In a century where Filipino women hold the power to carve their own decisions, the norm that women should stay at home became a thing of the past.
Filipino women now notably push for more space in several industries, earning their right to excel in the career they want to pursue. That is prevalent even when they still need to tend to their kids.
In some cases, mothers are forced into breadwinning roles due to single parenthood or the need for secondary income. Being a mother is hard enough: imagine balancing work and caregiving responsibilities as a working mom.
In line with National Working Moms’ Day, we honor and recognize the struggle of working moms and the stress they undergo to make ends meet to provide for their children. To better depict the struggle of real-life working mothers, CDN discusses the top 5 iconic working moms in Filipino movies and their share of daily struggles as breadwinners.
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Josie (Vilma Santos) in Anak (2000)
This critically acclaimed Rory Quintos classic depicts a portrait of Josie, an overseas Filipino working mom who left her three children in the Philippines to seek better opportunities in Hong Kong as a caregiver to support her family’s needs as a single mother.
Nonetheless, this selfless move only planted resentment in the hearts of the children she left who, amid their lavish lifestyle and material gifts, craved the presence of their mothers when they were younger. It was not Josie’s decision to leave the country, but she deemed it necessary to provide a better life for her children.
Iyay (Jaclyn Jose) in Patay Na si Hesus (2016)
The Cebuano character, played by the late Jaclyn Jose, is a single working mom who, along with her kids, traveled southwards of Cebu to visit the wake of her late husband. Apart from being a working mother, it holistically depicts the dynamics of a family where a single mother such as Iyay also stands as the father figure in the absence of one.
Sarah Gonzales (Sharon Cuneta) in Caregiver (2008)
This Cuneta-portrayed caregiver shares a story of empowerment about how she quit her day job and went abroad not just to support her family but to follow the wishes of her domineering husband. From finding her footing as a caregiver to her decision to leave her husband, who wants to return to the Philippines, Sarah Gonzalez is a strong portrait of a modern-day empowering working mom and woman.
Loida Malabanan (Vilma Santos) in Ekstra (2013)
Another Vilma Santos role makes the list as her portrayal of Loida Malabanan, a bit-player or extra in a soap opera, gained her international appreciation. It not only represents the plight of working moms but also the struggles that bit-players face in the industry, ranging from emotionally abusive directors to poor working conditions.
Despite that, Loida Malabanan braved these challenges, from being burnt by the lit end of a cigarette to being berated by a blunt director so that she could secure enough income to support her daughter’s tuition.
Ina Montecillo (Ai-Ai delas Alas) in Ang Tanging Ina (2003)
This list would not be complete without the phenomenal mother who engraved a mark in Filipino pop culture as the ultimate working mom. Raising 12 kids from three different fathers who suffered tragic deaths, Ina worked as a storekeeper, a maid, a construction worker, and even the president of the Philippines at one point to make ends meet for her family.
Although she struggles to balance her work and attending to her children, Ina’s love for them shows her perseverance in working for her family’s needs and her words of affirmation.
Becoming a working mom is truly an immense feat, and their work in the name of their family and the need for income deserves acknowledgment. To recognize the struggle of working mothers is to acknowledge that they need better working conditions.
With the existence of solo parent leaves and supporting policies for them, the country is on the right track to alleviate the plight of working mothers both onscreen and in real life.
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