Sentidokomon

 By Josephine “Joy� B. Miranda

“Stupid, worthless animal,� this was the barbaric statement addressed to Graciela from the mother of her employer Xanthi. This story was published in Sunday Mail on September 9, 2007. Graciela, a 45-year old Filipina (not her real name) was working for an expatriate Greek family in Singapore when she met a young Cypriot couple who have a private institute in Nicosia. When Graciela learned from the couple that the institute needs reliable workers for school, she did not let it pass. She approached them saying that she had been a primary school English instructor in Manila and she was very good with children. A week later, Graciela was handed a three-page work contract while onboard a plane heading for Cyprus. Quoting the writer Alexander Lowell, “Xanthi (the lady employer) had informed Graciela that she could not offer her a teaching position right-away- her degrees would have to be certified by the appropriate government offices, but until then, she could manage the school’s cafeteria.�

That was enough for Graciela to be happy, as she was filled with hope that someday she could get a chance to practice her teaching profession. But her happiness was short-lived. Quoting Lowell again, “By the end of her second week in Cyprus, Graciela was working 16 to 18 hours a day, seven days a week, cleaning the entire school with six toilets, cleaning Xanthi’s house, as well as the mother’s house, running the cafeteria, and minding a year-old baby.� “Graciela was expected to become the obliging servant to any of Xanthi’s extended family, and she was even from time to time, loaned out to Xanthi’s friends who had special cleaning needs, free of charge.� Worst experience that Graciela could ever imagine to happen was during her second year in that family. Her father was in a critical condition back home. She told her employers that she wanted to see her ailing father and demanded her passport. The employers instead said, “But how can we be sure you’ll come back? We spent a lot of money on your ticket from Singapore and the immigration charges.� “Graciela offered to swear on her bible and promised to forego her salary for the next two months. In the end, Xanthi refused to let her go. Graciela’s father died the day after Christmas.�

 

Graciela’s story is just one of the millions of sad realities happening to vulnerable, helpless housemaids with no options left but to bear the long-standing sufferings inflicted by their abusive employers. In a recent published survey, it was mentioned that Filipino workers are second to other nationals who create the most problems in Cyprus. Let me answer this: First of all, Filipino workers are highly educated that majority are even college graduates or professionals. Before opting to work abroad, most of us are government employees, teachers, registered midwifes and nurses as well as well-trained caregivers, and some were working in banks and other private companies. We may have decided to work as housemaids or domestic helpers, yet we can not ignore the fact that we are certified literate in our chosen fields. Meaning, Filipino workers are educated enough to understand what we have come here for, counting and depending on the job contracts which were being agreed and signed up with employers. It can not be denied that back home, wages are unfortunately low, and except for medical and building construction industries where Filipino nurses and engineers are deployed by volume, there are no other “white- collar jobs� being offered to people in third world countries, (which include Philippines,) except of course, as domestic helpers. Deciding to work abroad entails so many sacrifices and consequences which workers have to face: Leaving the family behind is already painful enough, plus the apprehension of an uncertain life in the employers’ house. Yet, as mentioned, we all depend in the employment contract and before signing such, we have clearly understood all the stipulated statements thereat. To cite the few, 7 hours of work daily be it day or night, 1 day off every week, no work on holidays, 150 to 180 CYP monthly wages, free food and accommodation allowances, and most of all, the personal documents like passport in our safe-keeping. Having these things in mind, workers first of all expect it from their employers, but sadly, these are not being followed or often neglected, mostly, or let me say, majority of employers are the ones violating the agreement. I wondered why this is so. I do not understand why the employment contract issued by the state is always been ignored by most employers, when in fact, that alone is a law, unless these kind of employers are ignorant of the law or just plain abusive and exploiters who take advantage on utilizing-well their workers, who have partial or complete disregard about the welfare of their workers and who presumed that they can silence their unlawful acts toward their housemaids just because they have money to do so.

Let me point this out: Filipino workers are naturally law-abiding citizens. We know our duties, understood our responsibilities, and we have the capacity and the capability to do our job excellently. But we also know when our rights are being violated. We know when we are being abused and we know when we are being exploited. I guess this explains why there are many complaints in the immigration desk as lodged against the employers, why there are so many ran-away cases and why it has been concluded that Filipino nationals are giving this country some doses of headaches. We maybe housemaids, yes, but we are not slaves, as we  are aware of our rights and we know when to fight for these rights.

Even if this housework is far from what we have actually studied at school, yet we perform our services to its highest standard, giving our best to each task, and for God’s sake, when worse comes to worst, we are ready to give our life for the call of duty. In return, what we ask is only a reciprocation. We always strive to please our boss, but it should be a two-way traffic. As a boss, it is only reasonable to make your worker happy as well. I address this to all employers who are not fair to their “kopelas,� to start considering that your maids are your partners in the domestic industry of this land. Respect and obey what were written in the employment contract as we are duty-bound to obey them. We are housemaids, kopela, muchacha, katulong, whatever you call it,  so what? We are not ashamed of it. Please stop looking down upon us. This country which is wrapped by 85 to 90 percent smokers young or old, breathes the freshest air because we are here aiding your government to sanitize and eliminate the smell, in short, unpollute it. Whilst we painstakingly kiss off your dirt, your republic in return can boast forth your tourism industry, because we are part and parcel why your surroundings stay clean, neat and the lungs of your younger generation stay healthy. Your elders whom you have no time to look after for are given the best personal care by our loving, most patient hands. Your children are well taken cared of as we act as surrogate parents in your absence, teaching them good values, nurturing them, putting them away from danger while you do your business outside or while enjoying a night out. We leave you no worries as we act as administrators and security guards of your houses and palaces putting everything in order and well-organized. You get the approval of a multi-billion project during your executive meeting while you confidently shows off your Armani suit which was carefully washed and delicately ironed by us. We are the chefs to feed every mouth in your household and we ensure that every guest will experience a delightful service from us. Reality check says, that not even the new European law which requires to employ only Europeans, still, ways to get Filipino workers are unstoppable simply because we are the best and most trustworthy house workers in the world… guess that is something for every master of the house to be grateful for and for us to be proud of!

But we denounce those who maltreat and belittle us. We condemn those who think that we are stupids. We may not speak Greek language well but it is not reason enough to humiliate and call us worthless animals. The kind of work which we have landed abroad maybe a reflection of how economically disgruntled our country has become,  and we maybe victims of political circumstances back home, but despite the harshness and hardships which most of us encounter abroad, we will continue doing this piece of sacrifice because we take pride in being the economic backbone of our country. Just please afford us some considerable respect because we Filipino workers are not a bunch of idiots.