aboutmaid

Synopsis

22-year-old Lina, a migrant worker from the Philippines, struggles with feelings of depression and isolation, while Jay, the neglected 17-year-old son of a wealthy family uses drugs to mask his own depression. Their lives collide and end in tragedy.

 

 

MAID is actually seen as a derogatory word even in the Philippines the word was changed to "Kasambahay" or a family companion. 

As a Filipina immigrant I was always asked if I came here as mail order bride or maid. Naturally we were offended by this and often was asked if I knew their Filipina maid from the Philippines. There are 110 million Filipinos in the Philippines and according to Asensoremit.com  blog 

Recent statistics show that there are 901,218 Canadian citizens and residents of Filipino ethnic origin, which means that Filipinos make up 2.6% of Canada's total population. So the answer is no we all don't know each other.  

Another thing that bothered me growing up is the word " chimay " in our language, Tagalog it means maid in a pedestrian way or tone. According to the latest data from the Government of the Philippines, as supplied to CBC News through the consul general's office in Calgary, the remittances sent to Filipino families was $1.08 billion from Canada. The total sent to the Philippines in 2019 from overseas was $42.8 billion, making up about 10 per cent of the country's GDP. So maid or not, caregivers alike and temporary workers, we contribute to the global economy of not only the cities we live in but the economy of the Philippines and the survival of our families back home. 

It is difficult enough to survive here in the western world but to actually learn the ways of a new country, new language, temperature and racial divide. Then to add the pressures of having to live just enough for yourself here in Canada but to actually be responsible for the survival of your families left behind. 

This film is dedicated to my family and all the families here in Canada today living without their loved ones. ~#pinayinhalifax