SINGAPORE: A concerned netizen took to social media to share a video of a domestic helper painting the roof of a house under the scorching afternoon sun.
The 23-second clip was posted on Wednesday (Jul 16) in the Facebook group “Direct Hire Transfer Singapore Maid / Domestic Helper.”
In the video, the helper is seen wearing just a pink shirt and shorts while standing on a sloped metal roof, using a brush to paint. The sun is visibly harsh, and she appears to be working without any safety equipment.
The caption on the video, written in Filipino, reads: “Anong masasabi nyo d2 guys? Pinapaakyat sa bobong para mamintura tapos tirik na tirik pa ung araw.”
Translation: “What do you guys think of this? She was told to climb up and paint the roof, and the sun was scorching hot too.”
In the post, the netizen added, “Pwede ba yan na tayo ang magpintura? Wala na yan sa #contract natin pero inuutos at pinagawa sa kanya. My God.”
Translation: “Are we even supposed to be painting? That’s not in our contract, but she was made to do it anyway. My God.”
“This is not a helper’s job.”
At the time of writing, the video has drawn over 10,000 views. In the comments, many domestic helpers urged the netizen to report the incident to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).
Several pointed out that dangerous tasks like painting rooftops shouldn’t be part of a helper’s job. One wrote, “Should complain to MOM. This is not a helper’s job. If my employer asked me to do this, I wouldn’t agree.”
Another said, “Get the unit number of the house and send the video with the address to MOM if you truly care.”
A third shared their own experience: “This is what my employers made me do at their parents’ house. I was painting under the hot sun from 8am to 5pm. I only rested to eat. That’s why I didn’t renew my contract with them.”
A fourth commenter added, “It’s better to send [the video] straight to MOM and give the full address. Did MOM say painting is part of a helper’s job? No, right?”
A fifth commented, “Danagerous. No safety. This employer is too much. Abusive employers like this should be reported.”
Where to seek help
Helpers who feel unsafe or mistreated can call the MOM FDW Helpline at 1800 339 5505, or the Centre for Domestic Employees (CDE) at 1800 2255 233.
Additionally, anyone who wants to report a case or share information can email [email protected] or call 6438 5122.
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