During the talkback, Lee shared with the audience that he and his co-writer Moira Lang did a lot of interviews with OFW mothers and their children during the film’s writing process. “We made sure, my co-writer and our director Rory, that we would not blame anyone in the story—the parents or the children. Neither is accountable for being in a society where there is a need to separate just to live. We ensured that we would be truthful to the voice of a mother and a child and that we would not choose sides,” said the National Artist on their portrayal of the characters of Josie and Carla.

The effects of the Filipino diaspora in the late 20th century are varied and arguably on a case-to-case basis. However, the estrangement of the relationships is one of the common denominators of families in that era. This has somehow changed in the 21st century, where poverty and lack of job opportunities are not anymore the only factors Filipinos consider when working abroad, but also the personal dream of making thriving careers internationally.

Santos, who portrayed Josie, the lead character in the film, initiated several programmes in the Batangas province during her stint as its governor. She shared how being close to her family helped her better understand Josie’s character. In her famous one-take confrontation scene with her co-star, her dialogue also reflected her struggles as a mother.

Although times have changed, the prevalence of mothers leaving their children early to work abroad continues to have detrimental effects on certain families’ mental and emotional health. But another dimension of Filipino mothers’ struggle is being attached to the children they care for, which we see in another show, Expats, produced and distributed by Amazon’s Prime Video.

Based on Janice Y K Lee’s 2016 novel The Expatriates, the series showcases the interconnected lives of Americans living and working in Hong Kong and the ‘helpers’ they have who are overseas Filipino workers. The six-episode drama opens in the aftermath of the tragic disappearance of Margaret’s (Nicole Kidman) kid. Seasoned Filipina actor Ruby Ruiz portrayed the supporting character of Essie, who became attached to the child as their nanny and had to deal with the grief subtly because of her position in the household.

Compared with the source material, the series expounded on the lives of live-in domestic workers in Hong Kong—the dreams they pursue, their families who long for them and communicate with them via video calls, and the gossip around the community. The thriving community of these ‘Ate’ [big sisters] was colourfully shown in the episode “Central”, as they are known to set up tents and chairs to gather around beneath Central’s towering skyscrapers every Sunday.

If Anak portrays Josie as dutiful yet emotionally distant from her employers, Expats shows Essie and Puri (Amelyn Pardenilla) as able to have longer and more meaningful conversations with the families they care for. Relationships are more complicated as there are factors such as being more familiar with their wards, which make them susceptible to their employers’ jealousy, their personal interests and goals that clash with their duties and responsibilities in the household, and more. In the “Central” episode, one unnamed domestic helper in a scene reminds Puri not to confuse her employer’s kindness to her with trust—which she learns the hard way eventually.

Similar to Lee’s approach, Wang and the writers behind Expats also met with overseas Filipino workers and their expat friends in Hong Kong during the filming that took four to five months. In adding context and flashbacks to understand the choices of the lead characters better, Wang was able to depict the realities of the expats’ lives from a middle ground where there is room for empathy towards the characters while not shying away from showing the bitter truth.

In these two works set in distant periods, a thread that binds the narratives of these mothers is their love for their families. Josie’s character in Anak illuminates the realities an OFW mother faces upon returning to the Philippines. Essie’s character in Expats shows her longing to return someday, but she was given an opportunity that was difficult to pass. In Josie, we see a mother willing to swallow all the pain of having difficulty reconnecting with her children and wooing them. In Essie, we see someone willing to go to great lengths for children who are not her own.

Besides the theme of a mother’s love, Anak and Expats also shed light on the abuses inflicted upon domestic helpers, which were portrayed contrastingly. In Anak, we see Josie being maltreated by her employers, and in a flashback scene, we learn that her passport is being kept from her. In Expats, the abuse is more subtle, to the point that the employers are unaware of the emotional damage, as it has always been masked by kindness and respect.

Last March 2023, the United Filipinos in Hong Kong (UNIFIL-Migrante HK) protested the possible implementation of new regulations by Hong Kong’s Department of Labour that prevent OFWs from leaving their employers. 

“[If] we are treated justly and humanely, our working conditions [are] good and our rights as migrant workers inside our employer’s household [are upheld] and protected, no migrant domestic worker will be forced to terminate a contract, and we will not think of leaving our job,” said UNIFIL-Migrante HK chairperson Dolores Balladeres.

Josie and Essie are two different personas reflective of migrant workers in Hong Kong—one endured abuse, and one experienced kindness—yet they complete a picture of a mother willing to sacrifice her happiness in exchange for another’s joy. This International Women’s Month, we remember how vital mothers are in shining light on a home—whether theirs or not—and how resilient and relentless love shapes this light in their hearts.

The Filipino diaspora has inspired literature and art throughout the decades. Sunday Beauty Queen, the award-winning documentary by Baby Ruth Villarama, is another excellent film to watch to peek at the lives of migrant workers in Hong Kong. There, you might be able to understand better the struggles of these migrant workers, whom we deem as our modern-day heroes.

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