• Facebook
• Mail
• Link

Ilaw ng tahanan – a Filipino phrase that perfectly describes the role of a mother. It directly translates as ‘light of the home’, a reference to days gone by, when the hearth and coconut oil lamps were lit by nanays (mothers) and lolas (grandmothers). In a more general sense, the phrase represents a mother’s guiding presence.

Philippine Consul General Germinia V. Aguilar-Usudan – or CG Germie, as she is more affectionately known to her consular staff, acquaintances, and the local Filipino community – is our Ilaw ng tahanan here in Hong Kong.

Being a woman and a mother herself gives CG Germie valuable understanding of and insight into the lives of the more than 200,000 Filipino migrant domestic workers (MDWs) in the city – 97% of which are women – acting as guiding presence to all Filipinos living, working, studying, or visiting Hong Kong.

Many MDWs are mothers, and a huge percentage of these hardworking women are the sole breadwinners of their households. By looking after their employers’ families here in Hong Kong, they ensure they can take care of their own families back in the Philippines, securing the future of their children with their own blood, sweat, and tears. In doing so, they also help the economies of both Hong Kong and the Philippines in the process. They sacrifice a lot – and deserve so much more.

“Nakakaproud talaga ang mga kababayan natin dito sa Hong Kong,” [Our fellow Filipinos here in Hong Kong make you feel proud] says CG Germie, during Pangyao’s recent visit to the Consulate offices. “Naa-amaze ako sa sipag, tiyaga at sa mapagbigay nila na katangian.” [I am amazed by their hard work, patience, and generosity.]

Driven by the desire to give their families and themselves a better future, many Filipinos make the difficult decision to leave their home country to work overseas, where salaries are often higher than back home. This has led to an uptick in professional workers and university-level graduates leaving the Philippines in search of employment. However, CG Germie shares that these are issues that the Philippine government is working hard to address: “The government [in the Philippines] is serious about finding ways to improve the economy, bring in more investors, and provide more job opportunities. That is why we hope more and more [Filipinos] will stay and work in the Philippines rather than working abroad.”

If the government’s push for improving the Philippine economy and making the job market more attractive for skilled and highly educated workers comes to fruition, this will hopefully slow down the brain drain that the country has been experiencing for decades. Doctors, nurses, teachers, engineers, and other professionals have been leaving the country in droves; according to the Department of Health (DOH), 316,000 licensed Filipino nurses – 51% of those who qualified – migrated overseas in 2021 alone, leading to an estimated shortage of around 350,000 nurses in the country.

Presently, the steep decline in birth rates and the rapidly aging population in many countries means that the demand for healthcare professionals and migrant workers continues to rise. Here in Hong Kong, according to government figures, the number of MDWs is set to rise to 600,000 by 2047 – an increase of more than 50% compared to today.

“You can be assured that the Philippine government will ensure that there is enough manpower to deliver services to the [projected] 600,000 workers, that workers’ rights are protected, and their welfare promoted,” says CG Germie.

The creation of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW)in 2022 – the primary agency handling matters involving migrant workers – has merged and streamlined the various government departments that handle all matters concerning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). The DMW is mandated to facilitate the overseas employment and reintegration of Filipino workers, while taking into consideration national development programs. It is also tasked to promote the empowerment and protection of OFWs through continuous training and knowledge development.

While the operating arm of the DMW – the Migrant Workers Office – serves as the main channel for OFWs in Hong Kong to seek assistance, CG Germie is still very much involved in conversations with migrant workers in the city. “My favorite moments with our kababayans are many…[they] make my work enjoyable and meaningful. It makes me happy to be with them,” she shares. “But the most rewarding thing is when I am able to help them and make a difference in the lives of people, especially our OFWs. We know that OFWs go through a lot of challenges and hardships just to be able to provide for their families and their needs. Anything I do for them is fulfilling, and it motivates me to do more and do better,” CG Germie says.

CG Germie had been the Deputy Consul General in Hong Kong since 2018, up until her appointment as Consul General earlier this year. She has extensive foreign service experience, including postings in UAE, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia. Her curriculum vitae reflects not only her impressive educational and employment background; it also demonstrates her passion for serving her country and all Filipinos.

“It is my way of giving back to my country. I studied and graduated from the University of the Philippines; a state university subsidised by the Philippine government. Government money was used to educate me, so in return, it is just right that I serve the government, and that my kababayans benefit from me. That is my motivation to perform my job with dedication and be a good and honest public servant,” she shares.

Originally from Albay, CG Germie now lives in Hong Kong with her husband of 32 years, Mr. Yusuf C. Usudan (a retired public servant himself), and their two children, Ameerah and Amiruddin. She converted to Islam after marrying her husband. Gender, religion, or social standing have never affected her passion for or dedication towards helping Filipinos.

Signing off with a warm smile, it is easy to see why CG Germie is building a reputation as the Filipinos’ ilaw ng tahanan in the city: “Serving my kababayans here in Hong Kong has never felt like a job. It is a privilege.”