[Photo: Ricaela Diputado]
As Mother’s Day celebrations unfolded across the city this past weekend, mothers and family advocacy groups used the occasion to renew calls for more robust support systems, from extended maternity leave and workplace flexibility to greater recognition of the emotional toll of motherhood.
The Women’s General Association, which hosted a banquet for nearly 800 people at the Macau Tower on Saturday, announced it has extended paid maternity leave for its own employees from 70 to 90 days. The association also introduced paternity leave and increased long-service annual leave for staff.
“This is not merely about adding a few extra days of leave,” said Kong Ieong, chairperson of the women’s association. “It is about respecting the contributions of working women and safeguarding the dignity of mothers.”
Kong added that the association now serves nearly 20,000 people annually through childcare, elderly care, and community programs. Facing Macau’s rapidly aging population and low birth rate, she said the organization is introducing smart management systems to modernize care services.
Meanwhile, the association deployed over 100 volunteers across 18 locations in Macau and the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, distributing 18,000 eco-friendly soap flowers. The group also visited 90 enterprises and schools ahead of the special day.
Ao Ieong Ut Seng, vice chairperson of the association, said the annual “Mother’s Day Flower Distribution Activity” serves three purposes: encouraging the public to cherish maternal love, teaching children filial piety through parent-child volunteering, and gathering grassroots concerns to push for more family-friendly policies.
“Through collaboration with the government and all sectors of society, we aim to further reduce family burdens and create a social environment more conducive to childbirth and child-rearing,” Ao Ieong said.
At the Hengqin Macau New Neighbourhood Senior Service Centre, about 30 elderly residents and their families gathered to make “memory bracelets” and receive carnations, part of an effort to bridge generational gaps and build community support networks for caregivers.
But for many mothers, the holiday also highlighted persistent challenges.
Rosita Ieong, mother of two teenagers, spent Mother’s Day resting at home after her son was discharged from the hospital the previous day with a fractured wrist.
“I requested a day doing nothing,” she said. “My son got discharged from the hospital yesterday. My daughter got me snacks so I can relax and watch Netflix. Mothers really need a day for themselves. The other 364 days of the year, our world revolves around taking care of everyone.”
Gravi Chio, mother of an almost three-year-old son, attended a workshop where she and her child made a small cake together.
“My precious moments too, though it’s also challenging,” she said. “But sweetness always overcomes the tiredness. His father also wrote a card for me in my son’s name first thing in the morning.”
Joy Lafferty, mother of three, celebrated with a family lunch at a Portuguese restaurant in Coloane, receiving flowers, a cake, jewelry, and a letter from her grandchildren.
Un Sio Leng, chairperson of the association, noted that mothers face complex pressures at every stage – from pregnancy and returning to work as “working mothers” to the social isolation often experienced by stay-at-home parents.
She called on the government to accelerate legal amendments extending paid maternity leave, strengthen parenting education, and promote greater involvement by fathers in childcare.
“Multi-point support is needed to alleviate the physical and mental pressures on mothers at different stages and in different roles,” Un said.
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