Vancouver, BC.—After a long time of wishing and wanting to have a sports event for women,  Filipino migrant women finally got their very own Sports Day at the Slocan Park last July 29^th, thanks to Migrante BC.

The Sports Day featured a women’s volleyball match with teams from Migrante BC, West Coast Domestic Workers Association (WCDWA,) and the Committee for Domestic Workers and Caregivers’ Rights (CDWCR).  With Migrante BC’s community experience in organizing its own Basketball League in 2009 (which proved to be so popular with the men basketball teams that it is now an annual event), it was only a matter of time before Migrante BC organized a Filipino women’s sports event.  

The volleyball match was a friendly game refereed by Carlie David and assisted by scorer Mel Sumang. Coaches Juliet Tadeja Rivada of Migrante and Darla Tomeldan of both WCDWA and CDWCR teams rallied their players to do their best. All the players displayed terrific serves, as well as excellent spiking and blocking techniques.  Cheers went up from the crowd when their teams demonstrated their skills in passing and vertical jumps, from either offensive or defensive positions. The winner of the volleyball match against Migrante BC in a round-robin tournament was the West Coast Domestic Workers Association.

Migrante BC’s players included current and former caregivers, the children of former caregivers and Migrante supporters. The game also was a reunion for some caregivers who had lost touch with friends.

The day was perfect for the Sports Day. Supporters and spectators seated under the shade of the park trees and under the tent watched and cheered their teams. Others watched from the sidelines.  The younger children played soccer and run around the park. During the volleyball breaks, some tried to play badminton but the wind, while providing much relief from the heat, made it difficult for the players to hit the shuttlecocks across the net. The men immediately took over the court during the game breaks, played volleyball and just as quickly surrendered the court and the ball to the women when the break was over.

Cecille Tumolva, volunteer member of WCDWA, expressed appreciation that Migrante BC had organized the first ever sports day for the community and hoped that this could be an annual summer event. Jane Ordinario, a founding member of Migrante BC and a member of its core collective said, “We are glad that we have been able to host this volleyball match in such a short time; the West Coast and the CDWCR were immediately on board! Everybody had fun. We got to know each other even more and that is important too. Our team really played well! “
Migrante’s Aileen Villeta, whose 18-month old baby Jaja was being baby-sat under the tent while she was on the court, declared that the Migrante team were powerful and confident players but added that  “kailangang regular na tayo mag-praktis,”  to be prepared for the next match.

I overheard one woman ask her friend, “I wonder what their employers would say if they knew their caregivers were such powerful players on the court?”  To which her friend answered, “Give them a raise!” (No argument there!)

 

 

Munting Nayon News Magazine