“Maid in Philippines.”
Filipinos around the globe are raising hell upon reading the column “The War at Home” written by Mr.Tsao in a Hongkong Magazine online. The column states “As a nation of servants, you don’t flex your muscles at your master, from whom you earn most of your bread and butter.” referring to Philippines as the nation and Filipinos as the servants.
While Philippines disputed China over the ownership of the Spratly Islands, Mr. Tsao launched his tirade against Philippines to his filipina maid. He warned her sternly that if she wants her wages increased next year, she had better tell every one of her compatriots that the entirety of the Spratly Islands belongs to China. The poor maid who has nothing in mind but to earn an honest and decent living is now absorbing all the abuses of her master.
My sympathy goes to the maid for having a morose and a bonker employer. Mr.Tsao is just another person we met from everywhere. Haughty, racist, and a hostile boss. He can state his words about the Spratly Islands dispute but hitting Philippines at the expense of our fellow Filipina working on his bailiwick is below the belt. He’s acted like a child denied of a candy thus throwing his tantrums to the minority of his group.
This issue unfazed me anyway. This is just a trifling matter need not be discussed nationwide. What actually disturbs me is the issue under its surface. Why this malicious blatherings and misconceptions to Filipinos happen always?
In retrospect, The Oxford English dictionary has once defined FILIPINA word as maid. Then followed by a Greek dictionary with a similar definition of the FILIPINEZA word.
Darn! even if we howl loud that the meaning of FILIPINO is NOT domestic helper and/or slave. Even if we protest for a correction or demand a public apology for insulting the nation because they changed the definition of the word FILIPINO, the truth remains that the reason why they define us as such is the image we depicted to the world. Philippines produce more servants than leaders. More lowly ‘prone to abuse’ works than legitimate professionals.
Even if we educate Mr. Tsao and the rest of the world that we have a better Manny Pacquiao than their weed smoker Michael Phelps.That it’s better to export efficient hard working filipino servants than their best melamine milk in the country produced by their fellow Chinese who pleaded guilty on the criminal charges against them thus officially calling ”these” Chinese as criminals. Maid is a better tag name than criminals though. Still, It’s no use to argue.
These are just water under the bridge. The real issue is very simple. We are enraged hearing people maligned our nation but we didn’t see the logic of it. The causal connection is obvious. We are known as the nation of servants per Mr.Tsao’s opinion is because almost all domestic helpers around the world came from Philippines. Ergo, IF we produce more prosperous professionals working abroad then we need not disseminate information helplessly that FILIPINO word doesn’t mean domestic helper but an inhabitant of Philippines. It will correct the misconceptions by itself. Furthermore, we wouldn’t be pointing our fingers to anyone whom to blame. Action speaks louder than words as always.
Filipinas who worked as domestic helpers are extra ordinary, independent, empowered women. Against the meager income, they still strived to work abroad to sustain family’s needs. Kudos to these women. It’s unfair to let them feel that filipinos are embarrassed by being defined of their job description.
Mr. Tsao’s column though is not actually detrimental. It’s inspirational. It’s a challenge. A wake-up call for Philippines to educate these women into their highest potentials. We might as well stop stooping to Mr.Tsao’s level and start pondering matters productive to filipinos.
