A 40-year-old Filipino woman who has served as a domestic worker for a Singaporean family of four since 1997, when she was 19, was highly praised for her loyalty and excellent service, and granted a Long Service Award by the Association of Employment Agencies (Singapore).
Her employer, now 70, recalled that when Melita Santos Gaboni first arrived, she did not know how to operate a vacuum cleaner or a washing machine, Lianhe Wanbao (Singapore) reported.
“We were worried if she was capable of handling domestic chores,” he said. Yet the past 21 years have proved that Gaboni is more than just a maid, as the family has proudly dubbed her as their butler.
Like many other Filipinos, Gaboni, who was the eldest sister in her family, had to go abroad and work as a domestic helper in order to support her family financially so that her younger brothers and sisters could continue their studies.
She was not only a quick learner, but also caring and diligent. Over the years, she mastered culinary skills with dishes including prawn noodles, nasi lemak (creamy rice), chili crabs and popiah (Fujianese-style spring roll).
She has adhered to the family’s healthy lifestyle, cooking dishes that are low in fat, sugar and salt.
Asked how to maintain a harmonic employer-employee relationship, Gaboni’s boss said it was all about respect. Initially the family would ask her to join them at the dinner table, but she would prefer eating alone in the kitchen.
“It was understandable that everyone needs some privacy, and eating with bosses could be stressful. That’s why we respected her decision.”
I know someone work 24 or 25 years with one employer also…. why can’t she discover by here??
Yashi Ada di pa noon mahigpit na kagaya ngayon
.taong 1997 pa nong nandito ako. ????
wow ate isa ka sa mapalad na nagkaroon ng mabait na amo,taka ako ate 19 lang noon paano ka naka abroad under age ka pa lamang?hehe just curios..ako din 5 years ako sa amo ko ako nagpalaki sa alaga ko then umalis ako ditokc mababa sahod noon naghanap ng mas may malaking sahod kc magpakolehiyo na ako,pumunta ako sa moscow almost 4 years then sa hk 7 months then pinabalik ako dito ng dati kong amo,so here i am again dito lang pala sa sg kampante ang loob. yong neighbor ko dito naka 12 yrs na dinatnan ko pa rin kht maldita amo nya…kapag matiisin at mabait ka God will repay you for it.. God bless ate
Thank you Tita????????????