Kent Donguines was six years old when his mother left him and his two younger sisters behind in the Philippines to work abroad as a caregiver.
“At that time, I didn’t know ‘What’s a nanny?’ I was never told she was going to be a nanny or she was going to go somewhere. All I knew was she was going to get me some toys,” recalls Donguines, now a 26-year-old filmmaker in Vancouver. “I was clueless where she was.” Two years ago, Donguines received funding for a documentary about migrant caregivers and made the film Kalinga, which means support and care in Tagalog, about the stories of four Filipino caregivers and nannies in Vancouver — their sacrifices and struggles to reunite with their children and families — shedding light on the world of migrant labour.
In his documentary, one caregiver shares the story of how her son didn’t recognize her when they reunited in Canada and chose to stay somewhere else. Another caregiver talks about the pain of her recurring nightmare where she saw her crying son looking for her.
kentdonguines The actions of your parents is exactly why you are where you are. Be grateful and stop complaining as you enjoy the better life they gave you.