Films to watch this Labor Day

Warning: Some of these films contain themes of violence, rape, and sexual harassment. This article may also contain spoilers for the films “Excuse Me, Miss, Miss, Miss,” “Sunday Beauty Queen,” and “Iska.”

TODAY, the Philippines is celebrating Labor Day. 

Enacted in 1908, Labor Day is dedicated to the struggles of Filipino workers, and was originally celebrated in 1903 when the Union Obrera Democratica de Filipina (UODF) went on the streets to fight for fair wages and better working conditions under American rule. 

At present, many Filipino workers continue to struggle due to issues like exploitation and corruption in the office. Instead of looking at today as just another holiday, take this time to educate yourself on the workers’ plight. 

What exactly are they going through? Why do they feel the way that they do? And more importantly, what can you do to help?

If you’re struggling to figure out where to start, here are some films you can watch that may help to paint a better picture.

1. Excuse Me, Miss, Miss, Miss (2019)

Genre: Comedy

“Papaano kung ang imposible lang ang paraan para magkaroon ng work-life balance at umayos-ayos ang buhay mo?”

This short film directed by Sonny Calvento is set in a department store called “Trendysitas,” following a saleslady named Vangie who has to learn to be better at her job to avoid getting fired. 

Soon enough, she realizes that she has to, quite literally, be everywhere all at once just to survive. 

“Excuse Me, Miss, Miss, Miss,” looks at just how overworked people in the sales industry are, with companies expecting them to do the impossible just for the slim chance of getting regularized. 

2. Sunday Beauty Queen (2016)

Genre: Documentary, Drama

“Pag ganito – pag pauwi – malulungkot ka kasi tapos nanaman yung kasama mo yung mga kaibigan mo. One week nanamang trabaho, anim na araw, pagod. Balik nanamang mag-isa kang kumain. Tapos maghapon ng paulit-ulit na trabaho.”

Directed by Baby Ruth Villarama, “Sunday Beauty Queen” is a documentary that looks at the lives of different professional helpers in Hong Kong. These workers spend all their time in the homes of their employers and are often only free on Sundays. 

What do they do in their free time? For a handful of them, Sundays mean getting the chance to be a beauty queen, and to see their friends.

Many Filipinos become OFWs as a means of providing a better life for themselves and for their family, and in doing so, they sacrifice practically everything; they are alone almost all the time, and a large number of them are subjected to unjust working conditions. 

As domestic workers, many of them have little safeguarding them from facing abuse from their employers, or from being unjustly terminated, and instead of the government helping them, they are told, “Tiisin mo nalang.” 

This film highlights not only the struggles of these workers but also looks at how hard they work just to find the beauty in even the smallest of moments. 

No matter the hardship you go through each week, at least on Sunday, you get to be a beauty queen.

3. Iska (2019)

Genre: Drama

“Ni hindi ako hinintay man lang. Pagkatapos, ayaw akong pakinggan. Tama ba yun?”

This film, directed by Theodore Boborol, looks at the struggles of a woman named Iska as she juggles working two jobs with taking care of her grandson with autism. 

Iska struggles to make ends meet, with little help from anyone else, while constantly being reminded of just how cruel life can be if you weren’t born rich.

This film is a reminder that there are times wherein you may think you’re helping when in reality, you may be making the problem worse. 

When it comes to things like boycotting or actions similar to it, it’s important to first look at the root cause of the problem, and more importantly, to talk with the people who are actually being affected by these issues. 

What do they want? What do they feel would help in their situation? Discuss these issues instead of just doing what you think they’d want you to.