"Helpers"

Of course, all of the above is nearly impossible for the typical residential employer. How can you document paying Phil health and Pag -Ibig without the employee registering? In just about every case, potential employees are aware of this and they just say to give them the money directly. But that is not documented. The actual provisions are very stingy; P2500 for metro Manila? Good luck on that! In Dumaguete it is about P3500 and P4000 after a few months plus P500 transportation. 5 days annual paid leave? Get out. Try 1 day per week. These women can work for themselves and make P4K a month just doing nails for people around town. The modern Phils is not so poor like it was in the 80s and 90s. Husbands are making good money now and many want their wives to stay home, not intending to get rich. Sometimes they have one purchase in mind, like a motorcycle, after which the helper quits when they save up the down payment. That works nicely with the contractor concept. More like 1day/week, at least. Pag-Ibig? They don’t care. Phil Health? Very cheap for them, no problem paying but they would rather have the money. 13th month bonus? Yeah, you always give a Christmas bonus. What they tend to do is tell you they will NOT be hired as a regular employee; they don’t want a contract because such a document also obligates them to stay with you to some extent. So they ask to be paid month to month as a contractor, that is, “their” request. OF COURSE they get food (the same food the employer eats), board and lodging, reasonable medical care on your dime, trips back home especially for fiesta. But people just don’t go around registering as employers; not sure if tourist and BB visa holders could even do that. So, you think you can just go to an agency and hire your own contractor? Somebody who came from a place you don’t know? Somebody whom nobody in your family dies not know? Don’t do that. For most people, I don’t have to say ‘watch out whom you trust’. People who nobody your family or friends know WILL steal from you a very large percentage of the time. Even if they seem like nice people, their husbands might even encourage stealing to uplift their salary. Stealing from foreigners or other “rich” people is not considered immoral here; they will steal from you on Saturday and go to Mass and Communion on Sunday. Just hire someone you or someone in your family knows. Offer all the kasambahay privileges in the law and pay them for these services as part of their salary because it is difficult or impossible for foreigners to be official employers, but unless you go to an agency (again, not recommended), work out your own agreement with your temporary contractor.

If you are single, do NOT hire a live in maid. Let her come in and clean a few times a week.

Personally I don’t care to have helpers but my Filipina wife does, and she knows the ropes.


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Don’t get a day off? Really? Well, that is rotten. It is also rotten to turn in your employer to el gobiernmente. If that employer finds out, those ex-helpers won’t have any problems having days off in the future.


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