I n the Visayan Regions, young girls are commonly called Inday and young boys are commonly called Dodong and since not all are privileged...
In the Visayan Regions, young girls are commonly called Inday and young boys are commonly called Dodong and since not all are privileged enough to be college-educated due to economic concerns, some of them decide to try their luck in the big cities and they commonly end up getting employed in the households of the uppermiddle class working as "helpers" or "houseboys" (this the male equivalent of the helper) Although not all helpers or houseboys are from the Visayas, it is still the general concept. Perhaps, this "generalization" will prevail for as long as Inday and Dodong anecdotes proliferate in all forms of mass media and if their exodus to the big cities continue.
As a true-blue Visayan it does not irk me at all, in fact, it only proves that the Indays and Dodongs that manage the households, whether here or abroad, actually hold a powerful position. Just think what chaos will occur if they all decide to go on strike for a week. Working parents, students, other establishments will suffer from the absence of the extra hand from the Dodongs and the Indays of this country.
I often receive Inday and Dodong anecdotes by text message or from email messages and although I find them absurd, I think it is a way of acknowledging their skills and their importance in our society.
This is Part 1 of a lengthy adventure of Inday and Dodong, the source of which cant be identified as it has been passed from cellphone to cellphone or email to email. Read on and enjoy.
Dahil sa tindi ng kahirapan sa probinsya, namasukan si Inday bilang katulong sa Maynila. Habang ini-interview ng amo..... (Because of extreme poverty, Inday applied as a helper in Manila. During the interview...)
Amo: Kailangan namin ng katulong para mag-linis ng bahay, magluto, maglaba, mamalantsa, mamalengke, at magbantay sa mga bata. Kaya mo ba ang lahat ng ito?
(employer: We need a helper to clean the house, to cook, to do the laundry, to iron clothes, do the marketing and watch over the kids. Do you think you can do all these?)
Inday: I believe that my acquired skills, training and expertise in management with the use of standard tools, and my discipline and experience will contribute significantly to the value of the work that you want done. My creativity, productivity and work-efficiency and the high quality of outcome I can offer, will boost the work progress.
Amo : [Nagdugo ang ilong.][Had a nose bleed from the high-falutin English of Inday.]
Makaraan ang dalawang araw, umuwi ang amo, nakitang may bukol si Junior.
[After two days, the employer arrives from work and sees Junior who has a lump/swelling.]
Amo: Inday, bakit may bukol si Junior? [Inday, why does Junior have lump/swelling?]
Inday: Compromising safety with useless aesthetics, the not-so-well engineered architectural design of our kitchen lavatory affected the boy's cranium with a slight boil at the left temple near the auditory organ.
Amo: [Nagdugo ulit ang ilong.][Once again, the employer's nose bled.]
Kinagabihan, habang naghahapunan. ...
[That night, while having supper...]
Amo: Inday, bakit naman maalat ang ulam natin? [Inday, why is our entree tonight too salty?]
Inday: The consistency was fine. But you see, it seems that the increased amount of sodium chloride (NaCl) affected the taste drastically and those actions are
irreversible. I do apologize.
Amo: [Dumugo na naman ang ilong ng amo]
[employer: Again the employer's nose bled.]
Note: nose bleed here is a sarcastic way to explain the severe confusion over the highfalutin English of Inday...
Photo from: www.tonyroda.blogspot.com
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