Philippines’ economy, recently, concluded
as one of the Asia’s best performers, and the World Bank believes to increase by more than 6% annually over the next three years.
Employment agents in both cities said,
however, this growth alarms the after effect on the “maid trade” in Hong Kong and Singapore. Filipino women,
despite being separated from their families for years, used to spend long hours
on household tasks, and caring for children for about $500 a month. But women nowadays
are reportedly choosing to stay home instead.
Recruitment consultant Emmanuel
Geslani told The Straits Times, with Philippines’ blooming economy,
Singaporeans are leveling down their standards when hiring a Filipino maid. Finding
jobs at home is the best option for Filipina workers whom with excellent
English and a good education instead staying in Singapore’s upper class.
Singaporeans, eventually, tend to import women with few specialized skills from
impoverished rural areas.
“Now, as long as the maids can speak and
write English, it’s okay,” Geslani said.
The change comes when billions of
dollars is allocated in infrastructure and development projects designed to
build up the country’s provincial towns endorsed by President Aquino, which
pushes the migrants back in the country.
Employment agencies said countries
like Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan are also hiring Filipino woman that might
have once worked as domestic helpers in Hong Kong.
As a result, the overall number of
Filipinos employed in Hong Kong and Singapore, which is mostly domestic
helpers, slid a bit down last year.
According to the Commission
on Filipinos Overseas, Philippines has long been one of the major labor sources
nationwide, from maids to fishing vessel crews to electrical engineers. Nearly
10.5 million Filipinos, or about 10% of the population, were overseas in 2012.
