Kiki,
Teachers' Day is on 1st September. Must start to source now to get good bargains. Else last minute sure blur sotong. heheheh...
So far, Express Employment is not bad. After sales servie, they will call you every now and then to check on the maid's progress and if you are happy. Comes to replacement, they are also very prompt. When I had a maid who develop health probs only 1-month after coming in, they did not charge me for her temporary lodging and air-ticket back to Indon. Somemore they helped to find replacement as fast as possible. But becos no suitable ones, they cancelled all my post dated cheques. Nevery charged me anything left from the maid's loan. Berry good service.
Alibaba,
For such cases, can approach the Embassy for special pass to return to Phillippines. But then again, ask your friend to double check on her story yah. Cos I ever got friend kena conned. The maid went back and never came back - produced lots of sob story say mother break down lah, home problems lah, etc. Worse, the maid did not finish her contract. So she had to forfeit the loan $$$ back to the agent. Tell the maid to produce the death certificate'. Say it's required by the embassy lah. This way can verify her story yah.