Bluegirl.

Sorry about your friend, but I have to say:

Not all filipinas who married to a foreigner husband are having a better life
This is what happens, when young filipinas accept proposals from a foreigner just so that they can escape their life in the Philippines, your story whilst being sad, is just one example of someone in the world who ended up being stuck in a bummer of a relationship.

Your story is just one example, it is counteracted by many thousands of relationships that are the opposite, on the whole, they come for a better life, or else what is the point of coming ?

Your freind is like so many young Pakistani and Indian girls who get trafficked into arranged marriages, with promises of this and that, and then end up in a 3 bedroom semi in Southall London looking after the mans ageing parents and feeding multiple children whilst spending all day house cleaning.

I am afraid its not unusual, and your freind is one of many who find themselves in that situation, I wonder though, your freind is not married to an ethnic minority person is she, because it sounds like it.. ageing parents in the house, grown up children ?