From the kusina to the world: Lilibeth Masamloc's quest to freedom

She speaks with wisdom one can only get from experience. She travels the world in the hope of changing it, at least, for those like her who experienced abuse as a child worker. She betters herself, not just for her own sake, but especially for those who seek inspiration. That other child workers may have hope that one day, they, too, will rise from the ashes of slavery and emerge victorious against the people who stole their childhood and burned their innocence away.

Her name is Lilibeth Masamloc, and this is her story.

The eighth in a brood of 12, Lilibeth knew what poverty is. She came from the farming tribe of B'laan, from the South of Davao. She started working in the fields at the age of 8, and started getting paid at 10, at P 40 per day.

It was Lilibeth's dream of pursuing her education that led her to decide to venture into the city. “I knew that if I didn't leave our community, nothing would happen to me,” she said. And so, armed with her report cards, birth certificate, her parents' marriage contract, and her dreams of a better life, Lilibeth went to Davao City at 13, to become a child domestic worker.

Her first salary was P800, but from this meager amount, her employer deducted every mistake she made. At one point, she only received P200 at the end of the month. This, while she works for long hours and – when her employers went abroad – she was lent to three other households in 2002.

“It was my dream that made me stay,” Lilibeth said, until in 2004, she could bear her situation no longer, she ran away.

Her second employer was a bit better. Lilibeth was allowed to attend the Assumption College of Davao Sunday High School Education Program and had her days off. But things changed when her employers opened a videoke bar. She served the family during the day and served the videoke bar customers at night. The young Lilibeth experienced sexual harassment from drunk customers. Afraid of what would happen next, she told her Sunday school teachers of her plight, and she was referred to the Visayan Forum.

And from there, everything was changed. Through the Visayan Forum, she underwent counselling and learned the Life Skills, a manual of four modules that helped Lilibeth develop interpersonal skills as well as communication and planning expertise. She also continued her education through the help of the Foundation. Last year, Lilibeth graduated from the Philippine Christian University, with a degree in Social Work.

Lilibeth was the first child domestic worker who became a representative to the Child Participation in Bangkok. She has been to Netherlands, Switzerland, Singapore, India, Thailand and Indonesia, among other countries, knocking at the doors of governments and talking to men and women in power, asking them to help child workers around the world. She is also now the president of Samahan at Ugnayan ng Manggagawang Pantahanan ng Pilipinas (SUMAPI), an 8000-strong organization of domestic workers from Davao, Cebu, Bacolod, Iloilo, Dumaguete, Batangas and the National Capital Region.

She is also a key figure in the crafting of Batas Kasambahay, which seeks to give domestic workers decent working condition, benefits, and labor rights.

“We need to put an end to this exploitation and abuse,” Lilibeth said.