Book, art exhibit shine spotlight on Bacani’s life as 2nd generation migrant worker

Xyza Cruz Bacani (center) is joined by guests led by Consul General Antonio Morales (5th from left) in opening the art exhibit and book launching.

By Daisy CL Mandap

Xyza Cruz Bacani

Award-winning photographer Xyza Cruz Bacani retraces her steps as a former migrant domestic worker in the book, ‘We Are Like Air” which was launched at the Hong Kong Arts Centre in Wanchai on Nov. 30.

To put emphasis on how personal the book is, 31-year-old Bacani attended the launch with her parents, Villamor and Georgia Bacani, who she said were attending her art exhibit together for the first time.

Also present was Kathryn Louey, Xyza’s former employer, whom she called as “the most important person” and “biggest influence” in her life.

It was Louey, said Bacani, who virtually pushed her out of her house - and Hong Kong - so she would take up the Magnum Foundation Photography and Social Justice fellowship at New York University when it was offered to her in 2015.

After reading about the scholarship offer in a newspaper article, Louey reportedly told Bacani, “You’re fired!” just so the reluctant maid, who had been in her employ for 10 years, would accept the offer.

That short stint in New York City opened many more doors for Bacani so that she now fondly refers to Louey as the one who changed the fortune of “the future generations of the Bacanis.”

But the book - and the photos in the accompanying exhibit – tell more the story of Bacani’s mother, Georgia, and the more than 200,000 Filipino women working as domestic helpers in Hong Kong.

Bacani titled the book “We Are Like Air” in reference to migrant domestic workers who she
said are important yet are often invisible.

The photos she took provide a glimpse into how migrant workers live- from when they first arrived at their employer’s home, the numerous letters they sent to their family, finding love and raising a family in Hong Kong, to protesting for their rights.



Part of the art installation was a narrow bed in a corner above which two shirts are hung, signifying the small space often given to domestic workers in their employer’s home.

A collage of photos on a wall show various migrant workers at work or on their days off, with the description for each written by Georgia, who left home in the 1990s to provide a better life for her husband-farmer and three young children, the eldest of whom is Xyza.



Among about 100 guests who attended the launch were Consul General Antonio A. Morales, representatives from the U.S. consulate, the Wanchai District Council, and the sponsors, WYNG Media Award (WMA).

The book launch and opening of the photo exhibit were the first in a series of activities for
Bacani’s new project which she created as part of the WMA Commission in 2016-2017.



On Dec. 2, the domestic workers’ group, Guhit Kulay, hosted an art jam at the Centre, and on Dec. 9, Bacani held a book-signing session at the newsstand in front of World Wide House, the favorite go-to place of Filipino migrant workers on their off days.

On Dec. 16, Bacani will be joined in a forum at the HK Arts Centre by renowned journalist Sheila Coronel, academic dean of Columbia University’s Journalism School.



Among Bacani’s numerous achievements is having a resolution at the Philippine House of

Representatives passed in her honor. She is also one of Asia Society’s Asia 21 Young Leaders in 2018, a Pulitzer Prize grantee and an Open Society Moving Walls grantee in 2017. In 2015 she was named among BBC’s 100 Women of the World, and as one of 30 Under 30 Women Photographers in 2016.

2 Pinay DHs short-listed for human rights arts awards

Maureen Villanueva’s painting “Innocent Hands” 

By The SUN

Gemma Abad’s dress
made out of the ubiquitous
straw bag (also known as “striped
bag” among OFWs).

Entries from two Filipina domestic workers have been short-listed for this year’s Hong Kong Human Rights Arts Prize 2018 competition whose winners will be known at ceremonies to be held on Dec 8 at The Hive Spring in Aberdeen.

Gemma Abad’s dress made out of the ubiquitous straw bag (“striped bag” among OFWs) and Maureen Villanueva’s painting “Innocent Hands” are among the 23 entries that have been short-listed for the awards, according to HKHRAP director Ms Katie Vadja.

Launched by Justice Centre Hong Kong, the award encourages Hong Kong-based artists to explore local and external humanitarian issues. The 23 entries from 24 artists this year have been selected from over a hundred applicants.

Using mediums ranging from film to neon lights to recyclables, the thought-provoking installations explore topics from migration to sustainability.



The winner of the HKHRAP 2018 will receive a cash prize of $35,000 and a trophy by prominent Hong Kong artist Jaffa Lam.

Two runners-up will also receive cash prizes, and a Directors’ Choice Award will be presented at the exhibition opening.



Previous winners in the arts tilt include Filipina former domestic worker-turned professional photographer Xyza Cruz Bacani for a series of pictures of migrant workers.

Camarines Norte native Abad, who has been working in Hong Kong for the past 11 years, shows the fashion value of the familiar bag.



Her untitled artwork is captioned: “A market bag: ordinary, common, simple and durable transformed into a new form, a new purpose.”

Abad told The SUN she was inspired and encouraged by her employer Kate Sparrow, who is also an artist, to pursue her artistic talent. They collaborated in an exhibit called “Not For Sale” in October.



Villanueva, from Sorsogon, has been working in Hong Kong for six years as domestic helper. Previously, she was a musician in Malaysia and the Philippines but came to Hong Kong after taking up a course as caregiver.

She said her artwork, titled “Innocent hands,” is about rape. The artist said she wanted to emphasize the protection of victims.

Villanueva is a member of Guhit Kulay Hong Kong, a group of Filipino artists, and this, she says, is the first big competition she has joined.

The entries also include “Lie Flat”, an installation by local artist Florence Li that was reportedly inspired by a case study on a maid’s room in a high-end residential estate.

Li’s work questions the standard of living in Hong Kong and what is considered to be adequate living space and conditions.

Tickets to the awards ceremony start at $250, and all proceeds will be donated to Justice Centre Hong Kong. For more information, visit their website: http://www.justicecentre.org.hk/artsprize/

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Pregnant Pinay seeks compensation for dismissal

By Vir B. Lumicao

A 44-year-old pregnant Filipina helper and her former employer have failed to settle their dispute in the Labour Tribunal when the latter insisted only on $10,000 as settlement, prompting the officer to set the case down for trial next year.

That means a long wait with an uncertain outcome for the claimant, Alma (not her real name), who is seven months pregnant and due to give birth on Jan 24.

Presiding officer Eric Tam told Alma and her former employer Ng Fong Yu Fanny on Nov 2 to return on Apr 21 next year and argue their cases in another court.

Tam directed them to each present a witness who can support their claim that it was the other party who terminated their work contract.

He gave them until Dec 15 to submit additional statements.

The helper said she would be asking her employment agent to be her witness while the defendant said she would ask her brother to give evidence for her.

The Filipina is claiming a $14,500 compensation including arrears in wages, one month’s wage in lieu of notice, paid maternity leave and the $4,500 security deposit that the court ordered the defendant to put up.

In a counterclaim, the employer is seeking from the maid $9,000 representing one month’s wage in lieu of notice and damages allegedly due to the claimant’s abrupt departure on Aug 30 that left the employer’s ailing elderly father without any caregiver.

The Filipina insisted it was the employer who ordered her out of the house at the height of an argument that night over where the helper’s coming baby would stay.

The defendant denied sending the maid away. She said she was even very happy about her pregnancy.

“You said you were very happy about her pregnancy, but you told her you can’t accept the baby in your house?” the presiding officer blurted.

The employer denied that, but Tam replied, “You sent her a lot of warning letters.”

The defendant told the court she had a video to prove it was the Filipina who insisted to leave while the employer was asking her to stay.

But the maid said that video was just made up by the employer, who allegedly pretended to beg her to stay in front of police officers whom she had called.

At the hearing, Tam called for a break four times in a vain attempt to get the parties to settle. At the third break, he sent them to the tribunal officer to try to work out a deal.

When they returned, the employer agreed to drop her claims against the Filipina and upped her offer to $10,000. But the helper insisted on $10,500 plus the security deposit.

The presiding officer suggested that the employer raise her offer to $12,500 but both sides rejected this, prompting Tam to set the case for trial in April next year.

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Regalong iPhone8 sa matapat na Pinay

Tunay ngang nabibiyayaan ang mga matapat.

Ito ang napatunayan ni Melinda R. Monsalud, o Mhel sa kanyang mga kaibigan, nang agad niyang ibinalik sa may-ari ang napulot na pitaka na naglalaman ng tumataginting na $60,000 noong ika-7 ng Nobyembre.

Melinda R. Monsalud

Bilang ganti sa kanyang katapatan ay binigyan siya ng bagong-bagong iphone8 ng may-ari ng pitaka na isang Danish national.

Ang nakakabilib na kagandahang loob ni Mhel, na isang miyembro ng United Philippine Taekwondo Organization at walong taon nang nagtatrabaho sa Hong Kong, ang nagbunsod sa isa sa kanyang mga kaibigan na ipaabot sa The SUN ang nangyari.

Araw ng Miyerkules noon, at sakay si Mhel ng bus 5B pauwi sa bahay ng kanyang amo sa Pokfulam mula sa pagdalo sa pang araw-araw na “devotional prayer” sa kapilya ng Iglesia ng Cristo sa Sai Ying Pun nang mapansin niya ang pitaka sa upuan na katapat ng inuupuan niya sa dulo ng bus.

“Nagdalawang isip pa akong damputin dahil baka sakaling nasa loob pa ng bus ang may ari,” sabi niya.

Pero pagkalipas ng ilang minuto ay kinuha na raw niya ito at inisip na iabot sa drayber ng bus, pero naisip niyang mas mapapadali ang pagsauli sa may-ari kung may makikita siyang numero sa loob ng pitaka.

May nakita daw siyang calling card sa loob ng pitaka, at agad niyang tinawagan ang nakapangalan doon para ito na ang magsauli sa may-ari. Alam niya kasing hindi ito ang may-ari, dahil kasama ang pasaporte ng may-ari na ang apelyido ay Fraser at taga Denmark, sa mga dokumento sa pitaka.

“Ilang minuto lang po agad na may tumawag sa akin at yon na nga po ang mismong may ari. Sinabi ko sa kanya na makipagkita po ako sa kanya sa oras na yon (mga 11pm na ng gabi) para iabot na agad ang wallet nya. Noong magkaharap na kami ng may ari ay sinigurado ko na sya nga ang may ari base sa passport na nasa wallet din niya.”

Ayon sa may-ari, pa-suweldo daw ang pera kaya ganoon kalaki. Sinabi naman ni Mhel na nakabalumbon ng tig-$10,000 ang pera sa pitaka kaya madali niyang natantiya na $60,000 ang kabuuang halaga nito.

Pagkaabot niya ng pitaka ay sinabi ng may-ari na magkita silang muli kinabukasan [para sa “reward” niya pero hindi nagkaroon ng pagkakataon si Mhel dahil isang linggong walang pasok ang kanyang mga alaga na nag-aaral sa French International School.

Sa sumunod na Sabado na sila nagkasundong magkita muli.

Nang magkita sila ay muling nagpasalamat ang may-ari, sabay abot sa kanya ng isang iphone 8.

Sa tuwa ni Mhel ay agad siyang nag post tungkol sa nangyari, kasama ang litrato ng pitaka at ng iphone sa kanyang Facebook account, kaya nalaman ng ilan niyang kaibigan.

Pero ang hindi alam ng marami, hindi ito ang unang pagkakataon na nagsauli si Mhel ng mahalagang bagay na napulot niya. Mga dalawang buwan pa lang daw ang nakakalipas ay nakapulot siya ng iphone6 sa bus 5B din, habang pauwi siya sa bahay ng amo.

“Agad naman pong tumawag sa telepono ang may-ari, kaya naisauli ko din agad,” sabi ni Mhel.

Sa pagkakataong ito, isang malugod na pasasalamat ang ipinaabot sa kanya ng may-ari ng telepono na isang Intsik.

May pangatlong beses pa na nangyari ang ganito, nang isang pitaka din na may lamang $8,000 naman ang napulot ni Mhel sa escalator ng Central Library sa Causeway Bay.

May tarheta ang may-ari sa pitaka, kaya agad na natawagan ni Mhel para isauli ito.

“Nag selfie po kami ng may-ari na Intsik, habang hawak-hawak niya ang wallet,” sabi ni Mhel.

Wala ding pabuya na ibinigay sa kanya, pero ayon kay Mhel, sapat na yung malaking pasasalamat na ibinigay nila sa kanya.

Nang malaman ng kanyang simbahan ang tungkol sa pinakahuling pagpapatunay ni Mhel ng kanyang kabutihang loob ay pinarangalan din siya agad noong Linggo, ika-10 ng Nob.

Ayon sa kaibigan niya na si Mercy Permales, isa sa mga pinuno ng UPTO, tunay na kapuri-puri ang ginawa ni Mhel, na isang single mother sa dalawang anak, at tumutulong sa ina niya at iba pang kaanak na nasa Olongapo City.

“Nakaka inspire kasi may pinagdadaanan siya sa buhay noon pero hindi siya nagpadala sa demonyo,” sabi ni Permales. – Daisy CL Mandap 

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