A lot of Filipinos have entered Hong Kong to work as domestic helpers in recent years, because of the geographic location and high salaries in Hong Kong. Every Sunday is the common day-off for all these Filipino domestic helpers.
Some Filipino domestic helpers gathered under the pedestrain overpass on Sundays.
In this one-day holiday each week, some of them go to church and read the Bible, while most of them prefer to get together in the Central. The district from the Admiralty to the Causeway Bay is their most frequently gathering place. They like choosing open public space, including on the pedestrian overpass, in squares, in wide passages of shopping malls and so on.
Maybe this has bad effects on the appearance of the city, they consider these places to be the only places they can stay in the holiday.
They take some blankets, newspapers and cartons to make private space. To relax is the main purpose for them in the holiday. Chatting, playing cards and chess are all their favorite things to do. They will also buy some food and eat together.
Their work as domestic helpers lasts from Monday to Saturday, so Sunday is the only time for most of them to call back home. These Filipino women usually leave their children in Philippines and can seldom see children every year.
Three women interviewed in this slideshow are all domestic helpers from the Philippines. One of them is a newcomer, while the other two have stayed in Hong Kong for several years. They have different preferring things to do in their day-off and different opinions on whether the one-day-off is enough for them.
Having served for different employers, they have various feelings about the domestic help work and the city of Hong Kong.
Thank you for this post! I am from PolyU and just completed a similar group video project ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8EBGg_2fhk&feature=player_embedded )
Now I am writing up an online feature and am really glad about your input on the helpers’ feelings about their holiday.
One thing that came out in my interview of Hong Kong children is that their helper sometimes attends university on her holiday. Unfortunately they did not know what she studies… but I am quite curious how the helpers spend their holidays and get involved in society other than through gathering in Central or attending church.
I can’t believe Grace is not allowed to use the phone from Monday-Saturday! Ridiculous! Love finally being able to hear the Filipino domestic workers voice, I always see them on Sundays and wonder what their stories are.
Phone calls are not forbidden from Monday-Saturday for Grace. In fact, she must work for the whole day and there is no enough time for her to call back home. She also thinks that her employer will dislike it if seeing her calling during work. People just see the domestic helpers’ gathering, and the slideshow aims to show what these domestic helpers are concerning about.