This is her tinola, in fairness, 2 nights ago, she served us a kare-kare-looking beef but not, that tasted very good.
Four hours after she arrived from the employment agency, I already knew that’s she’s pwede-na sa-wala kind of kusinera.
Two days later she told me
“Ewan ko kung nasabi sa inyo na Iglesia ako”.
Me—— Hindi, bakit.
Tess—- Dalawang beses ako nagsa-samba, Hwebes at Linggo.
Me—– Oh. Okay lang sa akin.
Technically, she’s been enjoying two times a week off.
This morning, I told her, “Tess, pwede bang isang beses ka na lang lumabas sa isang linggo?” Kasi minsan kailangan dito ang tao,
I couldn’t believe that she told me that she’s only supposed to work for only eight hours which is mandated by law.
To think that she only cooks hotdog, or pritong bangus for breakfast. Then rest the wholeday. If she’s lucky, then we would eat dinner at home, by reheating take-out food from the restaurants. Everytime we’re eating, she disappears and that’s the time she goes inside the toilet.
She even told me if we need her after 8 hours, we can call her pero pakisama na lang daw. Dyos ko, utang na loob ko pa.
I am appalled. Yes, the maids are live-in. They are here 24 hours, but that doesn’t mean that they are working for 24 hours.
The laundry girl washes our clothes once a week, using the washing machine. She irons two times a week.
The cleaners parade the house every morning with the map and broom to show me they are cleaning. Maybe, for an hour. Sige, kung masipag, two hours. That’s the max. They take long showers two times a day, makes unli calls and texts, take naps morning, noon and night. Watches tv, chats, what else?
I understand that maids, just like the rest of the working class, must be protected and be treated fairly and humanely.
The Kasambahay Bill will make things more difficult for these maids to find jobs because many employers would be turned-off or discouraged, and will make matters worst for good employers like us. What happened today is a perfect example. Tess became demanding and aggressive citing the provisions of the Kasambahay Bill without realizing that she is getting much more than what’s proposed there.
This bill will cut the number of maids per household and maybe the lower middle class will not employ any maid at all. Or stay out na lang, to do laundry once a week and clean once or twice a week.
The bill mandates a minimum pay of P2,500 in the National Capital Region, P2,000 for first class municipalities like Binangonan, and P1,500 for other municipalities. We pay beyond that. Our maids go on day offs as they wish, sometimes I even encourage them to stay with their families longer, say 3 days. They are fed, maybe not rib eye and prawns thermidore, but they eat fresh tilapia, organic chicken, paksiw na lechon and dinurado rice.
The Kasambahay Bill also mandates that maids must have a weekly day-off, 5-days a year paid leave and 13th month pay.
If they are supposed to work for 8 hours, then they should just stay-out, We’ll save on water, electricity, detergents and food. Daig pa nila ang nag-oopisina.
This morning I let her go because she adds to my stress. She didn’t want to leave syempre relax sya dito.
Ako naman hindi relax sa kanya. She wanted me to refund to her the P1,200 collected by the agency equivalent to 20% of her one month salary representing a one time payment to the agency to help defray their expenses and for finding her an employer and for her expenses while staying with the agency. She said it’s in the contract. P1,200, I don’t mind giving her much more than that even if I am not required to. But because of her attitude, I found it hard to feel compassionate. I did not want to give in to her arrogance. I reviewed her employment contract and there’s nothing there that says I should give her back the money she paid to the agency. I called the agency and just let them argue. After she put down the phone she told me they are lying and “dapat isumbong kay Tulfo”. That’s the favorite line of maids nowadays.
Had she been nicer and more respectful, I could have given her more money. Although she made my blood boil, I still gave her some money, a Diesel backpack, two pairs of brand-new tsinelas and peanut brittle. As per instruction from the village security office, I also made her sign the paper that she’s leaving our household in good state and condition, and has received all salaries due her.
Nakakrelate ako sayo. However, I don’t have maids now. I like to live alone in the house. I clean it up every other day naked. I wash my dishes right away and keep the kitchen and bathrooms clean all the time. Once a month, a gardener comes to cut grass and trim the shrubs. My backyard garden of lush grass had been converted to a vegetable garden. I save more now with food and electricity bills. Househelps, they will one day betray, just like any other person you will know. I think it’s good you let your househelp go. Mag aastang amo, while I’ll be astang “amalayer”. huh
Ms. Annie parang lahat na lang ng nakukuha mo na maids at cook my attitude baka mali po sila ng napasukan baka managing director ang inaaplyan nila. parang napeperahan lang kayo from agency hanggang katulong try nyo po kaya maghanap ng maids thru referals ng mga employees nyo or sa binangonan baka mas okay pa ung mga un.Maswerte kami sa yaya ng mga kids ko mag 9 yrs na po sya sa amin yaya pa sya ng husband ko dati, sana makakuha din kayo ng maayos to think napaka relax ng buhay nla sa house nyo.
hello ms. annie! ngayong umagang ito kolang natagpuan ang inyong blog at gusto kong malaman nyo na natutuwa ako at nakita ko ang blog na ito. mahilig po kasi akong magbasa ng mga blog posts na parang kausap ko mismo ang blogger habang binabasa ko ang mga posts. naka-relate naman po ako sa post nyo dito. tama po ang naging desisyon ninyo. Happy New Year po!:)