Sila’y Langit at Ako’y Lupa By Rolyn Muyco

Congratulations to Rolyn Muyco, a dedicated member of The Voice of Domestic Workers, for being chosen as one of the finalists in the International Domestic Workers Federation’s (IDWF) Voices for Change Art Contest, held as part of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence and the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

“They are the sky and I am the earth in their eyes; they look at me as a little slave.”

With these striking words, Rolyn opens “Sila’y Langit, Ako’y Lupa” a poem born from the wounds and quiet battles lived by so many domestic workers. Her verses pull us into a world shaped by crushing poverty, forced migration, and the constant fear of punishment for even the smallest mistake. She writes of days that blur into one another, “overflowing with exhaustion and sleepless nights,” where rest becomes a privilege and dignity something one must fiercely guard.

Yet even in this darkness, Rolyn’s voice does not disappear. It grows stronger.

Her poem is filled with longing for the family she left behind, but just as deeply, it pulses with courage. A courage carried by countless migrant domestic workers whose labor sustains families and homes across the world. She reminds us: “As long as we still have a voice and breath, let us cry out for everyone’s rights.”

These lines are not simply poetry, they are a call, a protest, and a promise. Rolyn speaks for those who have been undervalued, unseen, and unheard, even as they give care, stability, and love far from their own homes.

As one of our Voices for Change finalists during the #16Days campaign, Rolyn’s work urges the world to finally see domestic workers for who they truly are: workers with rights, human beings with dreams, and women with unshakable strength. Her voice rises not from comfort, but from lived struggle and still she speaks.  And still she hopes. And still she fights for a future where no one is made to feel like the earth beneath someone else’s sky. Congratulations once again, Rolyn. Your courage honors us all. To see the full list of winners and celebrate their incredible work, please visit idwfed.org 

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