Kasambahay Ako!: Exploring the Dynamics Between Domestic Workers’ Perceived Social Role and Personal Agency
Document Types
Paper Presentation
School Name
De La Salle University
Track or Strand
Humanities and Social Science (HUMSS)
Research Advisor (Last Name, First Name, Middle Initial)
Bantayan, Errol P.
Start Date
23-6-2025 3:30 PM
End Date
23-6-2025 5:00 PM
Zoom Link/ Room Assignment
EKR 403
Abstract/Executive Summary
Filipino domestic workers, known as kasambahays, fulfill essential societal roles while navigating social positions. Despite legal frameworks like the Kasambahay Law, the dynamic and evolving relationship between their perceived social role and personal agency remains an underexplored area. This phenomenological study delves into the lived experiences of kasambahays in the Laguna province to understand how they perceive their social position, exercise agency, and navigate the intricate interaction between these dimensions. Using purposive sampling, conversational interviews (Pakikipagkuwentuhan) were conducted with four female domestic workers with at least five years of experience. Thematic analysis, guided by self-determination theory and social role theory, identified three primary perceived roles: worker/employee, quasi-family member, and maternal/guardian figure. Personal agency was exercised through sustaining family ties despite physical distance, articulating needs and boundaries, and making autonomous decisions regarding finances, goals, and time. The relationship between social role and agency emerged as dynamic and mutually reinforcing. Positive role perceptions enhanced agency, while negative ones limited it. Findings indicate that mutual respect fosters greater agency, whereas devaluation diminishes it. The study contributes to understanding domestic work in the Philippines, as a relational space where familial framing can both empower and impose expectations.
Keywords
domestic work; personal agency; social role; kasambahay; phenomenology
Research Theme (for Paper Presentation and Poster Presentation submissions only)
Family, Relations, and Social Structure (FRS)
Initial Consent for Publication
yes
Statement of Originality
yes
Kasambahay Ako!: Exploring the Dynamics Between Domestic Workers’ Perceived Social Role and Personal Agency
Filipino domestic workers, known as kasambahays, fulfill essential societal roles while navigating social positions. Despite legal frameworks like the Kasambahay Law, the dynamic and evolving relationship between their perceived social role and personal agency remains an underexplored area. This phenomenological study delves into the lived experiences of kasambahays in the Laguna province to understand how they perceive their social position, exercise agency, and navigate the intricate interaction between these dimensions. Using purposive sampling, conversational interviews (Pakikipagkuwentuhan) were conducted with four female domestic workers with at least five years of experience. Thematic analysis, guided by self-determination theory and social role theory, identified three primary perceived roles: worker/employee, quasi-family member, and maternal/guardian figure. Personal agency was exercised through sustaining family ties despite physical distance, articulating needs and boundaries, and making autonomous decisions regarding finances, goals, and time. The relationship between social role and agency emerged as dynamic and mutually reinforcing. Positive role perceptions enhanced agency, while negative ones limited it. Findings indicate that mutual respect fosters greater agency, whereas devaluation diminishes it. The study contributes to understanding domestic work in the Philippines, as a relational space where familial framing can both empower and impose expectations.
https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/conf_shsrescon/2025/paper_frs/5
