When asked about whether they have had a positive or negative experience with Singapore’s helper system, Edna and Jac stunned me with their resoundingly positive response of “good, definitely” and “good because we get the money.” When asked whether they thought Singapore did enough to protect helpers, I was again shocked when Maricel told me that the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is “very fair…asks to come check in on the helpers [who call them].” Assuming that their response comes from a place of truth rather than a place of fear from the powerfully dictatorial government, these individuals paint a vastly different picture of the helper system than what I often assume. Similarly to other wealthy South East Asian countries, Singapore employs around 250,000 domestic workers, maids, or “helpers”, which means that every fifth Singapoeran household employs a helper (Ho, 2021). Although there are some regulations regarding proper helper treatment in place, there are far too many stories of helpers who are regularly not allowed access to the world outside their living space, denied healthy sleep or food, cheated out of their already pitiful wages, and been verbally, sexually, and physically abused (Meah, 2021). Unfortunately, reporting mistreatment is extremely difficult because they fear their employers, their government, and the prospect of being denied work or being sent home. How do some individuals remain unbroken in such a broken system?
Firstly, the helpers I interviewed all have a fierce connection to their far-away families and their home, which they quickly identify as the Philippines, Jac noting that “I hate the politics of Philippines but I love my country.” When asked why they came to Singapore, Maricel explained that she decided because earning and saving money in the Philippines is very difficult, she is able to take care of her daughter by sending money, and she has hope for the future. Despite being unable to see her 13-year-old daughter Eliza for many years at a time, Jac agreed that Singapore helps further her dreams; Edna explains that she supports her six children and seven grandchildren. They all agreed that they missed their families more than anything and that the community they have built and the families they become a unique part of can’t compensate. Maricel elaborated by saying that being with family is “really different, it’s very simple, but it’s so much fun…as long as we have…some kind of food and family…we are very content with what we have.” Clearly, what I might see as an impossible position of having to chose between being with family and supporting family as a decision that almost every one of these women has had to make and find peace with.
Another important factor in their survival in the system that gives them so little power is how much an employer respects their emotional needs. I started asking about what makes a job successful and Maricel seemed to summarize what everyone was feeling by saying that “we are here for the money, of course. But, I am happy with my salary. It’s the treatment…if you are working, you don’t have the rights to speak up. You don’t have the right to be against them (the employers)…I would be happy if my employer understood and respect our feelings.” In addition to the serious systemic issues with inadequate pay -the minimum helper pay is 570 SGD per month (MSIG, 2020)- and abuse -Maricel mentioned that her worst job was for a 96 year old man who could be “very naughty” and that “there is some employers that are very bad. They just give you like two piece of bread every day and very low salary and you can’t take off day no rest no phone. Especially local [Singaporeans]”-, the degrading system is designed to take power and basic respect away from helpers. Employers are able to force helpers to work 17 + hours daily (Alvinology, 2017) with little to no consequences, monitor them on security cameras, and essentially force them to do nearly any work regardless of legality. When you have so little autonomy, it’s hard to imagine being able to find any degree of happiness but these women make it work.
By holding onto their families, homes, and hope that they will get lucky with an employer who treats them humanely, some incredibly brave and resilient women, three of which live in my neighborhood, are succeeding in remaining unbroken for the time being.
Works Cited
“FILIPINO DIASPORA LED by ITS MAIDS.” Washington Post, The Washington Post, 3 Nov. 1995, www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1995/11/03/filipino-diaspora-led-by-its-maids/f7b2d04c-c03a-4860-a309-b8cc7a4f3a94/. Accessed 23 July 2021.
Ho, Timothy. “[2021 Edition] How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Maid in Singapore?” DollarsAndSense.sg, 26 May 2021, dollarsandsense.sg/much-cost-hire-maid-singapore/#:~:text=In%20Singapore%2C%20there%20are%20about,or%20family%20members%20with%20disabilities.. Accessed 23 July 2021.
“How Much Is a Maid’s Salary in Singapore? | MSIG Singapore.” Msig.com.sg, 2020, www.msig.com.sg/lifestyle-library/how-much-maids-salary-singapore. Accessed 23 July 2021.
“Is It Reasonable for Domestic Helpers to Work 17 Hours Daily?” Alvinology, 8 Apr. 2017, alvinology.com/2017/04/08/reasonable-domestic-helpers-work-17-hours-daily/. Accessed 23 July 2021.
Meah, Natasha. “The Reticence of Several Other Domestic Helpers Interviewed Has Been Prompted by Various Factors, Including the Feeling They Have No One to Turn To, Fear of Being Sent Back Home and the Lack of Evidence of Their Employers’ Wrongdoings.” CNA, CNA, 10 May 2021, www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/maid-abuse-domestic-worker-helper-mom-employer-agency-14768616.
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