A Closer Look at the Mobile-Manicuristas of Igorot Garden and Their Working Conditions

by: Arvie Joyce G. Cayabyab

As communication students, we are expected to be critical in assessing what is communicated to us and to be responsible communicators as well. One way of achieving this is through being consistently informed about the information given to us not only through reading but through direct immersion in an event, place, or society which may directly give us insights on what we need to be informed of.

One of the particular tasks of a communication student is to be aware of the different sectors of a society as this will be necessary in understanding the society as a whole. One of the sectors mostly talked about in a society is the marginalized sector which is often considered as one of the powerless groups in a society usually because of their low economic status. In line with this, we were tasked to look for groups of people who were considered as parts of the marginalized sector not only to be informed about their situation but to be able to understand it as well. Our group decided to look into the group of manicuristas who were usually seen at the Igorot Park in Baguio City and who were often overlooked by the Baguio people.

Our journey as a team started during one sunny Baguio afternoon last October 6, 2017, Friday, on board a jeepney heading to Trancoville. The trip was literally a joy-ride–it gave us time to breathe the minty smell of the few pine trees left in Baguio while passing by the timeworn but magnificent buildings along the busy Harrison road after a long day at the university–one of the simple joys in life. 

We alighted across Tiongsan and went up the overpass where we got engulfed by people coming from the different places across town carrying plastic bags and groceries, by the usual blind musicians, and some child beggars saying, “Kya, te, pembarya, pangkain lang, kya, te.” We continue to tread towards the stairs of the overpass directly going to Igorot Park where the manicuristas were usually found. As we entered the park, we saw that it was filled with men playing different board games and upon further scanning, we saw the manicuristas seated on biscuit containers or on a mini bangko. Some were tending to their customers’ hands and feet, so we chose to interview the manicuristas who had no customers. Moreover, some of us decided to avail their manicure and pedicure services while conversing with them.

                                                                                    Ate Augusta/August

We observed that some of the manicuristas are in their thirties or younger, but most of them are senior citizens. Upon interviewing the manicuristas, we learned that they have an association consisting of 24 members which were composed of people from the Cordillera region specifically Bontoc and Mountain Province, Pangasinan, and one from Visayas. They added that majority of them are single mothers and giving manicure and pedicure services were as their main source of income. The manicuristas were kind to every one of us and even offered us biscuits while they were telling each of their stories. We learned further that there were other groups of ‘outside manicuristas’ located at the Rose Garden in Burnham Park, Malcolm Square, Rizal Park, and even in some parts of La Trinidad.

Like many of the marginalized sectors, the manicuristas have no stable income and they only depend on the income they get from one to three customers a day. Their hardships were etched on their faces as they continue to talk about the times when they do not get to have customers at all and they would often resort to giving home services to their suki customers. Adding to the instability of their income are their experiences of being forcedly sent away by security guards assigned in Burnham Park who sometimes would even take their chairs or even their nail care paraphernalia because they have no permit to give nail care services in the park. Manang August said that during 2010, the Baguio city government used to provide them business permits but the availability of the permits only lasted for a year. The city government defends the relegation of the manicuristas from the park through the Administrative Order No. 20 series of 2015 which states that:

(excerpt)

It was known that more than a hundred manicurists, pedicurists and masseurs requested for a portion of Igorot and Rose Garden parks to be allotted them and their clients, which was denied, with recommendations from the City Environment and Parks Management Office (CEPMO) and other offices. More than 200 self-employed entrepreneurs frequent the whole of Burnham daily.

It was clarified that manicurists and pedicurists use equipment which may wound clients' fingers and toes and may transmit infectious diseases. This would be very risky for the clients, according to the health department, thus the denial of park space.

Enterprising individuals who insist on doing business inside the park even after the CEPMO's denial of their request and warning shall have their manicurist and pedicurists' kits confiscated, it was known. The tourist cops may also confiscate said paraphernalia.

The manicuristas had nowhere to go and they did not have enough money to rent a place for their own salon. Ate Judy, one of the manicuristas said, “Eh ayaw naman namin na magkanya-kanya kami. Dapat makahanap kami ng lugar na pwede kami lahat nandoon. Ang sabi e dahil daw baka marumi yung mga gamit na ginagamit namin, syempre hindi naman totoo yun.” Although a few politicians used to pledge during election campaign periods that the manicuristas would be given job securities by giving them potential workplaces around the city, all of them were lost causes.

We got to meet Manang Augusta, who was called by everyone around the park by the name, August, and was one of the oldest manicuristas found in the park–she had been working as an ‘outside manicurista’ for nine years now. Manang August said that it was really a struggle working as an outside manicurista and despite having three working sons, she continued to work as a manicurista because she did not want to stay at home and do nothing. “At least kahit minsan e wala talaga kaming customer, pa-isaisa lang kasi ang dami rin namin, e kasama naman naming yung isa’t isa at magkakaibigan kami dito,” Manang August added.  Despite the efforts of the manicuristas to continuously ask the public officials to coordinate with them, the city government still has taken no action to secure their jobs.

On the brighter side, our nails were nicely done which was worth 70 pesos. Compared to prices an actual salon offers, their service is much cheaper, however, the 70 peso-charge by these mobile manicuristas is still a small amount considering their situation and the risk choose to take every day by working as outside manicuristas.  

This experience we had with the manicuristas became more than just an academic requirement to us. While listening to their stories, we could not help but feel the privilege each of us are experiencing. As college students from one of the distinguished universities in the Philippines, most of us were well-off and most of the time we had enough money to buy what we need and what we want. We were greatly inspired by them because of their resilience on the struggles life throws at them each day just to be able to acquire enough money to feed their families every day, to send their children to school, and to buy their everyday necessities. It was an eye-opener for us as we unraveled the realities of life by immersing with people who, at one point, live differently from the way most people do. In the end, we believe that the manicuristas as part of the marginalized sector should be given proper alternative employment opportunities and proper representation by the government and their non-professional label should be eradicated.

We hope we got to bring their stories to you through this blog and encourage you to be more involved on the different societal issues our country is facing because as communicators, we will be able to acquire the information powerful enough to shape a nation.