MANILA, Philippines – A Pinoy boss based in Singapore, George Garcia, recently expressed dismay after their ‘kasambahay’ (house helper) encountered a problem on her flight from the Philippines to Singapore through the nation’s flag carrier, Philippine Airlines (PAL).
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| The kasambahay was blocked at the boarding gate for allegedly failing to pay ₱16,650 for her 30kg baggage. Photo credit: George Garcia |
Garcia shared the experience on Facebook, narrating that the kasambahay, Girlie Guiemzon had followed his instructions to be early at the airport to ensure she still has ample time should she encounter problems along the way.
According to Garcia, the kasambahay actually went through Immigration quite easily using her OEC (Overseas Employment Certificate), a requirement for new and returning OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers).
Guiemzon had arrived at the NAIA (Ninoy Aquino International Airport) at 4PM for her 8PM flight to Singapore.
Checking in was a breeze, Garcia explained, and the kasambahay was already able to secure her boarding pass.
Although the original boarding gate was at Gate 11, it suddenly changed to Gate 1 without proper announcements, Garcia added. It was a good thing that Guiemzon had arrived early because she was able to quickly move to the new boarding gate.
At first, everything was still going smoothly for Guiemzon, but she soon encountered issues at Gate 1 when PAL staff blocked her from boarding the plane, saying she still hasn’t paid for her checked-in luggage. The amount was a whopping ₱16,650 for her 30kg baggage.
The kasambahay was blocked at the boarding gate for allegedly failing to pay ₱16,650 for her 30kg baggage. Photo credit: George Garcia“Diyos ko, saan siya kukuha ng ganung halaga on the spot? Nataranta na siya. Pinapunta kung saan-saan, pinapasa-pasa… Hanggang sa hindi na siya pinasakay ng eroplano,” Garcia angrily wrote.
“Alam niyo po yung pakiramdam na ginawa na lahat — pumila, nagbayad, nag-ayos ng papeles, dumating ng maaga — tapos sa huli, parang siya pa ang may kasalanan?”
Garcia called the travel agency and was surprised to learn that another passenger was also blocked from boarding the plane over alleged unclear reasons.
He called out PAL for explanations, lamenting that Guiemzon might have been singled out because she’s a kasambahay.
“At bakit parang pinili nilang hindi pansinin ang isang kasambahay? Kasi domestic helper lang siya? Kasi wala siyang boses? Kasi mas madaling i-deny kaysa harapin ang mali?” Garcia asked.
He said that they’re not asking for special treatment but only want what’s right and fair. Moreover, he also wanted to ask for clarification about the supposed unpaid check-in bag which should have been charged during check in, if that was actually the main reason why the kasambahay wasn’t allowed to board the plane.
Hindi ko akalain… Sa mismong Flag Carrier pa kami makakaranas ng ganito. 😢✈️🇵🇭 I booked a ticket for my kasambahay via...
Posted by George Garcia on Friday, May 9, 2025
Garcia and other netizens believe, however, that the plane might have been overbooked, leading to Guiemzon’s unfortunate situation.
As of press time, PAL has yet to reply to Garcia’s post.
— Joy Adalia, The Summit Express