Living in the Philippines give us some luxuries like having extra hands to do the dishes, cook, clean, do the laundry. However, with this privilege comes a lot of responsibilities. Syempre we spend extra for the maids upkeep: salaries and an all expenses paid staycation. Free bed and breakfast, lunch, merienda, dinner, free charging stations, unlimited use of the toilet and showers, free laundry, plantsa, etc.
Their P5,000 salary a month is super net of everything. They don’t pay taxes. In companies, if bonuses or perks reach P30,000 a year, I know BIR requires them to be taxed. Maids’ perks are more than P30,000 a year and yet it’s totally unscathed.
I have many readers who are able to relate to my woes as an employer.
Kala nila sila lang ang ganun. I also thought that it could be just us. But no, hindi ka nag-iisa, at lalong hindi ako nag-iisa.
Yesterday afternoon, I came home at 3 pm because someone’s coming to the house at 3 pm. The maids were quietly taking naps in their bedroom. When I looked for them, Antonia said katatapos lang daw nilang mag-merienda. I asked what they ate. She answered “Spaghetti LANG”. aBAH, LANG na lang pala ang spaghetti. Kaawawa naman ang mga maids namin, nagti tyaga sa spaghetti.
The other afternoon. I caught our lavandera in the kitchen, cooking two scrambled eggs. For her merienda daw. That solved another mystery. Kaya pala ang bilis nauubos ang mga itlog. Masarap yan meriendahin.
Last night, Antonia complained to me that they don’t have anymore FISH TO EAT. I told her, “di ba kapapamalengke mo lang?”
Antonia———-” Nung saturday mam”.
OMB————–“Sabado hindi kami dito kumain, linggo wala kami dito, lunes, hindi kami dito kumain, martes birthday ni sir, hindi kami dito kumain. Breakfast lang kami kumain kahapon”.
Antonia———- “Galunggong na nga lang ang natirang isda”.
OMB————– “Antonia, parang inaapi kayo dahil kumain ka ng galunggong? Ikaw ang bumili nun P150 isang kilo. Bakit ganyan ang tono ng boses mo, parang api kayo dahil kumain kayo ng galunggong. Una hindi ko naman sinabi na bumili ka ng galunggong. Ako nga nami- miss ko ang galunggong”.
OMB———— “Kung walang isda di maghanap ka ng ibang lulutuin mo, bili ka ng bili na gulay nabubulok lang sa ref hindi mo naman niluluto.
Every morning, if I didn’t get to eat breakfast with Edmund kung maaga sya umalis, It’s my routine to ask Antonia
“Kumain ba si sir?” “Anong inihain mo sa kanya?” “Marami ba syang nakain?”
Antonia———–“Oho mam, naubos nya yung rice.
Apat na cups ang nilagay ko. Naubos nya lahat. Natira two and a half. Two cups ang kinain nya, one and half and natira…. two halfs at one halfs ang kinain ni sir. One and half and nakain… two and half and natubos ni sir, one….”
(Ay naku, ilan ba talaga? Hayan ang problema, pag Arithmetic ang subject, dapat lagi tayong present.)
