Maricris’s Story – Empowering Migrant Domestic Workers as a Teacher and as a Student

 “Take the opportunity to continue learning, to know more and fight for your rights.” That is the advice from Maricris to her fellow migrant domestic workers (MDWs). 

Maricris is a Filipina migrant domestic worker in Hong Kong. From Mondays to Saturdays, Maricris carries out domestic duties at her employer’s home.  Outside of work, she serves as a committee member in the Progressive Labor Union of Domestic Workers – Hong Kong (PLUDW-HK), carrying out union activities after work and on weekends. Between November 2023 and August 2024, Maricris participated in the JWB x FADWU Hong Kong Caseworker Mentorship Programme 2023-24 to build her caseworker skills, so that she can  provide crucial support to her sisters in the migrant domestic worker community. We spoke with Maricris to learn more about her story. 

1) Can you share your story before coming to Hong Kong?

I grew up in Bulacan, in the Philippines. I have a large family to support – hence I worked abroad as a factory worker in Taiwan a few years before.  To support my grandchildren’s studies, I came to Hong Kong in 2020 to become a migrant domestic worker.  The journey can be quite daunting at first, being so far away from my loved ones and adapting to a new life from scratch.  A few friends then invited me to join a few gatherings from PLUDW-HK. I was amazed by the warm community and their dedication to supporting our sisters on labor rights – it’s now my new family!

2) What is your role in PLUDW-HK?

I joined the union as I wanted to help my sisters. It is a great place to build our skills, connect with like-minded people, and fight for our rights. I currently serve as the Head of the Social and Cultural Committee. I am the dance instructor and help design the choreography for members to perform at large-scale events.  On the weekends, we also attend leadership training to improve our organizing, presentation, and public speaking skills.

3) The Caseworker Mentorship Programme is a very intensive programme, consisting of several workshops, coaching sessions, and community outreach throughout a 10-month period. What are your motivations for joining the programme?

I learnt about JWB through the JWB x PLUDW-HK Forum last September, where Jaime and Celine introduced this meaningful programme to us. It is a great opportunity to challenge myself and build essential knowledge about Hong Kong employment law, discrimination law, and practical casework skills to help my sisters, in case they face similar issues.  I think it’s important as we may not fully understand what rights we are entitled to or where to seek help when problems arise. 

4) What is the most enjoyable session from the programme?

I found the session on living arrangements helpful, as many of us workers live in cramped spaces and do not enjoy private space in our employer’s home. The session gave me insights on how to deal with this problem. I also like the interactive exercises with our legal mentors to practice interview skills and how to collect evidence. 

From left: Jaime Wong (Co-Head of Hong Kong Office), Gillyn, Bhing, legal mentor Julianne Chan (Simmons& Simmons), legal fellow Noor Tayyab, Lorie, Rose, Maricris and legal mentor Latifah Sat (Clifford Chance) doing exercises on conducting interviews

In the outreach sessions, it was not easy to reach out to migrant domestic workers out of the blue, but I learnt how to make small talk and connect with them. Some shared about their lives, interests, and even hardships. It was an eye-opening experience and I built up my confidence around it.

5) You taught many of the mentees and mentors how to dance Zumba during break times at our workshops – and the energy you bring is electric! Why do you enjoy dancing?

[I dance to] to feel happy. It is a great hobby to express ourselves, dress up, put on makeup – sometimes we wear male costumes to assume the role of male dancer in folk dances. Dancing is such a breather after a week of hard work.  We can hang out with our girls and display our dancing skills in the public. We post our videos on Facebook, and our friends like them very much. 

6) What are your plans for the future?

I hope I can put my casework skills into practice and help my sisters in need. I would encourage everyone to learn about their rights and build their skills whenever the opportunity comes!