THE WOMEN WHO WEAR THEM by Glenn Philip Martinez AquinoFilm Length: 10:33
In this short film, six women—Elizabeth, Liz, Catherine, Marites,Jan and Letty—reflect on their personal relationships with ukay-ukay, the Filipino term for secondhand markets. Through candid interviews in the cities of Manila and Baguio, the film explores how secondhand imports are repurposed into livelihoods, forms of care, survival strategies, and platforms for advocacy. Their stories reveal the intimate and complex ways that global circulation of waste is experienced in local contexts.
Set against the broader backdrop of global excess, this film reveals acts of resilience and agency—how women mend, sort, sell, and sometimes wear the very fabric of global excess. Their insights offer a grounded perspective on how global systems of consumption are felt, worn, and made meaningful in everyday life.