Copyright © and Moral Rights for This Phd Thesis Are Retained by the Author And/Or Other Copyright Owners. a Copy Can Be Downlo
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Lee, Sarah S. Y. (2016) Between worlds : Filipino domestic workers in Hong Kong, 1970-2005. PhD Thesis. SOAS, University of London. http://eprints.soas.ac.uk/id/eprint/23579 Copyright © and Moral Rights for this PhD Thesis are retained by the author and/or other copyright owners. A copy can be downloaded for personal non‐commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge. This PhD Thesis cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the copyright holder/s. The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. When referring to this PhD Thesis, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the PhD Thesis must be given e.g. AUTHOR (year of submission) "Full PhD Thesis title", name of the School or Department, PhD PhD Thesis, pagination. BETWEEN WORLDS: FILIPINO DOMESTIC WORKERS IN HONG KONG, 1970-2005 Sarah S.Y. Lee Thesis submitted for the degree of PhD in History 2016 Department of History SOAS, University of London 1 Declaration for PhD thesis I have read and understood regulation 17.9 of the Regulations for students of the SOAS, University of London concerning plagiarism. I undertake that all the material presented for examination is my own work and has not been written for me, in whole or in part, by any other person. I also undertake that any quotation or paraphrase from the published or unpublished work of another person has been duly acknowledged in the work which I present for examination. Signed: ____________________________ Date: _________________ 2 Abstract This study examines the transformation of Filipino domestic service in Hong Kong from its official recognition by the Hong Kong government in the 1970s to 2005. In undertaking a historical analysis on the origins, legislation, discourses and practices of the Filipino migrant community in Hong Kong, this dissertation aims to shed light on the way abstract concepts that are attached to nationality and citizenship become inscribed into everyday existence and become markers of status and belonging. This dissertation departs from existing scholarship on Hong Kong which has predominantly focused on the 1997 Handover, conceptions of democracy, and economic development. By using a multi-method approach, involving archival work, participant observation and interviews, I argue that the developments of the Filipino community in Hong Kong are not isolated or unique, nor are they simply political or social. The dissertation highlights the ways in ways in which the actions and perceptions of the Hong Kong and Philippine government, local and expat employers and employment agencies instigate and sustain the marginalisation of domestic helpers. Attention to this oft-ignored aspect of Hong Kong’s history is important in understanding the cultural and social history of the city by highlighting how Chinese locals, foreign expats and Filipino migrants, who are often written in contrast with one another, are in actuality simultaneously bound and affected by each other. Keywords: Hong Kong; Filipino; Domestic Service; Migration; Labour; Industrialisation; NGOs; Public Space; Citizenship 3 Table of Contents Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................................... 6 Abbreviations ............................................................................................................................................ 7 Note on Romanisation and Terms ............................................................................................................ 9 Note on Interviews ................................................................................................................................. 10 Chapter 1: Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 11 Historiographies of Hong Kong and Domestic Work Studies of Household and Domestic Work Hong Konger, Hong Kong Belongers: A History History of Chinese and Filipino Inter-ethnic Relations Research Approach and Methodology Chapterisation Terminology Chapter 2: The Birth of an Industry ................................................................................................................... 42 Historical Background of Hong Kong From Village to Metropolis The Rise of the 'New' Middle Class of Hong Kong Chapter 3: Insitutionalising Domesticity ......................................................................................................... 63 The Question of Belonging Origin of State Management of Foreign DHs in Hong Kong Origins of State Management of Domestic Service: The Philippines 4 Chapter 4: Seeing Double: Visions of Domestic Service ............................................................................. 97 Content, Audience and Response Manuals Letters to the Editor Understanding Employers: Popular Themes Whither Lady Bountiful? Of Simple-Mindedness and Domesticity Building Security Without Trust Chapter 5: Little Manila in Hong Kong .......................................................................................................... 127 Little Manila: The Making of a Migrant Enclave The Occupation of Central: Reclaiming Chater Road Between the Churches and the Streets: Interviews on Chater Road Empowerment Discrimination and Disadvantage Internalisation of the System Chapter 6: Local Articulations of Agency and Resistance ........................................................................ 155 Supply and Demand Forming a Social Movement Organisational Approaches of M-UN-MI Education and Empowerment Through Awareness-Building Counselling and Education Political Advocacy Chapter 7: Conclusion ......................................................................................................................................... 180 Glossary ...................................................................................................................................................................... 188 Bibliography ............................................................................................................................................................... 190 5 Acknowledgements I owe my completion of this dissertation to a number of organisations and people who have been instrumental in the completion of this journey. This is not only the product of my work (thankfully, no blood was shed, but there were definitely sweat and tears), but also a testament to the generous amount of support and encouragement that I have received from numerous mentors, colleagues, and friends. My family never really came to terms with my passion and interest in the Filipino community in Hong Kong, but they have always stood by me and for that I am grateful. It has been my great fortune to have spent the past six years at SOAS where I have received an incredible amount of support from the History Department. I am indebted to the boundless patience and imaginative depth of my supervisor Dr. Lars Laamann, whose presence and advice have always given me hope and faith where little was left. I have also profited from the positivity and generosity of the members of my supervisory committee, Dr. Andrea Janku and Professor William Gervase Clarence-Smith. I am also thankful for the guidance of Dr. Angus Lockyer and Dr. Christopher Gerteis, both of whom have been instrumental in my work, informing and changing the ways in which I have approached questions about language, teaching and history. It was my mistake to have spent my first two years at SOAS as a solitary Masters student and found myself at a loss of a support network. Without the assurance and friendship of Thomas Richard Bruce and Artour Mitski, my first couple of years would have been very different. This changed drastically when I joined the PhD programme. I cannot imagine completing this dissertation without having the companionship of my dear friends, their endless supply of tea and tolerance of my foibles: Niki Alsford, David Beamish, and Jacques Rouyer Guillet. I am forever grateful for my best friend, twin, and fearless lioness, Krystl A. Assan, who mirrors me in so many ways and who has always been my greatest supporter. I am not sure if he will ever read this thesis, but I would also like to thank Howard Shore for composing the Lord of the Rings soundtrack, which has been playing in the background non-stop for its calming yet uplifting melodies in the last weeks of my writing. A number of organisations and individuals have magnanimously offered their time and resources throughout my research and writing process: Dolores Balladares Pelaez, Norman Uy Carnay, Eman Villanueva, Sr. M. Felicitas Nisperos, members of the Diocesan Pastoral Centre for Filipinos, United Filipinos in Hong Kong, Mission for Migrant Workers, Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants, Cordillera Alliance, Asian Migrants Coordinating Body, Abra Tingguian Ilocano Society and Migrante International. You have all made this research possible and you continue to inspire me daily. I am forever thankful for the support of my parents, Chris and Mariana, who have stood by me despite their reservations and provided me with an education that they were not able to afford for themselves. Not a day goes by where I am not overwhelmed by the emotional support that I have received as a child