Xyza Cruz Bacani came to Hong Kong as a domestic helper nine years ago-but it wasn't until she started shooting photos on the city's streets that she discovered her true passion. The Magnum Foundation fellowship winner and Hamdan International Photography Award finalist tells about the hardships of working in Hong Kong and how she hopes to use her photography to give a voice to the most marginalized in society.
Xyza Crus Bacani came from Nueva, Vizcaya, Philippines. She is the eldest among the three kids. Her father is here in the Philippines. And her mom still working in Hong Kong as a domestic helper. She is working with the same boss with Xyza for 20 years. Hong Kong is overload. Xyza loves the lights, the people always moving around so fast. She felt the vibe is awesome.
She say, she is officially jobless because she is applying for a visa to attend a course with the Magnum foundation at New York University. So she need to work harder. Her days needs to be filled with stuff to do. She is doing a project on domestic helper abuse "The 900 Square Feet of Hidden Hope”. Xyza want to show awareness to all because it seems that it is very normal for Hong Kong people to abuse their helpers.
Xyza want to tell the people that it is not okay to abuse their helper. So she want to go to places where the domestic helpers and immigrants stay at their day off, shoot their photos and tell their stories. Her documentary photography is different from her street photography. She say that her street photography is just something she love to do. And her documentary work is for people's stories to be heard.
In her documentary you can see someone who was burned on her back, and hit by employer.
We still can't imagine it is still happening in Hong Kong. The basic human rights of most helpers are violated, physically and emotionally. "We are not Chinese, but we are human too. You need to treat us like humans too". Some of the domestic helper who is abused by their employer, run away and are rescued by the Bethune House Migrant Women’s Refuge. Once they sue their employer, their working visas will be cut. Most of the domestic helper just give up and go home. So nobody knows about them.
One more problem of domestic helper in Hong Kong is the place to sleep. Space in Hong Kong is very expensive so most helper that Xyza meet in Bethune house have slept in toilets, in the kitchen. Once you apply to an agency, you pay six months of salary. You cannot get away from your abusive employer because you have a dept to pay and you need to send money to your family. It is the system that allows the abuse to happen. If only we have the option (for the helper to live apart from their employer) we can avoid some of the abuse.
But as of now, it is illegal to live outside. It is hard because you are controlled by your employer. You don't have basic rights. If your employer needs you at 1 A.M, you can't say no because you live with them.
The scary part is termination. You've just arrived, you have a huge dept, and your employer doesn't like your face and can terminate you. A typical day for helpers: wake up early, take the kids to school, go to the market, cook lunch, pick the kids up, clean the house, prepare dinner, then clean the house again. It never really ends. But I think Hong Kong is still good compare to other countries. Xyza say she don't know how to explain her photography. She just walk around and shoot, also she don't have emotional attachment to her street photos. She just love walking around and shooting.
Xyza Cruz Bacani rose to prominence when she was featured in the New York Time Lens blog in June 2014. Her street photography is a touching look at the city.
Friday, June 26, 2015
A Filipina in Hong Kong Acquitted In Child Abuse Case
Jennet A.B., a domestic worker, heaved an audible sigh of relief
inside the courtroom after Magistrate Jason Wan Siuming junked the
“assault occasioning actual bodily harm” case against her on April 17.
Jennet and the boy were having a “pillow fight” in his bed when the
Filipina allegedly hit him in the face. Jennet said the boy
accidentally hit a window sill and she even called her female employer
to tell her about what happened. But when the female employer got home
later, the boy told her that Jennet hit him. The Filipina was accused
of hitting her ward on the face while they were playing inside his
bedroom on October 29 last year.
However, the judge said the prosecution failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Jennet intended to hurt the boy. Because during the trial, defense lawyer Vandana Rajwani questioned the boy, who admitted that it was an accident and “it was nobody’s fault.” The boy changed his tune and said the “accident” was different from the incident when Jennet supposedly hit him. The Judge find the defendant not guilty of the charge…(The boy) gave confusing and sometimes contradictory evidence even on the most important issue. His evidence is not clear so the court cannot be sure (of Jennet’s alleged guilt). The medical evidence shows that he had an injury but it’s not clear how he got it. There are doubts that cannot be resolved. “The evidence provided by this boy is self-contradictory,” Rajwani said. “And when he gave evidence, there were no tears or emotion. It was not a harsh memory of abuse (for him). He just looked tired or bored,” she added. She noted that the boy claimed that he cried for two hours after Jennet hit him but CCTV footage showed him sleeping afterwards.
Because of her four-year-old ward’s conflicting testimony in court, a Filipina was acquitted of child abuse charges in the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts.
Judge Wan said to prove an “assault occasioning actual bodily harm” case, prosecutors should be able to show the “hostile intent” of the assailant. Because he said, he believe that this principle should also be applied to domestic helpers. Hostile intent should be proven. “Otherwise, it is not a case of abuse…it is not a case of assault,”the Judge added.
He noted that sometimes even parents who hit their children are acquitted of this charge because they reason out that they were only trying to discipline their children. A reminder to all OFW, please be very careful if you are working as domestic helper and you take care kids. Once they tell something to their parents, the parents automatically believe their children's story. So many helper gets terminated by their employer because of wrong accusation of the children. You done everything for their family but you are still nothing. You are lucky if your employer did not tolerate their children's tantrums. I hope this story can help those who want to work abroad. take some lesson from what happen to our fellow domestic helper.
However, the judge said the prosecution failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Jennet intended to hurt the boy. Because during the trial, defense lawyer Vandana Rajwani questioned the boy, who admitted that it was an accident and “it was nobody’s fault.” The boy changed his tune and said the “accident” was different from the incident when Jennet supposedly hit him. The Judge find the defendant not guilty of the charge…(The boy) gave confusing and sometimes contradictory evidence even on the most important issue. His evidence is not clear so the court cannot be sure (of Jennet’s alleged guilt). The medical evidence shows that he had an injury but it’s not clear how he got it. There are doubts that cannot be resolved. “The evidence provided by this boy is self-contradictory,” Rajwani said. “And when he gave evidence, there were no tears or emotion. It was not a harsh memory of abuse (for him). He just looked tired or bored,” she added. She noted that the boy claimed that he cried for two hours after Jennet hit him but CCTV footage showed him sleeping afterwards.
Because of her four-year-old ward’s conflicting testimony in court, a Filipina was acquitted of child abuse charges in the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts.
Judge Wan said to prove an “assault occasioning actual bodily harm” case, prosecutors should be able to show the “hostile intent” of the assailant. Because he said, he believe that this principle should also be applied to domestic helpers. Hostile intent should be proven. “Otherwise, it is not a case of abuse…it is not a case of assault,”the Judge added.
He noted that sometimes even parents who hit their children are acquitted of this charge because they reason out that they were only trying to discipline their children. A reminder to all OFW, please be very careful if you are working as domestic helper and you take care kids. Once they tell something to their parents, the parents automatically believe their children's story. So many helper gets terminated by their employer because of wrong accusation of the children. You done everything for their family but you are still nothing. You are lucky if your employer did not tolerate their children's tantrums. I hope this story can help those who want to work abroad. take some lesson from what happen to our fellow domestic helper.
Sunday, June 14, 2015
Success Story of an OFW
Nowadays almost all the news about OFW is bad news. Like drug trafficking, OFW who become drug carrier and sentence to death in Indonesia. OFW who caught in Hong Kong carrying drugs. About an OFW who is tagged of one politician in Hong Kong as home wrecker, and so many more.
Let me share some good news about the success of an OFW's daughter who become the first Filipino elected in UK as town councilor. Cynthia Alcantara-Barker, a native of San Pablo City in Laguna was elected town councilor of Elstree and Borehamwood. This place is considered as England's version of Hollywood. Cynthia's mother was an OFW who went to the UK in 70's to support her five children.she consider her mother as her hero, later she joined her there in UK. Cynthia's mother was a school teacher who had to leave her family, including five young children. She made the same sacrifice that most OFW's make, sent all her money home while she work long hours to insure that the family was well-fed and educated. Almost all OFW's is same, they sacrifice working for long hours and away from home and family. Send all their salary to make sure the family have a brighter future.
Another successful story of an OFW.
Xyza Cruz Bacani, a Filipina domestic helper in Hong Kong who takes breathtaking street photography has been awarded the prestigious Magnum Human Rights scholarship to New York University. the 29 years old grew up in Nueva Vizcaya in Philippines. She went to Hong Kong as a maid to join her mother to work in the same employer. Her passion in photography blossomed after she buy her first camera few years after she moved in Hong Kong. she fell in love with the art. she work six days a week and spend her one day off roaming around in the streets of Hong Kong, capturing everything in her camera.
Maribelle an OFW who grew in Sanches Mira in Cagayan. This is is her story.
She leave her two kids at the very young age. She go and work in Taiwan for the first time for almost six years. when she go back in Philippines, she just stay for a while and decided she need to work again so she can send her two daughters in colleges. This time she go in Hong Kong to work again as a domestic Helper. she send all her salary to make sure the children will have their easy daily life and they can go to school without thinking of any problem but just to study hard. as of this moment I am writing this blog, her two daughters become successful. the eldest graduate in BS Biology with Master's degree. And her youngest graduate as a Pharmacist and now she is one of the Pharmacist in their province. And a self made business woman. Maribelle's sacrifices as an OFW need to be recognized by our government. If it is published so many will be encouraged to work abroad, to strive hard and make their dreams comes true.
This is only few success of the domestic helpers. There is still a lot of untold stories. Because mostly, the stories we can read is about crimes, violence, modern day slavery, drugs and many more. If only some of our government agencies also try to find out the success story of our fellow Filipino. It will inspire to those who want to work abroad.
Let me share some good news about the success of an OFW's daughter who become the first Filipino elected in UK as town councilor. Cynthia Alcantara-Barker, a native of San Pablo City in Laguna was elected town councilor of Elstree and Borehamwood. This place is considered as England's version of Hollywood. Cynthia's mother was an OFW who went to the UK in 70's to support her five children.she consider her mother as her hero, later she joined her there in UK. Cynthia's mother was a school teacher who had to leave her family, including five young children. She made the same sacrifice that most OFW's make, sent all her money home while she work long hours to insure that the family was well-fed and educated. Almost all OFW's is same, they sacrifice working for long hours and away from home and family. Send all their salary to make sure the family have a brighter future.
Another successful story of an OFW.
Xyza Cruz Bacani, a Filipina domestic helper in Hong Kong who takes breathtaking street photography has been awarded the prestigious Magnum Human Rights scholarship to New York University. the 29 years old grew up in Nueva Vizcaya in Philippines. She went to Hong Kong as a maid to join her mother to work in the same employer. Her passion in photography blossomed after she buy her first camera few years after she moved in Hong Kong. she fell in love with the art. she work six days a week and spend her one day off roaming around in the streets of Hong Kong, capturing everything in her camera.
Maribelle an OFW who grew in Sanches Mira in Cagayan. This is is her story.
She leave her two kids at the very young age. She go and work in Taiwan for the first time for almost six years. when she go back in Philippines, she just stay for a while and decided she need to work again so she can send her two daughters in colleges. This time she go in Hong Kong to work again as a domestic Helper. she send all her salary to make sure the children will have their easy daily life and they can go to school without thinking of any problem but just to study hard. as of this moment I am writing this blog, her two daughters become successful. the eldest graduate in BS Biology with Master's degree. And her youngest graduate as a Pharmacist and now she is one of the Pharmacist in their province. And a self made business woman. Maribelle's sacrifices as an OFW need to be recognized by our government. If it is published so many will be encouraged to work abroad, to strive hard and make their dreams comes true.
This is only few success of the domestic helpers. There is still a lot of untold stories. Because mostly, the stories we can read is about crimes, violence, modern day slavery, drugs and many more. If only some of our government agencies also try to find out the success story of our fellow Filipino. It will inspire to those who want to work abroad.
Friday, May 29, 2015
Indonesian Banned to send Domestic worker in Saudi Arabia
Indonesia will stop sending new domestic workers to 21 Middle Eastern countries, after the recent execution of two Indonesian women in Saudi Arabia that angered Jakarta government. The ban affects countries including Saudi Arabia (this is a major destination for Indonesian maids, and also for Filipinos), United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Egypt, and it will come into effect in three month's time, their Manpower Minister Hanif Dhakiri said.Jakarta, is complaining for long time already about the treatment of Indonesian maids in the Middle East, had already placed a moratorium on sending new helpers to Saudi Arabia in 2011 following the beheading of a worker.
Permanent ban
The new move of Indonesian government is meant to be permanent. Maids already working in the affected countries will be allowed to stay and continue in their positions. Indonesia is angry at the executions of its citizens abroad comes despite the fact that Jakarta last week executed seven foreign drug convicts, drawing a storm of international protest. “According to the law, the government has the right to stop sending migrant workers in particular countries if it is believed that their employment degrades human values and the dignity of the nation.” Manpower Minister Hanif Dhakiri said, there were “many problems” with Indonesians working abroad related to “labour norms and human rights violations”. Dhakiri cited the execution of Indonesian domestic workers Siti Zainab and Karni Binti Medi Tarsim, who were both put to death for murder just days apart in April.
Promise fulfilled
President Joko Widodo, vowed in February that maids would no longer be sent abroad in future, although he did not mention a date. I hope our own government here in Philippines can do the same. To try to find ways that all Filipino can work here, so we no need to go abroad to become maid. If Indonesia can do it, Philippines can do it too. So no one will go and live faraway from home and from our family. As well as the Middle East, Indonesia also sends domestic workers to many parts of Asia, including Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia, and has often complained about the treatment of its workers in those countries. A Hong Kong woman was jailed for six years in February for beating and starving her Indonesian maid ''Erwana'' and keeping her prisoner, in a high-profile case that drew attention to the abuse of domestic helpers in the financial hub. I hope that this news will be a wake up call to our own Government. To protect Filipinos, to protect our human values and dignity from racist.
Saturday, May 2, 2015
How to: Apply for a Philippine Passport
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:
Personal appearance
Confirmed appointment
Birth Certificate (BC) in Security Paper (SECPA) issued by the National Statistics Office (NSO) or Certified True Copy (CTC) of BC issued by the Local Civil Registrar (LCR) and duly authenticated by NSO.
No need to submit a passport size photo
Valid picture ID's and supporting to prove identity (please refer to list of acceptable ID's and supporting documents)
For Married Men and Women:
Marriage Contract in Security Paper issued by the National Statistics Office or original and photocopy of the Certified True Copy of Marriage Contract issued by the Local Civil Registrar and duly authenticated by NSO.
For Minor Applicants (below 18 years old):
Confirmed appointment (except for 1 year old and below)
Personal appearance of the minor applicant
Personal appearance of parents
Original Birth Certificate of minor in Security Paper issued by NSO
Document with identity with photo such as School ID or Form 137 with readable dry seal
Marriage Certificate of minor's parent duly authenticated by NSO
Notarized affidavit of support and consent to travel from either parent
Original and photocopy of valid passport of parents
LIST OF ACCEPTABLE ID's (at least 1 of the following):
Government issued ID's such as the following:
Digitized SSS ID
Driver's License
GSIS E-card
PRC ID
IBP ID
OWWA ID
Digitized BIR ID
Senior Citizens ID
Old College ID
Alumni ID
Old Employment ID
LIST OF SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS (at least 3 of the following):
Voter's ID
NBI Clearance
Marriage Contract
Police Clearance
Barangay Clearance
NSO Birth Certificate of children
All of the above mentioned is the one you need to prepare if you want to apply for a passport. If you are prepared with all the documents it is hassle free for you. Earrings and contact lenses are not allowed during data capturing. Smiling with visible teeth is also not allowed. Please check all the data in the computer monitor and in the Enrollment Certificate before signing it. Only immediate family members are allowed to get the passport in behalf of the applicant. Immediate family members include father, mother, brother, sister, spouse and children of legal age. Passport shall be released to an immediate family member only with proper authorization letter. Passport of a minor applicant shall be released to parents only or to an authorized representative with Special Power of Attorney and Affidavit of Support and Consent.
Passports unclaimed after six (6) months will be canceled per Department Order No. 37-03. Make sure to check all data in the received e-passport upon release. Number of processing days may vary depending on the location of the Regional Consular Office where the application was filed. Power failures, technical breakdowns and natural calamities may delay the release of passports.
Update for Mary Jane Veloso's case
The decision to delay the execution was taken by President Widodo after receiving reports about an ongoing legal process in the Philippines. He said, ''because the legal process is still ongoing, we must ensure Mary Jane Veloso deserves justice''. Veloso's alleged recruiter, Maria Christina Sergio, surrendered to police on Tuesday. The Philippine Department of Justice is set to begin its preliminary investigation on Sergio and two others allegedly involved in the Veloso case on May 8. Sergio, her partner Julius Lacanilao, and a certain ''Ike'' have been charged with human trafficking, illegal recruitment, and estafa. But Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno, Indonesia's Coordinating Minister of Political, Legal and Security Affairs, clarified that the delay in the execution “does not cancel the death penalty” on Veloso. There was a new evidence. We respect the law in the Philippines and we will clarify. The law will still go on, but this does not cancel the death penalty. At this stage, this does not cancel the execution, Purdijatno said. He added that following Sergio’s surrender, “we will question Mary Jane as a witness''.
My conclusion is: Never accept bags from strangers!
In foreign airports, especially, you might meet kababayans who have gone over their baggage limits and request you to pass off one of their bags as yours. Don't do it!
You don't know what those bags contain. Politely but firmly decline. It's good to be kind; but it's better to be safe, especially when you're traveling. Let them hate you by not helping them, all the love in the world won't save you if those bags happen to contain illegal substances. And even if those bags contain nothing but chocolate bars, excess baggage is an avoidable problem, and it shouldn't be YOUR problem. You shouldn't have to take the risk. It is probably not a good idea to accept bags from neighbors or "friends" either.
I'm referring to a real-life case, Mary Jane Veloso, the Filipina who was sentenced to death in Indonesia for transporting heroin in the lining of a suitcase that she says had been given to her by a neighbor, someone she knew and trusted. The one thing we can do, is moving forward, and to make sure that something like this will not happen again.
Place to go if you want to find HELP in Hong Kong
So many of our fellow Filipino domestic helper needs to know about some place in Hong Kong. A place where they can find help and shelter if there is no way but to go down from their employers house. So many domestic helper both from Philippines and Indonesia is not lucky to find good employer in Hong Kong. Most of them suffered from the hand of their employer for the very simple reason and they have nowhere to go. Not, now. Bethune house or most common known as Mission for Migrant workers is one of those places whom you really can find help and shelter. I will tell you the story of the Indonesian helper that suffered from the hand of her 3rd employer in Hong Kong and how she escaped and find place,shelter and comfort in Bethune house.
Siti Khotmah, 34 years old from Central Java, Indonesia. Like most of us, she go to Hong Kong to give brighter future to her family. She need to send his 12 years old son to secondary school and need to help her old parents for their daily financial needs. She have 3 employers for more than 4 years stay in Hong Kong. Her first employer she only stay for four months with them. Her employer hire her as a second helper in the household because they are expecting their first baby. But after four month, they decided that they don't need her anymore so they terminate their contract with her. It is hard for her that time since she is first timer in Hong Kong. Her salary is only HKD3,000.00 and she need to pay 7 months salary deduction to her employment agency. Luckily she found new employer, and this time she stay with them for four years. After four years, the employer don't need her so she need to find new employer again. And in this new employer, she stay only for one month and 20 days.
Her employer always hit her for a simple reason and little mistakes. The last time because Siti kept the broken plastic bag that her employer ask her to throw away thinking that she still can use it for something else. Her employer is so angry when she found it, then she ask her what's wrong with her eyes and slapped her. One time her employer also slapped her inside the lift. It is always happening, since she start working with that employer. Sometimes she hit Siti so hard that she felt dizzy. Siti is afraid to run away and tell the police of what is happening to her inside her employers house. She is afraid to tell the police because if they didn't help her she had nowhere to go and no place to sleep. She try to complain to her agency, but the agency always listen to the employer so she just keep quit and endure the pain.
Finally, Siti come into her senses and contacted the Mission for Migrant workers (Bethune house) and they are the one who help her to go to the police.That day she went to the police, she still have blood in her eyes and a week -old blue bruise from where she is slapped by her employer. When the police call her employer, she denied doing anything against Siti. But the police found the video recording from the lift. Now, Siti is staying at Bethune house while waiting to find new employer. She is helping other domestic helper who have same fate as her to go to the police, see the lawyer, go to the doctor and in Immigration Department. Siti find comfort of a family in Bethune house.
So to all domestic helper, you don't need to worry. There are a lot of place where you can go, to seek help if you need. Just bear in mind, the only thing we have in our self is the courage to learn our rights and to fight for domestic slavery. Don't hesitate to ask places where at the end it is very useful. If it is not for you, it is for your fellows who needs help. That is a big help to someone if you know some important places. You can help by telling your fellow domestic helper where to go in times that they want to find help. To those who are lucky that you have a good employer, please share your blessings to those who is less fortunate.
Siti Khotmah, 34 years old from Central Java, Indonesia. Like most of us, she go to Hong Kong to give brighter future to her family. She need to send his 12 years old son to secondary school and need to help her old parents for their daily financial needs. She have 3 employers for more than 4 years stay in Hong Kong. Her first employer she only stay for four months with them. Her employer hire her as a second helper in the household because they are expecting their first baby. But after four month, they decided that they don't need her anymore so they terminate their contract with her. It is hard for her that time since she is first timer in Hong Kong. Her salary is only HKD3,000.00 and she need to pay 7 months salary deduction to her employment agency. Luckily she found new employer, and this time she stay with them for four years. After four years, the employer don't need her so she need to find new employer again. And in this new employer, she stay only for one month and 20 days.
Her employer always hit her for a simple reason and little mistakes. The last time because Siti kept the broken plastic bag that her employer ask her to throw away thinking that she still can use it for something else. Her employer is so angry when she found it, then she ask her what's wrong with her eyes and slapped her. One time her employer also slapped her inside the lift. It is always happening, since she start working with that employer. Sometimes she hit Siti so hard that she felt dizzy. Siti is afraid to run away and tell the police of what is happening to her inside her employers house. She is afraid to tell the police because if they didn't help her she had nowhere to go and no place to sleep. She try to complain to her agency, but the agency always listen to the employer so she just keep quit and endure the pain.
Finally, Siti come into her senses and contacted the Mission for Migrant workers (Bethune house) and they are the one who help her to go to the police.That day she went to the police, she still have blood in her eyes and a week -old blue bruise from where she is slapped by her employer. When the police call her employer, she denied doing anything against Siti. But the police found the video recording from the lift. Now, Siti is staying at Bethune house while waiting to find new employer. She is helping other domestic helper who have same fate as her to go to the police, see the lawyer, go to the doctor and in Immigration Department. Siti find comfort of a family in Bethune house.
So to all domestic helper, you don't need to worry. There are a lot of place where you can go, to seek help if you need. Just bear in mind, the only thing we have in our self is the courage to learn our rights and to fight for domestic slavery. Don't hesitate to ask places where at the end it is very useful. If it is not for you, it is for your fellows who needs help. That is a big help to someone if you know some important places. You can help by telling your fellow domestic helper where to go in times that they want to find help. To those who are lucky that you have a good employer, please share your blessings to those who is less fortunate.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)