Ahhh… The age old tale of the kasambahays.
Can’t live with them.. Can’t live without them!
One fact I learned when I was a kid – that helpers and yayas come and go. They will seem to be okay with their employers but backbite them to their fellow helpers. They will one day be nice to you and another day be mean or make ‘simangot’ to you for no apparent reason. They seem to have mood swings every now and then. They will ask for a day off and promise to be back but never return. They will make up excuses so that they’d be allow to leave to the point of killing all of their grandparents and more! All of these issues boggle me to be honest. I don’t understand why these helpers can’t just be honest.
In a certain household – there’s katulong politics. There’s the ‘head’ the mayordoma – the one who orders everyone around. The one you most trust (since she’s been with you the longest) Then, there are her minions – those who have been with you a shorter time, but long enough to be loyal to your mayordoma. Then there are the newbies – the fresh meat, those new helpers.
It starts out harmoniously at first. These people will try and get a feel of the dynamics of the heirarchy. And then the situation is tested – as they say, familiarity breeds contempt. The newbies get a hang of their role – some excel and some don’t. Those who excel get the approval of the ‘Amo’ and this irks the mayordoma. The mayordoma then plans a coup, she will stir a bit of trouble with talk – and then it happens. The ganging up begins – the minions of course, will side with the mayordoma leaving the newbies with just themselves. In this kind of group dynamic – the losing side is the newbie – why? Obviously, who will the Amo believe in? The newbie who has just worked for you a few months or the mayordoma who (forewent getting married) has been with you for years?
There – the mayordoma truimphs. She has learned to use her ‘length of service’ card as a ploy to get you to let go of the newbie. Even if the talk isn’t true and the newbie was just minding her own business – tendency is, (let’s all admit it!) we listen more to our mayordomas.
The problem is – that we do not want to waste our energies in dealing with this katulong politics, that we just believe what our mayordoma says. Thus, we let go of the newbie and maintain the mayordoma. Since the mayordoma won, this gets into her head. Now, she realizes – she now has power over the household. She can now dictate how things will be with her minions – she can control them now. If you want to stay, then stay loyal to her – kiss her ass why don’t you, she now thinks that she has a say with hiring househelp. She knows that – if push comes to shove, you will choose her – the Mayordoma.
Katulong politics is very much like Philippine politcs, there are trapos and the new breed. We often hear from our elders ‘Iba na ang mga kasambahay ngayon, wala ng loyalty, mapili sa trabaho’ Same goes true for local politcs – most run because they know they can get richer, there is no love of service and country, but only – greed. The thirst for power is everything for them. I remember the saying ‘Absolute power corrupts absolutely‘ maybe our helpers need this control over other people to feel powerful?
Sigh. Can’t they just do their effing jobs? I mean why is there a need for katulong politics? Its as if someone is in the chopping block right? And no one is! In fact its them that has a hard time if kulang the househelp! The mayordomas will do all the work, this then begs the question – WHY CAN’T THEY ALL JUST GET ALONG? It will be beneficial to EVERYONE.
Seriously, why can’t they just all get along, right?
It really boggles me, I mean really
Update:
I found these sites on a forum, it hope this helps!!
Help Watch – Watchlist of Yayas and Maids
http://helpwatch.multiply.com/
Helper Skelter – Yaya & Helper Database
http://helperskelter.blogspot.com/
