The Straits Times' Picture Desk celebrates love in pictures on Valentine's Day. In this series, Neo Xiaobin meets migrant workers who are far from their loved ones.
Food seller Madam Wang Cui Xia (left), 28, from Shandong, China, talks about her husband Mr Yang Shi Chang (right), 28. They have been married for five years and have a four-year-old daughter Yang Zi Han. "We were introduced by friends and this was a pre-wedding photograph of us shot in the studio when we got married. I do not seek love that's over-the-top, I just want to love simply and blissfully. There's a song by Chinese singer Zhang Dong Lin with lyrics that I really identify with - to love and to cherish, to spend every day harmoniously and simply, till the end of our days. To my dear husband, I'll love you forever."-- ST PHOTO: NEO XIAOBIN
Construction worker Mr Mostak, 32, from Bangladesh, talks about his wife Madam Rupa Akter, 23, whom he has married for six years. "It was a family arranged marriage and my parents chose her for me. She stays in the same village but 2 to 3 kilometres away. I work to provide for my family and my five-year-old son. For me, love is sacrifice." -- ST PHOTO: NEO XIAOBIN
Domestic worker Ms Grace Ann Adel (left), 25, from Isabela, Philippines, talks about her boyfriend of six year Mr Nomer Ramos (right), 28. "I bought this shirt for him at Lucky Plaza and gave it to him when I returned home last year in December. At first being apart was very hard, but we get used to it after months passed by. I believe that love conquers all. We are planning to get married when I finish my contract end of next year." -- ST PHOTO: NEO XIAOBIN
Construction worker Mr Li Jian Wu, 43, from Henan, China, talks about his wife Madam Li Hui Juan, 43. "People of my age do not celebrate Valentine's Day. It's more fashionable for youngsters nowadays. We are an old couple and there's mutual understanding between us. If I do buy any presents, it makes sense to get something practical instead of flowers and chocolates. We're not especially romantic, but I believe that every day can be Valentine's Day. I call home at least once a week and we end up talking about our children - son Li Bing Yi, 14, and daughter Li Yi Man, 4 - more." -- ST PHOTO: NEO XIAOBIN
Domestic worker Mrs Egloria Humawid Sarsaba (left), 37, from Leyte, Philippines, talks about her husband Mr Renaldo Niog (right), 29, whom she married in May 2012. "We were friends when we were younger but lost contact when I went to Singapore to work. No communication at all. After so many years, we assumed each other got married. It was a pleasant surprise to find out we were both single. He managed to find out from my family when I was returning home from Singapore and asked if he could visit me. We reconnected in 2009 and started dating. We just had a simple dinner in my house during last year's Valentine's Day." She has been working in Singapore for 14 years. -- ST PHOTO: NEO XIAOBIN
Construction worker Mr Olyul Alam (Shohag) Saiful Alam (right), 24, from Bangladesh, talks about his fiancee Ms Shumi Alam (left), 17. "Shumi is my sister-in-law's sister and was introduced to me. In the four years that we have been a couple, I have only seen her once in 2013 when I returned home. Love is important because heart happy everything happy. Heart not happy, everything lost. Now that everything is more or less confirmed, I am looking forward to marriage next year." He came over to Singapore to work when he was just 17 years old. -- ST PHOTO: NEO XIAOBIN
Construction worker Mr Olyul Alam (Shohag) Saiful Alam (right), 24, from Bangladesh, talks about his fiancee Ms Shumi Alam (left), 17. "Shumi is my sister-in-law's sister and was introduced to me. In the four years that we have been a couple, I have only seen her once in 2013 when I returned home. Love is important because heart happy everything happy. Heart not happy, everything lost. Now that everything is more or less confirmed, I am looking forward to marriage next year." He came over to Singapore to work when he was just 17 years old. -- ST PHOTO: NEO XIAOBIN
Food seller Madam Wang Cui Xia (left), 28, from Shandong, China, talks about her husband Mr Yang Shi Chang (right), 28. They have been married for five years and have a four-year-old daughter Yang Zi Han. "We were introduced by friends and this was a pre-wedding photograph of us shot in the studio when we got married. I do not seek love that's over-the-top, I just want to love simply and blissfully. There's a song by Chinese singer Zhang Dong Lin with lyrics that I really identify with - to love and to cherish, to spend every day harmoniously and simply, till the end of our days. To my dear husband, I'll love you forever."-- ST PHOTO: NEO XIAOBIN
Construction worker Mr Mostak, 32, from Bangladesh, talks about his wife Madam Rupa Akter, 23, whom he has married for six years. "It was a family arranged marriage and my parents chose her for me. She stays in the same village but 2 to 3 kilometres away. I work to provide for my family and my five-year-old son. For me, love is sacrifice." -- ST PHOTO: NEO XIAOBIN
Domestic worker Ms Grace Ann Adel (left), 25, from Isabela, Philippines, talks about her boyfriend of six year Mr Nomer Ramos (right), 28. "I bought this shirt for him at Lucky Plaza and gave it to him when I returned home last year in December. At first being apart was very hard, but we get used to it after months passed by. I believe that love conquers all. We are planning to get married when I finish my contract end of next year." -- ST PHOTO: NEO XIAOBIN
Construction worker Mr Li Jian Wu, 43, from Henan, China, talks about his wife Madam Li Hui Juan, 43. "People of my age do not celebrate Valentine's Day. It's more fashionable for youngsters nowadays. We are an old couple and there's mutual understanding between us. If I do buy any presents, it makes sense to get something practical instead of flowers and chocolates. We're not especially romantic, but I believe that every day can be Valentine's Day. I call home at least once a week and we end up talking about our children - son Li Bing Yi, 14, and daughter Li Yi Man, 4 - more." -- ST PHOTO: NEO XIAOBIN
Domestic worker Mrs Egloria Humawid Sarsaba (left), 37, from Leyte, Philippines, talks about her husband Mr Renaldo Niog (right), 29, whom she married in May 2012. "We were friends when we were younger but lost contact when I went to Singapore to work. No communication at all. After so many years, we assumed each other got married. It was a pleasant surprise to find out we were both single. He managed to find out from my family when I was returning home from Singapore and asked if he could visit me. We reconnected in 2009 and started dating. We just had a simple dinner in my house during last year's Valentine's Day." She has been working in Singapore for 14 years. -- ST PHOTO: NEO XIAOBIN
Construction worker Mr Olyul Alam (Shohag) Saiful Alam (right), 24, from Bangladesh, talks about his fiancee Ms Shumi Alam (left), 17. "Shumi is my sister-in-law's sister and was introduced to me. In the four years that we have been a couple, I have only seen her once in 2013 when I returned home. Love is important because heart happy everything happy. Heart not happy, everything lost. Now that everything is more or less confirmed, I am looking forward to marriage next year." He came over to Singapore to work when he was just 17 years old. -- ST PHOTO: NEO XIAOBIN
