SINGAPORE: After working in Singapore for more than three decades, a domestic helper is finally preparing to return to her home country, the Philippines. Before she leaves, however, her employer’s daughter is searching for ways to reward her generously for her exceptional years of service.
On Monday (Jul 27), the daughter took to Reddit to ask other locals for suggestions.
In her post, she shared that the helper helped raise her and her siblings from childhood until they became adults.
“My helper has been with our family for slightly over three decades, from when we were young kids till we’re adults today. She isn’t super smart, but she has a very big heart and is very trustworthy.”
“When our mother had terminal cancer when we were teenagers, our helper was there for our mom, did all the wound changes, cooked many extra dishes for my mom, and always went above and beyond and never complained or lazed for a moment.”
When their mother eventually passed away, the helper grieved alongside the family and did everything she could to care for them during that difficult period. She once again went far beyond what would normally be expected of a domestic helper. At the time, the daughter’s youngest brother was not even 10 years old.
Now approaching her 60s, the helper remains in relatively good health. While she is slightly overweight, the daughter said she has no major medical conditions, something the family knows through the comprehensive annual health check-ups they have sponsored for her over the years.
How can we give back?
With all four children now grown up and three having moved out, the daughter said the family has been thinking about how they can properly thank someone they now see as family.
“We do sometimes give her ang bao for her bday and CNY, but that money gets spent quickly on her family back in her home country. 30+ years with us and her savings are not great.”
“We were wondering how else we can give back to this amazing lady that will help her? Three decades were spent together for us as kids growing up, and until today, she is practically a member of our family. Three of four of us kids have moved out of the family home, and I remain with my widowed dad here with her around.”
The daughter said they hope to do something that will have a lasting impact, especially once the helper returns home and no longer has the benefit of earning a Singapore salary.
“I Googled and saw there were financial or business classes for helpers, but I’m not sure if, in our case, she’s already past that stage in life for us to send her to those classes?”
Wanting to make the right decision, she asked other Reddit users if they had any experience or suggestions on how her family could help their longtime helper.
“Make sure she has a steady income when she retires”
Many commenters praised the daughter’s thoughtfulness and offered a range of suggestions, from helping the helper’s children or grandchildren with their education to paying for long-term health insurance or continuing to provide her with a monthly allowance after she retires.
Some felt that the greatest gift would be one that generated financial stability for years to come rather than a one-off cash payout.
One commenter suggested buying the helper a home in the Philippines.
“Buy a house for her. It is quite affordable. Even for the Philippines, you can get a studio apartment condo in Manila for like S$20k.”
Another proposed providing her with a retirement income.
“Make sure she has a steady income when she retires. The easiest way is to continue paying her a portion of her monthly salary, say 60%, for as long as she lives. It really does not cost much to you and your siblings but goes a long way to help them settle into a comfortable retirement.”
A third advised, “Think of something that she can benefit from for a longer time. But first, send her to some financial literacy course, so when you give her a business, she understands how profit and capital money work. Once she has the knowledge, you can provide her a capital to start a mini-grocery store or food business.”
In other news, a Singaporean says her employer plans to move her back to a part-time contract after she took hospitalisation leave for major surgery, a decision that would slash her salary by almost half just weeks before she is due to return.
In a post on the Complaint Singapore Facebook group, the woman said she had been with the company since July last year. She worked part-time until December 2025 before being offered a full-time role in January 2026.
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