A Maid And An Engineer In Singapore

Andy is a 40 something engineer who works for Powergas in Jurong Island, Singapore. He graduated from Mapua in the Philippines and earned his MBA at the De La Salle University.Given his paper qualifications with excellent working experiences combined with good looks, he is every woman's dream. Sadly, his interest lies not on meeting a potential wife but meeting deadlines for his work projects. No matter how his acquaintances and colleagues set him for blind dates, he always let them go home very disappointed and frustrated. There was even a gossip that circulated among friends that he fantasizes not women but men. He just shrugged off his shoulders and even managed with a joke: " I like the Matt Damon type of guy! say mo?"

Mabelle is a 25 year old domestic helper from Pangasinan. Back in the Philippines, she has 4 children with 3 men. The first child was born when she was merely 15 years old. At the age of 18, she got pregnant with another man and stopped schooling to get married. At 20, she gave birth to another child . At 21, she decided to go to Singapore as a domestic helper. After 6 months, her Chinese employer found out that she was pregnant with a Bangladeshi man. She was immediately sent back home. After giving birth, she used her cousin's name to enter Singapore again as a domestic helper. She worked with a British family. After a year and a half, the family decided to pack their bags and asked her to be transferred or look for an employer who will sponsor her remaining 6 months work visa.

At the void deck in Choa Chu Kang, Mabelle was trying to call a friend, when Andy passed by. "Bwisit ubos na!", he heard the girl utterred. He momentarily stopped that she noticed him and said: "mama pahingi naman ng coins oh!"Andy then overheard the girl's problem as she was narrating it to her friend over the phone. Not used to meeting girls of Mabelle's personality and social status, Andy was filled with pity for her. To make the story short, they compromised that Andy will sponsor her in exchange for laundry, cleaning and cooking services that Mabelle will provide. Unfortunately,she was given only a 3 months visa as Andy's employment pass will already expire within 3 months.

Luckily in just a week, with the help of friends, Mabelle was able to find a part time domestic job. Though it is not permitted for a maid to work for a person not her sponsor, she was not afraid as no one will dare make a report. She served Andy like a king showing gratitude for her stay. Andy on the other hand, bought her little things and at times asked her to eat out at the nearby hawker centre.

After 2 months, Andy filed for 2 weeks leave from work. The reason was that he will get married in Manila to a girl whom he got pregnant. Of course, everybody was surprised.They asked to meet the lucky girl. But after 2 weeks, Andy returned to work and pointed that she married out of pity only. The next week, he showed a police report stating that he physically and verbally abused the complainant, his wife.He sadly revealed that the person he married out of pity was a gold digger and a liar. He also added that he cannot sponsor her as a dependant pass holder as per Ministry of Manpower's regulation.This triggerred their violent fights.

Mabelle told friends that if Kris Aquino can file a police report about a domestic quarrel, why could not she. She cried that all she just wanted was a good life. She added that she did her part in the relationship and buying a branded shampoo and conditioner is not a crime.

Andy consulted a lawyer through his mother and then went back to Manila to have a fake marriage in City Hall be declared null and void. How to annul a fake marriage, nobody bothered to know.

Back in Singapore, Andy was allowed only a 14 days social visit pass as his employment pass was not approved for renewal. With this, his company got no choice but to terminate him. On the other hand, Mabelle was forced to go back to Pangasinan and her 4 kids. Her baby inside the tummy? Your guess is as good as mine.

Mabelle and Andy, an ambitious maid and a lonely engineer in Singapore. Wasted lives, wasted opportunities. The reason? I don't know. Maybe life is really what we make it.