependency ward.

Both she and Ms Arceli Picar Nucos are conscious and responsive, he added.

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The driver of the car, a 64-year-old man, was arrested at the scene for dangerous driving causing death. There is no information about whether he is going to be charged in court yet, based on TODAY’s last check with the police on Wednesday.

Arrangements have been made for the bodies of the two deceased to be repatriated back to the Philippines. 

Nucos’ body was on the way back to the Philippines following Wednesday’s memorial service, while Leste’s body is expected to be sent back on Thursday.

EMOTIONAL SEND-OFFS

Ms Laudencia, who escaped with only an injury to her right leg, was seen at both Leste’s and Nucos’ wakes on Wednesday with a dressing covering a large area on her lower leg. 

She was particularly emotional during Nucos’ send-off, sobbing uncontrollably until her friends had to get her to sit down on a chair. 

She declined to be interviewed when approached by the media. 

The two deceased’s immediate family members could not be present at their wakes on Wednesday. Nucos' her sister is still warded at the ICU and she has only a sister-in-law, who also works as a domestic worker here, while Leste has only a cousin here.

Their relatives had taken to Facebook to express their grief. Addressing Nucos as his favourite aunt, Mr Andrei Nucos said that all of his relatives are now in pain because of what happened.

Leste’s son, Mr Jhef Umoquit Leste, said that he and his sister “can’t go on” without her and they were at a loss over the tragedy.