Tan Kin Lian's Blog: Who is better off?

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Who is better off?

My friend and his wife worked hard and struggle to make ends meet. They have a maid from Philippines who looks after their baby. The maid said that after completing her contract, she would have enough money to build a 3-storey house in the Philippines. Who is better off? The employer or the maid?

Singaporeans must realize that they have a debt that has to be paid over a lifetime, due to the high cost of housing in Singapore.

8 comments:

rex said...: rex comments as follows,

This is an interesting exercise in thinking within a juxtaposed situation.
The maid's plight of being looked-down upon in her job here, is really temporary only. AFter the contract she has enough to invest and pay for 3 storey house, which is indeed a solid investment.
The employer on the other hand is stuck for possibly 30 years paying for a flat in singapore something just only a fraction of the size of 3 storey house in philippine suburb.
Interestingly, there are people in support of the ruling party to say that had it not been for the latter's skill of governance, Sporeans will end up as maids in foreign lands. Well SO WHAT, let's say our auntie sporean work as a maid in other land, and then come back can afford to buy property in Tanglin - by way of analogy. IS it bad thing for sporean to work as maid in foreign land? It's all about the money and sacrificing the present to assure the future isn't it?
Here in singapore many people sacrifice the present yet has no hope for the future! That makes the philipino maid's life more meaningful than singpaoreans.

It is said "people without a vision will perish".
rex; February 27, 2011 11:58 AM
Lye Khuen Way said...: Sure good food for thoughts ! SM Goh may want to analyse this again, By the way, this not an isolated story.
The other part of the story is the "Maid Levy" that disappeared into a "Consolidated Fund" and once in while get distributed as "Goodies". Since I will be receiving my bit of the Goodies soon, I should NOT complain, right ?; February 27, 2011 1:45 PM
Parka said...: If you want to compare to the Filipino people, well, we are better off.

We have the option to choose to live like the Filipino - in Philippines. But not the other way round for the Filipino.; February 27, 2011 7:05 PM
Solomon said...: Is it possible for a maid to work for a few years in Singapore and finance to build a 3-storey house in Phillipine? I think the math does not add up.; February 28, 2011 9:51 AM
Lion said...: hmm.. I think we have to look at this in a more realistic way rather than just looking at the surface of this brief story.

I mean we have a choice right? We can just go to philippines and buy a house and stay there. But would you want that? If you possess a house in philippines, how much does it really worth over long term? They too have to slog hard for living expenses and poor living condition. They may have a three storey house to live in but theyw ill have poor living condition and environment.; February 28, 2011 4:29 PM
hanglian said...: I guess a more realistic comparison would be to think along the line of having a Singaporean working in another country for 3 years and being able to come back to Singapore to build a 3 storey house. Instead having the Singaporean going to live in the Philippines.; March 01, 2011 3:16 AM
Tan Kin Lian said...: Hi Hanglian
I agree with your views. There are real advantages in living in a country with a low cost of housing and a low cost of living. Singapore used to be a low cost country, with affordable HDB flats and industrial estates. It made us competitive.

Today, the cost of Singapore is too high, and is causing a big burden to many people. They think that they have assets at high prices and they are wealthy.

They enjoy travelling to low cost countries, but they have to come back and pay for the high cost of living here. It is quite sad to see that Singapore has now reached this stage.; March 01, 2011 7:40 AM
hosingping said...: Hi Mr Tan,

How can we change our singaporeans lifestyle. things are always said in this way. but how can we do to improve...; March 01, 2011 10:57 AM