Bayanihan: Supporting and Protecting Our Vulnerable
Cultural barriers and a lack of oversight make it difficult for low-wage workers to challenge abuse when it happens to them. For thousands of Asian Americans working as household caregivers, an industry with few protections, reporting exploitation is especially difficult. We talked with Lillian Galedo, Executive Director of Filipino Advocates for Justice, about their work to protect thousands of Bay Area Filipino home caregivers.
APF: What might people not know about domestic caregivers?
Lillian: That Filipinos make up a big part of the home care industry – close to 30%. They are doing very difficult work, with clients who are very sick and very old and often disabled. They work 15-18 hours a day in an unregulated industry. Often they’re on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is isolating work. It is especially difficult for undocumented Filipino workers, who are often our clients.
APF: How have you been advocating for caregivers?
Lillian: We work with clients through the wage claim process and have been able to recover over $800,000 in lost wages in the last four years. The level of exploitation is extreme and we’re also advocating for things as basic as time to sleep and overtime pay. The concept of Bayanihan is an organizing principle for Filipinos that has been used since the first immigrants moved here. It’s about protecting and supporting the vulnerable in our village. I see our work as a continuation of that Filipino tradition.
APF: What part of your work do you find most inspiring?
Lillian: Giving people the experience that makes them realize they can be advocates, leaders and organizers. In an industry where you're constantly told that you have no rights, workers are asserting their rights and going on to support others.
APF: How is the grant from Asian Pacific Fund impacting your work?
Lillian: APF is really supporting us at an important moment in our organization’s history. I have been with the organization for over 30 years and I’m retiring. This three-year grant is going to make sure that the infrastructure for a seamless transition is in place. We want to continue the tradition of Bayanihan for another 40 years.
NBC Bay Area's new show, Asian Pacific America with Robert Handa, recently sat down with supporters and partners of the Asian Pacific Fund. Click for highlights from the conversation.
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