A lifetime of loyalty: Remembering our Filipina housemaid Nanang’s 57 years of love and service

Dubai: Recently, while interviewing Marissa Postre, a housemaid who dedicated 44 years of her life to one family, I was deeply reminded of someone who shaped my own life in the most profound way: Julieta Lahoylahoy, our beloved "kasambahay" (companion at home) whom we lovingly called Nanang.

Nanang wasn’t just someone who worked for us. She was our second mother, our constant companion, our family. She joined our home before I was born and stayed for 57 years, until her final breath in April 2024.

From my first steps to my adult years, Nanang was always there, feeding me vegetables (even when I resisted), giving me extra food and allowance for school, and spoiling me in every way she could. She helped raise me and my three siblings with unwavering love, care, and generosity.

But Nanang was more than a caregiver, she was the soul of our home. Like many housemaids across the world, she did everything, from cooking meals and cleaning the house, to ironing our clothes, running errands, and keeping the household running smoothly, day in and day out.

And amid all that hard work, she still found time to make us laugh. Nanang had a sense of humor that lit up the room. Her jokes—sometimes cheesy, sometimes witty, always funny, brought so much joy into our lives. Whether we were having a bad day or simply lounging around, she had a way of making everything feel lighter.

As a domestic worker who cared for the entire family, Nanang not only looked after us daily but also tended to us with love and dedication whenever we were sick, always putting our well-being first.

Nanang was short in stature and gentle in spirit, but full of strength. I remember, as a child, defending her from bullies in the park who made fun of her. Looking back, I realize how much strength it must have taken to love and give so fully, even when the world outside wasn’t always kind.

Nanang was so devoted to our family that my parents decided to also bring in her sisters, Carmen and Lea, to help with the household and care for us. Though we had three housemaids at one point, they were never treated as workers, they were family. Carmen and Lea eventually left to pursue other paths, but Nanang stayed, never leaving our side.

When she passed away last year from a heart attack, our home fell quiet in a way it never had before. We lost a part of our foundation, a woman whose love carried us through life’s joys and sorrows.

Now, living independently in Dubai, I find myself cooking my own meals, doing my own laundry, and taking care of all the things Nanang once lovingly handled. And I miss her deeply, especially in the quiet moments.

So, if you have someone like Nanang in your life, someone who dedicates their life to caring for you and your family, please treat them with dignity, kindness, and love. Because when you do, they give you the most beautiful gift: loyalty without conditions, and love that lasts a lifetime.

Do you have a housemaid in the UAE who takes care of your family and treats you like one of their own?

It's time to show your appreciation and inspire others by sharing their story. Housemaids are often the unsung heroes of our homes, offering care, dedication, and love that goes beyond their duties.

Let’s give them the recognition they truly deserve.

Send us your story at readers@gulfnews.com, and we may feature them in one of our upcoming articles.

Let’s celebrate those who care for us.