For this Filipino domestic helper dragon boat team in Hong Kong, paddling empowers their community and women

As the Discovery Bay Dragon Boat Gala 2023 kicked off at Tai Pak Beach, it was a homecoming for Filipino Dynamo, a Filipino domestic helper dragon boat team in Hong Kong, as they were going to compete where they first began.

Filipino Dynamo was first founded in January 2018 by Liza Avelino, a Filipino domestic helper who used to compete in a mixed dragon boat team. She wanted to start a team of her own, composed of female Filipino domestic helpers. 

When it first started, the team recruited helpers who had little to no experience in paddling. Over the years, Filipino Dynamo has proved itself on a competitive level, recently winning 1st runner-up in the Sinopec Ladies Race at the Gala.

Although dragon boating has been around for more than a thousand years, Hong Kong has propelled it forward into a ‘modern sport’. This year, 43 local and international dragon boat races were held, according to the Dragon Boat Hong Kong. The Filipino Dynamo team aims to join at least one race every season.

However, dragon boat racing is also an expensive sport. To compete in the Discovery Bay Dragon Boat Gala, the ladies race category alone costs HK$3,800 to register. Without a dragon boat and parking space licence, the group also has to rely on sponsorships and club membership fees to rent out boats for water training.

Most domestic helpers have Sundays as their day off, with plenty that can be seen gathering with their friends in public areas. By law, domestic helpers are required to have a 24-hour rest period every week. But for Filipino Dynamo members, they spend their one day-off training for the next race. Their training regime consists of a mix of yoga, circuit, and strength training on land and paddling techniques in water. 

With “Empowered women, empowers” as their motto, Filipino Dynamo has become a platform to strengthen women and domestic helpers, by building a community through sport, competition, and camaraderie.

A correction was made on May 12, 2024: An earlier version of this article misidentified Filipino Dynamo as the first Filipino domestic helper dragon boat team in Hong Kong. Another Filipino domestic helper team, Bulldog Mabuhay Dragon Boat Team, while is not confirmed to be the first either, was reportedly established in 2004.

When we learn of a mistake, we acknowledge it with a correction. If you spot an error, please let us know at jour@hkbu.edu.hk.