During the Cordillera Day celebration, Movers-Unifil-HK volunteers offer counseling services to fellow migrant workers. Movers-Unifil-HK also provides (a) legal education and assistance; (b) documentation, research, and information dissemination; and (c) pastoral care. At present, their shelter called the Bethune House accommodates Filipinos, Indonesians, and Indians, said Dayao.
But even if they make do with what they have in Hong Kong, “there’s still no place like home.” That is why, whenever possible, OFWs prefer to celebrate Cordillera Day in the Philippines, as what Guinaban and Dayao did this year.
Celebrating at home
Guinaban timed her vacation this year in April so that she could attend the Cordillera Day celebration in Licuan, Abra, her hometown. She has been working as a domestic helper in Hong Kong since 1995. She is a college graduate, with education units but worked as a factory worker in Baguio. She taught for a while under the non-formal education program of the Aquino administration. She was then teaching 25 years old and below Abrenians how to read and write. But the sessions lasted only for three days, which, she said, was not enough.
“Napakahirap dahil 40 minutes ang lalakarin ko bago makarating sa lugar. Pa’no matututo ‘yun? sa tatlong araw lang?” (I had to walk for 40 minutes to reach the place. How could they learn anything in three days?) said Guinaban. She was paid a mere P3,000 even if they had to climb mountains to reach her “students.”
Then, Guinaban’s family survived through farming their ancestral land. “Sapat na sana sa family kaso hindi naman productive na ibenta sa market dahil walang kalsada..pa’no ‘yung ibang needs gaya ng education?” (It could have been sufficient for the family but it did not pay much to sell the produce as there were not farm-to-market roads. We could not pay for our other needs such as education.)
During her 13 years of working in Hong Kong, Guinaban was able to spend her vacation in her hometown only seven times, including this year. But this is the first time she was able to attend the local celebration of Cordillera Day.
“Iba ‘yung feeling. Proud ako ito (Abra) ang napiling place. Nakakaiyak na maraming dumating at kasama sila sa paglaban sa isyu naming. ‘Di ko alam kung pa’no sila pasasalamatan sa suporta nila,” (I feel proud that Abra was chosen as the venue for this year’s celebration. Seeing the many people who attended this year’s celebration and who are supporting our issues makes me cry. I do not know how to thank them for their support.) said Guinaban. She recognizes the impact that the people who attended the celebration could create just by merely telling others about the issues of the people of Abra and the Cordillera region.
For Dayao, this is the fifth time she was able to celebrate Cordillera Day in the Philippines. Dayao has also been working as a domestic helper in Hong Kong since 1981. Being the eldest, she was forced to work abroad to help support her five other siblings and her mother, who suffered physical injuries from an accident in 2002 and from a stroke in 2003. Because of these incidents, her mother requires maintenance medicines amounting to P10,000 ($237.86 at an exchange rate of $1=P42.04) a month.
Dayao said she is only earning HK$3,480 and that is just enough to support her own needs and her mother’s. Fortunately, her employer shoulders her airfare whenever she spends her vacation in the Philippines. “Gusto ko talaga mas makita ko s’ya nang regular kasi sympre tumatanda na ang nanay ko,” (I really want to see my mother regularly as she is already old.) said Dayao, whose vacation coincides with Cordillera Day most of the time.
According to Guinaban, there were about 10 OFWs who were able to attend the Cordillera Day celebration this year.
Continuing the fight
Even if they work in a foreign land, OFWs keep themselves updated on issues affecting not only their respective provinces but also the whole country.
Through Unifil-HK, the OFWs are informed about and are able to discuss the urgent issues of the day during special meetings, leaders’ forums, and their regular gatherings every Sunday. OFWs also do their share in the advocacy for these issues through conducting protest actions at the Philippine Consulate in Hong Kong and signature drives.
“Pero kung urgent at hindi nakakapag-meet agad, meron namang text, tawag o internet para malaman ‘yung isyung ‘yun,” (If there is an urgent issue and we are not able to meet immediately, we call or send text messages to each other.) said Guinaban.
But, of course, OFWs still prefer to be at home.
“Napakasaya dito sa amin pero mahirap. Kung sana nakakasuporta sa needs namin…trabaho, patubig..edukasyon wala,” lamented Guinaban. “Talagang pinabayaan kami para maging mahirap. Kaya ayaw nilang bigyang pansin kami..para bilhin nila..para madali nilang kunin mga resources namin.” (We are happy here but life is hard. If only, we get support for our needs such as jobs, irrigation, and education, but there is none. I feel we are being neglected on purpose to keep us poor, to be able to get our resources easily.)
Guinaban said, “Kahit mag-aral ang mga tao, may mga prinsipyo kami na minana sa aming ninuno.” (Even if there are some among us who are able to move forward in life because of their education, we do not forget the principles passed on to us by our ancestors) She explained that even if only four villages would be directly affected by the mining exploration, other neighboring villages would also join the fight. “’Pag scattered kami (Binongan tribe) pati culture namin (at ng ibang tribo) mawawala.” (If we are not united, even our culture would vanish.)
She added that even if her brothers and sisters already live with their own families in Bangued, Abra’s capital, she said they still go in Licuan where their parents live because their memories were born in this very land.
Dayao also share the same sentiment. Although she admits that life is very hard in the province especially during these difficult times, she nevertheless would not hesitate to go back when she retires.
“Kung babalik ka naman dito, ano’ng babalikan mo?” (If I go back now, what is there for me?) said Dayao, noting that there is no gainful employment available that would enable her to support her mother’s medical needs.
Guinaban originally planned to resign from her employer this year but first she wants to make sure that their organizations in Hong Kong, the ATIS and Licuan HK Assoc, would be able to continue fighting for the rights and interests of OFWs and the Filipino people.
“2008 dapat uuwi na talaga ako for good. Pero gusto ko muna mag-train ng iba pa sa ATIS para ‘di mawasak ‘yung org..di masayang ‘yung mga pinaghirapan namin,” (I plan to go home for good in 2008. But I still want to train people who would be able to take on responsibilities in the organization. It would be a pity if the organization that we worked hard to build would cease to function.) said Guinaban, noting that ATIS is one of the migrant groups that fellow OFWs have been able to rely on. (Bulatlat.com)
