I scolded all our kasambahay one morning. I called them to the kitchen for a general assembly. Sabay-sabay na lang para isang salita. I knew at least one or two would resign the next day, after a general sermon like this.
They didn’t do any major mistake. I just wanted to remind them of their assigned tasks.
1. Drivers- another story.
2. Lavandera—so far very dependable. Except she unintentionally destroyed our front door lock. Sumobra siguro ang pihit. Ang problema, I couldn’t close our front door last night, Oyen and I placed Edmund’s golf club across the door handles and pushed a big chair against the door. Edmund fixed it this morning.
3. Maid H— I was expecting a guest. I instructed her to wait for her at the entrance, lead her to the stairs and open the front door for her.
Instead, I saw her in the kitchen,
Omb——“O, kala ko nasa gate ka?”
Maid H—“Magka-kape ako”.
When I reminded her to go back to her post, she answered “nadun na si Lava, dalawa na kami”.
They have different assignments. Lava was to care for the dogs so they don’t bark and jump at my guest. Maid H was assigned to accompany my guest to the door.
4. Maid R— Her task was the beverage girl. She’s assigned to serve us water and refill our glasses.
Two hours before my guest arrived, I briefed maid R of her official assignment. She would do the same thing, very simple, tiga lagay lang ng yelo, tubig, inumin.
Mabubulunan na kami ng bisita ko, wala pa kaming tubig, Maid R didn’t want to serve beverages. She chose to stay in the kitchen and do the dishes.
5. I switched on all the lights in the dirty kitchen. I briefed the chef-kusinera, maid H, maid R on their specific assignments.
After exchanging pleasantries, my one guest and I proceeded to the family dining. Kulang yung food sa table. Asan na yung support group ko? It was dark in the kitchen. All the lights were off. All the maids were watching tv while munching food.
As expected, two of them resigned the following day, Nida and Rose.
They came here together, they left this morning together after staying for only one month.
Nida has a very bad colds. I gave her 20 Vitamin C tablets and lozenges. Yesterday, I advised her to just stay in bed.
Rose, was a former OFW. She worked in Kuwait for 4 years and arrived back in Manila on April 26, 2015. Her amo was very kind daw. I asked why she came back to the Philippines. Inaaway daw kasi sya nung kasambahay from Ilocos, masyado daw matapang. I told her to contact her former employer. Maybe the Ilocana no longer works for them. She said she earned twenty thousand pesos a month. She was able to buy a pedicab for her brother in Mindanao. I encouraged her to go back to her employer in Kuwait so she could earn more money. She also enjoys the lifestyle there. Her cousin who works in Jeddah as caregiver is looking for a similar job for Rose.
Goodluck to Rose and Nida.
Sometimes I think, maids hop from one house to another because they are hunting male Amo lovers.
After assessment that something like that is not happening, they wait for a sermon that gives reason for them to leave.