WikiAdvocates/Programs/Women@Work Philippines 2023
We recognize the different contributions of women in our society, may it be in simple ways or those that create greater impact. For years, we have been working with the Art+Femininsm Campaign and SheSaid drive, editing entries in Wikipedia and Wikiquote for notable women and individuals who fought for equal gender rights. There is still an abundance of untapped information among simple women in our community that we knew would inspire Wikimedians to seek equal representation of gender. In this community immersion, we interviewed several women at work and asked about the nature of their field and their knowledge about their rights, and in some instances, we just let them share their inspiring stories with us.
Confined in a small room, with pieces of cloth left from either repairs or unclaimed by her customers, this woman is never bothered by the clutter. She continuously presses her foot on the machine, ensuring every thread binds each part of a dress as if weaving the dreams and hopes of whoever owns it. Her sewing machine is a witness to her lifelong commitment to her industry. She wouldn't have known where her creations had gone, but her mark on her customer’s day-to-day lives is visible in their success. Despite her old age, her mastery of her craft is truly visible in the way she folds each corner and how she maneuvers the almost worn machine. To quote how dedicated she was to her work, “Dai ko hinihiling an uniporme bilang uniporme sana. Mantang ini sakong tinatahi, nahihiling ko ining sulot na kan tawong titahian ko.” I don’t see uniforms as mere uniforms. Every time I sew these clothes, I see them already being put on by my customers.
Even a few meters away from where she works, the sweet smell of liquid detergents and fabric conditioner already invites you for a chit-chat. Upon entering the small laundry house, what you witness is how a machine and a human mutually blend. There is a rhythm in her every moment, pressing buttons on these huge washing machines, filling up the containers with just the adequate amount to ensure the clothes are both cleaned and soaked in foamy water, while also multi-tasking in folding those clothes from the dryer. She would flatten each shirt, gently pressing with her rugged hand the creases, and pack those folded clothes in a plastic bag tightly. This has been her 5-day routine for almost three years, but as she told us, the way she worked hard on her first day was the same way it is even now.
The aroma of the smoked fish in the “Tinapahan” would leave you craving a cup of newly-cooked rice. Their product has been a staple food for every Filipino, especially those we consider to be below the poverty line. One piece of this “tinapa” can be equivalent to two plates of rice; that’s how tasty it is. When asked about their formula or if there was a secret process, the two women just gave us a slight smile. There was no trick, after all, just similar procedures being passed on to them by those who had previously worked here. “Sa hiling ko, sa dawa ano paman na pagkakan, kun hinahaman mo na igwa nin pagpadangat sa makakan, magigi yan masiram.” I think, in any kind of food, as long as you work with it with your heart, it’ll turn out to be delicious.