Former Binibining Pilipinas-World and fashion designer Maggie Wilson-Consunji has slammed the practice of a members-only luxury resort in Quezon province which serves “yaya (nanny) meals.”
In a series of posts on social media, which started on Black Saturday, Consunji narrated how she uncovered the practice of the exclusive resort which she found “offensive.”
“My mom, Connor and his nanny, Nanay Belen, went to have breakfast this morning. Our nanny ordered her meal and my mom wanted the same thing. The waiter said “Oh, hindi pwede ma’am, kase that’s a ‘yaya’s meal,’” she posted on her Facebook account.
Consunji then cleared the matter to Balesin’s management which said that they were not preventing house helpers from ordering what they want.
However, the management said that they do have “yaya meals” which is an off-menu option for employers who want more affordable meals for their nannies.
“So when I checked with management they said that they won’t stop the yayas from ordering what they want. Which is true because we been here for 3 days and not once was our nanny told she couldn’t order what she wanted. But they do however have such a thing as a “yayas meal,” the waiter that served them was clearly not informed correctly. But still, the fact that there are people who don’t want their yayas to eat whatever they want to is beyond me. Hence the resort having to offer a “yaya’s meal.” I still find that offensive,” she said.
In a report by Coconuts Manila, the said “yaya meal” in Balesin was chicken or pork adobo with rice. Members of the resort could also opt to pay P200 a day for their house helpers to get three meals at the resort’s employee cafeteria.
An employee of the resort was quoted as saying: “Of course we treat yayas as guests but the ‘yaya meal’ [option] was requested by members who don’t want to pay the full guest rate for their help.”
Saying that the “yaya meal” was not the island-resort management’s fault, Consunji said that she wants to know who are the members of the resort who perpetuated the said practice.
“It’s not Balesin’s fault on why they offer such a meal but I would like to know which of the members insisted on it! It was however their fault on how they trained their staff. What was said was rude and offensive, especially so that the comment was made in front of my mom, our nanny, Nanay Belen and our son,” she said.
She also hit the resort for allegedly implementing “no credit card, no food policy.”
Balesin, a 500-hectare luxury resort located 21 kilometers southeast of Polillo town in Quezon province, has been the go-to destination of some celebrities and high rollers seeking a quick getaway. Senator Francis Escudero and actress Heart Evangelista opted to hold their weddings in the said private island. AJH/DL
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